Good microphone for streaming and recording?

[vslavov]

Hi guys, I currently use a "Canyon" mic which I got for sub $10 and it sound amazing over skype. I am talking zero echo, no noise, almost perfectly crisp sound. I guess Skype does some dark software magic and the quality of the mic doesn't transfer over at OBS, so I am either looking for a good software solution or a good sub $30 mic, any recommendations?

I plan on streaming without headphones. The current microphone doesn't pick up sound from my speakers, I guess a new one won't either?

Cheers!

PS: Quoting my comment from the bottom of this page:

That's the microphone I am currently using: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canyon-CNR-MIC1-Desktop-Microphone/dp/B001EO6ZX2

The speakers are Logitech Z623

I am not a big fan of headphones and I am not a big fan of the idea of spending $60 on just a microphone. I might be able to get a headset in the $50-60 range, would that be better?

[jameyscott]

I would suggest spending a few more dollars and get the AntLion ModMic 4.0.  There really aren't any good sub-30 mics.

 

[bchampion96]

Hi guys, I currently use a "Canyon" mic which I got for sub $10 and it sound amazing over skype. I am talking zero echo, no noise, almost perfectly crisp sound. I guess Skype does some dark software magic and the quality of the mic doesn't transfer over at OBS, so I am either looking for a good software solution or a good sub $30 mic, any recommendations?

I plan on streaming without headphones. The current microphone doesn't pick up sound from my speakers, I guess a new one won't either?

Cheers!

 

This depends on positioning, volume of the speakers, polar pattern of the microphone and whether or not it has a feedback rejection feature. If you're used to a $10 mic, I don't think a $30 mic will impress you a whole lot. If you listen through good headphones or speakers, you will find the quality of that $10 mic to be very much sub par.

[Gung Pow Chicken]

Hi guys, I currently use a "Canyon" mic which I got for sub $10 and it sound amazing over skype. I am talking zero echo, no noise, almost perfectly crisp sound. I guess Skype does some dark software magic and the quality of the mic doesn't transfer over at OBS, so I am either looking for a good software solution or a good sub $30 mic, any recommendations?

I plan on streaming without headphones. The current microphone doesn't pick up sound from my speakers, I guess a new one won't either?

Cheers!

Blue Yeti, awesome mic. Great quality and it's looks good on almost any desk. If you can push the price to that but otherwise get a Zalman Zm-Mic. They have ok sould quality but nothing near the yeti.

[PokémonTrainerFour]

Save your pennies and get a Blue Snowball.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-Microphone-Textured/dp/B000EOPQ7E

[jameyscott]

 

Blue Yeti, awesome mic. Great quality and it's looks good on almost any desk. If you can push the price to that but otherwise get a Zalman Zm-Mic. The5re have got some pretty good quality nothing compared to the yeti though.

 

 

The Yeti is 100 bucks.  That's going over three times the budget.  The Zalman Clip on mic will be no better than what he currently has.  I own the Zalman Clipon and it is nothing fantastic.

 

EDIT: My initial suggestion was meh considering he is using speakers... But the ones you are suggesting will pick up a crap ton of noise they are cardoid and/or omnidirectional which will pick up a lot of speakers.

 

@OP.  Use headphones while streaming.  There's a reason streamers user headphones while streaming, or at least use earbuds like linus.

[Gung Pow Chicken]

The Yeti is 100 bucks.  That's going over three times the budget.  The Zalman Clip on mic will be no better than what he currently has.  I own the Zalman Clipon and it is nothing fantastic.

Never said he had to get one that's why its called a suggestion. But yes the yeti is expensive but will blow any mic for that price out of the water.

[jameyscott]

Never said he had to get one that's why its called a suggestion. But yes the yeti is expensive but will blow any mic for that price out of the water.

Won't beat the AT2020 USB.  They are on par.  and at the same price.

[vslavov]

That's the microphone I am currently using: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canyon-CNR-MIC1-Desktop-Microphone/dp/B001EO6ZX2

The speakers are Logitech Z623

I am not a big fan of headphones and I am not a big fan of the idea of spending $60 on just a microphone. I might be able to get a headset in the $50-60 range, would that be better?

[MAXXHEW]

My son uses the Razer Kraken Pro for gaming/Skype etc... it comes through very clear, and the audio is decent enough for gaming/music (if you like bass).  I know many will dislike Razer products in these forums, but people who actually own them are usually very happy with their stuff.

[jameyscott]

My son uses the Razer Kraken Pro for gaming/Skype etc... it comes through very clear, and the audio is decent enough for gaming/music (if you like bass). I know many will dislike Razer products in these forums, but people who actually own them are usually very happy with their stuff.

Those are like 300 bucks. Completely out of the price range that the OP offeres, and aren't worth 300.

That's the microphone I am currently using: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canyon-CNR-MIC1-Desktop-Microphone/dp/B001EO6ZX2

The speakers are Logitech Z623

I am not a big fan of headphones and I am not a big fan of the idea of spending $60 on just a microphone. I might be able to get a headset in the $50-60 range, would that be better?

