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It's also really easy to have high quality audio! The author recommends a "podcasting" microphone, but a $35 standalone headset mic[1] is almost as good and muc

It's also really easy to have high quality audio! The author recommends a "podcasting" microphone, but a $35 standalone headset mic[1] is almost as good and much easier to use. If you want to hear a comparison, I got kind of obsessed with this problem at one point and took some comparison recordings here[2]. (You need a standalone mic since most headsets, even really nice ones, have really bad mics because most headset buyers don't care about or even know how good their mic sounds. The one I linked is wired because wireless is evil[3] and in particular, Bluetooth will silently degrade your audio quality. If you want a pair of wired headphones, I like these[4] which are "open back" and therefore sound more natural + cool your ears better, although the open back also means they "leak" sound and are only suitable for working without people next to you. But you shouldn't be having calls with people next to you anyway!) [1]: https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Microphone-Gaming-Communication/dp/B00BJ17WKK https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Microphone-Gaming-Comm... [2]: https://www.benkuhn.net/vc/#get-a-better-microphone https://www.benkuhn.net/vc/#get-a-better-microphone [3]: https://www.benkuhn.net/wireless/ https://www.benkuhn.net/wireless/ [4]: https://www.amazon.com/Philips-SHP9500S-Precision-Over-ear-Headphones/dp/B00ENMK1DW/ https://www.amazon.com/Philips-SHP9500S-Precision-Over-ear-H...

