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Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 18 Oct 2017, 22:52
by Dolan
Hello frens Image,


I'm in the market for a new mic and was wondering which are your tools of choice for voice broadcasting/streaming/conferencing/other bs, or just voice chatting on skype/discord


Let's hear it.

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 18 Oct 2017, 22:53
by fightinfrenchman
I use a Blue Yeti when streaming and when doing the podcast. I recently bought a pop filter for it but haven't gotten a chance to use it yet.

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 18 Oct 2017, 22:54
by Dolan
Do you use an audio interface with it? Or is it an USB mic.

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 18 Oct 2017, 23:00
by Durokan
It's USB and ready to use from the moment you plug it in. I use it as well and it's breddy gud.

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 18 Oct 2017, 23:01
by fightinfrenchman
Durokan wrote:It's USB and ready to use from the moment you plug it in. I use it as well and it's breddy gud.


Yesh! Pretty much the best you can get without having more complicated set up.

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 18 Oct 2017, 23:59
by Vinyanyérë
I also have a Blue Yeti which I purchased on recommendation from @fightinfrenchman . I can verify that it's a good mic.

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 19 Oct 2017, 06:40
by Cometk
don't buy a blue snowball

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 19 Oct 2017, 07:09
by evilcheadar
Cometk wrote:don't buy a blue snowball

What's wrong with them?

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 19 Oct 2017, 07:10
by Gendarme
I have a Trust Mico microphone. It's pretty damn good for its price ($35).

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 19 Oct 2017, 10:04
by Dolan
I'm really torn between going for an entry level pro mic like a Shure SM57 (yes, I know it's a mic for instruments mainly, but it can be used for vocals/podcasting too, even if it's a dynamic cardioid) and getting some basic USB 50-bucks plug-and-play mic.

Where does the dilemma come from?

Once you're going the XLR mic way, there's no turning back. It's not just the mic you have to buy. It's a whole ecosystem (and the autism that comes with it):

- an audio interface
- a microphone stand/support
- a mic holder
- an XLR cable
- an USB cable to connect the interface with teh PC
- pop filter/windshield

A good entry-level interface can cost about 130 bucks.
Let's say the mic is about 110.
A good mic stand goes for at least 50 bucks, but decent ones are actually closer to 90.
Cables cost a couple of tenners tops.

See where this is going?

Basically for decent sound quality you need to drop at least 300 bucks and have at least 4-5 shipments delivered to your house.

Now I understand why people get a blue yeti and just plug it in their PC.

Image

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 19 Oct 2017, 10:54
by kami_ryu
-- deleted post --

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 19 Oct 2017, 14:22
by Hidddy_
This my friend... is the struggle of any musician nowadays. The best sound quality does in fact come with a steep price. As for the mic, cable, and stand you can get a very decent quality bundle at guitar center for 100 bucks which includes a $60 Samson recording/performance mic. I was pleasantly surprised by this mic as it has better audio and recording quality than another one of my mics that cost $125. As for an audio interface you can get very good ones for the low if you know where to look. Used and refurbished sections in sam ash and guitar center are good for this, so are recording studio sales when they close or buy a ton of equipment and have to sell all their old equipment (they usually announce these in a newspaper or an ad in your local business reviewer). Alesis makes very decent entry level interfaces for about $100 and below iirc so you're about right on the prices for new interfaces. Though recording audio and mixing it is not as bad as people make it out to be as long as you know what you're doing. Also you don't necessarily need a pop filter for broadcasting imo. Speaking is not as volatile as singing and controlling your voice is much easier while talking. Its fairly simple to control your speaking voice and not cause any volume splices in the rec, also there is no reason why you should ever put your mouth on the mic, that is just gross.

Edit: I just noticed you're in Romania so some of these businesses may not be so familiar to you :P

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 19 Oct 2017, 19:33
by Dolan
No worries, I wasn't interested in making music or having a pro studio setup. Just wanted to have a decent mic, because in the past I used to aggress people with my WW2 submarine mic.

But being a nice guy is expensive. Image

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 21 Oct 2017, 21:26
by Dolan
I think I'm gonna go with just the basic mic and an XLR female to miniJack male cable, for now.

And get the audio interface and extra stuff later.

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 21 Nov 2017, 15:59
by Dolan
The experiment failed. The XLR to minijack cable is not enough to get sound out of the mic. It needs a lot of amplification to get some sound out of it. So without an interface, it's pretty much useless.

A sad day for science.

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 21 Nov 2017, 16:02
by gibson
I use a usb blue yeti

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 23 Nov 2017, 12:49
by Laurence Drake
I use an integrated microphone on my laptop. I'd give it a solid 6/10, 8/10 with rice.

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 23 Nov 2017, 12:55
by n0el
Dolan wrote:No worries, I wasn't interested in making music or having a pro studio setup.Image


And here was thinking you were going to record a mixtape

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 23 Nov 2017, 13:04
by sirmusket
Apple Earphones

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 23 Nov 2017, 13:17
by Dolan
n0el wrote:And here was thinking you were going to record a mixtape

I probably could. I could dust off my guitar skills and do a mix with some beats.

But most likely I'll use it for conferencing, VC in discord with some buddies and maybe some game casting. I also got a couple of plans to do some product reviews, that I put on the back burner for a while.

An audio interface can be useful in more ways, you can route your speakers through it and have a bit more amplification than you'd get from a basic PC DAC.

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 23 Nov 2017, 13:43
by crjensen4
I use an "audio technica at2020" which I have been very pleased with. It runs you 99 bucks on Amazon right now.

I have added a popfilter - cost me 5 bucks and use an old office lamp to hold it - you can get one for 10 bucks

So thats 113 bucks for what I considder great quality.

I use it to create e-leaning courses.

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 23 Nov 2017, 13:50
by Dolan
@crjensen4
How do you drive that AT? Converter box or audio interface? I think it needs phantom power.

Btw, this is the mic I got:
Image

And here is the cable XLR to jack (with a minijack adaptor) that I tried to use directly with my PC and it didn't work:

Image

Now I'm gonna go hunting for an audio interface.

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 23 Nov 2017, 14:30
by Hidddy_
You may not need an audio interface, make sure you plug the minijack into the microphone input rather than the speaker output. Also you can try using an xlr to USB cable and your computer should be able to pick up sound from it

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 23 Nov 2017, 14:31
by Hidddy_
You may not need an audio interface, make sure you plug the minijack into the microphone input rather than the speaker output. Also you can try using an xlr to USB cable and your computer should be able to pick up sound from it

Re: Alright.. Which mic are you using?

Posted: 23 Nov 2017, 14:35
by _LeGiT
Dunno bruh.
I‘ll just hit up the stu in my lambo get right in the booth. While dre puts on that sick beat in the background, I just drop dem bars with a big J in my hand.