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Mic, Headset, or Interface? Choosing the Right Audio Setup for Duo Podcasts like Ant & Dec

aaudios

2026-01-26

10 min read

Use Ant & Dec's new podcast to learn mic choices, mix-minus, and hybrid workflows for duo shows. Get practical gear and routing tips for 2026.

Hook: Two hosts, one mic decision — and a dozen distribution formats to serve

If you run a duo show, your top headaches are familiar: who gets the better mic, how do you avoid echo and latency on remote calls, and how do you capture audio that edits cleanly into short-form clips for TikTok and long-form podcasts? Ant & Dec’s new podcast, Hanging Out, is a great 2026 case study: two personalities, multiple platforms (YouTube, podcast directories, socials) and a hybrid workflow need — and creators like you face the same choices every episode.

"We asked our audience if we did a podcast what would they like it be about, and they said 'we just want you guys to hang out'" — Declan Donnelly

The most important decision first: in-person or remote?

Start with the format. Choose the highest-fidelity approach you can reliably execute each week. In 2026 the biggest trend is hybrid shows — hosts together for main episodes, remote callers or guests patched in live — so plan a workflow that handles both without reconfiguring the rig every episode.

Why format matters for gear

In-person lets you use broadcast dynamics (SM7B-style) and a single multi-channel interface or dedicated mixer.
Remote requires local capture at each host + remote transport (Riverside, Cleanfeed, Source-Connect) to avoid platform compression and sync problems.
Hybrid needs mix-minus, multitrack routing, and a streaming setup that can blend local and remote sources for both live and edited outputs.

Case study: How Ant & Dec would map a robust duo workflow (2026)

Imagine the production choices behind Hanging Out. They need: a warm intimate sound for chat, clear separation to cut short clips, video capture for social, and the ability to accept questions from listeners live. That informs these choices:

Record multi-track audio (each mic isolated) at 48kHz / 24-bit.
Use broadcast dynamics for the main voices in the studio; each host monitors with closed-back headphones.
Route remote callers via a dedicated mix-minus bus to prevent echo.
Create a video feed with NDI or SDI for live-streaming, and simultaneously record higher-fidelity cameras for clips.

Headset vs mic vs interface: when to choose each

These are the critical, practical trade-offs for duo shows.

Headsets — the convenience route

Pros: integrated monitoring, low bleed, predictable mic positioning. Good for quick live streams, mobile setups, and gaming-style shows where the conversational vibe outweighs sonic polish.

Cons: mic capsules in consumer headsets (even premium models like the Sony Inzone H9 II) rarely match broadcast dynamics in tonal richness. If you want clips that sit confidently on Spotify or in short video edits, headsets are a compromise.

Standalone microphones — the quality baseline

For most duo podcasts in 2026, a pair of dynamic broadcast mics (e.g., Shure SM7B, Electro-Voice RE20, Rode Procaster) or modern dynamic USB alternatives (Shure MV7) is the ideal balance between isolation and voice character. Condensers are fine for treated rooms but pick up more room sound.

Audio interfaces and mixers — the routing hub

Your interface choice solves monitoring, preamp quality, low-latency drivers, and channels. For two-person shows, consider three classes:

Budget/portable: Focusrite Scarlett Solo/2i2 (or 3rd-party USB-C models). Use when you have well-treated rooms or plan heavy processing later.
Creator-centric mixers: Rode RODECaster Pro II or Zoom PodTrak P8. These give built-in mix-minus, pads for sound effects, and easy phone integration — excellent for duo shows with audience interaction.
Pro interfaces: RME Babyface Pro, Focusrite Clarett+, or MOTU interfaces. Low-latency drivers, superior preamps, and multi-channel routing for live broadcast-grade control.

Recommended rigs by budget (specific, plug-and-play)

Match cost to your goals. These 2026 lists assume USB-C as the standard and include AI-assisted post-processing options now common in the market.

Under $600 — polished starter duo

2x Shure MV7 (USB + XLR flexibility)
Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 (2 mic pres, good monitoring)
2x closed-back headphones (e.g., Audio-Technica ATH-M50x)
Riverside.fm for remote guest recording (local multitrack + cloud backup)

$600–$1,800 — creator pro setup

2x Shure SM7B or Rode Procaster (XLR)
RODECaster Pro II or Zoom PodTrak P8
2x good closed-back cans + headphone amp (if needed)
Local SSD recorders and a camera with clean HDMI for video clips

$1,800+ — broadcast/hybrid rig

2x SM7B or RE20 + matched vocal chains (Cloudlifter for SM7B gain)
RME or Focusrite Clarett interface + Dante/AVB stagebox if you scale
Hardware mixer for live shows, multi-camera video switcher, NDI integration

Mic pairing tips for duo voices

In 2026, editors want clean tracks so they can create fast repurposed clips. Good mic pairing reduces editing time.

Match mic types to voices: A darker, bassy voice cleans up with a brighter dynamic or a mild high-frequency presence. A thin voice benefits from a mic with more low-mid warmth.
Use the same model if possible: Using two identical mics simplifies EQ and produces a coherent stereo mix — helpful when you pan sources or apply batch processing.
Proximity & distance: Keep mic distance consistent (4–8 inches for dynamics) to maintain level balance and control proximity effect.
Polarity & phase: When panning or using room mics, check phase between tracks. In shared rooms, flipping phase or moving mics a few inches can prevent comb filtering.
EQ starting points (2026 presets): High-pass at 80–100Hz, gentle presence boost at 3–6kHz for intelligibility, narrow cut at 300–500Hz if boxy.

Remote recording: avoid the classic pitfalls

Since late 2025, remote recording tools have matured — but only if you adopt the right practices.