No, it wouldn't. No headset in that price range that I know of is worth the cost.

The cheapest combination for what you want that I would suggest is the antlion modmic 4.0 and the superlux 661b's. That would be a great place to start, although it come to a total of 80 bucks which is quite a bit of your price range.

[MAXXHEW]

The Razer Kraken Pro's are not 300 bucks... they are like $65 USD on Amazon/Newegg etc...

[SSL]

My son uses the Razer Kraken Pro for gaming/Skype etc... it comes through very clear, and the audio is decent enough for gaming/music (if you like bass).  I know many will dislike Razer products in these forums, but people who actually own them are usually very happy with their stuff.

 

They're easy to like if you've never experienced quality.

[vslavov]

The problem is I live in a small European country, so stuff like the modmic is unheard of. What if I increase the budget to $100 for a headset, or headset+mic? Since I won't be able to use the speakers.

[jameyscott]

The Razer Kraken Pro's are not 300 bucks... they are like $65 USD on Amazon/Newegg etc...

I was thinking of silver ones. Too many crappy headsets by razer...

The problem is I live in a small European country, so stuff like the modmic is unheard of. What if I increase the budget to $100 for a headset, or headset+mic? Since I won't be able to use the speakers.

if you can't get the modmic then I would suggest the blue snowball and the superlux 611b's. That'll be a great little starter set up. If you want better sound quality than that. Adding a xonar dg(x) will greatly improve your sound over onboard.

[vslavov]

Thank you all, I might just order the blue snowball for €52 from the German Amazon and use my old Philips headphones.

[Lauen]

Adding a xonar dg(x) will greatly improve your sound over onboard.

Unless he needs more power or there is audible crackling and hissing and stuff, I doubt it. I have a motherboard with the same Realtek chip and it sounds exactly the same as my Xonar D2X. the DG or DGX might even introduce more interference. 

[jameyscott]

Unless he needs more power or there is audible crackling and hissing and stuff, I doubt it. I have a motherboard with the same Realtek chip and it sounds exactly the same as my Xonar D2X. the DG or DGX might even introduce more interference. 

What motherboard do you have? 

 

If he is going to stick with is current headphones, it definitely isn't worth it, but for something like the Superlux HD 661B's, it definitely would help.  His board uses the Realtek ALC892 which is definitely not all that great.  It doesn't seem the OP cares about sound quality though, so it's kinda a moot point.

[Lauen]

What motherboard do you have? 

 

If he is going to stick with is current headphones, it definitely isn't worth it, but for something like the Superlux HD 661B's, it definitely would help.  His board uses the Realtek ALC892 which is definitely not all that great.  It doesn't seem the OP cares about sound quality though, so it's kinda a moot point.

I'm using the ASUS Sabertooth 990FX R2. I've tried many other motherboards and the only bad one I've used in a while was using VIA HD audio on a 60$ motherboard. I've owned and used two different sound cards, the Xonar DX and the Xonar D2X, and they both sound exactly the same as 90% of all the motherboards I've tried. Granted, I have not tried the exact motherboard he uses, but I, as stated, am using the same chip.

[vslavov]

What motherboard do you have? 

 

If he is going to stick with is current headphones, it definitely isn't worth it, but for something like the Superlux HD 661B's, it definitely would help.  His board uses the Realtek ALC892 which is definitely not all that great.  It doesn't seem the OP cares about sound quality though, so it's kinda a moot point.

I do care about sound quality, but after a certain point it's hard for me to distinguish what's better - I guess that's kind of a blessing, I don't need to spend too much on audio.

Btw, I ordered the Blue Snowball for €72 with delivery last night.

[jameyscott]

I do care about sound quality, but after a certain point it's hard for me to distinguish what's better - I guess that's kind of a blessing, I don't need to spend too much on audio.

Btw, I ordered the Blue Snowball for €72 with delivery last night.

I didn't mean it like that. It's just six in the morning and I haven't slept for 32 hours. .

If you do ever decide to upgrade those HD 661B's are the best bang for the buck out there.

Gratz on the mic! Make sure and link us your stream if that is allowed by ToS

[vslavov]

Oh yeah, no offence taken, don't worry Thanks on the headphone recommendations too.

I'd link it, but I'm gonna be streaming in my native language, so it won't be really entertaining for you guys.

[jameyscott]

You might also want to consider a pop filter. I'm not familiar with Bulgaria and the native language, but if you have "harsh" consonants like K, P, T, etc then it'll come through on the mic.  A simple desk clamping model will do you just fine, or something that will clip to the mic itself, but that might be more expensive because Blue might have a proprietary pop filter that only fits that Snowball.

[vslavov]

Yeah, I know how to DIY a pop filter till I can buy a regular one. Thanks mate

[Oni07R]

The problem is I live in a small European country, so stuff like the modmic is unheard of. What if I increase the budget to $100 for a headset, or headset+mic? Since I won't be able to use the speakers.

You can order the ModMic from AntLion's website, the ship worldwide.