If I were you, I might do it a little differently.

Steelseries makes good keyboards and they're very customizable. r/mechanicalkeyboards might throw a hissy fit at me for saying that, but they're good all around boards. Every key can be customized with macros and stuff if he so chooses, right in the Steelseries software. No need to mess around with AHK.

Mice are a very personal thing. Does he know you're getting him PC peripherals for Christmas? If so, knowing the size of his hand, and if possible, how he grips a mouse would be super helpful. I spend a shameful amount of time on r/mousereview and would love to help you out! The Xtrfy M4 is very popular at the moment if he has medium or small hands. Right here you can see how to measure hand size properly.

If you can't get a precise measurement or grip style that's fine - could you maybe compare his hand to yours (a simple "Hey, which one of us has bigger hands?" should do), measure yours, and estimate roughly how different they are.

If he's got the space for a setup, he'd be much better off with a dedicated set of headphones and a dedicated microphone than with a headset, and it'd be cheaper too! I personally recommend the Superlux 668B headphones with a set of replacement earpads (these ones are amazing, but these ones are still very good while being much cheaper). Then grab yourself a Fifine microphone and something cheap to hold it and you've saved yourself a lot of money while getting him a much better product!

Oh, those headphones will let in a fair amount of background noise, and they'll leak a bit of the sound playing through them. If your house/apartment is often loud or you share a space and don't want to hear his games, these Takstars are shockingly good for the price. If you wanna save a few bucks and not go for a separate microphone, this CM headset is based off them but has an attached mic!

Good luck and I hope he enjoys his gift! Feel free to ask any questions you've got, PM if you want :)

Mic or headset?

🔊 MICROPHONES

• Antlion ModMic 4
  
  Attaches to headphones using a clasp system and is easy to attach and remove. Is compatible with all headphones. Comes with and without a mute switch.
  
  
• Massdrop Minimic
  
  Attaches to headphones using a clasp system and is easy to attach and remove. Is compatible with all headphones. Has a mute switch and is modular. Is only available via drops on Massdrop.com. I recommend requesting it if you want to wait for it.
  
  
• V-MODA BoomPro
  
  Connects to the headphone's jack, replacing the headphone cable. Is compatible with Philips SHP9500 and Status Audio CB-1. Has a mute switch and a volume control.
  
  
• Neewer 3.5mm Clip on Mini Lapel Microphone
  
  Clips onto your clothing. Has no in-line controls.
  
  
• Sony ECMCS3
  
  
• Clips onto your clothing. Has no in-line controls.
  
  
• Zalman ZM-Mic1
  
  Clips onto your clothing. Has no in-line controls.
  
  
• Blue Snowball
  
  Has various placement options. Has no in-line controls.
  
  
• Samson Go
  
  Has various placement options. Has no in-line controls.
  
  

  
  

  
  You can use various audio controllers for volume control and mute toggle:
  
  

• Fosmon
  
• Insignia
  
• Lucid Sound AdjustR
  
  

  
  

  
  To connect the ModMic, Minimic, clip-on mics and other 3.5mm mics to DS4 or an audio controller, you need a TRRS / 4-pole Y-splitter (three black rings on the connector). The BoomPro doesn't require a Y-splitter. USB mics are plug-and-play.
  
   
  
  🎧 HEADPHONES
  
  

  
  

  
  

• AKG K52
  
  Sound: Has a wide and deep soundstage, good imaging, clarity and detail retrieval and decent separation. It doesn't over- or under-emphasize the bass or treble. The bass can sound a little muddy in e.g. blasts and explosions.
  
  Build: Is closed-back and over-ear. Durable and very lightweight. The cups tilt and pivot, so they should adjust to the shape of your head nicely. The earpads have decent quality and are soft and removable, but they're shallow.
  
  
  
• Philips SHP9500
  
  Sound: Has a soundstage with medium width and depth. It has good imaging, separation and detail retrieval and very good clarity. It doesn't over- or under-emphasize the bass or treble.
  
  Build: Is open-back and over-ear. Durable and lightweight. The cups tilt and pivot and the cable detaches. The earpads have good quality and they're soft and removable, but they're very shallow. Replacing them requires modification or buying/making 3D printed rings that the new earpads attach to. Modifying is very easy and quick to do and doesn't require special tools or extra parts. I've made a tutorial. 3D printed parts can be bought from Mod House Audio and Thingiverse. The clamping force is very light, so I don't recommend the headphone for children or if you frequently move your head down and have an average sized head. For aftermarket earpads, I recommend Shure HPAEC1840. These tighten the clamping force for a little, and personally, I love the comfort and fit with these.
  
  
• Superlux HD668B
  
  Sound: Has a wide and deep soundstage, I'd say 50% bigger than SHP9500. It has very good imaging, separation, clarity and detail retrieval. It has emphasized treble and a small boost in the mid-bass.
  
  Build: Is semi-open-back and over-ear. Sturdy and lightweight. The cups tilt and pivot. The cable and earpads are detachable. The earpads have bad quality and are shallow, so I recommend replacing them with earpads from HiFiMAN.
  
  
• Superlux HD681 EVO
  
  Sound: Has the same soundstage as HD668B. It has very good clarity and good detail retrieval, but has poor imaging and separation. It's warm sounding with deep bass.
  
  Build: Is semi-open-back and over-ear. The cups tilt and pivot. The cable and earpads are detachable. The earpads have decent quality and are soft and detachable, but they're shallow and the drivers stick out quite a bit, so I recommend taking out the loose felt inside the cups, unless you're sensitive to treble, and replacing the earpads with earpads from HiFiMAN, or earpads from Brainwavz if you want much more depth. These are expensive, but they have great quality, they are made of memory foam and are very soft and roomy, and the sound quality is absolutely worth it.
  
  

  
  

  
  I also compare to AKG Q701, Audio-Technica ATH-AD700x, Beyerdynamic DT990 (600 ohms), HiFiMAN HE400i, HyperX Cloud, Philips Fidelio X2 and Sennheiser HD700, which I got for gaming, except for HE400i, but it's great for gaming. I don't recommend HyperX Cloud / Cloud II / CloudX. I strongly advise against them if you don't need closed-back. My evaluations derive mostly if not only from gaming (so take it with a grain of salt for music entertainment listening). I can't emphasize enough that perceived performance in headphones is relative.
  
   
  
  Glossary | ℹ️
  ---|---
  Closed-back x | Cups with solid shells that largely isolate sound from passing in and out.
  Open-back / semi-open-back | Cups with perforations/grills that allow outside sound to freely pass in and sound from the drivers to freely pass out. How loud you hear outside sound and how loud people around you hear the sound from the headphones depend on the volume, of course. The sonic benefit to open-back is generally a big soundstage.
  Soundstage | Perceived space and environment of sound. It can be compared to virtual surround sound; both attempt to produce the same spacious, three-dimensional effect. VSS can sound more ambient and immersive, which depends on the processor you use (CMSS-3D, Dolby, SBX, etc.), but it degrades the sound quality and diminishes detailing due to compression from digital processing. You might also experience less accurate imaging and separation if the headphone already has good imaging and separation. Note that a deep soundstage is equally important as a wide soundstage.
  Imaging | Accuracy of sounds/objects positioned across the soundstage. And I mean where they are positioned -- not merely what direction they come from. This distinction is important because being able to tell only what direction objects come from isn't good enough to me when playing against people. Imaging is inherent to the audio content, so if the game is recorded or mixed poorly, a headphone with good imaging won’t improve the positional audio, so don't judge the headphone before using it in games you're very familiar with. I test mine mostly in Battlefield: Bad Company 2.
  Separation | Separating individual sounds from a range of sounds. Good separation makes it easier to filter out or discern overlapping sounds from other sounds and track them.

Personally, I think the MXL V67G is a good mic choice for beginners. It has a warm tone that's pretty forgiving for a lot of voice types, it takes EQ decently, and it's only ~$65. It has a good bass response, which many cheaper mics lack, and the upper frequencies are fairly smooth.

For the interface, pretty much any full interface will work. I normally recommend the Behringer UM2 for the price (~$40), but as long as you avoid stuff like the Neewer phantom power supply (which isn't an actual interface) you'll be fine. If you have extra money, something like the Audient iD4 (or iD14 if you need two inputs/think you will in the future) or Apogee Duet are good choices. They both have a good amount of clean gain (no hiss from the preamps) and they don't color the sound much, if any.

You will also need a mic stand, XLR cable, pop filter, and headphones. To get all that, it's going to cost about the same as a Blue Yeti (minus the headphones, but you'd need to buy those for the Yeti as well) and will sound far better.

If you have the money though, look around and test mics out before you buy. Every mic is going to sound slightly different, and just because one mic is popular or fits one person well doesn't mean it's the best choice for you. There are plenty of mics under $1000 (even under $500) that are phenomenal, you just need to find the one that suits your voice the best. As for mid-price mics that you may be interested in, there is the Lewitt LTC 440 Pure, Aston Origin, Rode NT1, CAD e100s, and Audio-Technica AT4040. This is just a list to get you started looking, and by no means covers all the good mics, so look around for what you think will suit you. Test out what you can, because you don't want to spend that much money without being sure it will sound right for you.

