20 Best Affordable Microphones For Podcasting (2022 Updated)

It works very well for me! I’ve had no major issues with it so far. The only minor complaints I have are: A) The little light cover that goes over where light comes out of came off, but it was easy to reattach/put back together.

B) When turning the gain knob all the way up, there is a bit of that white hissing noise, and the sound sensitivity is off the charts where it can pick up ANY sound, including me swallowing and moving my tongue around in my mouth, even when it’s closed (Guess that makes this a pretty good ASMR mic as well to those of you who make that kind of content).

I haven’t tried what it’s like using headphones as the sound output to see if that’ll make a difference with the white noise issue. C) The pandemic and inflation costs have definitely affected the price of it.

From Youtube vids that I’ve seen about this mic,it was cheaper when showcased in these vids I watched. But it’s still one of the best cost-effective high-quality mics you can get nowadays, and definitely would recommend this to anyone looking to do voice recordings, livestreams, podcasts, and ASMR vids.

I wouldn’t waste your money on any other mics (ie. Blue Yeti) that are more expensive and work just as well as this one.

I bought one mic, didn’t realize it was usb powered/connected. bought another one so I could have two that are powered by the same source and these things are amazing! Been using them for a podcast , interviews, recording vocals for songs.

absolutely love how diverse these are and portable! You plug your headphones right into the mic and that works great, no messy headphone amps etc! Great quality, sturdy and easy to use!.

Love all the extras that this mic has, you can switch between 5 patterns of capturing your sound/voice, the gain control, volume and mute buttons make all easy to control and the input for monitoring is a must have for me.

I am very happy with my purchase, best mic and in a great price for all its features. Thanks Mackie for this carbon model that is fire, and thanks AMS for offer easy payment forms, so I could put together my dreamy studio set! ??.

I use a mike for voice overs and connect the mike via a Behringer Q502USB mixer and I was plugging in a cheap mike into the phono jack which didn’t give me a good sound. The Behringer has an XLR input so I wanted to try that.

Did a lot of research on mikes and settled on this one. It was a good choice. I purchased the Kopul Studio Elite 4000 XLR cable along with the mike to make sure I had a quality cable connected to the mike.

It’s a condenser mike so it needs phantom power which the Behringer mixer supplies. The mike’s cardiod pattern suppresses background noise not coming from the front of the mike. Note that you don’t talk into the top of the mike, but rather into the side.

Thus, the mike is optimized for sound coming directly in front of it. So far, I’m very happy with the mike.

This is one of the best USB microphones I have tested. I do have dual Sennheiser MK8 and dual NTRs, and I find performance from this very similar to more expensive XLR mics. I now use this mic on (almost) a daily basis, apart from my XLR mics, to record my grand piano.

Pros of this mic: *Very wide dynamic range and frequency, goes from 20Hz-20000Hz/20kHz. *Well balanced bass and treble voices for mono setup *Amazing build quality, solid full metal build *Internal LED light to indicate power to mic *Real-time zero latency monitoring off headphone jack *Sturdy included stand *Nice codec 16bit 44.

1/48kHz *Premium mic pouch Cons of this mic: *No pop filter or any other goodies apart from the short mic stand *USB mics, so no two way ORTF or any stereo type of recording. You can’t use two USB mics at the same time.

Workaround: Plug each individual mic into different computers, then transfer both audio files into a single computer and sync audio in post *Wished they included an XLR port. Some USB mics have XLR built in as well.

Overall, Audio-Technica does not dissapoint. Another amazing mic from the legendary Japanese audio company.

This is a great desktop microphone. I like the sensitivity settings. two for Cardioid (one being more focused on straight ahead, the other having wider pickup range) and one for Omnidirectional. In my testing, I can really discern the difference between the Cardioid settings– there’s a very pronounced drop-off in pickup as the sound source moves to one side or the other.

I installed the Mac software to see what it does. It allows you to mute and unmute the mic. As that’s a feature of Zoom and other similar applications, I figured I didn’t need the extra software and I deleted it.

Maybe there’s more the software can do with other models of mics. I plan to use it for Teams on my company computer and Zoom on my Mac. Looks like a well made piece of gear. I like the sturdy stand it comes with.

