Object-based audio was once thought to be limited to gaming, installations, and film/TV productions, but podcasters and audio storytellers are now beginning to explore the potential of this technology. Formats like 

 all have the potential to make audio storytelling content like podcasts and audiobooks more accessible, interactive, and exciting. Let’s take a closer look.

The term "object-based audio" is used to describe recordings where individual sources (like voices, instruments, or sound effects) are stored as its own audio file (usually mono) and accompanying metadata that defines levels, panning, and much much more. Each audio object (a project can have hundreds) is then joined with some mixed audio elements (often referred to as channel-based or scene-based “beds”) and rendered by software and equipment on the listener’s equipment. That renderer decides how to best represent the audio mix on whatever technology the listener is using, whether it’s headphones, a home entertainment system with a few different speakers, or a carefully tuned movie theater with dozens of speakers surrounding the audience. This offers major advantages for spatial audio content delivery, and one of the goals of these formats is to limit the amount of different deliverables a mixer has to create (stereo, 5.1, 7.1 etc.) and just let the intentions of the mixer be interpreted by the rendering equipment.

Because these audio objects get passed all the way through the delivery format, this can also offer the listener an enhanced level of control over the recorded audio. For example: a listener could turn up the narrator to hear them better over the incidental music in a podcast, or turn off the commentary while watching sports, or choose a different language for all of the dialogue in a film.

This ability to control the audio is very different from the way we’ve conventionally delivered audio recordings to listeners: as a stereo or multichannel mix where all the individual audio decisions get “baked in” to that final mix. Object-based formats wait until that final rendering step to do the “baking”, which means listeners have unprecedented control and customization of the audio they’re listening to, and the rendering technologies can make smart decisions that create a great sounding experience on whatever playback system is available. We can even imagine audio players that can customize playback based on a listeners profile, preferences, and environment. For example: the player could identify that you’re listening to a podcast in a noisy car and make dynamic range adjustments that will work well for that situation. But if you come back and listen to the rest of that podcast on headphones in a quiet library, it can adjust for that situation and provide a more nuanced listening experience.

As this technology becomes more widely available and the content becomes easier to distribute, we could see a significant leap in user-friendly features that mainstream podcast and audiobook audiences could benefit from. Of particular focus will be the areas of podcast accessibility and podcast translation, which may dramatically expand the ways in which audiences engage with audio content. One key result will be a significant increase in consumption of content, and, as a by-product, more opportunities for advertisers to target audiences thoughtfully.

Including Metadata With Podcast and Audiobooks

Normal audio files that are played on music services like Apple Music and Spotify contain metadata like the name of the artist, band, song title, artwork, lyrics, copyright information, etc. With object-based audio, we could imagine even more metadata being included about each individual component within that musical work, including gain, position, and identifying characteristics like who played bass, where each track was recorded, or maybe even musical notation for each track.

When we think about how this might apply to podcasts and audiobooks, there could be individual audio objects and metadata for each guest or actor in the recording. The metadata could include information such as who the speaker is, when and where they were recorded, and more. In theory, it would be possible for a listener to use their podcast app to search for all the podcasts that feature a specific guest, let’s say Kamala Harris, and then bring up the entire catalogue of her guest appearances, across all of the podcasts that she’s appeared on or been quoted within. Wouldn’t that be handy?

There are already some types of metadata included in podcast deliveries, like chapters and descriptions of the shows, and so you can easily jump to different segments or access links provided by the creator. We could take it several steps further with object-based audio, and have the speakers’ names appearing in real-time, and the ability to swipe or tap to see their bio and other information while they’re talking. This could also facilitate sharing quotations or segments from podcasts easily from within a piece of content, helping to curate the best portions of an interview and disseminate them to a broader audience.

Podcasts and Audiobooks in Multiple Languages

The increased demand for interactive types of content coupled with a global growth of podcast consumption points towards another potential use for object-based audio: allowing listeners to access multiple language translations of the same podcast or audiobook within the same deliverable. With the flick of a proverbial switch, you could change from an English-speaking narrator to a French-speaking narrator in real-time. The creator wouldn’t have to publish separate translated versions for each language, which can also help to simplify metrics tracking, reviews, and rankings. We could even imagine advertisements that are targeted based on whatever language version the listener was accessing.

This ability to control the translated versions opens up a myriad of opportunities, including for people who want to learn foreign languages, or for those who are multilingual but have a preferred language. And it can improve global sharing and relatability of content, opening up new avenues of communication between people across cultures.

