While podcasts may have started out as one to one interview styled discussions, they have expanded immensely over the last decade.
Many shows will have guests from all around the world to tell listeners about their own life while sharing their own thoughts as part of the overall discussion.
This has resulted in many guests being contacted remotely which not only saves them needing to spend lots of money to travel to a city, or sometimes even a different country to partake in the episode.
It also allows the podcast host to have a much wider choice over who they are able to bring on and create engaging podcasts.
This is where Ringr comes in, a remote podcast recording service that is designed to make remote podcast episodes as easy and seamless as possible, but how well does it really work?
Here is all you need to know about Ringr including if it is worth considering as a part of a podcasters recording tools to branch your podcast out to a whole range of other guests.
How Does Ringr Work?
Ringr is just one of the many remote podcast recording services that have popped up over the last few years.
Its purpose is to make these remote conversations as easy as possible since they can usually be difficult to set up and maintain for an hour or two with no assistance.
If you just try using Skype or a mobile phone to chat to a guest for audio recording, there can often be a lot of problems that arise including the connection constantly cutting out, the audio being sub-par and any annoying noises that can occasionally go off within the software.
These can all leave listeners feeling like the podcast isn’t as high quality as it should be, or sometimes it can even mean that they simply can’t hear the guest at all or only vaguely which can end up ruining an entire episode.
Ringr makes this easier by using software to record high fidelity audio from the guest’s end while also monitoring the connection status.
This way, you won’t need to keep worrying about the internet dropping, and while it is often compared to its competitors, its reputation has definitely grown over the last few years.
How Good Is Ringr?
Before you go spending your hard-earned cash on Ringr, here are a few considerations we found while using the platform.
We discuss factors such as how easy it is to use, its interface, the price, and overall how much it’s going to improve any remote-based discussions and interviews you take part in.
Ease Of Use
One thing that should immediately be applauded is how easy Ringr actually is to get the hang of, providing a seamless experience for both beginners and more advanced podcasters alike.
On the very front page, the platform presents you with a variety of clear options to choose from to guide you through the software including ‘Helpful hints’ on how to optimize your recordings, tips on how to schedule a conversation and how much time has been recorded overall.
With all this on the front page, you immediately get most of the information you need to monitor and keep track of your podcasts, as well as an easy way to set a remote conversation up without you having to dig through several other menus.
One of the biggest draws to Ringr however and what makes it much easier to use than other remote podcasting platforms is how you don’t even need a laptop or desktop to start recording, you can simply use the Ringr mobile app.
This is a feature that hasn’t been replicated by Ringr’s competitors and makes things incredibly easy for when your computer is running slow on a certain day, or if you just don’t want to break the bank picking up a new high-end laptop to start recording.
Audio Quality
In terms of audio quality, this can be a little hit or miss with Ringr as while it will provide you with excellent quality in terms of remote recording that sounds a lot clearer and more precise than it normally would, the quality still isn’t reaching the highest standards possible.
Part of this comes from a slight scratchy background noise that can appear when you listen closely with headphones.
This is very faint, but it is noticeable when you go back over recordings and turn the volume up to max.
You’ll likely need audio editing tools like Audacity to reduce and filter out the noise before you can use your recordings.
Additionally, Ringr doesn’t record frequencies above 11 kHz which is quite disappointing for a software that claims to provide studio level audio quality, meaning a lot of clarity will be lost from each voice in the recording.
Some audio options are also blocked behind paywalls which is a bit of a shame.
For the basic plan, you will only be offered the .mp3 format in single mono file while the more expensive plans then give you access to .ogg and .flac along with split-track options and stereo.
Overall, the audio quality definitely isn’t bad and when compared to more basic remote conversation software that isn’t designed to be used for podcasts or a regular mobile phone call.
It definitely comes out on top, however, just know that you won’t be getting the best audio quality possible when choosing Ringr.
Recording
When it comes to actually recording a podcast episode, luckily Ringr does make this extremely easy.
You will first be asked to schedule a call with you and your guest and when the date rolls around, an invite will be sent and the guest will be able to join your call immediately, making the whole process very organized and efficient.
You and your guest need to have Google Chrome or Firefox installed if you’re using your desktop computer or laptop to use the software.
Once they join, you can freely chat with the guest before you start recording to make them feel as comfortable as possible, and when you’re both ready you simply need to press the record button.
One incredible feature that comes with purchasing Ringr is that you get unlimited calling and storage, meaning that with no cap, you can record as many studio quality audio for as long as you want which is a benefit many of Ringr’s competitors just don’t offer.
While the recording process for the most part is quick, easy and very efficient for lasting hours on end, there are a few factors that let it down slightly.
For one, there is no chat functionality while you record, meaning if there are any audio cut outs or a problem on someone’s end, the only way to get in touch is to message them through your phone or on another platform like Skype.
You are also unable to add any guests in mid-session once the recording has started.
While this may not be a huge issue for many, for those who want a more spontaneous and communal podcast where listeners or other podcasters in the same space can jump in on the conversation, this unfortunately removes that option.
Finally, you are unable to stop a recording and then start recording again as part of the same session which can be annoying since you will be required to manually invite the guest again and type in all the details for a second time.
Therefore, while the recording process is definitely easy to use with Ringr, there are some missed opportunities for features that really could have allowed it to stand out compared to its peers.
Video recording
Unfortunately, Ringr doesn’t support video recording at this time. This may be something that the company adds in the future, but for now, if you’re looking to record video interviews or conversations remotely, then you’ll have to use a different platform.
Price
Ringr generously offers a free 30 day trial to try out their premium plan which gives you plenty of time to test out the software for yourself and see if it’s what you would want to start using to record remote episodes.
When this free trial is up, you will get the choice between the basic option for $7.99 a month or premium at $18.99.
The premium plan has just a few extra options than basic including being able to host conference calls, having a slightly better audio quality along with a few extra audio formats and higher bit rates.
Compared to its competition which usually cost far more to just record for a few hours, these price tags are actually very generous considering the good audio quality along with the unlimited calls and storage that Ringr offers.
The 30 day trial is also far better than the usual 7 days that the majority of platforms offer, so you will definitely be getting a good amount of quality in the long term for a fair price.
Final Verdict
All in all, while you might not be getting the very best audio quality possible and while there are definitely a few downsides in terms of missing features and a few annoyances when recording, these problems aren’t enough to stop Ringr from still being considered a solid remote podcast recording service that is guaranteed to serve you well in the long run.
With it’s incredible unlimited storage capacity along with the very generous price point and 30 day trial, if you don’t mind looking past some small audio issues and the limited amount of audio formats you can choose, Ringr is definitely still an efficient and reliable option when it comes to remote podcasting.
