The Best Microphone for Streaming

What to Look For in a Microphone for Streaming?

When it comes to picking the right microphone for streaming, buyers have to look at specific criteria. A good streaming microphone will be able to block out unnecessary background noise like keyboard sounds, while still maintaining the quality and fidelity of the audio.

Because commentary is such an integral part of the streaming experience, you’ll also want to look for a microphone that has various mic controls that can capture the warmth and detail of your voice without those tricky plosives for optimal audio quality. Plus, there’s also the set-up to think about. Will you want to go for a USB microphone, XLR mics, or something more complex?

Whether streaming is something you want to do as a side hobby or something that you want to keep investing time, money, and effort into, sifting through the best microphones for streaming requires doing a bit of research. Here are the three things you should be looking out for when you start exploring your microphone options:

Frequency Response

Frequency response is what you call the sound range that a microphone can produce. Most microphones will have a frequency response from 20Hz to 20,000Hz, but buyers need to look at how the sound output varies within that range. This is because the frequency response will help determine the sound signature and tone of the microphones you’re looking to buy.

Generally, a frequency response anywhere from 80Hz to 15,000Hz will be enough to capture the human voice but be sure to do a little more research on your preferred microphone’s frequency response chart. While streaming doesn’t quite require the precision and sensitivity that high-end vocal microphones have, you’ll still want to look for a microphone with a frequency response that can flatter your range for good audio quality.

Polar Pattern

The polar pattern is one of the most important aspects of looking for the right microphone for streaming, and one glance at a gaming set-up will tell you why. If you’re doing live gaming on your PC, chances are that you’re going to be making use of your keyboard — a lot. Aside from avoiding interferences in the digital signal quality of their devices to their mics, gamers will want to keep unnecessary noise like keyboard sounds out of their commentary, which is where polar patterns come in.

Polar patterns determine the ‘shape’ of how your mic can capture noise. There are six main polar patterns: cardioid polar pattern, supercardioid polar pattern, hypercardioid polar pattern, figure-8 polar pattern, ultra directional polar pattern, and omnidirectional polar pattern.

To capture practically 360 degrees of sound around the mic, go for omnidirectional microphones so they can pick up omnidirectional polar patterns. Cardioid polar patterns are seen as the best for streaming as they capture all the details of your voice while blocking out unwanted noise from the ‘back’ of your mic. On the other hand, figure-8 or bidirectional microphones are great for studios where two people are in front of each other with the mic in the middle.

Connection

Finally, one of the most important things any streamer will want to look out for when picking streaming microphones is the connection method. There are two main types of connection methods that you’ll be looking at: USB and XLR.

USB is the easiest one, and will most likely be familiar to most gamers as it’s a plug-and-play mic. You’ll find this option on a lot of dedicated streaming models, as well as more affordable mics. USB microphones are easy to use and set up, but may not last as long as XLR microphones.

The second type of connection method is XLR. XLR microphones will require connection to an audio interface or preamp via XLR cable, which would then be connected to your computer via USB. It’s thus a little pricier than USB mics. However, the high price point is more than made up for thanks to the durability and advanced audio processing of XLR mics. If you want your set-up to last you for years, then an XLR mic is well worth the investment.

What Type of Microphone is Best for Streaming?

Finding the best streaming microphone can be quite daunting with all the factors that you have to consider. Aside from those important matters, the biggest decision that you have to make when buying is whether you should get a USB microphone or an XLR one. 

A USB mic equips the microphone, preamp, and audio interface into one body. USB microphones are described as plug-and-play mics because you only need to connect them to the USB port on your computer and you’re good to go. On the other hand, an XLR microphone uses an external preamp and audio interface.

Unlike a USB microphone, XLR microphones won’t function by just plugging them into your PC. Aside from the microphone itself, you also need to purchase a sound interface and sometimes, a preamp as well. 

A USB mic is extremely affordable, making it ideal for beginners, solo streamers, or gamers on the go who are looking for a budget microphone. USB mics have good audio, but most of the time, you are not fully in control of how your voice sounds thus, it will require more mic monitoring.

Meanwhile, XLR microphones require less mic monitoring as they allow you full control of your voice and provide more mic controls you can set up according to your preferred settings. Seen as a more professional microphone by streamers, XLR microphones tend to be on the more expensive side as additional audio gear is needed to complete the setup and may also have upgrades, which overall can be costly.

When it comes to choosing between the two, it can depend on your budget, preferred microphone type, and most importantly, your desired audio quality.

Once you’ve chosen the type of microphone, there also lies a decision between condenser and dynamic microphones. Both the tone reproduction and audio quality between the two types are important to consider as if the streaming microphone sounds weak or lacking in detail, it could affect the overall outcome of your stream.

Most audio and recording professionals recommend a condenser microphone over a dynamic microphone as they capture sharp and clear audio. However, condenser microphones have their cons as well. While it captures audio in a crisp manner, it is also quite fragile as it can pick up a lot of surrounding noise, especially if the room isn’t acoustically treated or if the recording isn’t done in a professional studio. In the right environment though, condenser mics sound amazing as they can pick up detail and have a wide frequency response. 

As for a dynamic mic, it has a sound that’s rugged and fairly tight. Additionally, dynamic mics are also less fragile than condenser mics. It can also handle loud spikes in volume and do a good job of rejecting unnecessary noise. Although, compared to condenser microphones, a dynamic microphone’s audio depends on the diaphragm and the audio interfaces used along with it.

Budget is also one notable aspect when deciding which one to use for streaming and podcasting between these two microphone types. Condenser mics are usually more expensive than dynamic mics. If you have the budget and if you’re going for a higher frequency range and clearer vocals, you might want to get a condenser-type mic. If you’re on a budget and want low sensitivity and background sound rejection, dynamic-type mics might be your best bet.

How Can I Make My Mic Better for Streaming?

Every person has a different desk setup and every desk setup may require a different microphone. While an excellent microphone that checks out all your requirements matters, you’ll need a couple of valuable pieces if you want to create a professional setup on your workstation or if you want to make your stream sound better. Accessories such as a microphone boom arm, mic stand, pop filter, or shock mount can help a lot.

A boom or mic arm can be clipped to the side of your desk, allowing you to have your mic within reach and also easily stow it away when not in use. An alternative to a boom arm is a desktop stand which is smaller in size and more portable than boom arms. Some microphones come with a stand in the box, but more often than not, you’ll have to purchase a separate stand.

An important accessory to have, especially if you’re streaming games, is an anti-vibration shock mount. This prevents vibration from traveling through your boom arm or your microphone stand. If your mic doesn’t have an internal pop filter, you can get one to reduce the sound of air leaving your mouth. A pop filter can also prevent plosives and prevent your microphone from being grubby when you’re up close. Keep in mind though that if your microphone already has a built-in pop filter, you won’t need a separate one as you may end up muffling your audio instead.