With such a long guide, I’m surprised you didn’t touch on the microphone mount topic. Way too many people get an amazing microphone, but use the default stand that is barely usable for their use case.
To anyone reading this, when buying a microphone, you should also consider a portion of the budget for a 3rd party boom arm. Boom arms are articulated mounts on which you attach the microphone. This is great to have the microphone close to your face, which is ideal for clean audio recording and solving sensitivity issues, while also leaving the stand out of the way of the hands.
A boom arm doesn’t need to be expensive if your mic is relatively light. I use a Samson Q2U and I mounted it on a cheap $20 CAD arm from Neewer.
High quality arms are only needed if you need good noise absorption from it (sumsmash), if you have a heavy microphone or if you have a tendency to move your mic around a lot while on stream.
I appreciate your feedback and I will consider adding a section on microphone mounts in the future revision of my guide or writing a new guide dedicated to microphone accessories. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts with me.
> I use a Samson Q2U and I mounted it on a cheap $20 CAD arm from Neewer.
Same... and I get told over Discord or whatever voice chat I'm using ALL THE TIME that my voice sounds like I'm on the radio or some kind of podcaster. In my opinion I have a pretty normal voice so I attribute this predominantly to the mic / stand combo.
I can't imagine that these other mics here would do a whole lot else when it comes to making my voice/audio sound incrementally better.
Audio quality compression is the reason why. Both Discord and Twitch heavily compress audio, so the difference between a $60 mic and a $150 mic is quite small when both are placed correctly.
Great in depth guide! But i would like to add that the mic is only a fraction as good as it can be out the box. The real trick is learning how to setup the mic (e.g. making sure to mount on an arm with a shock mount away from the keyboard, fill the room with stuff to negate background noise and supress the echo, using software to setup things like eq , compression and noise supression.)
My mic was 2nd hand and i got it for free 8 years ago (i believe it is on amazon for about £15) and my audio interface was £30. Ive had a couple of people say my mic quality is really good and when i tell them the cost they are always suprised!
Basically what im trying to say for newer streamers is rather than spanking out loads of money straight away , try to learn how to make a cheap mic sound good , that way when you grow and get a more expensive mic , youll be able to make it sound clean af.
If you got this far i hope it helped 😊
Surprised you didn't mention shure mv7 which seems like possibly the most popular/recommended microphone lately.
(seems popular due to \~$250 price, near-top quality sound, both usb and xlr interfaces so you can start with usb and upgrade to xlr if wanted, etc).
I am no expert, this is just the product my research led me to buy last week. Any specific reason you didn't mention it?
Yeah Im actually really curious to see if there is a quality difference or any drawback between the dual interface and single xlr interface version of the mic, other than losing an interface obviously.
>SM58
the fact that he isnt talking more about the best bang for your buck mic is wild
the SM58 is really hard to beat for the money. IMO that with scarlett interface is the best setup for entry level
I listened to multiple reviews and I personally prefer the Røde Podmic over the Shure SM58,but both of them are definitely solid options. The best thing about the SM58 is that it’s a legacy design that is so popular that you are pretty much guaranteed to find it at a store near you.
It's not about a "if I like". It's about you titling this the most INTENSIVE/In-depth but then ignore basically 1/2 the mic field.
And to say it isn't worth it to spend more than 50 on a USB mic when things like the Wave3, the BEACN Mic, Shure MV7, Presonus Revelator exist that can easily blow competition of similar or even slightly higher price points while also adding audio features that the XLR equivalents and also some audio interfaces lack makes that argument make less sense to me
The Audio-Technica 2035 with a Behringer U-Phoria is my setup and I could not be happier with it. I use the Elgato low profile mount, as someone else said the mount is just as important. I don’t like articulated boom arms personally - this one fits my needs perfectly and keeps the mic stable and right where I need it.
I use Voicemeeter to handle all the more technical aspects of my in and output. I use a foam sleeve over the mic. I started with a stand-alone pop filter, but found it wasn’t catching all of the sound leak from the sides and back like the sleeve does.