The threaded socket fits a regular mic stand, too, if you ever want to do that.

I used to use an interview microphone plugged into the mic jack of my computer for voice input. It worked well but the wire got in the way frequently and became an annoyance. I got this microphone and mounted it on an arm to avoid that.

Compared to my old microphone, sound quality has improved slightly, with the main benefit that I can have the snowball microphone only pick up sound from one direction and not include sounds from my keyboard or etc.

I was told that my voice sounds more true to life than with the old one, so that’s great. The only reason I took a star off is with its construction. It feels a little cheap, and when mounted it becomes more apparent.

When I move the microphone around, the joint holding the mic to the arm swivels but isn’t stiff and doesn’t hold its position well. The mic arm compensates for this so I can still orient everything the way that I like it.

I am just reminded of this flaw every time I adjust the microphone. Another note: the USB cable is only 6 feet long. With how I wanted to position the microphone in relation to the computer, I needed a USB extender.

I did not notice any difference in audio quality or functionality with or without a USB cable extender, so that’s a plus. Haven’t tested this with a USB hub, though it’s recommended not to do so. All in all, it serves its purpose well and is a great entry point before getting into some more serious audio gear.

In the current climate where everyone in my office is working from home, it was necessary to invest in some gadgets to make life a little bit easier. I have 3 screens, a laptop, mouse mat, keyboard, mouse and two phones sitting around my desk, when I closed my laptop I was getting complaints that it was difficult to hear me speak in conference calls.

I selected the Blue snowball USB microphone with crystal-clear sound in the hope that the sound complaints would go away. Lo and behold, my colleagues and peers have all commented on the vast improvement, leading me to decide to record all sessions for anyone unavailable to attend.

Previously this would not have been worth while given the sound issues. The snowball looks fantastic, I went for the aluminum finish. It was well packaged and very easy to set up and install. The three support feet ensured the product was stable on my desk and not likely to be damaged from the occasional spill (inevitable with 4 year old twins!).

The other benefit has been an improvement in the reduction of background noise. Loud children and a barking dog certainly do not contribute to a solution, but the snowball seems to cope well with it.

For recordings, the closer the mic is to me, the better the audio. This isn’t always ideal, for conference calls, I need to move the microphone back. But the adjustment in the angle of the microphone means I have some control.

I am impressed with this product and given that the mic will be used 7 hours a day, it is well worth the investment. Great solution to aid our new way of working.

IšverstiShow in original languageJeg synes den er mega god forhold til prisen, og ens stemme lyder bare så sprød

IšverstiShow in original languageLyden er helt fantastisk. Men lyden stopper en gang imellem i et sekunds tid.

IšverstiShow in original languageKan klart anbefale dette produkt Det er billigt og det leverer en rigtig god lyd ud til andre uden baggrundsstøj eller ekko. 5 ud af 5 herfra.

I really like this microphone and its settings. I have been dabbling in podcasts here and there, trying to find a quality and durable portable microphone. The packaging is very professional and I like its foam protection to avoid any damage during transportation.

It can be assembled easily by simply adding a screen, which takes about 5 seconds. There are no tricky programs or anything to download on your computer. Just plug it in and start using it! I tried several different recording programs, including a basic program I had never used but found on Google, and it worked.

I recorded several different things at short and long distances without using a screen to test the quality, which left a very deep impression on me. For those who want to record, this is a high-quality microphone.

Respected.

I recently bought a gaming computer and wanted to find a good microphone for many uses, not just gaming. I took a look on Amazon and stumbled upon this microphone with a boom, which is perfectly connected to my desk.

I placed an order and it will arrive in a day. The instructions inside told me very clearly how to put it together, and I installed it in less than five minutes. It can be very useful if you are trying to record something, or you are on a zoom or discordant call.

The sound quality is great and the arm movement is very smooth, so you can move the microphone in any direction to get better sound. Compared to other microphones I have used in the past, it hardly picks up background noise, which surprises me.

The price of this microphone is very worth it! !.

A warning to first-time users, you may experience background noise pickup by the microphone. It is very sensitive. If you want to get clean audio, please be prepared to set up a recording area. For anyone interested in higher quality microphones, this microphone seems to be a good starting point.

