USB Microphone for YouTube

[odrusso]

Does anyone know of a good USB microphone for YouTube commentaries and livestreams. I've been looking at the Blue Yeti and Snowball, which seem to be widely acclaimed. The Yeti is at the upper end of my budget, so preferably nothing over $200 USD. It doesn't strictly have to be USB, but I don't want to mess around with things like XLR and stuff. I guess a 3.5 microphone would also work :)

[Guest]

I would probably lean more toward the Blue Snowball. However you need to be wary because some of the Blue mics are overly sensitive meaning they can pickup everything and everything. I personally don't know of many alternatives given your reluctance to go into the realm of pro audio and its cabling standards.

[odrusso]

I would probably lean more toward the Blue Snowball. However you need to be wary because some of the Blue mics are overly sensitive meaning they can pickup everything and everything. I personally don't know of many alternatives given your reluctance to go into the realm of pro audio and its cabling standards.

From a price/proformance stand point, is pro audio a good idea? All of my thoughts relating to the field have been big scary expensive mixing boards and converters and such.

[Guest]

There's about 3 options that fit into your circumstances when it comes to pro audio, all of which are relatively cheap.

Option one is the most basic, consisting of a microphone in conjunction with a small format mixer. Your cheapest option for a mixer would be a Behringer Xenyx 502 - however Behringer isn't known for the greatest of mixing desks, they often have rather noise gain pots but are dirt cheap; one of these would run you about $45. Add $10-$20 for a cable, my preference is for hand made/DIY Canare cable with Neutrik connectors (Neutrik is the industry standard) however there are plenty of other options that are relatively cheap. Then comes the microphone itself - for vocals I as a habit either go with Shure or Sennhesier. Shure has their PG microphones, specifically the PG58 which would do you well, otherwise you can move up to the world renown industry standard SM58. These retail for about $130 new, but you can get them at about $60-$90 used which is perfectly fine.

Option 2 is slightly more complicated, it involves the Shure 2XU which is an XLR to USB adaptor kit retailing at $99 however price varies both by country and new vs used. You plug it between the mic and USB port and you're set.

The final option is a bit more expensive, using an audio interface via FireWire or USB. M-Audio and PreSonus both have offerings as do many others including those built around PCI cards but these normally start at around $200 (M Audio PCI, PreSonus AudioBoxUSB). As a bridge between mixers and audio interfaces, most Behringer desks as well as selected Soundcraft and Allen & Heath desks have USB connections to send and receive signals.

[odrusso]

There's about 3 options that fit into your circumstances when it comes to pro audio, all of which are relatively cheap.

Option one is the most basic, consisting of a microphone in conjunction with a small format mixer. Your cheapest option for a mixer would be a Behringer Xenyx 502 - however Behringer isn't known for the greatest of mixing desks, they often have rather noise gain pots but are dirt cheap; one of these would run you about $45. Add $10-$20 for a cable, my preference is for hand made/DIY Canare cable with Neutrik connectors (Neutrik is the industry standard) however there are plenty of other options that are relatively cheap. Then comes the microphone itself - for vocals I as a habit either go with Shure or Sennhesier. Shure has their PG microphones, specifically the PG58 which would do you well, otherwise you can move up to the world renown industry standard SM58. These retail for about $130 new, but you can get them at about $60-$90 used which is perfectly fine.

Option 2 is slightly more complicated, it involves the Shure 2XU which is an XLR to USB adaptor kit retailing at $99 however price varies both by country and new vs used. You plug it between the mic and USB port and you're set.

The final option is a bit more expensive, using an audio interface via FireWire or USB. M-Audio and PreSonus both have offerings as do many others including those built around PCI cards but these normally start at around $200 (M Audio PCI, PreSonus AudioBoxUSB). As a bridge between mixers and audio interfaces, most Behringer desks as well as selected Soundcraft and Allen & Heath desks have USB connections to send and receive signals.

The XLR to USB kit sounds easiest, because I'd rather have something set and forget, rather than a moving board and everything. But comparing the audio quality of something like that to a simple Blue Snowball/Yeti, can you hear the difference? That's really the biggest reason to keep it simple :)

[Guest]

There's about 3 options that fit into your circumstances when it comes to pro audio, all of which are relatively cheap.

Option one is the most basic, consisting of a microphone in conjunction with a small format mixer. Your cheapest option for a mixer would be a Behringer Xenyx 502 - however Behringer isn't known for the greatest of mixing desks, they often have rather noise gain pots but are dirt cheap; one of these would run you about $45. Add $10-$20 for a cable, my preference is for hand made/DIY Canare cable with Neutrik connectors (Neutrik is the industry standard) however there are plenty of other options that are relatively cheap. Then comes the microphone itself - for vocals I as a habit either go with Shure or Sennhesier. Shure has their PG microphones, specifically the PG58 which would do you well, otherwise you can move up to the world renown industry standard SM58. These retail for about $130 new, but you can get them at about $60-$90 used which is perfectly fine.

Option 2 is slightly more complicated, it involves the Shure 2XU which is an XLR to USB adaptor kit retailing at $99 however price varies both by country and new vs used. You plug it between the mic and USB port and you're set.

The final option is a bit more expensive, using an audio interface via FireWire or USB. M-Audio and PreSonus both have offerings as do many others including those built around PCI cards but these normally start at around $200 (M Audio PCI, PreSonus AudioBoxUSB). As a bridge between mixers and audio interfaces, most Behringer desks as well as selected Soundcraft and Allen & Heath desks have USB connections to send and receive signals.

I would just stick with a Blue Snowball. Unless you're doing work where the audio quality matters (music for example) then you won't really notice the difference.

[Beeble]

If you can spend a little more, the Blue Yeti is an awesome microphone, and definitely worth the upgrade over the snowball in my opinion.

[EChondo]

I might suggest getting a Blue Snowball AND a pop filter. At least with this it will minimize the pick ups of small noises if you set the microphone to only record sounds from the front.

[amas]

Don't forget the pop filter!

[odrusso]

I might suggest getting a Blue Snowball AND a pop filter. At least with this it will minimize the pick ups of small noises if you set the microphone to only record sounds from the front.

So I just google'd what Pop Filters are, and I have absolutely no idea where to get one/how to make one. I live in New Zealand, so I don't really have access to Amazon, NewEgg, NCIX and the likes. From the looks of them they are just mesh/foam on a stick, in front of the mic, so would it be easier to just make one? If I did, what kind of stuff would I need? :)

[Guest]

I might suggest getting a Blue Snowball AND a pop filter. At least with this it will minimize the pick ups of small noises if you set the microphone to only record sounds from the front.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Studio-Microphone-Mic-Wind-Screen-Pop-Filter-Mask-Shied-/271132717558?pt=US_Pro_Audio_Microphones&hash=item3f20c4f1f6#shId

Free shipping to NZ :)

[amcool11]

The cheapest USB microphone is Samson Go. It is very good microphone and it also has uni-directional.

http://www.samsontech.com/samson/products/microphones/usb-microphones/gomic/