• Setup guide
  • Beginner
  • 7 steps

How to set up a 2-person podcast

By OneProGear · Published · Updated

Two people need two matching dynamic mics, two boom arms, two pairs of closed-back headphones and a recorder with two separate inputs. The Shure MV7i with an MV7X is the simplest route; two SM7B or SM7dB mics into a RØDECaster Duo give you faders and onboard recording.

two-person-podcast-setup guide cover

Buy this as a kit

Ready-made podcast studio kits. Swap any part or change quantities on the kit page.

Compare the podcast studio kits →

Build it

  1. Pick two matching dynamic mics

    There are two main kinds of microphone. Condenser mics are very sensitive and pick up the whole room. Dynamic mics mostly hear what is right in front of them. In a bedroom or a rented room with hard walls, choose a dynamic mic with a cardioid pattern, which means it listens to the front and ignores the back.

    The Shure MV7i is a cardioid dynamic mic with USB-C, plus a second input on the mic itself for another XLR mic. Pair it with the Shure MV7X, the XLR-only version of the same mic. You both sound alike, and one EQ change fixes both tracks.

    If you both want the classic broadcast sound, use two Shure SM7Bs. They are quiet mics that need a lot of clean gain. The SM7dB is the same mic with a built-in preamp that adds 18 or 28 dB.

    Do not mix an SM7B on one side with an MV7 on the other, or you will be matching them in every edit. Keep both mics the same type, with their dead backs facing each other.

  2. Give each person their own input

    The simplest option is the MV7i on its own. The host speaks into the MV7i, the guest's MV7X plugs into the MV7i's XLR input, and one USB-C cable goes to the computer. It has two headphone outputs, so you do not need a separate headphone amplifier.

    If you want faders and a recording that survives a laptop crash, look at the RØDECaster Duo. It has two mic inputs with up to 76 dB of gain and very low background hiss, several headphone outputs, and it records on its own to a microSD card or USB-C drive. That is enough gain for an SM7B with no extra booster. The RØDECaster Pro II uses the same preamps with four mic inputs for a third person.

    A regular desktop interface also works if each input has enough gain. The Rode AI-1 gives 60 dB, which is what Shure recommends for the SM7B, but it has only one input. For two SM7Bs, look for two XLR inputs with at least 60 dB of gain each, and two headphone outputs.

  3. Put both mics on boom arms

    A desk stand passes every tap and keystroke straight into the mic. A boom arm clamped to the table does not.

    The SmallRig Microphone Boom Arm Desk Mount holds up to 1.5 kg. The SM7B weighs about 850 g and the MV7i under 600 g, so both are fine.

    The Shure Gator Low Profile Boom Arm is built around the SM7 shape. It clamps to desks up to 55 mm thick, reaches about 84 cm and has an extender so the cable clears the mic body. The Rode PSA1 is another sturdy option with about 82 cm of reach. It holds mics between roughly 700 g and 1.1 kg, so an SM7B fits. The heavier Shure MV6, at almost 1.3 kg, does not.

    Clamp the arms on opposite edges so they do not bump when you both lean in. Keep each mic 5–10 cm from the mouth, slightly to one side. That ignores the room and softens popping "p" sounds.

  4. Closed-back headphones for both of you

    Open-back headphones leak sound, and a mic at talking distance will pick it up. Closed-back headphones keep the sound in. The Shure SRH440A is a sensible closed-back choice for this, with a detachable cable and a 1/4 in adapter in the box. Give one pair to each person.

    If the MV7i is your recorder, use its two headphone outputs. If you use the RØDECaster Duo, give each person their own headphone output so they can set their own volume. If you also edit on headphones, the Shure SRH840A is the step up, with a wider frequency range for judging the final mix.

    Never listen through laptop speakers while recording. The mics will hear them.

  5. Set your levels before you record the intro

    Gain is how much the interface boosts the mic signal. With an SM7B into a RØDECaster, start with the gain knob around the middle and talk from the distance you will really sit. Aim for loud moments around −12 to −6 on the level meter, never hitting the top. If you cannot, you are too far from the mic or the interface lacks gain.

    On the SM7dB, start with the built-in boost at +18 dB. Switch to +28 dB only if your interface still cannot give enough level. With the boost off, it behaves like a plain SM7B and needs a strong preamp.

    On the MV7i, use Shure's MOTIV Mix app (or the controls on the mic) so both voices match when you each say "testing one two" at the same distance.

    Turn on the SM7B's bass-cut switch if the table booms. Leave the presence switch off unless you have a reason. Record a one-minute test together, listen on headphones, and fix mic distance before you buy anything else.

  6. Treat the room with furniture first

    Your mic choices already do much of the work: dynamic mics, close placement, and arms so the desk does not vibrate into the mic. Soft things behind each person, such as a sofa, a thick blanket on a rail or a full bookshelf, soak up the echo that a cardioid mic still hears. Bare walls behind both chairs make two good mics sound like a tiled bathroom.

    Do not sit in the middle of the room. Put the table against a soft wall so the dead backs of the mics face the remaining hard surfaces.

    If you add acoustic panels later, look for broadband panels 5–10 cm thick that absorb most of the sound that hits them. Our bedroom acoustic treatment guide covers where to hang them.

  7. Record two separate tracks, not one stereo mix

    Whatever you use, record each voice as its own mono file. The MV7i does this over USB into recording software on your computer. The RØDECaster Duo and Pro II save separate tracks to their own card or drive, and can also send them to the computer over USB. A mixed stereo file is a backup, not your main recording.

    Separate tracks let you cut one person's cough, or lift a soft voice, without touching the other.

    Name the files host and guest from day one. If a session only exists as a mixed livestream, you will not have a podcast you can properly edit later.