ballenf 5y ago
Physical mute button with red LED mute status is a killer feature. Got a wired Plantronics headset with USB-C that I'm happy with. Not sure if the above products have this feature, but I recommend checking for it.
- GuB-42 5y ago
  The best system for me is the one on the Sennheisser Game One I have and probably many others. There is a microswitch in the mic boom, so that it is disconnected when you lift it away. I mean, you can't get more simple: when it is in front of your mouth, it is on, when it isn't, it is off. No need for a LED. Also, the headset is passive, with a good old jack connector, I consider it a plus.
  - gkop 5y ago
    My Sennheiser PC37X (their conservative/stealth-looking gaming headset) has the lift-to-mute. I was excited about this feature but struggled to remember to unmute myself and gave up using it. I would like an LED indicator somewhere.
- macintux 5y ago
  > Physical mute button with red LED mute status is a killer feature. I had a headset with that feature, and sure enough, it failed me on a sales call. I groaned at something our salesperson said, and despite the button having been pressed and the light being on, everyone heard me.
  - goostavos 5y ago
    As someone who recently forgot they were still sharing their screen while simultaneously starting to chat with a colleague about how incompetent the person currently talking is... I feel your particular kind of pain.
    - swyx 5y ago
      ouch! how did you handle it? apologize and move on as if nothing happened??
- r1ch 5y ago
  Physical mute switches can be worse for other listeners as it creates an audible pop every time you mute and unmute on a 3.5mm connection. Digital (USB) mute switches are better.
  - spockz 5y ago
    Why is this? It certainly doesn’t need to be so I suppose?
    - jononor 5y ago
      Analog microphone audio is one wire (and ground) having the AC signal of the audio, superimposed on a DC signal powering microphone capsula. The simplest way of making a killswitch is to either 1) short the signal to ground or 2) cut the signal between mic capsula and the soundcard input. Done with just a switch, both of these will impact the AC component as well as the DC component, and the DC offset change that causes the pop. And yes, there are many ways to avoid this problem. I think adding a resistor and capacitor to form a high-pass filter for the shorting option would work fine. If there is already a PCB for the switch, adding these two components would cost practically nothing.
      - formerly_proven 5y ago
        The "pop-less" microphone switch is generally a series R-C pair, where the R is, say, 1 MOhm, and the C a few µF. The switch shorts the R out; the R charges the capacitor to the bias level when unmuted, and so shorting the R produces very little pop. The capacitor then shorts the AC audio component. XLR switches are easier, just short hot and cold, done. Works with all microphones and doesn't produce a pop, because XLR uses phantom power instead of T-power.
bryanrasmussen 5y ago
> The author recommends a "podcasting" microphone, but a $35 standalone headset mic[1] is almost as good and much easier to use. so if it's almost as good how smart does each one make you sound?
Mauricebranagh 5y ago
I think I may have to send this link to our thursday night GM :-) his cheap headset mic keeps popping and has terrible quality. I use a chaepo Plantronics £40 for work but for my steaming I use a Focusrite claret and a separate cheap dynamic mic (plus an exciter). I do need to upgrade that mic to a sm58b or a AT 3035. I have thought about buying a focusrite scarlet and use a separate dynamic mic for work as well.
- scrozart 5y ago
  I have a similar setup, but use a Sennheiser e935. Sounds incredible. After 25 years in both live audio and recording, I would highly recommend it over the Beta 58. I might even use the e835 before the beta; certainly before the standard 58. Also, regarding the AT3035, I've recently purchased an AT2020 on a park since the price was insane (like $90 US), and it sounds great! I used it on a remote recording session as the second mic on a guitar can and it was the perfect complement to the other mic (sm57).
  - Mauricebranagh 5y ago
    Ty for that. I just used some 15 year old entry level Shure's I had from 15 years ago - massive self noise. I think I was tending to the 30 as its a slightly hotter mic
  - david38 5y ago
    I’m using the ATR2100x-USB. It’s great. I can use it with USB for zoom meetings or XLR for recording. My RE320 sounds better, but in a listening test with friends, not by much. Other factors come into play.
- canadianfella 5y ago
  GM?
- hellohiyesokay 5y ago
  >AT 3035 In my previous life I was a recording engineer, and this microphone was what I used in just about every session. It is one of the most versatile and best bang-for-the-buck condensers on the market, and has been for a lot of years. Very highly recommend to anyone wanting a microphone that can do just about anything.
pc86 5y ago
Great article! Is there any inherent audio quality difference between USB and XLR in your experience?
- allknowabout 5y ago
  Probably less static, lower noise floor, more tonal and full sound. I've used both and I obviously prefer XLR but it probably doesn't make any difference for casual use.
- PascLeRasc 5y ago
  You’re always gonna connect XLR over USB anyway, so not really. It’s just that XLR gives you a lot more flexibility to change microphones, use your interface to control gain or add padding, or if you’re a musician record instruments. But a USB AT2020 or similar is gonna be excellent for calls no matter what.
  - andrewzah 5y ago
    This is not true. USB microphones do not have as high quality as XLR microphones connected to a usb interface. In general, USB mics have a lower signal to noise ratio (SNR) and a higher noise floor. Does this matter for gaming or calls? Not really, as it will definitely sound better than crappy laptop or headphone mics. But there is a marked difference. The AT2020 usb mic doesn't even go up to 20khz. Not to mention the A-D conversion from a dedicated unit and the mic preamp are going to be better than the onboard electronics of a usb mic.
    - walshemj 5y ago
      Err no an xlr mic into a sound card is going to be better.
      - andrewzah 5y ago
        What sound cards support direct XLR input? In nearly every case, a dedicated usb interface is going to have better quality ADC and mic preamps. High-quality sound cards are not prioritized by consumers, so they remain rather poor quality in most laptops and pcs. Even something like a focusrite scarlett is going to improve the signal chain immensely (plus you get the added bonus of a decent DAC as well).
OGWhales 5y ago
Oh hey, I use that mic from your first link. Works quite well for the price. For anyone wondering, I do have V-MODA headphone, so I knew it would fit but it does fit in a couple other headphones as well.. it just won't fit in everything, so be aware of that.
- benkuhn 5y ago
  Yeah, in particular you need headphones whose 3.5mm cable is detachable. Thanks for flagging, I should have included a warning! For other headphones you can use the various flavors of Antlion ModMic, but it’s more expensive and less convenient because you have two cables.
- unexpected 5y ago
  question - do you use this on video zoom calls? I can see the benefits on a non-video zoom call. But having a microphone on your face during a video zoom meeting makes me feel like a radio DJ trying to have a call.
baxuz 5y ago
Not really easy to be honest. Depending on the day, I am getting horrible static in my desktop microphone(s). This might be caused by no grounding in the outlet. I'm living in a really old house with no ground for most rooms (yes, I know), with only a bootleg ground to prevent _really_ bad noise and occasional static zaps. Though I've read of many people having the same issues with properly grounded machines (as far as it goes for domestic use. I'm not talking about studio-grade grounding). My Macbook, on the other hand, doesn't have any static, even though its charger doesn't even have a ground pin, nor does my Steelseries Arctis 1 wireless (which uses a non-bluetooth dongle. Might be because it's wireless, or just because it's an external device. In any case, I don't feel comfortable shelling out upwards of 400$ for an audio setup.
- XorNot 5y ago
  This shouldn't be a problem from what I understand: "real" ground is just tied off to a rod buried in your backyard, but it's also bonded to neutral at the switchboard anyway.
  - elisaado 5y ago
    Yes, but with a certain resistance meaning there will always be a voltage difference between neutral and ground.
  - ferongr 5y ago
    >but it's also bonded to neutral at the switchboard anyway Depends on the country. Over here protective earth is entirely separate from neutral, and there's a separate earth stake for each consumer. This is the TT system.
- elisaado 5y ago
  I don't recommend the following but in our old house I used to tie my outlet ground (that was free floating) to the radiator which was grounded. It worked until my mother reported the shower water was feeling "very harsh".
  - 5y ago
nicbou 5y ago
This was an excellent writeup. There's only one thing I would add: put the camera closer to where people's faces are. It feels like you're looking directly at them, and it makes a big difference. I made a habit of looking directly into the camera now.
- FirstLvR 5y ago
  the camera thing is really an issue in my company, we mostly work on software development so we share our screen constantly in our meetings... no one cares on turning on the camera and this has become regular behavior the problem is that you dont know if the other people are actually paying attention and human interactions need that feedback
  - riskable 5y ago
    Honestly though, seeing people's faces/active backgrounds is super distracting. If I'm actually paying attention on a call I'm usually looking down off to the side of the screen so I can focus. I recently setup a camera pointing down at my keyboard/mouse instead of my face for demonstrating a keyboard that I built (analog hall effect--from scratch!) and I think that's good enough to let people know, "I'm here" without being super distracting (assuming I turn off the LEDs and the gigantic LED matrix display haha).
    - hammock 5y ago
      Then they see you writing emails instead of listening?
  - quadrifoliate 5y ago
    > the problem is that you dont know if the other people are actually paying attention and human interactions need that feedback This is going into the realm of the kind of monitoring software that tracks your eye movement to make sure you're concentrating. If people are not paying attention to whatever you're presenting in your meeting, maybe the meeting is not relevant for those people. Consider cancelling it.
- 5y ago
jmenter 5y ago
Great article!
pa9am 5y ago
The most important thing is to have the microphone close to your mouth. There is nothing more annoying than listening to echo-y voice. The mic even have to be that expensive. I use a cheap dynamic mic from ebay with a windscreen and a mic arm and it sounds fine.
- wombatmobile 5y ago
  > I use a cheap dynamic mic from ebay with a windscreen and a mic arm and it sounds fine. How do you know what it sounds like? How do you know how good you sound to other people compared to if you were speaking through a good condenser mic?
  - Someone1234 5y ago
