Best Condenser Mic For Streaming

A condenser microphone can play a pivotal role in garnering more audience by improving the listening experience for the audience.

Whether you stream games, podcasts, or live tutorials, it is just as important to invest in audio gear as it is to get quality cameras. Sound quality plays a vital role in keeping the audience engaged and increasing the watch time. It can be achieved by adding a condenser mic in your setup, which is known for being highly sensitive and recording detailed audio.

That said, the market of condenser mics offers too much variety, so much so that it can overwhelm users who have no prior experience with the microphones. Thus, we have compiled a list of the best condenser microphones for streaming in the market to narrow down your options.

Let’s get to them;

1. Why Is FIFINE USB Microphone The Best Condenser Mic For Streaming For Beginners

FIFINE USB mic is a cost-effective solution for gamers who want to improve their communication during live streams. It is a microphone with a USB connection, compatible with desktops, laptops, and popular gaming consoles, enabling an easy setup. Furthermore, it is surprisingly well-built for its price, thanks to its metallic construction and sturdy design. 

Understandably, the audio is not comparable to premium microphones by any stretch of the margin, but it gets the job done for most applications. It offers a unidirectional polar pattern which performs a decent job of rejecting unwanted background noise, such as the sound of an air conditioner. Furthermore, the microphone comes with all the accessories to get you started, including a desktop tripod stand, pop-filters, and a pretty sturdy and long USB cable.

2. TONOR USB Microphone Is The Best Plug-and-Play Condenser Mic For Streaming

TONOR USB microphone is another affordable plug-and-play condenser microphone that does not require phantom power and offers the best value to the users. It sounds great and much better than other USB microphones in this bracket, mainly because of a low and consistent self-noise, an issue most other USB mics struggle with. That said, you will need to be watchful of other electronics in close proximity as they can cause interference and make the audio sound static.

Furthermore, it records well-detailed audio, but you will have to work with plosive sound effects in the post-production even with a pop filter. As for construction, it is well-built and you should not experience any issue as long as you use it with a bit of caution.

3. FIFINE Studio Is The Best Condenser Microphone For Professional-Grade Audio

FIFINE T-669 is your best bet if you are looking to get close to studio-grade results within budget. You will experience little to no difference between T-669 and condenser mics that cost twice as much if you put in a little bit of effort in the post-production. It records detailed audio because of higher sensitivity, enabling it to differentiate between resembling notes to deliver rich and crisp audio.

The frequency response ranges from 20 Hz to 20 KHz, which is largely flat, allowing it to record both high and low notes with precision. Furthermore, it is also quite forgiving, allowing you to record decent enough audio even when speaking from a distance.

4. Audio Technica AT2020 Is The Best Condenser Microphone For Streaming Music

Audio Technica AT2020 is a great starting point if you want to record and stream professional-grade vocals and instruments. While you may find a better microphone, at the same price, which specializes and performs better for a particular application, the versatility of AT2020 sets it apart. Furthermore, the construction is pretty intuitive as the mic grille absorbs most of the impact upon accidental drop and protects the capsule underneath it.

As an XLR microphone, it records highly detailed audio, albeit with some issues, and relatively low sensitivity ensures it can work under higher sound pressures as well. You can record vocals with great precision, but you will have to purchase additional accessories and optimize the mic’s position to counter the proximity effect. 

5. Marantz Professional MPM-1000 Is The Best XLR Condenser Mic For Streaming

Encased in an aluminum frame, MPM-1000 is a condenser mic with an XLR connector, designed to capture crystal clear vocals, acoustic instruments, and amplifiers. It is an excellent option for both professionals and beginners if they want to improve audio recording without breaking the bank. Compared to other mics in the Marantz lineup, MPM-1000 has higher self-noise, but a slightly low sensitivity and wider frequency response make up for it.

It captures the nuances of the vocals and instruments accurately, delivering crisp, transparent, and rich audio. Furthermore, the relatively high SPL ensures it works under higher sound pressure without distortion. That said, the frequency response is largely flat, so you will have to spend a bit of time in the post-production if you record and stream different types of audio tracks.

6. Samson SAGOMIC Go Is The Best Budget Condenser Microphone For Streaming

SAGOMIC Go by Samson is designed to overcome the lack of built-in microphones in laptops and headsets to improve voice quality on video and audio calls. However, the microphone performs just as well for recording and streaming vocals. The standout feature of the SAGOMIC has to be its size, which can be clipped at the top of the laptop’s screen. It features ready-to-use functionality, enabling easy setup and making it friendly for beginners.

Furthermore, it offers multiple polar patterns, enabling a variety of applications. You can use only one of these best microphones to record a podcast with decent enough sound by switching to an omnidirectional polar pattern. That said, the audio quality is nowhere comparable to top-of-the-line microphones, but with a few tweaks in post-production, you can fine tune the audio to offer an enjoyable listening experience to your audience on YouTube and other platforms.

