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When you are podcasting you need to be very clear about what your audience is hearing from you, and if your audio tends to fade away after some time or it gets distracted from the point; the audience is likely going to lose interest in the same way. Hence, you need to be very focused on a good quality USB microphone that is very good for podcasting.
We have a list of the best USB microphones that are very suitable for podcasting purposes. You can have a look through the list and then you can go with the information that we have included after the list.
Here goes the list:
Table of Contents
Best USB Microphone for Podcasting
Blue Yeti
The mic needs no introduction from us for its already famous demand. Almost every podcasting person loves to have a Blue Yeti for the purpose. This is a plug-and-play device so you can instantly start recording through the mic without hassled installation.
Also Checkout: best cameras for podcasting
All you need to be careful about is the proper installation regarding the position of the mic. If that is correct then you are going to have an amazing experience recording your voice with Blue Yeti. You get audio controls for pause, headphone, mute, volume up and down, and so on. Technically speaking this is a bidirectional mic that can be used for producing powerful and clear sound for podcasting.
The mic weighs 1 kg 280 grams which is neither too heavy nor too light. For connecting you get USB ports and a headphone jack. The battery is a powerful Lithium-ion battery. The dimension of the mic remains 12.5 x 11.99 x 29.49 cm.
Pros:
- USB connectivity
- Good battery
- Clear sound recording
- Bidirectional pattern
- Headphone jack
- Audio settings
Cons:
- Heavier than usual mics
Audio-Technica AT2020USB PLUS
We have seen Various Singers all musicians using this mic for podcasting which means this mic delivers a studio perfect sound with a perfect sound. It comes with perfect articulation you get a headphone jack connection with a volume up and down control. A very interesting feature of this mike is the mix control which can blend your Mic with a pre-recorded audio.
The mind has a great cardioid pickup that allows the good off-axis rejection. You get a 3 years warranty for any manufacturing defect that you face with the mic. The mic comes with a 16.2 x 5.2 x cm dimension and 386 g weight. It has a plastic build which is solid and sturdy. Especially due to the cardioid pattern the mic focuses on the main source of the sound and records clear audio of the same.
Pros:
- Good battery
- Clear sound recording
- Cardioid pattern
- Headphone jack
- Audio settings
- 3 year’s warranty
- Mix control
- Lightweight
Cons:
- Almost none
Rode NT-USB
Again we are here with a very strong competitor for podcasting mic which is being widely used by numerous podcasters. The mic produces a very high-quality studio sound. If you are looking for a mic that comes with a tripod desk stand then you must look for this one which also has a Pop Shield and a Ring mount.
The mic comes with a 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack and that in turn gives you zero-latency monitoring. Again the direct mix control allows the blending of mic Input and source output. The USB connectivity adds to its versatility. The dimension of the mic is 6.2 x 5 x 18.4 cm, and it weighs 520 grams. All these features make it very suitable for a podcasting mic because it does not tend to pick up sounds from multiple directions; it becomes easier for the musician or artist to record the main source of the sound.
Pros:
- Clear sound recording
- Headphone jack
- Audio settings
- Tripod desk stand
- Ring mount
- Pop shield
- USB connection
- Lightweight
Cons:
- Almost none
Rode Podcaster
The mic has a wide acceptance by its users for podcasting. And that makes it even more suitable to include the mic in our list. This is a broadcasting cardioid mic. The mic has a 28mm dynamic capsule.
If you are looking for a mic with the superior off-axis rejection then you can definitely go with this one because it comes with a cardioid pattern. That obviously makes it a Priority that the mic directly focuses more on the subject or the main source of the sound. That makes it extremely versatile is the compatibility with Mac and Windows operating system and USB connection.
As a result, you are going to have a crystal clear sound record that does not distract your audience. A very powerful sound definitely makes justice to your effort and that is what you get with this mic. The mic weighs 655 g.
Pros:
- Good battery
- USB connection
- Clear sound recording
- Cardioid pattern
- Headphone jack
- Audio settings
- Mac and Windows compatible
Cons:
- Slightly heavier
Audio-Technica ATR 2100x-USB
Now we have a unique handheld dynamic digital microphone in the list with a USB output. This microphone is a handheld microphone with a headphone jack for direct monitoring. Since you can directly connect it to your PC or laptop or any other device, it is suitable for studio recordings as well as casual videos. You definitely have a choice to adjust the volumes the way you want. For very comfortable and portable usage the mic comes with the tripod desk stand.
With the cardioid pattern, you can be sure that this mic is not going to pick up sounds from other directions, focusing mainly on the subject. Though the mic comes with a 3 years manufacturer warranty it actually has a strong metal covering which makes it very durable in the long run. The dimension of the mic is 25.4 x 17.78 x 7.62 cm and it weighs 730 g.