Always record locally

Cloud platforms (Riverside, Cleanfeed, SquadCast) help, but local multitrack recording on each host is your backup. Sync later using claps, timecode, or automatic alignment in editors like Descript or Avid (see AI-assisted workflows).

Use low-latency transport and a quality codec

Prefer services that transmit high-bitrate Opus or lossless audio for monitoring, with local lossless capture for final edits. In late 2025 services improved Opus implementations and offered better packet-loss resilience — choose them.

Mix-minus for callers

Mix-minus prevents the caller hearing their own delayed voice and produces echo-free conversations. Implement mix-minus on:

Hardware: RODECaster and PodTrak have one-button mix-minus. Use them for live call-in segments.
Interface + software: Use Loopback (macOS) or VoiceMeeter (Windows) to create a mix-minus bus and route it into Zoom/Skype/Teams.
Dedicated services: Cleanfeed provides built-in low-latency monitoring and echo suppression for remote guests.

Live streaming a duo show (audio + video)

Creators now stream live and repurpose the recording. Your goals: stable stream, multitrack capture, and clip-friendly audio.

Send clean stereo or multitrack audio to OBS or vMix using virtual audio cables or Dante/NDI. Keep a high-quality local multitrack for post-production.
Use OBS Multitrack Recording to separate host mics from ambient and music tracks for later editing.
Route chat interactions through a moderated mixer channel; record that channel separately if you plan to include it in the archive episode.

Editing, polishing and AI in 2026

AI tools improved massively in 2025: real-time denoising on-device, intelligent vocal separation, and fast transcript-to-clip workflows.

Noise reduction: Use real-time denoisers like NVIDIA Broadcast or CPU-friendly RNNoise during streaming, and apply surgical offline cleanup (iZotope RX 10) for final delivery.
Speaker separation: Modern services can isolate voices for remixing — useful for generating vertical snippets where you need just one voice audible.
Auto-transcribe & clip generation: Tools like Descript now generate multiple social-ready edits in minutes; record multitrack to let the AI pick the best in-and-out points.

Practical checklist: before you hit record

Verify each host is recording locally and confirm sample rate (48kHz/24-bit).
Confirm mix-minus for any live guest/call-in channel.
Do a level check: aim for peaks around -6 dBTP and average -18 dBFS.
Monitor latency on headphones — under 10 ms is ideal for in-person; under 40 ms for remote is tolerable.
Ensure video and audio start triggers are synced (timecode, clap, or NDI time sync).
Backup: enable cloud backup on your recording service and copy to an external SSD post-episode.

Troubleshooting: common duo problems and fixes

Host echoes: Turn down the headphone monitor level or enable mix-minus.
Uneven levels: Apply gentle compression (ratio 3:1) and normalize gains. For recurring imbalance, set preamp trim at the source.
Room noise: Use dynamic mics and absorptive panels. In a pinch, AI denoise performs well in post.
Phase issues: Flip polarity and listen in mono; adjust mic positions to remove comb filtering.

Distribution & monetization considerations in 2026

Ant & Dec’s strategy to run a multi-platform entertainment channel is a 2026 pattern: diversify formats and monetize across platforms. As a duo creator, design your capture to enable:

Long-form audio for podcast feeds (Spotify, Apple Podcasts).
Full-length video for YouTube (use higher frame-rate cameras and clean HDMI out).
Short-form clips for TikTok/Instagram Reels (vertical crops, separate audio stems).
Exclusive content: early access episodes, bonus minis, or ad-free feeds via platform subscriptions.

When you use AI transcription or cloud processing, disclose it to guests and listeners. Keep raw multitrack files until releases/clearances are finalized. In late 2025 privacy policies tightened — keep documentation of consent to avoid issues when repurposing clips.

Quick-start workflow templates for duo shows

In-person template

2x dynamics → Sound-treated table → RODECaster Pro II multitrack live + multitrack record to microSD/SSD.
Headphones on separate mixes; record an ambient room mic for live presence.
Simultaneous HDMI camera recording for social clips.

Remote template

Each host: USB/XLR mic → local DAW multitrack (Audacity/Logic/Reaper) + cloud service (Riverside) for redundancy.
Call via Riverside or Cleanfeed with local recording enabled + separate video capture for hosts when possible.
Post: align tracks in DAW, run noise reduction, EQ+gentle compression, export stems for clips.

Actionable takeaways

Pick a format first — in-person if you can, hybrid if you need flexibility.
Always record locally and multitrack — it’s the simplest insurance policy for editing and repurposing.
Use mix-minus for any live call-ins — hardware mixers or software routing will save you echoes and grief.
Match mics when possible — same model = easier editing, more consistent tonal balance for duo voices.
Plan for repurposing — capture dry, separate stems so AI tools can craft social clips and transcripts fast.

Final thoughts: what Ant & Dec teach creators in 2026

Ant & Dec aren’t reinventing podcasting with Hanging Out; they’re using a smart creator playbook: keep the format simple, serve fans across platforms, and invest in a workflow that scales. For duo shows, that means reliable multi-track capture, sensible mic choices (dynamic broadcast mics for studio, USB or headsets for mobility), and a routing plan that handles mix-minus and live streaming without chaos.

2026 tools make high-quality production more accessible — AI denoising, real-time codecs, and creator mixers with built-in features — but technology is only as good as your workflow. Prioritize clean source capture, consistent mic technique, and a backup strategy. Then editing and monetization become downstream problems you can solve efficiently.

Call to action

Ready to pick the right rig for your duo show? Download our free Duo Podcast Setup Checklist (includes mic pairing charts, mix-minus wiring diagrams, and post-production presets) and get a tailored gear list based on your budget. Start building a workflow that lets you focus on what matters most: the conversation.

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