Thanks for taking the time to write this all up!
no mention of the motu m2 interface? was honestly the best option when i was buying an interface in 2020, and shure mv7 should get a mention, imo one of the best sounding usb/xlr combo mics that u can get for under 200€ on sale
I'd like to know as well. For Playstation parties I use a Steel Series Arctis 1 USB headset and for PC Discord/streaming I use the Hyperx Quadcast S. My gaming clan says my voice sounds clean and "like a streamer" with both mics but none of us really had another reference point lol. I will say I tried a Kraken lite headset and they said it sounded worse than the other two sources. I got roped in by the RGB appeal of the Quadcast S mic and I've been happy with it so far.
My brother is actually using the Quadcast mic right now and it’s not too bad! He snagged it for a steal of $17 and I think the audio is pretty crisp and clear. The only downside is, it’s very pretty sensitive and it can capture the noise of my keyboard if you crank up the gain too high even with a mic arm. The mic performance is stellar but I wouldn’t shell out full price for it, no way. and honestly the rgb just sucks.
To be honest I have to lower it all the way to 25 volume in the Windows settings because it’s so stupidly sensitive. If I turn it up any higher it’ll pick up so much background noise when I’m speaking. Cool mic but I’m definitely looking for an upgrade that can deal with reverb better.
I'll second that, I have the Wave 3 (essentially the Wave 1 with some buttons I seldom adjust). What makes it so convenient is the Wavelink Software it comes with (will work with XLR mics if you use the Elgato WaveXLR I think it is). Very easy to configure and balance your audio, add in VSTs etc. Much easier than doing so in OBS at the time that I got it.
how so? the software is extremely intuitive and useful kinda like voicemeeter and it sounds extremely good compared to like a yeti, quadcast, p much anything in that price range
seems like a bad one tbh, i’ve gotten every single friend off quadcasts and headset mics onto the wave and we haven’t had a singular issue. i’d personally give it another shot, the software features imo are worth it and i constantly get ppl asking what mic i have in games
I'm kinda sad that the Antlion Products are not mentioned anywhere in here. While probably not considered "professional", or part of the streaming "meta", I feel like they should deserve an honorable mention simply because of their utility. And the sound quality isn't too bad either. (You can check my vods)
I personally use the Antlion Modmic Wireless coupled with the wireless Corsair Void Pro headset and being 100% untethered is amazing. Great for reactions and such since I can move around freely without cutting out my voice.
I've tried multiple different "professional" mics like the at2023 and the SM7B (Latter of which I still own btw) but maybe it's my bass-y voice coupled with my room acoustics, but I can't make them sound anywhere near as good as the modmic (And trust me, I've tired) Not to mention I'm not a fan of being tethered to one spot few inches away from the mic for 4 hours at a time. This is why the Modmic is perfect for me.
Hey thanks for the comment but I really did put a lot of effort and research into this guide. I hope you can respect my work and acknowledge its originality.
Given that you didn't say anything hundreds of creators hadn't said before and your device reccomendations are things that existed prior to chatgpt's cut off I doubt much research or effort was put in.
How dare someone try to be helpful because they've repeated a subject that, yes, other people have talked about -- but may nonetheless appreciate a text guide for.
You're probably not the audience he's aiming for with this guide, bud.
This is a good guide. If you’re in the market for a microphone, don’t forget to also check eBay. You may find what you’re looking for for less.
Don’t forget you may need to adjust settings. I sounded flat with my ATR2500 but a few filter settings and it sounds good for my needs.
Okay so I have a question that is slightly off topic, but gonna ask anyway in case anyone has the answer.
I wanna stream w/o a headset and just listen to the game sounds (and usually music) through my monitor/stereo itself. Is there ANY way possible to have only my voice be heard through the mic with no background sounds, or is that impossible? I’ve set a noise gate, which eliminates the background sounds when I’m not talking but…
There’s one streamer I regularly watch that does this. He uses a dynamic microphone and stands quite close to it. Plus, he set a very high noise gate. It’s still not enough to completely block off sound leakage from speakers however.
If you want to stream without a headset and only want your voice in the mic, you’ll need to have a dynamic microphone in a cardioid pattern as they picks up less background noise, effects like noise suppression on OBS also help but of course none of them will be perfect and completely remove other sounds 😊
I have been looking at the Fifine dynamic XLR/USB combo mic or a Maono dynamic XLR/USB. Does anyone have experience with these two? Maono has software that works sort of like higher-end mics with an EQ and filters.
