Mic recommendation for streaming

[ScandalSavage]

Hey guys! I'm sure this has been asked a bunch of times but I still can't seem to find a straight answer. I'm looking for a mic for streaming. I've heard good things about AT2020, but I've also read that it picks up a lot of background noise. I have a mechanical keyboard with clicky keys and I'm worried it will pick up too much noise.

 

Additionally XLR or USB? Pop filter and shock mount or not necessarily?

 

Any suggestions/advice is greatly appreciated!

[Samfisher]

I'm using an AT2020, and if positioned properly it won't pick up that much keyboard noise.  Pop filter would be helpful, and a shock mount is worth it if its attached to your table and any medium vibrations of your arms/table could transfer into the mic.  They're pretty cheap tho.  XLR only if you have an audio interface, otherwise USB is good enough.  Plus when you're streaming its probably good to have a noise gate where it only activates for your voice and not the background noise.

[BobVonBob]

Pop filter absolutely. Shock mount maybe but recommended. XLR vs USB doesn't really matter anymore so long as the mic is good quality, just go with whatever interface your chosen mic has, although you won't need extra equipment for USB.

 

Regarding Samfisher's suggestion of a noise gate, make sure it's consistent and it's not too obvious when it turns on or off. One of my personal pet peeves with noise gates is streamers with large amounts of background noise that will suddenly clip on and off with the noise gate when they speak. Easiest remedies are reducing background noise (possibly difficult) or masking it with wanted noise like low volume music.

[Mateyyy]

I've recently picked up an AT2020USB+ and I'm using it with the included stand and a metal pop filter. The only thing I'm kind of missing out on compared to the Blue Yeti Blackout (which was my other option but out of stock unfortunately, they sound very similar from what I've seen/heard but I personally thought the Yeti looked better, or at least until I saw the AT2020 irl) is a mute button right on the mic itself.

It sounds amazing, the pop filter also definitely helps but I'm looking to get a shock mount for it as it does pick up a good chunk of desk vibrations.

[ScandalSavage]

Okay! Thank you guys for your input. I'll look into the pop filter and shock mount for sure. I am leaning towards the AT2020 USB version as I don't have the extra equipment.

 

Do you guys have clicky keys by chance? That's what I'm most worried about. I don't have a lot of background noise apart from that. I'm going to attempt to go by all of your suggestions and mind my positioning.

[LstpersonalOF]

5 hours ago, ScandalSavage said:

Okay! Thank you guys for your input. I'll look into the pop filter and shock mount for sure. I am leaning towards the AT2020 USB version as I don't have the extra equipment.

 

Do you guys have clicky keys by chance? That's what I'm most worried about. I don't have a lot of background noise apart from that. I'm going to attempt to go by all of your suggestions and mind my positioning.

Hi My Experience With Usb Mics Has Never Been good For What I have Now Is  What I Really  Recomend  Over Usb Mic Is A Conderser Mic And A Interface usb microphones if they break they break and to get replaced? just get what would last u a long life ur condenser mic u can drop it like linus and nothing is going to happen to it this is what i use the euphoria um2 with the shure sm58s but the podmic is a great choice if u have a bit more budget to spend.

 

What I Use (everything From B&H)

The Euphoria Um2     https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1056158-REG/behringer_um_2_u_phoria_um2_2x2_usb.html 

Boom Arm                  https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1330668-REG/samson_samba28_mba28_microphone_boom_arm.html

Microphone                https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/68464-REG/Shure_SM58S_SM58S_Cardioid_Dynamic.html   (The One I Use)

Recomended Mic      https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1449997-REG/rode_podmic_dynamic_podcasting_microphone.html

 

thats what i honestly recomend but if u want to get something else thats fine we are here to help u decide and tell u what we use and what has worked for us and u are the one thats make the decision.

 

[ScandalSavage]

Thank you for your suggestions. I'll look into those mics too!

[The Flying Sloth]

1 hour ago, ScandalSavage said:

Thank you for your suggestions. I'll look into those mics too!

Take a look at the link in my signature, I've got a full guide on exactly this subject.
As for the 2020USB, don't get it, besides USB mics being a bad idea in general the 2020USB doesn't have gain controls and leads to it being very difficult to set up in a way where it's loud enough but not peaking (clipping)

Any LDC (like the 2020 pretends to be) will pick up clicky keys, I use a G15 with about the clickiest membrane keys available and no matter what mic I use they will be picked up a little bit but with a dynamic or supercardioid condenser it's not such a big issue, again, I run through all this stuff in my guide so just take a look there and let me know if you have any questions.

[ScandalSavage]

12 hours ago, The Flying Sloth said:

Take a look at the link in my signature, I've got a full guide on exactly this subject.
As for the 2020USB, don't get it, besides USB mics being a bad idea in general the 2020USB doesn't have gain controls and leads to it being very difficult to set up in a way where it's loud enough but not peaking (clipping)

Any LDC (like the 2020 pretends to be) will pick up clicky keys, I use a G15 with about the clickiest membrane keys available and no matter what mic I use they will be picked up a little bit but with a dynamic or supercardioid condenser it's not such a big issue, again, I run through all this stuff in my guide so just take a look there and let me know if you have any questions.

Okay, I'll read the guide! Do you have a suggested mic and an audio interface? I'm still a little confused about all of this haha. I am just trying to buy the right thing for me, I'm a test-before-you-buy kind of person and since I can't with this, I'm a little anxious to make the leap. I'm not looking for a super expensive mic, maybe about $150, I'm not sure if that's reasonable.

[The Flying Sloth]

11 hours ago, ScandalSavage said:

Okay, I'll read the guide! Do you have a suggested mic and an audio interface? I'm still a little confused about all of this haha. I am just trying to buy the right thing for me, I'm a test-before-you-buy kind of person and since I can't with this, I'm a little anxious to make the leap. I'm not looking for a super expensive mic, maybe about $150, I'm not sure if that's reasonable.

Of course that's reasonable. If you want to continue upgrading in future the UMC202HD and Behringer C2 are a great combo well within your price range, if you just want to use XLR mics and don't care about headphones you can save a few bucks and get the UM2 interface instead, it's crazy cheap.

 

These are all listed in the gear section of that guide so so that people could read the description and decide on what they needed/wanted.