Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. — Jason
Black Friday is the single best time of year to buy podcast gear. Microphones, interfaces, mixers, headphones — most of it goes on sale and the discounts are real. But if you do not know what to look for, you will miss the good deals and get stuck with something that does not actually improve your setup.
Here is my breakdown of exactly what to buy, what to skip, and how to think about Black Friday deals as a podcaster.
Best Black Friday Buys: Microphones
Microphones go on sale reliably every Black Friday. The Shure SM7B regularly drops from $399 to around $279. If you have been waiting to upgrade to the SM7B, Black Friday is the time to pull the trigger. Same story with the Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB — it often drops from $79 to around $49 to $59.
One tip: add your target microphone to your Amazon wishlist or cart a week before Black Friday. This lets you see the pre-sale price so you can verify the discount is real and not a temporarily inflated sticker price. This happens more than you think.
Best Black Friday Buys: Interfaces
Audio interfaces have some of the best Black Friday deals in the podcast gear space. The Focusrite Scarlett Solo and Scarlett 2i2 typically drop 20 to 30 percent. Focusrite also frequently bundles their interfaces with Pro Tools First and a plugin pack, which adds real value if you want to try professional DAW software without paying full price.
If you are recording two or more people locally and want individual channel control, also watch the Zoom LiveTrak L-8. It occasionally drops below $250 around Black Friday, which is excellent value for a mixer with multitrack recording built in.
View Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 on Amazon →
Best Black Friday Buys: Headphones
Studio monitoring headphones are a reliable Black Friday category. The Sony MDR-7506 — the broadcast standard — often drops from $99 to around $69. The Audio-Technica ATH-M20x, my budget pick, frequently goes under $40. Both are worth buying at full price, so a Black Friday discount just makes them a no-brainer.
View Sony MDR-7506 on Amazon →
What to Skip on Black Friday
Podcast bundles from brands you have never heard of. Every Black Friday, generic brands package a cheap condenser mic, a flimsy boom arm, and a foam pop filter into a “complete podcasting kit” for $29.99. The microphone sounds terrible, the arm wobbles, and the pop filter muffles everything. Spend $79 on the ATR2100x instead and you will have a mic that still works great in five years.
Also skip wireless podcast mics at any price. The category has improved but still does not match wired quality at similar price points, and a Black Friday discount does not change the underlying audio quality math.
How to Track Deals Without Getting Overwhelmed
Use CamelCamelCamel to track Amazon price history on specific products. Set a price alert for any mic or interface you are watching and it will email you when the price drops to your target. No need to check Amazon every hour during Black Friday week.
B&H Photo and Sweetwater also run excellent Black Friday sales on pro audio gear that sometimes beat Amazon pricing. Both are authorized dealers so you get full manufacturer warranties and real customer support if something goes wrong. Check both before you buy anything over $100.
My Black Friday Priority Order
If you can only buy one thing, buy the best microphone you can afford. A great mic through a cheap interface sounds better than a mediocre mic through an expensive interface. Microphones have the biggest single impact on how your show sounds, and they hold their value for years. Start there, and pick up accessories and upgrades with whatever budget is left.
BOOM. Buy the right gear at the right price and start the new year with a setup you are actually proud of.
— Jason
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