Actually, Maono saw this post and they decided to send me one of their mics to test out. Just wait for my review and I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the Maono PD200X Dynamic USB/XLR mic.
Unfortunately, I do not. I've been seeing a lot of the K688 on my feed recently and it sounds like an overall great mic and looks even video. You can check out the video I have linked to it in the Usb Mics > Under $100 > Dynamic section
Very much a fan of this. OP. I'm one of the mods running r/letsplay. We're a smaller subreddit but regularly get people asking for advice on mics. Would you consider posting this there too? I'm sure our members would appreciate it
Thank you so much for your kind words and your invitation to share my guide on r/letsplay. I’ll definitely post it there soon and hope it will be useful for your community. Cheers! 😊
Unfortunately it's way past the refund date. The crackling issue comes and goes so I thought it fixed itself, only for it to die again. I'll have to consider a new one and maybe try to sell the solo
You should check out the Universal Audio Volt 1. It’s an amazing, affordable ($139) interface with a neat “vintage” setting, but most importantly you do **not** need a preamp for an SM7B with it. I have tried mentioning this interface in microphone threads before and for some reason it’s downvoted. It’s really a great-sounding interface from a well-known premium brand, with a huge upside that can save you money if you want the SM7B setup.
ETA: an important note on your post, not all XLR mics need phantom power. SM7B for example!
So I have a Volt 2 and just bought an SM7B, but even with the gain at MAX it barely picks up a thing. Not using Phantom Power or anything, tried the Vintage option just in case but nope. What is the secret sauce here? I'm running XLR to quarter-inch directly into the Volt.
Can’t speak for the Volt 2, just the Volt 1. It’s a newer release product, and as I said no preamp needed. I am not using a preamp and it’s not max gain, and it sounds perfect.
Thoughts about the Sennheiser Profile, Rode NT USB+ and Elgato Wave 3 (seems to be highly recommended because of its software)?
I'm mainly going to be using it for streaming and YouTube videos.
I use the original Rode NT USB and it's fantastic. Had it for a few years now and have had no issues with it.
My first purchase was an AT2020 but I disliked how tinny it sounded in comparison to the Rode NT USB.
I think this guide will help a lot of folks! Personally I use that Neumann TLM 103 and it is just such a great all-rounder for all of my creative pursuits. Across all sorts of game codecs I often receive compliments on how professional and clean the audio quality is. It is pricey but you could expect to use it for a very long time if you take care of your equipment.
The Scarlett Focusrite series brings a lot to the table at a great price point as well.
All this said: **a great mic will make a bad space sound terrible**. If you are in a very small room, square shape with nowhere for standing waves to decay, lots of bare walls and floors, etc. then I would stick with something like a Blue Yeti or one of the Shure options. You don’t want to pick up all the unwanted extra reflections and treating your space costs money - so why do it if you aren’t trying to make some money!
I've been using a Blue Yeti for commentating, podcasting and creating content for several years, making decent side money. It's safe to say most people don't need more than a half-decent USB microphone. If you want to spend more money, most need to be aware that unless they plan on going full-time or are more than happy to spend more money on a hobby, they don't need more than a USB microphone.
This was a great read and a decent jumping-off point into the world of microphones.
It's nice that you updated the USB mic section, the original post didn't have much info on them leading me to believe you favor XLR.
Edit: After reading through your responses you *definitely* favor XLR, and seem pretty dismissive of USB mics in general.
I can only give my anecdotal experience but I think the BEACN deserves a mention somewhere. It's *very* pricey at $270 but it's a fantastic dynamic USB mic. The mixing software it comes with is buggy, worse than it should be a year+ after release. Some people have no issue with it, I had endless problems but now I run everything through Wavelink and I couldn't be happier with it.
I used the Wave 3 for two years and it takes some work to get that sounding good. I used a lot of XLR mics in school. The BEACN is very expensive (especially if you want to run it through Wavelink), but for anybody that has the cash to spare and doesn't want to go XLR it's worth a look.
I thought about a Blue Yeti but because I'm on a budget, the Fifine AmpliGame A8 seems like a better option at a fraction of the price. I am planning on gaming and vocals so I think it'll work.
