There are thousands of podcasts these days. Some of them are about very niche subjects and attract perhaps a dozen listeners. Others become popular to the point where the podcasters become like rock stars. They can do live episodes of a podcast in front of an audience and pack an auditorium with thousands of people who will pay for the privilege of being there. If you want to create your own home podcast studio, then maybe you will become one of the lucky few who will gain this incredible celebrity status. If you want to start a podcast, and you have what seems like a solid idea, then you have two realistic choices.
You can either create a podcast space in your home, or else you can rent a podcasting studio. For instance, you might look into renting a podcast studio, Dubai residents, if you live there and feel the cost is worth it.
If you do not think that renting a podcast studio to do your podcast is the most effective use of your money, then you will probably need to look into creating one in your home. It’s not impossible, but there will be some technical requirements you’ll need to look into.
Let’s look at those considerations and what you might pay to get such a project up and running.
What Space Can You Use?
First, you need to look at your home and figure out what kind of space you have that could be used to record a podcast. At a minimum, you need enough room for you to sit or stand.
You will probably want to sit, and you should make that space comfortable for yourself. A podcast might take an hour or more to record, and you likely don’t want to be standing that whole time.
You will need space for your guests as well, if you have any. Maybe you host the podcast along with one or two other people. Some podcasts have as many as half a dozen people on them, and the space you choose would need to accommodate that.
You might use a finished basement, a spare bedroom, or an attic. Remember that you will need enough space for your equipment as well as the personnel required to record the podcast.
It Needs to Be Soundproof
The space you choose will also probably need to be soundproofed. That’s usually not as difficult as you might think.
There are various kinds of materials that you can use to block outside noise from getting into your workspace while you’re trying to record a podcast. Keep in mind, though, that if you live in a neighborhood that is naturally more noisy, that’s going to make things a little more difficult. For instance, if you live close to an airport or there are construction sounds happening close by, then you may need to choose someone else’s home or another locale to record your podcast.
The Most Basic Costs of Such a Project
As for the minimum costs associated with making a podcast, you will need several pieces of equipment. You will need a microphone. The most basic ones usually cost about $50. The more high-end ones can cost $200 or more.
You’ll require an audio interface if you are using a XLR microphone. This is what you will utilize to connect it to your computer. That can cost about $50 on the low end and possibly as much as $300 on the high end.
You will also need headphones. You want them to be a pair that are proven to be good at audio monitoring. They can cost about $50 for some cheaper ones. The more expensive varieties might be about $150.
What Else Do You Need?
You will also require what’s called a pop filter. It’s a relatively small, inexpensive accessory. You use it to reduce plosive sounds. These often cost about $15-$20.
You will need a shock mount, along with a mic stand. These help to stabilize your mic. The combination will also reduce any unwanted vibrations. The two together might be $20-$50.
You will need recording software. You can pay for it, but you can also usually find free versions online these days.
If you are trying to start a podcast as cheaply as possible, then you will likely use a free one. High-end ones like Logic Pro X or Adobe Audition can cost hundreds of dollars for the latest and most deluxe editions.
The other thing you need will be soundproofing materials. You can usually use something like acoustic panels.
The cost of those will vary depending on how many you need. You might spend as much as $100-$300 for them depending on the size of the space you need to soundproof and what natural soundproofing there already is.
So, What’s the Grand Total?
The total price tag that you might pay for setting up the most basic of a home podcast studio will probably be anywhere from $200-$500, assuming you get the cheapest version of everything and use a free version of recording software that you find online. You might also spend several thousand dollars if you are looking for everything to be top-of-the-line.
Frankly, if you’re just starting a podcast as a hobby, then getting less expensive options of everything on this list probably makes sense. However, if you’re more serious about potentially doing this as a career, then it likely makes more sense to spend more and to get the best of all the items we have mentioned.
What is probably most important to remember about podcasting is that if what you are talking about is fascinating and resonates with the listeners, then you’re more likely to find an audience. If you have the best equipment that money can buy, but you are not talking about anything that really interests people, then the podcast is almost always doomed to fail.
Work on your material and delivery as much as your setup and you have the best chance of success.
You must be logged in to post a comment.