Best Microphones For Creating YouTube Videos

Creating excellent YouTube content is much more than just the perfect visual. For example, what if you capture the most beautiful beach, but your viewers can’t even understand what you’re saying in the background? If you want to find the best microphone for YouTube videos, we have the top eight best-selling products even famous YouTubers use.

Mics play a significant role in the quality of your content, so why not learn more about why they’re essential and how to pick the best for your needs? We prepared a guide to take you through the process and help you make an educated purchase.

A Microphone For Creating YouTube Videos: Does It Really Matter?

Does the microphone that you own impact the audio quality of the videos that you create? Content creation on YouTube is a lucrative job that can turn out to be a career for many people. However, you should be prepared to invest in great technology to produce visually pleasing content with great audio features.

A microphone is a device that captures sound waves, then turns them into electrical signals. Although many YouTubers underestimate the importance of audio and only focus on visuals, the sound quality in your videos matters a lot. Therefore, your goal is to offer your viewers a complete package. In addition, you should also be aware that not everyone watches YouTube videos; some users will play videos but only listen to the audio while doing other things. So, yes, the microphone you use matters, and we’ll help you choose the best one based on suggestions from a long list of YouTubers. But first, let’s go in-depth about the five steps to follow when selecting a suitable mic.

5 Steps To Choose The Suitable Mic For Your YouTube Content

Which type of mic is suitable for your needs? Content creators need to consider several factors before making a purchase, including the type of videos they’ll film, budget, environment, type of microphone, and accessories. We recently shared a step-by-step guide on how to create a YouTube video, so that might be useful to check out before getting a microphone. Let’s dive into factors to keep in mind:

Type Of Content

Depending on the content type you’ll record, you can divide microphones into two large groups:

  • microphones for studio recordings (shotgun mics, Wireless Microphone Systems, condenser mics, lavalier mics)
  • microphones for live recordings (shotgun mics, dynamic mics, lavalier mics, WMS)

However, these two groups are just a rough guide to help you determine in which mic category you should be interested. You should think more in-depth about the purpose; for example, do you need a microphone for vlogging? In that case, you might want to consider a camera microphone with long battery life.

USB microphones are another popular group that many YouTubers love because of their ease of use. They are great for various video types, including interviews, vlogs, games, etc.

If you need a mic that will capture subtle noise and ambient sound in your videos, condenser types are the best option. In general, this type is an excellent mic for gaming and a great purchase for people who want to make a career on YouTube with their gaming channel. The best thing is that a condenser mic can capture the effects for gaming with ease, making your listeners feel like they’re right next to you.

Budget

How much are you willing to pay to get a good microphone for YouTube? Do you want to splurge a lot and know that you’re getting the best, or is an affordable price your top priority? Before you start looking at mics, decide on a price range, and the shopping spree will be much more straightforward.

A quality microphone doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive to be good. However, expensive options are generally equipped with better features, have long hours of battery life, etc. Thankfully, there are many affordable alternatives you can get that are high-performing and used by many popular YouTubers.

Recording Environment

Where will you be filming your videos? Will it be outside while the wind is blowing, or are you only planning on using the mic indoors? Although you can fix a few things when editing the video, having a suitable mic will do most of the job.

If the recording is bad because you used a dynamic mic, but you shouldn’t have it will take you a lot of time to fix the sound. Even if you have a high-quality mic, using it in the wrong environment will make things harder for you and the editing team.

Type Of Microphone

Before you add a microphone to your cart, you should know more about the most common microphone types.

  • Condenser microphone- this microphone type is best for quiet settings and isn’t the best choice for environments with external noise.
  • Dynamic microphone- dynamic mics provide a detailed sound even when the environment is loud and noisy.
  • Wireless Microphone Systems- will capture accurate audio even when it comes from various sources.
  • Shotgun microphone- shotgun microphones are great for capturing audio sources in front of the camera.
  • Lavalier microphone- this clip microphone is excellent for people who need to move around in front of the camera freely.
  • Portable Digital Audio Recorders- this type is ideal for filming while moving, or you plan to interview people while outdoors.

Accessories

Mics can be elevated with so many accessories. Do you need a shock mount to ensure a great recording, or do you need to invest in a stand? All these accessories are costly, and you don’t have to buy them right away. After purchasing the best mic for you, you can start educating yourself on which accessories can make your life better and the experience for viewers more pleasurable. Some accessories can come together with the microphone you’ll get, so when deciding, that’s another thing to think about.

8 Best Studio Mics For YouTube:

Now that you know more about different microphone types and how to choose one, let’s take a look at the eight best microphones that got the most votes by YouTubers.