Another potential benefit of object-based audio is for listeners with hearing impairments. For example, if the music bed of a podcast or audiobook is too loud to be able to decipher the dialogue, then the listener could reduce the volume of the music bed (or mute it entirely), to hear the dialogue more clearly. Or set preferences for the priority of content that the audio player can interpret, like prioritizing dialogue first, sound design second, and incidental music third. We could also imagine metadata stored along with each audio object that could include the transcribed dialogue to make it easy to follow along with an accurate transcription and navigate through a podcast based on the transcription, not just chapter markers and timings.


Currently, there aren’t simple means for distributing 

 content to conventional podcast players or apps, but it does seem to be on the horizon. It’s our hope that podcasters and audio storytellers will soon be able to integrate a fantastic set of new content creation tools to help recognize and grow the diversity of their audiences, and also generate content that takes on all new interactive possibilities.

Object-based audio is more than just a means of delivering spatial audio content, and it has the potential to bring extensive benefits to the accessibility and interactivity of podcasts.

Object-based Audio and Podcasting

Creating a podcast has come within reach for anyone who feels like they have a story to tell. It's relatively simple to get started, record, edit, find music and publish your podcast. But there's still a huge amount of knowledge and skill required to create a great-sounding podcast. It's easy to get lost in the forest of sound recorders, mics, headphones and editing software. But without proper usage, technology does little for you. Let's explore a few concepts that will help you get the most out of your gear without spending any money.

There's a concept in sound production called the 

 that will have a huge impact on how 'clean' your recordings sound. The signal is the sound you want to record, which for a podcast is voice. Noise is everything else; other participants' voices leaking into your mic, traffic outside, room ambience or a tactless neighbor mowing their lawn in the middle of your recording session.

In reality, this translates to bringing the mic (almost) as close to your mouth as possible. A good rule of thumb (pun intended) is to use the distance between your thumb and pinky to get an approximation of how close you should be. If you get too close to the mic it can cause sound artifacts that will ruin your recording.

What happens when you bring your signal source, or mouth, closer to the mic is that the signal-to-noise ratio works in favor of the signal. If your mouth is too far away from the mic, you will inevitably have to increase the gain on your sound recorder. This means bringing up the noise as well which will make your recording sound worse, and since your mouth is far away you will sound distant to the listener.

This is true whether you use a professional mic or your phone to record sound. Can't beat physics.

Bring the microphone close to your source (mouth). Not too close. But close. If you hear puffs or other sound artifacts, move slightly further away or shift your position so the air stream from your mouth doesn’t go straight into the microphone.

2. Pick an acoustically favorable recording space

Even if you have perfect mic placement, your sound can still suffer from room acoustics. The most common problems caused by your space are reverberation and phasing issues.

Reverberation is caused by hard, flat surfaces that let the sound bounce around with no resistance. This effect can be something you want for creative purposes. Like the way a concert hall compliments the sound of an orchestra, or how a recording made in an airplane hangar can add long, overlapping echoes.

In smaller spaces, reverberation tends to create a disturbing and unwanted effect in your recordings since the sound is bouncing over such a short distance that the reflections become problematic.

Phasing issues are a sibling to reverberation but cause a different problem in your recording. Depending on the space you're in and how sound bounces around in it, some frequencies in a person's voice can bounce back and cancel out frequencies in the same spectrum. This can cause all sorts of issues that result in either poor audio quality or a lot of frustration in front of your computer while trying to clean it up.

Some simple ways to overcome these issues, without being in a dedicated studio, are:

Apply the signal-to-noise ratio principle in tip 1 to ensure you’re recording more of the signal (voice) than noise (in this case, the reverberation).

Test the space(s) you're considering to record in and choose the one with the least reflections. A simple way of testing is to clap your hands and listen to how the sound bounces. For reference, you can compare your bathroom with your bedroom.

Record in a space that has a lot of materials that can mitigate reflections. Some excellent sound absorbents are carpets, beds, couches, pillows, uneven wall textures and (thick) curtains. Any material that is soft enough to absorb sound waves or that has rough textures that disperse reflections in different directions will make your recording environment better.

If you still have to use a space that's not ideal, add sound-absorbing materials and elements to your recording space. You can also consider buying acoustic treatment pads, there are cheap alternatives that help your space out quite a bit. It's also an opportunity to make your recording space more cosy. I mean, who doesn't like a mountain of pillows?