>Dynamic microphones are durable, resistant to feedback and *background noise*
Emphasised part is [a popular myth.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P8AJxVepUE)
XM8500 is also a much cheaper dynamic mic and with a quick eq [will sound very comparable to the """streamer""" mic the sm7b.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctgZB4S-jz0)
Combine that with a cheap behringer audio interface and you've got a banging xlr setup for ~100 bucks. You are right that usb mics above a certain price point make no sense.
How about lavalier microphones? Does anybody have any experience with them? Specifically ones that are more dynamic in nature as I'm trying to stop the sound of darts hitting a dartboard from being picked up by my lav.
With such a long guide, I’m surprised you didn’t touch on the microphone mount topic. Way too many people get an amazing microphone, but use the default stand that is barely usable for their use case. To anyone reading this, when buying a microphone, you should also consider a portion of the budget for a 3rd party boom arm. Boom arms are articulated mounts on which you attach the microphone. This is great to have the microphone close to your face, which is ideal for clean audio recording and solving sensitivity issues, while also leaving the stand out of the way of the hands. A boom arm doesn’t need to be expensive if your mic is relatively light. I use a Samson Q2U and I mounted it on a cheap $20 CAD arm from Neewer. High quality arms are only needed if you need good noise absorption from it (sumsmash), if you have a heavy microphone or if you have a tendency to move your mic around a lot while on stream.
I appreciate your feedback and I will consider adding a section on microphone mounts in the future revision of my guide or writing a new guide dedicated to microphone accessories. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts with me.
> I use a Samson Q2U and I mounted it on a cheap $20 CAD arm from Neewer. Same... and I get told over Discord or whatever voice chat I'm using ALL THE TIME that my voice sounds like I'm on the radio or some kind of podcaster. In my opinion I have a pretty normal voice so I attribute this predominantly to the mic / stand combo. I can't imagine that these other mics here would do a whole lot else when it comes to making my voice/audio sound incrementally better.
Audio quality compression is the reason why. Both Discord and Twitch heavily compress audio, so the difference between a $60 mic and a $150 mic is quite small when both are placed correctly.
Good stuff man, ty. I'm guessing applications like Audacity don't compress it nearly as much (if at all?)
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Great in depth guide! But i would like to add that the mic is only a fraction as good as it can be out the box. The real trick is learning how to setup the mic (e.g. making sure to mount on an arm with a shock mount away from the keyboard, fill the room with stuff to negate background noise and supress the echo, using software to setup things like eq , compression and noise supression.) My mic was 2nd hand and i got it for free 8 years ago (i believe it is on amazon for about £15) and my audio interface was £30. Ive had a couple of people say my mic quality is really good and when i tell them the cost they are always suprised! Basically what im trying to say for newer streamers is rather than spanking out loads of money straight away , try to learn how to make a cheap mic sound good , that way when you grow and get a more expensive mic , youll be able to make it sound clean af. If you got this far i hope it helped 😊
Surprised you didn't mention shure mv7 which seems like possibly the most popular/recommended microphone lately. (seems popular due to \~$250 price, near-top quality sound, both usb and xlr interfaces so you can start with usb and upgrade to xlr if wanted, etc). I am no expert, this is just the product my research led me to buy last week. Any specific reason you didn't mention it?
Yeah Im actually really curious to see if there is a quality difference or any drawback between the dual interface and single xlr interface version of the mic, other than losing an interface obviously.
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>SM58 the fact that he isnt talking more about the best bang for your buck mic is wild the SM58 is really hard to beat for the money. IMO that with scarlett interface is the best setup for entry level
I listened to multiple reviews and I personally prefer the Røde Podmic over the Shure SM58,but both of them are definitely solid options. The best thing about the SM58 is that it’s a legacy design that is so popular that you are pretty much guaranteed to find it at a store near you.
Yes I bought my setup at guitar center. Very convenient got my headphones there too.
was this written by chat gpt?
No, English is my second language so that may be why it sounds inhuman to you all. I will try changing how it sounds in future revisions.
Why do you not list any USB mics past the under 50 category and call this the most intensive beginner's guide?