​

More important than mic selection though, is acoustic treatment. Even the best, most expensive mics are going to sound terrible in an untreated space. You can buy panels or foam squares, but if you're tight on money you can improvise this pretty easily. There are tons of youtube tutorials, so I won't spend too much time on it, but some good materials are blankets (moving blankets, quilts, comforters, basically anything really thick with lots of dead space), cushions, and pillows. If you have a fully stocked walk-in closet, that's even better.

I posted this elsewhere for the Yeti, but most of these tips should work for the Snowball as well:

• It's a quality mic with a lot of versatility, but you gotta use it right.
  
• Cardioid mode is best for solo use. Turn the knob to the cute little butt icon on the back of the mic. (Yeti only - on the Snowball, set the back switch to "1" for cardioid mode)
  
• It's a condenser microphone, which means it will pick up everything in the room on normal gain, even in cardioid mode (keyboard, mouse clicks, people talking in the other room, etc.).
  
• You can kind-of turn it into a dynamic mic to minimize the above problems: Turn the gain knob all the way down (counter-clockwise) (Yeti only - with the Snowball, turn down gain in windows instead) and stick that sucker straight in your face as you would a dynamic mic. Bonus points for using a mixer (like the free Voicemeter Banana) to set a gate if you're not using PTT.
  
• It will probably pick up desk vibration on the included stand. Cheap solution: put it on some kind of noise dampening material like a thick foam mouse pad. Or... buy a mic arm & shock mount if you're feeling fancy.
  
• Buy a foam windscreen (better than a unidirectional pop filter, since it's a condenser mic) to minimize audio clipping. I bought this one for $10 and it works great. (Yeti only again - I haven't done any shopping for Snowball pop filters, but would still recommend a full windscreen since the Snowball is a condenser as well)
  
• Be prepared to give some serious aural boners to everyone lucky enough to be graced by your sexy, sexy voice.

In the book "Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio" a good rule of thumb is to invest as much to your treatment as you will be investing to your monitors. You can have the best monitors in the world but you can't use them if your room is untreated. But this you already know since you made this thread.

Besides reddit, I would like to recommend gearslutz forum for this one if you really want to study hard. There are many experts (I mean literally experts of the field) who are happy to help you out with your questions. But since I have done some research and I feel fairly confident, I can provide some things I found important.

1. Know your room. I'm guessing your room is cubicle shaped, with around 2-4m dimensions? These types of rooms have ALWAYS have some sort of room modes. Room modes are basically the frequencies that your room resonates with. This one is super easy to try out. Measure your room dimensions and add them here. This site will calculate the theoretical room sounds AND plays them for you. Try to play some room modes and see if you can see the difference in the volume. Going deeper, you can invest in a measurement mic. Place the measurement mic to your listening position and run a spectrum sweep with REW. You will end up with a waterfall diagram (This was my room), that will show you the ringing modes as large spikes AND will tell you the decay time of these frequencies. Neat, right?
   
   
2. Treat your problem areas. Where are these areas? 99% of the time they are in your low end. And this is the area that is the hardest to treat, since low end has a lot of energy and that energy is not easy to tame. I may be wrong here, but basically you have two options: tuned bass traps or absorption. Tuned bass traps are made for specific frequency and they will only affect this area. Absorption is whole spectrum wide, and usually the "road more traveled" when it comes to bedroom producers. There are many good commercial options but these will usually cost you. I went the DIY route, and was able to tame some of that low end with just basic insulation wool. 4 huge bass traps, 6 medium sized bass traps and 6 more top end absorption panels ended up costing me around 300 euros. EASILY worth the money.
   
3. Enjoy. You did the best you can. Treating your room is not for perfectionist. Even with unlimited resources it can still be really hard to get your room to sound "correct".
   
   Here is picture of the panels I made if someone is curious. I'm more than happy to help if someone is considering going DIY route. Here is the theoretical absorbtion coefficcient curve of my biggest traps.
   

First off I think it's fantastic you want to support his interests. That's awesome!

I see that he already has a PS4 and gaming PC. As others have said you can stream directly from the PS4. If you are able to obtain the specifications - CPU (processor) model, amount of RAM, and graphics card type are the key factors - I (or many others) will be able to tell you if the computer is good to stream on or if it would need an upgrade.

I see a lot of people saying you should get a Blue Yeti. It is a great mic, no doubt, but the Blue Snowball Ice is a fantastic alternative to the Yeti if money is tight. Get some kind of stand for it though, having a good mic is nothing if it can't be positioned properly.

Something like this is very common


Personally I use one of these mounted to this


I would HIGHLY recommend starting off cheap. I always recommend this to anyone starting out, old or young, money tight or not. I have seen dozens of streamers get incredibly stoked to start, spend hundreds (or thousands) on streaming specific equipment, and then drop it entirely after a few months. Start off with the basics, don't splurge on anything high end.

If the streaming goes will, it will start to provide income! Since he's just 13 and doesn't pay for rent or food or anything he can take that income and invest it in better equipment, more games to play, etc. It could be a great way for him to learn to manage money!


All that said - streaming is something that a parent should keep a close eye on. Your child is broadcasting himself for anyone that happens to drop in. The range of people that will drop in will be incredibly wide. There will be incredibly wonderful and supportive people, there will be mean people, but there will also be people who are "weird" and may make you or your child uncomfortable without actually doing anything that most people would consider a bannable offense. For example, some people will come in and start trying to discuss their personal problems which can be hard to deal with delicately.

I would urge you to try to learn as much about Twitch and streaming as you can, and keep a close eye on chat when he does stream. Get an account on Twitch and have you son make you a "Mod" in his channel so that you are able to ban bad actors. If you have the free time, watch some other Twitch channels to get an idea of what it's like. That's probably something you can do with your son! :)

If you have any other specific questions feel free to ask, I'll help as best I can.

Blender is a good start for video editing software. It's free, and is GREAT at 3d work. I haven't done any basic video editing in it myself, although I have done some 3d work with it, but I've heard it works pretty well for editing.

OBS is free screen recording software. You can always watch a streamer you enjoy, record some footage, and make your own edits.

You can also take a song you like, and make a music video for it.

Making memes and creating GIFs for r/highqualitygifs is also a great way to practice editing.

If you want to do voiceovers, or any voicework, the Samson C03U is an AMAZING USB microphone that I would personally rate better than any other USB mic in the market under $250. (and it only costs $100). I've used that mic and it's predecessor (the C01U) since I started working.



Really just finding something you want to create and going for it is where you start.


Hope this helped out!

Ah ok, that's probably the reason. Most built in microphones will not be as good as the microphones you buy in stores/online. They pick up the sounds of your laptop fan and other noises. It's alright if you're a beginner just trying to start but it'll quickly need to be replaced as some people might not even consider following you if there's an annoying sound constantly playing.

Since I haven't heard your microphone then all I can say is that if it doesn't sound like your ears are about to bleed then feel free to use it for starters(test this with a friend or some viewers). But I suggest you get a dedicated microphone for streaming.

----

Microphones my friends and I have used

If you're able to buy a microphone then the ones that my friends and I have experience with are the following:

• Blue's Snowball Microphone
  
  
• Blue's Yeti Microphone
  
  Here's a video that show's off both microphones and an extra
  
  Other Microphones
  
  I've heard that these are also good, though I have no experience with them.
  
  
• Blue's NESSIE Microphone : Review
  
  
• Samson's Go Microphone : Review
  
  
• Samson's CO1U microphone : Review
  
  ----
  
  Some tips for your microphone
  
  I suggest you get a pop filter^[1] for your microphone if you decide to buy one. Then, if possible, you should also get a Shock Mount^[2] but that isn't as crucial as the pop filter.
  
  

1. Pop filters are designed to stop Plosives from being heard when recording. Plosives are puffs of air that emit when saying words that start with certain letters, such as P or B. They can ruin a recording for people that over-exaggerate the begging of some words. Pop filter Example
   
   
2. The best way I can describe a Shock-Mount is a if the mount is a cradle for your microphone. Any bumps or small movements to a Microphone NOT using a Shock-Mount will cause it to be heard in recording, meaning you'll hear all these small sounds in the background. It's easier to just show you what a shock mount does
   
   ----
   
   There's a bit more to recording your microphone, like sound proofing, but that's for another day. I just wanted to give you a list of microphones and some tips that could help you out if you're a new to streaming/recording.
   
   Good Luck! As I said before, if your laptop's microphone doesn't make your ears(or a friends' ears) bleed then go ahead and use it for how ever long it takes you to save up and buy a better microphone. But I suggest you not wait too long if you have the choice.
   
   Edit: Markup
   
   Edit2: Grammar
   
   Edit3: Reworded the first section's title.