Capture test recordings and make sure it sounds good. Use the same number of mics and talk into each one to get a grasp on how the sound bounces. The more voices you can test with the better, but testing with just your own is still a huge step.

I have a few pet peeves when listening to podcasts, and the two most common ones by far are poor sound quality and uneven sound levels.

I bet you've experienced it too; the podcast starts with a short intro. You set your volume accordingly, and then your ears almost explode when a jingle begins at more than double the volume of the intro speech. I keep listening. The sound level between the show host and a person being interviewed is way off.

I find myself struggling to find the middle ground between not having the show host sounding too loud while still being able to clearly hear the interviewee. It annoys the heck out of me as a listener.

annoy the heck out of me (and other listeners).

When recording, keep the peaks of each mic at approximately -12dB on the meter in your recorder. You can keep -12dB in mind when editing as well. This comes in handy if you're recording to a device that does not allow you to set levels while recording. Instead, you can control them in your editing software.

To make mastering - the task of finalizing your podcast mix - faster you can also set your other sound sources to about -12dB when editing. This includes music, jingles, sound effects and anything else you throw in there.

Set background music 10-15dB below your voice level. This means it should peak around -27 to -22dB, depending on the type of music. Trust your ears — can you hear the voice clearly over the music?

We've now reached a mix that is somewhat even in sound level which ensures you won't annoy your listeners. If you export in this state, your listeners might have to max out their volume on their listening device to get it loud enough. Even though it's not optimal, it's a significant improvement over uneven sound levels.

Closely related to the signal-to-noise ratio, we find mic technique. Once you've ensured that your mic is within a good distance from your mouth and provides a clean signal, you can start improving your mic technique.

Poor mic technique is very obvious to the listener as it creates several problems when recording sound:

Puffs and pops (called "plosives") in the recording

Distorted sound when raising your voice or laughing loudly

Uneven levels as a result of not speaking into the mic

Unwanted sounds when hitting the table, mic stand or adjusting the position of the mic

Luckily, all of these can be avoided by following a few simple principles:

Wear headphones. Nothing beats hearing the issues created by poor mic technique and fixing them in real-time.

Keep the air stream from your mouth off-axis from the mic so the air doesn't go straight into the mic. Position yourself or the mic so you that you still get a good signal-to-noise ratio without forcing air into the mic.

If you're laughing, screaming, coughing or being loud in general, lean away from the mic and/or turn to the side. This makes sure the sound doesn't distort. Distortion is when your equipment gets overloaded and creates a very unflattering sound. No one enjoys distorted voices.

A common beginner's issue is that they move in and out of the mic's pickup pattern. A pickup pattern defines a mic's optimal angle in correlation to the source (your mouth). When recording a podcast with several people, it's easy to look at the person you're talking to and forget about the mic. This can result in talking off-axis and getting worse sound in your recording. The solution is to see your head as a planet, and your mic as the sun. If you want to look left to talk to another participant in the podcast, lean right so your sound source (mouth) stays in a good position for the mic to pick up clean sound.

Keep your hands and fiddliness in check. Mics are sensitive and will pick up any click, bump or thud around it. Again, wear headphones to help you realize how loud it sounds in the recording. Consider putting a soft material on your table so you can put down your coffee cup without acting like you're John McClane handling a nuclear device. Floor protectors on your chairs and table is also a great and cheap way to mitigate unwanted sounds when recording.

I hope you leave this article feeling confident that you can achieve good sound without expensive equipment and ideal surroundings. I suffer heavily from GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). I've found myself spending hours looking up gear and gadgets instead of creating and doing, and it kills my creativity.

With the techniques listed in this article you can record and share a podcast that sounds good enough, and that's what counts. If you're limited on resources, you can record your podcast with your phone's built-in microphone. Just make sure mic placement is good, that you record in an acoustically decent place, get your sound levels right and spend some time learning one of the free sound editors out there. Once your podcast is soaring, you can look to upgrade your equipment.

What matters in the end is the quality of your story and content. Happy creating!

https://www.youtube.com/user/axknickerbocker

https://www.youtube.com/musicradiocreative/

As I was finishing up this post I was bouncing around on YouTube and other sites to make sure I mentioned everything I wanted to include. I ended up watching this video from Javier Mercedes which covers some of the points in this post. I highly recommend you check it out: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aHy3QMI4XM

Author: Linus Nygren, Director of Content & Community

Linus has deep knowledge in the broadcast radio, podcasting and filmmaking industries. Before Nomono, he worked as a radio journalist, radio show host, podcast show host, film producer and commercial cinematographer. He’s most passionate about the technical aspects, workflow, psychology of storytelling and sharing knowledge to help others create better content.

