
A passive attenuation device (known by the acronym PAD though usually spelled in lower-case letters as “pad”) is a mechanism that limits the signal coming through a microphone and into your audio interface. (Some of the best microphones for podcasts, like the Shure SM7B, have high impedance and have to be driven by a powerful preamp to boost their volume and capture the full range of audio frequencies.)

This can be great for boosting mics with high impedance, meaning they need an external source of power to produce a strong audio signal. Next to each mic input, you should see a knob that controls the amount of gain you add to an audio signal. XLR is the gold standard for mic inputs because it has a balanced signal that cuts out background noise and hiss. Some may offer inputs for 1/8-inch plugs as well, but that’s less common. Most audio interfaces include ports for 3-prong XLR inputs as well as ports for 1/4-inch cables. A podcast audio interface is no different than a digital audio interface you would use for recording any kind of audio.Ī quality audio interface typically includes the following components:

An audio interface is a physical device that transforms analog audio signals from a microphone or an instrument input into digital signals that can be processed by a computer.
