A lot of the super high end stuff wouldn’t be appreciably different from a lower end podcasting setup for zoom calls. The issue is both diminishing returns, and

A lot of the super high end stuff wouldn’t be appreciably different from a lower end podcasting setup for zoom calls. The issue is both diminishing returns, and the fact that pro gear is usually designed to meet standards and tasks that amateurs never need. For example, a professional mic might need to record a singer or a guitar, which demands a much wider frequency response than spoken word does. My mic might be horrible for a singer, I’ve never tried, but as long as it works in the relatively narrow range where I speak it’s fine.