5 Best Podcast Microphone in 2024

While content is king when it comes podcasting, having the right equipment is nearly just as important. But if you ask ten different podcasters what their favorite microphones are, you’ll get ten different answers.

That’s because everyone has slightly different needs, and it’s important that your podcast microphone matches with your style of podcasting. We’ve put together this list of top five best podcast microphones in 2024 to save you time and help you focus on what matters the most: content.

Rode Procaster

The Rode Procaster was designed with voice applications in the broadcast environment in mind. Its tight polar pattern, tailored-for-voice frequency response, and internal pop filter give it a balanced character with minimal distortion and excellent detail.

The microphone ships with a ring-mount microphone stand and padded zip pouch, but it’s up to you to supply your own microphone boom arm. The good news is that you can get one for less than $20 on Amazon. We recommend the one by Neewer, but you can also pay extra for a premium microphone boom arm like the Blue Compass, which has a hidden channel for cable management.

To connect the Rode Procaster, you need a mixing console or sound card with XLR input, which is a type of electrical connector typically found on professional audio and video equipment. But if you’re serious about podcasting, it’s only a matter of time before all your microphones will have the XLR connector.

Shure SM7B

The Shure SM7B is by no means a cheap microphone. At $399, it’s a pretty big expense for most podcasters, but it’s the one expense you shouldn’t feel guilty about. As is so typical for Shure microphones, the SM7B is characterized by flat, wide-range frequency response that’s especially suitable for natural reproduction of speech.

Included in the box is the A7WS detachable windscreen, which gives the microphone a warmer tone for close-talk vocals. Shure sells a wide range of accessories, including a large foam microphone windscreen that reduces unwanted breath and wind noise. Replaceable parts are also readily available, so you can be sure that the microphone will serve you for a very long time.

Experienced audio engineers often use the Shure SM7B with the Cloud Microphones CL-1 Cloudlifter microphone activator, which uses phantom power to give passive mics up to +25 dB without passing phantom power on to mic.

Blue Yeti

The Blue Yeti may just be the most popular USB microphone on the market. From Twitch streamers to let’s players to podcasters, this versatile microphone deserves all the love it gets. It uses Blue’s proprietary tri-capsule technology for studio-quality broadcast sound, and it features four different pattern settings that make it suitable for all kinds of recording.

When in Cardioid mode, the microphone captures sounds that are directly in front of it, making it suitable for podcasting, game streaming, Skype calls, vocals, and instruments. In Omnidirectional mode, the microphone picks up sound equally from all directions, which comes in handy during conference calls. Bidirectional mode is perfect for interviews between two people because it records from both the front and the rear of the microphone. Finally, Stereo mode is ideal for capturing a realistic sound image.

The Blue Yeti comes with a handy stand, allowing you to simply place it on your desk and start recording. Thanks to dedicated controls for headphone volume, pattern selection, instant mute, and microphone gain, it’s easy to control all essential aspects of your podcast without ever touching your mouse and keyboard.

Blue Snowball

The Blue Snowball is basically a smaller, more affordable version of the Blue Yeti. Just like its older sibling, the Snowball connects via USB and is perfect for capturing studio-quality vocals without all the hustle associated with professional audio equipment.

The microphone features Blue’s famous condenser capsule technology, which is able to deliver natural sound to your desktop without any extra gear. You can choose from three different settings: cardioid, omni, and cardioid with -10 dB pad, which is great for dealing with extremely loud sound sources.

You can get the Blue Snowball in multiple styles— textured white, gloss black, electric blue, orange, and chrome—so matching it with the décor of your recording room should be easy.

Samson Go

The Samson Go is a portable condenser microphone that you can clip to your laptop or place it on your desk. Despite its small size, the microphone surprises with its remarkably clear, professional audio reproduction that’s perfect for recording music, podcasting, and voice chatting.

You can use the Samson Go with any Windows or Mac computer right out of the box and choose from two patterns depending on your needs. The cardioid pickup pattern is perfect for recording a podcast, acoustic guitar, or vocals, while the omnidirectional pattern allows you to capture the entire room.

The Samson Go is compatible with the Samson Sound Deck noise cancellation software, which relies on state-of-the-art digital noise reduction algorithms to produce crystal clear communications and recordings in any environment.