We should never take for granted the fact that you’re able to work from home. You can record music, create video or audio podcasts, or even stream any kind of work or leisure activity that you do. What’s more, there are those who managed to accumulate a solid income doing these things, even quitting their day jobs to fully dedicate themselves to these new modern activities.
However, you should bear in mind that competition is at a very high level these days. In order to have a representative video with a solid quality of voice recording, you need a good microphone.
There’s just no way going around that. For this purpose, many began using USB mics due to the fact that they allow near-zero latency operation and great quality without an additional audio interface. What’s more, they can come in handy for home recording purposes as well, and many rappers, vocalists, and even some instrumentalists began using them.
With all this being said, we’ll be getting into the issue by sharing the list of the best USB mics you can buy today. We did some lurking and research online and came up with this rundown below.
Best USB Mics start with Rode NT-USB
With this particular mic, Rode figured to have somewhat of a straightforward approach with no additional tricks or gimmicks. NT-USB’s biggest strength is its simplicity, which some of the content creators or music makers are always looking for.
The mic provides a pretty great recording and streaming sound quality, as well as great analog to digital converting and simple operation. Aside from being a solid cardioid mic, there’s also an option for headphone monitors on it, and the mix control balancing between the mic’s input and the source’s output.
Rode Podcaster
Another one by Rode, Podcaster allows some similar features in its operation. This mic provides some great and very detailed sounds with its 18-bit resolution and the sampling rate of up to 96kHz. What’s also great is the fact that it comes with the pop filter, which is yet another thing that makes it a great option for podcasters and streamers.
Apogee HypeMiC
It would be hard not to mention such a great USB microphone like the Apogee’s HypeMiC. While a lot of the products on this list are usually focused on podcasts and average talking voices, the HypeMiC is a fully professional piece that provides mind-blowing qualities for singing and instrument recording.
What’s more, this condenser mic provides great results for recording both acoustic instruments as well as amplifiers of electric instruments. If you’re a guitar player and need a condenser USB mic for your work, this one might come in handy. It features a resolution of 24 bits and a sampling rate of up to 96kHz. This means you won’t need to worry about the sound quality.
CAD U37
Although a cost-friendly option, CAD U37 still provides great operation and recording quality. In fact, it’s probably one of the best deals for the price, making it a good solution for content creators or musicians operating on a limited budget.
The U37 also has an overload-protection switch that reduces 10dB in the input signal. This comes as a great option for loud sources or just podcasters who have a tendency to talk loud. This way, you’re able to prevent unwanted clippings and distortion in the recorded signal or streamed audio.
Shure MV51
The legendary microphone and audio equipment manufacturer Shure also have a few of their own takes on USB mics. One of those is the MV51. Aside from the pristine capture quality, this large-diaphragm microphone features “smart” operation and can automatically adjust EQ, gain, and compression for the required situation. It’s a very advanced piece for those who are serious about their content. It’s a perfect solution for iOS devices.
Audio Technica ATR2100
Up next, another member of the big guys club. There’s just no way to avoid mentioning the legendary Audio Technica on this list. But what’s really interesting here is that ATR2100 is a dynamic mic that looks nothing like a usual USB mic.
Furthermore, it can be used as regular analog mic as it includes an XLR output. It’s a pretty unconventional configuration that also has an onboard output for headphone monitors. ATR2100 is a relatively cheap solution and a solid alternative if you’re on a budget. Also, it’s a great solution for home-recording vocalists who also need a mic for regular live shows.
CAD Audio Equitek E300S
Now we’re heading over to something way more serious and expensive. What’s more, you’ll need to know that this is not a microphone for beginners but a fully professional piece. CAD Audio’s E300S is a large-diaphragm mic with switchable cardioid patterns.
Aside from the fact that it has a wide frequency response, from 20Hz to 18kHz, it’s really good at picking up sounds more or less equally all over this spectrum. More versatility comes with very useful options to cut out the excessive high-end tones and an additional -20 dB pad switch.
Our final choice for best USB mics is Blue Microphones Yeti
Blue Microphones began getting some serious attention not so long ago, most notably among the YouTube creator community. The Yeti microphone is one of their most famous products. It is arguably the most popular one for live streamers, vloggers, and podcasters.
What’s really great is that the mic comes with switchable polar patterns, allowing more options, even for some creators who need a great solution for recording or streaming vocals and instruments. The addition of three condenser capsules makes it a fully professional and a very versatile product.
Furthermore, Yeti is actually not that expensive and is accessible to even some of the mid-level users. Pretty exciting to know there are such products on the market.
