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One of the most important things that beginner YouTubers often overlook is audio quality and it seems that everybody is so concerned with how the video actually looks.
They invest a ton of money into a high-quality camera and then they forget to care about how the video sounds.
So I feel I could argue that audio quality could be even more important than video quality.
To get a good quality audio recording, it is essential to have a good microphone.
While buying a microphone, one should consider the following features in mind to have the best microphone for YouTube.
- It should have less directionality
- It should give a flat or tailored frequency response
- Should possess low Impedance
- Capable of handling noises
So today, I will introduce some cheap & awesome mic which you can use for Youtube commentary / Vlogging / Gaming, etc. We will also discuss its features & how it can be a great addition to your vlogging journey.
>>Read On: Step-by-Step guide to create a YouTube channel that rocks
Cheap Microphones For Youtube
Below are the best & cheap microphones for YouTube which I have personally used. I have discussed its important features along with its pros & cons.
After reading this, if you want to check out user reviews on Amazon, I have provided the links after each mic.
1. Blue Yeti USB Microphone
One of the most popular microphones out there is the Blue Yeti now right now. I actually got mine about a year ago from Amazon for just $89.
The Yeti has been a popular choice for thousands of users because it provides very professional sound quality. It has simple but useful settings and controls. It’s built is much better than most other mics at this price range.
The Yeti is what I use for almost all my voice-overs in my videos because it really doesn’t take a lot of effort to get good audio quality out of it.
I really love this stand that it comes with and the build quality is top-notch. But the only downside is that it is pretty large and heavy.
It has four different pattern settings which enable it to record all types of recording conveniently. So, it actually saves your money as you don’t have to carry multiple microphones.
So if you need something smaller, you might want to look towards something like the Go Mic. Other than that, this is probably one of the best microphones you’ll find for around a hundred dollars. Also, with the help of two 3.5 mm cable, you can connect it with cameras for vlogging purposes.
Features
- Simple controls for headphone volume, pattern selection, instant mute, and microphone gain.
- Tri-capsule array. It can record in any situation
- Multiple pattern selection mode – cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional & stereo modes.
- Gain control, mute button, zero-latency headphone output
- Perfect for vocals, musical instruments, podcasting, voiceovers, interviews, field recordings, conference calls
- Plug & play – Mac and PC compatible
- Unique positionable design
- Simple to set up on your computer
- Two-year limited warranty.
System Requirements
For PC:
- Windows 8, 7 & Vista
- XP Home Edition or XP Professional
- USB 1.1/2.0, 64 MB RAM (minimum)
For Macintosh:
- Mac OSX (10.4.11 or higher)
- USB 1.1/2.0, 64 MB RAM (minimum)
Pros
- Selectable pickup patterns
- Dynamic range is good.
- It has an excellent frequency response Records low noise
Cons
- It weighs more & has a large size
2. Blue Snowball iCE Condenser Microphone
We also get the manual, the tripod which is a plus and most importantly we get the microphone. This microphone is very similar to the regular snowball. They’re both USB and they both pick up cardioid.
The only difference with the snowball that it can also pick up patterns omnidirectional. If you’re only gonna do voice-overs or vocals or only one instrument and you want to save that extra $20, then go for iCE.
Talking about the mic, we do get standard threading to be able to connect a different mic stand or just to connect the one that comes with it, so having the tripod that’s gonna help you on the budget.
This microphone is a condenser microphone with only one condenser capsule. The regular snowball has two condenser capsule and the Yeti has three. And they are like the small microphones that are gonna pick a pattern from different places so that’s why the ice only having one could only pick up sound from in front of the mic.
Looking at the back of the microphone, we have the USB type B port and the good thing is you ever need to replace this cable, you can always use what’s commonly known as a printer cable.
And in front of the mic, we have the LED indicator which is gonna let you know when your microphone is ON. The microphone stands on a ball that’s gonna let you rotate it forward or backward. It does not go side by side.
The microphone itself does feel very sturdy. Both the snowball ice and the regular snowball have a recording resolution of 44.1 kHz at 16 bit compared to the Yeti at 48 kHz at 16 bit at that resolution.
We do get great sound and we do get the branding all around the microphone head. This microphone is a plugin play that means that you won’t need any drivers to get it going.
The only thing you need to do is just plug it into your computer or laptop and you’re ready to go. Overall this is a great USB microphone. You get a great quality sound for this price.
