MICROPHONES

Sound your best with the finest microphones for streaming, podcasting, and gaming.

- Jorge Jimenez

For serious streamers, there’s nothing worse than not being heard during your broadcast. Your microphone tends to be the unsung hero of your entire streaming arsenal.

When choosing the best microphone, there’s one thing we look for above all else: can you be heard loudly and clearly?

Whether you’re looking to start a podcast with your buddy where you rank MCU movies, or doing a retro games stream, USB microphones are becoming more and more popular.

Figuring out which mic is best for you comes down to how you’re planning on using it. XLR mics offer the best studio-quality sound, but are very pricey. USB mics, on the other hand, are easier to set-up, a lot cheaper, and play well with most audio software. Also, note the microphone’s polar patterns, as this is the easiest way to figure out what the best use is. Common polar patterns include:

Cardioid: The most important. Records in front of the microphone. Perfect for vocals and streaming.

Bidirectional: Captures audio in front of and behind the mic. Ideal for one-on-one interviews.

Omnidirectional: Picks up sound from every direction, for those round-table discussion programmes.

Stereo: Perfect for ASMR recordings. Search YouTube for ‘ASMR’ if you want an example, as it doesn’t come off well in print…

Now you know all that, you’re almost ready to get started.

HOW WE TEST

Audio quality isn’t everything, but it’s still the most important factor when testing a microphone. The point is, after all, to find a mic that makes you sound good.