8 ms·

Investing in a decent mic and paying a little attention to lighting is the new "buying a decent suit and having it tailored".

happytoexplain 2y ago
Yup. But the AV setup is cheaper, easier to maintain, and more comfortable.
- alabastervlog 2y ago
  > more comfortable Only if you don't try to wear it.
theultdev 2y ago
A mic and lights can be cheaper than a department store suit. Wouldn't really call it an investment.
- crazygringo 2y ago
  An investment of time and effort. Audio gear is surprisingly complicated for non-experts to research, evaluate and monitor. (Like even making sure your app is using it, and didn't reset to your laptop mic when you accidentally unplugged it for a minute.) And fixing your lighting can require rearranging your entire office if you have a window behind you. Or investing in expensive blinds, etc.
4b11b4 2y ago
ugh, true
microtonal 2y ago
Any tips for good mics? Any good options that are not immediately in front of your face?
- bbatha 2y ago
  You'll want some kind of shotgun mic. The rode videomic2 is a good budget option. It has a standard 3/8" thread you can use with a desk boom.
  - jcims 2y ago
    I've been using one for a few years now and am really happy with it. Every now and then (once every 1-2 weeks) it drops off of the list of inputs on OSX but unplug and plug it back in usually fixes that.
  - j45 2y ago
    Sennheiser MKE-600 is next up for me. have a graveyard of other mics that don't sound as well for my voice. Listen to a bunch of the shotgun mics on youtube and see which your voice might sound the best with.
- aroch 2y ago
  I’m a fan of Saramonic’s MV2000 (https://saramonicusa.com/sr-mv2000-large-diaphragm-usb-studio-microphone-with-magnetic-tabletop-stand-headphone-out-and-multi-color-led-for-computers-and-mobile-devices/ https://saramonicusa.com/sr-mv2000-large-diaphragm-usb-studi...) is an affordable, good quality cardiod mic. Frequently available for $50 and supports live headphone pass through if that’s your jam.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- kstrauser 2y ago
  I bought a Yeti Blue a while back, and several people commented positively on its sound quality. I'm pleased with it, especially given its decent price: it's not a bank-breaker for being such a huge upgrade over the built-in laptop mic. As a bonus, it has a hardware mute button on it. Now I usually leave my Zoom unmuted, and use the button to toggle whether my coworkers can hear me. It's more convenient than clicking the Zoom button or finding the keyboard shortcut.
dist-epoch 2y ago
"investing" is a strong word, when you can get really good microphones for $50-100.
polishdude20 2y ago
Is a MacBook pro m series mic not good enough usually?
- snickell 2y ago
  I was wondering the same. I’d love to see a quick head to head, in realistic non studio wfh environment, starting with macbook mic, and then at $50, $100, $300 mic investments. Anyone got the setup already in front of them at their zoom desk and want to make us a 5 minute comparison video?
  - J_Shelby_J 2y ago
    They're not even remotely comparable. Apple has some of the WORST quality microphones - mostly due to the fact that they have zero headset with boom mics.
    - williamdclt 2y ago
      They’re not talking about headsets but about built-in MacBook mics. Which are definitely pretty good
- nickthegreek 2y ago
  I just got back from an All Hands meeting in our main office. Most people do it remotely. We had remote people presenting from their M-series macbooks. I was reading this thread prior to the all hands, so I was paying attention to the quality of the voices. Audio was being pumped through the ceiling speakers. They all sounded great and it convinced me that I did not need to throw money at an imagined problem... I of course reserve the right to change my mind as soon as I see a great desktop mic on a sweet deal.
- IshKebab 2y ago
  MacBook mics tend to be very good in my experience. Easily puts you in the "hooray I can actually hear you" category. It's webcams (Logitech shit) and headsets that are the worst.
kcb 2y ago
A good non-bluetooth headset. Logitech makes some with a wireless dongle. I use a Sennheiser DECT headset. Most DECT headsets have pretty tinny cordless phone type sound but this one has an ultra-wideband mode that sounds pretty nice. Can also walk around the house with 0 connection issues.