Best Condenser Mic For Streaming: Notable Mentions

What Should You Know Before Buying A Condenser Microphone For Streaming

We hope the aforementioned microphones have narrowed down your options, but we understand the terms and features can be overwhelming for users who are new to this market. Let’s go over some of the aspects you should understand before purchasing a condenser microphone to make the right choice.

Condenser VS Dynamic Mic

Before purchasing a condenser microphone one must understand what sets it apart from the other options, mainly dynamic mics, on the market and whether a condenser mic is indeed the best choice for the desired application. 

Dynamic and condenser are the two most popular types of microphones but their designs are fundamentally different from one another. Sparing the technical details, the condenser microphone features a sensitive diaphragm which enables higher sensitivity and ability to capture audio with great detail. Such mics work best if you want to capture nuances of the sound like that of vocals while recording a song.

That said, the higher sensitivity also means they are prone to capturing more noise and cannot work under higher sound pressures offered by loud music instruments. Dynamic mics, on the other hand, have a less sensitive diaphragm, enabling them to record loud instruments without distorting sound and rejecting unwanted background noise.

While modern technology has bridged the gap between the two, it still exists, especially in the budget microphone category. So, a condenser microphone will offer you the best results if you want to record vocals for voiceovers, podcasts, or even a song, but if you want to stream live music, it is best to get a dynamic microphone because they are purpose-built for that particular application.

XLR Vs USB Mic: How They Affect The Sound Quality

Another important decision that you will have to make while picking a microphone for streaming is the choice between XLR and USB connections. The basic difference between the two is how they process the analog signal and convert it to digital so it can be read by a computer or another device. XLR connectors use three pins, one of which is used to supply Phantom Power. The other two take the signal from the microphone to the analog-to-digital processing devices, which can either be an audio interface or a mixer. 

USB microphones have the analog-to-digital converter built into them, eliminating the need for external devices such as interfaces or a mixer. It makes them plug-and-play microphones that require no drivers. You simply have to plug them into the USB port of the laptop and they will start working. 

That said, the conversion carried out by the built-in converter in the USB microphone is inferior to the one carried out by external equipment such as audio interfaces. Thus, there is a significant compromise in the quality of sound. Furthermore, most studio equipment uses XLR connectors, allowing users to upgrade their setup, which is not possible with USB mics.

So, while picking streaming mics you will either have to pick convenience or superior audio quality. If you are a casual user and want to record and stream on the go, a usb mic will be your best companion. However, if you want more professional results, you will have to get an XLR mic along with all the other equipment to make it work.

Frequency Response

Frequency response is essentially how a microphone reproduces the sound it records. The best way to understand it is to read the graph that most manufacturers provide with their microphones. It tells you about the frequencies that a particular microphone augments or attenuates. 

For example, if you have a low voice and want to record and stream your vocals, you should look for a microphone that augments lower notes. In contrast, if you have a loud voice, you should get a microphone that attenuates higher notes. Fortunately, manufacturers have started tailoring the frequency response of their microphones as per the desired applications. So, now you do not have to put in as much effort as before to pick the right microphone.

Just look for a microphone that has a tailored frequency response for your applications and you will be good to go.

Polar Patterns

The polar pattern is the area of the mic’s diaphragm that is sensitive enough to pick a sound signal. Fundamentally, there are two types of polar patterns: cardioid or unidirectional and omnidirectional. The cardioid polar pattern only picks up the sound from one direction, rejecting all the sound signals coming from the other directions. It ensures only the desired sound signals make it to the audio and keeps it free of unwanted background noise. The polar pattern is the area of the mic’s diaphragm that is sensitive enough to pick a sound signal. Fundamentally, there are two types of polar patterns: cardioid or unidirectional and omnidirectional. The cardioid polar pattern only picks up the sound from one direction, rejecting all the sound signals coming from the other directions. It ensures only the desired sound signals make it to the audio and keeps it free of unwanted noise. 

However, such microphones limit their use to only one vocalist or instrument at a time. You will have to get multiple directional microphones if you want to record more than one sound source simultaneously. 

Omnidirectional polar patterns, on the other hand, record the sound from all directions. It allows you to use a single mic to record multiple sound sources at once. However, it also exposes microphones to unwanted sounds. 

So, you should pick a directional polar pattern if you have to record and stream one audio source at a single time and an omnidirectional pattern if multiple sound sources have to be recorded and streamed.

How To Get The Best Results From Condenser Microphones For Streaming

If you have purchased a condenser microphone but it is not delivering the desired results, you should consider following the given tips, before thinking of purchasing a new one.

Frequently Asked Questions