Retro-microphone-with-an--006

Can You Hear Us Now?

******UPDATE*******

I have purchased the necessary equipment to broadcast, mix, and record our live podcast in high quality audio. I ended up choosing the following:

Mixer: I went from using my microphone and laptop speakers as my mixer to an actual piece of audio equipment. The Behringer XENYX X1622USB (on Ian Freeman’s recommendation) will allow me to connect guests in-studio as well as on skype and broadcast a clear signal live to the listeners.

XLR Microphone: I will continue to use my USB microphone, the Blue Yeti, for daily podcasts and voice-over work. But for a live-studio mic on a show where the audio quality is going to be compressed anyway, I have chosen the Michael W. Dean-endorsed NADY SP-4C, a $20 microphone that will hopefully deliver sound quality comparable to something like the Audio Technica AT2020, which is much pricier.

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I recently posted that I am looking to upgrade the audio quality of the Peace News Now live show (airing 2 nights a week on LRN.fm). Since that post, I’ve received a few messages from audiophiles in the liberty community helping to steer me toward quality and affordability. Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

I don’t need an expensive XLR mic. Just because my mic sounds awesome and was on the pricier side, doesn’t mean I have to keep buying expensive mics. Michael W Dean of the Freedom Feens recommends I check out the NADY SP-4C, and Famous Dave of RadioFreedom.us recommends I check out the Shure sm58. Both of these mics cost less than half of the alternative that I was seeking. I think I’ll try the NADY first because it’s less than $20 and reportedly has an excellent “radio” sound.

Famous Dave also mentioned that the 2-channel mixer I picked out tends to sound midband (low quality). Instead, he recommends I check out the Yamaha MW10, which is a 10-channel mixer with 4 XLR inputs. I imagine I’ll only be using two at a time for most broadcasts, but remember, the goal is to enhance audio quality!

You can dramatically improve this show’s audio quality by making a donation to Peace News Now at our donation page.

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XLR Cable (I’ll need this to plug in the microphones)

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Famous Dave Says I’ll Need This Cord to Connect Skype Calls and Music

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