Gear and Equipment

Hardware for Podcasts, YouTube, Live Streaming, and video content. Good gear helps, but content matters more. Don't let equipment become an excuse not to start.

Audio

Audio quality matters more than video quality. Bad audio is unwatchable. Bad video with good audio is fine.

Audio Interfaces — Convert microphone signals to digital. Focusrite Scarlett is the entry-level standard. Rodecaster Pro for podcast-focused setups.

XLR Cables — Connect professional microphones to interfaces. Get decent ones—cheap cables cause noise. Keep spares.

Shure SM7B — The iconic podcast microphone. Requires an interface with enough gain (or a Cloudlifter). Sounds great on almost any voice. Alternatives: Rode PodMic, Audio-Technica AT2020.

Cameras

Your phone is often good enough to start. Dedicated cameras matter when you need better low-light, interchangeable lenses, or sustained recording. Sony, Canon, and Panasonic all have good options.

Lighting

Lighting transforms video quality more than expensive cameras.

Softbox — Diffused light that's flattering. Position 45 degrees to your face.

Ring light — Good for face-on shots. Can look artificial. Better as fill light than main light.

Natural window light works too. Face the window, not away from it.

The Trap

Obsessing over gear before you've made content. Start with what you have. Upgrade when you hit limits, not before. Your phone, a window, and a $50 USB microphone is enough to begin.