Pros:
- USB connection
- Clear sound recording
- Cardioid pattern
- Headphone jack
- Audio settings
- Tripod desk stand
- 3 years warranty
- Metallic build
Cons:
- Slightly Heavier
Samson Meteor Mic
We have seen few podcasters facing problems because they want to record their audio on their system directly. And with Samson Meteor mic you will not have a problem anymore recording your audio directly on the system when it comes to a Home Studio. You can directly plug into your computer and start with your recording without any hassle or fuss through a USB input.
Do not expect this might compromise with the audio quality, because it comes with a cardioid pickup pattern and it is so expert in focusing on the subject or the main source of audio thereby blocking sounds from the background. You can control the volume of your own and it also comes with a headphone jack and a USB cable.
Pros:
- USB connection
- Clear sound recording
- Cardioid pattern
- Headphone jack
- Audio settings
- Lightweight
- Hassle free usage
- Allows direct recordings on the computer
Cons:
- Almost none
Blue Snowball iCE
This is a very famous podcasting mic used and reviewed by several podcasters time and again. It comes with a powerful sound record Technology that can record a crystal clear sound, doesn’t matter how you install it or how you use it as it is certified by trusted brands such as discord and Skype.
It basically comes from the cardioid pickup pattern that makes sure to focus on the main source for you rejecting the background noise efficiently. It also comes with a desktop stand to comfort the usage even more. Now the look of the mic is very interesting because it has a retro-style mic so it really looks very good when it catches the eyes of the viewers in the videos it comes with USB connectivity audio controls. Other than this the dimension of the mic is 16.3 x 16.3 x 24.1 cm and it weighs 0.1 grams
Pros:
- USB connection
- Clear sound recording
- Cardioid pattern
- Audio settings
- Extremely Lightweight
- Hassle free usage
- Allows direct recordings on the computer
Cons:
- Almost none
Samson Go Mic
Samson comes with an even more versatile option which is better than typical USB microphones for podcasting and it is Samson’s go mic. It is a very compactly designed microphone with some advanced functionalities which are worth the attention. This is a plug-and-play device that can directly get connected to your Mac or your PC and there are no particular drivers required for the purpose. It comes with a headphone output for low latency monitoring of the mic is 15.24 x 2.54 x 12.7 cm and it weighs 227 grams. The cardioid sound pickup pattern is Omnidirectional and records a very clear and powerful sound that impresses the audience.
Pros:
- USB connection
- Clear sound recording
- Cardioid pattern
- Audio settings
- Extremely Lightweight
- Hassle free usage
- Allows direct recordings on the computer
Cons:
- Almost none
So we are done with the list now and these were some selected microphones that can be exclusively suitable for your podcasting. And now we chose to move ahead with some additional information regarding different types of microphones for different requirements.
Not every type of microphone needs to be going to suit your needs. Because your purpose of podcasting could be completely different from other podcasters. Everybody has a separate and unique agenda of podcasting and your microphone needs to satisfy that particular agenda.
For example, You are a singer, and the mic you choose is good enough for other podcasters but it is not meant for singers. You can’t blame the mic because there is absolutely no fault of the mic there. Either you selected the wrong mic or you couldn’t choose a mic that is meant for singing.
The most important term is “Polar Pattern” for selecting a microphone.
- Polar pattern: A polar pattern of the mic is the direction from which the mic can pick up sound. It is the polar pattern that is responsible for the quality of your audio.
5 different types of Polar patterns:
- Cardioid: A cardioid mic focuses mainly on the front and sides of the capsule to record the audio.
- Hypercardioid: Hyper cardioid mics focus only on the subject that is presented in front of them. They block the background noise.
- Bi-Cardioid: Bi-Cardioid mic rejects sound coming from the sides.
- Super-Cardioid: Super cardioid mics lock the sounds coming from the sides and rear of the capsule to focus on the front subject.
- Omnidirectional mics: Omnidirectional mics are capable of recording sounds from each and all directions around the capsule. That is why it is suggested to clip these mics upside down to avoid recordings of nasal exhalations.
6 Different types of microphones:
- Shotgun: A shotgun mic only focuses on the sound that comes directly in front of the capsule. It focuses on recording the sound at which it is focussed.
- Diaphragm Condenser: A large-diaphragm condenser is useful for studio recordings. They’re good for musical recordings or singers.
- Lavalier: Lavalier mic records sounds from all directions. They come with Omnidirectional polar patterns. We often see television hosts wearing this mic for hosting. Check our recommended list here.
- Hand mics: A Hand microphone is held by a performer in hands or it is fixed at a stand on the stage.
- Parabolic mics: A parabolic mic records satellite sounds. It is used by space researchers.
- Boundary mics: A boundary microphone is meant to record sounds from all directions and is generally placed at the center of events or conferences.
Conclusion
We all know that there are DSLRs and good quality cameras that come with an inbuilt microphone. But these microphones are not going to record a crystal clear sound that directly focuses on the main source of audio thereby rejecting the background noise which is going to impress the audience in the correct way.
So, these were our picks for the best USB microphone for podcasting. If you have got some others in your mind, do let us know in the comments below.