Well start at the beginning. People notice high quality recordings. If you listen to your Pod on headphones, crappy mics then get compressed to crappy MP3s is tedious to listen to.

If there are 2 or you, plan on spending a couple hundred bucks to solve this.

I use Sterling ST-51 Condenser mics- You can generally get them on sale at Guitar Center for $70 bucks. Here is a link to amazon

After you get that you'll need two XLR cables
After that you'll need some sort if interface. I have never had more than four people on my podcast, but the nature of podcasting generally means you'll get good a production, go as big as you can early, someone somewhere will want to pay you to produce for them. It's better to have the flexibility out of the box then have to cluge around with shitty hardware. However if you're on a tight budget there are other things you can get. Audio to computer interfaces give you more flexibility because you can add things like music live during a recording from other devices, allow you to use Skype (which isn't obvious when you have high quality mics and interfaces) I trend toward Focusrite, they make Bad Ass equipment. The Scarlett series works well for me. They don't have a loop back feature, but if you get that far let me know and ill tell you how to do it for the cost of a $1 RCA cable.

You can get linear PCM recorders Here and Here for about the same money as an audio interface, so its your call. They put it all in one package, but in the long run I think you'll end up getting tired of moving large files to your software for editing. I use the Tascam DR-40 and give it to people who are traveling - it is STELLAR and less than anything else on the market, because its old. But it's record out of the box- Easy.

Now Software- Ive used pay versions of Cakewalk. Ive used Audacity, which is great but clunky. I have landed on Reaper. It is the most full featured, open, continually updated, solid, go to, piece of software you can find. They're not dumb, they let you download a fully functioning copy for free. Its Not hampered in anyway. If you don't buy a license then you have to sit through a click away every time it opens. Better yet, just try it for a while, then you will appreciate it and want to buy the $60 license for small business or home use. Brilliant in every way.

That set up will last you for years and give you virtually pro quality production capability.

TL;DR
Mics (and Cables) Sterling ST-51 or similar (less than $100 ea)
Audio interface ( Many in, Many out, USB 2, Focusrite or Tascam)
Software (There can only be one, Reaper, Hands down)


Edit: My pods are at Defensesecurity.org , Homeready.org and Renman24.com - if you listen to the first ones and then listen to the latest ones you'll notice my equipment improvement, and editing style change. Its a muscle, work it out and it'll get better.

Edit 2: spelling and links
Edit 3: Links again

What are you trying to accomplish? If you're just podcasting, one USB mic is plenty. If you're doing project recording, layering in instruments, etc., then I would use a standard mic.

I really like the AT2020 USB. Great for podcasts, but can really take the dB's for instrument recording, even if you're playing trumpet or something.

Samson c01u may work just as well, at a bit lower price. c03u is a pricier alternative, but higher quality from what I've read.

If you want a 'standard jack mic' (XLR), then I have more suggestions. Of course, unless you really have the soundcard for it, you'd probably need an adapter to use one. You will get more for your money in terms of mic quality though.

I don't think you can beat a Behringer ECM8000 for value, and I prefer the sound over the industry-standard Shure. I also like MXL for value, and the V67G is a great one, and may be more appropriate for podcasting.

CAD GXL3000 is a good one if you want a multi-pattern.

If you really want to get spendy, get the APEX 460. This is a favorite because you can mod it to sound like a very expensive mic. (EDIT: sounds fantastic right out of the box, too)

If you want to try a ribbon mic, as suggested below, MXL has some real bang-for-the-buck products. Also the Nady RSM-4 and -5. Ribbon mics are a bit different and I think they accentuate highs too much, but I don't fault anyone who prefers 'em.

Here is my suggestion. I went ahead and grabbed an overclockable ready CPU. This because the motherboard I wanted to make use of does support overclocking. So the extra $20 for me was worth it to suggest this. If you later feel confident to overclock, you can do this.

Because you don't want any LEDs and a simple case. I went ahead and went for a silent optimized gaming PC.

I also will mention that I went nuts with the part choices and we can easily cut even more of the budget. But more on that in my rationale. I have to place my rationale in a reply, as I went over the 10.000 character limit that you can have in 1 post.

I will how-ever post a lot of nice video's about how to build a PC and I do also have questions about the peripherals.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor | $219.99 @ SuperBiiz
CPU Cooler | Noctua NH-U14S 55.0 CFM CPU Cooler | $59.99 @ Newegg
Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $116.99 @ SuperBiiz
Memory | G.Skill Sniper Low Voltage Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $69.99 @ Newegg
Storage | Crucial MX100 512GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $196.99 @ SuperBiiz
Video Card | Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB WINDFORCE 3X Video Card | $349.98 @ SuperBiiz
Case | Fractal Design Define R5 ATX Mid Tower Case | $106.98 @ Newegg
Power Supply | EVGA 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $108.99 @ SuperBiiz
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) | $92.00 @ B&H
Monitor | Asus PB278Q 27.0" Monitor | $444.99 @ Mac Mall
Keyboard | Cooler Master CM Storm QuickFire TK Wired Mini Keyboard | $85.08 @ Amazon
Mouse | Logitech G402 Wired Optical Mouse | $49.94 @ Amazon
Headphones | Sennheiser HD 598 Headphones | $153.99 @ Amazon
Mousepad| SteelSeries QcK Mass| $13.00 @ Newegg
Flash drive| 2 x 8GB USB| $2.00 @ Amazon
Microphone| Samson Meteorite| $38.00 @ Amazon
| | Total
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available | $2110.90
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-01-11 14:04 EST-0500 |

---

Some video's that will help you with the build!

---

How to build a PC: Here. Completely ignore the parts that he chose. I actually was very surprised at that date when he came with those products, as I don't think it's optimized well and the GPU could've been a lot better. Anyway, ignore it, we use different parts! Building a PC is basicly the same, the wires did not change and the process is not changed either. You can skip the stock intel CPU cooler part and instantly install the aftermarket CPU cooler. This is just easier for you so you don't have to clean the thermal paste later. Wich would cost you another £/$/€10 or so.
How to overclock my CPU: Basicly pretty much this. Very solid and simple to follow guide. This is done with an Asus board so it will be slightly different with our motherboard. Slightly different names and they are often on other places, etc.
How to overclock your GPU: Hey guys, this is Austin! It really is very easy these days. I highly suggest to run 10-15 minutes stress tests in between changing to a higher frequency. After you hit crashes and artifacts. I sugges to go down 2 steps or at least 10-25MHz on the core clock and 25-50MHz on the memory. Then do a full +6 hour stress test at least.
How to install Windows from an USB drive: Here is a great video again!
How to use Ninite: This video explains it very well, in case you can't figure it out.

---

Peripherals are all very hard to suggest, if we don't have enough information. So I picked the ones that I find will work in most cases.
But there are a lot of things we need to know before we can suggest the right setup. But anyway, here is the list. No I won't explain to much why I picked them. I did went for these because I think they will work for "most" people. But if you got the time to answer the questions, I will have a better idea if my suggestion will work for you.

Mouse: How do you grip the mouse? How many buttons do you want? Are you right or left handed?
Keyboard: I recommend to go read about Mechanical Keyboards switch types first. Then after you know wich switch would be for you, you can give me that information. Then my other questions would be, do you want a TenKeyLess? Basicly a smaller keyboard. If you don't want a TKL, do you want any "macro keys"? The advantage of TKL is that you will sit in a more natural position, so I prefer to recommend these keyboards.
Headphones/Speakers: What music do you listen? Where will you sit when using the headphones, will it be in a loud room? Will you be on your own? Do you need a microphone?

I definitely think you should invest in a better microphone. If you can save up some money and get your hands on a Blue Nessie or a Snowball, it would be the best idea. They are relatively cheap, and you can plug them directly into your computer without the need of an audio interface (meaning they are USB microphones, not XLR). You also might want to invest in a better camera for yourself. I can see that there is some frame bleeding, and I can assume that you're using a webcam. Got an iPhone? Those work better than most personal digital cameras.

Are you capturing your game footage, video footage, and audio with the same program? (Programs like Game Capture HD can do this) If so, you have more control over your content if you record everything separately, then sync them up on editing software.

But overall, you have some great content! People will definitely enjoy your content more as you evolve as a Let's Player, and you'll definitely be able to grow your fanbase. Just keep yourself consistent and try to be as entertaining as possible.

Good luck!

-Gamebomb

I would stick with a USB condenser microphone. They're phenomenal as they have a built in condenser and some have built in noise reduction. That doesn't mean you shouldn't do post editing to the show (like running a condenser and noise reducer over your audio), but it helps shave a lot of post work off.

I run the XLR version of the Audio-Technicia AT2020. What I'm linking is the USB version and you may be able to find it used, or cheaper, elsewhere. It's a phenomenally powerful microphone for little cost.

If you want to go XLR, because you feel like you need to do some on the fly mixing, a Scarlet interface + the XLR version of that microphone is a great combination. You can go more advanced with a Behringer Xenyx Q802USB (what I am running), but if you're just starting out keep it simple.

