Microphones
The microphone is the most important part of your setup, but not because it's expensive: because it's the right one for your room and the way you record. You'll learn the difference between dynamic and condenser, between USB and XLR, and what polar patterns mean.
Dynamic or condenser
Almost all podcast microphones belong to one of these two families, and the difference lies in how they turn sound into electricity.
- Dynamic: a diaphragm moves a coil inside a magnet. It's rugged, not very sensitive and needs you to speak up close. It picks up your voice and fairly little of the room.
- Condenser: a very thin diaphragm forms an electrical capacitor. It's much more sensitive and captures more detail and more highs… and also more room, more echo and more noise.
| Dynamic | Condenser | |
|---|---|---|
| Sensitivity | Low: you have to speak close to it | High: picks up from further away |
| Room noise and echo | Rejects quite a lot | Picks up almost everything |
| Sound | Warm, direct, “radio” sound | Detailed, open, bright |
| Power | Not needed | Needs power (48V phantom if it's XLR) |
| Ideal for | Untreated rooms, several people at the same table | Treated rooms, narration, voice-over |
If you record in an untreated living room or bedroom, a good dynamic mic a few inches from your mouth usually sounds better than an expensive condenser. The condenser will shine once you've worked on the room, which you'll see in the room lesson.
USB or XLR
The second big decision is how the mic connects.
A USB microphone has everything needed to digitize sound built in: you plug it into the computer (or, with an adapter, into many phones) and it works. It's convenient and cheap to start with, but it's hard to use two at once on the same computer and the setup is less flexible.
An XLR microphone uses the professional three-pin connector and needs something to plug into: an audio interface, a recorder or a mixer. In exchange, you can connect several mics, swap any part without throwing out the rest and grow over time.
| USB | XLR | |
|---|---|---|
| What you need | Just the mic and the computer | Mic + interface, recorder or mixer + XLR cable |
| Several people | Tricky on a single computer | One mic per input, no problem |
| Expanding or upgrading | You replace the whole mic | You replace one part at a time |
| Who it's for | Solo shows, first steps, remote interviews | Anyone who wants to grow or record in person |
There are hybrid models with both USB and XLR outputs: you start with USB and, when you buy an interface, keep using them over XLR. They're a great entry point.
The interface and phantom power
The audio interface does two jobs: it amplifies the mic's weak signal (the preamp, which you adjust with the gain) and converts it to digital to send to the computer.
XLR condenser microphones also need current to work: 48V phantom power, which the interface itself sends down the cable when you switch on the 48V button. Dynamic mics don't need it and, in general, aren't affected by it.
Plug and unplug microphones with phantom power off and the volume down to avoid pops in the speakers. And never send phantom power to an old ribbon microphone without checking that it can take it: it can damage it.
Some very low-sensitivity dynamic mics need a lot of gain. If your interface runs out and you hear a hiss when you turn it up, there are small inline preamps that sit between the mic and the interface and give it a clean boost.
Polar patterns: where it listens
The polar pattern describes which directions the microphone picks up from. It's key to understanding why one mic picks up the fan and another doesn't. In the simulator above you can choose a pattern and move your voice and a noise source around the mic.
| Pattern | Picks up | Rejects | Use in podcasting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardioid | The front, in a heart shape | The back | The most common: one voice per mic |
| Supercardioid | The front, narrower | The sides; picks up a little from behind | Tables with several people close together |
| Omnidirectional | Every direction equally | Nothing | Lavaliers; very quiet rooms |
| Bidirectional (figure-8) | Front and back | The sides | Two people facing each other with one mic |
The trick is to point the dead zone at the noise. With a cardioid, put the fridge or the computer behind the microphone. With a supercardioid, watch out: it has a small rear lobe, so it's best to leave the noise to the sides.
Address: front or side
Not every microphone is spoken into the same way. End-address mics are spoken into from the tip, like a handheld mic. Side-address mics are spoken into from the side, which is typical of many studio condensers and some broadcast dynamics.
Don't
Speak into the tip of a side-address microphone: the voice comes through dull, distant and full of room.
Do
Check where the logo is or read the manual, find the front side and speak into it, from a hand's width away or closer.
Lavaliers and other common microphones
A lavalier (lapel) mic clips onto your clothing, a hand's width from your mouth. It's usually omnidirectional, discreet and a great option for a video podcast or for recording with your phone. Its weak spot is clothing rustle: fix it securely.
In podcast studios you'll see a few classic types again and again:
- Side-address broadcast dynamics, large and with lots of room rejection: the “radio host” sound.
- Handheld stage dynamics: cheap, nearly indestructible and surprisingly good for voice.
- Large-diaphragm condensers, for narration in a booth or a treated room.
- Desktop USB mics, very popular for getting started or for remote interviews.
Rather than a specific brand, look for the type that fits your room and your format. Before buying, listen to comparisons of unprocessed voice, ideally in a room similar to yours.
- Dynamic for untreated rooms; condenser when the room helps.
- USB is the simplest; XLR with an interface lets you grow and record several people.
- XLR condensers need 48V phantom power.
- Cardioid is the most common pattern: point its back at the noise.
- Check whether your mic is end-address or side-address.
Your turn: find the dead zone
Use your own microphone (or your phone's) to check how the noise changes depending on where you point it.
- Put a constant noise in the room, like a fan or a radio playing quietly.
- Record the same sentence with the noise in front of, beside and behind the mic, always speaking from the same spot.
- Listen on headphones and note which position lets in the least noise.
Frequently asked questions
Which microphone is better for a podcast, dynamic or condenser?
For recording at home in an untreated room, usually a dynamic, because it picks up less echo and noise. A condenser gives more detail, but it needs a treated room.
Do I need an audio interface to make a podcast?
Only if you use XLR microphones. A USB microphone plugs straight into the computer.
What is phantom power?
A 48V current that the interface sends down the XLR cable to power condenser microphones. Dynamic mics don't need it.