Home Music Producer

The Ultimate Music Production Resource

What Microphone Does Joe Rogan Use?

The Joe Rogan Experience is one of the more popular podcasts out there.

It is enjoyed by many because the owner and podcast host, Joe Rogan interviews some of the best minds in the world.

Podcasting has certainly made its stamp in the world of broadcast media. People looking to get into this industry often times look up to people like Joe Rogan for inspiration.

Getting started with a podcast, usually begins with the idea of starting one and then progresses to getting the necessary equipment.

So you may be wondering what microphone Joe Rogan uses…not to worry, this post will discuss exactly this so you get a better idea of podcasting mics.

With that said, What microphone does Joe Rogan use?

Joe Rogan uses a Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone which is popular among many podcasters.

The Features of the SM7B

The SM7B is a great dialog microphone with a flat, wide-range frequency response, which will give you good quality pick up without altering the audio signal.

Its Bass roll-off and midrange emphasis or presence boost controls accommodate a wide range of voices which makes it perfect for podcasts.

You also won’t have to worry about hum and broadband interference because the SM7B is Shielded against them.

The internal air suspension shock isolation is another reason why this dynamic microphone is able to work perfectly without noise transmission.

The SM7B also includes a pop filter which will shield you from the trouble of having to worry about plosive sounds and it also has a A7WS detachable windscreen which is meant for close talk.

It also has Yoke mounting with a good captive stand nut for easy mounting and dismounting. Plus, it’s rugged build makes less susceptible to wear and tear.

Furthemore, the SM7B utilizes a cardioid polar pattern which provides excellent off-axis rejection.

How to choose a podcast mic

The best podcast microphone is amicrophone that’s right for you. For the newbies to the world of recording gear, differentiating one microphone apart from another is no easy task. I’ll therefore help you to understand what needs proper consideration when looking to buy a microphone for podcasting.

To choose the right microphone for podcasting, you’ll need to consider the following:

1. How you’re going to connect the microphone: USB  or XLR

2. The difference in sensitivity between condenser and dynamic microphones

3.The space you’ll record in

4. The number of people that you’ll be recording

USB  vs. XLR

USB microphones are the go-to for most people that are trying to avoid being too technical with recording gear.

You can go the USB route if you’re trying to avoid additional gear because XLR microphones will require that you have an audio interface. I actually recommend it.

XLR connections will offer you a lot more flexibility and added capabilities, plus they’re balanced connections so you won’t have to worry about noise.

Audio interfaces are common in recording studios because of the additional audio routing and processing capabilities that come with them.

USB microphones are the plug ‘n play version of mics, so all you’ll pretty much need to do to get them up and running is ensure that you select the right microphone in the “Input” panel of your podcasting software and you’ll be ready to go.

One advantage that comes with  XLR mics as compared to USB mics is the lower noise floor provided by the audio interface or mixer, which essentially acts as a well optimized external sound card.

Audio interfaces are essential for good sound and not all of them are expensive so you don’t have to worry about spending too much money.

You can spend a couple of bucks to get one and avoid running into noise issues and to ensure that you get good quality recordings.

Dynamic vs. Condenser mics

Dynamic microphones pick up less sound as compared to condenser microphones, but that can be a good thing in some situations.

As far as podcasting goes the choice of microphones should only come down to dynamic microphones or condenser microphones.

Both these microphones built differently, if you have the time to research and dig deeper into their build, you can go ahead and do that.

But to cut the story short…

Dynamic microphones are less sensitive to sound and more physically durable than condenser microphones.

They are also capable of recording at higher volumes than condenser microphones, which is why you’ll see them mostly used for stage performances as well as broadcasting.

The low sensitivity of dynamic microphones makes them roll off some higher frequencies and produce a “warmer” sound like you mostly hear from radio or TV broadcasts.

Condenser microphones are known for their attention to detail in that they are able to capture more nuance in vocal recordings than dynamic microphones. This leads to a richer, more natural sound. They are built this way and are meant to have a flat frequency response.

The sensitivity of condenser microphones can be a problem for most because it can lead to background noises being easily captured.

So it’s impossible to use them without paying attention to your surroundings.

This is why you’ll notice that professional recording studios build specialized booths for recording.

Therefore, If your choice is to go for a condenser microphone you’ll need to deal unwanted background noise and you’ll have to pay much attention to the space you’re recording in.

The recording space

As a podcaster you want to ensure that you get the best possible recording quality so your listeners don’t have to suffer the burden of  listening to badly recorded podcast.

New podcasters are often so eager to get their podcast started and make the mistake of not taking enough time to optimize their space or get a microphone that goes well with their overall recording space.

The fact is, even a 1 million dollar microphone won’t sound great in a bad room. You need to optimize the space… this way you’ll see your microphone perform well.

You might want to get some good soft absorption panels in your space so they can capture sound reflections and convert them to heat energy.

Hard surfaces will have sound bounce off them and be recorded back into the microphone. You need to avoid this at all costs.

Soft surfaces are the key to dampening sound reflections. Ensure that you record in a room with soft material that can soak up the sound. For example, a closet full of clothes is the best place to record because it has clothes which are good material for absorbing sound.

Of course recording in a closet is not glamourus and not ideal podcast-wise, which is why you’ll want to invest in some absorption panels to place on your walls.

Number of speakers (people) you plan to record

In podcasts that will generally have more than one speaker, you’ll need to understand the polar pattern of the microphone.

As podcasters its only right that you stick with cardioid mics, for solo speakers recording directly into a mic, and bi-directional mics, which are able to record two speakers in front and in back.

Some microphones however, allow you to choose different polar patterns, so you should take this into consideration when looking to buy a microphone or microphones.

If you want to record with additional speakers you should buy an audio interface with 2 (or more) XLR ports and as many dynamic microphones as you need.

With that setup, recording multiple people will be pretty much easy.

What Microphone Does Joe Rogan Use?

One thought on “What Microphone Does Joe Rogan Use?

Comments are closed.

Scroll to top