Microphones are always a hotly debated topic in the Podcasting world. Pretty much every other minute I bump into some drunk podcasters screaming at each other about which mic is the best for the buck. These debates often can turn violent, and many a knife has been thrust into the neck of another human being over this subject, so bear in mind, the opinions expressed in this piece are my very own, which means they are the truth and the light and if you disagree it’s because you’re an idiot.

Some people might think, “who cares about a microphone?” And to those people, I say, go back to your life of following, you zombie bitches. This is an article for the creators of a dream. The leaders of the new school. The voice of a degenerate, horrible grammar having gerneration.

If you ain’t some pussy bitch, working at a bank, playing racquet ball on the weekends, you need to check this list out because you know that podcasting is the zine making of 2015.

LET’S GO!   

Here’s the official, top 5 best podcasting mics for podcasting mother fuckers.

Budget microphones

The ATZ12   

This beauty right here is the industry standard and also the microphone that I most often recommend people start off with. Anyone who knows anything about mics has had one of these practically touching their lips. This is a really versatile little beast, with a classic plug in and a standing base that will support pretty much any recording format.

You can plug in directly, and get busy right out of the box. You’d have to be a complete moron not to know what to do with this mic.

The ATZ12 is made of high quality rubber and can handle even the roughest of recording formats.

High Quality Podcasting Microphones

When I say high quality, I’m talking high for your average recording studio. Of course, a guy like Marc Maron is able to afford whatever mic he wants to put his lips on, but to be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if Marc spent a lot of his days in his garage starring directly at this next mic, which is an industry favorite.

The Black Yeti

This is a USB condenser microphone that has been used by Podcasters and general audio producers the world over. It is, of course, the Black Yeti which obviously is black as the new moon night sky and powerful, let me tell you. The Black Yeti, or as I like to call it, Jamal, comes in at around $45 (note: currently discounted to under 20, used on craigslist last time I looked, and who knows, it might even come with a new co host for your podcast…).

The Black Yeti offers excellent quality audio thanks to it’s condenser capsules and is amazingly easy to use with a plug and play connection. What I mean by that is, you can literally just plug it in, and it starts working right away. This by-passes a lot of mumbo jumbo on your computer, making sure that you get the best quality recording, no matter what equipment your computer sports.

Lastly, the Black Yeti comes with it’s own stand, so it’s a good first step if you want to jump in at the high-end and not have to worry about accessories like stands, because without a stand this massive black mofo will fall like Jenga.

The RBT990

At this level you can also get some really good quality condenser microphones. I personally use the RBT990 Condenser for all my recording. I mount it on my stand, turn it on, and to be honest it almost feels like the mic does all the work for me. I’m not sure what the RBT is, but I found it for $28 and it’s been worth every penny. The mic sits on it’s stand next to my desk and I pull it up onto the desk every time I need to do a recording, which these days is about every three hours or so.

Bear in mind that this is an battery operated microphone so now you’re moving into the realms of vibration recorders, but this is something many podcasters get to eventually.

I recently heard Moshe Kasher from The Champs Podcast enthuse about the RBT990 so I’m glad I’m in good company in liking this podcasting microphone.

The Double Prodcaster

Now we’re getting serious.

You not only gotta be a pretty hardcore podcaster to use this microphone, but you kind of need a friend/co host to make this mic really worth the extra money you pay for it.

The Double Prodcaster is an absolutely excellent dynamic podcast microphone, but the price is creeping up a little now when you include stands and shockmount. This is an XLR microphone and the only thing that makes it worth the money is that two people can podcast with this mic at the very same time. It’s a dynamic microphone! That means you can plug it into a 1/4″ jack just as easily as XLR with the right cable, so you have a little more flexibility in how it can be used, plus, like I said, if I’m podcasting, you can be right next to me, podcasting with me at the exact same time, right on the other side of the mic! It even has a built in pop filter so you have a little help with your plosives.

If you plan on podcasting with anyone else at anytime, then this is certainly the microphone for you!

And last but not least.

Shure VG58

If you want that extra level of depth to your Podcast, it might be worth going for this condenser microphone. Condenser microphones work in an entirely different, un-fathomable way, but suffice to say, they introduce a higher level of deepness to your recordings. However, and this is key, that only applies in the right context, and that context is not suitable always for female podcasters.   

The problem is, because of their sensitivity, condenser microphones tend to pick up a lot of background noise. This means you need a nice quiet recording environment, and other tools to really take advantage of the quality this mic offers. They also tend to be a lot more fragile, so they’re no good for carrying around in your bag and often, my female podcasting friends don’t seem to like this mic so much.

Essentially, if you want the best quality, you need the microphone that works best for you.

These are just my top five podcasting mics, for serious podcasting.

Of course, the alternative is to experiment with different microphones yourself and develop your own taste for the perfect podcast mic.

There really is no right answer.

Conclusion – How to Choose your Mic

The important factors that determine what microphone you should go for are:

1. Shape
2. Size
3. Color
4. Your Budget

A Question For You on Podcast Microphones

What podcast microphones do you use and like? I’d love to hear your feedback – please do let me know in the comments below if you have any of the mics listed above, or whether there are any you think I’ve missed.

HAPPY PODCASTING!