What’s the Right Recording Setup for Remote Corporate Podcasts? The Case for Headsets

When Volubility Podcasting opened its doors in 2017, we were a 100% in-studio operation. Remotely recording corporate podcasts wasn’t even on our radar. Our clients came to our DC studio to record episodes. If a guest needed to be recorded remotely, we sent them to a studio in their location and we synced up the recordings. 

It stayed that way until March 2020.

When the COVID pandemic forced us into our homes, we had to reinvent our process for recording quality audio. At first, we simply told podcast hosts and guests to record into their smartphones. “Hold it to your ear like an old landline for the best audio quality,” we instructed. When a client wanted something nicer or more user-friendly, we recommended a desktop USB mic. 

One day, a client’s guest was using wireless earbuds, and the audio was terrible. We asked if he had any other options. He said, “Sure, hold on a minute.” And he came back with his teenager’s headset. The audio quality was so clean and crisp that I interrupted to ask what he was talking into. Hearing the difference between earbuds and the headset was like night and day. 

We immediately began sending that same headset to our clients and their guests. And we haven’t looked back.

Here’s why:

It’s possible to capture quality audio on a smartphone, but…

You have to hold your smartphone to your ear, which is uncomfortable for 30-60 minutes.

Your smartphone has to be an iPhone. Android recordings sound terrible due to the mic inside the phone, internal noise reduction algorithms, or possibly both (there are just too many phones on the market that use the Android operating system to conduct real research). 

Remote recording software continues to prove vastly more reliable on computers than mobile devices. The mobile apps we’ve tried have proven to be highly unreliable; hosts and guests are constantly getting kicked out of the app. Web-based applications are not perfect, but they work very well 99% of the time. 

Pro recording equipment is expensive and complicated

Professional equipment will always be your best possible option to record professional audio either in-studio or at home, but it has numerous drawbacks. 

First is the expense. Pro equipment that won’t fail one day after the warranty period ends starts at $1,500 per station.

Second is the learning curve. Most professional audio engineers have a four-year degree or two-year certificate in audio engineering, and there’s a reason: This stuff is complicated. That’s why we’re referred to as engineers. Without an engineer on site to help you, you will face a heavy technical lift. 

Pro equipment is not necessarily durable. Most high quality equipment will last 10+ years if well taken care of, but both inexpensive equipment and even the most expensive microphone will easily break when dropped. 

And forget about packing it with you to take to a tradeshow. You aren’t just packing a microphone. You also need headphones, an audio interface, a mic stand, and a tangle of power, USB, and mic cables. 

Desktop USB mics are not a great choice either

Most USB mics sit on a short stand, so they need to be propped up on books to reach the proper height (right in front of your mouth). They only record quality audio if you speak directly into the diaphragm, but - surprise - people move around during interviews. Most podcast guests have never spoken into a mic before, and good luck getting them to sit still during an interview.

Our research has also proven that most major-brand USB mics (in the $150-250 range) sound terrible compared to professional equipment or even an inexpensive headset. 

The best choice for remote corporate podcasts are headsets

For some reason the inexpensive headset mics we send our clients’ guests smoke any desktop USB mic on the market. (That’s the power of marketing for you!)

Because headsets are a single unit with built-in headphones, you don’t have the same feedback loop you get between a laptop microphone and speakers. And though echo cancellation algorithms are convenient for everyday video calls, they cause audio problems during recordings.

As I mentioned above, people have trouble staying in front of a desktop mic. Once I help the host and guest place the mic for optimum recording, the microphone follows them wherever their mouths go.

Finally, the headsets are universally compatible. You don’t have to install a driver on your computer for it to work. 

We make sure remote corporate podcasts sound great

Quality audio makes or breaks a podcast. It doesn’t matter how famous your guest is or how hot the topic is: If your listeners can’t hear you clearly, they’ll stop listening - possibly forever.

Our complete podcast package includes our favorite headset at no cost to you and your guests. Reach out today to learn more.