Listening to podcasts on my new 80 GB IPod is a great past time, but finding the right ones can be tough. Sifting through all the junk can be a pain in the ass. I spend a lot of time listening to tech news and the biggest problem most podcasters have is the audio quality. I’m guilty of using a junk microphone for a podcast or video voice over myself.

Podcasting and videocasting are some things we want to get in to here at tkArena, in fact we have done some videos that we will have online for you all soon. One of the biggest problems we have with our videos is sound. Getting the right mic can be tricky and the mic on our Sony HDR-SR1 camera frankly kinda sucks.

At CES today I had the pleasure of meeting Katherine Riley from Shure. Shure is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to microphones. I was given a demo of their microphones in action in a podcast scenario and I must say I was blown away! Not only that - doesn't it look awesome?!

The 55SH Series was by far the best voice audio recording I have ever heard! After listening to it, I don’t think I can stand to listen to some of my old podcasts for fear of being disgusted them. Let’s look at some of the official info about the series and their specs.

 
55SH Series II Vocal & Speech Microphone

The Model 55SH Series II microphone provides the Shure classic UNlDYNE® II design coupled with modern acoustic components to meet today's performance standards. This microphone is excellent for vocal pickup with its characteristic Shure presence peak.

The 55SH Series II microphone has a cardioid (unidirectional) polar pickup pattern that minimizes sound pickup from the rear of the microphone. This allows the Model 55SH Series II to be used in close proximity to loudspeakers without creating feedback problems, and it can perform under adverse acoustic conditions where omnidirectional microphones cannot.

The 55SH Series II has a low-impedance balanced output designed for connection to microphone inputs rated at 75 to 300 ohms. The microphone features a cartridge shock mount to reduce stand noise, an On/Off switch, and an attached, self-tensioning, 5/8"-27 thread swivel mount. This microphone is ideal for public address or theater-stage sound systems, as well as for broadcasting, recording, and other sound applications where a stand-mounted microphone with a classic look is desirable.

• Classic appearance, modern performance
• Frequency response tailored for speech, vocals and instrumental music
• Cardioid directional pattern for optimum performance in adverse acoustic environments
• Shock-mounted cartridge minimizes stand-transmitted noise, ensures quiet operation
• Rugged die cast case and mechanical design for reliability under rigorous conditions
• Self-tensioning swivel mount, permits tilting through 45 degrees forward and 80 degrees backward

Some of that confused me, but hey, it makes it sound cool right? Some of the other microphones you might want to look at are the SM58-LC and the PG58-XLR. They are all vocal microphones and all will make your podcast sound great! 

I’m looking forward to getting my hands on these mics and giving you all a demo as soon as I get back from CES.