Best Microphone for Recording Vocals on a Computer: 2021 Guide

Choosing The Best Microphone For Recording Vocals On a Computer 

There are so many microphones available on the market these days, it can be overwhelming for someone just getting started with recording vocals on the computer. Luckily there are microphones out there that have been designed with vocal use in mind and will fit most people’s budget, as well. 

Here’s what to look for that sets apart high-quality microphones from others:

Type of Microphone

Condenser microphones are the best microphones for recording vocals on a computer. Other types include dynamic microphones, ribbon microphones, and USB microphones. Condenser microphones have a diaphragm that vibrates very sensitively when sound hits it and can pick up almost all sounds from its surroundings. 

Other types of microphones pick up only specific frequencies that they were designed to record well. Moreover, microphones that pick up lower frequencies will usually have a more pronounced bass.

Connection

The connection is essential to ensure the microphone doesn’t pick up any interference from surrounding devices and isn’t induced with its own noise. You need a balanced connection through which relevant signals only pass, and all unwanted ones do not. 

If microphones are connected unbalanced, low-quality microphones might produce an unpleasant hissing sound when they receive radio waves in the vicinity of your computer. USB microphones don’t require any external source for power or communication since they have their own built-in digital to analog converter (DAC).

Polar Patterns

Most microphones need to be placed right before the speaker’s mouth to pick up precise results. Luckily, there are microphones with the super-cardioid polar pattern, which picks up sound coming from one direction and filters out surrounding noise as much as possible. 

For example, on live videos and podcasts, the presenter is more than half a meter away from the microphones.

Type of Microphone Use

If you plan to do voiceovers for videos, record your acoustic guitar, or sing into the microphone, then condenser microphones with USB cable connectivity are what you should go for. These types of microphones will give the clarity that’s required in these situations. 

On the other hand, if you want to record voice calls through Skype, podcasts with multiple people on board, and interviews, then dynamic microphones offer better value per dollar since they’re very versatile.

Impedance

Microphones that need to be plugged into a mixer, interface, or mixing board have a high-input impedance which allows them to pick up specific frequencies much better. Microphones designed for general purposes only have a low input impedance, making it harder to get clear sound results when recording vocals.

Price

USB condenser microphones are usually more expensive than their XLR counterparts. This increased price is because of their built-in DAC that sends out a digital signal while XLR cables come with an analog signal, which saves on production costs. Other types of USB microphones tend to be cheaper due to the more inexpensive components used. 

Dynamic microphones are overall the most affordable type of microphone since they’re made from fewer parts than condenser ones, making them harder to produce.

Diaphragm Size

Microphones with diaphragms larger than one cm² can record in bass ranges much more effectively, especially if they also have large-diaphragm capsules (in microphones they’re usually called ‘capsules’ instead of ‘diaphragms’). Large diaphragms will deliver fuller and warmer sounds, whereas small ones will deliver thin and bright sounds. 

Also, microphones with large diaphragms are less prone to distortion and unwanted noise.

Sensitivity

Microphones with very high sensitivity pick up background noise even the user is farther away from them. It means that they can record at certain distances without microphones getting into their way or having sharp feedback if put close to speakers. 

Additionally, microphones with higher sensitivity tend to have lower self-noise, which means that microphones with high sensitivity can pick up softer sounds than microphones with low sensitivity.

Pop Filter

Microphones without pop filters tend to pick up pops created by the rushing air of the speaker’s voice, which can be annoying on playback. Pop filters help reduce this type of noise and will deliver crystal clear sounds every time. 

Additionally, USB microphones with USB digital-to-analog converters (DACs) can pick up a more comprehensive range of frequencies than XLR ones, which means that USB condenser microphones without pop filters will automatically filter out those annoying pops since they only pass through USB signals.

Headphone Jack

Some USB condenser microphones come with a headphone jack for monitoring and ease of use. Headphone monitoring allows users to hear sounds as they record them and correct their diction accordingly. However, it’s also possible to monitor the recording on any other headphones or earphones plugged into the microphone’s 3.5mm jack socket.

Recording Quality

USB condenser microphones need a dedicated sound card to deliver accurate recordings without background noise, while XLR microphones don’t require additional hardware since no digital-to-analog converters are built into them. 

Condenser microphones that use USB DACs will produce a slightly lower sound quality than XLR condenser microphones with internal analog-to-digital converters.

Conclusion

When it comes to choosing the best microphone for recording vocals on a computer, many factors come into play. If you’re new to the process of voice-recording and don’t want any background noise in your recordings, then an XLR condenser mic is likely best suited for you. 

Alternatively, a USB condenser microphone may be more appropriate if portability is essential or if you need a USB mic with digital conversion capabilities (to avoid pops).