What you need

  • One microphone for each person
  • A recorder or interface with two separate mic inputs (a USB mic with a second XLR input, or a two-channel podcast console)
  • One boom arm per microphone
  • Closed-back headphones for both people
  • A table with edges you can clamp to, and two XLR mic cables (about 3 m each)

The number of people decides everything else. Two speakers means two mics, two headphone feeds and a recorder that saves each voice as its own file. Sharing one mic means the level drops whenever someone turns away, and you cannot edit one voice alone.

Pick two matching dynamic mics

There are two main kinds of microphone. Condenser mics are very sensitive and pick up the whole room. Dynamic mics mostly hear what is right in front of them. In a bedroom or a rented room with hard walls, choose a dynamic mic with a cardioid pattern, which means it listens to the front and ignores the back.

The Shure MV7i is a cardioid dynamic mic with USB-C, plus a second input on the mic itself for another XLR mic. Pair it with the Shure MV7X, the XLR-only version of the same mic. You both sound alike, and one EQ change fixes both tracks.

If you both want the classic broadcast sound, use two Shure SM7Bs. They are quiet mics that need a lot of clean gain. The SM7dB is the same mic with a built-in preamp that adds 18 or 28 dB.

Do not mix an SM7B on one side with an MV7 on the other, or you will be matching them in every edit. Keep both mics the same type, with their dead backs facing each other.

Give each person their own input

The simplest option is the MV7i on its own. The host speaks into the MV7i, the guest's MV7X plugs into the MV7i's XLR input, and one USB-C cable goes to the computer. It has two headphone outputs, so you do not need a separate headphone amplifier.

If you want faders and a recording that survives a laptop crash, look at the RØDECaster Duo. It has two mic inputs with up to 76 dB of gain and very low background hiss, several headphone outputs, and it records on its own to a microSD card or USB-C drive. That is enough gain for an SM7B with no extra booster. The RØDECaster Pro II uses the same preamps with four mic inputs for a third person.

A regular desktop interface also works if each input has enough gain. The Rode AI-1 gives 60 dB, which is what Shure recommends for the SM7B, but it has only one input. For two SM7Bs, look for two XLR inputs with at least 60 dB of gain each, and two headphone outputs.

Put both mics on boom arms

A desk stand passes every tap and keystroke straight into the mic. A boom arm clamped to the table does not.

The SmallRig Microphone Boom Arm Desk Mount holds up to 1.5 kg. The SM7B weighs about 850 g and the MV7i under 600 g, so both are fine.

The Shure Gator Low Profile Boom Arm is built around the SM7 shape. It clamps to desks up to 55 mm thick, reaches about 84 cm and has an extender so the cable clears the mic body. The Rode PSA1 is another sturdy option with about 82 cm of reach. It holds mics between roughly 700 g and 1.1 kg, so an SM7B fits. The heavier Shure MV6, at almost 1.3 kg, does not.

Clamp the arms on opposite edges so they do not bump when you both lean in. Keep each mic 5–10 cm from the mouth, slightly to one side. That ignores the room and softens popping "p" sounds.

Closed-back headphones for both of you

Open-back headphones leak sound, and a mic at talking distance will pick it up. Closed-back headphones keep the sound in. The Shure SRH440A is a sensible closed-back choice for this, with a detachable cable and a 1/4 in adapter in the box. Give one pair to each person.

If the MV7i is your recorder, use its two headphone outputs. If you use the RØDECaster Duo, give each person their own headphone output so they can set their own volume. If you also edit on headphones, the Shure SRH840A is the step up, with a wider frequency range for judging the final mix.

Never listen through laptop speakers while recording. The mics will hear them.

Set your levels before you record the intro

Gain is how much the interface boosts the mic signal. With an SM7B into a RØDECaster, start with the gain knob around the middle and talk from the distance you will really sit. Aim for loud moments around −12 to −6 on the level meter, never hitting the top. If you cannot, you are too far from the mic or the interface lacks gain.

On the SM7dB, start with the built-in boost at +18 dB. Switch to +28 dB only if your interface still cannot give enough level. With the boost off, it behaves like a plain SM7B and needs a strong preamp.

On the MV7i, use Shure's MOTIV Mix app (or the controls on the mic) so both voices match when you each say "testing one two" at the same distance.

Turn on the SM7B's bass-cut switch if the table booms. Leave the presence switch off unless you have a reason. Record a one-minute test together, listen on headphones, and fix mic distance before you buy anything else.

Treat the room with furniture first

Your mic choices already do much of the work: dynamic mics, close placement, and arms so the desk does not vibrate into the mic. Soft things behind each person, such as a sofa, a thick blanket on a rail or a full bookshelf, soak up the echo that a cardioid mic still hears. Bare walls behind both chairs make two good mics sound like a tiled bathroom.

Do not sit in the middle of the room. Put the table against a soft wall so the dead backs of the mics face the remaining hard surfaces.

If you add acoustic panels later, look for broadband panels 5–10 cm thick that absorb most of the sound that hits them. Our bedroom acoustic treatment guide covers where to hang them.

Record two separate tracks, not one stereo mix

Whatever you use, record each voice as its own mono file. The MV7i does this over USB into recording software on your computer. The RØDECaster Duo and Pro II save separate tracks to their own card or drive, and can also send them to the computer over USB. A mixed stereo file is a backup, not your main recording.

Separate tracks let you cut one person's cough, or lift a soft voice, without touching the other.

Name the files host and guest from day one. If a session only exists as a mixed livestream, you will not have a podcast you can properly edit later.

Where to go next

Shop this guide

Buy this as a kit

Ready-made podcast studio kits. Swap any part or change quantities on the kit page.

Compare the podcast studio kits →

Every item named in this guide