Learn how to take your podcast from sounding "OK" to "Great" with the equipment and software you already have at your disposal.

Four steps to a better sounding podcast (without spending any money)

Technology can easily hinder creativity instead of empowering it when developing new products. Any great process starts with building strong empathy with the people and the context in which they will use your solution. In podcasting, there are many factors to consider for a smooth experience.

Historically an oral tradition, storytelling thrives in the digital world through podcasting alongside film and television. And it’s available at your fingertips, anytime and anywhere. According to 

, podcast listening is at an all-time high, with Gen Z showing the most growth. Production, however, is a real bottleneck.

There are many challenges between recording and publishing an episode. Getting ready and setting up equipment can feel like a time drain. 

Cables, microphones, and stands get in the way of natural conversations.

Laborious audio cleanup distracts you from being creative with the content. 

even the most experienced creators sacrifice quality to keep up with the rising demand for more content.

 If you’re new to podcasting or interested in starting a podcast, this article will highlight some things to consider as you prepare to record your first episode.

Starting with the equipment, a professional studio can set you up to produce high-quality audio. You would typically need a multitrack recorder and mixer, 3 to 4 microphones with stands, pop filters and cables, and an acoustically treated room. However, this can quickly become costly. Getting everything set up correctly and treating the room can also be a technical challenge unless you hire an audio engineer to assist you. Renting a studio could be a good short-term solution, but the costs will add up in the long term — especially if you pay by the hour. Additionally, a rented studio is usually less customizable to your specific needs. 

In short, professional studios are pretty inaccessible to many content creators

Let’s look aside from the monetary aspect and say you have such a studio. Over time, you learn which settings to use and how to get the most from the tools. In a perfect world, the ingredients for making great recordings should be in place. The reality, however, is that

 although we can control the equipment, we cannot fully control our surroundings

. Neither can we predict how people interact with each other or the equipment during conversations. Audio quality is equally dependent on the human factors. If not more. Here are a few examples:


They become tense or nervous with a big microphone covering their face

. And it’s reflected in the audio as a bunch of «uhms» and other filler words. The equipment gets, quite literally, in the way of natural conversations.

2. Most often, we’re sitting down when recording. And 

people change their posture slightly all the time

. They tend to be close to the microphone at the start, and the audio will be loud and clear. However, they might be leaning back comfortably in the chair towards the end. And the voice will sound distant and low.

. Some people talk very quietly, almost in a mumble. In contrast, others use their outside voice no matter where they are. Usually, people vary in loudness throughout a conversation as they gesture and emphasize their points.

4. What if the conversation gets lively and passionate? People start talking over each other, so 

5. On top of that, often, our surroundings present challenges. 

Hard surfaces, such as glass walls or windows, create unwanted reverb that can lead to phasing issues

. This makes your recording sound thin and metallic. Another example is an aircon, fan, or similar appliance that will introduce undesirable background noise to your recording. Not to mention traffic noise if you're in an urban environment.

All of these factors impact the storyteller’s performance and the audio quality. Which, in turn, affects the listener’s experience. Some unwanted noises are easy to cut out yourself or remove with audio processing software, while others require the surgical precision of a very skilled audio engineer, which can be rather time-consuming and expensive. Audio quality can be daunting, but it’s not something that you want to skimp on. According to Podcast Insights, 

70% of listeners consider audio quality very important for continued listening

. Another study by the University of Florida found that 

listeners are 50% more likely to recommend a podcast with high-quality audio

It’s clear that enabling great recordings is really about allowing natural conversations. When we understand this fundamental truth, we can create better tools that actually support how we interact with each other and our surroundings.


Nomono was founded on years of deep research 

on object-based audio and signal processing 

). While our roots may be in groundbreaking technology, we have shaped it to provide a better way to make podcasts. 

Recording stories should be as easy as having a conversation.

 And feel just as natural. To ensure great audio every step of the way, we’ve redesigned the workflow from scratch and created a seamless solution from recording to publishing.