I can recommend it wholeheartedly. And the condenser microphone has a short bracket and an explosion-proof filter connected to the bracket through the gooseneck, and the bracket and the metal gooseneck can be adjusted.

IšverstiShow in original languageI am a music producer with a very small home studio. I needed a dynamic mic that wouldn’t pick up all the reflections in the tiny room. This does just that! The sound quality is great, with a smooth top end, a nice controlled low end and crisp mids (can mids be crisp?) would absolutely recommend this dynamic mic to anyone, whether they’re on a tight budget or not.

Keep in mind that it’s going to need a lot more gain, so be prepared to either purchase an in-line preamp or crank the gain up on your interface/mixer. I’m doing the latter and it works fine, it’s not an overly noisy mic at all.

IšverstiShow in original languagePretty great out of the box sound. I have to use a cloud lifter for signal boost, but that’s common with broadcast mics and I have one for my RE320. The PD70 has more high end and detail than the RE320, and it’s way crispier than a SM7, but there it might be a little harsh on some vocals.

For something where there’s a lot going on in the mix it cuts through nicely, and that’s where it works best with my voice. It’s not too big and the balance of it clipped on the mic stand is nice so it’s easily positionable.

Sharp looking and tidy in the studio to leave on for quick demo takes, which suits this old hobbyist nicely.

IšverstiShow in original languageI was looking for something at a lower price point that could get me into podcasting and what a great choice. Seriously this Mic is a tank and sounds incredible for the money.

I honestly feel like its right on par with the Shure SM7B. The only thing I would say is to make sure you have a good stand as this Mic is heavy. As long as you have a decent audio interface and a nice quiet room you’ll get some great sound.

Highly recommend.

My first reaction to the microphone was positive. It looks great, and right out of the box it worked perfectly. Within moments I was using it for a work call. JLab makes good use of the two dials to give control over direction patterns, recording, and volume and gain control.

The sound was great and it picked up my voice easily. Why only three stars? First, the Talk Pro started freezing(?) where it wouldn’t react to any controls until I unplugged it and plugged it back it.

This happened 1-2 times a week. A small annoyance but it never happened with other mics. Second, it stopped working after 6 months. I’ve tried it on three computers and each one fails to recognize the device.

Searching for help was just as frustrating, as JLab seems to think it doesn’t need to offer help online. I tried a new cable. It’s just. dead. Six months of sitting on my desk, and it stopped. I can’t recommend another brand more quickly.

Stay away from JLab.

Bought this to replace my old (and expensive) Rode NT-USB. Much smaller footprint, and a breeze to set up. Elgato generally makes exceptionally user friendly gear anyway, so I didn’t anticipate any problems and that proved to be true.

The only big caveat I have with Elgato gear is availability – they’re almost never in stock, at least not the premium feature versions (like Wave 3, StreamDeck XL, etc) however the Wave 1 was available same day.

I do find that accessories are a real pain to get hold of and there’s an element of nickel and dime-ing in the way they sell must haves as addon – in this case having to purchase both the shock mount and the pop filter (both absolute must haves for recording and streaming) makes for a high end total package price along with availaibility issues.

(dropped a star because of this aspect) However, without wanting to sound like an Elgato shill, I’m impressed with this mic. Just try and have everything organised to get the mic, shock mount and pop filter all at the same time.

I purchased a Wave:1 a few months ago, as I’m planning on steaming soon and needed a Mic, as I didn’t have one. I did a bit of research and the Wave series had just come out. The reviews were all good and it seemed like the product I needed.

Basically, idiot proof! Once you get to grips with the software it’s a doddle to use. Just add your sources, balance your audio mix using the sliders and away you go! I would recommend watching a few videos on how to setup, helped me massively.

Although I’m more than proficient with I. T. I’m not a sound engineer! This is partly why I went for the Wave, the fact I can setup everything in the software and then link that to Streamlabs is a big plus, for a novice steamer – at a more than reasonable price.

It also saves you needing to buy a mixer as the software does the same job! It’s also come in handy for online meetings. I’ve had an interview for a coding course and a job interview recently. On each interview the quality of the audio was mentioned, as they were used to people having “built-in” mics or cheap headsets.

