USB Mic Suggestions

[Peter Why]

I was looking at the Amazon information on some of these microphones and saw a Fifine USB condenser microphone which seemed to have very good reviews .... at $30! Has anyone tried this mike?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XCKGLTP/ref=psdc_11974651_t2_B00KQPGRRE

Peter

[Algy Pug]

The FiFine is OK.

However, for those who could afford it I would suggest something like the following:
https://www.amazon.com/Marantz-Professional-MPM-1000U-Microphone-Podcasting/dp/B01GHOM67W/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1545173658&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=marantz+professional+mpm-1000+cardioid+condenser+microphone+usb

For a USB mic this has an amazingly quiet preamp.

The following unit also looks pretty good:
https://www.amazon.com/MXL-Mics-MXL-STUDIO-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B00684PYFS/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1545173983&sr=8-6&keywords=mxl+usb+microphone#customerReviews

[mightyfelix]

I use this mic, and I love it!

https://youtu.be/_GJVW06OeOM

(Samson Meteor Mic)

[Algy Pug]

Hi Devorah

It is always good if you really like the mic you use.

I acquired a Samson GoMic (little brother of the Meteor) some years ago and used it for a few recordings. Sample attached:
https://app.box.com/s/ffw17sl68htg8tkhqea5reium63be1pk

However, in the inevitable search for a quieter microphone - and one that had more bass - I upgraded to a better (and more expensive) setup.

The Samson Meteor does have a larger capsule than most inexpensive USB microphones and, accordingly, does have a better bass response.

By the way, I have listened to your presentations on audio editing. Great work.

Cheers

[Algy Pug]

Hi Devorah

It is always good if you really like the mic you use.

I acquired a Samson GoMic (little brother of the Meteor) some years ago and used it for a few recordings. Sample attached:
https://app.box.com/s/ffw17sl68htg8tkhqea5reium63be1pk

However, in the inevitable search for a quieter microphone - and one that had more bass - I upgraded to a better (and more expensive) setup.

The Samson Meteor does have a larger capsule than most inexpensive USB microphones and, accordingly, does have a better bass response.

Here is a video about the Meteor mic by my favourite reviewer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1_sAbTh_nw

By the way, I have listened to your presentations on audio editing. Great work!

Cheers

oops

[Algy Pug]

Hi Devorah

It is always good if you really like the mic you use.

I acquired a Samson GoMic (little brother of the Meteor) some years ago and used it for a few recordings. Sample attached:
https://app.box.com/s/ffw17sl68htg8tkhqea5reium63be1pk

However, in the inevitable search for a quieter microphone - and one that had more bass - I upgraded to a better (and more expensive) setup.

The Samson Meteor does have a larger capsule than most inexpensive USB microphones and, accordingly, does have a better bass response.

Here is a video about the Meteor mic by my favourite reviewer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1_sAbTh_nw

By the way, I have listened to your presentations on audio editing. Great work!

Cheers
[/quote]
[/quote]

[Algy Pug]

Another review of the Meteor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1006yW1jkKk

[lurcherlover]

(Late to the discussion, but...) Once you get a certain quality of microphone, it's not worth paying for the marginal increases you get at the top end of the market - the heavy MP3 compression will quickly eliminate any of the subtle nuances,

What constitutes top-end? Well, there's the rub. There's a lot of Yeti love round here though.

Yes, it's a pity that the files we upload (128kb mp3's) are further reduced in quality when they are finalised (they become 64kb mp3's). I know the reasons - it's to save space on the servers. It would be nice if some rich patron would donate some money so LV could have new servers which would mean that 128kb files, or better still 192kb files could be the new standard.

With regard to mic's - I do use very good mic's but even then, to enhance my voice slightly I have of late started to use EQ (Equalization, or EQ for short, means boosting or reducing (attenuating) the levels of different frequencies in a signal). I just slightly increase the range at 100Hz-200Hz by 3-4 dB which adds a little more smoothness so that the mp3 files sound a bit better.