With Nomono Sound Capsule, we made sure that you can record a great-sounding conversation anywhere and turn it into a podcast. It’s 

. The setup is fast and wireless. There are no audio levels to adjust. It works out of the box, and the custom-made microphones can deliver professional audio quality in any environment. Just clip on the mics, press record, and let the conversation flow. After you stop recording, the audio auto-syncs to Nomono Cloud for a smooth transition into editing and collaboration with your team. And the best part: Your audio is enhanced, automatically.

Let’s rewind back to 2019 for a moment. Nomono had been established just a few months ago, and we were busy interviewing audio content creators and gathering insights. There is one particular moment that stands out still. The person we were interviewing, an audio professional at a big broadcast company in Norway, wondered: 

«Why is there no button for good sound?»

 His team wanted to be creative and focus on the content. Simply, tell great stories. Those words resonated so well with everyone at Nomono and the user experience we want to provide.

We've spent more than five years developing 

 that mirrors how we experience sound in real life. The result is a sophisticated algorithm that 

. With eleven unique steps tailored to spoken audio, we ensure you get professional quality with natural and authentic sound. It’s like 

having access to the world’s best audio engineers at your fingertips

«This enables us to create professional podcasts in previously impossible environments. The Cloud enhancement is pure magic.»

— Kate Lennie, Independent publisher at 

Not only can you break free from the traditional studio, but our solution also frees up your time to do more of what you love: being creative with storytelling, editing content, improving sound design, or starting a new project.

Want to hear more stories like that? Subscribe to our newsletter: 

Technology can easily hinder creativity instead of empowering it when developing new products. Any great process starts with building strong empathy with the people and the context in which they will use your solution. In podcasting, there are many factors to consider for a smooth experience.


The key to great-sounding recordings

for its innovative solution to simplify podcasting and spatial audio production.

Since the beginning, Nomono has invested in human-centered product development and cross-functional collaboration, making it possible to create a holistic and innovative solution that addresses the technical and practical challenges of producing high-quality audio content. A few months after establishing Nomono, the founders recruited a Chief Design Officer. In the following years, Nomono has gradually expanded its internal design team to cover a broad range of disciplines. The designers have collaborated closely with other functions in Nomono to develop seamless user experiences and customer journeys across all platforms. In addition, they partnered with specialists in industrial design (Inventas), branding, design systems, digital product design (Heydays), and packaging design (Goods).

The strategic use of design has now earned Nomono yet another award, following the SXSW Audio Innovation Award in 2023. Below you will find the jury’s conclusion.

The jury is impressed by how Nomono has created an entirely new product positioned between the smartphone segment and traditional sound studios: a portable podcast studio for professional audio production.

Nomono exemplifies technological innovation, aesthetic qualities, and refined function in perfect harmony. The result is a user-friendly and inclusive product that makes podcasting accessible to more people.

The portable podcast studio was developed through cross-functional collaboration and a design-driven process. Extra credit is due for the production taking place in Norway.

Nomono received the DOGA Award for Design and Architecture because it is an exciting, thorough, and holistic solution in a time of increasing standards for audio production.

The jury looks forward to seeing how the product can elevate podcasting by offering professional recordings in demanding conditions. It's easy to envision the hardware provided as a service to reach even more people.

Projects that receive the DOGA Award for Design and Architecture are outstanding examples of how strategic use of design and architecture creates significant value for society, the environment, and the economy.

Here are three reasons why this project is an exemplar:

 Nomono is designed to democratize high-quality audio production for more people, expressed through their vision of «making voices heard.» Excellent audio quality plays a significant role in preserving the quality of education as audio content becomes more widespread as a mode of teaching and handing in assignments.

 Nomono is responsibly designed and made in Norway. This way, the product contributes to creating jobs and innovation in the Norwegian market.

Norwegian innovation with a global following:

 Nomono demonstrates what is possible in the intersection of design, product development, research, and technology. The result is a product featuring breakthrough technology, solid product design, and a distinct brand attuned to a global market

DOGA is a driving force for sustainable value creation through design and architecture. We facilitate collaboration between creative talents, businesses, and the public sector and work to strengthen the role of design and architecture in shaping the Norway of tomorrow.

The DOGA Award for Design and Architecture is awarded by DOGA to Norwegian businesses and practitioners who demonstrate outstanding use of design and architecture.


Read more and view the original text on DOGA’s website: 

Nomono receives the Norwegian DOGA Award for Design and Architecture for its innovative solution to simplify podcasting and spatial audio production.

