5 ms·

A cheap and usable condenser mic costs 30 bucks (e.g. Fifine), a lavalier mic costs between 2 bucks on aliexpress and 50 for e.g. from Rode. (I found that the u

A cheap and usable condenser mic costs 30 bucks (e.g. Fifine), a lavalier mic costs between 2 bucks on aliexpress and 50 for e.g. from Rode. (I found that the ultra cheap aliexpress are the exact same like the no-brand 10 bucks on amazon, like so many things) I got both but mostly use the condenser mic and it is an absolute game changer. If you want to explain something it is so noticeable in the eyes of your conference participants how good they can hear you. And it makes a huge difference if you finally feel like what you are saying is not painful for others to endure. Check out this very lovely video series on how to pimp up your conferencing setup. Especially this episode about mics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKOx4hZKmOs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKOx4hZKmOs Edit: And this is the mic I can recommend using on Linux: https://www.amazon.com/Microphone-FIFINE-Computers-Podcasting-K670/dp/B079HRFH2Y https://www.amazon.com/Microphone-FIFINE-Computers-Podcastin...

arbitrage 6y ago
Pimps aren't admirable people.
- ruph123 6y ago
  I am not a native english speaker, to me "pimp up" means to "upgrade" something. Sorry if that came off wrong.
  - acqq 6y ago
    I even know where your environment got that belief. Blame MTV, since 2004: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pimp_My_Ride https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pimp_My_Ride A lot of non-natives then miss that the meaning of the word is not about an "upgrade" but about: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procuring_(prostitution) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procuring_(prostitution) which was on MTV glorified as the part of the "Afro-American" "pop culture" which is also... not a really nicest approach. But... it was supposed to be a "fashion." And relativised as "the thing of certain culture." Postmodernism and all that. And therefore.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_gustibus_non_est_disputandum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_gustibus_non_est_disputandu... ...and "acceptable" for MTV. Edit: also, 2008: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/msnbc-reporter-begrudging_n_85706 https://www.huffpost.com/entry/msnbc-reporter-begrudging_n_8...
    - ruph123 6y ago
      I both know what a pimp is and that that show probably made the expression famous. (In Germany there was even "Pimp my Fahrrad") However, I was not aware that this is not generally used in day-to-day language by native speakers.
      - acqq 6y ago
        > In Germany there was even "Pimp my Fahrrad" It exactly confirms how that expression became popular there. A direct false association with "improving" "the look of the vehicles." (das Fahrrad == a bicycle) Well... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVCh6Xp_VD8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVCh6Xp_VD8 Also, very funny, from the Wikipedia page of the show: "Viacom, the owner of the Pimp My Ride franchise, has made legal threats against a number of small business owners over the use of the words Pimp My... in business names. Businesses using the names Pimp My Pet and Pimp My Snack have been threatened with legal action for an alleged breach of a trademark owned by Viacom. The website Pimp My Snack is now known as Pimp That Snack." And more from the "pimp-gate": https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4274500&page=1 https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4274500&pa...
    - kube-system 6y ago
      It’s slang. English dictionaries are descriptive, not prescriptive. It is valid and common for English words to take on multiple meanings regardless of their origin, and for slang to be recognized use. Given that everyone here understands what was being said, I find it hard to say the usage was improper English. Informal, yes. Unprofessional, yes. Offensive, potentially. Incorrect English, no.
      - acqq 6y ago
        > I find it hard to say the usage was improper English. And who here said it "was improper English" specifically, in these words?
    - andrewzah 6y ago
      It is dismissive to say that natives "miss the meaning". They do not. Pimp has multiple usages, as do a lot of words. It is very easy in English to create new nouns/verbs or new usages of existing ones and happens all the time. As usual, the context is crucial for figuring out which usage it is.
- pickledcods 6y ago
  Please stop!
- snakeboy 6y ago
  Those who add irrelevant comments trying to shame people for using popular, harmless slang aren't admirable people either. (Neither are the schmucks like me who are baited into responding, but whatever)
- spicybright 6y ago
  I don't even know what your point is here.
manojlds 6y ago
The video, ironically, has such low volume. Good content though, subscribed!
stunt 6y ago
That's more about podcasting setup though. Conferencing setup is different because you also have to listen to others.
- ruph123 6y ago
  I think it is fair to assume that most people have some type of headphones at home or are capable of buying some. Also you don't have to put the mic so close to your face that it is visible in your video feed. It still has a much better quality and less noise than many other solutions like bluetooth headsets I tested before.
hdtrey5 6y ago
The manufacturer provides free shipping for those looking to avoid Amazon: https://fifinemicrophone.com/collections/microphones/products/usb-microphone-for-mac-and-windows-k670 https://fifinemicrophone.com/collections/microphones/product...
BatteryMountain 6y ago
I've been using the kit with the arm for about a year now. I bought it just for meetings as I don't stream games or do podcasts. The kit itself is freaking amazing. Almost all parts are made from smooth-non-gloss metal and the audio quality is amazing. People from the office commented on it when I switched over since the mic on the macbook makes my voice sound like I'm talking from a tin can and the voice was very nasal-like (+ the obvious echo issues). Now I sound like myself and I would dare say, more manly. Deeper sound etc. I recommend the kit to everyone I can. It is the best "cheap" kit you will find and won't need to spend thousands. The mic itself has a small volume knob that that I set to about 10% to 15%. I can have my washing machine run in the background and nobody can hear it. It uses 1x usb port and work on Windows/Mac/Linux - I'm currently using on a MacBook Air that runs Fedora 33 (mic volume knob at ~15% and PulseAudio mic volume 85%). Gaming headsets are all basically garbage, don't bother with them. Other than that, I use a Samson SR850. It's a cheap studio headset that is decent quality - I bought it because the Roland model I wanted was out of stock. I have no affiliation with the company(s). https://fifinemicrophone.com/collections/microphones/products/fifine-usb-microphone-t669 https://fifinemicrophone.com/collections/microphones/product...
- ruph123 6y ago
  That is awesome, I def. also will get the arm (and esp. the shock mount). Do you have the mic close to your mouth "podcaster style" for optimal results or rather away and out of frame? I still struggle with that. I don't want to look like I'm trying too hard and it seems a bit restrictive having it hang between keyboard and screen. Having it next to my keyboard is already a huge quality improvement so I keep it there. I am also not afiliated in any way with Fifine but I was really impressed by the build quality of the mic. I am also on Fedora and on the journey of improving audio I also have been playing around with Pulseeffects. Playing around with gate, compressor and limiter, etc. can certainly improve even more (and cut off some noise, etc.) but I am still figuring things out: https://fedoramagazine.org/tune-up-your-sound-with-pulseeffects-microphones/ https://fedoramagazine.org/tune-up-your-sound-with-pulseeffe...
  - BatteryMountain 6y ago
varispeed 6y ago
Is it ethical to buy such equipment from China? You never know how it was made and that country does have a record of human rights abuse. I'd rather pay more and buy something made locally.
- ruph123 6y ago
  > I'd rather pay more and buy something made locally. Do you mean the lavalier mic from Aliexpress I mentioned? Well I first ordered one from Amazon and from knowing that and from looking at many other offers it is clear that these are pretty much all the same model. And so you pay for different marketing. When it comes to “not knowing how it’s made”: It is not even using a USB connection but rather plugs right into the microphone jack. So not sure how this could be used for surveillance. And regarding the human rights: Sure that is not ok. But most things are made in China and it is hard to escape. But if you find something good made “locally” (wherever that might be for you) then please share!
  - varispeed 6y ago
    I did a little research when I was looking for a lav microphone and narrowed it down to those options - Sanken Cos-11D (Japan) and DPA 4060 (Denmark). I also considered Sennheiser ME-2, as it appears to be made in Philippines. Eventually I got Sanken. I costs about 10 times more than Chinese microphones on Amazon, but I feel better knowing I am not helping building Chinese vision of communism.

