Amongst the creative content scene of YouTube and Twitch people tend to lean towards two main types of microphone devices, USB and XLR, each holding their own advantages and disadvantages.
The USB devices are very simple to setup, you can directly connect from them straight to your computer or the compatible system you want to record the audio with, where as with an XLR microphone you will also need a mixer suitable for the device.
If voice changing is something that you may be into, or want to use as an entertainment feature of your content, then you may want to opt for an XLR microphone as they are compatible with numerous different voice changing devices.
Mixers, or mix amps as they are sometimes referred to, can be incredibly powerful tools. You can get mixers that have very simple and limited options, whereas others are more advanced with many adjustable settings that will improve your audio quality.
Because XLR microphones use mixers and the audio isn’t undergoing any in device conversions or changes it typically frees up some room for improvements, upgrades and versatility.
With an XLR mic you have the option to upgrade not only the device itself, but also the mixer, and in most cases taking the mixer to the next level could actually do more for your audio quality than upgrading the mic you’re using.
The downside of using these mixer devices is that they can be fairly complicated, with numerous different knobs and switches to play with. Getting your audio to sound the way you want it can be a hassle and is why many make the choice of using a USB device, for their simplicity.
Condenser vs Dynamic Mics
There are two main blanket categories of microphones that are commonly used throughout YouTube and Twitch; dynamic and condenser. Dynamic microphones don’t tend to require any power to the device, however with that are also generally quieter than condensers.
Microphones will always perform better in well acoustically treated rooms or studio like environments. Generally a dynamic microphone does a better job in situations where there may be a little more background noise. This is because they aren’t as sensitive and work best with the audio coming from directly in front of the device.
If you are using a condenser XLR mic you will need what is known as phantom power to be received for it to function and is something you should keep in mind when choosing your mixer. A mixer that supports phantom power should have a button on it that allows you to turn on or off the setting so you can use the one device with both condenser and dynamic microphones if you need to switch between the two at any time.
Condenser mics tend to give clear, loud and detailed vocals, however with this the device also picks up more sound from a distance. If you plan on making YouTube content or streaming on Twitch from a quiet location with little to no external noise factors then condenser mics may be better for you. However if there is some humming or noise originating from the devices around it then a dynamic microphone can play a good part in removing or reducing the excess audio.
If you already have or plan on using a dynamic microphone with a device that offers phantom power than you may want to take full use of the mixer’s capabilities by adding a mic activator to it, a popular example is the Cloudlifter CL-1. The cloudlifter provides dynamic microphones with a clean gain through the use of phantom power without allowing that power to pass through it to the microphone.
Shure SM7B
If you listen to a lot of podcasts or watch a lot of YouTube videos and Twitch streams, then it’s very possible that you have heard the crisp quality of a Shure SM7B. The SM7B is a dynamic microphone and it uses a cardioid polar pattern to reduce the effects that surrounding sounds have on your audio. The device is carefully designed with electromagnetic shielding to help keep out the sound of surrounding technology that will often be in your vicinity when recording audio.
Rode Procaster
The Rode Procaster is a professionally graded dynamic microphone that offers audio quality at a broadcast level. It deters sounds from behind the mic due to its cardioid polar pattern, which only aids in its quality sound recording. A cool extra feature that the Procaster has is the internal pop-filter to reduce the sounds of popping words and letters.
Shure MV7
The Shure MV7 is a dynamic microphone with both XLR and USB outputs, designed with content creation in mind. The MV7 fits in nicely as an all-around microphone, good for streaming, podcasts, and general PC use. Aesthetically the MV7 has a clean design and will look great on stream and video. While the MV7 is inspired by the Shure SM7B, it doesn’t provide the low boom sound that the SM7B is renowned for.
AT2035
The first condenser microphone on the list is the AT2035 by Audio Technica, it aims to create natural smooth sounds due to its rather large diaphragm. Like many other microphones the AT2035 uses a cardioid pattern to eliminate those pesky sounds that may come from behind the device. Included with the product is a shock mount that fits neatly on the AT2035 and helps reduce excess noise from movement and can be rather useful when attached to a scissor arm.
Electro Voice RE20
On the more pricey end of the spectrum we have the RE20 by Electro Voice, which has built a much deserved high reputation over the years. It is a professional microphone and made with an internal shock-mount and pop filter to maximise the quality of close vocal work. The device uses dynamic element and works great for vocals. All of the hardware is housed in a premium sturdy steel and is ideal for streaming and podcasting.
Blue Ember
The Ember by Blue microphones is a cheaper XLR device, however it performs well delivering clean detailed audio with a premium aesthetic look. It runs off +48V DC Phantom Power to make sure it picks up high amounts of detail, and is more than capable of holding its own on stream or video. The audio you receive from this device is impressive, but if you’re looking to sit close to this mic for streaming or gaming you may want to invest in a pop filter to remove the harsh sounding plosives.
Electro Voice RE320
Moving back to dynamic element devices the RE320 is seen as the little brother of the previously mentioned RE20, and is another very sturdy steel cased microphone, except it has a more aesthetically pleasing black finish. The RE320 boasts 2 frequency response options referred to as the general curves, for vocals, and the kick curves, for instruments.