sethammons 2y ago
My background is very tailored. A wall of 80s/90s themed stuff and a large pixelated "loading" bar with magnetic blocks for the progress bar. I get compliments regularly and I am sure it helps me stand out in a sea of screens. I run an HD obsbot camera and a great mic. I am fully convinced it helps.
- 0cf8612b2e1e 2y ago
  Could you share the background?
  - Contax 2y ago
    I'm specifically intrigued by that loading bar with magnetic blocks.
    - sethammons 2y ago
      nothing too wild. Found a wall sticker on etsy of a pixled loading bar: _____________________ | | |___________________| L O A D I N G The sticker is on the wall and looks all pixled, and then I have 7 black, thin foam 5"x6" rectangles that I've glued magnets to the back of, and then on the wall, I have nail heads that the magnets connect to. I can load up the bar, one block per day, or I can just have it as my energy indicator haha.
      - Contax 2y ago
        Ah, I was imagining something way more complex and wilder, with electronics and LEDs and what not :D But that's cool too, if simpler, nice way to track stuff. Thanks for explaining! ;)
- noname120 2y ago
  Is it not too distracting for a job interview?
hammock 2y ago
Lighting makes a HUGE difference. Just get an Elgato Key Light Air from Amazon, set it to ~5700K and full brightness and watch the magic happen. It takes a while to get used to having a lightbulb in your face but it's so worth it. That, and the new Macbook Pro's portrait mode feature on the webcam. It's good enough that most people won't want to bother with setting up a DSLR
- randycupertino 2y ago
  For a good visual on how much lighting helps check out youtuber Hannah Poston's "Why do I look so young" where she shows herself with and without her lighting setup: https://youtu.be/S9TTLmTZnf4?si=gJoSCwWK8bg2rerL&t=41 https://youtu.be/S9TTLmTZnf4?si=gJoSCwWK8bg2rerL&t=41
__mharrison__ 2y ago
I "invested" in early 2020 when all of my training moved to Zoom. I've gone through a lot of equipment and frequently am complimented on my sound, camera, and background. My rank order for investment: 1. Mic - See my mic comment in another thread 2. Lighting - It is hard for good cameras to compensate for poor lighting. Good lighting on the other hand, does compensate and helps laptop webcams perform much better. I currently run a Godox ULC60bi with a huge parabolic diffuser. Probably overkill for many. You can get cheap fluorescent or LED lights with a diffuser. Would avoid a ring light especially if you wear glasses. 3. Camera - I have used Canon M50 and Sony A6500 as webcams. These days, I use an Insta360 Link. It's not quite as good as the cameras (you can add more "background blur" with their software), but it's more convenient. I still get compliments on this. 4. Background - Blur, doors, and bedrooms are what you see 90% of the time. A good background helps you stand out. I have a bookcase with the books ordered in color. Folks always comment about it. There are lots of other common looks, look on Youtube or X (Kevin Shen) for office makeovers. 5. Teleprompter - Not for scripts but for "looking in the eyes" of my students or the person on the other end of the call.
- __mharrison__ 2y ago
  Wow, this is being downvoted. (Please help me understand why as this comment is a summary of interactions that I have when folks ask me about my equipment.)
  - tetromino_ 2y ago
    My guess is because for the median HN reader (an ordinary techie who doesn't talk much on video, and when he/she does, it's mostly to other ordinary techies), your setup appears to be expensive overkill.
- ajcp 2y ago
  4b. Collapsible green screen[0]. Can't recommend this enough if you don't want/have the ability to stage or curate your background (my "office" doubles as a guest room). It's also excellent for presenting and handy for any number of one-off things. When I don't need it I just slide it under the bed, easy. What teleprompter do you use? How do you use it? 0. https://www.amazon.com/FUDESY-Collapsible-Auto-locking-Greenscreen-Photography/dp/B0895P91B8 https://www.amazon.com/FUDESY-Collapsible-Auto-locking-Green...
heraldgeezer 2y ago
Waaay cheaper and easier than a tailored suit.

