Setting Up Podcast Studio for Under £200 – The Four L’s You Need to Nail

You want to set up a podcast studio, but you don’t have thousands of pounds to spend.

Don’t worry – in this guide, I’ll walk you through how to build a brilliant small home studio setup for under £200. 

The key? Focus on the Four L’s: Location, Lights, Loudness, and Lens.

If you’re a small business owner, content creator, or just someone who wants to look and sound professional online, here’s what you need:

1. Location: A quiet spot in your house or flat
2. Lights: Affordable lights that improve visual quality
3. Loudness: A simple lapel or microphone for crisp audio (Loudness)
4. Lens: An iPhone 15 or equivalent smartphone camera (Lens)
   

For around £176, you can build a setup that looks and sounds as good as those costing ten times more.

1. Location: Find Your Quiet Corner

The first thing you need to consider is your location. You don’t need a huge room or a fancy studio. You just need:

• A quiet spot where you won’t be interrupted (no children or pets charging in!).
  
• Enough plug sockets for your lights and audio equipment.
  
• A simple backdrop—a plain wall works fine to start with.
  

Size isn’t important here. What’s critical is that you can record without interruptions and have space to set up your basic equipment.

2. Lights: Good Lighting Beats Expensive Cameras

Most people make the mistake of rushing out to buy expensive cameras, but the truth is—good lighting transforms video quality far more than an expensive lens.

Think of it like this (yes, a little biblical): “The greater light to govern the front, and the lesser light to govern the background.”

You’ll need:

• One main light in front of you (key light) – I use these £49.62 on Amazon light. You can also get them from B & Q.
  
• A smaller light behind you to add depth (back light).
  

3. Loudness: Prioritise Audio Quality Over Visuals

People are far more forgiving of poor visuals than bad audio. That’s why your microphone is non-negotiable.

I personally use Holyland lapel microphones. They’re:

• Compact and portable.
  
• Easy to set up.
  
• Crystal clear in audio quality.
  

But you don’t have to choose that specific brand. There are several budget-friendly lapel mics or stand-up mics that deliver professional sound. I’ve also used Samsung Q2U which is a solid choice (though for best results it has to be close to your mouth) is also a also used Expect to spend around £50 to £60 for a solid mic that will seriously upgrade your sound.

4. Lens: Use Your Smartphone—Yes, Really

Here’s a secret: this entire video (and blog post) is built around content shot on an iPhone 15.

Modern smartphones have cameras so advanced that you really don’t need a DSLR camera to start with. Plus:

• Auto-focus works brilliantly for holding products up to the camera.
  
• You can use it as a webcam by tweaking the permission settings.
  
• No need to mess with lenses or manual focus.
  

If you’re already paying around £30/month for your phone, then you’re good to go. If not, there are great Android alternatives or even AI-powered webcams like the Osbot Tiny 2.

Add a smartphone you’re likely already paying for, and you’re all set. Even if you factor in a few extras, you’re looking at a total cost of around £176-£200.

Conclusion: Do the L’s save Loads!

This small home studio setup won’t just save you money; it’ll equip you to create high-quality content right from home, with gear that’s simple to use and easy to upgrade as your needs grow.

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