Podcastage 2020 Audio Gear Gift Guide

Gear GuideArticle

Dec 8

Here’s a gift guide, created by Bandrew of Podcastage, to help you select audio gear for the podcaster, youtuber, or live streamer that you are shopping for. There are gifts ranging from $10 up to $1000, including microphones, interfaces, accessories, and a few miscellaneous items that I think most youtubers/podcasters/streamers should have, so hopefully there’s something for everyone.

If you would like a more in depth guide for Microphone selection you can find that at www.findtherightmic.com

1) Microphones for Podcasters

Behringer XM8500
Buy this Item: http://geni.us/xm8500
This dynamic microphone is extremely cheap, but great for the price. It does a surprisingly good job at background noise rejection, but requires you keep the mic close to your mouth.

Samson Q2u
Buy this Item: http://geni.us/samq2u
This is hands down the microphone I’ve recommended the most. It has both XLR & USB plugs so you can start as a USB only mic, and then upgrade to XLR with an interface down the road. On top of that it just sounds great.

sE Electronics v7
Buy this item: https://geni.us/sEv7
This is one of my favorite handheld dynamics as it’s a mix between the fuller SM58 and the clarity of the E835, with a tighter polar pattern. In this form factor and at this price point, it’s hard to beat.

Rode Procaster
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/rodepro
A great upgrade as it does an awesome job at background noise rejection. It also offers a full low end and clear top end. Does suffer from plosives though.

Shure SM7b
Buy this Item: http://geni.us/shuresm7b
The Shure SM7b is a standard podcast and broadcast microphone. It works well for almost all voices and offers a neutral and very easy to listen to sound quality. It does require a lot of gain.

Electro Voice RE20
Buy this Item: http://geni.us/re20
The RE20 is another broadcast standard microphone. It offers more detail than the SM7b, but has a somewhat scooped mid sound. It works well on most voices as well.

2) Microphones for Musicians

Neat Worker Bee
Buy the Item: https://geni.us/workerbee
This mic sounds better than it has any right to. It works well on guitar, acoustic, and singing, and I’m sure it’d work great on other instruments as well. For $90 I don’t think you can do much better, and it doesn’t hurt to have a mic like this in the locker. I’d pick this over the AT2020.

Audio Technica AT2035
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/at2035
Definitely not the best microphone on the market but a very popular entry level mic. If you can find a Neat King Bee, I’d pick that, but this is more than sufficient for recording.

Rode NT1
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/rodent1
One of my all time favorite mics. It just sounds so damn good and neutral and realistic and natural. Can’t do much better than this.

sE Electronics sE4400a
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/se4400a
This mic is outstanding. Multi pattern condenser mic a la AKG C414, but this is smoother and a bit darker and just wonderful sounding if you want this style.

Austrian Audio OC818
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/oc818
This mic blew my mind when I tried it. I labeled it an instant classic and my opinion has not changed. I still believe this is going to be a sought after mic if they ever make the decision to change it.

3) Audio Interfaces

Behringer UM2
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/behrum2
This is not the best interface on the market but it is certainly one of the most affordable ,and you can’t really complain about much. For $50, getting a functioning and respectable interface is mind boggling, but that’s what you get with the UM2, and that’s great.

Audient Evo 4
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/audevo4
Audient makes some of the best interfaces with amazing preamps, and a great feature set. One of the most awesome features of this interface is the smart gain feature.

Motu M2
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/motum2
For the price this is likely my favorite interface based on the clean preamps, extremely low latency, and the feature set. It has a usable meter on the interface, and an on off switch.

Solid State Logic SSL2+
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/ssl2plus
This is a fun one. It’s not often you get an opportunity to own some Solid State Logic gear in your studio, and you can do that now for a relatively affordable price. The selling point here is the clean preamps and the 4K switch which adds some analog saturation to the recording.

Focusirte 18i20 3rd Gen
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/18i203rd
This interface really comes into play if you need 8 microphone preamps recorded to separate tracks in a DAW. If you need that, this is affordable and does it very well.

Arturia 8 Pre
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/8pre
If you need 8 amazing preamps, some preamp emulation plugins, and the ability to run this as ADAT expansion for another interace, this is an outstanding option.

Universal Audio Twin X
Buy this Item: https://imp.i114863.net/94Xjj
This is my perfect interface. Two great pres, real time processing and great emulations of unattainable analog gear. Also expandable up to 10 inputs. I love this interface.

4) XLR Cables

Amazon Basics XLR Cable
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/ambasxlr

Hosa XLR Cable
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/hosaxlr

Mogami XLR Cable
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/mogami

5) Shockmounts

Audio Technica AT8410a
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/8410a

Audio Technica AT8415
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/8415

Rycote USM Mount
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/rycote

6) Pop Filters

Neewer Pop Filter
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/neewerpop

Stedman Proscreen 101
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/ps101

Hakan P110
Buy this Item: https://imp.i114863.net/Za2Ag

7) Microphone Stands

Ammoon MS12
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/ammoon

Neewer Boom Arm
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/neewerboom2

Gatorworks Boom Arm
By this Item: https://geni.us/gwboom

Rode PSA1
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/rdpsa1

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Yellotek Boom Arm
Buy this Item: https://www.yellowtec.com/mika.html

Latch Lake King
Buy this Item: https://imp.i114863.net/ZnZvg

OC White Low Profile Boom
Buy this Item: https://www.ocwhite.com/product/ultima-gen2-ultra-low-profile-adjustable-mic-boom-with-a-12-fixed-horizontal-arm-and-machined-table-bushing/

8) Audio Accessories

Onstage Quick Release
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/release

Rolls MM11-Pro
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/micmute

iSo Acoustics Monitor Stands
Buy this Item: https://imp.i114863.net/yMgm3

Triton Audio Fethead
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/fethead

sE Electronics Dynamite
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/sedyn

Ear Peace Earplugs
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/earpeaceplugs

9) Miscellaneous

Altoids Thin
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/altoids

Field Notes
Buy this Item: http://geni.us/field

Dymo Label Maker
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/dymolabel

Streamlight Flashlight
Buy this Item; http://geni.us/microstream

Fisher Space Pen Bullet
Buy this item: http://geni.us/fisher

Braun Travel Clock
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/braunclock

Fisher Space Pen AG07
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/fisherag7

Yubikey 5
Buy the Yubikey: https://geni.us/yubi5

WD 2TB External Drive
Buy this Item: https://geni.us/wd2tb

Samsung 1TB T5 SSD
Buy this Item:h ttps://geni.us/t51tb

Bandrew Scott

Bandrew Scott is the founder and host of the youtube channel Podcastage, where he posts reviews of audio gear, and shares tips and tricks to improve the audio of your Podcast, YouTube Channel, or Live Stream.

He also founded the Geeks Rising podcast network, which is home to amazing education, wellness, and pop culture podcasts such as Tourette’s Podcast, Sunshine & Powercuts, and On The Subject.

Bandrew also runs his own show titled the Bandrew Says Podcast. On this show he analyzes the latest news to determine how it affects the content creation ecosystem, and shares that to help creates remain aware of how the platform they use is changing.

https://www.bandrewscott.com/