happytoexplain 2y ago

Yup. But the AV setup is cheaper, easier to maintain, and more comfortable.

alabastervlog 2y ago
> more comfortable Only if you don't try to wear it.

theultdev 2y ago

A mic and lights can be cheaper than a department store suit. Wouldn't really call it an investment.

crazygringo 2y ago
An investment of time and effort. Audio gear is surprisingly complicated for non-experts to research, evaluate and monitor. (Like even making sure your app is using it, and didn't reset to your laptop mic when you accidentally unplugged it for a minute.) And fixing your lighting can require rearranging your entire office if you have a window behind you. Or investing in expensive blinds, etc.

4b11b4 2y ago

ugh, true

microtonal 2y ago

Any tips for good mics? Any good options that are not immediately in front of your face?

bbatha 2y ago
You'll want some kind of shotgun mic. The rode videomic2 is a good budget option. It has a standard 3/8" thread you can use with a desk boom.
- jcims 2y ago
  I've been using one for a few years now and am really happy with it. Every now and then (once every 1-2 weeks) it drops off of the list of inputs on OSX but unplug and plug it back in usually fixes that.
- j45 2y ago
  Sennheiser MKE-600 is next up for me. have a graveyard of other mics that don't sound as well for my voice. Listen to a bunch of the shotgun mics on youtube and see which your voice might sound the best with.
aroch 2y ago
I’m a fan of Saramonic’s MV2000 (https://saramonicusa.com/sr-mv2000-large-diaphragm-usb-studio-microphone-with-magnetic-tabletop-stand-headphone-out-and-multi-color-led-for-computers-and-mobile-devices/ https://saramonicusa.com/sr-mv2000-large-diaphragm-usb-studi...) is an affordable, good quality cardiod mic. Frequently available for $50 and supports live headphone pass through if that’s your jam.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
kstrauser 2y ago
I bought a Yeti Blue a while back, and several people commented positively on its sound quality. I'm pleased with it, especially given its decent price: it's not a bank-breaker for being such a huge upgrade over the built-in laptop mic. As a bonus, it has a hardware mute button on it. Now I usually leave my Zoom unmuted, and use the button to toggle whether my coworkers can hear me. It's more convenient than clicking the Zoom button or finding the keyboard shortcut.

dist-epoch 2y ago

"investing" is a strong word, when you can get really good microphones for $50-100.

polishdude20 2y ago

Is a MacBook pro m series mic not good enough usually?

snickell 2y ago
I was wondering the same. I’d love to see a quick head to head, in realistic non studio wfh environment, starting with macbook mic, and then at $50, $100, $300 mic investments. Anyone got the setup already in front of them at their zoom desk and want to make us a 5 minute comparison video?
- J_Shelby_J 2y ago
  They're not even remotely comparable. Apple has some of the WORST quality microphones - mostly due to the fact that they have zero headset with boom mics.
  - williamdclt 2y ago
    They’re not talking about headsets but about built-in MacBook mics. Which are definitely pretty good
nickthegreek 2y ago
I just got back from an All Hands meeting in our main office. Most people do it remotely. We had remote people presenting from their M-series macbooks. I was reading this thread prior to the all hands, so I was paying attention to the quality of the voices. Audio was being pumped through the ceiling speakers. They all sounded great and it convinced me that I did not need to throw money at an imagined problem... I of course reserve the right to change my mind as soon as I see a great desktop mic on a sweet deal.
IshKebab 2y ago
MacBook mics tend to be very good in my experience. Easily puts you in the "hooray I can actually hear you" category. It's webcams (Logitech shit) and headsets that are the worst.

kcb 2y ago

A good non-bluetooth headset. Logitech makes some with a wireless dongle. I use a Sennheiser DECT headset. Most DECT headsets have pretty tinny cordless phone type sound but this one has an ultra-wideband mode that sounds pretty nice. Can also walk around the house with 0 connection issues.

sethammons 2y ago

My background is very tailored. A wall of 80s/90s themed stuff and a large pixelated "loading" bar with magnetic blocks for the progress bar. I get compliments regularly and I am sure it helps me stand out in a sea of screens. I run an HD obsbot camera and a great mic. I am fully convinced it helps.

