The good new is that as podcasts are so popular these days, there are lot's of pro audio manufacturers that are making gear for the home podcast enthusiast to record a great sounding podcast at home and make it sound pretty good. Rode has made the Rodecaster Pro - an all in one multitrack recorder made specifically for recording podcasts. They have also made a bunch of microphones that are relatively inexpensive and tailored to recording podcasts. To buy this gear with cables, mic stands, 4 x mics, memory card and headphones you would be looking at around the $3000 mark which is pretty reasonable. The only problem you might have is finding a quiet and acoustically treated room to record it in. You can't record a podcast and have the sound of the world around you blasting in unexpectedly... You may need to hang dona's around the walls to stop reflections and record late at night when the neighbours are quiet.
If you are planning on recording a whole series of podcast's it might be economical to buy the gear and set up a spare room in your house to save money. However if you want the podcast to sound professional, I would suggest that you at least get a professional to edit, mix and master the podcast for you so that it sounds up to the standard that your target audience is used to,
If you decide to go to a recording studio like Beat Tank, we take care of everything for you. We set up the space to suit your show, make sure all the technical details are taken are of and edit an dmix it ready for release, So how much does it cost? Well although the studio hire costs are $80 per hour and and the editing and mixing costs the same, you might find that the end result will be much better and the whole experience much more enjoyable.
For more information on the process or to make a booking at Beat Tank Podcast Studio in Melbourne, contact ben@beattankproductions.com for a chat anytime.