Microphone suggestions for PC please

[Arixl]

I will be doing a lot of zoom calls for freelance work, and I'm wanting a more professional sound. I would like to do this by not having a headset/earbuds. What would be a clear microphone which I can play my speakers at the same time without the microphone picking up sound; creating an audio loop if i'm in zoom or discord, or sound like an earth quake while i'm typing.

 

 

I am heavily leaning towards USB microphones as it's just plug in and go. I can maybe fuss around with some settings and that's it, my budget isn't very high (<$300), as long as it sounds clear and it's not picking up my speakers. I'll likely need pop filters and a boom arm, and that's okay, the prices seem very reasonable on amazon for those items.

 

 

Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated 

[Dave Andre]

hi there,

I am doing music production since years, so here's some advice.

1. Make sure to select a Mic which does only pick up sound from one direction. ( "Cardioid" Polar Pattern / Directivity )
2. Both, your Speakers and Mic, should point to the same direction - if the Mic points towards the Speakers ( or if you use a Mic with Omnidirectional or Figure-of-eight Polar Pattern ) you very likely get Audio Feedback Loops.
3. Consider small capsules over large ones. Larger Capsule = More Sensitivity = More likely Audio Feedback Loops.
4. install a Software Equalizer on your system - if you get Audio Loops, play around with the higher frequencies, turn them down until the feedback stops.

This one is a cheap USB Mic with Cardioic polar Pattern:
https://www.thomann.de/intl/the_t.bone_sc_420_usb_desktop_set.htm

 

Thomann also is pretty nice when it comes to test stuff and send it back if it doesn't fit your needs.

There are also Headset-Like Microphones ( without Headphones - just the Mic ) which are very small, but they get expensive if you want good quality.

 

[Arixl]

1 hour ago, Akira Kotuza said:

hi there,

I am doing music production since years, so here's some advice.

1. Make sure to select a Mic which does only pick up sound from one direction. ( "Cardioid" Polar Pattern / Directivity )
2. Both, your Speakers and Mic, should point to the same direction - if the Mic points towards the Speakers ( or if you use a Mic with Omnidirectional or Figure-of-eight Polar Pattern ) you very likely get Audio Feedback Loops.
3. Consider small capsules over large ones. Larger Capsule = More Sensitivity = More likely Audio Feedback Loops.
4. install a Software Equalizer on your system - if you get Audio Loops, play around with the higher frequencies, turn them down until the feedback stops.

This one is a cheap USB Mic with Cardioic polar Pattern:
https://www.thomann.de/intl/the_t.bone_sc_420_usb_desktop_set.htm

 

Thomann also is pretty nice when it comes to test stuff and send it back if it doesn't fit your needs.

There are also Headset-Like Microphones ( without Headphones - just the Mic ) which are very small, but they get expensive if you want good quality.

 

So after a little bit a research into the microphone t.bone sc 420 USB it seems VERY sensitive if you look at this video time stamps 12:25 you can hear him from the other side of the room and also at 14:57 when he types it's pretty loud i can only assume if he had sound coming from his speakers it would feed right back into the microphone 

 

The video is in another language i couldn't find any in English sorry. 

 

[Dave Andre]

2 hours ago, Arixl said:

So after a little bit a research into the microphone t.bone sc 420 USB it seems VERY sensitive if you look at this video time stamps 12:25 you can hear him from the other side of the room and also at 14:57 when he types it's pretty loud i can only assume if he had sound coming from his speakers it would feed right back into the microphone 

 

The video is in another language i couldn't find any in English sorry. 

 

There you have it ... test before buy.
I can only give advice from my experience, I have not tested every mic out there
I guess it's a good idea to look out for a local dealer, and check with them what they have in stock and what maybe fits your needs, and if you can test it.

But there's another thing that comes to mind ... Even if the Mic is quiet and picks mostly the sound from your voice .. Everything what comes out of the speakers *might* get back into your Mic ( even if not generating feedback loops ) and then the listener on the other side will hear their voice twice. Their Original Voice as it is in their headset, and the second voice which comes from your setup but that one with a short time delay. This can be really annoying. So the Mic should have a Software Based "Noise Gate" - option. Or a push-to-talk button, but that usually only exists on headsets afaik.