    Open voice recorder, record, say things, listen. Plus multiple services now offer test calls/contacts where you can open a voice call, say things, and then listen back to how the other side hears it.
  - spookthesunset 5y ago
    Make your own zoom call and record it...
  - ISL 5y ago
    Put on headphones, linked to your phone, mute the phone mic (do not skip this step), and hold a video call with yourself between your computer and your phone.
- AstralStorm 5y ago
  Quality supercardioid microphone will reject echo well enough for most rooms and a meter or two distance. That is usually enough distance to not typically require a pop filter, this giving improved clarity. Hypercardioid "shotgun" works too as long as its back is placed far enough off a wall, however these tend to have sound coloration. It just so happens that most microphones are the less directional cardioid. Or worse, omnidirectional.
gibspaulding 5y ago
Wow, I actually did a bunch of research on upgrading from my current "gaming" headset a while ago and those are the exact items I landed on. Maybe it's time to finally pull the trigger.
izacus 5y ago
The V-MODA BoomPro finally made microphone useful in combination with my 1000XM3s. Cheap and easy upgrade there.
ricardobayes 5y ago
For those who are not looking to spend a fortune, a simple Apple earpod (wired) is still better than most headsets out there. And it costs 20 bucks. I think my yeti actually sounds worse at it cost 3 times as much.
- __alexs 5y ago
  Curse anyone that uses an inline microphone on some earbuds. They sound awful and people frequently bump against them causing even more terrible experience for the listener.
  - anamexis 5y ago
    Earbud microphones rubbing against clothing is like nails on a chalkboard for me.
    - senux 5y ago
      I agree, but between that and most of my co-workers currently using their laptops built-in mics, I'd rather deal with the noise from the earbuds.
      - arkh 5y ago
        The worse is laptop mic + speakers. If you noticed the people speaking to you stop mid-sentence, it's because hearing themselves with some timelag tends to make them stop speaking. Thanks to some people, everyone can experience speech jamming for free! https://arxiv.org/vc/arxiv/papers/1202/1202.6106v1.pdf https://arxiv.org/vc/arxiv/papers/1202/1202.6106v1.pdf
  - albemuth 5y ago
    You just have to do the TikTok hold
- stefandesu 5y ago
  Totally agree. I've been using my old Apple EarPods and I'm always told that I sound great.
fullstop 5y ago
I have one of these and have been very impressed with the output. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QVNXBDL https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QVNXBDL It was ~$50.
nishparadox 5y ago
I recently bought a new dynamic mic. And it has absolutely changed the way I do WFH. No more crappy noises. No more background sounds. In fact, I believe that having a good microphone is a good initiative to seriously start a better workflow for WFH.
TacoToni 5y ago
I use that v moda mic with sennhesier hd598 open back. Had to mod them to connect them, but they’ve worked quite well for many years now. I might need to get a new mic because the volume control is starting to cut in and out if I move it too much. Great recommendation through!
pablodavila 5y ago
Related to your open back headphones comment: I hate using closed back/ noise canceling headphones while talking in calls. Fortunately, I don't have anyone around me so I don't need them but I can't imagine having to use them and listening to my own voice through my skull. I'm currently using the HD58X but I might look into getting the SHPs as a "beater" pair with the VModa mic.
- bad_username 5y ago
  Sony noise canceling headphones deliberately start passing some ambient sound through (including your own voice) when you are in a call of any kind.
nvarsj 5y ago
The ModMic is also excellent, and you can attach it to existing headphones [1]. I use this at home with my prized Sennheisers. It baffles me that some people don't seem to care about their audio quality on calls. The most obnoxious are those who use speakers and you get echo on all your talking, and despite telling them, they still never bother to get a decent mic. Another common offender are the Bose QC35s: they have a terrible mic - I wish people would stop using them. All the Apple things have great mics. I always keep an old pair of 3.5mm earpods in my bag as a good, portable laptop mic. [1]: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ModMic-GDL-1420-UNI-Mute-Switch/dp/B07YN25KWN/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=mod+mic&qid=1618498308&sr=8-4 https://www.amazon.co.uk/ModMic-GDL-1420-UNI-Mute-Switch/dp/...
- oauea 5y ago
  I absolutely love my Bose QC35s. With the modmic that I attached to them. When using the mic built into the Bose QC35s it switches to mono audio, and the mic itself is indeed also terrible. Very unfortunate.
  - dreinhardt 5y ago
    Which mod mic do you use? The QC35s have the extra small plug so I thought most mod mics would not fit.
    - oauea 5y ago
      The modmic has their own little sticker that is stuck to the outside of the mic. That's what the modmic attaches to. If you have the wireless one, that's that. If you have the wired one, the 3.5mm jack goes into your PC, not into the QC35s. So it doesn't matter what kind of plug the QC35s have. I actually have both a wired (very old, wire kind of broken because I treated it poorly) and a wireless modmic, and both work fine with my QC35s.
- MattGaiser 5y ago
  > It baffles me that some people don't seem to care about their audio quality on calls. 1. It is a bunch of extra work and expense for something I probably do not really want to be on. Easy audio communication is bound to induce more audio communication. 2. I have to maintain a bunch of infrastructure for it, manage configuration, and deal with all the wires. It is far from a free and easy improvement. 3. I rarely speak in meetings anyway.
tootie 5y ago
You can also try the best kept secret in radio: https://youtu.be/gPbQYmkyqaE https://youtu.be/gPbQYmkyqaE
- spudlyo 5y ago
  This is my problem. In order to get a decent sound in my untreated office (reverberant bare walls, hardwood floor, etc) I need to have my dynamic mic with a low gain setting and I have to be right up on it, which makes me look like I'm on Joe Rogan's podcast or something. For Zoom I'd prefer if you couldn't see the mic.
  - formerly_proven 5y ago
    A lavalier hidden in your collar (or tie knot, if you're that kind of guy) might work for you. Because they're surrounded by clothes and your body it's less susceptible to room noise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D85HmR825wM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D85HmR825wM
- gjm11 5y ago
  The video is excellent and I would encourage anyone reading this to watch it, but for the benefit of those who don't like clickbait the answer is: surround yourself with a quilt, jacket, pillow fort, or similar, because although it looks ridiculous it gets rid of background noise and muffles reflected sound. (I haven't "saved you a click" because you should watch the video anyway. It's not just about how to get better sound when recording or broadcasting. About ten minutes.)
psanford 5y ago
I use the Philips-SHP9500S headphones. I found they were very uncomfortable with the ear pads they came with. I replaced the ear pads with some thinker ones (Shure HPAEC940) and it really helped a lot.
oehpr 5y ago
As a comment. I got the v-moda. I like it a lot. It sounds great. BUT it's a very omnidirectional mic, it picks up everything going on in the room in clear detail. If your environment is noisy, you would likely be better off getting a shotgun or cardioid style microphone with some directionality to it.
- belter 5y ago
  I use a home studio so its easier. If you participate in conferences from an open floor office I would agree. Also important and already mentioned in the original post. Avoid any Bluetooth based mics or headphones. Avoid Wifi connections and go for cable based connections.
belter 5y ago
The recommendation above: V-MODA-BoomPro and Philips-SPH9500S is pure gold and will save you hundreds of hours of research. After trying more than 20 to 25 different products and solutions I arrived to the same conclusion. I work on Linux but sometimes need to use Windows. I work regularly delivering sessions, workshops etc... Very high quality sound is critical for me. I have multiple professional level microphones SM57, Neumann(s), BlueYeti and also tried some of the cheaper USB mics. I spent well over 60 to 80 hours doing research on how to get good audio quality online and would like to offer the following recommendations: DO NOT rely at all on YouTube recommendations from specialized channels, even the ones with high reputation. They have a business running, and a bad review for a product will make sure they will not get another “sample” from the same vendor. I had instances where I ordered professional level headphones in the 300 to 400 US dollars price range, reviewed by several of the high reputation channels as the best out there. Within minutes of receiving the product would realize how uncomfortable they feel, or how bad sound they offer. When I would return to re-watch some of these YouTube “reviews” I would quickly realize the reviewer had skillfully omitted to mention any of these failures within the product. If there is an issue, these reviews just “omit” any comments around problematic areas of a product. On a second though … Maybe there is a business opportunity here. Recommendation: Choose a reliable online vendor that can offer returns on the product. Be ready to order several products and do your research. You also have to take into account a couple of things: - What OS are you using ? If you are using a USB mic some vendors have great mics but terrible drivers ( ex BlueYeti Windows drivers ) and they do not seem willing to put the effort in. Windows is particularly terrible out of the box, with energy-saving OS plans that pause USB ports configurations. It took me hours to get Windows 10 to sound good and reliably for online meetings. This is a good starting point: https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207355205-Optimising-your-PC-for-Audio-on-Windows-10 https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207355205-Op... - Do you want to sound good while doing Podcasts, creating YouTube videos OR during via WebMeeting platforms like Webex, GotoMeeting, Zoom, Jitsi? From my experience, due to internal audio processing done by many of the online conference platforms you are going to need different solutions for each use case. Some of the Studio level Condenser mics used for podcasts do not sound very good during online conferences. Its also the case they are too sensitive and your conference participants can hear you with great audio quality but they will also hear you neighbor dog barking. Warning: I am not associated with any of these companies in any way but I would suggest the following: - Do you want to sound good for Web Meetings ? Get two V-MODA-BoomPro and Philips-SPH9500S . One set to use and one as backup. It will be relatively cheap compared to other solutions and the price/quality ratio of this recommendation is exceptional. The mic has good quality and the headphones are high quality. You won’t feel them if you use these for 8 hours. You can spend more if you are willing to put the research effort. Just do not settle for any first choice. OR - Do you want to sound good while creating YouTube Videos ? Always get a Pop Filter and a Mic Stand with isolation from vibrations. Get a BlueYeti ( but use the XLR port not USB ). The BlueYeti USB drivers on Windows will randomly cause distortion and I given up on the Company putting the effort to fix the issues. You can also Get an SM57. Sounds great for voice and its not by accident it’s the official mic of the US President. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shure_SM57 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shure_SM57 Be careful where your order, the SM57 and the SM58 are some of the most frequently counterfeited mics by Chinese or Taiwanese vendors. Then get one of the Focusrite Scarlett interfaces and you will be sorted. If you don’t use Mac or Linux but Windows be ready to spend some effort troubleshooting driver issues. This solution will not be cheap but still manageable and save you hours. You welcome ! [Edit] Spelling
