Why does my voice sound “crackly” on my podcast recording? How do I get rid of that echo? Will anything help with those annoying hard “P” and “B” sounds? If any of these questions are currently rattling around your brain, you may be experiencing one or more of the common problems faced by podcasters while recording their show.
The barrier to entry for podcasting is low, at least in theory. While it may once have been the case that you could make a podcast with a $50 microphone and an early edition of GarageBand, the industry has evolved into a serious media form that is both monetizable and competitive. Production value has become a key metric by which sponsors and listeners measure their podcasts. It’s natural to feel anxious about your sound quality, especially since podcasts have become an important channel for businesses and brands.
Audio technology has come a long way in the last two decades, but we haven’t yet eradicated the issues we face when striving for a clear, warm recording on our podcasts. And though audio problems occur more frequently for beginners, it is common for experienced producers to be handed a corrupted audio file and asked, “What can I do to fix this?”
If you’re concerned that your audio issues are holding back your podcast growth, this article is designed to help you diagnose and troubleshoot your recording quality.
If you’d like expert support with your audio podcast recordings, connect with our team for a free consultation.
First, Let’s Diagnose Your Audio Problems
It can be difficult to figure out the exact source of your problem without directly speaking to a podcast production professional. While our expert team is available to run a comprehensive audit of your audio issues, you can make some progress right now by figuring out the approximate source of your sound problems.
The following audio questions will help you describe your issue and narrow the scope. When assessing at-home recordings, there are usually three main culprits: microphones, room acoustics, and software.
Audio Troubleshooting Questions:
What podcast recording equipment are you using?
- Microphone type (USB or XLR, dynamic or condenser)?
- Audio interface or preamp?
- Headphones/monitors?
- Is any of your equipment Bluetooth?
What’s your podcast recording environment like?
- Room acoustics, such as echo?
- Any treatment (foam, blankets, etc.)?
- Traffic nearby? Dogs barking?
- Do you have wooden flooring or carpet?
How are you recording?
- What software are you using?
- Are you applying any EQ (equalization), compression, or effects?
- Are you recording remotely?
What is the main issue with the podcast audio?
- Is it muffled, thin, boxy, harsh, echoey, or something else?
- Does the problem happen throughout the recording?
- Affecting all speakers, or just one?
With your answers in mind, move on to the next section to find out whether any of our simple solutions will tackle your problem. Sometimes it only takes one tweak to see meaningful improvements to your podcast recordings — don’t lose heart if the problem is more complex.
Common Audio Problems For Podcasters When Recording
As podcast production experts, we speak to dozens of podcasters using a variety of equipment and software, and there are some common audio issues we see plaguing recordings time and again.
Common issues include:
- Echoes and reverb
- “Crackly” audio
- Traffic noises or dogs barking
- Out-of-sync recordings
- Loose USB microphones
- Sitting far away from the microphone
Now, Let’s Make Your Voice Sound Better
In this section, we’ll break down some “quick fixes” to help troubleshoot your podcast audio issues. Still having problems? Connect with our team to see if you qualify for a free consultation regarding your podcast production.
Why Does My Podcast Sound Echoey?
Many beginners try to record in large rooms that have a lot of natural reverb/echo. This problem is compounded if there aren’t many soft materials like carpets, curtains, or furniture to deaden the reverb. This is likely why your voice sounds “echoey.”
How to Reduce Echo in Your Podcast Recording
Do you have any soft furnishings you can bring closer to your recording space? For example, you could position a blanket behind you or place a rug on the floor. You could even consider recording in a smaller space like a closet or with a blanket over your head, though this makes video podcasting almost impossible.
If you’d like to record a video podcast but have a persistent echo on your audio, consider creating a recording “nook” in the corner of a room. Set up a studio light, a neutral background, and surround yourself with a blanket or curtain to create an enclosed space. Top it off with a quality microphone. While not ideal, it will give you the best recording conditions possible without investing in a studio space.
Tools and Effects to Clean Up Echo in Post-Production
If you want to fix echo issues in your podcast recording, try using EQ to cut down harsh frequencies. You can also apply noise reduction and de-reverb plugins before using compression and other effects to create a warm, polished sound.
Many of these effects can now be applied using AI tools in your podcast software. But before you start applying every “clean up” effect available, consider this: layering AI effects can actually make your audio quality worse, not better.
Drop into an “office hours” production consultation or contact your podcast recording software’s customer service team to find out which effects you should be applying to fix your problem.
Is My USB Microphone the Problem?
USB mics are convenient. However, they can be more sensitive to room noise than dynamic mics with tighter pickup patterns. What kind of USB mic do you have? Some have switchable pickup patterns (like cardioid), which can help reject room noise.
Are you close enough to the mic? The closer you are, the less room noise will be picked up. We recommend speaking 4-6 inches from your mic. Using EQ, compression, and noise reduction effects can help clean things up in post production, but best practice is to address these issues during the recording stage.
Why Does My Podcast Recording Sound Crackly?
One of the worst audio issues is the dreaded “crackly” audio, which is often caused by faulty cables and loose connectors. If you check all of your wires and still encounter the issue then it might be your Bluetooth headphones.
If you are using recording software like Riverside or Descript, a Bluetooth device has been known to interfere with the quality. We also don’t recommend you record on your phone, even if they have a flashy app that claims to support podcast recording.
Crackling may also be caused by overloaded or “clipping” audio levels. Simply put, clipping is a type of audio distortion. It happens when an audio signal exceeds the maximum that a device can handle. The sound wave is “cut off”. You can fix this by ensuring that you aren’t speaking too loudly and that your microphone’s volume level is reduced on your software or podcast mixer.
Tools and Effects to Clean Up Crackling in Post-Production
Let’s say that you have a recording that you can’t redo but it’s corrupted by crackling noises. Is there anything you can do about it in post-production?
There are a few things you can try. Start by using “de-click” and “de-crackling” plugins, such as the one provided by Audacity. You can usually apply a noise reduction effect in the same platform, but make sure to experiment with different versions of your recording to see which tweaks yield the best result.
In addition to these effects, you can also use a gentle EQ to remove any harsh frequencies before trying compression for a clean sound. We use the RX Plug-in Suite from iZotope. They have great tools beyond what is available in most DAWs.
Quick Tips for Recording in Noisy Environments
And finally, let’s wrap up with some simple steps to help you record a quality podcast in a noisy environment.
- Position your microphone on a flat, stable surface and speak clearly at a 4-6 inch distance.
- Consider recording in a closet or under a blanket.
- Do not record in a corridor or a bathroom.
- Place a rug on any wooden flooring and hang a blanket on the wall or over a window to deaden the noise of traffic.
- If you want to build an at-home podcast studio, consider investing in some noise-reduction panels and carpeting your floor.
- Finally, test your audio before you record your episode. It’s easier to make adjustments before you hit that red button than in post-production.
Podcast production can be tricky to figure out at first — trust us, we all started somewhere. If you made it this far through our quick guide to better audio, you’re a step closer to creating the podcast you want. Subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss our free podcast production tips.
Have questions? Interested in having The Podglomerate produce your podcast? We work with clients every step of their podcast journey, from workflows and equipment set-up to post-production and distribution. Email us to learn more about our podcast production services.