arbitrage 6y ago

Pimps aren't admirable people.

ruph123 6y ago
I am not a native english speaker, to me "pimp up" means to "upgrade" something. Sorry if that came off wrong.
- acqq 6y ago
  I even know where your environment got that belief. Blame MTV, since 2004: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pimp_My_Ride https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pimp_My_Ride A lot of non-natives then miss that the meaning of the word is not about an "upgrade" but about: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procuring_(prostitution) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procuring_(prostitution) which was on MTV glorified as the part of the "Afro-American" "pop culture" which is also... not a really nicest approach. But... it was supposed to be a "fashion." And relativised as "the thing of certain culture." Postmodernism and all that. And therefore.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_gustibus_non_est_disputandum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_gustibus_non_est_disputandu... ...and "acceptable" for MTV. Edit: also, 2008: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/msnbc-reporter-begrudging_n_85706 https://www.huffpost.com/entry/msnbc-reporter-begrudging_n_8...
  - ruph123 6y ago
    I both know what a pimp is and that that show probably made the expression famous. (In Germany there was even "Pimp my Fahrrad") However, I was not aware that this is not generally used in day-to-day language by native speakers.
    - acqq 6y ago
      > In Germany there was even "Pimp my Fahrrad" It exactly confirms how that expression became popular there. A direct false association with "improving" "the look of the vehicles." (das Fahrrad == a bicycle) Well... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVCh6Xp_VD8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVCh6Xp_VD8 Also, very funny, from the Wikipedia page of the show: "Viacom, the owner of the Pimp My Ride franchise, has made legal threats against a number of small business owners over the use of the words Pimp My... in business names. Businesses using the names Pimp My Pet and Pimp My Snack have been threatened with legal action for an alleged breach of a trademark owned by Viacom. The website Pimp My Snack is now known as Pimp That Snack." And more from the "pimp-gate": https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4274500&page=1 https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4274500&pa...
  - kube-system 6y ago
    It’s slang. English dictionaries are descriptive, not prescriptive. It is valid and common for English words to take on multiple meanings regardless of their origin, and for slang to be recognized use. Given that everyone here understands what was being said, I find it hard to say the usage was improper English. Informal, yes. Unprofessional, yes. Offensive, potentially. Incorrect English, no.
    - acqq 6y ago
      > I find it hard to say the usage was improper English. And who here said it "was improper English" specifically, in these words?
  - andrewzah 6y ago
    It is dismissive to say that natives "miss the meaning". They do not. Pimp has multiple usages, as do a lot of words. It is very easy in English to create new nouns/verbs or new usages of existing ones and happens all the time. As usual, the context is crucial for figuring out which usage it is.
pickledcods 6y ago
Please stop!
snakeboy 6y ago
Those who add irrelevant comments trying to shame people for using popular, harmless slang aren't admirable people either. (Neither are the schmucks like me who are baited into responding, but whatever)
spicybright 6y ago
I don't even know what your point is here.