Nomono receives prestigious award

Nomono, a Trondheim-based audio technology startup spun out from SINTEF Digital in 2019, has 

, securing an additional NOK 55 Million (€5.4M, $6.4M USD) to fuel their research, development, and growth, after setting out to raise just NOK 35 Million (€3.4M, $4M USD) in this round.

“This is a strong vote of confidence from the investment community that the work we’re doing is important and revolutionary. Our team has built some incredible tools that are already finding traction with our beta customers, and we’re excited to have the runway to continue our work in simplifying the podcast production process while raising the bar on sound quality for all types of audio storytelling.”

Nomono is building hardware and software that makes it easier for professional podcasters, journalists, and audio storytellers to 

create great sounding immersive audio experiences

, and leverages the latest innovations in Spatial Audio that have recently become available through technologies like 

This extends the initial seed round investment of 

NOK 25.5 Million (€2.4M, $2.9M USD) closed in September of 2020

 (their first Norwegian investment). This round welcomes a number of new investors including Tvenge og Adolfsen.

The Nomono team has more than doubled in size in the past year, and now has employees based in Trondheim, Oslo, Sweden, and New York. At the same time, the podcast landscape continues to grow exponentially, 

with a more than 280% increase in the creation of new podcasts in 2020

, from 300,000 new podcasts in 2019 to almost 900,000 in 2020.

“All these podcasters are working through cumbersome workflows that make field recording and collaboration difficult, often at the expense of creativity and audio quality. We’re excited to remove some of these roadblocks so they can focus on the conversations with their guests and colleagues, and to make it possible to bring their listeners right inside the conversation through Spatial Audio technology.”

Nomono’s expertise in Spatial Audio has also become even more valuable given recent announcements from companies like Apple and Netflix around 

, setting the stage for podcasters to bring immersive audio storytelling to their audiences. Spatial Audio technologies are being implemented for listeners in headphones, smart speakers, soundbars, mobile devices and cars, but the process of creating Spatial Audio requires specialized equipment and expertise that often puts it out-of-reach for the traditional podcaster or journalist. Nomono’s technology removes this bottleneck, giving audio storytellers access to this powerful new medium in a simple, accessible way.

Norwegian startup completes oversubscribed round to simplify podcasting and enable spatial audio content creation.

Nomono raises €5.4 million in late seed round

Meet Kate and Jack Lennie, the dynamic duo behind "We are Makers," armed with just a camera and the Nomono Sound Capsule, they're on a global quest to uncover the untold stories of makers and share them with the world.

The buzzing of tools, the tap of the hammer against the anvil, the brushing of the loom’s shuttle against the threads. And the echo of it all against utilitarian walls. Like the smell of sawdust or the glint of metal, the sounds of the workshop add essential richness to the maker's story, yet pose a big challenge when telling that story through the medium of a podcast.

 in his metal workshop. (Photo: We are Makers)

Kate and Jack Lenny of We are Makers, a Scotland-based print magazine and podcast dedicated to makers and their craft, wanted to immerse listeners as much as possible in the experiences of the makers they profile. As a maker herself, Kate understands the connection between makers and the workshops where they practise their craft.

“This is their sacred space. It's a space that they've built over many, many years. There's a respect that comes with that. They’re letting us into their space.”

Kate and Jack knew from early on that their mission to tell makers’ stories would require them to travel to the makers and to meet them where their stories unfold. Spending time together with the makers in their workshops gives Kate and Jack the opportunity to establish relationships. The trust they build in the workshops allows the makers’ crafts to be showcased and their rich stories to be told with true authenticity.

“There are a lot of visual cues being in someone's space that I think help the conversation flow and bring honesty and a laid-back feel.”

But getting there, and recording in workshops, posed some significant challenges. Since each location was unique, Kate and Jack had to prepare for every eventuality, which meant lugging around a lot of kit. We are Makers is just the two of them, and they quickly found it difficult, distracting, and exhausting to ensure quality recording on site.

“It's just too much stuff! Travel restrictions, set-up restrictions, measurements, 100 metres worth of cabling, and power. Power is one of the big things. We've been in people's workshops who have hand tools only and have no power. We can't rely on all of these variables being studio quality. So we need to bring the studio quality to the podcast and to the location.”

