Use case 7 of 8

Microphones for interviews

Sit-down podcast interview, on-the-street field interview, or a remote Zoom interview — three different situations with three different right answers.

Studio standardTwo Shure SM7Bs

Field standardHandheld dynamic + portable recorder

Remote standard“Double-ender” with local recording

Three interview situations, three different setups

Sit-down studio interview. Two Shure SM7Bs into a 2-input interface like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. Or two Shure MV7+s straight to a laptop.
On-the-go field interview. A handheld dynamic like a Shure SM58 or an Electro-Voice RE50, into a portable recorder like a Zoom H6 or Sound Devices MixPre-3.
Remote / Zoom interview. The interviewer records their side locally on a Shure MV7+; the guest records their side locally on whatever they have. Combine in editing for the “double-ender” podcast quality. Tools: Riverside.fm, SquadCast, or just dual local recording.

A note on lavaliers for interviews

For TV-style interviews where two people sit across from each other, lavaliers are the cleanest option — each subject has their own mic, no handheld passing back and forth. DPA 4060s or wireless Rode Wireless GOs are ideal. For radio or podcast interviews where a handheld mic is normal, two SM58s or dynamic mics on stands work fine.