Microphone purchase advice

[Winxieboo]

Hello, I wanted to buy a good "entry level" microphone for personal use. I do not know much about them, and my knowledge is limited to what I have read on the internet and the youtube videos and comparisons I have watched so far.

Anyways, here are the options that I have come up with so far, and I am curious as to what do you guys think is the best, or if you can reccomend me more viable options for the budget that i have:

1) AudioTechnica AT2020 XLR + Focusrite scarlett solo preamp
2) AudioTechnica AT2020 USB 

3) Rode NT-USB

4) Rode NT1-A + Focusrite scarlett solo preamp (This one is a bit more expensive and I would rather not buy it if the difference wouldnt be so big compared to the others.

 

If Id have to describe my voice, it would be somewhere in the middle, not too high and not too low.

 

Everyone is reccomending to get an XLR microphone, but another one of my questions are, is it even needed, and how bad are they compared to USB versions?

 

Thanks a lot for your time :)

[.Apex.]

40 minutes ago, Winxieboo said:

Everyone is reccomending to get an XLR microphone, but another one of my questions are, is it even needed, and how bad are they compared to USB versions?

i also recommend the XLR option, it's not really "needed" but it is more consistent across different microphones in terms of quality, with the USB options it HEAVILY depends on the Preamp+DAC that is included with it, sometimes it's okay sometimes it's shit, you can't really know unless you check a demo of it, but with the Audio Interface option you can get a pretty cheap mic and still sound so much better than most of the USB options.

 

also you can go cheaper than the Focusrite Scarlett if you want.
 

check out 4:44

[xtroria]

XLR mics arent the most convenient thing in the world but you can buy really good XLR mics for much less compared to really good usb mic

 

some people use shure sm58 which is just straight out a live concert grade mic and it doesnt cost more than 150