Absolute best quality microphone?

[legend8887]

I talk to my friends for hours on Skype and Steam with competitive shooters and such. I would like to know what you think the best quality microphone is for $200 or less. I was looking at the SL150, SL300, AT2020, Blue Spark and Blue Yeti to start.

[d3sl91]

I talk to my friends for hours on Skype and Steam with competitive shooters and such. I would like to know what you think the best quality microphone is for $200 or less. I was looking at the SL150, SL300, AT2020, Blue Spark and Blue Yeti to start.

I love my AT 2020.

 

When dealing with online, it's not going to matter "Too much" when it comes to the small details of these more professional mics. If you were recording, I would be more concerned. 

[shadowblitz3]

Ive only used a Blue Yeti and its graet

[Shalashaska]

AT2020USB

 

But honestly for just those tasks I'd just buy a Blue Snowball iCE and save a bunch of cash.

 

Bear in mind that as these are condenser microphones you get the advantage of being able to situate the microphone further away from your face but it will pick up other noises such as keystrokes and clicks, if you are OK with having a microphone in your face then perhaps consider a dynamic microphone such as the ATR 2100, it's again cheap, USB and actually sounds good for speech however you would need to buy a mic arm for it and have it close to your face ideally.

 

This dude is balls deep in the south but it shows of the ATR 2100 microphone very well, it's nice and bassy and honestly sounds great for the price.

[Silent_Xaxal]

The snowball is pretty good for your needs and comes in prices that are at or below a newly released game.

[MrGoat]

I just use a Blue snowball, cheap and sounds really good.

[Oscar]

Honestly? I use the modmic and the quality is amazing for skype, team speak what ever. Its also cheap so you can spend your money else where on other things! Unless you use speakers instead of headphones. That makes this message redundant. Bye bye

[Siddhesh]

I have Yeti. It picks up alot of background noise (I generally have my windows open). Spark is great! Go for the SL300 for a broadcasty feel. The Snowball is a great budget mic. Love it.

[BoredErica]

I have Yeti. It picks up alot of background noise (I generally have my windows open). Spark is great! Go for the SL300 for a broadcasty feel. The Snowball is a great budget mic. Love it.

Wait, based on that post you seem to be saying that the Spark does not pick up a lot of background noise? Aren't they both capable cardioid condenser microphones? I would've assumed they both pick up a ton of background noise.

[Siddhesh]

No no. The spark would as well. I meant that the sound quality on Spark is superior.

Every condensor mic is sensitive to noise.

[BoredErica]

No no. The spark would as well. I meant that the sound quality on Spark is superior.

Every condensor mic is sensitive to noise.

Ok, just checking. Maybe I should dig up Youtube vids on Spark. I heard one Yeti vs Yeti Pro comparison and the sound did seem noticeably better. Unsure if that's just the reader messing up or the mic is truly better. I think they are in the same price range as the Spark?

 

Sometimes condensers pick up too much background noise for a gamer, so they change the gain/Windows settings a whole lot so they have to speak close to it or loudly for the mic to register the voice, but cutting out the background noise... you think this has a negative effect on quality? 

While I'm piling on the mic questions, don't you think omnidirectional sounds better than cardioid? Obviously it is even more prone to picking up background noise, but in a studio environment that's not a problem so I would have thought all pros use omnidirectional.

[Siddhesh]

Ok, just checking. Maybe I should dig up Youtube vids on Spark. I heard one Yeti vs Yeti Pro comparison and the sound did seem noticeably better. Unsure if that's just the reader messing up or the mic is truly better. I think they are in the same price range as the Spark?

Sometimes condensers pick up too much background noise for a gamer, so they change the gain/Windows settings a whole lot so they have to speak close to it or loudly for the mic to register the voice, but cutting out the background noise... you think this has a negative effect on quality?

While I'm piling on the mic questions, don't you think omnidirectional sounds better than cardioid? Obviously it is even more prone to picking up background noise, but in a studio environment that's not a problem so I would have thought all pros use omnidirectional.

The pro is in the same price range as the spark.

As u scale up in price, law of diminishing returns kicks in.

[BoredErica]

The pro is in the same price range as the spark.

As u scale up in price, law of diminishing returns kicks in.

Yea...

I still agree with the others though... a modmic or Snowball is all the large majority of people need. After that, the way you use the microphone and your environment is just as large of a factor...