Listeners to the GGP will already know that I recently acquired some new audio equipment (for my birthday!)  I thought I’d provide a bit more detailed information on just what I purchased, and some of the rationale as to why.

The Background

This story begins, as so many do, at the beginning.  I have been using a rather sketchy headset for the past several months.  It’s one that I’ve had since 2003 and really, has held up pretty well for a $20 LD Special.  But it was breaking down and it doesn’t provide sufficient audio quality for a really good-sounding podcast.  I’ve been considering starting up a small podcast of my own (see below) and am contributing regularly to the Global Geek Podcast, where Dave puts a supreme effort into audio quality, so I came to the decision that it was time for some new equipment.

Step 1: Fix the old mic

Being the cheap bastard that I am, the first solution involved, time, ingenuity and duct tape.  Suffice to say the solution didn’t exactly work, and may have caused some of the later instabilities in the microphone’s USB adapter.  ((sorry Dave!))

Step 2: Use the built-in Macbook mic

This was a great idea, because it didn’t cost anything.  The only big downside: the mic is hyper-sensitive, and omni-directional.

Step 3: Buy a new cheap mic

The first mic I bought was another cheap inexpensive mic.  The sound was actually worse.  Back to the store.

Step 4: Upgrade to a mid-range headset

After the mic debacle, I realized I probably wasn’t going to get anywhere unless I actually spent some money trying to upgrade the system.  I used this headset for one episode of the GGP, and quite frankly it didn’t cut it.  I could hear that this was the “inexpensive” mic when the show aired.  Back to the store with it.

Step 5: Get some proper gear

After a few chats with Dave and Knightwise, listening to a few equipment reviews on other podcasts and doing a whole lot of reading I figured out what I thought I needed.  I bought the stuff, and after a couple of mix-ups at the store I had everything at home and was ready to start podcasting!

Components

There are two main components to this set up.  The microphone and the mixer.  The reason that we need the mixer is primarly due to the type of mic that I bought.  But more on that later…

Behringer C-1 Studio Condenser Mic

This microphone is a studio-quality microphone that features a cardioid design.  This is a method of keeping the mic directional which dramatically cuts down on ambient noise.  This was one of the first things that struck me when I first tested it.  I was able to record some tests while my lovely wife was watching TV, and you couldn’t hear the TV at all (well you could during the silent parts if you turned up the volume enough).

The mic comes with a standard XLR plug.  This is the same kind of plug that microphones in a recording studio or on stage use.  And since most computers don’t have any way to receive an XLR connection directly, that necessitated an extra piece of hardware: the mixer.

Behringer XENYX 802 Mixer

The mixer I’ve chosen is the second in a line of mixers from Behringer that they produce for everything from basic recording (like a podcast) to professional studio recording.   The mixer has enough inputs for me to hook up the microphone, my keyboard and my ipod (and a few other things) and feed them through the mixer.  The whole works plugs into my macbook through the line-in (mic) port.

There are lots of knobs and controls to adjust the quality and shape of the sound as it passes through the mixer.  A couple of people have suggested that I sound much more “bassey” on the show than I do in person, so I am able to easily turn some knobs (once I figure out which ones) and clean up my sound.

So far I’ve really liked the sound quality that I’ve gotten from the new setup.  I even recorded a video reply on Seesmic using the new mic (at a comfortable enough distance to keep it out of the shot).

Odds and Ends

Then there were the little odds and ends, a cable to connect the mixer to the mic, the mixer to the mac, the ipod to the mixer and the synth to the mixer.  A mic-stand to hold everything up, and a pop-filter to keep me from exploding through your earbuds.  Finally, a late addition to the show, a tie-dyed t-shirt that serves as a vibration dampener.  This allows me to type while I’m recording without messing up the sound quality.  Without the t-shirt it sounds like I’ve mic’d a drum set!

The Foreground

So why am I doing all this?  The simple answer is so that when I want to record something, it doesn’t sound like I’m talking from deep inside a tin-can mounted inside the shower in my bathroom.  Okay maybe the old mic wasn’t quite that bad but you get my point.  Ever since joining the GGP last summer I’ve wanted to help make the show better.  This new setup helps with that goal.  The Global Geek Podcast is one of the best-sounding shows on TPN, and on the whole of the Interwebs.

But that’s not all….

Ever since I really got going with the blog a little more than a year ago, I’ve also been intrigued by podcasting.  I’ve been an avid podcast subscriber and listener (and occasional unsubscriber) for almost two years now.  Right now I have 32 different podcasts subscribed.  Mostly tech shows of various descriptions, but there’s a few more academic shows as well as a travel show and a food show thrown in for good measure.

I’ve always been one who likes to contribute back.  The GGP has given me a fabulous opportunity to stretch my wings and it’s been a great ride.  I’ve been wanting to do my own show since the fall and have batted around several ideas in the process.  I’m getting close to finalizing that decision now.  I have no intention of leaving the GGP; I’ll stay as long as we are able to work together and deliver great content.  This is simply to expand my podcasting repretoire and put out a show with my own personal touches.

So give the new shows a listen and let me know what you think.  If you’re a podcaster, feel free to share your thoughts on gear and podcasting in general.