Also pick up a microphone boom, pop filter, and a shock mount (that particular shock mount has a pop filter with it). Keep it off your desk and about 5-6 inches from your mouth when podcasting. You want to reduce all extra noise including mouse clicks, keyboards, or bumping your desk.

If that's too expensive, a Yeti or a Snowball are great introductory microphones. There is a reason everyone uses them. I cut my teeth on a Samson CO1U, but eventually upgraded to the AT because the sound quality is a bit better. Just...always get some kind of arm or tripod or something and keep the microphone suspended.

At the end of the day, as long as you're using some kind of condenser microphone, it doesn't really matter. Post production can help make the whole podcast sound a lot more enjoyable. Just make sure you're consistent, have decent audio quality, and are excited to podcast. I wrote up some dirty tips and tricks here if you're interested.

Good luck!

Hello everyone! I should be mentioning, I've been using the built-in microphone of my Astro A40s for 4 years, using Adobe Audition in conjuction with VB Audio Cable to make audio quality not-so-shitty through live noise canceling. But right now the mic is making some kind of slitherine sound I can't fix, so I really really should just get a good microphone and be done with it. The Astros are still working very good, hence I'm here asking for your help! My budget is currently at around €120, but I don't mind going just a tad bit over that (±20). If it's lower, and you think it's still a very good choice, I surely won't mind. My goal is just to have a decent all around mic, to avoid me the hassle of using Audition to live-fix my sound. I'd like to be able to record without the need of post-production for audio fixing. A friend linked me those two (very very low price-range), what do you think?

https://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B00XOXRTX6/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1IM96RSBPC3L0

https://www.amazon.it/dp/B01KHMUQ2M?psc=1

I like the Tonor, but I don't really know much about microphones. I don't think he does either, to be quite honest. Are there any better mics for that price range?

I know I'm very likely being annoying at this point, but if you could recommend mics for different price ranges (e.g. 40-60, 70-90, 100-120), I'd be the happiest man alive.


TL;DR: Win7 64bit; Astro A40 headset (mic is broken, that's why I'm here); €120 max budget (±20); would be used for YouTube videos, Discord/TeamSpeak/Google Hangouts; I'd prefer multiple recommendations for different price ranges (preferably low-mid-high price).


Thanks in advance, r/microphones!

You can put any mic on a desk using a boom mount or desktop mount. You can get a normal XLR large diaphragm condenser. When I play online and use voice chat, everyone notices that I sound "magically clear and like a normal human voice" instead of potato-in-mouth headset.

Depends on your budget, but starting cheap, I'd recommend a $100 USB audio interface (they're all pretty much the same) which also gives you headphone out and separate volume for headphones/speakers, and to go along with that, get an AudioTechnica AT2020 ($100) plus an XLR cable. Get either a boom stand or a desktop stand and you're done.

If you want to go cheaper, you can get a Behringer C1 mic for like $50.

If you want to go SUPER cheap, check Amazon for cheap chinese knock-offs like this setup here which has the stand, mic, and a USB adapter with cable all for $35. You get what you pay for. The mic won't be potato, better than turtle beach or whatever, and better than iphone mic for guitar, and then upgrade pieces as you need, but the build quality suffers.

Good thing about amazon is their generous return policy. I would try that and see if it's total crap.

If you have a budget of $250 get Anything from this list here that has a mic/cable/stand and interface. Some will come with headphones too.

The real takeaway is - you CAN put some mics directly into the "mic-in" jack on your PC, but you shouldn't want to do this. Get a better interface. That's more important than what mic you use to start. I'd rather have a $100 interface (with +48v Phantom Power for condensers) and $20 condenser mic instead of a $500 microphone plugged straight into the computer.

Well, first of all, you probably want to scope what you're going to do, and also figure out how much money you want to spend to do it. I mean it's kind of vague to just want to match their equipment and it might be extreme overkill for you to do so. Like you don't need "breakaway cables" to switch your consoles (per the GrumpOut vid)... in fact, I highly recommend switchboxes as a much saner thing to do there. :P

But to the question:

> I don't know where I could order or purchase them

... this may or may not be a simple answer. Depending where you live, Amazon sells just about everything you could possibly want. Not saying you should necessarily buy it from them, but you'll probably find everything you need there.

But getting back to cost, definitely consider what you can spend, because even just one Sennheiser MKH 416 microphone (as they have just stated they use) costs about $1000.

/u/FabbrizioCalamitous already answered adequately about capture cards of course, so no need to repeat that.

Honestly I think getting good audio equipment and a good environment to make your voice sound excellent is one of the most difficult aspects of the setup. There are just so many factors when it comes to audio; reflections in the room, how your mic is mounted, quality/type of the mic, vibrations from the street, etc. Few of us have a real "studio" type acoustically-sealed room to get really good voice recording, and it seems anything and everything easily gets in there and makes a mess of it. But of course unless you're really well off you probably can't afford to set up a room like that or afford Sennheiser MKH 416 mics. (Or at least can't justify the cost for something extravagant before your YouTube channel has taken off.)

Most likely what you ought to do is Google around a bit and try to find a more modest starter kit. If you start to earn a decent viewerbase you might start considering upgrading incrementally. I mean, even the Grumps started out with just a mic on a table in the living room. They graduated to much grander setups over years of time.

Wow, thank you so much for the quick reply, Griseus! Your uploads are superb!

> There are ways to solve that though.

Are you rocking this foam windscreen as a solution? It seems to be doing a great job all by itself, from what I can see in your videos. Do you also use a traditional pop filter like this one for an extra layer of filtering or would that be redundant in this case?

> I suggest you put the pc or laptop as far as you can from the mic

Would buying an extension cord of sorts remedy this issue? Or could that introduce mild to moderate distortion?

On a related note, do you use a sound card or preamp for your recordings? Those cost a pretty penny and might just push me into sticking with the best bang for my buck, the Blue Yeti, while I spend the remaining funds on an audio interface if that helps a ton.

Thanks again for your input, and I, too, am psyched to get this project started asap!

hi there!

i wanna start off by saying i had not idea what subreddit this was when i read the comments.
Just saw the keywords about the yeti and sound issues and dug deeper.
It could have been from r/youtube or r/twitch for all i knew.
I listened to you clip and it game me asmr tingles!
haha. it was after that i decided to see what sub i was in.

so as an asmr fan, you might just be being critical of yourself.
I've seen a lot of users here and on youtube say they prefer a more natural sound with the room tone included vs the unnatural silence between words.


that being said, i too have a yeti and could possibly offer some insight. chances are you've read or hear this eles where too.

the yeti is stupid sensitive.
when i first got it, i had my headphones and and was listening to things with the gain all way up.
i could hear my girlfriend come home, and put he keys into the door like the thing was on a megaphone.

so having your gain to about halfway is good. i keep mine there where i stream on twitch. if i put it all the way up, youll hear cars drive by and thats too much for me in that instance.


if you do wanna go for the more quite feel, on thing you can try is the "noise reduction" effect in audacity. (your post mentioend a "white noise reduction", but im not sure thats what youre talking about

i use that effect often, and haven't had issues.
so if we are talking about the same effect, you'll have to let me know your process.


on thing you can do with audacity (and other software like OBS studio) is setup a noise gate. this basically means if the sounds aren't within a certain db threshold, it wont come through.
tutorial here.


how you have your yeti placed can make a difference too.
so for example, if it's just sitting on your desk, it might pick up more noise from you interacting with things on the desk (of the desk itself) as opposed to the yeti being attached to one of those mic arms. a wind screen and pop filter could help too.
You might need an adapter to get the yeti to attach the yeti to the arm, so do your homework.

last thing I can think of is your space.
this guy has a good video about making your space nice for cheap.
noise panels help too if youre trying to spend some cash.


hopefully this helps.

I have a few suggestions:

• OBS Multiplatform. Works good for recording game play, is free, and allows for multiple audio streams. Can be used instead of Fraps or as a backup program.
  
  
• Audacity: Free audio editing program that has lots of good features.
  
  
• HitFilm 3 Express: Also a free video editing program. I would have a copy along with blender as a backup.
  
  For USB 3.0 External HDD i have heard good things about the WD Elements products. I had WD internal drives and have had no issues. I record 1080p 60fps. You'll have a little less speed with an external, so maybe do 1080p, 720p 60 fps, or 720p.
  
  
• For a microphone I highly suggest getting a standalone mic and a headset instead of using the built in mic. You''ll get much, much better sound quality that way. Maybe a Blue Snowball, ATR-2100, ATR-2500, or Samson C01u.
  
  
• For headsets, I suggest the Logitech G430, Steelseries Siberia V3, ATH-M30x, or a nice pair of Sennheisers.

Im looking to upgrade my audio into a xlr setup from a usb mic. I broadcast on Twitch (live streaming service) and I have some questions about what equipment would be best for my application.

