Get the Right Microphone the First Time – What to Look for in a Microphone
Whether you’re starting your first podcast, running a short film or podcast, telling your YouTube subscribers about the latest trends, or running a program for your local volunteer radio station from your living room, you need a microphone that will bring your voice to your listener with clarity and warmth, Audio is super important. It isn’t going to ruin your short film or podcast and plenty of great content is made using just the microphone built into your smartphone, but having great sound can really take your project up to the next level. The problem is trying to figure out which microphone is best for you, this article will be very helpful in choosing the right microphone for you.
What are the different kinds of microphones?
Once you know what you’re trying to record, we can get into the good stuff. The gritty details can be a little confusing if you’ve never encountered the terminology before. There are two main kinds of microphones (there are others but these are the ones you’ll usually come across unless you’re spending thousands).
Dynamic
The first kind of microphone is a dynamic microphone. If you picture the mic that a singer or even your favorite comedian uses on stage, you’re most likely picturing a dynamic microphone. These microphones do great in noisy environments. They have a small coil on the inside that’s sensitive to sound vibrations. As the soundwaves move the coil it gets converted into an electrical signal that can be recorded. You can use these to record a performer on stage, if you’re interviewing someone on the street, or even a guitar or drum kick.
The grille is easy to remove and replace if it becomes damaged.
These are also great for all of these environments because the magnets and coil inside of dynamic mics are a little more durable compared to other microphones. They’re not exactly rugged, but for the most part they can take a beating without getting completely destroyed. Most people recommend the Shure SM58, as it’s a pretty tough and versatile microphone that works well whether you’re on location or recording at your desk. Plus, it’s only $100.
If you like the idea of a dynamic mic and want something a little higher up on the spectrum, the Telefunken M80 Dynamic microphone is another great pick—in fact, it’s the microphone of choice for our executive editor Chris Thomas. Just know if you decide to follow his lead, you should probably also invest in this Cloudlifter preamp to help power it.
Condenser
The other type of popular microphone type is a condenser. This works slightly differently and uses capacitor plates instead of a coil and magnets. It’s easy to go further down the technical rabbit hole, but the practical thing you need to know is that condenser mics are more sensitive to smaller vibrations than dynamic mics. Where dynamic mics are fine to use with bass drums and guitars, condensers are not. You’ll want to use these if you’re trying to pick up the subtleties in a voice like for example when recording a podcast or a singer in a booth.
The use cases for condenser microphones are typically much more static than those of dynamic mics, mainly because capacitor plates are not as durable as magnets. The exception to this is shotgun microphones, which are the giant mics you see people holding on movie sets. Because they’re so sensitive to softer sounds, it’s worth the risk of carrying it around just to make sure you capture everything that the actress is saying.
If you’re looking for a solid all-around mic to use at home for vocals or string instruments, my personal mic of choice is the Rode NT1-A condenser mic which does a fairly good job with almost everything.
Condenser mics require a little more power than dynamic mics to power them, so you’ll need something that can provide phantom power to your mic, like an audio interface. Phantom power is also just a cool name for something that isn’t as cool as actual ghosts. All it means is that whatever you plug the microphone into has the ability to send +48V of power through the cable into the mic. Usually, this is found in audio interfaces or some portable recorders like the Zoom H5.
Tips and tricks
Knowing the ins and outs of a microphone is important if you’re serious about your craft, but knowing what everything means isn’t going to turn you into an audio engineer overnight. You need to mess up and then mess up again before you know exactly how each of these factors will affect your final product. Luckily, plenty of people (like myself) have messed up countless times and there are plenty of tips and tricks all over the internet so you don’t make the same mistakes we did.