airstrike 5y ago
Thank you. Do you also happen to have recommendations for those of us happy to spend a little more on a "podcasting" or any similar higher quality microphone?
- 13415 5y ago
  This depends a lot on your budget, voice and whether your room is treated or not. My room is not treated. I use a Røde M3 condenser mic just outside the camera range for Zoom calls, it's fine but sensitive to outside noise. A mic with hypercardoid pattern or a lavalier would probably be better for that purpose. In any case, the audio quality is very good. For recording audiobooks, I use a dynamic Røde Procaster.[1] It's outstanding and was the right choice for my voice. It has very good background noise rejection. I'd recommend it. Generally speaking, there are many good condenser microphones but I'd recommend a dynamic microphone if you can get close to the mic, your room is not treated, or there is outside noise. [1] I'm in no way affiliated with Røde, just happened to like their mics. There are many other good choices in the same price ranges.
Heliosmaster 5y ago
This is the reason why i got some Wired Bose Soundsport, and I had to get the lime green ones because they don't make it anymore. No wireless for me.
fractalb 5y ago
It couldn't have come at a better time for me. I have just started looking for a better mic to sound better to my colleagues. Thanks for the wonderful write-ups and suggestions
technofiend 5y ago
The booming, echoy audio you get in most zoom calls from people sitting 4 feet from their microphone is a little aggravating. If you'd like to help your colleagues hear you better and want something subtler than a large microphone on a big boom arm then go for a lavalier microphone. See https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ME4--sennheiser-me-4-lavalier-microphone-for-wireless https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ME4--sennheiser-me-4... for one example, but even a $10 microphone from Microcenter, Amazon or Ali{baba,express} will do. What do you don't want is a microphone hanging off earphone adapters because you end up having to eat those to be heard. A lav mic in Zoom with both auto level adjustment and background noise suppression enabled gives a pretty pleasant experience. If you don't have a dedicated microphone port then you may have to purchase an adapter because some input ports are wired tip ring ring sleeve (TRRS) and a microphone will just be tip ring sleeve (TRS).
- ravenstine 5y ago
  I had this exact problem with a client I was working with a couple years ago. For meetings, they would all gather in one cramped room with nothing on the walls and plop a conference mic in the middle, and the audio was so bad that most of the time they were incomprehensible to me. I even told them this, but I pretty much got ignored. Glad I stopped working with them. It amazes me how, even now with so many people working remote, how few of us take audio without even a modicum of seriousness.
- obsequiosity 5y ago
  What would you recommend for someone who specifically would want a large mic on an arm? Would that pick up keyboard noise?
  - technofiend 5y ago
    That depends on the pickup pattern of the microphone, the gain on the mic and the distance between the mic and the keyboard. The pickup pattern dictates which direction(s) the microphone is sensitive to: see https://ehomerecordingstudio.com/microphone-polar-patterns/ https://ehomerecordingstudio.com/microphone-polar-patterns/ as one example. You'd want a cardiod mic turned so that the least sensitive part of the mic faces your keyboard. Secondly you'll need to get the microphone close to you so you don't need a ton of gain to be heard well. You can put the mic 10 feet from you and with enough amplification people will hear you, but they'll hear every chair squeak and you shuffling your feet and the ac coming on as well. Get it close and you don't have to increase gain nearly as much. Finally the greater the distance between the mic and keyboard the less likely your tapping will be heard. But again if gain has to be used to pick you up, you're more likely to hear the keyboard even with a cardiod mic because sound still reflects and echoes. Consider something like the Blue snowball as an intro microphone or call up a supplier and have a conversation with a real audio tech, which I am not. The issue is once you get off into mics then you have to ask yourself which input type(s) do you want, what sort of pre-processing you may want, etc. Good luck.
MisterPea 5y ago
Fantastic article, brb going to spend way too much on gadgets now
xiii1408 5y ago
I think one of the things people often overlook is the distance between the mic and your mouth. The closer the mic is to the source, the higher the signal-to-noise ratio will be, so the less echo and background noise you'll get. Many smartphone mics will sound very impressive if you hold them around 6-12 inches from your mouth. But you don't really want to do this with your hand, so it's important to get a mic with a nice stand or a form factor that allows you to comfortably place it where you'll get good audio. Another thing people forget about is the noise canceling and other filters that are applied to your audio by default. If you're in a reasonably quiet place, it's probably reasonable to put "noise canceling" in Zoom on low. This will make your audio less garbled. If you have a really solid audio setup with headphones, you should try turning on "use original sound," which can make your audio really nice (unfortunately not available in Linux). I highly recommend Fifine's mics. They have a USB condenser mic with a boom arm for $60 (~$35 for just the mic) [1], and a lavalier (lapel) mic for $20 [2]. The audio quality is really quite impressive. [1] https://www.amazon.com/FIFINE-Microphone-Adjustable-Instruments-Streaming-T669/dp/B07Y1C6GDS/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=fifine+usb+microphone&qid=1618513568&sr=8-6 https://www.amazon.com/FIFINE-Microphone-Adjustable-Instrume... [2] https://www.amazon.com/Lavalier-Microphone-Cardioid-Condenser-Computer/dp/B077VNGVL2/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=fifine+lavalier+mic&qid=1618514374&sr=8-5 https://www.amazon.com/Lavalier-Microphone-Cardioid-Condense...
vlmutolo 5y ago
I'm sure this will get lost because I caught this thread late, but there's one more thing you can do with a "real" DSLR-type camera for better image quality: zoom in. Ideally, the camera is as far from you as possible, and zoomed in on your face. "Zooming in" is really just increasing the focal length, and zooming out is decreasing the focal length, producing an effect best known as "fish eye". This is one of the first things people will tell you about photographing a human being for a portrait (which is essentially the same problem as a video conference). Get rid of distortion on the face. Use a focal length of at least 50mm (zoomed all the way in on the lenses mentioned in your article). Otherwise, the nose gets blown up and everyone looks worse.
- bscphil 5y ago
  Yep, this is correct. Others in the thread have recommended getting the camera as close as possible to compensate for the wide angle lenses of webcams, but this is suboptimal. It creates the unmistakable visual impression of being right in someone's personal space while you talk to them. You can create the same effect where someone is easy to see just by using a camera with a narrower field of view and a longer focal length, without the distorting effect caused by being too close.
JJMcJ 5y ago
I got a decent headset w/mic, use it for Zoom, use it for cell phone as well when I am at home. Great improvement in what I hear, and what others hear as well. On Zoom I look a little goofy with the phones on but better that than missing what people say and getting echoes.
pier25 5y ago
The V-Moda is great, but if you don't have headphones where it can be attached I recommend the $20 Sony ECMCS3 mic. It sounds fantastic for the price. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzGPyekZE7w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzGPyekZE7w https://www.amazon.com/Sony-ECMCS3-Omnidirectional-Stereo-Microphone/dp/B0058MJX4O/ https://www.amazon.com/Sony-ECMCS3-Omnidirectional-Stereo-Mi...
- tecleandor 5y ago
  I've seen in some places that this might need some power (as a Rodes VideoMicro needs from the camera) so it wouldn't work in a laptop. Where did you connect it?
  - pier25 5y ago
    It has worked on anything I've used it on (MBP, iMac, PC desktop, iPad, etc). You do need one of those TRRS splitters though.
gregwebs 5y ago
I love the modularity of the boom mike attaching to existing headphones. I have been using a Bluetooth adapter which keeps things modular. You can plugin a wired headset to it. Of course, keep things wired when talking with someone else. But you can reuse that wired headset as Bluetooth when you just want to listen and want to roam around. https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Bluetooth-Receiver-Connection-Hands-Free/dp/B07ML5GP72/ https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Bluetooth-Receiver-Connection-Ha...
alsetmusic 5y ago
Step 1. Get a quality mic. Step 2. Control the sound in your environment. The best mic in the world won’t help if you sound like you’re recording in the middle of your kitchen. One of the worst aspects of listening to a great interview is when the guest is in a space with tons of audio reflections. You want the sound of your voice, not the room. Many podcast hosts climbed into closets with sound dampening clothes on hangers during the pandemic. It worked out reasonably well. If you’re doing audio professionally, consider treating the recording space. If you don’t want to put panels on the walls, get free-standing panels that can be stored when not in use: https://auralex.com/ https://auralex.com/ Get a pop filter: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_filter https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_filter Control sibilance: https://urm.academy/death-to-sibilance/ https://urm.academy/death-to-sibilance/ No use having a great mic if you don’t control the things you don’t want it to capture.
Too 5y ago
This video from Electroboom has a lot of similar comparisions, examples, tips and tricks for high quality audio. With all the science behind to back it up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7CtnR47w20 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7CtnR47w20 (Fantastic channel btw)