For my mic, I was going to purchase the Rode NT1
Is a condensor mic best for what I'll be doing? (Disclaimer: I yell a lot)

I was going to purchase the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
Is it worth it to purchase this two channel audio interface, or should I buy the single input version for a cheaper price? I'm only going to be using a single mic, but I read that the quality of the 2i2 build is a bit better.

My final question is on whether or not I should purchase a Compressor/Gate to reduce clipping when I yell, or is it possible or to compress my audio with a software program? Trying to see if dropping the money on the compressor would be worth it. This is the compressor/gate I was looking at: DBX 266xs

Thanks ahead of time! I really do appreciate your help! :)

I did the same research just yesterday. Based on the Amazon reviews, this is what I came up with:

1. Samson SP01: Although it is out of stock at the moment, this shock mount will work perfectly for the AT2020, as mentionned in the reviews on Amazon.com.
   
   
2. niceEshop(TM) Studio Microphone Mic Wind Screen Pop Filter: A cheap, but apparently very able pop filter. Again, this is according to the reviews.
   
   3-a. RODE PSA 1 Swivel Mount Studio Microphone Boom Arm: This is a more expensive, but probably better built, and reliable option.
   
   3-b. Neewer® White Broadcasting Studio Microphone Suspension Boom Scissor Arm stand: A cheaper, probably less reliable (at least according to the reviews) bet for a microphone arm. With a name containing so many adjectives, surely it's not that bad, right? Kappa
   
   Good luck with your endeavour, I know I'll need it. XD
   
   Edit: All the reviews come from Amazon.com as opposed to Amazon.ca for a larger pool of data.

Seriously, it's not that difficult to do some research on your own and take your own basic measurements, or do some basic calculations.

At the very, very least, learn your room modes. Low end is probably the most troublesome area of every mix environment. Here's a helpful calculator and visualiser to show you how sound pressure is being distributed throughout your room at different frequencies.

http://www.hunecke.de/en/calculators/room-eigenmodes.html

This Behringer electret measurement microphone is just fine (in real world tests among measurement microphones, it performs quite admirably) for doing your own measurements at home, and costs 60 bucks

http://www.amazon.com/BEHRINGER-MEASUREMENT-CONDENSER-MICROPHONE-ECM8000/dp/B000HT4RSA

Which is a hell of a lot cheaper and wiser than spending 100 bucks on materials and potentially screwing up your room without knowing what you're even looking for to begin with.

Room EQ Wizard requires a few hoops to go through (signing up for the Home Theater Shack forum and waiting for account approval), and has a somewhat difficult learning curve (this is where you might want to start looking up some more in depth acoustic physics primers) but is among any number of relatively easily obtained, free software for measuring frequency response, and many many other variables with regard to how sound is being distributed through your room.

http://www.roomeqwizard.com/

Ethan Winer has some great beginning articles on acoustics to get you started with a little bit of room acoustics (and treatment) basics

http://realtraps.com/articles.htm

and the Gearslutz Studio Building/Acoustics forum has lots of in depth information and cough helpful users who can sometimes answer your quesitons and help you with problems as you learn more about the process.

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/studio-building-acoustics/

Honestly, room treatment and acoustic physics go very hand in hand with audio engineering concepts, and it would behoove all engineers of any stripe to learn more about how sound interacts in the physical realm, as it's an integral part of mixing and recording that has practical applications beyond simply understanding how it affects your listening position while mixing. The information can easily be applied to microphone technique, live audio, and also understanding how certain aspects of your mix are interplaying, even if you're mixing totally in the box, and on headphones.

Question(s), from a noob but still important:

1. We're starting a new podcast and balling on a budget. We have relatively quiet studio spaces, and have built two DIY "studio boxes" (professional condenser panels lining a 30 gallon plastic container with the same lining the outside). We're pretty set on buying a cheap pair of condenser mics, but seeing as we wont be in actual studios, should we bail and go to dynamic mics?
   
   
2. Using the mics above, it has everything we'd need except for an AI... We're recording solo from two separate states via zencastr and then I'm editing the audio after, and don't have the budget for a few hundred bucks on mixers. Seems like an audio interface is the best bet. Looking for the best budget friendly AIs? Or do I need to even worry about one?
   
   

Samson makes a shock mount that works just fine with an AT2020. Works with a lot of mics, actually.

Regarding mics, I'd ask more questions before I would suggest one mic over another. I have an AT2020 (well, I gave it to my friend to use) and it's a nice mic. However, it may not be the best for you or your recording environment. I generally shy away from suggesting condenser mics to people, but for some they're fine.

Generally speaking, if you have a lot of ambient noise (air conditioner, traffic on the street, animals, family/housemates, squeaky chair, loud keyboard, etc.) then you may want to consider a dynamic mic. Dynamics are less sensitive which, in this particular medium, is almost always a good thing. It's potentially the difference between spending time doing audio editing, and not spending time doing audio editing. For me, I never have enough time, so the choice is clear.

Also, I had nothing but problems with the 2i2. I don't like passively powered audio devices. I ditched it in favor of an actively powered interface and have had no problems since (UR22 mkII). Many others have great luck with the Focusrite stuff, so maybe I was unlucky.

1. A separate microphone and separate headphone is going to provide better performance overall than a 'headset."
   
   
2. V7.1 is available through many different software sets, and you don't need to look at a headphone/headset that is 'natively' "3d/surround sound" capable -
   Dolby Atmos (paid); Windows Sonic (free,) - but a lot of the performance of Virtual 7.1 sound comes down to the sound-engine used in the game.
   
   
3. Noise canceling is a completely different issue that a gaming headphone/headset wants to do. Are you sure you want Noise Canceling, or would a closed back (noise-isolating) headphone/headset work?
   
   If you're looking for an all in-one (headset, closed-back) package, the CoolerMaster MH751 (or the 752 with it's V7.1 USB dongle) is the best option. < $90
   
   If you want to get away from the headset; and get interdependent pieces: (will cost a bit more than the CM headset, but has advantages in doing so.)
   
   (prices are with Amazon Prime, so yours may differ - but you can usually ebay them for about the same prices I can see.)
   
   

• Takstar Pro82 ($90 on Amazon, or under $70 on Aliexpress.) or Status Audio CB-1 ($70 on Amazon)
  
  
• Blue Snowball iCE ($35-40) https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-Condenser-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B014PYGTUQ
  
  
• Boom Arm for Mic /w pop filter(s) ($15-20) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CN2C93T
  
  
• Fiio E10K DAC-AMP ($75-85 on Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-Portable-Headphone-ICP-AT1000-Headphones/dp/B076DVBNRP = basically free earbuds, and I have no idea if they are good or now..) otherwise $50-60 on Ebay.

With a £300 budget, it will be a challenge to find a high quality camcorder. Instead, you might want to consider using your smartphone, which, with the right software, can produce high quality 1080p (or 4K) video.

Here is what I recommend [Referral Links]:

If you have an iPhone, you can get started by downloading FiLMiC Pro [from iTunes] (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/filmic-pro/id436577167?mt=8&at=1000l8mT). If you have an Android phone, you can download [Cinema FV-5 from Google Play] (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.flavionet.android.cinema.pro&hl=en).

These apps will allow you to control aspect ratio, white balance, exposure, resolution and frame rates - turning your phone into a pretty good approximation of a camcorder.

FiLMiC Pro was used for this feature film shot entirely on iPhones:

• [Tangerine] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B013W7LT8E/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B013W7LT8E&linkCode=as2&tag=hybrcamerevo-21") (Red Band trailer [here] (https://youtu.be/ALSwWTb88ZU) (NSFW))
  
  This one used FiLMiC Pro, iPhones and a jib:
  
  
• ["ALL UP TO YOU!" - iPhone 5 Movie] (https://vimeo.com/50438974)
  
  This was shot with a Nexus 5 and Cinema FV-5:
  
  
• [Cinema FV-5 demo reel] (https://youtu.be/b4vQdo0Me9k)
  
  You can get an [Amazon Basics video tripod for £58.99] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00CEH7VG8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00CEH7VG8&linkCode=as2&tag=hybrcamerevo-21) and a [£6.99 phone to tripod adapter] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0166HRSF0/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B0166HRSF0&linkCode=as2&tag=hybrcamerevo-21) to steady your shots.
  
  Alternatively, you can get a [£144.65 Zhiyun Z1 Smooth C 3-axis gimbal] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01A82UXLA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B01A82UXLA&linkCode=as2&tag=hybrcamerevo-21) that will stabilize your phone on the move, as seen [here] (https://youtu.be/BkfuSSFegBk).
  
  Without a tripod or stabilizer, handheld cellphone video can be hard to watch.
  
  You should also invest in a directional mic or a lavalier for better sound than you can get from the built-in mic.
  
  Directional Mic
  
  I recommend the [£56.32 Rode VideoMic Me] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B018KIJGU8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B018KIJGU8&linkCode=as2&tag=hybrcamerevo-21).
  
