Most interview podcasts are recorded remotely. Your guest is in a different city, you're at your desk, and the goal is to make the final episode sound like you were in the same room. That's achievable, but only if you set up the technical side correctly.
Recording a podcast from two locations introduces variables that in-person recording doesn't have: different microphones, different room acoustics, different internet connections, and different levels of technical awareness from each participant. Managing those variables is what separates clean remote recordings from the ones that sound like they were recorded on a phone call.
Here's exactly how to do it right.
The biggest mistake in remote podcast recording is relying on a video call's audio capture. Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams were built for communication, not audio production. They compress audio aggressively, drop quality when bandwidth fluctuates, and capture both speakers in a single track that's nearly impossible to edit cleanly.
The solution is local recording. Both participants record their own audio on their own devices simultaneously, then send those files to be synced and edited in post-production. This approach gives you broadcast-quality audio from each speaker regardless of internet connection quality.
This is the standard workflow for professional podcast production, and it's the reason well-produced remote interviews sound as good as in-studio recordings.
The cleanest two-location setup uses a platform built specifically for podcast recording. These tools record each participant locally, upload the audio automatically after the session, and eliminate the dependency on internet connection quality for the actual audio.
Riverside.fm is the most widely used option in professional podcast production. It records up to 4K video and uncompressed WAV audio for each participant locally, then uploads the separate tracks to a shared project. The interface is clean, the audio quality is excellent, and the separate-track delivery makes editing straightforward.
Squadcast (now part of Descript) is another strong option with similar local recording functionality. If you're using Descript for editing, the integration is seamless.
Zencastr offers local audio recording with automatic upload. The free tier is functional for smaller shows; the paid tiers add video recording and additional features.
Any of these tools gives you a significant quality improvement over Zoom or Teams for audio-first podcast production.
If you want maximum control and the lowest dependency on third-party platforms, each participant records locally on their own device using their preferred software (Audacity, GarageBand, QuickTime, or any DAW), while running a video call on a separate app for communication. The video call audio is used as a reference track for syncing, not as the production audio.
This approach requires a bit more technical coordination, but it gives you the highest-quality audio and works even when internet bandwidth is limited. The tradeoff is that your guest needs to manage their own recording, which adds friction.
Your microphone and recording software matter, but the acoustic environment matters just as much. A great microphone in a bad room sounds worse than a decent microphone in a treated space.
For your own space: If you record regularly, consider basic acoustic treatment: a rug, curtains, bookshelves, and soft furnishings all reduce echo. A closet full of clothes is a surprisingly good recording space if you need a quick solution. Avoid hard surfaces and large empty rooms.
For your guests: You can't control your guest's environment, but you can brief them on what to avoid. Send a simple prep document that covers: find a quiet room, close doors and windows, turn off fans and AC if possible, use headphones to prevent audio bleed from their speakers into the microphone.
The pre-interview brief is one of the most underutilized tools in remote podcast production. A two-paragraph email sent 24 hours before recording prevents most of the audio problems that are otherwise impossible to fix in post.
Your guest probably doesn't own a broadcast-quality microphone. That's fine. The goal isn't perfection. It's making the best of what each person has.
Your own setup: If you're the host and you're investing in audio quality, a USB condenser microphone is the minimum. Options like the Blue Yeti, Audio-Technica ATR2100x, or Shure MV7 deliver clean audio without requiring an external audio interface. Dynamic microphones (like the Shure SM7B with an interface) handle background noise better in untreated spaces.
Your guests' setup: Earbuds with an inline microphone are better than laptop speakers because they prevent echo and bleed. AirPods work reasonably well. A dedicated USB microphone is a meaningful upgrade if the guest records frequently. Don't expect guests to buy equipment for one appearance, but if they're recurring guests or internal team members, it's worth discussing.
Before starting every remote recording session, run through this checklist:
The room tone capture and sync cue are small steps that save significant time in post-production. Make them habits.
Echo and feedback: Usually caused by a guest not wearing headphones. Their microphone picks up the audio from their speakers, which creates a feedback loop or echo effect. Insist on headphones before recording starts.
Inconsistent audio levels: Different microphones, different distances from the mic, and different speaking volumes create level inconsistency across tracks. Post-production leveling handles this, but starting with both participants at reasonable levels (speaking conversationally, not into the microphone) makes the editing cleaner.
Background noise: Traffic, HVAC systems, keyboard clicks, and ambient room noise all show up in recordings. Noise reduction in post-production handles a lot of this, but the cleaner the original recording, the better the final result. Brief guests on environment setup and use a noise gate in your recording chain if you have one.
Internet drops mid-session: This is why local recording matters. If the internet connection drops, the local recording continues uninterrupted. The video call may freeze, but the audio is saved. This is the single strongest argument for using a local-recording platform over a standard video call.
Once you have separate audio files from both locations, the editing process is straightforward for an experienced editor.
Sync the tracks using the clap or verbal cue at the start. Apply noise reduction and EQ to each track separately. Level both tracks to broadcast standard (-16 LUFS for stereo distribution). Edit the combined timeline for pacing, filler word removal, and segment structure.
Separate tracks give editors the ability to adjust each speaker independently, which is why local recording produces better final audio than any mixed-down recording from a video call.
For teams that want this entire workflow handled, podcast production services cover the full post-production process from raw files to polished episode.
If you're also interested in the best practices for editing podcasts recorded in different locations, that goes deeper on the editing side of the workflow once you have your raw files in hand.
For shows that record entirely remotely, understanding how to record a podcast remotely in its full context, including platform comparisons and workflow optimization, gives you the complete picture.
The gap between a remote recording that sounds like a phone call and one that sounds like a professional studio episode comes down to two things: local recording and acoustic preparation.
Use a platform that records locally. Brief your guests on environment setup. Wear headphones. Capture a sync cue and room tone. Send the separate tracks to a skilled editor.
Follow those steps consistently and your remote recordings will sound as clean as anything produced in a studio.
Podsicle Media handles the full production workflow for B2B podcast programs, including remote recording setup guidance, post-production, and distribution. Schedule a call to get your free podcasting plan and see what a done-for-you production process looks like.
