Podcasting Tools

Update:  No construction required.  I finally found the Y-adapter I’ve been looking for:  Y-MPS-2MF  Scroll down to the correct model number.  This will save all of us lots of work.

iRiver Setup – Two electret headmics and custom “Y adapter” to record 2-track conversation.

To create the stereo – two electret mic adapter, I used a regular “Stereo earphone “Y – adapter.” I split the outer covering with a razor on both legs. On one side, I cut the red wire and on the other side, I cut the yellow wire. Closed it all back up and and plugged two electret head mics into the female ends of the adapters and then the male end into the iRiver. This allows you to record two separate tracks with pretty good results. Some of the other “Y adapters” I used had some aluminium shielding wrapped around the wires. For those, I did the same thing, but used some heat shrink tubing on the cut ends to make sure nothing grounded against the shielding.

Here some pics to help. Click on them to see a larger image.

An additional tip, I use three of these setups to record a group of six. Obviously I get three separate stereo recordings, but I just put them all together in my favorite audio editing software. To help synch the separate recordings, I create a spike by clapping one time into all the recorders. Then, when I’m editing, I just line up the spike on all the tracks. It isn’t perfect, but it works amazingly well.

Here is a show that was recorded this way using a single recorder – InsytWorks Marriage Projections

The second one was recorded using three iRivers, Y adapters, and head mics – TheDivaCast Harley Ride . It did take some postproduction, but it worked.

Here is a Electret Powered Mic page I used to create my iRiver Stereo adapter.

The Altec Lansing AH302i I use is no longer available, but here is the larger, newer version

Something like this will also work.

I really think any mic designed to be plugged directly in the “mic” input on a computer or laptop will work.