Headset/Mic recommendations

BensonBot · Post by **BensonBot** » July 28th, 2020, 10:30 am

Hi, all,

After toying with the idea for a while, I’d like to start recording. I’m a big listener to LibriVox, and I’m excited to be a part of it!
I’m going to pick up a headset/mic combo to do so with; would anyone have recommendations? I’d like something good, in case I want to use it for other voice recording, so if necessary can put a bit of money towards it, although not a ton.
Any suggestions?

Thanks, BB

schrm · Post by **schrm** » July 29th, 2020, 6:20 am

BensonBot wrote: ↑July 28th, 2020, 10:30 am Hi, all,

After toying with the idea for a while, I’d like to start recording. I’m a big listener to LibriVox, and I’m excited to be a part of it!
I’m going to pick up a headset/mic combo to do so with; would anyone have recommendations? I’d like something good, in case I want to use it for other voice recording, so if necessary can put a bit of money towards it, although not a ton.
Any suggestions?

Thanks, BB

hi,

in case you are looking for quality in the xlr cable area: all of the bigger names and some less bigger ones sell bundles (or called like sets or packs).
rode, behringer, audiotechnica, focusrite may be acceptable for most usecases; other bundles may be of interest, too.
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=78023

in case you are looking for a usb mic,
i cannot help in this area. but the big names, often heard are the yeti, blue snowball, and so on.
i recommend to use the forum search, as this is a topic, which is of interest often.
(and regarding the headphones, i honestly don't know.)

BensonBot · Post by **BensonBot** » July 29th, 2020, 7:50 am

hi,

in case you are looking for quality in the xlr cable area: all of the bigger names and some less bigger ones sell bundles (or called like sets or packs).
rode, behringer, audiotechnica, focusrite may be acceptable for most usecases; other bundles may be of interest, too.
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=78023

in case you are looking for a usb mic,
i cannot help in this area. but the big names, often heard are the yeti, blue snowball, and so on.
i recommend to use the forum search, as this is a topic, which is of interest often.
(and regarding the headphones, i honestly don't know.)
[/quote]

Thanks!

I hadn’t considered a standalone mic, tbh, but will have a gander at your suggestions — I’d been assuming a USB headset mic combo would do the trick, and might be more multi-useful for me right now and if I get into this then maybe look at more specific equipment, but since I’m new to this I’m happy to broaden my expectations!

I’ll do another forum search, too; I’d tried one but figured with shifting technology the more recent the post the better and then got a bit overwhelmed, and thought a fresh specified topic might be better.

Cheers,
- BB

schrm · Post by **schrm** » July 29th, 2020, 11:14 am

BensonBot wrote: ↑July 29th, 2020, 7:50 am Thanks!

I hadn’t considered a standalone mic, tbh, but will have a gander at your suggestions — I’d been assuming a USB headset mic combo would do the trick, and might be more multi-useful for me right now and if I get into this then maybe look at more specific equipment, but since I’m new to this I’m happy to broaden my expectations!

I’ll do another forum search, too; I’d tried one but figured with shifting technology the more recent the post the better and then got a bit overwhelmed, and thought a fresh specified topic might be better.

Cheers,
- BB

hey bb,

just as a remark: while it's discussed in a rather emotional way, but i'm not the religious type in this discussions.
i'm not way a professional..

just my two cents:
- with headsets, you will most likely hear a sort of delay.
(that's void for xlr setups, too).
- both setups (usb and xlr) can cost approximately the same for the same quality (or even better with usb) - but that's void above a certain pricetag, only. forum recommendation is a usb mic.
- you will need more place for an interface, when buying a xlr bundle.
- when you buy a headset, you will have both in one. some headsets bring rather ok mics with them, some don't. some have noisereduction built in - i do not recommend these.

the developement is not that fast in that area, and we as a sort of hobby-laymen-forum aren't, either.

maybe, some other forum members can help with more accurate and with up-to-date informations.

cheers,

commonsparrow3 · Post by **commonsparrow3** » July 29th, 2020, 1:35 pm

If you want to listen to samples of any mics you are considering, LibriVox has put together several "Microphone Showdowns", in which readers demonstrate the way different mics sound by reading short poems as tests.
Link is here: https://librivox.org/search?q=microphone%20showdown&search_form=advanced

BensonBot · Post by **BensonBot** » July 29th, 2020, 1:53 pm

commonsparrow3 wrote: ↑July 29th, 2020, 1:35 pm If you want to listen to samples of any mics you are considering, LibriVox has put together several "Microphone Showdowns", in which readers demonstrate the way different mics sound by reading short poems as tests.
Link is here: https://librivox.org/search?q=microphone%20showdown&search_form=advanced

Amazing!
Thank you!

Update: after some more research and conferring with a sound designer friend, I’m considering one of the Yetis — probably the Nano, although possibly the X.

DeniqueCoelum · Post by **DeniqueCoelum** » July 30th, 2020, 1:37 pm

I use a Blue Snowball iCE USB mic with a mic pop filter. The microphone is a great piece of kit - if anything a little too sensitive, as it picks up the most distant of background noises. I clean up the audio using Cyberlink Audio Director 8. In my experience that combination produces crystal clear audio.