Since the pandemic, there has been rise in work from home culture as well as content creations. While many of work from home jobs don't require you to have a camera and microphone, content creation often require both. Where buying a camera is typically "you get what you pay", buying a microphone gets a bit more complex. To put that into perspective, there are just 3 major camera types(we're talking about reasonable budget here): Webcam, DSLR and Mirrorless. Webcam is best for regular office meetings and online classes, even livestreaming if you just started. On the other hand, DSLR and Mirrorless cameras are for more professional look and outdoor usage, like vlogs and music/skit videos.
But if you search microphone on any shopping sites then you will get all sorts of results with audio jargons like Lavalier mic, condenser mic, USB mic, XLR mic, shotgun mic, etc. I will not go in depth with all the available mics for 2 reasons, first, there are just way too many variety and it can overwhelm a beginner. Second, while I have a decent understanding of all these varieties, microphones are not my field of expertise.
So I will simplify all the mic varieties in 3 major categories that will cover all types users that are buying their first microphone.
- Lavalier Mic
- USB Mic
- XLR Mic
Before I start with the details of aforementioned types, I will also explain 2 major terms that are thrown with these mics: condenser and cardioid. Once again, these 2 terms deserve their own dedicated articles if you want to learn properly about them. But we are here for a beginner, so a summarized version should suffice. Condenser microphones are very sensitive about sound so they make ideal choice for vocals, also the ideal distance for them is typically 0.5-1 foot for best results, but they can pick up your voice from 3-5ft away as well, making them primary choice for streamers as well. If you are looking for a mic for stage performances then you should look into dynamic mics as they are less likely to pickup background noises and only work when you speak really close(like less than 4-5inches close).
Now what are cardioid mic? Cardioid is just a polar pattern, ie, the area/range around the mic that it'll pick audio from. Basically you need to be directly in front face of the mic for best results with cardioid mic. So if you have AC running in your room or the fans of your laptop/desktop are producing some noise, then positioning your mic between you and the source of noise will reduce the noise in recording. Technically one can remove constant noises from recording later so cardioid mics become more useful in calls and livestreams. And now let's move to the 3 major mic categories I mentioned.
Lavalier Mic/Collar Mic
These are best suited for outdoor recordings(mainly vlogs) where you keep moving the camera. They are also used indoor for interviews where you don't want to show a giant mic on video. You typically clip them to the collar of your shirt or around the chest area of your clothing so that audio levels stay the same even if the camera or person moves. Another reason that makes Lav mics extremely popular is their starting price. You can easily get a decent Lav mic under ₹1000 in India, in fact there are now options under ₹500 that aren't bad.
USB Mic
These are more popular among PC gamers and streamers. You mount them on a mic arm and position them somewhere that they don't interfere with your view of the monitor and your keyboard and mouse. Also USB mics are typically bigger in size so that they can house better quality diaphragm resulting in a better quality audio. Yes they are a bit more expensive when compared to Lav mics but there are still affordable USB mics that can rival the quality of mics used in smaller music studios.
XLR Mic
XLR and USB mics are typically identical in features and functions except for the connector type. XLR is actually a connector just like USB except you won't see a XLR port on your PC. You need an audio interface to use these. So why would anyone buy these over USB mic? Because XLR mic may not offer any obvious advantage over USB mic on its own but once a decent audio interface comes into play, it opens a whole new set of applications. There is a misconception that you cannot use multiple USB mics at once, actually you can but an average user cannot figure the way as there is no simple workaround. Audio interfaces are often recognized as dual channel or multi channel device on PC. On top of that, bigger brands offer their own software that make it easier to work with multiple mics/inputs at once. So they are better choice of podcast type scenario and professional recording usage.
So to summarize these mic types: if you want something easy to use, plug and play, look into lavalier mic and USB condenser/dynamic mic. But if you are starting a studio, look into XLR mics. Lavalier mics typically use 3.5mm jack, so they are compatible with more devices, making them sort of multipurpose mic type. USB mics are best suited for desk use.
Assuming you understood what I tried to explain, let's move onto some important FAQ.
Are there noise cancelling mics?
Technically, sort of. I have mentioned dynamic mics, they can reduce certain noise if setup correctly. If another person is shouting just 2-4ft away from you, no mic or trick will remove it. Dynamic mics are often a bit more expensive than regular condenser mic. So if you have a PC with dedicated Graphics card, both NVIDIA and AMD GPUs offer AI noise cancelling in their software.
Do I really need expensive mic to record professional sounding YouTube videos?
No. Brands like Shure, Rode and Sennheiser are global brands and tried by many, so people often recommend them over smaller brands that may be available only in your country or your neighbouring countries. Good recording depends a lot more on room noise level and a little bit of post processing(editing). In India you can get USB microphones from brands like Maono and FIfine under ₹3000 and still sound good. Take my friend FANG 73 for example, he is using Maono PM461TR mic for his YouTube channel that costed him around ₹2000 on sale.
Do I need mic arm for good recording?
No. EthosLab is one of the oldest(not his age, his channel's age) Minecraft YouTuber and highly respected Mincrafter. He uses tissue paper box as his mic stand. Yes it will help a bit to have a mic arm with shock mount if you accidentally or intentionally hit your desk a lot during recording, but not a "requirement".
Are USB/XLR mic better than Lavalier mic?
If you record in one spot, like gamers, streamers. podcasters, then yes, you can find better sounding mics in budget. I'm not saying Lav mics can't sound good, DJI is probably the most popular wireless lav mic brand used by biggest youtubers. But they are a lot more expensive when compared to starting price of decent sounding XLR and USB mics.
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