I do have one mic where my voice sounds excellent (Sontronics Sigma) - which is an active ribbon mic, but it has an output transformer which picks up variable hum (no idea where from), and if I have to edit every silence between words to reduce the hum so it's inaudible, then editing time is vastly increased. So the use of EQ with excellent, but less flattering mic's is the quick remedy.

Hope this helps.

[Tulip27]

The Samson Q1U is also a dynamic USB microphone:
http://www.samsontech.com/samson/products/microphones/usb-microphones/q1u/
Like many Samson microphones this unit is noisy and also is not noted for its durability.

The Rode Podcaster is an excellent microphone - but may be a little expensive if you are on a tight budget.

Cheers

Actually, I've been using the Samson Q1U for at least 5 years now and is still going great. It's a bit noisy but not too bad at all. I am upgrading to an XLR microphone because USB microphones have notable limits, but I feel I have to defend my trusty microphone. If you are limited by knowledge, budget, mobility, or other reasons to a USB mic, you can do a lot worse than the Samson Q1U.

[mightyfelix]

Hi Devorah

It is always good if you really like the mic you use.

I acquired a Samson GoMic (little brother of the Meteor) some years ago and used it for a few recordings. Sample attached:
https://app.box.com/s/ffw17sl68htg8tkhqea5reium63be1pk

However, in the inevitable search for a quieter microphone - and one that had more bass - I upgraded to a better (and more expensive) setup.

The Samson Meteor does have a larger capsule than most inexpensive USB microphones and, accordingly, does have a better bass response.

By the way, I have listened to your presentations on audio editing. Great work.

Cheers

Aw, thanks!

I enjoyed listening to your sample. I suspect that more bass is a bit more important for your voice than it is for mine. I started volunteering here using a Logitech headset. It wasn't very comfortable, especially after 45 minutes or an hour of recording. Plus, I never felt completely confident that it wasn't getting bad plosives, because you can never be quite sure that it's positioned right in the sweet spot. And then all of a sudden, for no discernible reason, my computer suddenly stopped recognizing it, so I couldn't use it to record. My Meteor mic cost about twice as much, but is at least five times better.

[Algy Pug]

I started volunteering here using a Logitech headset. It wasn't very comfortable, especially after 45 minutes or an hour of recording. Plus, I never felt completely confident that it wasn't getting bad plosives, because you can never be quite sure that it's positioned right in the sweet spot. And then all of a sudden, for no discernible reason, my computer suddenly stopped recognizing it, so I couldn't use it to record. My Meteor mic cost about twice as much, but is at least five times better.

My first microphone was the celebrated Black Banana - the Logitech desktop wand microphone. Here is the first LV recording that I ever made:
https://app.box.com/s/kmcpebj38nnx2kegleyclnppduud7twi

Needless to say, I soon felt the urge to upgrade.

Ironically this microphone is still available but very much overpriced, when you consider that the much superior Samson GoMic can be purchased for about $35:
https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Desktop-Microphone-Black-Silver/dp/B00009EHJV

Cheers

[commonsparrow3]

My first microphone was the celebrated Black Banana - the Logitech desktop wand microphone.
Needless to say, I soon felt the urge to upgrade.
Ironically this microphone is still available but very much overpriced, when you consider that the much superior Samson GoMic can be purchased for about $35:

The Logitech wand was my first mic, but I certainly didn't pay nearly $100 for it! What is Amazon thinking!? I got mine for five bucks at a garage sale. That seemed a fair price for it, given what it was. When I upgraded, it was to the indeed much superior GoMic. Its $35 price was about the top end of my budget, and a whole lotta LV experts pointed me towards that mic, and they were perfectly correct to do so. Best value for the money. I've had it nearly four years, and it works fine. For about a year, I was stuck doing my recording on an impossibly loud laptop, and the GoMic helped me cancel enough of the racket to make usable LV files until I could move to a quieter computer.