When you deal in audio and podcasting as long as we have, you go through many iterations of technology, including microphones, mixers, interfaces, software, and much more.  On this page you’ll find a carefully curated list of microphone bundles, as well as audio interface options to get you started on your podcasting journey.  We also provide some common addons for you to remove the guess-work of what you will need!

DISCLAIMER: All of these bundles are tied to our Amazon Affiliate store and by using these bundles, you will help support the ongoing growth and maintenance of Orbital Jigsaw … so we thank you for shopping with us!

As a podcaster, capturing your “Golden Voice” is priority #1, and should be the place where you make the largest equipment investment above and beyond anything else. Too often do people make the mistake of being too frugal when it comes to picking a microphone.  As a seasoned podcaster and voiceover artist, I’ve been around, tested, used, and purchased dozens of different microphones, including the four I’ve recommended here.  I’ve decided to break these up into Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum tier packages in order to translate the quality of your investment.  Each package includes all of the items you’ll need to connect them and set you up for success!

For our Platinum tier, I’ve selected the tried and true Broadcast industry standard Shure SM7B studio microphone. This is the microphone I currently use for all of my podcasts as well as my voiceover auditions and work.  It is an absolute workhorse and is perfect for capturing vocals. This microphone is also commonly used in studio music recording for tracking vocals. To get the best out of it, it does unfortunately need some in-line gain boost to add that “meat” to the tone and not overtax your audio interface.  For this reason, I would never recommend this mic without also getting an accompanying Cloudlifter to solve that problem.  We also include industry-standard Mogami Gold XLR cables (you need 2!) and a Rode PSA1 Boom Arm.

This package is the perfect package for any long-time podcaster, and you’ll never need to upgrade from here.  It’s worth every. single. penny. of investment! 👍

For our Gold tier, I’ve selected the tried-and-true podcasting legend … the HEIL PR40.  We still employ these today in-studio for some of the best and cleanest vocals that are simply amazing without needing a lot of extra gain to power them.  While the SM7B will get you some super-clean vocals, the PR40 has been the stalwart of the podcasting industry for more than a decade. Included in this bundle is a HEIL boom arm, shock mount, foam cover, and industry-standard Mogami XLR cable.

For our Silver tier, we’ve got another industry-standard offering for you.  This is the Shure SM58 … the most popular mic in the world!  At the value price of ~$100, it is the best bang-for-the-buck of any of the tiers!  It is LITERALLY the most commonly-used mic in any entertainment setting whether its at a concert venue, ambient studio pickup, or any other general purpose use-case.  While it is not anywhere near as precise as the SM7B or the PR40, it is “good enough” for most podcasters out there, and a night-and-day upgrade from any of those garbage USB options most podcasters are misled into buying. This bundle also includes a Rode PSA1 Boom Arm, Shure shock mount, foam ball cover, and Mogami XLR cable.

For our Bronze tier, I’ve selected the bargain basket Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB.  This is a great entry-level microphone that has gained popularity for hobbyist podcasters as it offers an extremely wallet-friendly pricetag, as well as the flexibility to connect via both USB or XLR!  This will allow a solo podcaster to simply connect a mic to a USB port and push record.  While it won’t offer the sort of crisp audio the other packages bring to the table, it is wonderful bargain, and “good enough” for most that are just starting their journey into podcasting! The ability to upgrade to an audio interface and simply flip the connection to XLR is also a HUGE value.  But by the time you do that, you’re likely interested in upgrading your microphone as well.  This package includes a Rode PSA1 Boom Arm, foam ball cover, and a Mogami XLR cable.

Now that you’ve selected your microphone package, the next important step is to choose how you’ll capture the audio from the mic into your computer and DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software.  While there are several brands, companies, and options out there, we at Orbital Jigsaw are fans of Focusrite.  Their diverse offering of products allow customers to keep the selection simple with two key parameters:

1. How do you want to connect it to your computer (USB or Thunderbolt)?
2. How many mics+inputs do you need?

Answering those two questions will help you select the right interface from the choices we recommend below.

If you’re a Windows user, you’re not likely to have a Thunderbolt port unless you’ve added a special card or it’s built-in to your higher-end motherboard.  So you’re going to be connecting to your interface via USB.  While Thunderbolt has certain latency advantages, you’re going to be just fine with a USB interface.  In the following listing, we’ve included FOUR interfaces in Focusrite’s SCARLETT lineup that are all the same with the same components and high-quality mic-pre’s.  Simply select how many ports you’re going to need and zero out the rest of the quantities before clicking Buy Bundle.

• Solo = single port
• 6i6 = dual mic inputs, dual headphone outputs
• 18i8 = four mic inputs, dual headphone outputs
• 18i20 = eight mic inputs, dual headphone outputs

If you’re a Mac user, this is a no-brainer.  PLEASE take advantage of the low latency qualities of Thunderbolt built into the Clarett line from Focusrite. We understand these are a little more expensive than their USB counterparts, but you’re going to truly notice that during the recording process, as a lot of the routing and processing is handled directly on the interface DSP directly, offloading that work from your computer’s CPU.

• 2Pre = dual mic inputs, single headphone output
• 4Pre = four mic inputs, dual headphone output
• 8Pre = eight mic inputs, dual headphone output (what we use at Orbital Jigsaw)

Now that you’ve selected your microphone package and an appropriate interface, there are a few things left to purchase to complete your overall podcasting journey.  We’re listing these as one big bundle, but you can adjust quantities before adding them to your cart!

• Sony MDR-7506 Headphones
  • These are simply the best bang for the buck, and a gold standard in broadcasting
• Behringer HA400 Headphone Amp
  • This little device gives you the ability to plugin multiple sets of headphones and amplify them individually
  • You’ll also need the 1/4″-to-1/4″ TRS cable to connect the amp to your interface!
• Samsung 1TB external SSD
  • High-performance SSD drive, but external connecting via USB or USB-C!
  • These are great for storing recording projects and about the size of a credit card.  Super portable!

Again, we thank you for using the links above to make your podcast equipment purchases.  These are some of the most common production questions we get, so we’re happy to consolidate all of this information into a single page for you!  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to send us a note using the contact form below and we’ll be happy to assist you on your journey of either upgrading your current gear, or starting a brand new podcast from scratch!

You’re always going to need a media host for your podcast as well, and while there are many choices out there, we have partnered with Blubrry as a PRO customer for all of our shows, stats, WordPress integrations, and more!  If you’re interested in giving them a try, Click Here and use the promo code JIGSAW to get your first month free, on us!