They feared that their reach would be limited to their corner of Scotland. Until they discovered Nomono. With the Nomono Sound Capsule, they can bring a reliable, professional-quality recording studio with them wherever they go. Clocking in at only 1.3kg / 3lbs, small enough to fit in hand luggage, and securely carrying - and charging! - the wireless Space Recorder and four Stellar Mics, the Nomono Sound Capsule can go anywhere. Simple design, combined with powerful hardware and advanced processing algorithms, provides for an incredibly easy set-up and allows Kate and Jack to focus on having great conversations with makers.


Kate and Jack set up their Sound Capsule in 

Recently, We are Makers toured the US with their 

, recording 32 podcasts in 35 days, all in workshops. Nomono’s groundbreaking, patented audio processing technology, and the intuitive workflow software from Nomono Cloud give Kate and Jack the creative power to tell stories in each maker’s unique context. Nomono allows them to embrace the sounds of the workshop instead of worrying about them. Traditional gear would have slowed them down. Only Nomono provides the 

quality, speed, and flexibility they need,

“We were able to podcast outside in front of a waterfall. We were able to podcast with a saddle maker whilst he was working. Right now it feels like the possibilities are endless. You know, it's almost too easy, isn't it? There's one red button on the front of the Sound Capsule. You hit the red button and... conversation starts.”

, Kate and Jack can focus less on tech and more on regularly producing great content. And listenership for We are Makers has grown in step. For Kate and Jack, the reward comes from the community they have built.


“Community is really important for We are Makers. We've created a platform where makers can share their story and have a platform to show who they are. The more we can do, the more we can produce, and the better we can represent the makers of the world.”

Kate and Jack Lennie of "We are Makers" travel globally to document craftspeople in their workshops, using the Nomono Sound Capsule for high-quality, portable podcast recording. Over 35 days, they produced 32 podcasts, capturing the authentic ambiance of diverse settings from metal shops to waterfalls. Learn how Nomono enables them to focus on storytelling and community building, enhancing their podcast's reach and impact.

Podcasting on the go - how to record 32 great podcasts in 35 days

When was the last time you took a moment to listen mindfully to your surroundings? That is, discerning every sound around you, its origin, and other information it reveals about the place. As humans, we have a natural ability to sense sound in three dimensions. Why, then, are podcasts usually a one-dimensional representation of our reality?

«Nights can never be real and enjoyable without the croaking of frogs and the chirping of crickets.»

― Michael Bassey Johnson, Song of a Nature Lover


In literature, the author, like Bassey Johnson above, has the freedom to describe the surroundings to their reader — filling in the gaps with words to paint the full picture. In movies, the director uses both visual and auditory cues to set the scene. It could be a bird taking flight, foreshadowing a predator approaching, or a character tapping their foot as a display of annoyance. There’s a good reason for this: film and television become more engaging when the audience is tasked with piecing the story together through a combination of visuals, dialogue, sounds, and music. Show, don’t just tell. In podcasting, you're limited to audio. However, all audio is not the same. 

In spatial audio productions, the dialogue, sound effects, and ambience become more realistic, enabling you to “show” the listener what’s happening.

Imagine you’re leaning against the trunk of a tall pine tree. The sun is kissing your face, and the vast forest stretches out before you. It’s calm and peaceful. Little birds are singing in the trees. The leaves rustle gently in the wind. You hear the faint flow of a nearby creak as it winds through the bush and bramble. You take a deep breath, close your eyes, and listen attentively to the serene landscape around you. The sounds merge together into a steady soundscape, tucking you in like a soft blanket. This is usually referred to as the “

The ambience can give the listener a realistic depiction of the environment in which the story takes place.

You’re dozing off in the sun when you hear a bird lift off over your left shoulder. Her calls carry through the forest as she circles treetops before diving down to land on a nearby branch to your right. Moments later, you hear a twig snap followed by gentle footsteps on mushy pine straws. You open your eyes, ready to greet a like-minded soul enjoying this beautiful little glade.

These sounds are more pointed. You can easily locate them in your soundscape, and maybe even connect them to particular “objects” around you. It enables you to know that another person is arriving shortly, the rough distance between you, the direction from which they are coming, and even how fast they are moving. All long before you actually see them. Your ears and mind enable you to deduce this information, using factors like reflections from other objects in the environment, the volume of the sound, and the time delay between your ears. Your ears are “gathering” this input, and your mind is “translating” it into a rich experience with information that will guide your actions. All of this happens without you even thinking about it. It’s all part of our nervous system, and our hearing is a very useful tool for making sense of and navigating the world around us.

