need help picking out mic

heymian · **need help picking out mic -** 06-03-2012, 07:14 | posts: 360

hey all, im trying to replace my cheap logitech mic with something higher quality but i dont know what to get. there's so many different kinds of mics: vocal cardioid, unidirectional, omnidirectional, dynamic, etc. the only thing im sure of is i dont wanna spend over $100 and i dont want USB mics. anyone experienced with input devices, care to enlighten me?

DirkHardpeck · 06-04-2012, 00:19 | posts: 226 | Location: NJ

What do you use the mic for, and what do you use it with (headphones, speakers) etc.?

i.e. are we talking desktop microphones, boom/clip-ons, recording, what?

heymian · 06-04-2012, 03:27 | posts: 360

the mic will be used for voice only, like ventrilo or in-game VOIP solutions. i do not want a clip-on mic cause it's probably gonna get hot as hell this summer so im gonna have my shirt off. the mics ive been looking at are basically mics you see singers hold on stage. you can buy small stands for them so basically its a desktop mic. im going to be plugging it into the back of my Xonar ST's 1/4" jack and using it with my HD595 headphones.

the only part im confused on is should i get vocal cardiod, unidirectional, omnidirectional or dynamic.

DirkHardpeck · 06-04-2012, 05:01 | posts: 226 | Location: NJ

Well....dynamic is a type of microphone, as opposed to say a condenser, and the other things you mentioned are simply directional types that fall under that. I'm no microphone master but I do own several in my little home studio and I will share what I know.

Dynamic mics won't need phantom power, so you would technically just need an xlr-to-1/4 adapter to go straight to the card, although this is very much considered bad form. A preamp would really be the way to go. A condenser microphone, on the other hand, would require phantom power from a mixer or preamp.

If it's me, I'm taking a condenser because I'd get the preamp anyway, and it is more sensitive....less need for having to get your mouth up on the mic. Something like an SM58 is going to require you to speak fairly loudly or get pretty close.

For directional properties, cardiod is a type of unidirectional, and unless you're recording an entire room or interviewing someone across from you, it's what you want. You don't want the mic picking up anything from the sides or rear, presumably.

So, in short, you could pick up a Behringer C-1 and an Art Tube MP for about 74 USD on Amazon. That's a pretty crappy preamp and an ok mic, certainly miles better than what comes out the other end of a VOIP chat. Hey, don't forget, this ****'s gonna get compressed all to hell in the end.

I understand you have a nice sound card and that may be why you want to use analog so badly, but if you went USB you would not have to worry about preamps, and sound quality wouldn't really suffer. The Audio Technica AT2020 condenser is available in a USB version, which also supplies it with the phantom power it needs. Actually, there's loads of really decent USB condensers designed for podcasting, with the table stand and everything.

Honestly though....Ventrilo's sound quality is so garbage at any setting, that using studio microphones is a complete and utter waste. A podcast-type USB mic is as far as I'd be willing to take it. But if you're going through with it anyway....a cardioid uni-directional condenser and a preamp is what you want.

heymian · 06-05-2012, 06:44 | posts: 360

i remember reading somewhere that my sound card already has a pre-amp for the line-in/mic. anyways, after reading your explanation, it looks like cardiod is the way to go. I know just the mic to get now. thanks

ROBSCIX · 06-05-2012, 15:54 | posts: 16,087 | Location: Guru3D Audio Lab

I would just read some reviews on Game mics, you do not need an expensive studio grade mic. That is not to say don't buy quality, I would say buy a good mic so you don't have to buy another one down the road.

DirkHardpeck · 06-06-2012, 05:18 | posts: 226 | Location: NJ

Quote:

Originally Posted by heymian

i remember reading somewhere that my sound card already has a pre-amp for the line-in/mic. anyways, after reading your explanation, it looks like cardiod is the way to go. I know just the mic to get now. thanks

It does have a preamp, in that it can add gain to a dynamic mic and everything will be audible. It will probably introduce a bit of noise and produce a poor dynamic range, effectively neutering the point of a studio mic, but it's nothing that will really interfere with end VOIP quality. I just wouldn't personally record music like that or anything, although you could.

Glad to help though, let us know how it turns out because I am honestly a bit curious!

heymian · 06-06-2012, 17:53 | posts: 360

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROBSCIX

I would just read some reviews on Game mics ...

Never heard of "Game mics" before. I'll look into it, thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DirkHardpeck

It does have a preamp, in that it can add gain to a dynamic mic and everything will be audible. It will probably introduce a bit of noise and produce a poor dynamic range, effectively neutering the point of a studio mic, but it's nothing that will really interfere with end VOIP quality. I just wouldn't personally record music like that or anything, although you could.

Glad to help though, let us know how it turns out because I am honestly a bit curious!

I understand what you're saying but the mic I'm using now is terrible. The options I have for improvement were a headset (I already got headphones), a clip-on mic (summer = shirt off), another "computer" table mic (no, they're crap) or the mics I'm looking at now. The only part I was confused on were what type I should get but I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again for the info.

ROBSCIX · 06-06-2012, 18:09 | posts: 16,087 | Location: Guru3D Audio Lab

Quote:

Originally Posted by heymian

Never heard of "Game mics" before. I'll look into it, thanks.

What I mean is mics that are used for gaming/VOIP..etc. Mics other than professional vocal mics.

heymian · 06-07-2012, 07:02 | posts: 360

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROBSCIX

What I mean is mics that are used for gaming/VOIP..etc. Mics other than professional vocal mics.

Again, I'm not aware of any standalone mics that are used for "gaming/VOIP". Perhaps you could give some examples?

Nato.dbnz · 06-08-2012, 01:34 | posts: 3,255 | Location: Auckland NZ

Quote:

Originally Posted by heymian

Again, I'm not aware of any standalone mics that are used for "gaming/VOIP". Perhaps you could give some examples?

I use this simple, cheap logitech one. According to my friends on skype I always come across loud and clear.

http://www.logitech.com/en-nz/webcam...icrophones/221

EDIT\\ Ok I just read that you are trying to replace your cheap logitech one. Ignore

DirkHardpeck · 06-08-2012, 03:01 | posts: 226 | Location: NJ

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nato.dbnz

I use this simple, cheap logitech one. According to my friends on skype I always come across loud and clear.

http://www.logitech.com/en-nz/webcam...icrophones/221

EDIT\\ Ok I just read that you are trying to replace your cheap logitech one. Ignore

Inorite, it doesnt seem like most desktop mics seems cheap, the directional ones intended for normal use anyway. It doesn't seem like there's a market for a higher quality desktop amp, though I suppose the beamforming mic that comes with the Recon3d...yeah....ugh nevermind. I dunno, I'm thinking maybe the cheapies just plain work fine, again, we're talking about coming across clear by VoIP standards!

But for something that would at least last longer, I figured a podcasting mic is the best way to go, get much better quality with the ease of use, and they're designed with the understanding that some significant compression will occur.