10 Reviews: Best Microphones for Recording (Apr 2024)

With a classic recording equipment design that looks excellent on your desktop and on camera, you can record or broadcast in style. The USB microphone has a cardioid pattern for recording and broadcasting, as well as an omnidirectional pattern that puts you “in the room” for conference calls on Zoom, Skype, and other services. Maintains professional audio quality while keeping Snowball clean and distortion-free on louder voices and instruments for anything from voiceovers to podcasts to singing.

When did I even buy this thing? It's been working perfectly for at least 3 years, no real set-up and picks up sound well for both recording and Skype/in-game voice.

by Billy B.

This MXL microphone is intended for use as an entry-level microphone. Nonetheless, it is well-made and features high-quality components that allow it to outperform its price. The 770 is a condenser microphone with a pressure gradient. That is, it is a cardioid polar pattern microphone with both sides of the diaphragm exposed to the sound. It has a frequency range of 30hZ to 20kHz and an SPL of 137dB, making it excellent for capturing powerful sound sources such as snare drums.

I am very pleased with the overall quality of this mic. I love its warm tone on my voice recordings. Have yet to try on guitar and sax.

by Margil G.

Blue has adopted a tri-capsule architecture, which allows you a variety of audio capture choices. You can record in stereo, omnidirectional, cardioid, or bi-directional mode, depending on the sound source. The 3.5mm headphone port enables you to listen to your recording in real-time with no delay, and the volume of the headphones can be controlled from the microphone. You may connect it to your computer using the provided USB cord.

In addition to meetings I do a lot of recording from home and this mic is a great, affordable option. I've used it for both professional and pet projects with fantastic results. I like that the mic features different pickup patterns, even though I primarily use the cardioid pattern.

by Nicholas

Whether you’re aiming to produce videos that burst out of viewers’ feeds, podcasts that explode with personality, or interviews that listeners just have to share, in today’s social-driven market, it’s vital to offer genuinely professional outcomes in order to stand out. It’s never been simpler to produce entertaining video and audio with only your smartphone or tablet with iRig Mic Cast HD. It provides big-sounding, professional-quality voice recordings from any location.

The AT 2035 is a side-address cardioid condenser microphone that performs well both in the studio and on stage. Its cardioid polar pattern design mainly ignores sound that is not applied centrally to the microphone and draws little feedback. It separates the reproduction from noises coming from the sides and back of the microphone, highlighting the primary sound source. The smooth, natural sound produced by the AT 2035 is partly due to its large-diaphragm and low-noise design.

Fantastic microphone! Sounds really great for Twitch streaming and audio recording in general.

by K-ROT

This XLR microphone will go above and beyond your expectations. This microphone has a tiny footprint but a big sound. It features a line and gradient pick-up pattern like a shotgun mic. This means that it rejects a lot of side noise and is quite directed. This is a plus if you have someone in charge of mic positioning. However, if you have a person that moves while speaking, the recording may suffer as a result. Overall, for $169, this microphone seems to be an excellent buy.

This is a great little field mic and it does alright in the wind if you put a proper wind shield on it. Great for recording sound bites.

by jacob

AKG is a well-known producer of microphones and accessories. This is a multi-pattern large-diaphragm condenser microphone with a 1″ dual diaphragm construction. It also lets you choose among omnidirectional, cardioid, or figure-8 patterns, offering you a wide range of applications and sounds. The -20dB pad enables it to function with SPLs of up to 155dB, making it ideal for stronger sound sources, and it also has a low-cut filter at 300Hz.

Has been flawless for basic sample track recording and podcast vocal recording. One of the best mics for the money I have ever purchased.

by Kelli

Rode needs little introduction to those who are familiar with microphones and have a reputation for producing high-quality products. The NT1A is a versatile condenser microphone that not only captures outstanding voices but can also be used in a variety of different applications, including in front of an amplifier. It’s a one-inch externally polarized condenser with a gold-plated membrane, active electronics, and a Cardioid pickup pattern. The frequency response spans 20Hz to 20kHz, with a dynamic range of 132dB.

Recording voices only. Stories, interviews, website updates. Will not have to upgrade for a long time.

by Gary F. Hofer

When you require a microphone for a live performance, you will want the highest quality available. However, for work in a recording studio, the volume will rise significantly, and an SM7B provides that additional bit of quality. The SM7B is as at home in a recording studio as it is in a radio broadcast studio. Additionally, filters are incorporated to reduce interference from computer displays and electromagnetic noise.

Perfect for someone who wants good vocals but doesn't want to build a recording booth and lives in a noisy environment like the inner city.

by Gretchen

The Neumann TLM 102 is a large-diaphragm condenser microphone created specifically for the studio. It can endure extremely high SPLs because of its cardioid polar pattern. Because of the high SPL capability, you can capture extremely loud sound sources, such as snare drums. However, because of its quick transient reaction rate, it is also very good at managing low volumes. Regardless of these outstanding talents, it thrives in the domains of voice.

It's a Neumann, so top-of-the-line is what is expected, and this mic does not disappoint. Even though it is smaller and cheaper than most Neumanns, the quality is superb! If you want a good condenser mic for recording in your home studio, this is an excellent option!

by Joshua Easters