Features
- Record vocals, create podcasts and add narration to your home movies, Youtube or Vlogging.
- It provides crystal clear audio to recordings such as for Youtube.
- No drivers are needed to install. You can easily plug and play directly to your Mac or PC
- Custom condenser capsule offers crystal clear audio for Skype, messages, and FaceTime
- It provides desktop stand & USB cable.
System Requirements
For PC:
- Windows 8, 7 & Vista
- XP Home Edition or XP Professional
- USB 1.0 or 2.0, 64MB RAM (minimum)
For Macintosh:
- Mac OSX 10.4.6 or higher
- USB 1.0 or 2.0, 64MB RAM (minimum)
Pros
- Picks up the sound even 5 ft away (but quality may differ)
- It has a superb recording quality
- Light & easy to use
Cons
- No direct monitoring
3. Samson Go Mic Portable USB Condenser Microphone
Samson Go Mic is pretty cool. It has some metal body construction. It feels very good. In the box, other than the mic it comes with music creating software which probably is not that versatile but it’ll get you started and it also comes with your user manual.
My favorite part of any decent user manual is the page which shows the different settings and the frequency responses and the polar patterns. So the cardioid pattern which is more of a directional microphone you lose out on some of the frequencies and it ranges from 80 Hertz to 18 kHz
But if you use the omnidirectional setting, it will give you 20 Hz to 20 kHz. So by using the omnidirectional setting, it will allow you to pick up a little bit wider frequency range but it will also pick up more of the room noise because it is omnidirectional.
But the omnidirectional setting could be very useful if you are using this as a podcast mic. This mic actually has three settings the first one is the cardioid pattern, the second one is the cardioid pattern with a 10 dB pad and the third is the omnidirectional setting.
So I think the benefits of this mic are first off the portability, secondly, it seems like it’s built to last and third the versatility of it. The fact that it has three different settings.
Those three settings will allow you to cover any sort of situation that you come across whether it be recording a meeting, recording a podcast anything like that.
No matter how good this mic is, it’s not going to provide you with that professional podcast sound that you hear on comedy bang bang or Nerdist.
This is a mic to help you get up and running or if you’re trying to improve your Skype calls or record better audio for your gaming video something like that. This is a great option for them.
But, if you’re looking for professional podcast sound like comedy bang bang you’re not going to get it out of this mic. But for this price range, you can’t really argue. It’s a decent sounding mic for the cost and it has a bunch of benefits compared to those other mics.
Features
- Perfect for recording music, podcasting, Youtube commentary, and field recording
- Ideal for voice recognition software, iChat, VoIP and webcasting
- It has a custom compact design that clips to a laptop or sits on a desk
- No drivers are needed to install. You can easily plug and play directly to your Mac or PC
- It provides a frequency response of 20Hz – 18kHz and a resolution of 16-bit/44.1kHz which delivers a professional sound.
- Switchable cardioid and omni polar patterns
System Requirements
For PC:
- Windows 7 & Vista
- XP Home Edition or XP Professional
- USB 1.0 or 2.0, 64MB RAM (minimum)
For Macintosh:
- Mac OSX 10.4.6 or higher
- USB 1.0 or 2.0, 64MB RAM (minimum)
Pros
- Crisp sound.
- Light & easy to use.
- Provides a good carrying pouch & case.
- Omnidirectional, cardioid and -10dB pad make it really worth for your money.
Cons
- It only provides 1-2 credits per month
- Audible audiobooks are a bit expensive than other audiobook services
Conclusion – Good Microphone For Youtube
These are the affordable & best microphone for YouTube. The reason why I considered it because I & my friends have previously been a user of these mics.
Whether you are into YouTube commentary, vlogging, singing, recording music, gaming, these microphones are great choices to consider. You can also connect it with vlogging cameras as well.
Not only, it is integrated with many features to make your sound crystal clear but it is also cheap and a bang for your bucks.
So, whatever I have shared here is based on personal experience. If you still have doubt or are confused, you can check out user reviews on Amazon which will give you more insight into these products.
Anyways, I am eager to know your thoughts. You can give your feedback down below.
Great, this is what I was searching for in bing
Nice Article sir, Keep up the good work.
Read also: http://alltopics4u.com/top-5-microphones-gaming-tube-commentary/