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I just recently went to my first podcasting convention (MAPCON, now the Independent Podcast Conference in Atlantic City) and had the privilege of meeting a lot of super talented and passionate people who create and have services for, podcasters (of which, I am now one!). One of the topics that came up time and time again, was sound treatment. How do you get the best sound for your podcast? How do you get rid of echo, cut down on ambient noise, and travel with your sound equipment while still putting out a decent show?
A lot of people will tell you that it’s all about the microphone. And it’s true that if you use a microphone that’s highly directional and of decent quality, you can get pretty good sound.
BUT – without the right recording environment, your audio still isn’t going to sound very good – no matter how expensive your microphone is.
I’m here to tell you – it’s all about the sound treatment.
As a voice actor, I have a 5×4 sound treated booth that has thick, insulated walls and a similar ceiling and floor, all carpeted so there are no sharp edges or surfaces for sound to echo off of. (I’ve included a picture below of both the inside and outside of my booth.) It makes for an almost entirely dead sound that engineers prefer, because then they can go in and color that sound in post, the way they need it. You probably don’t need this elaborate a set-up as a podcaster, but you get the idea.