  Here is the Rode promo video with example audio: https://youtu.be/1-x8MVngwaI
  
  Lavalier
  
  If you want to get the mic even closer to your talent, you can get a [decent lavalier for £17.95] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00N0EPZU8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00N0EPZU8&linkCode=as2&tag=hybrcamerevo-21).
  
  You can either plug it into the phone you're using for video - or you can download an app (e.g. [Rode Rec for iOS] (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/r-de-rec/id528642521?mt=8&at=1000l8mT) or [Smart Voice Recorder] (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andrwq.recorder&hl=en) or [Skyro Voice Recorder] (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.triveous.recorder&hl=en) for Android) to a second smart phone, record a "scratch" audio track with your main camera's internal microphone and sync the audio from the second phone to your camera phone's audio track in the edit, as seen here (example is for the Rode SmartLav, but it makes the point for the entire lav/phone category):
  
  http://youtu.be/P2RIFZOGMZo
  
  Hope this is helpful and best of luck with your cooking channel!
  

Oh you got yourself into a heap of mischief, didn't you? No way your camera's mics or s shotgun will do the job in this situation, especially if you have bad weather.

Here's how to save the day. Get the free Rode Rec app from the App Store and put it on any iPhone.

Next spend $15 US on one of these. Clip it on and plug it into the iPhone in the minister's or the groom's pocket. Start recording before the ceremony and let it run. It should be easy enough to sync up the phone audio after the fact. Hint: You can do this with more than one iPhone if you want better coverage.

Protect your camera with an umbrella if you can. Cover all of it but the lens with plastic wrap if you have to. Maybe your lens will survive.

After the ceremony figure out how to edit. You will have good audio on the important part and whatever good video you get with the camera. Other than the ceremony, your camera's built in mic will do pretty well.

Hope this helps!

I hear the blue yeti is really special. I use the Samson c01u, but it got the same reviews ass the blue yeti in terms of clarity. It doesn't matter which one you buy, if you get super good at EQing you'll sound pretty great, so learn how to mix well and stuff. You'll be fine.

https://www.amazon.com/Samson-C01U-Studio-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B00HXE4BYW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517773207&sr=8-1&keywords=samson+c01u

Me and the Yeti have had our long hours and stressful history, months and months of adjusting trying to get it to work properly and I've learned more about this damnable mic than I have about basic math it feels like lmao. I had a constant humming problem but I ended up solving it by just getting it off my desk with an arm stand. A cheap one too! It's not the most stable, nor the most professional, but it works for me and my set up and is incredibly cheap. https://www.amazon.com/InnoGear-Microphone-Windscreen-Suspension-Snowball/dp/B07CN2C93T/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=mic+arm&qid=1574236902&sr=8-4

​

Otherwise definitely use a pop filter. From my experience you don't really need anything fancy, just a nice cheap one will do. https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Microphone-Stabilizing-Recordings-Broadcasting/dp/B01N21H9WY/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=pop+filter&qid=1574237097&sr=8-4

​

I don't use a shock mount. After fiddling with my Yeti for a while I don't seem to have a use for one right now so I don't really have any good recommendations for those. Hope any of this works out! Just skip around one of my VODS if you wanna hear an example of my set up but so far with the cheap stuff it's worked out well.

They could try something like the Movo PM10 which is ~ $18 USD - I've never actually used it, but most of the reviews I've seen are good, and it's got to be better quality and dynamic range than the onboard microphone or the pack-in earbud mic that comes with most phones.

Ultimately the best setup would obviously be with a dedicated mic & computer, but this could be a decent alternative so they don't have to buy a computer.

Do you have the xlr or usb version? if its xlr any old xlr cable should work, but the usb uses this cable . Personally I use this shockmount and this desk mount which isn't very bad for the price but you can definitely tell its a cheap mount. Most of the accessories are garbage and I ended up cutting out the XLR cable and wiring my usb cable through it, but if you have the xlr version I guess it'll work fine for you. I know for a fact that shock mount you just linked doesn't work, but it does come with the desk mount I linked (for $20 more) so you may as well try it for yourself, the best option would be the Audio Technica shock mount but its pretty pricey. I should also mention the better option for the desk mount would be the Rode desk mount and that the AT2020 on its own is comparable with either desk mount as long as you use the mount that comes with it for the desk stand, just remove the mount itself and screw it to the desk mount. hope my experience could help you out :)

I'm not like a professional but this mic/ stand combo has been great and is super cheap. In case you want to save up for something nice. Just in case

I personally don't record consoles (I'm a PC guy) so I'm not the most knowledgeable person on this subreddit, but I know a few things so here are my recommendations.

From the reviews I've seen this capture card looks pretty good for the money, AverMedia as a whole produce quality products so you could really choose from any of their selection: http://www.amazon.com/AVerMedia-GL310-AVerCapture-Capture-Streaming/dp/B00K5A8FP2/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1421127944&sr=1-6&keywords=capture+card+avermedia

And as far as mics go for your price range you could get a blue nessie, which is pretty good for the price as far as I know: http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-NESSIE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B00BUIA362/ref=sr_1_7?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1421128019&sr=1-7&keywords=blue+microphone

For Video Editors, I'm not sure which ones are good for practically $0. You could always go with Windows Movie Maker if need be.

GIK gives free acoustic advice and they are great, getting a flat rate response mic

Behringer ECM8000 Ultra-Linear Measurement Condenser Studio Microphone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HT4RSA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_LPe2DbVXMFN2B

and

REW https://www.minidsp.com/applications/auto-eq-with-rew

That’ll tell you where you’re boosts and nulls are and then you can tell where you need to put the work in.

Bass traps in the corners, full range absorbers at first reflection points, and add diffusion. I hear diffusion is great in between the monitors as well as on the back wall.

Hope that helps!

That would definitely be advisable. There are other good options of course, but this is the industry standard for commercial/promo voiceover. So I don't know what your endeavor into voiceover is, but I'd recommend a solid investment in a mic that fits your voice well, an interface that offers enough gain staging (otherwise, you need a mic preamp, which is yet another investment. The sm7b definitely needs one of these), and a pair of headphones that offer flat, accurate frequency response so you can listen back and mix well.

The only thing to keep in mind is you could potentially pick up audio from the television on your microphone. You would have to keep the TV turned down low if you don't want to commit to a headset.

A lapel mic would work but may not be very good quality for commentary. I've never had a lapel mic that recorded all that great. You could just set up a USB microphone with a longer cord and mic stand next to you on the couch.

Here is what I use:

https://www.amazon.com/Samson-C01U-Studio-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B00HXE4BYW/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003CLIPHO/

If I'm recording at my PC, I just slide it over next to me. If I'm on the couch playing off a console, I just slide it over to where the mic is at appropriate recording distance from my mouth. I love being able to easily go back and forth between areas since I switch between PC gaming and old consoles.

When I'm jamming on the PC, I use a headset so the game audio doesn't get picked up by the microphone.

When I'm console recording over on the couch, I keep the TV turned down low and it's far enough away to where it doesn't get picked up by the mic although I've thought about getting a headset for the TV with a long cord so I can hear the game audio... I like to hear the music lol.

I just started a podcast this year and we (co-host and I) use the Fifine USB mic. Our voices sound great and I've never had any problems with it so far. Another things I would say is that make sure you get a USB mic. You're going to get the best quality with USB than with 3.5mm mics.

Mic-https://www.amazon.com/Fifine-Condenser-Microphone-Recording-K669/dp/B01MXL3EOU/ref=sr_1_30?ie=UTF8&qid=1527545415&sr=8-30&keywords=podcast+mic

Hope this is helpful and good luck on the podcast!

Topping D30 doesn't work with a boompro. You would need an AMP/DAC combo unit that has headphone out and MIC in, or you will get buzzing issues.


If imaging accuracy is your goal, I find the AKG 712 Pro to be damn near cheating, even better than my DT 770. My HD 800 crush it in sound stage width of course, but the imaging is actually fairly close between the two in games like PUBG, Battlefield 4, and Apex legends. Not bad for a $270 headphone! That leaves you in a tough spot if you want a boom mic. You COULD get an in-line mic like this:


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NXY5H9L/?coliid=I24BOF07FMCL76&colid=KE3MOM1DD6I5&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it


But your voice will sound thin and you would have to use push to talk so the mic doesn't pick up keyboard/room noise.


Best is to get a nicer USB mic and mount it on a boom-mic streamer-style. Something like this can get you started cheap:


https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Microphone-Suspension-Broadcasting-Recording/dp/B07DKB68DL/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=USB+mic&qid=1565999441&s=electronics&sr=1-5


Or you could go ALL THE WAY to the top with a Rode NT-1


https://www.amazon.com/Rode-NT1KIT-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B00GGGQK56/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Rode+NT-1&qid=1565999578&s=electronics&sr=1-3

Hi inferno - the best value for money mic right now for filmmakers with "a few hundred" to spend is the [$330 Sennheiser MKE600] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B0YPAYQ/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00B0YPAYQ&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) [Referral Link].