Human beings are pretty spoiled when it comes to high audio quality. 

We are born with the best hi-fi audio system ever conceived attached to our heads. With your ears, you can go into nature and experience high-resolution spatial audio whenever you want. Most of us take it for granted, but we don't realize how much we depend on our ears to orient ourselves in space and to identify the location of other objects or potential dangers in our environment.

It’s rooted in our primal need for survival. Just think of the people living on earth 100,000 years ago. Whenever they heard a loud rumble from the earth or the heavens, they knew to find cover. Or when they heard a loud growl behind them in the forest. They knew to run and which direction to take.


Like with our hearing, our ancestors equally relied on storytelling to survive. Since the break of dawn, this oral tradition has been our primary vehicle for passing on vital knowledge about the land and other communities, where to find food, and how to make tools. Not to mention entertaining each other. It’s the cultural glue that connects us. 

Powerful stories engage our imagination and emotions, and spatial audio is the perfect tool for immersive storytelling.

 Suppose the spatial mix is believable, and you are listening on speakers or headphones capable of providing a realistic experience. In that case, you will “feel” the story more than you would with a conventional stereo production.

A great spatial audio production contains ambiences and audio objects to tell the story. 

Ambiences like wind in trees, ocean surf, traffic, or even AC noise will help the listener understand where the story takes place.

 The dialogue is the most essential audio object and drives the story forward. Sound effects and foley, such as footsteps or doors opening, are other examples of objects in a spatial mix that will emphasize actions in the story. Together, ambiences and objects will immerse the listeners into the story, making them feel like they are there, participating. It's similar to virtual reality experiences but for audio. An essential part of this realism is adding the third dimension we’re used to in real life. 

On a headset or home stereo, you really only have one dimension. Left to right. If you continue by adding speakers behind you, like on a surround sound system, you have introduced a second dimension. Front to back. This is 2D audio. However, adding the third dimension, up and down, enables 3D audio. But there are a couple of challenges connected to this. 

One is having access to a space where you can consume 3D audio, and, as we touched on earlier, making it sound realistic is another challenge.

. The more speakers you have, the higher the resolution and realism. The problem is that this will quickly become an expensive endeavor. In addition, you would also need adequate space to install the speakers, the know-how to get the setup right, and compatible software to playback 3D audio. Ultimately, this method is not very accessible for the average Joe. In recent years, soundbars and smart speakers have become more advanced, and they make spatial audio more accessible for living rooms. But there is an easier way to get an immersive, true-to-life audio experience.

. Most people have a pair, and we can easily play content from our personal devices, like laptops, tablets, or smartphones. As humans, we only have two ears, yet we can still experience 3D audio. Even though headphones only have two speakers or audio channels, they can provide a realistic experience in three dimensions. As you might've guessed, the process to achieve this is quite complex.

you have to process the audio stream through a filter that mimics how our ears pick up sound in real life.

We call this filter an HRTF, aka head-related transfer function.

 This filter represents the shape of your ears and ear canals, your upper body, your head size, the distance between your ears, and so on. Your body and ears make up a filter that influences how you experience sound. Your brain learns how to consider this filter when it's translating the input you hear into information, thus enabling you to estimate the position and distance of sound sources in your environment.

We come in different sizes and shapes, so a personalized HRTF will naturally provide the best experience. 

Today, there are still no simple ways for consumers to create accurate personal HRTFs, but some good generic HRTFs are available. In spite of these challenges, this is probably how most people will experience or produce 3D audio in the future.

 And the future might not be too far away.

Big brands like Apple, Dolby, and Sonos are paving the way for spatial audio to be more accessible to listeners.

 For example, with just an iPhone and the Airpods Pro, you can take an image of your head to enjoy personalized spatial audio on the go. Traditionally, the production of spatial content has been a bottleneck. But that’s where Nomono comes in. With the 

, we’re dedicated to simplifying and automating the production of spatial audio. That way we’re enabling content creators to record high-quality audio without needing university degrees in signal processing or audio production. Ultimately, this will enable all listeners to hear the full story.

By harnessing the natural, three-dimensional quality of sound, spatial audio transforms your podcast into an immersive experience, captivating listeners with realistic soundscapes that engage their imagination and emotions. Elevate your storytelling and connect with your audience on a deeper level—discover why spatial audio is a game-changer for podcasts.

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