Different Kinds of Microphone Available on Irukka Online
M7 Cardioid Condenser Microphone
Presonus M7 – Cardioid Condenser Microphone
PreSonus M7 Cardioid Condenser Mic is a versatile and affordable mic for vocals, guitar, podcasts, and more. This is the most mic for the least money. M7 is designed for musicians and performers who need great audio quality on a budget, the M7 is an ideal all-around recording solution for entry-level podcasters, singers, and musicians. The M7 boasts a warm frequency response that flatters the human voice. And thanks to the M7’s cardioid polar pattern, the M7 will brilliantly record the sounds you point it at, while downplaying the sounds you don’t. Last but not least, the M7 can rock hard when asked—its 134 dB of SPL handling lets it wrangle loud instruments like cracking snare drums or electric guitar amps worry-free—something more expensive mics can’t always do. A hard mount, carrying case, and 10-foot XLR cable round out the M7 package, so you’re good to start producing right out of the box!
M7 is an ideal all-around recording solution for entry-level podcasters, singers, and musicians.
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PreSonus PD-70 Broadcast Dynamic Microphone
Presonus PD-70 Broadcast Dynamic Microphone
Great-Sounding Mic for Podcasting, Streaming, Broadcast, and More with PD-70 Broadcast Dynamic Microphone. When your voice needs to be heard Whether you’re starting your first podcast, telling your YouTube subscribers about the latest trends, or running a program for your local volunteer radio station from your living room, you need a microphone that will bring your voice to your listener with clarity and warmth. The PD-70 is built to capture the spoken word cleanly and clearly while eliminating mechanical noise and breathiness that can get between you and your audience. Thanks to superior off-axis rejection, you can set up your broadcast studio in just about any space—and unwanted reverberance, electrical hum, and the random car driving by will be left behind, leaving only the pristine, natural sound of your voice.
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PX-1: Large Diaphragm Cardioid Condenser Microphone
Presonus PX-1 Large Diaphragm Cardioid Condenser Microphone
The PreSonus PX–1 is a large-diaphragm condenser microphone that’s designed for performers. This affordable microphone is very versatile and can handle applications from recording vocals, acoustic instruments, and podcasts. Designed for musicians and performers who demand outstanding audio quality, the PreSonus PX-1 cardioid condenser microphone is an ideal solution for recording vocals, guitar, podcasts, and much more. A true large-diaphragm condenser microphone, the PX-1 features a 25mm, gold-sputtered capsule designed to provide exceptional clarity throughout its frequency response range. Rugged construction and top-quality performance specifications make the PX-1 large diaphragm microphone an excellent addition for any home recording or streaming studio.
Reliable Mic for Vocals, Guitar, and More
PreSonus Revelator USB Microphone
Presonus Revelator, Professional USB microphone for streaming, podcasting, gaming, and more.
More than a microphone, PreSonus Revelator features voice effects to polish your sound—or completely transform it! Professionally crafted presets to make your voice stand out at the press of a button, thanks to the same award-winning sonic enhancement our StudioLive digital mixers provide. PreSonus Revelator is a professional USB microphone for streaming, podcasting, gaming, and more. PreSonus Revelator is more than a USB microphone.
PreSonus Revelator: Professional USB microphone for streaming, podcasting, gaming, and more.
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PreSonus PRM1 Precision Reference Microphone
The PreSonus PRM1 Precision Reference Microphone is a special type of microphone that provides an accurate reproduction of a room’s sound characteristics for use with audio-analysis tools. It employs a ¼”, pre-polarized electret-condenser capsule with an omnidirectional polar pattern, which allows the microphone to measure reflections, as well as direct signals up to 132 dB SPL. The PRM1 has an all-metal chassis and comes with a clip, foam windscreen, and hard case.
PreSonus PRM1: Precision Reference Microphone
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What if I’m working from home, not recording?
Due to the new and awful reality we’ve all lived in for the last year, there’s a whole a new market for audio device: locked down people who want to sound better over Zoom. If you’re new to working from home, you’ve probably noticed that your AirPods microphone or the one built-in to your laptop sounds pretty rough. However, a lot of what we’ve covered in this post may seem like overkill—in truth, it is. Video and voice chat apps compress your audio as it moves across the series of tubes that is the internet, making the benefits of a pristine audio setup more or less moot, after a certain point at least.
If you’re looking for something that will strikes the right balance of ease of use and noticeable improvement, the USB microphones we mentioned are probably the best option. If even that is a little daunting to you, even a decent gaming headset will make a big difference.
