Audio podcasting - need hardware advice

[403Gemini]

Just wondering, does anyone here have any experience with audio podcasting? I'm looking for a setup that will constantly allow 3 hosts located in the same room to record each voice individually for easy editting , but ultimately saves to 1 mp3. We would also like to additionally have the option of expansion to a 4th to join as a guest.

The hardware I'm looking at is as follows for our initial startup for the 3 of us.

MICS + Mic Accessories:
3x - Audio Technica AT2020 Cardiod Condensor Studio Mic 3-pin XLRM-type
http://www.amazon.ca/Technica-AT2020...-pin+XLRM-type

A pack of pop filters:
http://www.amazon.ca/niceEshop-Micro...m+Cover+-Black

Desk Mic stands - On Stage DS7200B Adjustable Desk Microphone Stand, Black
http://www.amazon.ca/Stage-DS7200B-A...Stand%2C+Black

Shock Mounts - Spider Large Diaphram Condenser Microphone Shock Mount Holder Clip Anti Vibration Suspension High Isolation
http://www.amazon.ca/Generic-Spider-...High+Isolation

-----


Now onto the Mixer... this is where it gets a bit tricky. I don't want to go insane but I do want the option of 4+ mics, at least 4x XLR mics,

So I was looking at - Mackie PROFX8 8-Channel Mixer
http://www.amazon.ca/Mackie-PROFX8-8...-Channel+Mixer

Ideally I want of course a built in USB interface that will interact with computer software directly.

Any one have any experience with mixers that can offer input?

Since there will be 3-4 of us, we would need a headphone output , and the mixer only has spot for 1 so I think we'd need -
ART HeadAmp4 4-Channel 8-Output Headphone Amplifier
http://www.amazon.ca/HeadAmp4-4-Chan...hone+Amplifier

Lastly the headphones , something cheap and comfortable with good audio - Sennheiser HD 202
http://www.amazon.ca/Sennheiser-202-...nheiser+HD+202

-----

Now the software... i heard audacity is the best, I'm willing to pay some money for decent software but I keep getting referenced to by many websites by audacity - so my question is does anybody have experience with it? When I plug in the 3 mics into the mixer and then the mixer into my computer via USB will it show up with 3 audio tracks recording at the same time?

Ideally in the future we'd also like to have skype guests and I know there is software to save their conversation as an mp3 and just dump it in later into audacity/sound editting software.

----

Again all tips and advice is appreciated

Thanks guys!

[rage2]

Audacity doesn't support multi channel editing. Take a look at Traverso DAW. (Free). I used to use that till I moved to Sony Vegas (not free).

[403Gemini]

Appreciated Rage! Any thoughts on the rest of the setup?

Since I don't need the video editting component of Sony Vegas, have you ever used Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio ?
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/audiostudio

Think that will do what I need it to do?

[CanmoreOrLess]

I listen to at least 40 podcasts weekly. Within the first five seconds you can tell who knows how to record a podcast and those who are winging it with nothing more than their MacBook Air and the microphone built in. It is not that difficult to sound good, you only have to care enough and not do it half-assed. I have dropped more than a few podcasts based on poor sound quality. It is really irritating listening to echo, background noise, poor editing, etc. Skype and cellphone interviews are seldom your friend here.

These two are among the best podcasts I've heard and they know what they are talking about in audio land. More power to Benjamin here, as his many podcasts (has a company) all sound smooth and are at an NPR Radio/CBC Radio level of quality:

http://www.marco.org/2014/11/29/easy-listening

Dan Benjamin is Mr. Podcast (has tons of advice and experience): http://www.podcastmethod.co

[403Gemini]

Originally posted by CanmoreOrLess
I listen to at least 40 podcasts weekly. Within the first five seconds you can tell who knows how to record a podcast and those who are winging it with nothing more than their MacBook Air and the microphone built in. It is not that difficult to sound good, you only have to care enough and not do it half-assed. I have dropped more than a few podcasts based on poor sound quality. It is really irritating listening to echo, background noise, poor editing, etc. Skype and cellphone interviews are seldom your friend here.

These two are among the best podcasts I've heard and they know what they are talking about in audio land. More power to Benjamin here, as his many podcasts (has a company) all sound smooth and are at an NPR Radio/CBC Radio level of quality:

http://www.marco.org/2014/11/29/easy-listening

Dan Benjamin is Mr. Podcast (has tons of advice and experience): http://www.podcastmethod.co

COMPLETELY agree, that's why we don't want to start off with the cheapest equipment to learn off of, we want to start off with mid level - higher end stuff. Nothing is more irritating than skype based podcasts where everybody has different types of mics, different quality, different settings, it's just irritating and adds almost a fatigue feeling in the ears listening to the constant inconsistencies. Also as you said, the hollow sound with poor quality detracts listeners. This is why we want the shock mounts, the windscreens, to make our voices as clear as possible.

I really appreciate the links thanks!

[msommers]

Hardware looks really good for what you're wanting to accomplish.

Did not know that about Audacity, good catch Rage. Sonnar definitely should be able to do this, it's more or less an industry standard. When I did recording I used Fruity Loops and Ableton. Definitely check out Rage's suggestion, especially since it's free (no personal experience with it).

Oh ya, are you going to be editing using your headphones or do you have monitors?

[403Gemini]

Originally posted by msommers
Hardware looks really good for what you're wanting to accomplish.

Did not know that about Audacity, good catch Rage. Sonnar definitely should be able to do this, it's more or less an industry standard. When I did recording I used Fruity Loops and Ableton. Definitely check out Rage's suggestion, especially since it's free (no personal experience with it).

Oh ya, are you going to be editing using your headphones or do you have monitors?

I'm going to be plugging the mixer into my laptop which we'll have in front of us, so ideally using a monitor to edit (should make it easier) vs using a digital recorder which I imagine would be much more difficult - albeit would be better should we be traveling and doing it on the road

[rage2]

I'm old school, I use a Boss BR-1600 multitrack recorder/mixer to record, mix, effects, and render the output without a computer. Also for pop filters I typically ghetto rig a second one using pantyhose and a coat hanger.

I noticed in your setup you haven't made any provisions for discrete multichannel recording. The worst is doing a live show, live mix down into 2 channels and that's your end product. Get one guys eq wrong and you're stuck with that. You need multichannel recording, so you can actually edit multiple channels.

So really you don't want a mixer unless you're doing live podcasts. You need a multi channel recorder then you use your audio editing software to work with each channel.

For cheap audio recording look up Zoom Audio products. Cheap and portable, up to 6 discrete channels, XLR inputs (no phantom power though). I used that for recording audio on the Beyond 10 year video.

[rage2]

Looks like the 1600 is discontinued. The BR-800 will do your recording and mixing job just fine.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/multi...gital-recorder

[403Gemini]

Yeah the Zoom H4N keeps popping up, only concern is it only supports up to 2 mics (+ the two on top which to me is... meh, i'd rather have a dedicated XLR mic per person)

[CanmoreOrLess]

ZenCaster is currently free and looks to make podcast recording all so easy:

https://zencastr.com