ballenf 5y ago

Physical mute button with red LED mute status is a killer feature. Got a wired Plantronics headset with USB-C that I'm happy with. Not sure if the above products have this feature, but I recommend checking for it.

GuB-42 5y ago
The best system for me is the one on the Sennheisser Game One I have and probably many others. There is a microswitch in the mic boom, so that it is disconnected when you lift it away. I mean, you can't get more simple: when it is in front of your mouth, it is on, when it isn't, it is off. No need for a LED. Also, the headset is passive, with a good old jack connector, I consider it a plus.
- gkop 5y ago
  My Sennheiser PC37X (their conservative/stealth-looking gaming headset) has the lift-to-mute. I was excited about this feature but struggled to remember to unmute myself and gave up using it. I would like an LED indicator somewhere.
macintux 5y ago
> Physical mute button with red LED mute status is a killer feature. I had a headset with that feature, and sure enough, it failed me on a sales call. I groaned at something our salesperson said, and despite the button having been pressed and the light being on, everyone heard me.
- goostavos 5y ago
  As someone who recently forgot they were still sharing their screen while simultaneously starting to chat with a colleague about how incompetent the person currently talking is... I feel your particular kind of pain.
  - swyx 5y ago
    ouch! how did you handle it? apologize and move on as if nothing happened??
r1ch 5y ago
Physical mute switches can be worse for other listeners as it creates an audible pop every time you mute and unmute on a 3.5mm connection. Digital (USB) mute switches are better.
- spockz 5y ago
  Why is this? It certainly doesn’t need to be so I suppose?
  - jononor 5y ago
    Analog microphone audio is one wire (and ground) having the AC signal of the audio, superimposed on a DC signal powering microphone capsula. The simplest way of making a killswitch is to either 1) short the signal to ground or 2) cut the signal between mic capsula and the soundcard input. Done with just a switch, both of these will impact the AC component as well as the DC component, and the DC offset change that causes the pop. And yes, there are many ways to avoid this problem. I think adding a resistor and capacitor to form a high-pass filter for the shorting option would work fine. If there is already a PCB for the switch, adding these two components would cost practically nothing.
    - formerly_proven 5y ago
      The "pop-less" microphone switch is generally a series R-C pair, where the R is, say, 1 MOhm, and the C a few µF. The switch shorts the R out; the R charges the capacitor to the bias level when unmuted, and so shorting the R produces very little pop. The capacitor then shorts the AC audio component. XLR switches are easier, just short hot and cold, done. Works with all microphones and doesn't produce a pop, because XLR uses phantom power instead of T-power.

bryanrasmussen 5y ago

> The author recommends a "podcasting" microphone, but a $35 standalone headset mic[1] is almost as good and much easier to use. so if it's almost as good how smart does each one make you sound?

Mauricebranagh 5y ago

I think I may have to send this link to our thursday night GM :-) his cheap headset mic keeps popping and has terrible quality. I use a chaepo Plantronics £40 for work but for my steaming I use a Focusrite claret and a separate cheap dynamic mic (plus an exciter). I do need to upgrade that mic to a sm58b or a AT 3035. I have thought about buying a focusrite scarlet and use a separate dynamic mic for work as well.

scrozart 5y ago
I have a similar setup, but use a Sennheiser e935. Sounds incredible. After 25 years in both live audio and recording, I would highly recommend it over the Beta 58. I might even use the e835 before the beta; certainly before the standard 58. Also, regarding the AT3035, I've recently purchased an AT2020 on a park since the price was insane (like $90 US), and it sounds great! I used it on a remote recording session as the second mic on a guitar can and it was the perfect complement to the other mic (sm57).
- Mauricebranagh 5y ago
  Ty for that. I just used some 15 year old entry level Shure's I had from 15 years ago - massive self noise. I think I was tending to the 30 as its a slightly hotter mic
- david38 5y ago
  I’m using the ATR2100x-USB. It’s great. I can use it with USB for zoom meetings or XLR for recording. My RE320 sounds better, but in a listening test with friends, not by much. Other factors come into play.
canadianfella 5y ago
GM?
hellohiyesokay 5y ago
>AT 3035 In my previous life I was a recording engineer, and this microphone was what I used in just about every session. It is one of the most versatile and best bang-for-the-buck condensers on the market, and has been for a lot of years. Very highly recommend to anyone wanting a microphone that can do just about anything.

pc86 5y ago

Great article! Is there any inherent audio quality difference between USB and XLR in your experience?

allknowabout 5y ago
Probably less static, lower noise floor, more tonal and full sound. I've used both and I obviously prefer XLR but it probably doesn't make any difference for casual use.
PascLeRasc 5y ago
You’re always gonna connect XLR over USB anyway, so not really. It’s just that XLR gives you a lot more flexibility to change microphones, use your interface to control gain or add padding, or if you’re a musician record instruments. But a USB AT2020 or similar is gonna be excellent for calls no matter what.
- andrewzah 5y ago
  This is not true. USB microphones do not have as high quality as XLR microphones connected to a usb interface. In general, USB mics have a lower signal to noise ratio (SNR) and a higher noise floor. Does this matter for gaming or calls? Not really, as it will definitely sound better than crappy laptop or headphone mics. But there is a marked difference. The AT2020 usb mic doesn't even go up to 20khz. Not to mention the A-D conversion from a dedicated unit and the mic preamp are going to be better than the onboard electronics of a usb mic.
  - walshemj 5y ago
    Err no an xlr mic into a sound card is going to be better.
    - andrewzah 5y ago
      What sound cards support direct XLR input? In nearly every case, a dedicated usb interface is going to have better quality ADC and mic preamps. High-quality sound cards are not prioritized by consumers, so they remain rather poor quality in most laptops and pcs. Even something like a focusrite scarlett is going to improve the signal chain immensely (plus you get the added bonus of a decent DAC as well).

OGWhales 5y ago

Oh hey, I use that mic from your first link. Works quite well for the price. For anyone wondering, I do have V-MODA headphone, so I knew it would fit but it does fit in a couple other headphones as well.. it just won't fit in everything, so be aware of that.

benkuhn 5y ago
Yeah, in particular you need headphones whose 3.5mm cable is detachable. Thanks for flagging, I should have included a warning! For other headphones you can use the various flavors of Antlion ModMic, but it’s more expensive and less convenient because you have two cables.
unexpected 5y ago
question - do you use this on video zoom calls? I can see the benefits on a non-video zoom call. But having a microphone on your face during a video zoom meeting makes me feel like a radio DJ trying to have a call.

baxuz 5y ago

Not really easy to be honest. Depending on the day, I am getting horrible static in my desktop microphone(s). This might be caused by no grounding in the outlet. I'm living in a really old house with no ground for most rooms (yes, I know), with only a bootleg ground to prevent _really_ bad noise and occasional static zaps. Though I've read of many people having the same issues with properly grounded machines (as far as it goes for domestic use. I'm not talking about studio-grade grounding). My Macbook, on the other hand, doesn't have any static, even though its charger doesn't even have a ground pin, nor does my Steelseries Arctis 1 wireless (which uses a non-bluetooth dongle. Might be because it's wireless, or just because it's an external device. In any case, I don't feel comfortable shelling out upwards of 400$ for an audio setup.

