All Good Great

Category: Podcasting

  • Best Podcast Apps: How to Listen to Podcasts?

    Best Podcast Apps: How to Listen to Podcasts?

    A podcast is a series of audio files that can be listened to on the app of your choice. The best podcasts are great as the background noise for many everyday chores or a break from the daily grind, but what can you listen to them on?

    Here are some tried and tested options for listening to podcasts.

    Best podcast apps

    Which app can I use to listen to podcasts? Most of the apps are free, but you can buy premium subscriptions if you want, which give you a range of benefits.

    Editor’s Choice: Pocket Casts

    I use the Pocket Casts app, which is available for both iOS and Android. One good thing about the app is the clear queue management, i.e. which episodes come next and in which order.

    Overall, Pocket Casts does a good job with its free version. The basic functions work well and use is pretty intuitive. The app doesn’t crash or lose the point where you stopped listening.

    Try Pocket Casts

    Other podcast apps

    Podcasts can also be listened to using the podcast platforms’ own apps. The biggest are:

    The Apple Podcasts app has been around for a while, but a small hiccups eventually made me look elsewhere. I haven’t tried the latest version, so it may have improved.

    With Google Podcasts, podcast episodes can be played directly in the browser, so it’s also great for quickly listening to individual episodes.

    Other podcast apps include:

    Listening to podcasts on Spotify: familiar, oh so familiar

    Spotify, the silent but deathly monthly payment, has recently invested in podcasts and the app is split into two main categories: music and podcasts. 

    The good thing about Spotify is the familiar interface and the ability to discover new podcasts. The bad thing is the interface, which is familiar from listening to music. Although I use Spotify for music myself, I have not yet, to this day, switched to listening to podcasts there.

    Spotify’s special features include the ability to listen to podcasts at 3.5x the speed of light, which is the equivalent of a chipmunk flying at the speed of light.

    Try Spotify for podcasts

    Podcasts on YouTube: popular, but not by design

    YouTube’s focus is not on podcasting, but it’s still one of the most popular platforms for podcasting, especially when video is involved. 

    Traditional podcast app management tools are not all available on YouTube, and you can get dragged down into the depths of YouTube even if you only intended to listen to one episode. But there is something inherently compelling about listening to podcasts on YouTube.

    In addition, YouTube is rumoured to be moving deeper into podcasts. At the time of writing, youtube.com/podcasts is not accessible even though it is referenced in search results and on news outlets. So let’s keep an eye on it!

  • Recording Podcasts Remotely: The Best Apps for Podcasters

    Recording Podcasts Remotely: The Best Apps for Podcasters

    Remote recording allows you to bring guests to your podcast from around the world – even from the International Space Station if you wanted! In this article, we’ve gathered the best tools, applications and gear for recording your podcast remotely.

    The best program depends on e.g. the following factors:

    • How many guests are coming
    • What sound quality you want to have
    • What hardware you have available
    • What equipment is available to your guest

    Of the apps in this article, we have tried and used Zencastr, Cleanfeed and Squadcast ourselves. We’ve also recorded Whatsapp over Zoom H6.

    Programs and Applications for Remote Podcast Interviews

    Many of these apps offer a free trial, so you can try to see if the app would suit your needs. Here are the popular programs with their pros and cons.

    Zencastr

    Popular. An extended trial period during COVID, in which the number of guests is not limited. Only mp3 recording in the free version. You can also capture video.

    This is the option we’d recommend. We’ve used Zencastr in remote recordings to capture the guest track both in the cloud and locally during the interview.

    • Microphones from two hosts directly to Adobe Audition to their own tracks
    • A guest track from Zencastr to Adobe Audition via Loopback (Mac) as the third track.
    • Zencastr files used as backups

    Zoom

    Well-known but somewhat questionable application in terms of privacy. Easy to use, but the sound quality is not the best. In the settings, you can turn off automatic audio processing and record speakers on their own tracks. Props for the video connection which makes it easier to connect with your guests.

    Cleanfeed

    Praised for its sound quality. Simple interface also for the guest. No video connection. We’ve tried this but in our setup we had some problems with audio quality.

    Squadcast

    Really easy-to-use! Specifically designed for remote interviews. Sound can be captured as wav – and also video is available if desired. We would probably use this, but the monthly fee with the video is in the $ 100 range and a bit too expensive for us.

    For business and money-making podcasts, it’s still a great choice. The process is really easy, specially from a guest’s perspective. In addition, editing is made easier by the fact that all tracks and videos can be downloaded to your own computer separately after the interview.

    Skype or Whatsapp or Facetime and Zoom H6

    Audio over the Internet is usually compressed and processed quite roughly which narrows the editing possibilities. That’s why Skype, Zoom, or Google Meet, despite their ease of use, aren’t necessarily the best choices.

    We have recorded many episodes on Zoom H6 and a Whatsapp call. It requires a bit of hardware and the sound quality isn’t the best, but it has worked for us. However, we would not necessarily recommend this system if the Zoom H6 recorder or similar is not already something you have.

    • My Pickups for Zoom H6
    • From your phone, a 3.5mm hook to the Zoom H6’s XY mic
    • Attach your headphones to the Zoom H6

    This way you get all the participants on their own tracks. In principle, you could also use, for example, Facetime’s video connection during the interview. However, it may be laggy and distorted, especially if the connection is weak.

    Bonus: Have the Guest Record Their Own Track

    Sound quality problems can be solved when the guest records their own track on their own computer. However, this requires hardware and technical know-how, so it won’t work for all situations. When we’ve visited other podcasts, we’ve recorded our own mic track on Audition and later shared it through Google Drive, for example.

    If your guest is up for recording their own track, make sure to capture a backup track for yourself in case the file is lost, corrupted, or guests forget to press record.

    Summary: The Best Apps for Remote Interviews

    Give these apps a shot and see if they solve the remote recording challenges and opportunities for your podcast. I have tried all these three and they get the work done.

    • Zencastr : When it comes to getting things done at a reasonable price.
    • Cleanfeed : When there’s one guest coming and you want to use something free. Make sure you have plenty of time to test your setup.
    • Squadcast : When you have money or are spending someone else’s money.

    Have fun with your remote recordings!