Unless you’re a snake (I’ve never opened an article with that caveat before), you probably don’t want to hear any hissing in your podcast. Here, I’ll cover why it’s happening and what you can do about it. It also probably isn’t as bad as you think, but we’ll get to that soon enough. First up, the why…

Taking the Hiss

If you hear a level of hiss in your audio, there’s a good chance you’re using a Dynamic microphone. This doesn’t mean Dynamic mics are “bad” or that Condenser mics are “better”; it’s more about how they interact with other pieces of equipment.

We’ll get into the difference between Dynamic and Condenser mics to learn more about what’s going on under the hood. But if you’re purely here for an answer to “What can I do about it?” then head on down to our section on how to remove hiss from audio.

Dynamic Vs Condenser Mics

We have an article dedicated to breaking down the differences between Condenser and Dynamic mics, so I’ll keep this short and simple.

Of course, that means I’ll make some generalisations that aren’t always the rule – now and then, you’ll find exceptions.

But here’s a good starting point for differentiating between the two.

A Condenser mic is primarily used to record vocals in a professional studio environment.

A Dynamic mic is something you’d typically use in “live” environments and rougher “on-the-go” settings.

Condenser Mics

Condenser microphones can often be more sensitive and easier to break.

Their sensitivity means they pick up more sounds from around your recording environment. This can be a pro or a con, depending on what you’re trying to do.

Most are designed for more permanent setups on mic stands or boom arms instead of being carried around and shoved in and out of boxes or bags.

A Condenser mic is powered either by having its own battery or by using a function called Phantom Power on your mixer, interface, or recorder.

This is why Condenser mics can usually record at a much lower gain than Dynamics. Gain is essentially your input recording volume. The outcome is that lower gain means less hiss in your recording.

Dynamic Mics

Dynamic microphones tend to be tougher and more durable than their condenser counterparts. The Shure SM58 is a classic example.

If you record live, on-location, or just like having a mic on you at all times for ad-hoc recordings, then a Dynamic mic is a great option.

Dynamic mics don’t require external power. They use electromagnetic induction to generate an audio signal, which means it isn’t as strong as it would be with a Phantom Power-driven Condenser mic.

This means you either need to increase the gain or amplify the audio in the post-production/editing process. Either way, that can raise the level of hiss in your audio.

How to Remove Hiss From Audio

One of the first rules of audio production is always to record the cleanest possible source material.

That said, hiss tends to be a constant and consistent noise under the vocals in a recording, which means it’s pretty easy to clean up.

You’ll usually find a process called “Noise Reduction” in whatever editing software you use.

This works by taking a 15-20-second sample of the hiss (on its own, with no other speech or noise) and removing it while leaving everything else intact.

Most audio production software has Noise Reduction features built in. You can use Audacity, which is free. Noise Reduction is pretty simple in Audacity; however, the platform, in general, can be a steep learning curve if you’re new to audio.

If you want sheer simplicity and software that’s 100% podcast-focused, then Alitu might be a better option.

Alitu is packed with tools for podcasters, such as call recording, auto-generated transcripts, and text-based editing. You can publish your episodes from within Alitu’s interface and push them out to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and the many other podcast-listening apps on the market.

Noise reduction happens automatically in Alitu, so you don’t need to know anything about how it works. It’ll go far beyond stripping out hissing or buzzing sounds, too. Check out the following clip:

Those are some great options to remove hiss and other noise from your audio. But as the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure.

How to Prevent Audio Hiss in Your Audio

If you’re determined to tame that hiss before it even gets to your recording, here are some avenues to explore.

Preamps

Adding an additional preamp (such as the Cloudlifter or FetHead) to your recording chain can help boost the audio signal and reduce the hiss caused by running the gain too high.

This way, the signal is boosted before it reaches your interface or mixer, so this gain is “clean”, passively boosting the mic’s signal-to-noise ratio without affecting the natural tone of the microphone.

The Shure SM7B is a famously “gain-hungry” mic, which eventually prompted Shure to develop the Shure SM7db—a Dynamic mic with a built-in preamp!

Mic Technique

You might not need to spend more money on podcasting kit. Better technique in front of the mic can lessen the need to have the gain set so high, no matter what kind of gear you’re using. Typically, podcasters will have the gain bumped up because they or their co-hosts are too far away from the mic, and they’re trying to compensate. So, can you get a little closer?

Faulty Cables

If all else fails, it’s worth checking the cables in your setup to rule out that a dodgy connection might be the source of the hiss in your recording. If you can get access to another XLR cable, you should be able to hear if there’s a difference between them. Cables are a low-cost part of your kit, so this is a potential low-hanging fruit.

Here’s our full guide on choosing the best audio cables, too, if you’d like a deeper dive into that wacky world.

Is There Actually Hiss in Your Recording?

Finally, this sounds obvious, but have you checked to make sure the hiss is coming from the recording and not from whatever you’re using to listen to it? A sub-par pair of monitors or headphones could be to blame here. If this seems likely, then upgrading your monitor setup or looking into getting a Power Conditioner might be your best option.

Summary: Why Does My Audio Hiss?

In closing, then, your audio likely has a noticeable hiss (at least, to your critical ears) because you’re using a Dynamic mic. This isn’t because Dynamic mics are bad; it’s more because they have to work a bit harder under the hood.

The good news is that your listeners probably don’t even notice this. Most podcasts are consumed on-the-go in busy environments. There’s a good chance you’re worrying about nothing.

That said, if the hissing is getting on your nerves, try getting closer to the mic and turning the gain down a little. You can also add in a Cloudlifter or FetHead to your setup and run some light noise reduction to remove hiss from your audio.

Remember that Alitu does all the noise reduction, optimisation, and volume levelling for you automatically, too. And it has an entire suite of podcaster-focused tools, from call recording and text-based editing to hosting and publishing. It’ll take the hiss right out of your podcast!