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFOG5_6ixDA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Haqm-6DjuM

This mic is a great value for money - it competes very well with its big brother, the [$1000 industry standard Sennheiser 416] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00030679K/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00030679K&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) [Referral Link].

Hope this is helpful!

Bill

It is in Cardiod mode. I have the front of the mic facing downwards towards my face where my voice is coming from.

I am picky and that's why it sucks because i know it could be so much better if I could get a set up where the mic is closer to my mouth.

I did set up the suppression in OBS, and also the noise gate. Problem being that with the noise gate my voice doesn't always get recognized right away and I don't know how to tinker with the dB. I don't completely understand it right now. Its all a learning process.

With the gain.. I feel like I NEED this due to how far the mic is, and once I added it I was able to hear myself on my recording. Before I had it I was very low when streaming and no one watching said anything lol.. I would love to use the mic without this, but need to figure out some different setup from what I have.

I have set my Yeti sound to 70%.. Haven't touched the OBS mic mixer though. The Yeti gain is just below half as well for me. It will all change tonight when I set up the XLR.

In regards to the hard surfaces, I was thinking about getting some foam to put on the walls around where my desk is. Not sure how much justice it would do.

I have the suspension arm + shock mount but got rid of the pop filter as it just gets in the way. I have ordered this to hopefully work like a pop filter.

Thanks again for the feedback man!!

I've been very happy with Sennheiser's mics which always get excellent audio.

If you ever need to get good audio and can't use the external recorder, a great but cheap mic that goes straight into your DSLR (via mini-jack) is the Audio-Technica ATR-6550. It makes for a great combination of low price and good quality.

Yeah I was thinking about something like this as a sound cage. And yeah honestly I don't understand the problem fully probably. Mic I currently use is capturing reverb in the room and sounds kind of compressed (not like production compression, I mean like tight I guess?). Worked well before, now it doesn't. Thing is I'm not really able to hang much up around my room to remove sound from walls which is why I was hoping a sound cage would work.

This mic is pretty good for the price and plugs into pretty much any mic port. Whenever you get a chance please buy yourself a Mic Pre-amp. It boosts your mic signal and give depth to your recording. The one everyone recommends is this one, even the pros but if you're just starting out you'll do fine with this one good luck!

I got this during an amazon prime sale a while back and use it for gaming, streaming and talking to friends. FYI Just going to warn you, this mic is pretty big. I use a swivel arm mount to keep it above my monitor and to minimize desk space. Also USE HEADPHONES or this may pickup your speaker noise (Depending on distance and gain settings)

 

I would suggest anyone interested in a swivel mount mic stand to go for the PSA1 Mic Arm , it is a bit more expensive when put in comparison to a NEEWER Brand. But it is solid as hell and will fit your mic perfectly. Also you will NOT need a shock mount with the PSA1, it has a foam pad that seems to cancel out my restless legs hitting my desk and my frequent desk raging.

 

I tried a NEEWER at first, however it could not hold my mic up and dropped it a few times.

 

I also have a Foam Wind Screen for it and it nullifies any sharp "P" "F" or "B" noises.

 

I like it alot and it has been serving me well. Your voice will be clear as crystal with this.

I dont personally have the iphone 6s, but there is mic processing built into all iOS devices as far as i know, which messes quality up in my opinion, there are a few apps that allow you to turn off mic processing specifically for recording your own audio with the built in mic. I have almost every music production app so let me know what you have. I mostly use FieldScaper by iMusicAlbum which is made specially for field recording, and has built in time warping, or i use Anytune Pro+, or Twistedwave Audio Editor for the ease of use (my opinion is subjective of course) but even with just some cheaper mic purchase you would eliminate onboard mic processing, i recently bought this..
Samson Meteorite USB Condenser Microphone
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I9RK97K/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Which i used yesterday to record some construction work outside my place, which was jackhammers, and some heavy machinery, it came out near crystal clear.

I'd definitely recommend FieldScaper, and their other app SoundScaper is freaking amazing, both solely for iOS

Hey, I know I'm hitting this late. I'm looking to start a DnD play podcast with a few friends of mine. I'm totally new to audio recording though and would love some advice on getting recording gear. I was looking at mics and equipment and found a really good deal on some very cheap mic sets, and also know I'll probably need Phantom power and a mixer.
Do you think I could get away with starting with this stuff I've picked out (I've gone cheap because I'm very new at this) or is there other stuff you would recommend? Also ,is there anything I'm missing or should I be able to plug this stuff into a PC and record? OH! I almost forgot, I'm getting 3 mics to record 5 people, do you think that's enough or should I plan on one mic per person? Thank you for taking the time to read this!
Stuff I'm planning on buying:
Mixer: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QDN6Z83/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=ALJSAJJCN3221&psc=1
Mic Set : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0756V2B6R/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=AVM8BIH53RWJ1&psc=1
Phantom Power : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KAPGLQC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2HC58KVPP5OOH&psc=1

Sure, I have used the Samson microphones as they are quite easy to set up. I used an older one, the Samson C01U, but there is a lot of good from the Go Mic and Meteor Mic.

I do hear good things about the Blue Snowball as well, though I do not have experience with the brand.

And once you do get a microphone, I would totally recommend getting a directional pop filter for yourself, it can make quite a difference.

So far I've been able to do mine fairly inexpensively. I use Podiant.co for website and hosting. Bought a decent microphone setup on the cheap through amazon that does as good a job as I need (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KHMUQ2M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1). Other than that, I've since purchased more storage space on google drive to put all my backups (think it is something like $20/year). I also upgraded my Podiant subscription from free to the $15/month plan to allow me to automatically post to youtube and integrate with mail chimp. I also feel better about throwing some money their way since they have been such a joy to work with. I guess the only other expenses have been my time and the purchase of my domain name. That makes it roughly $18 per month total and it would be $3/month if I didn't upgrade my Podiant subscription.

Thanks! I'm currently torn between two (after hours of research lol)

This is the one I'm leaning toward: (Samson C01U Pro USB Studio Condenser Microphone)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HXE4BYW/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

And this is the other possibility (Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB Cardioid Dynamic USB/XLR Microphone):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004QJOZS4/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_11?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER


My primary concern is obviously audio quality, but I'm also very concerned with background noise. I've got 4 kids, and keeping them quiet is...challenging. I think the majority of my recording will be done after they're in bed, but on weekends and stuff they tend to stay up late...so, a mix of me telling them to chill out and a mic that can filter out background noise is probably my best bet. I've already started selling my wife on me turning the guest bedroom into my office lol


edit: I'd like to officially open this up to anybody who has mic advice based on what I just said!

It's gonna be hard to find a better new headphone than the 58x at $160. They are easy to drive, comfy and a well-rounded sounding can. Are they great at anything? Not really, but they do just about everything well. You could step up to the 6xx for about $50, which is a much better headphone to my ear.

But my recommendation would be to find a used T20RP/T50Rp mk3 and swap the pads to Shure 1540s https://www.amazon.com/Shure-HPAEC1540-Replacement-Alcantara-Headphones/dp/B00HXAV0UY. Check out r/avexchange for used headphones or HeadFi has a good sale forum. You could also buy them new together on Amazon for about $190 total.

I actually just picked up a T20RP mk3 and was going to send to Modhouse for an Argon conversion, but I also just got a Focal Elex and no longer need for Argons. The one caveat with this recommendation is I'm not sure how well your amp would work with them. Maybe not enough power.

If you are interested, I would be willing to sell my T20s. Send me a PM if you want. I can send pics your way. I was thinking about putting them on r/avexchange anyway.

If you're just starting out, I would just get yourself a good set of headphones. There's plenty of resources to be found online about a good or bad pair of headphones. I personally use a pair of Cowin E8's.

Microphone, it depends on how much you want to spend. For someone who hasn't streamed yet, I always say never to spend more than you have to until you know streaming is the right fit for you and that you enjoy it.

That said, I usually recommend the Fifine K669. It's USB so plug and play, and is surprisingly good sounding for the cheap price. There's a link HERE so you can see how it sounds yourself.

A very common mic is the minidsp brand UMIK-1 (which doesnt need the phantom power adapter - its straight to USB, and comes with a calibration mic file) https://www.minidsp.com/products/acoustic-measurement/umik-1 $75

i opted for this variation and got them off amazon.

MXL-MICMATEXLR To USB Preamp for Condenser Microphones
$42 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VZ8WC2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00
There are other variants of this, one is called the icicle i believe. i just based my choice on prime shipping and reviews.

and combines with BEHRINGER ECM8000 @ $60

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HT4RSA?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00

plug and play and worked amazing with room eq wizard which is free and awesome.

I have very limited DT990 experience (listening to them at guitar center) but I own the Game One and use it on Xbox all the time. I can tell you the Game Ones are with it. A little clamp heavy at first but after a little bit they're one of the most comfortable headsets. Another option in that price range that I also own and use on Xbox are the Audio Technica ATH-PDG1. The Audio Technicas in my opinion need a pad change to be really comfortable, so with them I would recommend the Shure 1840 pads. With the pad change the PDG1 is about $10 cheaper then the Game Ones on Amazon. But you can't go wrong with either choice.

