Headphones Vs. Earbuds Vs. AirPods: Which Is The Best Podcasting Audio Equipment?

Headphones Vs. Earbuds Vs. AirPods: Which Is The Best Podcasting Audio Equipment?

Quality audio is so important in podcasting. If your episodes sound terrible, it doesn’t matter how good your content is. Your voice is the core of every episode and your audience wants nothing more than to hear it with crisp clear sound. The best way you can ensure this is through a good set of audio equipment. So let’s weight the differences between headphones, earbuds and AirPods as they relate to podcasting and break down the pro’s and con’s of each option.?

Guest Interviews

Plenty of hosts interview their guests remotely, so I want to talk about this specifically. If you are one of these hosts, I highly recommend that you use some kind of headset when you’re recording. Here’s why:?

When you’re listening to someone from your computer’s speaker, their sound is going into the air and you’re hearing it in your ears, but what you can also hear is your microphone.

On the flip side, when I am listening through earbuds in my ear, that sound is not out in the environment. It’s going directly into my ears and the microphone that I’m speaking into. It is separating what I’m hearing from what the microphone is recording. This is a very important difference.?

The bottom line: Headsets win because there is audio separation and less distraction.?

Alert Notifications

If you’re not using a headset and a sound or alert goes off, that now exists in your podcast episode, unless it happened during a time where nobody was talking - and that’s not usually how it goes. It usually happens when you’re speaking. There are ways to mute all of your notifications but if you forget, you’re stuck with the end result.?

Let’s Talk About Earbuds

My favorite pair of earbuds actually came from the airport when I realized I had left mine behind. I am not affiliated with this brand at all, this is just a quality affordable pair that I was lucky enough to find. The brand is called House of Marley if you want to check them out.?

Lastly, Onto AirPods

Now, aside from looking goofy, like something from the set of Star Trek, there are applicable reasons to not use AirPods for recording podcast episodes.?

My strongest reason for recommending that you do not use any AirPods is that they are wireless and they are battery-operated. Meaning when that battery runs out, you’ve got to take them out of your ears and recharge them. The last thing you want to happen when you’re in the middle of a good podcast interview, having an engaging conversation, and then all of a sudden you cannot hear the person on the other side of the conversation because your battery dropped out.

The bottom line: You can’t just plug them back in and start recording again and you’re at the mercy of your bluetooth connection.?

Personal Choice

At the end of the day, it’s your choice as a podcaster and really comes down to your personal preference. If you’ve got a good pair of AirPods or wireless over-ear headset and you know that battery is going to last all day long and it’s charged, go for it. I personally don’t like to tempt fate and have a problem when I’m recording, so I say no wireless.

The bottom line: Other than the battery issue, I don’t think it matters much if you like the over-ear or the in-ear option. Do what feels most comfortable for you, provides you the best audio quality and eliminates the most distraction or chance of disruption.?

For more on advertising rates and how they directly affect your audience and growth, listen to this episode of Feed Your Brand with Tom and Tracy Hazzard.