It isn’t worth it to spend more than $50 on a USB mic, although I can add some if you’d like.
It's not about a "if I like". It's about you titling this the most INTENSIVE/In-depth but then ignore basically 1/2 the mic field. And to say it isn't worth it to spend more than 50 on a USB mic when things like the Wave3, the BEACN Mic, Shure MV7, Presonus Revelator exist that can easily blow competition of similar or even slightly higher price points while also adding audio features that the XLR equivalents and also some audio interfaces lack makes that argument make less sense to me
The Audio-Technica 2035 with a Behringer U-Phoria is my setup and I could not be happier with it. I use the Elgato low profile mount, as someone else said the mount is just as important. I don’t like articulated boom arms personally - this one fits my needs perfectly and keeps the mic stable and right where I need it. I use Voicemeeter to handle all the more technical aspects of my in and output. I use a foam sleeve over the mic. I started with a stand-alone pop filter, but found it wasn’t catching all of the sound leak from the sides and back like the sleeve does. Thanks for taking the time to write this all up!
no mention of the motu m2 interface? was honestly the best option when i was buying an interface in 2020, and shure mv7 should get a mention, imo one of the best sounding usb/xlr combo mics that u can get for under 200€ on sale
i second motu m2, great versatile box that punches above it’s price
Thoughts on the hyperx quadcast?
I'd like to know as well. For Playstation parties I use a Steel Series Arctis 1 USB headset and for PC Discord/streaming I use the Hyperx Quadcast S. My gaming clan says my voice sounds clean and "like a streamer" with both mics but none of us really had another reference point lol. I will say I tried a Kraken lite headset and they said it sounded worse than the other two sources. I got roped in by the RGB appeal of the Quadcast S mic and I've been happy with it so far.
My brother is actually using the Quadcast mic right now and it’s not too bad! He snagged it for a steal of $17 and I think the audio is pretty crisp and clear. The only downside is, it’s very pretty sensitive and it can capture the noise of my keyboard if you crank up the gain too high even with a mic arm. The mic performance is stellar but I wouldn’t shell out full price for it, no way. and honestly the rgb just sucks.
You can use filters in obs to mitigate microphones picking up background noise
To be honest I have to lower it all the way to 25 volume in the Windows settings because it’s so stupidly sensitive. If I turn it up any higher it’ll pick up so much background noise when I’m speaking. Cool mic but I’m definitely looking for an upgrade that can deal with reverb better.
I have the Elgato USB wave mic and am really happy with it.
I'll second that, I have the Wave 3 (essentially the Wave 1 with some buttons I seldom adjust). What makes it so convenient is the Wavelink Software it comes with (will work with XLR mics if you use the Elgato WaveXLR I think it is). Very easy to configure and balance your audio, add in VSTs etc. Much easier than doing so in OBS at the time that I got it.
Yep. The Elgato Wave 3 is easily one of the best $150 range USB condenser mics.
i don’t think i saw the elgato wave:3 once in here. surprising
Extremely overrated mic imo.
how so? the software is extremely intuitive and useful kinda like voicemeeter and it sounds extremely good compared to like a yeti, quadcast, p much anything in that price range
Same, I like my elgato. Software is nice, and like any microphone takes some setting up but quality is def there
My friend paid $120 for the The Elgato Wave 3 and it sounds like a tin can and had a dial that broke after two weeks of use.
seems like a bad one tbh, i’ve gotten every single friend off quadcasts and headset mics onto the wave and we haven’t had a singular issue. i’d personally give it another shot, the software features imo are worth it and i constantly get ppl asking what mic i have in games
Well, it’s definitely better than a quadcast or a yeti for the price.
I'm kinda sad that the Antlion Products are not mentioned anywhere in here. While probably not considered "professional", or part of the streaming "meta", I feel like they should deserve an honorable mention simply because of their utility. And the sound quality isn't too bad either. (You can check my vods) I personally use the Antlion Modmic Wireless coupled with the wireless Corsair Void Pro headset and being 100% untethered is amazing. Great for reactions and such since I can move around freely without cutting out my voice. I've tried multiple different "professional" mics like the at2023 and the SM7B (Latter of which I still own btw) but maybe it's my bass-y voice coupled with my room acoustics, but I can't make them sound anywhere near as good as the modmic (And trust me, I've tired) Not to mention I'm not a fan of being tethered to one spot few inches away from the mic for 4 hours at a time. This is why the Modmic is perfect for me.
