In need of a decent microphone

Posted by Alert Games on April 10, 2015, 10:11 a.m.

'ello there.

So I am need of a decent microphone, and I figured I would ask in case any of you guys have any knowledge or suggestions of what to get.

What I would be using it for: My goal is to make youtube videos with a good quality voiceover. This will be for instruction videos, reviews, or just to use with skype.

Previously, I used the xbox360's mic, which is clear, but way too quiet. So I did a little research on some microphones and this is what I came up with:

I noticed the top rated mic's are the 'Snowball' ones. This seems like it might be overkill unless the audio quality is well worth the cost. Amazon link

So I looked at some cheaper alternatives, and found that a cheap alternative may be to use a lapel microphone instead, which may sacrifice only a little bit of audio quality. Amazon link

But I am usually weary of amazon's cheapest options, cause often times its not worth the hassle, (and experts show up in the comments with their advice to spend a little extra or not). I found another condenser mic that I don't find as obnoxious as the snowball one: CAD U37 on amazon

Or, I could go another route and pick up another pair of headphones that have a mic on them that will have good noise cancelling on them. This may help to cancel out any background noise. This is one example, but I've found others: Sentey headset

Obviously, I would like to save money if I can. I am willing to spend $50 for pretty great sound quality, but not as interested in spending $100 for just a little better.

Sound quality for your voice does make quite the difference in your videos, so I'd like to get some input (no pun intended… maybe) to make an informed decision. Thanks guys

Comments

Acid 9 years, 8 months ago

I use this.

This has pretty good reviews though.

flashback 9 years, 8 months ago

I use This AKG, via a Scarlett 2i2 interface. There's a USB version of the mic that may suit you better, however.

LAR Games 9 years, 8 months ago

I use the Snowball. Its actually really good. I recommend it. :P

Cpsgames 9 years, 8 months ago

I mostly just use my Astro A40s for games, but for better voice I sometimes use the condenser mic I have.

Acid 9 years, 8 months ago

The snowball is just so ugly to me… I can't deal with overtly ugly things unless it's a necessity. :P

LAR Games 9 years, 8 months ago

Gift of Death 9 years, 8 months ago
Polystyrene Man 9 years, 8 months ago

Snowball is pretty bad quality but gets the job done (I have one). For really great quality you could get a Shure sm57 off eBay for $50 or less - but you will also need a preamp with a usb connection to your computer. Not sure what preamps like that are going for these days but a cheap one will do the trick- a quality mic is really what matters most. The sm57 has been an industry standard for decades- it sounds great, is inexpensive, and is indestructible

Alert Games 9 years, 8 months ago

The snowball reminds me of the unsure feeling I had when I saw the new VI in mass effect:

MatthewBanks 9 years, 7 months ago

You can have a look at few latest digital technology gadgets here.