Microphone Reviews

Whether you’re shooting video or recording a new podcast episode, you need to make sure you have great audio quality.

The good news is that for the last couple years, video quality included with your Android smartphone is probably top-notch.

But the built-in microphone in your Galaxy or Pixel phone just won’t cut it.

There are several excellent external microphones that will work with your Android phone – and there are different styles depending on your needs.

The most popular option that works well in a variety of situations is a lavalier mic (they clip to your shirt, allowing hands-free use) but there are a few shotgun-style mics that plug into the headphone jack (if you have one) as well.

You can also use other microphones that are designed for digital audio recorders or DSLRs (like these on-camera shotgun mics) but you will need a TRS to TRRS adapter to plug them in.

This post will just focus on microphones that don’t need adapters to keep things simple, but I wanted to point out that there are many options to improve your audio quality.

We also have a separate article specifically for iPhone mics (with many options that use the Lightning connector) if you find yourself needing one of those too. [Read more…] about Best External Android Microphones For Video & Podcasting 2018

Dynamic mics are excellent for recording vocals – everything from podcasting to voiceovers to singing – and work especially well when you’re recording multiple people in the same room.

Like our similar article on the best condenser microphones, there are a variety of different models at different price points.

Dynamic mics, especially higher end models, tend to require a large amount of gain to record adequate levels.

This can introduce noise on cheaper preamps (and some might not even have enough gain to record), so I recommend considering investing in a separate preamp (the DBX286s is a great option) or the Cloudlifter CL-1 (it uses phantom power to give passive mics an extra 25dB of gain). Just remember to get an extra XLR cable.

Dynamic microphones also work well for live performances, so you’ll find a handful of wired dynamic mics that you’d find during a live presentation.

If you’re interested in wireless live vocal mics, we have a separate article for that.

To save you some time, here my top dynamic mic picks at various price points:

• Under $1,000: Sennheiser MD 441-U
• Under $500: Shure SM7B
• Under $300: Rode Procaster
• Under $100: Shure SM58

[Read more…] about Best Dynamic Microphones For Vocals (For Every Budget) 2018

Condenser microphones (also known as capacitor microphones) are well-known for their excellent audio quality and sensitivity. They typically have wider frequency response and better transient response than dynamic microphones.

They require power to work either through batteries or by phantom power and are preferred for studio recording or other environments where background noise can be controlled.

We’re going to be focused on large diaphragm condenser microphones commonly used in home studios for recording voice, singing, podcasting, guitar, and more.

Some models have more than one mic capsule, allowing them to record different pickup patterns from the standard cardioid pattern typically used with single-capsule models. This tends to add a bit of additional cost – and I’ll highlight those options as well.

The cost varies widely so we’ll organize them by price so you can choose a mic that fits your budget. You’ll find mostly mics that use XLR connections, but I’ll also highlight a few USB condenser mics as well.

Here are my top picks for each price point:

• Over $1,000: Neumann TLM 170 R (multi-pattern)
• Under $1,000: AKG C414 XLII (multi-pattern)
• Under $500: Rode NT2-A (multi-pattern) or AKG C214 (cardioid)
• Under $300: Rode NT1 (cardioid)
• Under $200: Blackout Spark SL (cardioid)
• Under $100: Audio-Technica AT2020 (cardioid) [Read more…] about Best Condenser Microphones For Voice Recording (For Every Budget) 2018

Deciding what the best microphone for YouTube is will largely depend on the type or style of videos you are doing. In many cases, you will want more than one microphone so you that you can use the one that fits your situation best.

If you are doing screen recordings or voiceovers after you record, a USB or XLR studio mic would work best. Lavalier microphones are great in a lot of situations where you don’t want to have to worry about how close to the mic you are – just clip them on and start recording. Shotgun mics are excellent for run-and-gun style videos, vlogging, and sit-down interview-style shots.

Because there are many different types of videos, and different microphones that work well for recording them, we’ve highlighted our favorite YouTube mics by category so you can easily find what will work best. [Read more…] about Best Microphones For YouTube Videos (With Top Creator Picks) 2018

There are many different ways to record an interview: outside or inside, sitting or standing, planned or spur-of-the-moment, video or audio-only, and likely more that I haven’t thought of.

Each scenario will excel with a certain type of microphone and for planned interviews, people will commonly use a shotgun mic combined with a lavalier mic as a backup.

You will find the sections below highlighting handheld mics, shotgun mics, lavalier mics, and other accessories you may need. You’ll also find wireless options where it makes sense.