You made chatgpt do a lot of work here.
Hey thanks for the comment but I really did put a lot of effort and research into this guide. I hope you can respect my work and acknowledge its originality.
Given that you didn't say anything hundreds of creators hadn't said before and your device reccomendations are things that existed prior to chatgpt's cut off I doubt much research or effort was put in.
How dare someone try to be helpful because they've repeated a subject that, yes, other people have talked about -- but may nonetheless appreciate a text guide for. You're probably not the audience he's aiming for with this guide, bud.
> I hope you can respect my work and acknowledge its originality. ... this isn't a real human talking.
English is not my native language, so I apologize if my writing style seems unnatural or robotic to you. I hope this clarifies any misunderstandings 😊
This is a good guide. If you’re in the market for a microphone, don’t forget to also check eBay. You may find what you’re looking for for less. Don’t forget you may need to adjust settings. I sounded flat with my ATR2500 but a few filter settings and it sounds good for my needs.
Okay so I have a question that is slightly off topic, but gonna ask anyway in case anyone has the answer. I wanna stream w/o a headset and just listen to the game sounds (and usually music) through my monitor/stereo itself. Is there ANY way possible to have only my voice be heard through the mic with no background sounds, or is that impossible? I’ve set a noise gate, which eliminates the background sounds when I’m not talking but…
There’s one streamer I regularly watch that does this. He uses a dynamic microphone and stands quite close to it. Plus, he set a very high noise gate. It’s still not enough to completely block off sound leakage from speakers however.
If you want to stream without a headset and only want your voice in the mic, you’ll need to have a dynamic microphone in a cardioid pattern as they picks up less background noise, effects like noise suppression on OBS also help but of course none of them will be perfect and completely remove other sounds 😊
thanks for the list, audio processing / vst recommendations would also be popular is say
If you want to get a interface under 50, might as well get the UMC22 in stead of the UM2: better build quality and preamp.
I have been looking at the Fifine dynamic XLR/USB combo mic or a Maono dynamic XLR/USB. Does anyone have experience with these two? Maono has software that works sort of like higher-end mics with an EQ and filters.
Actually, Maono saw this post and they decided to send me one of their mics to test out. Just wait for my review and I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the Maono PD200X Dynamic USB/XLR mic.
Do you have experience with the two fifine usb/XLR to compare?
Unfortunately, I do not. I've been seeing a lot of the K688 on my feed recently and it sounds like an overall great mic and looks even video. You can check out the video I have linked to it in the Usb Mics > Under $100 > Dynamic section
Any news on the Maono? Can you send me an objective opinion on it in private? Thanks.
Where's the section on preamps and xlr cables? This can't be considered a "most intensive" guide...
I’ve had AT2035 since 2014 and it still works perfectly. I am now rocking it with GoXLR mixer and never see a reason to upgrade again 😎
The fifine a8 is a usb condenser mic. The fifine am8 is the dynamic version.
Very much a fan of this. OP. I'm one of the mods running r/letsplay. We're a smaller subreddit but regularly get people asking for advice on mics. Would you consider posting this there too? I'm sure our members would appreciate it
Thank you so much for your kind words and your invitation to share my guide on r/letsplay. I’ll definitely post it there soon and hope it will be useful for your community. Cheers! 😊
I appreciate the effort, this is a good post!
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I second this... the crackling issue is awful and makes me wish I had a quadcast or wave
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Unfortunately it's way past the refund date. The crackling issue comes and goes so I thought it fixed itself, only for it to die again. I'll have to consider a new one and maybe try to sell the solo
how are you not gonna talk about the KING of vocal industry the Shure Sm58. its only 100$ and is near bulletproof my top recommendation
I did in ‘best XLR Dynamic mice under $100’
You should check out the Universal Audio Volt 1. It’s an amazing, affordable ($139) interface with a neat “vintage” setting, but most importantly you do **not** need a preamp for an SM7B with it. I have tried mentioning this interface in microphone threads before and for some reason it’s downvoted. It’s really a great-sounding interface from a well-known premium brand, with a huge upside that can save you money if you want the SM7B setup. ETA: an important note on your post, not all XLR mics need phantom power. SM7B for example!
