YouTube is one of the largest social media platforms that millions of people are using to make a living. Due to its popularity, the platform has become quite competitive. You need to produce great YouTube videos with catchy content and great sound quality to grab the attention of your audience.
Whether you are recording a YouTube podcast, videotaping a show, or having a live interview, you need the best microphone for your YouTube videos to get your message across. Sound holds the power of attracting or distracting the audience. That is why using the best microphone is crucial to success.
In this article, we have reviewed the best microphones for YouTube videos. We have also talked about the things you should consider before buying a microphone so that you could make a knowledgeable decision.
The first thing you need to consider is the type of microphone to use for your YouTube videos. You should get a model that meets your recording needs the best. Your recording needs will vary based on the type of your content.
They will be different when recording music compared to when talking or live streaming. Dynamic and shotgun microphones go well with live recordings while condensers are more suitable for in-studio recordings.
The next thing you should factor in is your recording environment. You will need a different microphone for recording indoors compared to when recording outdoors.
Condensers are good for quiet environments such as studios with proper acoustic treatments. On the other hand, dynamics are suitable for noisy places where the volume level of your surroundings is not in your control.
Look for a product that offers quality yet stays within your budget. Good quality does not always come at a high price. There is a huge variety of microphones available in the market. Do a little research, you will find a quality product at a reasonable price soon.
If you are a beginner, it is recommended to start with low. Upgrade your gadget as your channel grows.
Below is the list of the best microphones to use for your YouTube videos.
Blue Yeti comes with a variety of features, which makes it suitable for different recording situations. It has been one of the favorite gadgets among YouTubers for years due to its affordability and usefulness.
It offers 4 polar patterns which are cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional, and stereo. It has a headphone jack that lets you monitor recordings without unnecessary delays. The Yeti also has a dial on the back that you can use to adjust gain levels.
Rode NT-USB has a fixed pattern, but it is still suitable for a variety of recording needs such as podcasting, gaming, etc.
Its design is compact and you can easily plug it into the computer without having a separate audio interface. The tripod helps in reducing the noise level. The two dials, one for volume control and the other for mix control, allow you to mix your voice with any computer audio easily.
Audio-Technica AT2035 comes with a free shock mount that provides it with protection from contact while it’s in use. This feature really helps in improving audio quality.
There is an 80Hz high-pass filter to reduce low sounds that you may otherwise reduce through audio editors. It has a fixed cardioid pattern so people may find it less versatile. But you should know that most of the high-priced microphones also have a fixed pattern.
Rode is an Australian brand that has been providing some of the best microphones for years now. Rode Procaster is its broadcast-quality microphone at a reasonable price. It is designed specifically for speech-driven mediums.
This dynamic cardioid mic has an internal shock mount and an internal pop filter. They are quite helpful in reducing noise, vibration, and p-pop. Its only downside is that it is power-hungry and requires extra gain.
Though Samson Go Mic has been in the market for 10 years now, it still offers useful features that people can take advantage of. It is easy to carry due to its small size which makes it suitable for traveling vloggers.
Aside from YouTube, you can use it for interviews, conference calls, podcasts, and online chats. It lacks a gain knob and does not offer top-notch audio quality. Still, it is considered best for its price.
Blue Yeti X is an updated version of the Blue Yeti with more features and a new look. It does not need a DSP which offers flexibility after recording. Four polar patterns make it versatile and suitable for several recording environments.
This four-capsule condenser microphone has a sturdy built-in desktop stand, but you can remove it to place it on a different stand. The internal damping is good enough to reduce noise, but people may still like using a filter for better results.
This omnidirectional lapel mic is very easy to use as it does not require any particular app or adaptors. You can simply attach it to your phone and start using it right away. Its sound quality is not that of a professional microphone, but it is still better than the quality of built-in microphones.
The lapel clip allows you to clip it on your shirt near your mouth to have a hands-free experience. You can use it for a number of devices such as iPhone, iPod, iPad, and all androids.
Audio-Technica ATR3350iS has a small structure that makes it easy to hide. It is a newscaster-style mic that you can carry around easily. It is more popularly used by dance and sports instructors. It comes with an adapter so you can easily connect it with an iOS device or Android.
Since it has an Omni pickup pattern, you will not have to hold or clip it in a particular direction. Its voice quality is not of a professional level, but it is still good for podcasts, interviews, etc. for the price.
Shure MV7 is a professional-level mic that offers plenty of valuable features. To get the most out of it, you will need to install the ShurePlus MOTIV app. This app allows you to change the recording modes and download updates which can make your recording experience quite better.
Its crisp sound makes it suitable for music for YouTube channels. It has a frequency range from 50Hz to 16kHz.
Rode VideoMic Pro+ has a shotgun-like style that captures voice from the front, meaning it is unidirectional. It is a great choice for travelers and photographers. It has three sensitivity and three high pass settings to help you adjust recordings.
Shure VP83F is a camera-mountable external microphone that is suitable for several recording settings. Its structure and other features make it more suitable to record YouTube videos.
The all-metal structure makes it sturdy and reliable. It has a microSDHC slot that you can use to record and send audio to your computer. An LCD screen shows different values such as filter status, battery life, gain level, and headphone volume.
Audio-Technica AT4053B has a shotgun design and produces professional-quality audio. It produces rich sound, but its quality is not as high as the quality of other mics of the same price. It works best when it is placed 12 inches away from the source. You can use it while recording a video with a group of people in a quiet setting.
It is a good-quality all-around mic that you can use in a variety of settings. The capsule is removable and you can adjust it to three different patterns that are polar which are cardioid, hyper-cardioid, and omnidirectional.
A 10dB pad is present between the capsule and mic body. It is very useful for reducing noise and improving voice quality. Its frequency response is flat, ranging from 20Hz to 20kHz.
All of the above-mentioned mics are great options you must consider before buying a quality mic to attract the audience and grow your YouTube channel. Due to different recording needs, you may need more than one mic.
If you are looking for a mic that provides professional-level results Shure MV7 makes a great choice. Rode SmartLav+ is a versatile choice you can use with all smartphones.
The list has mics of all price ranges. It is best to choose a mic of a low-price range (such as Blue Yeti) if you are a beginner. You can upgrade it after starting to make money through your channel.
The number one type of microphone used by YouTubers is a USB microphone. The reason they like USB is it is easy to set up next to any computer. YouTubers can use the mic for gaming, YouTube video tutorials, interviews, voiceovers, and all types of commentary. We recommend the Blue Yeti as one of the best microphones used by YouTubers.
There are a few key things you need to do to enhance sound quality when recording YouTube videos.
1) You need the mic closer than you think
2) Pick a good mic like the Yeti or Shure
3) Keep background noise to a minimum
4) Edit with a great pair of headphones
Make sure you are using a really good microphone to record when doing your YouTube videos. You need to make sure you deliver your track with a high-quality audio file, in an uncompressed format if possible.
We picked some of the best microphones above so any microphone you pick will work well for creating your YouTube videos. It all comes down to what you can afford. It is obvious that the top microphones will be a bit more expensive. If you are just starting out go with a less expensive microphone such as Samson Go mic and if you can spend more for better sound quality then go with Shure MV7.
