WTF with Marc Maron is a wildly popular podcast that’s downloaded more than six million times a month.
It’s one of the few podcasts that features real conversations with A-list celebrities — actors, musicians, artists, and even a former president of the United States.
Marc Maron is a celebrity himself — a renowned stand-up comic and accomplished actor and author.
Marc and the podcast even made an appearance on an episode of The Simpsons (which is when you really know you’ve ‘made it’).
He has a warm, humorous interview style and an iconic voice that’s a pleasure to listen to, made even better by the podcast gear he uses to record the show.
So… what podcast gear does Marc Maron use to record his hit show?
I’ve gone trudging through the back alleys of the internet to find the microphone, headphones, mixing board, and audio recorder that Marc uses for the podcast.
That way you can achieve the warm, rich sound quality that WTF with Marc Maron is known for.
TL;DR: Marc Maron’s podcast gear list 🎙️
If you just want to know what equipment Marc Maron uses without reading the whole article, I’ve listed it all for you below.
- Microphone — Shure SM7B
- Other microphone — Shure Beta58A
- Headphones — Sennheiser HD 280 Pro
- Microphone desk stand — InnoGear Heavy Duty Microphone Stand
- Mixing board — Samson MDR6
- USB audio interface — Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
- Audio recorder — Zoom H4N
- Computer — Mac Mini
- Software — GarageBand
So there you have it, the full Marc Maron podcast studio set up.
Now let’s dive into it in more detail 🤓
What microphone does Marc Maron use? — Shure SM7B 🎙️
Marc Maron uses the Shure SM7B — the “king” of podcast microphones also used by the likes of Joe Rogan, Tim Ferriss, Russell Brand and Dax Shepard.
The Shure SM7B is, without a doubt, the gold standard for podcast microphones.
It’s specially designed for studio and vocal applications, making it the perfect option for podcasting and voiceovers.
The Shure SM7B produces the clean, warm vocal tones that most of the world’s best podcasts are known for.
Marc isn’t really one for fancy gear (have you seen his garage studio!?) but he knows it’s not worth skimping on your podcast microphone.
It’s important to note that the Shure SM7B is not a USB microphone so you’ll need to get an audio interface to connect it with your computer or recording device (see below).
The Shure SM7B comes in at around $399 — and Marc has at least THREE of them.
While it’s not cheap, it’s a worthwhile investment if you’re intent on recording quality audio for your podcast.
If you’re looking for something a bit cheaper that delivers similar audio quality, I recommend checking out the new Shure MV7, which is *probably* the best USB podcast microphone on the market.
Pro tip: When using the Shure SM7B you need to make sure it’s positioned close to your mouth. Most people also use a pre-amp like the Cloudlifter CL-2 to boost the signal from the microphone and improve audio quality.
Get the Shure SM7B podcast microphone here
Marc Maron’s podcast microphone ‘on the road’ — Shure Beta58A 🎤
When Marc’s travelling or meeting guests outside the studio, he uses the Shure BETA58A microphone.
The main reason for this is it’s more portable and durable than the Shure SM7B. These things are almost indestructible.
They also produce a killer sound. The Shure BETA58A is designed for the stage, similar to the Shure SM58, which Tim Ferriss uses.
It has a “supercardioid” pattern which helps isolate your voice and reduce background noise (another reason why it’s good for recording on the go).
Marc uses a portable audio recorder that he can plug the mic into, but you could also just use a USB interface and a laptop.
While this is Marc’s back-up microphone, it would definitely be perfectly adequate in any podcast studio.
As with anything that Shure creates, the audio quality is incredibly good.
And at just $149, it’s much more affordable than the Shure SM7B.
Get the Shure BETA58A podcast microphone here
What headphones does Marc Maron use? — Sennheiser HD 280 Pro 🎧
Marc Maron uses the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones.
There’s a newer model of these headphones out now, which are slightly better than the ones Marc uses.
These are the same headphones that Joe Rogan and many other podcasters use.
They’re comfortable, durable, stylish and, most importantly, they sound great. These headphones are designed for mixing and mastering in a studio, so they’re great for when you come to edit your podcast, too.
They’re not bluetooth capable, but when you’re sitting in a podcast studio it doesn’t really matter, does it?
Get Marc’s Sennheiser HD 280 PRO headphones here
Get the newer model of the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones here
What microphone stand does Marc Maron use?
I’m going to be honest here, I don’t know exactly which microphone stand Marc uses, but I’m pretty sure it’s the InnoGear Heavy Duty Microphone Stand, or something very similar.
It’s a simple, cheap microphone stand that attaches to the edge of a desk.
I tend to recommend the Gator Frameworks Deluxe Desk-Mounted Broadcast Microphone Boom Stand, which is what Joe Rogan uses.
It’s more expensive but you can’t beat its stability and quality.
However, for most people, a low-cost microphone stand like the InnoGear one above will do just fine.
Get the InnoGear Heavy Duty Microphone Stand
Get the Gator Frameworks Deluxe Desk-Mounted Boom Stand
What mixing board does Marc Maron use? — Samson MDR6
Marc uses a Samson MDR6 mixer.
It’s a simple six-channel mixer with two low noise microphone preamps.
According to the Samson website, this model has been discontinued, but you may be able to pick one up secondhand.
It’s nothing fancy, but if you want to run your inputs through a mixing board this will do the job just fine.
What audio recording device does Marc Maron use? — Zoom H4N
When Marc’s on the road and recording his podcast remotely, he uses a Zoom H4N, which is similar to what Tim Ferriss uses.
The Zoom H4N is a handy portable recording device that can record up to four tracks at once.
Marc can plug his Shure BETA58A microphone straight into the H4N and record into the device without the need for a laptop.
With built-in high fidelity microphone preamps, the audio quality on the H4N is extremely good for a portable recorder.
Get the Zoom H4N portable audio recorder here
Get that signature Marc Maron sound
If you’re a fan of the Marc Maron podcast and you want to replicate his impeccable sound quality, then this is all the gear you need.
You’ll just need to throw in a few XLR microphone cables and you’ll be good to go.
Just remember, you don’t need all the fancy gear to produce a great podcast.
Marc still uses some low-cost equipment, such as his microphone stands and mixers.
I’m sure he’d tell you that the quality of your content and storytelling is more important than the gear you use.
Hey, just letting you know I’ve added a few Amazon affiliate links in this article. If you click a link and buy something (please do!) I’ll get a small cut, otherwise known as a tiny, tiny slice of Jeff Bezos’ billions.
