
- #BEST EXTERNAL MICROPHONE FOR MAC HOW TO#
- #BEST EXTERNAL MICROPHONE FOR MAC PLUS#
- #BEST EXTERNAL MICROPHONE FOR MAC PROFESSIONAL#
At the front, a tiny volume control for the headphones surrounds a handy mute button.Īudio wise, the Meteor is very sensitive, so you’ll need to ratchet down the gain in your streaming or recording app to get the best results.
#BEST EXTERNAL MICROPHONE FOR MAC PLUS#
At the back there’s a mini-USB socket to connect the mic to your computer, plus a headphone out for monitoring the audio. The design is practical, too, with the three legs of the built-in tripod stand folding flush against the mic for travel. The all-metal construction and chrome finish give the Meteor a classic 1950s style, and it feels every bit as solid as it looks. There’s a lot to like about Samson’s USB mic, starting with the way it looks. Blue Snowball iCE: The best USB microphone under £50 READ NEXT: The best webcams for streaming and video chat The best USB microphones 1. Most of the mics below will work with a wide range of mounts and stands, but some are trickier than others. These don’t have to cost a fortune and can make a real difference while recording. If you’re getting serious about streaming or podcasts, you might also want to use a shock mount, which isolates the mic from any mechanical noise transmitted through the stand or desktop, or a studio arm stand or boom arm to get it off the desk and nearer your face. It’s even better if this has its own volume control and the mic has a physical gain adjustment. Some mics also have a headphone output, so that you can monitor the audio with zero delay. Some kind of stand is a definite plus, along with features to prevent ‘pop’ – the sound you get when fast, percussive syllables hit the microphone, particularly Ps and Bs. While they have an impact on the sound the mic will capture, mics are well known for having more important qualities that you can’t tie down to a number. In any case, take all the specs with a pinch of salt. Most mics now offer a decent range, and it’s unlikely you’ll be recording really deep sub-bass on a USB mic. However, USB mics tend to stop at a CD quality 16-bit/48kHz.Īs for frequency response, this just covers the frequencies the mic can capture, from, say, 30Hz at the bass end to 18kHz at the treble. 24-bit/96kHz is the gold standard for audio recording, meaning it can capture a 24-bit sample 96,000 times per second, which matches today’s high-resolution audio formats. Because USB mics have to convert an analogue signal into a digital signal, they have to sample the sound many thousands of times per second, and with a specific bit rate or resolution. Most of the USB mics designed for podcasting and streaming will have a cardioid pattern, but you’ll also find some omni-directionals and some that combine an array of mics with digital signal processing to give you a choice.įinally, you might want to check out the sample rate and the frequency response.

There are even mics with stereo patterns, designed to capture a stereo spread for recording ambient sound or music. For vocals or speech, you generally want a cardioid pattern, where the mic’s most sensitive at the front and least sensitive at the back, but you’ll also find omnidirectional mics, which are sensitive to sounds from all around, and mics with bi-directional patterns, which are great for recording interviews. This describes the area around the microphone that’s most sensitive to picking up sound. What really matters is that while dynamic mics are great for recording really loud sounds, condenser mics are fantastic at picking up detail. Condenser mics use a lightweight membrane suspended by a fixed plate to pick up the sound, while dynamic mics use a wire coil.

While there are several different types of microphone that you’d find in a recording studio or a conference room, USB mics generally fit into just two categories.
#BEST EXTERNAL MICROPHONE FOR MAC HOW TO#
How to buy the best USB microphone for you What should you look for in a USB microphone? You don’t have to splash out huge amounts of cash to get something good.
#BEST EXTERNAL MICROPHONE FOR MAC PROFESSIONAL#
They’re easy to use – just plug the cable into a USB port – and more forgiving than some professional mics. They’ll record professional-quality audio for streams and podcasts, and – for music – cover your home demos or even your next SoundCloud hit.

They’ll be tuned to make your voice sound better. They’re bigger, more sensitive and can be placed nearer your mouth. Best vlogging camera 2021: Make your mark on YouTube, Instagram, Twitch and TikTokĪ USB microphone fixes this.