XorNot 5y ago
This shouldn't be a problem from what I understand: "real" ground is just tied off to a rod buried in your backyard, but it's also bonded to neutral at the switchboard anyway.
- elisaado 5y ago
  Yes, but with a certain resistance meaning there will always be a voltage difference between neutral and ground.
- ferongr 5y ago
  >but it's also bonded to neutral at the switchboard anyway Depends on the country. Over here protective earth is entirely separate from neutral, and there's a separate earth stake for each consumer. This is the TT system.
elisaado 5y ago
I don't recommend the following but in our old house I used to tie my outlet ground (that was free floating) to the radiator which was grounded. It worked until my mother reported the shower water was feeling "very harsh".
- 5y ago

nicbou 5y ago

This was an excellent writeup. There's only one thing I would add: put the camera closer to where people's faces are. It feels like you're looking directly at them, and it makes a big difference. I made a habit of looking directly into the camera now.

FirstLvR 5y ago
the camera thing is really an issue in my company, we mostly work on software development so we share our screen constantly in our meetings... no one cares on turning on the camera and this has become regular behavior the problem is that you dont know if the other people are actually paying attention and human interactions need that feedback
- riskable 5y ago
  Honestly though, seeing people's faces/active backgrounds is super distracting. If I'm actually paying attention on a call I'm usually looking down off to the side of the screen so I can focus. I recently setup a camera pointing down at my keyboard/mouse instead of my face for demonstrating a keyboard that I built (analog hall effect--from scratch!) and I think that's good enough to let people know, "I'm here" without being super distracting (assuming I turn off the LEDs and the gigantic LED matrix display haha).
  - hammock 5y ago
    Then they see you writing emails instead of listening?
- quadrifoliate 5y ago
  > the problem is that you dont know if the other people are actually paying attention and human interactions need that feedback This is going into the realm of the kind of monitoring software that tracks your eye movement to make sure you're concentrating. If people are not paying attention to whatever you're presenting in your meeting, maybe the meeting is not relevant for those people. Consider cancelling it.
5y ago

jmenter 5y ago

Great article!

pa9am 5y ago

The most important thing is to have the microphone close to your mouth. There is nothing more annoying than listening to echo-y voice. The mic even have to be that expensive. I use a cheap dynamic mic from ebay with a windscreen and a mic arm and it sounds fine.

wombatmobile 5y ago
> I use a cheap dynamic mic from ebay with a windscreen and a mic arm and it sounds fine. How do you know what it sounds like? How do you know how good you sound to other people compared to if you were speaking through a good condenser mic?
- Someone1234 5y ago
  Open voice recorder, record, say things, listen. Plus multiple services now offer test calls/contacts where you can open a voice call, say things, and then listen back to how the other side hears it.
- spookthesunset 5y ago
  Make your own zoom call and record it...
- ISL 5y ago
  Put on headphones, linked to your phone, mute the phone mic (do not skip this step), and hold a video call with yourself between your computer and your phone.
AstralStorm 5y ago
Quality supercardioid microphone will reject echo well enough for most rooms and a meter or two distance. That is usually enough distance to not typically require a pop filter, this giving improved clarity. Hypercardioid "shotgun" works too as long as its back is placed far enough off a wall, however these tend to have sound coloration. It just so happens that most microphones are the less directional cardioid. Or worse, omnidirectional.

gibspaulding 5y ago

Wow, I actually did a bunch of research on upgrading from my current "gaming" headset a while ago and those are the exact items I landed on. Maybe it's time to finally pull the trigger.

izacus 5y ago

The V-MODA BoomPro finally made microphone useful in combination with my 1000XM3s. Cheap and easy upgrade there.

ricardobayes 5y ago

For those who are not looking to spend a fortune, a simple Apple earpod (wired) is still better than most headsets out there. And it costs 20 bucks. I think my yeti actually sounds worse at it cost 3 times as much.

__alexs 5y ago
Curse anyone that uses an inline microphone on some earbuds. They sound awful and people frequently bump against them causing even more terrible experience for the listener.
- anamexis 5y ago
  Earbud microphones rubbing against clothing is like nails on a chalkboard for me.
  - senux 5y ago
    I agree, but between that and most of my co-workers currently using their laptops built-in mics, I'd rather deal with the noise from the earbuds.
    - arkh 5y ago
      The worse is laptop mic + speakers. If you noticed the people speaking to you stop mid-sentence, it's because hearing themselves with some timelag tends to make them stop speaking. Thanks to some people, everyone can experience speech jamming for free! https://arxiv.org/vc/arxiv/papers/1202/1202.6106v1.pdf https://arxiv.org/vc/arxiv/papers/1202/1202.6106v1.pdf
- albemuth 5y ago
  You just have to do the TikTok hold
stefandesu 5y ago
Totally agree. I've been using my old Apple EarPods and I'm always told that I sound great.

fullstop 5y ago

I have one of these and have been very impressed with the output. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QVNXBDL https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QVNXBDL It was ~$50.

nishparadox 5y ago

I recently bought a new dynamic mic. And it has absolutely changed the way I do WFH. No more crappy noises. No more background sounds. In fact, I believe that having a good microphone is a good initiative to seriously start a better workflow for WFH.

TacoToni 5y ago

I use that v moda mic with sennhesier hd598 open back. Had to mod them to connect them, but they’ve worked quite well for many years now. I might need to get a new mic because the volume control is starting to cut in and out if I move it too much. Great recommendation through!

pablodavila 5y ago

Related to your open back headphones comment: I hate using closed back/ noise canceling headphones while talking in calls. Fortunately, I don't have anyone around me so I don't need them but I can't imagine having to use them and listening to my own voice through my skull. I'm currently using the HD58X but I might look into getting the SHPs as a "beater" pair with the VModa mic.

bad_username 5y ago
Sony noise canceling headphones deliberately start passing some ambient sound through (including your own voice) when you are in a call of any kind.

nvarsj 5y ago

The ModMic is also excellent, and you can attach it to existing headphones [1]. I use this at home with my prized Sennheisers. It baffles me that some people don't seem to care about their audio quality on calls. The most obnoxious are those who use speakers and you get echo on all your talking, and despite telling them, they still never bother to get a decent mic. Another common offender are the Bose QC35s: they have a terrible mic - I wish people would stop using them. All the Apple things have great mics. I always keep an old pair of 3.5mm earpods in my bag as a good, portable laptop mic. [1]: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ModMic-GDL-1420-UNI-Mute-Switch/dp/B07YN25KWN/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=mod+mic&qid=1618498308&sr=8-4 https://www.amazon.co.uk/ModMic-GDL-1420-UNI-Mute-Switch/dp/...

