I need to buy a microphone...

Mar 31, 2014

My office uses an old microphone and the sound is terrible.  I've been authorized to purchase new recording equipment, and I would appreciate some suggestions.  I just need a new microphone and headset.  I want something very easy to use and something that can help cancel out background noise. 

Thanks for your suggestions!

10 Replies
Travis Mitchell

I recommend the Snowball by Blue for recording microphones. It's not a headset/microphone combo, but it is an excellent microphone. I asked a studio recording professional which would be the best microphone for consumer recording and he recommend the Snowball to me. The best part? It's affordable at only about $100. 

Marty King

What is your budget? I just did the same thing. I spent http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/NT1AAnniv. It comes with a Pop filter and a shock mount. The preamp I purchased (allows me to use a Proaudio connection) is call CEntrance USB Mic http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MicPortPro/. It converts analog to digital and connects to a computer via USB. It has a headphone port but I use monitors.

Lu Post

Katie, I highly recommend the Samson Q1U that you can see here at Amazon. It's a simple USB microphone for under $50, but don't let the price sway you. I purchased my first one about 7 years ago and it still works awesomely. As I've grown my business and added developers, I've purchased 5 more and they have all been great. I believe the sound quality is just as good or better than what I get when I use a freelance narrator who uses a custom studio. I'm just glad they're continuing to be made. I purchased more expensive ones and even mini studios, but always go back to my Q1U.

Pedro Fernandez

I also highly recommend the Yeti and the Snowball from Blue Microphones, however I suggest you also invest in a Pop Filter for any microphone you purchase (softens those "P" sounds but also enforces the distance rule).  If you can afford it I also strongly recommend a suspension system for your microphone similar to one pictured at Amazon (links below)

Pop Filters -   http://amzn.to/1qWVugc

Suspension systems (reduces vibration related noise) -  http://amzn.to/1eqCDd7

You may also want to build a small box made out of compressed board and lined with foam (you can purchase all of this a craft store or your favorite big box home improvement store to reduce the ambient noise problems you always experience in an office (home or building).

A guide on building one of these boxes : http://bit.ly/1m2LXEa  and here: http://danhughes.net/podcasting/micbox.htm

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