0cf8612b2e1e 2y ago
Could you share the background?
- Contax 2y ago
  I'm specifically intrigued by that loading bar with magnetic blocks.
  - sethammons 2y ago
    nothing too wild. Found a wall sticker on etsy of a pixled loading bar: _____________________ | | |___________________| L O A D I N G The sticker is on the wall and looks all pixled, and then I have 7 black, thin foam 5"x6" rectangles that I've glued magnets to the back of, and then on the wall, I have nail heads that the magnets connect to. I can load up the bar, one block per day, or I can just have it as my energy indicator haha.
    - Contax 2y ago
      Ah, I was imagining something way more complex and wilder, with electronics and LEDs and what not :D But that's cool too, if simpler, nice way to track stuff. Thanks for explaining! ;)
noname120 2y ago
Is it not too distracting for a job interview?

hammock 2y ago

Lighting makes a HUGE difference. Just get an Elgato Key Light Air from Amazon, set it to ~5700K and full brightness and watch the magic happen. It takes a while to get used to having a lightbulb in your face but it's so worth it. That, and the new Macbook Pro's portrait mode feature on the webcam. It's good enough that most people won't want to bother with setting up a DSLR

randycupertino 2y ago
For a good visual on how much lighting helps check out youtuber Hannah Poston's "Why do I look so young" where she shows herself with and without her lighting setup: https://youtu.be/S9TTLmTZnf4?si=gJoSCwWK8bg2rerL&t=41 https://youtu.be/S9TTLmTZnf4?si=gJoSCwWK8bg2rerL&t=41

__mharrison__ 2y ago

I "invested" in early 2020 when all of my training moved to Zoom. I've gone through a lot of equipment and frequently am complimented on my sound, camera, and background. My rank order for investment: 1. Mic - See my mic comment in another thread 2. Lighting - It is hard for good cameras to compensate for poor lighting. Good lighting on the other hand, does compensate and helps laptop webcams perform much better. I currently run a Godox ULC60bi with a huge parabolic diffuser. Probably overkill for many. You can get cheap fluorescent or LED lights with a diffuser. Would avoid a ring light especially if you wear glasses. 3. Camera - I have used Canon M50 and Sony A6500 as webcams. These days, I use an Insta360 Link. It's not quite as good as the cameras (you can add more "background blur" with their software), but it's more convenient. I still get compliments on this. 4. Background - Blur, doors, and bedrooms are what you see 90% of the time. A good background helps you stand out. I have a bookcase with the books ordered in color. Folks always comment about it. There are lots of other common looks, look on Youtube or X (Kevin Shen) for office makeovers. 5. Teleprompter - Not for scripts but for "looking in the eyes" of my students or the person on the other end of the call.

__mharrison__ 2y ago
Wow, this is being downvoted. (Please help me understand why as this comment is a summary of interactions that I have when folks ask me about my equipment.)
- tetromino_ 2y ago
  My guess is because for the median HN reader (an ordinary techie who doesn't talk much on video, and when he/she does, it's mostly to other ordinary techies), your setup appears to be expensive overkill.
ajcp 2y ago
4b. Collapsible green screen[0]. Can't recommend this enough if you don't want/have the ability to stage or curate your background (my "office" doubles as a guest room). It's also excellent for presenting and handy for any number of one-off things. When I don't need it I just slide it under the bed, easy. What teleprompter do you use? How do you use it? 0. https://www.amazon.com/FUDESY-Collapsible-Auto-locking-Greenscreen-Photography/dp/B0895P91B8 https://www.amazon.com/FUDESY-Collapsible-Auto-locking-Green...

heraldgeezer 2y ago

Waaay cheaper and easier than a tailored suit.