Best sub $150 USB VO/Podcast mic?

Darren Levine

Darren Levine

Veteran
Looking like i'll be doing product VO, nothing incredible but i'm feeling like a more dedicated mic than my other production mics, something USB (don't gasp) I want to record direct to NLE

Taking amazon reviews with a grain of salt, there's some standout options:

Samson meteor
blue yeti
Audio-Technica ATR2500-USB
Marantz Professional MPM-2000U

anyone with experience with any of these?
 
I have the Blue Spark, which is surprisingly good for the price, and I really like it. I'm currently using it for VO for product and demo videos that I'm doing. I don't have the USB version, as I run it through an audio interface, which is the way I like to roll because I want to have the ability to use this mic with a stand alone mixer or recorder. should the need arise.
 
Though not with those specific mic's just kissing cousins, the AT and blue should be good choices. Samson is a shot in the dark. I have used some of their stuff over the years and have never had very good luck. Marantz I have used other things from them and liked them BUT they are not a mic company so these are probably Chinese mics that have just been branded. That is also likely with the Samson ones. So personally I would by a mic from a company with a good reputation for making mics, which takes Marantz and Samson out of the running.
 
Rode has a nice USB mic, the NT-USB. It's a smaller step up from the ones you listed. A step up from that would be their NT1, and you can get that in a kit with a shock mount for a reasonable price. I also have that set up that I use as well, but you'd need an audio interface for that one.

Honestly, I prefer to have a mic that isn't a USB mic because I can use that on any professional audio mixer or recorder. USB mics are great for the purpose they serve, but you can't use that on anything that doesn't take a USB input, so if you wanted to go into a nice mic pre, or recorder (which is something I do often), you can't on a USB mic.

It all really depends on what your needs really are and if you see yourself needing to use the mic on something other than directly into a computer in the future.
 
Thanks for the input all,

The specific use of the mic is what leans me toward USB, but there's certainly a lot of tempting xlr choices. Currently a decent deal on this mic: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1202592-REG/mxl_mxl_870_studio_condenser.html

While i have a fair amount of audio knowledge, i'm no expert in the finer details, such as how the size of the diaphragm affects things, i see the samson has 25mm, the mxl 32mm. Does size ultimately matter, or are there plenty of "smaller" diaphragm mics that outperform older larger ones?

cheers
 
Had excellent results with the Røde NT-USB... while I personally wouldn't get a USB mic, they have their uses. I'm editing a Podcast that is using said Røde mic, and she travels a lot, so a USB mic is easier for her to bring than a mic, preamp, audio interface setup... if you already have pre-amp and audio interface, a standard mic is the better option, if not a USB version could simplify things...
 
File this under "spending other people's money" but I still like the idea of running a regular XLR mic through a small XLR-USB audio adapter. The adapter will be useful in a bunch of ways...nice physical knob to adjust gain...lets you record audio and drive audio monitors through a single USB box...depending on model, you can attach two (or more) mics at the same time...

You can look at other threads here on dvxuser for specific recommendations/preferences...but it seems like these days several companies offer good choices: Focusrite, Presonus, Mackie, Tascam...

Then you can choose the mic that best fits your needs...not just the one with a (possibly mediocre) built-in A/D converter and USB plug. And heck, maybe you already have a mic that would work... For example, I still see Sennheiser 416 short shotgun mics used by some excellent VO talent...and the 416 really cuts through a VO mix well. Maybe one of your short shotgun mics would work?
 
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