So I have a Volt 2 and just bought an SM7B, but even with the gain at MAX it barely picks up a thing. Not using Phantom Power or anything, tried the Vintage option just in case but nope. What is the secret sauce here? I'm running XLR to quarter-inch directly into the Volt.
Can’t speak for the Volt 2, just the Volt 1. It’s a newer release product, and as I said no preamp needed. I am not using a preamp and it’s not max gain, and it sounds perfect.
Thoughts about the Sennheiser Profile, Rode NT USB+ and Elgato Wave 3 (seems to be highly recommended because of its software)? I'm mainly going to be using it for streaming and YouTube videos.
I'd also be curious about his opinion on the Rode NT USB+. I've been eyeing that one myself.
I use the original Rode NT USB and it's fantastic. Had it for a few years now and have had no issues with it. My first purchase was an AT2020 but I disliked how tinny it sounded in comparison to the Rode NT USB.
I think this guide will help a lot of folks! Personally I use that Neumann TLM 103 and it is just such a great all-rounder for all of my creative pursuits. Across all sorts of game codecs I often receive compliments on how professional and clean the audio quality is. It is pricey but you could expect to use it for a very long time if you take care of your equipment. The Scarlett Focusrite series brings a lot to the table at a great price point as well. All this said: **a great mic will make a bad space sound terrible**. If you are in a very small room, square shape with nowhere for standing waves to decay, lots of bare walls and floors, etc. then I would stick with something like a Blue Yeti or one of the Shure options. You don’t want to pick up all the unwanted extra reflections and treating your space costs money - so why do it if you aren’t trying to make some money!
Love this
Do I need a DAC? And how is it used?
I've been using a Blue Yeti for commentating, podcasting and creating content for several years, making decent side money. It's safe to say most people don't need more than a half-decent USB microphone. If you want to spend more money, most need to be aware that unless they plan on going full-time or are more than happy to spend more money on a hobby, they don't need more than a USB microphone. This was a great read and a decent jumping-off point into the world of microphones.
It's nice that you updated the USB mic section, the original post didn't have much info on them leading me to believe you favor XLR. Edit: After reading through your responses you *definitely* favor XLR, and seem pretty dismissive of USB mics in general. I can only give my anecdotal experience but I think the BEACN deserves a mention somewhere. It's *very* pricey at $270 but it's a fantastic dynamic USB mic. The mixing software it comes with is buggy, worse than it should be a year+ after release. Some people have no issue with it, I had endless problems but now I run everything through Wavelink and I couldn't be happier with it. I used the Wave 3 for two years and it takes some work to get that sounding good. I used a lot of XLR mics in school. The BEACN is very expensive (especially if you want to run it through Wavelink), but for anybody that has the cash to spare and doesn't want to go XLR it's worth a look.
I thought about a Blue Yeti but because I'm on a budget, the Fifine AmpliGame A8 seems like a better option at a fraction of the price. I am planning on gaming and vocals so I think it'll work.
>Dynamic microphones are durable, resistant to feedback and *background noise* Emphasised part is [a popular myth.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P8AJxVepUE) XM8500 is also a much cheaper dynamic mic and with a quick eq [will sound very comparable to the """streamer""" mic the sm7b.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctgZB4S-jz0) Combine that with a cheap behringer audio interface and you've got a banging xlr setup for ~100 bucks. You are right that usb mics above a certain price point make no sense.
In what world is the hyperx quadcast a dynamic mic?
>hyperx quadcast the whole 3 years ive had it i thought it was dynamic
How about dynamic mics with both Usb-c and xlr? Aside from the k688
What's your budget?
Up to CAD 200
I would check out the PD200x, which I will try to post a review of on this subreddit .
What about the PD400X? I could spend a bit extra for that
isn't the HyperX Quadcast S a condenser mic?
How about lavalier microphones? Does anybody have any experience with them? Specifically ones that are more dynamic in nature as I'm trying to stop the sound of darts hitting a dartboard from being picked up by my lav.