That’s what’s crazy about this. You not only have to analyze your current show, but the future show you might want to do. The USB microphones like this one…
http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/samsonGTrackConnections.jpg
Are pretty much perfect for the one-horse podcast, but are completely unexpandable. This thing will always be a one person show or maybe two really good friends, one on each side. No mixer. It plugs straight into the computer.
The instant you go to two microphones you’re into conventional analog microphone and small mixer territory. We have any number of postings from people who “just want to plug two USB microphones in.”
You can force that to work on a Mac and maybe linux, but not Windows, and you can’t control the sound very well. It’s not pleasant at all.
I do this all the time and I don’t have any pictures of a simple mixer and mic setup. I’ll be doing a shoot tomorrow and I’ll take pictures.
This is a simple analog shoot. The mixer is a Peavey PV6 ($100), the microphone could be a Shure Rock Concert SM58 ($99). The stand is an On-Stage-Stands about $50 and the cables are any XLR mic cable.
http://www.kozco.com/tech/MicTests/studioLayout.jpg
Connection to the computer is a stereo jumper cable…
http://kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/RCAMiniStereo.jpg
…because Macs have a very good digitizer built in. Since you’re on Windows, you’ll have to produce your own like the UCA202…
http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/peaveyUCA202Lenovo.jpg
This has the advantage of being able to do musical overdubbing and sound-on-sound if you’re so enclined.
And Audacity or any sound program, really.
By far the worst problem you’re going to have is noise and echoes. People don’t record in studios because of the air conditioning and because it looks cool. They do it because they can get recordings without the dog barking and the air conditioner kicking in and out. You also have to worry about room echoes.
http://kozco.com/tech/audacity/clips/EchoSample.mp3
There is no filter for this. This woman will always sound like she recorded in her mom’s kitchen.
Koz