I am a new entrant to the world of podcasting, but this is literally my new-found love. These days, I am recording at least one podcast a week speaking to tech experts around the world on a new trend and learning more about how it is going to impact all of us. While I started recording in our office studio, the pandemic forced the podcast to be recorded on my iPhone and then via software called Zencaster. But with time, I also upgraded my hardware and invested in a podcast microphone. Is there a further level-up that is possible? Well, that would be the Sennheiser Profile USB microphone which promises top-notch sound quality along with other features. The Sennheiser Profile USB microphone I got for review came as a full streaming kit, which included a boom arm. I have used boom arms before and setting up this one was quite easy as I locked it on the work desk in such a way that I could pull it in for my podcast recordings and push it away when not in use. I loved how the arm has a groove to tuck in the cable and reduce clutter on the desk. The microphone, with the cardioid condenser capsule, can be easily screwed into the end of the boom arm. In fact, the Sennheiser Profile USB microphone is plug-and-play at its best and you don’t need to think of anything as long as there is a USB-C port on the computer you are using to record. The mic comes with a mute button, gain control of the microphone as the monitoring headphones — connected via the 3.5mm jack on the back — as well as mix controls to get the device levels just right. I loved how all of these come with LED lights to show if for instance the mic is on mute or you are at the highest gain level. This is not common in podcast mics and often results in gaps while recording as the mute button was on. For monitoring you can use an in-ear option like the Sennheiser IE100 Pro or the HD300 Pro which goes into the jack at the back of the mic. However, since my podcasts are recorded in video also, I prefer to risk it in a way by not using a headphone. The monitoring is done online by my producer. I recorded three podcasts using the Sennheiser Profile. Once I had selected the microphone option in the Zoom call or the Zencaster link, I was ready to go. The very strong boom arm ensured I could adjust the microphone to exactly where I wanted it to be, just to the side of the camera so that it did not appear in my videos. The recording quality was really good. It is certainly the best I have sounded in the three-four years I have been recording podcasts. The audio, I felt, was sharp but still soft on the ear, just the way podcast listeners prefer it. With podcasts that softness is critical as a sharp note can end the episode for many listeners. Often microphones capture more than they should, with the breathing or the air hitting the mic from the mouth. This one had no such issue as I could adjust the gain from the microphone to exactly where I wanted it so that listeners did not feel I was getting in their ears too much. The soft-touch mute button is also very handy, especially in the last recording which was done soon after my Covid recovery. The button helped me clear my throat regularly without my guest even realising. At Rs 15,999, the Sennheiser Profile USB microphone can take your podcast or streaming game to the next level without draining your bank account. This is an investment worth every penny and one that will start showing results soon after.