oauea 5y ago
I absolutely love my Bose QC35s. With the modmic that I attached to them. When using the mic built into the Bose QC35s it switches to mono audio, and the mic itself is indeed also terrible. Very unfortunate.
- dreinhardt 5y ago
  Which mod mic do you use? The QC35s have the extra small plug so I thought most mod mics would not fit.
  - oauea 5y ago
    The modmic has their own little sticker that is stuck to the outside of the mic. That's what the modmic attaches to. If you have the wireless one, that's that. If you have the wired one, the 3.5mm jack goes into your PC, not into the QC35s. So it doesn't matter what kind of plug the QC35s have. I actually have both a wired (very old, wire kind of broken because I treated it poorly) and a wireless modmic, and both work fine with my QC35s.
MattGaiser 5y ago
> It baffles me that some people don't seem to care about their audio quality on calls. 1. It is a bunch of extra work and expense for something I probably do not really want to be on. Easy audio communication is bound to induce more audio communication. 2. I have to maintain a bunch of infrastructure for it, manage configuration, and deal with all the wires. It is far from a free and easy improvement. 3. I rarely speak in meetings anyway.

tootie 5y ago

You can also try the best kept secret in radio: https://youtu.be/gPbQYmkyqaE https://youtu.be/gPbQYmkyqaE

spudlyo 5y ago
This is my problem. In order to get a decent sound in my untreated office (reverberant bare walls, hardwood floor, etc) I need to have my dynamic mic with a low gain setting and I have to be right up on it, which makes me look like I'm on Joe Rogan's podcast or something. For Zoom I'd prefer if you couldn't see the mic.
- formerly_proven 5y ago
  A lavalier hidden in your collar (or tie knot, if you're that kind of guy) might work for you. Because they're surrounded by clothes and your body it's less susceptible to room noise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D85HmR825wM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D85HmR825wM
gjm11 5y ago
The video is excellent and I would encourage anyone reading this to watch it, but for the benefit of those who don't like clickbait the answer is: surround yourself with a quilt, jacket, pillow fort, or similar, because although it looks ridiculous it gets rid of background noise and muffles reflected sound. (I haven't "saved you a click" because you should watch the video anyway. It's not just about how to get better sound when recording or broadcasting. About ten minutes.)

psanford 5y ago

I use the Philips-SHP9500S headphones. I found they were very uncomfortable with the ear pads they came with. I replaced the ear pads with some thinker ones (Shure HPAEC940) and it really helped a lot.

oehpr 5y ago

As a comment. I got the v-moda. I like it a lot. It sounds great. BUT it's a very omnidirectional mic, it picks up everything going on in the room in clear detail. If your environment is noisy, you would likely be better off getting a shotgun or cardioid style microphone with some directionality to it.

belter 5y ago
I use a home studio so its easier. If you participate in conferences from an open floor office I would agree. Also important and already mentioned in the original post. Avoid any Bluetooth based mics or headphones. Avoid Wifi connections and go for cable based connections.

belter 5y ago

The recommendation above: V-MODA-BoomPro and Philips-SPH9500S is pure gold and will save you hundreds of hours of research. After trying more than 20 to 25 different products and solutions I arrived to the same conclusion. I work on Linux but sometimes need to use Windows. I work regularly delivering sessions, workshops etc... Very high quality sound is critical for me. I have multiple professional level microphones SM57, Neumann(s), BlueYeti and also tried some of the cheaper USB mics. I spent well over 60 to 80 hours doing research on how to get good audio quality online and would like to offer the following recommendations: DO NOT rely at all on YouTube recommendations from specialized channels, even the ones with high reputation. They have a business running, and a bad review for a product will make sure they will not get another “sample” from the same vendor. I had instances where I ordered professional level headphones in the 300 to 400 US dollars price range, reviewed by several of the high reputation channels as the best out there. Within minutes of receiving the product would realize how uncomfortable they feel, or how bad sound they offer. When I would return to re-watch some of these YouTube “reviews” I would quickly realize the reviewer had skillfully omitted to mention any of these failures within the product. If there is an issue, these reviews just “omit” any comments around problematic areas of a product. On a second though … Maybe there is a business opportunity here. Recommendation: Choose a reliable online vendor that can offer returns on the product. Be ready to order several products and do your research. You also have to take into account a couple of things: - What OS are you using ? If you are using a USB mic some vendors have great mics but terrible drivers ( ex BlueYeti Windows drivers ) and they do not seem willing to put the effort in. Windows is particularly terrible out of the box, with energy-saving OS plans that pause USB ports configurations. It took me hours to get Windows 10 to sound good and reliably for online meetings. This is a good starting point: https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207355205-Optimising-your-PC-for-Audio-on-Windows-10 https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207355205-Op... - Do you want to sound good while doing Podcasts, creating YouTube videos OR during via WebMeeting platforms like Webex, GotoMeeting, Zoom, Jitsi? From my experience, due to internal audio processing done by many of the online conference platforms you are going to need different solutions for each use case. Some of the Studio level Condenser mics used for podcasts do not sound very good during online conferences. Its also the case they are too sensitive and your conference participants can hear you with great audio quality but they will also hear you neighbor dog barking. Warning: I am not associated with any of these companies in any way but I would suggest the following: - Do you want to sound good for Web Meetings ? Get two V-MODA-BoomPro and Philips-SPH9500S . One set to use and one as backup. It will be relatively cheap compared to other solutions and the price/quality ratio of this recommendation is exceptional. The mic has good quality and the headphones are high quality. You won’t feel them if you use these for 8 hours. You can spend more if you are willing to put the research effort. Just do not settle for any first choice. OR - Do you want to sound good while creating YouTube Videos ? Always get a Pop Filter and a Mic Stand with isolation from vibrations. Get a BlueYeti ( but use the XLR port not USB ). The BlueYeti USB drivers on Windows will randomly cause distortion and I given up on the Company putting the effort to fix the issues. You can also Get an SM57. Sounds great for voice and its not by accident it’s the official mic of the US President. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shure_SM57 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shure_SM57 Be careful where your order, the SM57 and the SM58 are some of the most frequently counterfeited mics by Chinese or Taiwanese vendors. Then get one of the Focusrite Scarlett interfaces and you will be sorted. If you don’t use Mac or Linux but Windows be ready to spend some effort troubleshooting driver issues. This solution will not be cheap but still manageable and save you hours. You welcome ! [Edit] Spelling

airstrike 5y ago

Thank you. Do you also happen to have recommendations for those of us happy to spend a little more on a "podcasting" or any similar higher quality microphone?

13415 5y ago
This depends a lot on your budget, voice and whether your room is treated or not. My room is not treated. I use a Røde M3 condenser mic just outside the camera range for Zoom calls, it's fine but sensitive to outside noise. A mic with hypercardoid pattern or a lavalier would probably be better for that purpose. In any case, the audio quality is very good. For recording audiobooks, I use a dynamic Røde Procaster.[1] It's outstanding and was the right choice for my voice. It has very good background noise rejection. I'd recommend it. Generally speaking, there are many good condenser microphones but I'd recommend a dynamic microphone if you can get close to the mic, your room is not treated, or there is outside noise. [1] I'm in no way affiliated with Røde, just happened to like their mics. There are many other good choices in the same price ranges.

