I just want to say that the podcast’s audio quality has always been top-notch. I don’t know who does that work but they deserve a cookie. Many podcasts, even professional ones (I am looking at you, NPR) are grim. From day one you have been great.
So, thank you whoever.
That would be The Amazing Chuck. I’ll second–Thank you, Chuck! 
Have they ever posted what equipment they use?
I guess we have to upgrade him from “the other one” to “the frakking sound genius.”
I enjoy the lack of garbage trucks, sirens, helicopters, cats, kids and Mrs. Ron!
Thanks so much for the kind words. I try not to fill the forum with podcast-techie stuff, but I’ll PM you with the details. (They’re no secret. If anyone’s interested, PM me and I’ll totally audio-geek out with you.)
Why not? We should be able to spare a thread for tech-geekiness. (Plus, I need to find a decent mic.)
Not that he needs it but I second Pike here. I think we’d all like to hear techie goodness from a master Jedi. Bring the knowledge!
It’s simple, their sound quality button goes to 11…trust me, I’ve seen it. 
I second (or third,fourth or whatever) starting a podcast-making techie-filled thread. May the geekery begin!
Here here!!! I second that!
You forgot scotch glass clinking
If only we had a place on the forum to discuss all things geeky…
Close your eyes and tap the mousepad
And the rabid inhale and exhale of American Spirit cigarettes…mmmm I can just smell the love…
So I suppose if we can talk about photography we can audio-geek, right? Plus, I can count the number of people who care about this locally on one hand, which means I rarely get to geek out about it. It’s habit to avoid podcast technicals in the 'cast and blog.
So here’s the low-down:
We record into Pro Tools via a Digidesign 002R and a PC Sean and I built using only hardware from Digidesign’s “tested and approved” list. I track each of us independently using Sennheiser e835 mics for Audra and myself and an 825S for Sean. (I tried using my small-diaphragm condensers, but got better sound quality from standard dynamic “vocal” mics with a good EQ job. Their lower sensitivity also helps with track separation with people in the same room – like we are.)
We bring guests into the system via a JK Audio “Broadcast Host” digital hybrid, which patches into a land line and digitally separates the incoming and outgoing audio. I create an outgoing feed for the “caller” and record the incoming feed to its own track.
For Skype and TalkShoe/Live, I patch a separate Mac Mini into the system.
When we record a standard GWC application with no guests, I patch directly into the 002R, but for more complex setups I patch into a Mackie 1604-VLZ 16-channel 4-bus mixer. The mixer’s wired into my audio desk and patched out near the floor. It simplifies creating mix-minus to feed out to the hybrid or Skype (or different mix-minus to both when hosting more than one guest), plus it’s easy to add real-time effects (compression, de-ess, EQ) from the rack via the patch panel.
After recording, I apply an expander/gate, de-esser, compressor, and EQ to each track, and adjust gain to match levels. I don’t always use the same settings, instead tweaking a bit each time to get it just right. Sometimes I also use separate limiters to handle laughter spikes and such. I often use a light limiter on the overall mix to let me boost gain a bit.
I’m still tweaking the outboard gear for “live” 'casts, but I’ll have it all down by the time we reach the frontier.
All I can say is that the final product has always had AWESOME audio quality.
Gosh. I never thought this much detail went into the podcast audio. I think my Chuck-admiration meter went up a couple more notches.
Wow. Just stumbled across this thread. I listen to so many other podcasts that it continually amazes how good GWC sounds. Other shows that are “professional” or have been around forever can sometimes be a downright pain to listen to. People sound like they recorded the show over the phone, segments are edited haphazardly, speakers’ voices are all over the place volume-wise (which makes it a pain to continually adjust the volume, especially when a soft talker gets done and a loud talker suddenly chimes in). Listening to the 'Cooler is like honey for the ears. But less sticky.
And seeing all the thought, effort, and equipment that Chuck puts into it makes me feel like a techno-worm. One day I hope to pupate into half the geek-genius he is. Way to go, Chuck!
P.S. Might I say that there is another professional podcast that is quite pleasant to listen to as well, both for its content and its sound, even with the challenge of having multiple call-in guests at a time. It’s the PopSci Cocktail Party Science podcast. Coincidentally, produced and hosted by our Mr. Cage. Kudos again.
Thanks Chuck. That is an amazing (and for a beginner like me, boggling and expensive sounding) set-up. After the podcast tech question on your last cast, I realized others were interested in the craft of podcasting too and thought I’d try and start a thread. To my surprise, one already existed.
I’m currently sleeping in NH, working in MA during the week, and commuting to Syracuse to be with my wife and almost 3-year old daughter every weekend. These commutes have given me a lot of time to listen to podcasts and podiobooks, and this started me thinking. I’m contemplating recording public domain bed time stories for my little girl and posting them on the web. I’m going to do this as cheaply as possible at first (headset mic and audacity). If I enjoy it and can stick with it, I then plan on podcasting my own stories.
So any tips anyone may have on squeezing the best quality out of limited resources would be greatly appreciated. I know other GWCers are also podcasters (EmilyFromOhio for one) and am curious to their set-ups as well. Any other 'casters out there care to share?