I decided to replace a very high end competitor mic with the wave one because I was interested in the tech behind it as well as the software that came with it. I figured at such an affordable price I could take the risk.

What a great move!! I was blown away at the mic quality! For that price I didn’t expect it to out perform my older more expensive mic! And the software is everything I had hoped for as it allows me to fine tune all the different audio I have.

It makes it easy to find and adjust everything from party chat, game sounds, video, and music. It’s not even just for streaming as I use it for any instance of multitasking when at the pc. By far my favorite purchase from Elgato.

I purchased this USB microphone to use with Windows 10 digital assistant Cortana. I used this mic for an unorthodox in a car pc installation. I used the clip to install the mic just above the steering wheel.

I connected the provided USB cable, from the mic to the PC no drivers or software were necessary on Windows 10. In use, the microphone picked up my voice perfectly over the enginefan noise. I was surprised how accurate the mic was, with the voice recognition software.

There were two switchable mic settings to choose between, cardioid and omnidirectional pickup patterns. For my purpose, I selected omnidirectional. The build quality of this mic is fantastic, the base provides a stable platform if you have it on a table.

The microphone can also be folded away, into the base. You can also mount the base on a tripod, which is a nice addition. A protective travel case is also supplied in the box. In conclusion, the retro styling may not be to everyones taste but I like it.

If you want a portable, reliable, good quality, versatile USB mic. This is the one.

one of the best microphones in this price range. i had a choice between going with the blue snowball microphone and this. in the end the Samson go became the clear winner. it has studio quality recording audio and the size just blew me away for how good it is also, it fits into the palm of your hand.

i have it clipped onto my monitor but if you plan on doing that make sure its thin enough. no cables to mic stands. perfect. the 3 adjustable modes for different audio setting make this very handy depending on what you are doing and what environment you are in.

the packing is very nice and premium and your mic comes with a carrying case for protection. would highly recommend this mic to anyone.

I needed a justincase miccuminterface. For those times when I would be travelling, but was not planning any recording work. It needed to be something that was so small that I wouldnt resent bringing it along and then not using it.

But not such terrible audio quality that a recording could not be used. Good news the Go Mic fits the bill on both counts. It is tiny about the size of a Nokia 3310, lightweight and comes with a snugfitting carry case.

A cable USBA to miniUSB is also included though, frustratingly, this will not fit in the carry case. Windows quickly identified the hardware and installed drivers. Then the Go Mic is available as an audio source on your control panel or recording software.

Levels are adjusted via Windows SoundRecording settings. The cardioid and cardioid 10db settings both produced clear, focused recordings with no EQ issues or hiss using Adobe Audition. The omni setting was, as expected, not so focused.

Clipping the mic to the top of the laptop was better than standing it on desk, when it picked up vibrations. This is not going to replace your favourite studio mic plus interface. But it is considerably better than recording with your phone or heaven forfend laptop internal mic.

I have not tested it with USBC audio into Android. If that worked and apparently it does, you could leave your laptop at home as well.

Good sound, and I am happy to to have received recording software included. The entire package is less expensive than the software used to be on its own.

The carbon is the mid tier of the em series of microphones but as usual Mackie exceeded my expectations.

Very decent mic with good sound quality and background noise rejection. I had a condenser mic before this and it was picking up way too much ambient noise in my recordings so I had to look for dynamic mic alternatives.

I don’t have an interface and USB dynamic mics are particularly scarce so my options were limited. After watching and reading multiple reviews on this mic, I decided to pick it up to try it out. It works well for the most part, but there’s one big caveat that people with Windows PC/laptop should know about.

The input level is very low on this mic so I have to turn the gain all the way up to about 85% and put my mouth right in front of the mic in order to get good recording volume. Unfortunately, with the gain that high, it also introduces a low level of hissing/static noise in my recordings.

The hissing is only noticeable with headphones on or when I boost the volume up in post during silent bits when I’m not talking. It is easily removable in post or via noise reduction/noise gate filters in Zoom/Discord/OBS, so it’s not a deal breaker for me compares to the amount of audible ambient noise that was picked up in my previous mic.