PowerDeVise

If you’re clumsy, hate holding a mic in your hands or in front of you, this PowerDeVise microphone is the best choice. You can easily pin it on you and wear it while you’re filming. The mic reduces background noise, ensuring that you get a clean sound. You can hide it in your clothing so that it doesn’t show while you film your videos.

The PowerDeVise mic belongs to the lavalier group, and it’s an affordable alternative everyone can get. It’s perfect for vloggers who are always on the move. It’s straightforward to use; therefore, it’s excellent for both professionals and beginners.

Shure SM7B

The Shure SM7B is a top-notch product for professional voice recording. It’s a costly investment, but you can be sure that it will serve you well. One of the best things about this mic is the auto-correct feature that allows it to capture the best sound without unwanted noise and provide you with high-quality content. In addition, the Shure SM7B microphone is great at noting loud sounds and adjusts according to the surroundings.

Some of the best uses for this product include live streams, filming outside, filming in different environments, broadcasts, etc. A con that might prevent you from purchasing it is the hefty price tag, but once you hear that major podcast stars use it, you’ll change your mind. This is a cardioid pickup pattern mic, so ensure to talk in the front.

Blue Yeti

The Blue Yeti is one of the best microphones on the market, beloved by thousands of users. The brand, Blue, is well-known for its quality, but all that comes at a price. The Yeti model is one of its cheapest releases, but it can still be a costly purchase for many. The mic features a beautiful exterior and allows USB connectivity.

Even though it’s not an affordable option, you can choose between the four polar patterns that it offers. The pattern selection will make it an invaluable part of your filming process, and the four choices include omnidirectional, bi-directional, stereo, cardioid.

Some of the best uses of this microphone include conference calls, conversations, voice-overs for your videos, instrumental sounds in a studio with low volume, speeches, etc. One of the rare cons of this model is the gain control, which can be confusing for beginners.

Samson Technologies Q2U

If you can’t decide between USB and XLR connection, you can have both, thanks to the Samson Technologies Q2U mic. You’ll find it so easy to connect it to different devices, including your phone, because of the headphone jack.

As long as you have an iOS or an Android device, you can connect it to this mic and start your recordings. This Samson model performs exceptionally well in loud areas; therefore, you can use it for vlogs and live videos.

Zoom H1N

The Zoom H1N mic is very different from all the products we listed before because it belongs to portable audio recorders. The professional recordings created with this mic will be excellent, plus you can even place it on a camera with a shoe mount. So, even when you vlog a busy day, or you’re running late somewhere, but you need to capture it all, the Zoom mic can be your go-to tool. Since there won’t always be a need to use it on a camera, the product is lightweight, and you can carry it in your hands with ease.

One unfortunate thing about this type of microphone is that it’s not the best around loud noises. That’s why it’s more suitable for quieter environments, instruments in a studio setting, live videos, etc. There’s also a digital screen you can access and control the mic via the buttons.

Focusrite Scarlett Studio Pack

The Focusrite Scarlett Studio Pack features an excellent microphone that can pick up ambient noise and all the quiet sounds you need when creating your videos. The pack also includes an audio interface and headphones. Although this isn’t one of the most expensive or highest quality studio microphones, it offers all the essential features you need to create great videos for your channel. Additionally, the mic is compatible with iOS and Windows, with the cable that’s included in the packaging.

Rode SmartLove+

This is another lavalier mic you can easily hide. If your content is mostly based outdoors, and you hate holding a microphone in your hand, this one is an excellent solution. It’s one of the most durable products you’ll ever get, so be prepared to use it for years.

The Rode SmartLove+ mic is compatible with iOS and Android, has an omnidirectional polar pattern, and you can attach it to your clothes in seconds. 

Rode NT-USB

The Rode NT-USB microphone comes at a reasonable price, and it’s one of the first microphones on the market with this specific design. Rode is a well-known brand that has even more advanced and high-end options you should explore. This product is ideal for people who want to do voice overs on their YouTube videos, podcasts, streamers,

If you ever need a mic with a USB connection, we highly recommend this one because it’s so easy to use. It works with iOS, Windows and comes together with a pouch, mount, pop filter, cable, and tripod desk stand. Remember that it’s a cardioid pattern microphone, so you should speak straight to the front.

Conclusion

What is the best microphone for YouTube? The answer to this question is quite complicated because it depends on various factors, including the content type, your budget, recording environment, microphone type, accessories, etc. However, one thing’s for certain, and that’s that a high-quality mic can significantly improve your videos and your viewers’ experience.

Some of the most common microphone types include dynamic, condenser, wireless, USB, shotgun, lavalier, portable recorders, and more. The eight products we suggested come at different price ranges are equipped with different features so that everyone who reads this guide can find one that works for their purpose.

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