As podcast experts, we guide our clients through every step of creating a high-quality show. We help with content, marketing, and the technical side of recording. And on the technical side, one of the first and most important rules we share is this: Everyone on a remote recording must wear headphones.
It’s a simple request, but it’s often met with a question: “Why? Can’t the software just handle it?”
While modern remote recording platforms like Riverside.fm are incredibly powerful, they aren’t magic. The rule about headphones isn’t about your personal comfort; it’s about preventing a technical problem that can distort your audio and make your episode sound unprofessional. Let's explore the science behind this golden rule.
What is an Audio Echo or Feedback Loop?
First, let's define the core problem: audio echo. In a remote podcast recording, your co-host's or guest's voice is sent from their computer to yours. If you aren't wearing headphones, their voice plays out of your computer speakers and into your room.
Your microphone is designed to pick up sound, and it will absolutely pick up the sound of their voice coming from your speakers. It then sends that audio back to them. The result? They hear their own voice coming back to them a split-second later - a distracting and frustrating echo. This creates a feedback loop that can ruin the flow of a conversation.
How Echo Cancellation Works (And Where It Fails)
To combat this, remote recording platforms like Riverside.fm have built-in software called an echo cancellation algorithm.
Here’s how it works in simple terms:
The software knows what audio it's sending to your computer (your guest's voice).
It then "listens" to the audio your microphone is picking up.
It identifies the guest's voice coming from your speakers and digitally subtracts or "cancels" it out, leaving only your voice to be recorded.
In a perfect world, where only one person talks at a time, this works reasonably well. But podcasts aren't perfect - they are dynamic, natural conversations. The real problem arises with crosstalk.
Crosstalk is when you and your guest speak at the same time. It’s a natural part of an engaging discussion. However, for the echo cancellation software, it's a nightmare. The algorithm now has to distinguish between:
Your voice, which it needs to keep.
Your guest's voice coming from the speakers, which it needs to cancel.
Your guest's voice from their own microphone.
When the software gets confused during crosstalk, it makes aggressive, distorted choices. It might clip your words, create a warbling, underwater sound, or add bizarre digital artifacts. This audio distortion is irreversible. You can't fix it in post-production. The result is a recording that sounds glitchy and unprofessional, all because the software was forced to work too hard.
Headphones: The Simple, Perfect Solution
This is where headphones save the day.
When you wear headphones, your guest's voice is sent directly into your ears. It never plays out loud in your room, so your microphone never picks it up.
By wearing headphones, you completely eliminate the source of the echo. Your microphone is now only capturing one thing: your clean, isolated voice. The echo cancellation algorithm doesn't have to do any work, because there is no echo to cancel.
This means:
No risk of echo or feedback.
No distorted audio during crosstalk.
Clean, isolated audio tracks for every participant.
A much smoother editing process and a higher-quality final product.
Wearing headphones is the single greatest thing you can do to ensure pristine audio quality in a remote recording session.
You Don't Need Expensive Headphones
We often get a follow-up question: "Do I need to buy expensive studio headphones?"
Absolutely not!
The goal here is simply audio isolation, not perfect sound fidelity. We just need to prevent the sound from your computer from being picked up by your microphone. For that purpose, almost any pair of headphones will work perfectly.
Those simple wired earbuds you might have from an older device or tucked away in a drawer are a fantastic option.
Any basic pair of over-ear headphones will do the job.
In fact, we often recommend simple wired headphones over expensive Bluetooth ones for recording, as a wired connection eliminates any potential for audio lag or battery issues during your session. The only type to avoid is "open-back" headphones, which are designed to let sound leak out.
The Professional Choice for Your Podcast
At Podcast Studio X, our mission is to make your show sound as professional and polished as possible. Asking you to wear headphones is the first step in that process. It's a small action that protects the integrity of your audio, respects the time of your guests, and delivers the quality your listeners deserve.
