​​​🎙​Spec.FM Gear Guide
​​Hey there, 
​​
​​Figuring out what gear to prioritize when starting a podcast is hard. 
​​
​​That’s why we started documenting the gear we’ve bought over the years, and now we’re ready to share a quick starter kit that we rely on for all our shows.
​​
​​Remember: The gear doesn’t mean anything if the content isn’t there, so start with the content and invest after. 
​​
​​Enjoy!
​​
​​
​​
​​The Right Microphone
​​
​​Finding the right mic from your budget and podcasting needs is by far the greatest impact in your audio recording. 
​​
​​​🎙​ Microphones
​​​💎​ Best Use
​​​💸​ Estimated Price (USD)
​​Shure PG42-USB 
​​Starter - Budget friendly option great for plug and play microphone
​​$170.00
​​Shure BETA 87A 
​​Travel - Great for travel / live options or as a studio mic  
​​$249.00 
​​Shure MV7 - USB
​​Level up plug and play microphone 
​​$249.99
​​Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
​​Studio Mic - Great for dedicated and consistent recording locations
​​$399.00
​​XLR Cables 
​​Excellent - these cables are highly reliable and come in a variety of sizes to fit your needs
​​$54.95
​​Additional Recommendations
​​For any mic you choose we recommend also considering pop-filters and swing-arms to avoid any unnecessary nudges, wobbles or other noise. We started by placing socks on our microphones….but there are better options out there. 
​​
​​If you’re in an open area, or empty room, we also recommend setting up a sound proofing system by investing in sound dampeners.
​​
​​Alternatively, consider hanging up blankets or theater curtains near your recording station, hiding under a sweatshirt (we actually did that once) or recording in a closet where clothes can catch some of the audio and reduce the amount of echo. 
​​
​​Signal Adapters
​​
​​Getting the right amount of gain means you need more than just a microphone. You need a tool to get your audio signal loud enough for post production. 
​​
​​​🎛​ Signal Adapters
​​​💎​ Best Use
​​​💸​ Estimated Price
​​Shure X2U
​​Recording solo or remotely, traveling or limited space. We use this at Spec for all our shows - includes a headphone amp
​​$99.00
​​Focusrite 
​​Recording multiple people in the same space
​​$200 - $1,000
​​Cloud - CL1
​​Great for those investing in Shure SM7B or MV7
​​$149.00 
​​
​​Audio Repair / Mastering Tools
​​
​​After you’re done recording you might run into quiet audio, or audio that needs to be repaired after the fact. 
​​
​​​🖥​ Post Prod. 
​​​💎​ Best Use
​​​💸​ Estimated Price
​​Izotope RX
​​Great for professional podcasters with audio mastering experience 
​​$149 - $1,499
​​Auphonic
​​Great for a click and fix solution…bonus points for audio compression so your files aren’t massive! 
​​Free for up to 2hrs per week
​​
​​Editing Software
​​
​​After production you’ll want to get set up with a post-production workflow that fits your budget and time commitment to the show. 
​​
​​There’s a great article on the different editing tools out there so we’re going to refer to this list: https://beebom.com/best-audio-editing-software/
​​