My unit is not defective as I actually temporarily purchased a 2nd one just to do a comparison test and that one also produced the exact same result on the same settings. After researching around, I found out that this was a common issue for USB mics on Windows 10 as the system audio driver is rather crappy.

Theoretically, it’s a solvable problem once I upgrade to XLR down the line so I’m hopeful that it’ll be worthwhile then. (I accidentally tore off a bit of the foam windscreen so I can’t return this item, unfortunately).

Other than the input issue, this is a really nice mic for all of its functions and versatility. The audio monitoring is very clean, the sound quality is crisp and full, and I appreciate all the accessories that come with the mic which help make setting up very easy.

It has a decent build quality although the headphones volume control buttons aren’t very flush and just recessed in a bit (they work just fine though). If you’re planning on using this on a Mac or via an audio interface, this is a solid mic.

However, if you’re planning on using it via USB on Windows, keep in mind the low volume input as that might be a deal breaker.

Big thanks to the BH team for making such a great kit. The crane arm blows the stock mic tripod out of the water and offers better support and more flexibility. I suggest using the original mic clip, as it fits better than the one that comes with the crane arm.

A shock mount would be great, but I didn’t expect it (though it’s mentioned on the crane arm box, which can be misleading). The headphones are comfortable and do their job just fine. And I really appreciate the thought behind adding a USB extension cord and cord straps.

It’s my first mic setup, and I wouldn’t think about these minor but important things. Q2U is great for me (I don’t even hate my voice somehow), and even though I record in an untreated room, I get quality sound with just minor post-editing.

The only problem I had was with connecting to my phone, but I suspect the issue is with either my phone’s receptacle or a faulty OTG adapter. All in all, I’m happy with this purchase.

I would rate this product a 4. 5 since the stand that comes with it! Is kind of flimsy and it is hard to keep the microphone standing up most of the time. I know that I could swivel the microphone around a little bit and adjusted, but sometimes I have noticed it either drop downwards and the microphone just doesn’t seem as sturdy.

Overall this product is excellent though with regards to microphone usage it does come with an XLR cable and a USB cable along with the stand and a pouch. The pouch is really useful to store the equipment on the go and it is a quick insert of a USB to get it going and it is easily recognized by a Windows machine the sound quality is pretty good and I have the filter on top of it that is another piece that comes which is a foamy ball like object that you put on top of the metal I have left a little bit of room for it to have a little cushion on top.

This helps with wind noise a little bit better rather than having it touching all the way down really tight against the metal. Overall it is a good microphone if you need something in a jam, and it has capabilities of expanding into a interface with XLR if necessary and other equipment.

The power button does make a little bit of noise so whenever using that to mute might appear that that sound might come through. Go overall it is a really sturdy mic with volume controls at the bottom a power button and the ports along with a headphone jack where you could use to listen to your own recording voice or what have you.

Overall not at all a bad purchase for the price.

This thing is absolute garbage. Why would you even make a mic with a desk stand that cannot be used unless you put your mouth right up to it? I expected I’d be able to maintain some distance and let this sit on my desk and talk in a google meets or whatever video conference.

Nope. They should forget the stand it give you a lapel clip so you can attach it to your shirt collar because even at that distance it would be suspect. It picks up almost no sound when you speak at it, but it picks up every single time you touch the desk, type a key, or whatever.

And this is with it sitting on a rubber foam mouse pad to insulate it some from vibrations. Sadly I bought this and didn’t have time to install it so it’s past the return period. That part is my fault, but the mic itself is worthless.

There’s no controls on it to adjust the input level. Turned all the way up in windows it gets about 15-17% as a max. Nobody can hear you. People in the reviews talk of a mute button but this doesn’t have one of that that I see.

What a disappointment.

I purchased this as a replacement for a Blue Snowball that died on me after 4 good years of daily use and abuse. Physically, the Solocast feels solidly built, and the “tap to mute” button on the top is pretty intuitive.

This mic is good for the price, but don’t expect it to be the “end-all” of USB mics. The Solocast is very “mid-heavy”; lows and highs have noticeable compression to them. This isn’t inherently bad, but it can cause the Solocast to sound flat.