manojlds 6y ago

The video, ironically, has such low volume. Good content though, subscribed!

stunt 6y ago

That's more about podcasting setup though. Conferencing setup is different because you also have to listen to others.

ruph123 6y ago
I think it is fair to assume that most people have some type of headphones at home or are capable of buying some. Also you don't have to put the mic so close to your face that it is visible in your video feed. It still has a much better quality and less noise than many other solutions like bluetooth headsets I tested before.

hdtrey5 6y ago

The manufacturer provides free shipping for those looking to avoid Amazon: https://fifinemicrophone.com/collections/microphones/products/usb-microphone-for-mac-and-windows-k670 https://fifinemicrophone.com/collections/microphones/product...

BatteryMountain 6y ago

I've been using the kit with the arm for about a year now. I bought it just for meetings as I don't stream games or do podcasts. The kit itself is freaking amazing. Almost all parts are made from smooth-non-gloss metal and the audio quality is amazing. People from the office commented on it when I switched over since the mic on the macbook makes my voice sound like I'm talking from a tin can and the voice was very nasal-like (+ the obvious echo issues). Now I sound like myself and I would dare say, more manly. Deeper sound etc. I recommend the kit to everyone I can. It is the best "cheap" kit you will find and won't need to spend thousands. The mic itself has a small volume knob that that I set to about 10% to 15%. I can have my washing machine run in the background and nobody can hear it. It uses 1x usb port and work on Windows/Mac/Linux - I'm currently using on a MacBook Air that runs Fedora 33 (mic volume knob at ~15% and PulseAudio mic volume 85%). Gaming headsets are all basically garbage, don't bother with them. Other than that, I use a Samson SR850. It's a cheap studio headset that is decent quality - I bought it because the Roland model I wanted was out of stock. I have no affiliation with the company(s). https://fifinemicrophone.com/collections/microphones/products/fifine-usb-microphone-t669 https://fifinemicrophone.com/collections/microphones/product...

ruph123 6y ago
That is awesome, I def. also will get the arm (and esp. the shock mount). Do you have the mic close to your mouth "podcaster style" for optimal results or rather away and out of frame? I still struggle with that. I don't want to look like I'm trying too hard and it seems a bit restrictive having it hang between keyboard and screen. Having it next to my keyboard is already a huge quality improvement so I keep it there. I am also not afiliated in any way with Fifine but I was really impressed by the build quality of the mic. I am also on Fedora and on the journey of improving audio I also have been playing around with Pulseeffects. Playing around with gate, compressor and limiter, etc. can certainly improve even more (and cut off some noise, etc.) but I am still figuring things out: https://fedoramagazine.org/tune-up-your-sound-with-pulseeffects-microphones/ https://fedoramagazine.org/tune-up-your-sound-with-pulseeffe...
- BatteryMountain 6y ago

varispeed 6y ago

Is it ethical to buy such equipment from China? You never know how it was made and that country does have a record of human rights abuse. I'd rather pay more and buy something made locally.

ruph123 6y ago
> I'd rather pay more and buy something made locally. Do you mean the lavalier mic from Aliexpress I mentioned? Well I first ordered one from Amazon and from knowing that and from looking at many other offers it is clear that these are pretty much all the same model. And so you pay for different marketing. When it comes to “not knowing how it’s made”: It is not even using a USB connection but rather plugs right into the microphone jack. So not sure how this could be used for surveillance. And regarding the human rights: Sure that is not ok. But most things are made in China and it is hard to escape. But if you find something good made “locally” (wherever that might be for you) then please share!
- varispeed 6y ago
  I did a little research when I was looking for a lav microphone and narrowed it down to those options - Sanken Cos-11D (Japan) and DPA 4060 (Denmark). I also considered Sennheiser ME-2, as it appears to be made in Philippines. Eventually I got Sanken. I costs about 10 times more than Chinese microphones on Amazon, but I feel better knowing I am not helping building Chinese vision of communism.