Heliosmaster 5y ago

This is the reason why i got some Wired Bose Soundsport, and I had to get the lime green ones because they don't make it anymore. No wireless for me.

fractalb 5y ago

It couldn't have come at a better time for me. I have just started looking for a better mic to sound better to my colleagues. Thanks for the wonderful write-ups and suggestions

technofiend 5y ago

The booming, echoy audio you get in most zoom calls from people sitting 4 feet from their microphone is a little aggravating. If you'd like to help your colleagues hear you better and want something subtler than a large microphone on a big boom arm then go for a lavalier microphone. See https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ME4--sennheiser-me-4-lavalier-microphone-for-wireless https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ME4--sennheiser-me-4... for one example, but even a $10 microphone from Microcenter, Amazon or Ali{baba,express} will do. What do you don't want is a microphone hanging off earphone adapters because you end up having to eat those to be heard. A lav mic in Zoom with both auto level adjustment and background noise suppression enabled gives a pretty pleasant experience. If you don't have a dedicated microphone port then you may have to purchase an adapter because some input ports are wired tip ring ring sleeve (TRRS) and a microphone will just be tip ring sleeve (TRS).

ravenstine 5y ago
I had this exact problem with a client I was working with a couple years ago. For meetings, they would all gather in one cramped room with nothing on the walls and plop a conference mic in the middle, and the audio was so bad that most of the time they were incomprehensible to me. I even told them this, but I pretty much got ignored. Glad I stopped working with them. It amazes me how, even now with so many people working remote, how few of us take audio without even a modicum of seriousness.
obsequiosity 5y ago
What would you recommend for someone who specifically would want a large mic on an arm? Would that pick up keyboard noise?
- technofiend 5y ago
  That depends on the pickup pattern of the microphone, the gain on the mic and the distance between the mic and the keyboard. The pickup pattern dictates which direction(s) the microphone is sensitive to: see https://ehomerecordingstudio.com/microphone-polar-patterns/ https://ehomerecordingstudio.com/microphone-polar-patterns/ as one example. You'd want a cardiod mic turned so that the least sensitive part of the mic faces your keyboard. Secondly you'll need to get the microphone close to you so you don't need a ton of gain to be heard well. You can put the mic 10 feet from you and with enough amplification people will hear you, but they'll hear every chair squeak and you shuffling your feet and the ac coming on as well. Get it close and you don't have to increase gain nearly as much. Finally the greater the distance between the mic and keyboard the less likely your tapping will be heard. But again if gain has to be used to pick you up, you're more likely to hear the keyboard even with a cardiod mic because sound still reflects and echoes. Consider something like the Blue snowball as an intro microphone or call up a supplier and have a conversation with a real audio tech, which I am not. The issue is once you get off into mics then you have to ask yourself which input type(s) do you want, what sort of pre-processing you may want, etc. Good luck.

MisterPea 5y ago

Fantastic article, brb going to spend way too much on gadgets now

xiii1408 5y ago

I think one of the things people often overlook is the distance between the mic and your mouth. The closer the mic is to the source, the higher the signal-to-noise ratio will be, so the less echo and background noise you'll get. Many smartphone mics will sound very impressive if you hold them around 6-12 inches from your mouth. But you don't really want to do this with your hand, so it's important to get a mic with a nice stand or a form factor that allows you to comfortably place it where you'll get good audio. Another thing people forget about is the noise canceling and other filters that are applied to your audio by default. If you're in a reasonably quiet place, it's probably reasonable to put "noise canceling" in Zoom on low. This will make your audio less garbled. If you have a really solid audio setup with headphones, you should try turning on "use original sound," which can make your audio really nice (unfortunately not available in Linux). I highly recommend Fifine's mics. They have a USB condenser mic with a boom arm for $60 (~$35 for just the mic) [1], and a lavalier (lapel) mic for $20 [2]. The audio quality is really quite impressive. [1] https://www.amazon.com/FIFINE-Microphone-Adjustable-Instruments-Streaming-T669/dp/B07Y1C6GDS/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=fifine+usb+microphone&qid=1618513568&sr=8-6 https://www.amazon.com/FIFINE-Microphone-Adjustable-Instrume... [2] https://www.amazon.com/Lavalier-Microphone-Cardioid-Condenser-Computer/dp/B077VNGVL2/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=fifine+lavalier+mic&qid=1618514374&sr=8-5 https://www.amazon.com/Lavalier-Microphone-Cardioid-Condense...

vlmutolo 5y ago

I'm sure this will get lost because I caught this thread late, but there's one more thing you can do with a "real" DSLR-type camera for better image quality: zoom in. Ideally, the camera is as far from you as possible, and zoomed in on your face. "Zooming in" is really just increasing the focal length, and zooming out is decreasing the focal length, producing an effect best known as "fish eye". This is one of the first things people will tell you about photographing a human being for a portrait (which is essentially the same problem as a video conference). Get rid of distortion on the face. Use a focal length of at least 50mm (zoomed all the way in on the lenses mentioned in your article). Otherwise, the nose gets blown up and everyone looks worse.

bscphil 5y ago
Yep, this is correct. Others in the thread have recommended getting the camera as close as possible to compensate for the wide angle lenses of webcams, but this is suboptimal. It creates the unmistakable visual impression of being right in someone's personal space while you talk to them. You can create the same effect where someone is easy to see just by using a camera with a narrower field of view and a longer focal length, without the distorting effect caused by being too close.

JJMcJ 5y ago

I got a decent headset w/mic, use it for Zoom, use it for cell phone as well when I am at home. Great improvement in what I hear, and what others hear as well. On Zoom I look a little goofy with the phones on but better that than missing what people say and getting echoes.

pier25 5y ago

The V-Moda is great, but if you don't have headphones where it can be attached I recommend the $20 Sony ECMCS3 mic. It sounds fantastic for the price. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzGPyekZE7w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzGPyekZE7w https://www.amazon.com/Sony-ECMCS3-Omnidirectional-Stereo-Microphone/dp/B0058MJX4O/ https://www.amazon.com/Sony-ECMCS3-Omnidirectional-Stereo-Mi...

tecleandor 5y ago
I've seen in some places that this might need some power (as a Rodes VideoMicro needs from the camera) so it wouldn't work in a laptop. Where did you connect it?
- pier25 5y ago
  It has worked on anything I've used it on (MBP, iMac, PC desktop, iPad, etc). You do need one of those TRRS splitters though.

gregwebs 5y ago

I love the modularity of the boom mike attaching to existing headphones. I have been using a Bluetooth adapter which keeps things modular. You can plugin a wired headset to it. Of course, keep things wired when talking with someone else. But you can reuse that wired headset as Bluetooth when you just want to listen and want to roam around. https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Bluetooth-Receiver-Connection-Hands-Free/dp/B07ML5GP72/ https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Bluetooth-Receiver-Connection-Ha...

alsetmusic 5y ago

Step 1. Get a quality mic. Step 2. Control the sound in your environment. The best mic in the world won’t help if you sound like you’re recording in the middle of your kitchen. One of the worst aspects of listening to a great interview is when the guest is in a space with tons of audio reflections. You want the sound of your voice, not the room. Many podcast hosts climbed into closets with sound dampening clothes on hangers during the pandemic. It worked out reasonably well. If you’re doing audio professionally, consider treating the recording space. If you don’t want to put panels on the walls, get free-standing panels that can be stored when not in use: https://auralex.com/ https://auralex.com/ Get a pop filter: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_filter https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_filter Control sibilance: https://urm.academy/death-to-sibilance/ https://urm.academy/death-to-sibilance/ No use having a great mic if you don’t control the things you don’t want it to capture.

Too 5y ago

This video from Electroboom has a lot of similar comparisions, examples, tips and tricks for high quality audio. With all the science behind to back it up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7CtnR47w20 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7CtnR47w20 (Fantastic channel btw)