It’s very apparent in voice calls where bitrate is on the lower side of “good” (Discord, Teamspeak, Zoom, etc). I strongly suggest buying a shock mount and pop filter as well as this mic loves to pick up plosives.

The Snowball, while having a lower frequency range, almost sounded better tonally in my opinion. It picked up more “low-end” and gave an almost announcer or podcast feel. I ended up returning this mic and purchasing it’s bigger brother: the HyperX Quadcast.

The price jump for the Quadcast is definitely worth it, but if you only have $60 to spend, the Solocast should suffice. However, I highly recommend looking at the Snowball for comparison before purchasing.

You can’t really go wrong with either for $60, but what kind of sound you want will determine which you should get.

Pros: Unless you are a professional, I highly doubt that you’ll be needing any sound better than this. Other than the amazing sound, it has great features such as a tap to mute button, easy and flexible positioning, and good aesthetics.

Cons: You’ll have to figure out a way to put it in your desk. Because it is a condenser mic, it is best to have your mouth close to it, therefore consider a boom arm if there’s no space. Overall, its everything you could ask for.

Great sound quality, great features, worth the money.

I was not expecting it to be this good for a USB mic! Been using it for 2 days so far and I had no problems with it, it is really easy to set up and the price isn’t to bad, also the sound is really good, for the gain it is best to put it at about 50% that’s what i have found to work.

Would recommend.

Very good almost professional recommended if you are in a budget

The Mounting could be better.

I currently have 4 of these powered by an inuke 6000 and they’re great for the price. You must take into account that these are 4ohm not 8ohm subwoofers. If you daisychain 8ohm and 4ohm speakers or don’t have the right type of amp these won’t work well.

Also, the box you use is very important. I tried putting two of these in some empty speaker cabinets, and they didn’t put out much at all. I custom made a deeper cabinet, and just one blew the other two away.

You also have to make sure your wiring is heavy duty enough to allow for the high current. If you have the cheapest wiring you will starve the sub and it won’t sound good either. Hope this helps! If you use them correctly, you can get some great bass for your rig at a low price.

If you’re building a sound system and want lightweight and inexpensive stuff, I suggest checking out Behringer Inuke amps especially if you’re looking to build a 4ohm system.

First thing out the door The sleek streamline look makes you feel like a rockstar when youre using it, I use Steinberg software and hardware that this plugs into and it captures a wide range sound spectrum.

All I do is add a studio chorus, multiband compressor, autotune, mod machine, and a little reverb, and with what this microphone is able to capture makes my voice sound 100 times better and fuller than what it actually is.

Simply amazing for the price, its going to capture more than a USB microphone can which is the ideal option. If youre looking for excellent quality at a decent price purchase this now! Ive honestly never been happier about purchasing this microphone!.

First of all the packaging was super. Believe the box could have been dropped off a tall building and the Mic wouldn’t have been damaged. Everything was as described in the add. Looks great and sound is nice and clear.

We use it for our choir, and with the Children’s choir it does a great job of picking up their voice which seems to be just above a whisper, I know they can be louder than that in the school yard,but in front of people they go quiet.

A “Great Mic !” Super Performance ,Good Price.

Both this microphone and headset are not as strong as I hoped they would be. I am someone who moves around with his equipment a lot. And if you are like me, this pack won’t last long. It’s best for those that are always on a desk.

I guess.

Don’t let the price fool you, this is a great set up. I plan to buy four of these and use them as my travel kit. For the price, I’m not gonna stress a little road wear and tear. I have expensive mics I’m my home studio and this sounds almost as good.

Save the money and start with this.

I’ve been using the mic for about 5 months for my new YouTube channel. The quality is comparable to other YouTubers with far more expensive microphones. It’s not identical to theirs, but it is comparable.

For the price point, I would say this is the best mic on the market.

The audio from this microphone compared to my gaming headset mic is night and day. This mic is so ungodly clear. I sound like a radio announcer without any effort, this mic is just so clear and bright.

This is a great value for the money.

Honestly i bought it for the stand and was impressed that the mic sound pretty good for its value. I have recorded some videos and it was very good. No complaints and pleasantly pleased.