Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular. According to Truelist, nearly 226 million people in the United States listen to podcasts. Today’s top-notch podcast host is a fluent conversationalist who captivates their audience with their friendly tone and booming voice. But, there’s no magic formula to becoming a top-tier host. It all starts with learning how to choose the right microphone for your content.

In order to create a successful podcast, you need an awesome microphone. In this blog post, we will discuss everything you need to know when purchasing a wireless microphone for your podcast—from the different types of wireless microphones available, to how they differ in terms of technology, and more.

Why Buy a Wireless Microphone for your Podcast

A large number of content producers already prefer wireless microphones, from the podcaster who hikes up a mountain while recording, to the YouTuber who runs yoga classes, and also anyone who isn’t confined to a single, stationary space for the duration of a recording session.

These people consider cables and wires to be a hassle. Through constant bending, flexing, packing, and unpacking, they can become tangled up, get in the way, and even make recordings difficult.

Types of Microphones and Their Uses

There are different types of wireless microphones and ways you can use them.

Dynamic Microphones

Dynamic microphones use a coil to capture sound waves and then use the transducer technology to convert the waves into electric signals. The main benefit of a dynamic microphone is that it is cheap. Since they use electricity, they’re not affected by the ambient noise of your environment. The trade-off is that they don’t produce the best quality sound, so they’re best suited to situations where sound quality isn’t critical.

Condenser Microphones

Condenser microphones use a super-sensitive diaphragm to convert sound into electric signals. The diaphragm is paired with high-quality circuitry that filters out interference and noise. Because of this, condenser microphones have a better quality of sound than dynamic microphones. The trade-off is the cost, as they’re more expensive than dynamic microphones.

USB Microphones

A USB microphone has an analog-to-digital converter built in, so all you need to do is to plug the microphone into your computer and fire up your recording or communication software. This makes it very easy to set up your microphone and produce your podcast. The main drawback is that USB microphones usually have a lower quality than their condenser counterparts.

Portable Microphones

Portable microphones are the most versatile. They can be used with USB interfaces or with analog line-in inputs, which means they can be plugged directly into recording devices like the Zoom H6 or computers. On the other hand, their condenser design means they’re usually more expensive than other microphones.

Multi-pattern Microphones

The cardioid pickup pattern (directionality) is used by every microphone. Basically, the cardioid pattern rejects sound coming from behind it while recording everything in front of it and to the sides.

Of all the pickup patterns, this is undoubtedly the most useful, especially given the fact that we frequently record each track separately for later mixing. Multi-pattern microphones are useful in these situations because there are numerous other pickup patterns that you might want to use.

These have switches that allow you to choose from a variety of pickup patterns. Patterns such as super cardioid, hyper cardioid, figure-8, shotgun, and omnidirectional are examples. You can choose to record both in front and behind, in a complete 360 degrees, or in a precise laser focus pattern, in essence.

An example of a multi-pattern wireless microphone is the Hollyland Lark M1. The Lark M1 wireless lavalier mic delivers omnidirectional sounds in high quality. The microphone incorporates noise reduction technology and automatic feedback cancellation to provide excellent audio output even in noisy environments. The Lark M1 is small and portable, making it suitable for vlogging, podcasting, and professional use.

Two Factors to Consider When Choosing a Microphone for Your Podcast

Mic Sensitivity and Noise Floor

If you’re recording outdoor sounds or any sound that contains a lot of noise, a dynamic microphone will pick up the sound waves. The noisier the sound source, the more noise the microphone will pick up.

This is called the “noise floor” and it’s something you have to take into account when choosing a microphone for your podcast. The noise floor is the lowest sound level a device can pick up. If you have a noisy podcast, people can easily tell that you’re using a microphone instead of speaking directly into the camera.

Audio-in or Line-in

Podcasts need a steady source of audio. Say you have a wired microphone. One important tool you might need is your audio jack. A 3.5mm audio-in jack works really well for most computers.

Always make sure that the microphone you’re using has its own audio-in jack, or that it’s been amplified using a sound system.

If you’re using a wireless microphone, you don’t really have to go through the stress of connecting wires in and out of your computer. With a few clicks, you can successfully create a strong connection to record your podcast audio.

Microphone Options for Podcasters

Most podcasters will agree that the most important thing when it comes to your podcast is to have fun. Choose a microphone that you’re comfortable using, that suits your budget, and that produces great sound quality. There are a lot of options when it comes to choosing the best wireless microphone, so make sure you do your research and find the right one for you.