Some people have asked me what I use to record various audio for IT Conversations. The set-up I'm using right now is the result of a lot of experimentation and a lot of help from people like Doug Kaye and Paul Figgiani. Paul's Podcast Rigs Web site is a real help to anyone getting into podcasting.
 Audio recording setup (click to enlarge) |
My current setup consists of the following:
- Apple MacBook Pro with 2Gb of RAM. Obviously, you could substitute some other computer. I also use a Apple 30" Cinema Display, which is clearly optional, but very nice.
- Mark of the Unicorn UltraLite FireWire audio interface for connecting mics and other things to the computer. I have a MOTU Traveler interface at my BYU office that serves the same purpose. The great thing about an interface like this is that you get all the channels (8 for the UltraLite and 16 for the Traveler) as digital signals in the computer where they are recorded separately.
- Heil PR40 mic on a Heil PL2T Boom with a Spider shock mount. I've tried a lot of mics and like the Heil best. If you're new to audio (and I was) it might surprise you how much difference a mic makes in how you sound. For a demonstration, read this test and then listen to the results.
- JK Audio THAT-2 telephone handset audio tap for recording phone interviews. I'm going to upgrade that to a Telos One sometime soon since that's what Doug and Paul both recommend.
- Sony Pro MDR-7506 headphones. These are closed air (meaning they cover your ears) and are very comfortable. You can wear them for hours without a problem.
- I use AudioDesk for recording and what minor editing I do. AudioDesk comes free with the MOTU products. Make sure you spend some time getting familiar with it and customizing it for your needs. It's very capable.
You can certainly get by with less expensive gear (see Paul's PodCast Rigs site for suggestions), but this is what I've gravitated to over time. No doubt I'll change things out as I go along, but I'm pretty happy with this setup. One thing about podcasting--it's given me a whole new category of things to learn about and a bunch of new gear to play with.