Audio-Technica ATH-PDG1 Premium Gaming Headset https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OTG9RGE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_sgwxDbZ23GGE5

Shure HPAEC1840 Replacement Velour Ear Pads for SRH1840 Headphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Q0POT4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_UgwxDbNKXT3JR

Will you be using it for recording? If yes, I recommend the Samson C03U. It's a bit higher than $50 but the quality is great. I've recorded with it a few times without prior audio tech knowledge and it has given me great recordings that I only really need to reduce noise in Audacity.

I have the Blue Nessie Microphone.

It is amazing getting the background noise away, but I notice that it gives me a ton of bass in my voice. I use EQ to bring up the treble, but it only helps so much.

Is there a certain trick I could use?

Or should I get a new microphone?

I have heard the quality from the Blue Yeti, and I think it sounds like it'd be better (although I haven't personally used it).

I received this kit as a gift and, to my great surprise, it's been quite excellent. It used to be way cheaper (not kidding, it was literally under $40 last I checked). Perhaps people have discovered that it's a good deal and they upped the price? In any case, I've had it for 2 years now and have had no issues with it.

That's all stuff I plan to go over in the first couple videos. I want it to be completely transparent on everything I'm doing. I am brand new at all of this. I know a lot about marketing and SEO so I know how to get things out there. And I watch a lot of youtube so I have an idea on what production quality and stuff I need. But to answer your question. Not positive yet, but I'm on a Mac and at the moment I'm looking into this microphone from blue for audio. There's a cheaper version here I've seen good reviews for but I the other one isn't a lot more and is a bit more adjustable and cooler looking. :) Ha but I know that helps.

If you're interested in non-usb mics, you could always look into condenser microphones. I wanted to get a mic separate from my headset, but didn't want to spend the $$$ for the blue yeti, and I thought the snowball sounded poor for he price. So I looked into different Newer and another mic brand. I ended up going with this kit https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D4KYRYC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 for $50, and I think the mic quality for the mic is pretty solid. Having it come with a scissor arm is pretty sweet too. So I'd say check out mics like the nw-700, nw-800, etc just to see what else is out there.

I wasn't trying to be insulting :( I love the videos and what you say is great! Seriously, the content in between the videos is really awesome! I just don't think you have the golden radio voice or whatever... ya dig? as far as mic's go, how about something like one of these?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I9RK97K/

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-iCE-Microphone/dp/B006DIA77E/

But hey, if you have a script, I could definitely try to do some voice overs for it, that would actually be kind of fun!

Thanks! Do you know if the Samson Meteorite is comparable with the GoMic? Asking because I have a small budget haha. Otherwise I'll save up for the GoMic. :) (Can't buy from Amazon even if it's on sale. Shipping not worth it lol)

Thank you!

They are put in an L-shape and the mic is clamped. the mic was super cheap but super worth it over a normal headset mic. if your interested - https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01D4KYRYC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought this a few months ago: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D4KYRYC/

​

Didn't need the phantom power with my gaming rig but it's nice to have it in case I use the mic for other devices. The stand is pretty sturdy for such an inexpensive package deal. I'm happy with it.

"That I can use anywhere..."

Eh, that's not really a thing. Microphones are space dependent.

If you're just doing Youtube, talking head style videos, you don't even need to spend that much money.

Get yourself a condenser mic. I use a Rode NT1 Kit. I like that the pop filter is right on the mount and it sounds "fine". You can get a lot of opinions, with a lot of cork sniffing. In a mix, with proper compression and filtering, there are differences, but it's real small. Diminishing returns is strong with mics. I was using a Neumann TLM104 before, and honestly, not that big of a difference. It's a sensitive mic though, so you'll want a quietish room.

https://www.amazon.ca/Rode-Large-Diaphragm-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B00GGGQK56

Now you need an audio interface to hook the mic up to the computer. Really, you don't need to go that wild. You're just getting your talking voice in there.

https://www.amazon.ca/Focusrite-SCARLETT-2I2-3RD-GEN-2x2-Audio-Interface/dp/B07QR73T66/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?keywords=focusrite+scarlett+2i1&qid=1573845792&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-2-fkmr0

Real simple, and will work fine enough, and has a second input, if you ever need one.

Some people will tell you to get a compressor, to run the mic through that on the way in. It's not really necessary and at this point, hardware compressors and software are indistinguishable in a mix or outside of an AB test scenario. Just shoot your video, and record your audio. After, run your vocal through some compression and a high pass filter, and you'll be good to go, for relatively cheap.

Any condenser mic should work, and you can spend a lot or little and will probably end up with similar results either way.
HERE’S one for $35,
HERE’S one for $70, and
HERE’S one for $130. Any one of these mics would most likely serve your purposes. More expensive does not always mean better, so try not to overspend. I’d recommend using Amazon (unbeatable customer service IMO) and find your price point, then let the customer review section guide you to the best choice! Good luck!

Try swapping out the earpads to alter the sound signature to more of your liking. Currently have pair of alcantara pads on my Beyerdynamics and it made it sound perfect to me. My favorite headphones by far. Even had them on a pair of TH-X00 before I sold it. Bonus it is the most comfy pads I have ever experienced and I tried everything from lambskin leather to velour.

i wouldn't.

honestly if you're going to invest in a microphone, maybe save up a bit so you can afford something that'll last you longer. save up the 50 bones and buy this which is something that would probably be a good place to start. you get a cheaper clone of a Neumann U87, basically an audio interface, and a microphone scissor arm. all that's left is to buy a 7-10$ pop filter and whabam you've got a great base recording system.

With a smaller head you will likely have issues as I did, but a pair of replacement pads did a nice job of alleviating that issue in my case. The pads it comes with are very think so even with some medium thickness replacement pads (Shure HPAEC1840 Replacement Velour Ear Pads) I got a massive improvement in clamp force (it staying in position on your head) and was far more comfortable (standard ones being so shallow that my ear would get irritated against the inside). For even more clamp force you just go with thicker pads like the ones from Brainwavz.

Got this for $46.40 through staples with their 110% price guarantee. Went on Amazon and picked up a pop filter for it too because the mic can be really sensitive even with the gain turned all the way down. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017PH9682/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 snagged this pop filter and all my friends said the quality sounds a lot better with a filter.

Headsets have notoriously poor audio quality (both headphone quality and mic quality). They do offer convenience, however the inexpensive Zalman ZM1 mic or similar (a clip on microphone) can be used with any pair of headphones, and will outperform the vast majority of headset built in mics. Also, if your mic ever breaks you can just replace the mic itself rather than the whole headset.

If you ease of setup and cost are not issues, and you want the best audio quality possible, I recommend getting a condenser microphone along the lines of AT2020, Rode NT-1, Blue Spark. Or, if cost is REALLY not an issue, you want a buttery smooth voice the likes of which you can record audiobooks professionally, you can go for the industry voiceover standard, the $1000 and worth it Sennheiser 416.

Open Source Software

• exiftool Command-line metadata editing tool.
  
• dcraw Command-line RAW processing tool.
  
• GIMP Photo editing.
  
• Blender Video editing.
  
• Audacity Audio editing.
  
• OBS Studio. Realtime streaming and clip production.
  
• Darktable. Light table and raw developer.
  
  Proprietary Software
  
  
• ManyCam Pro - freeware software that enables webcam use with multiple chat applications simultaneously, such as Skype, Omegle, Chatroulette, MSN, or YouTube
  
• OnyxServers - white label video streaming / hosting service
  
  Hardware
  
  
• [Logitech C922x webcam] (https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Webcam-Widescreen-Calling-Recording/dp/B01LXCDPPK/) - well-reviewed webcam.
  
• [Fovitec StudioPRO softbox lighting kit] (https://www.amazon.com/Fovitec-StudioPRO-Softbox-Lighting-Softboxes/dp/B00KRN0SEI) - Good lighting is essential for high quality videos/photos.
  
• Blue Yeti microphone - well-reviewed microphone
  
• Microphone shock mount - Reduce rumbles from stand / desk.
  
• Microphone foam windscreen - Reduce pressure on the microphone sensor from wind, breath blasts, and splosives ("b" and "p" sounds). One thing to note, a mic windscreen often will dampen higher frequencies more than a pop filter will.
  
• Microphone pop filter - Same purpose as foam windscreen, but doesn't dampen high frequencies as much.
  
• Microphone boom stand - Useful if you want to capture good sound on your bed / couch.
  
• HyperX Cloud II USB Headset - good for phone sex, video editing.
  
  Tutorials
  
  
• DIY ultimate tripod with camera boom
  
• DIY Mini Camera Jib Crane $25 dollars
  
• Easy DIY Camera Crane Jib - Complete parts list

I use a USB microphone from fifine ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MXL3EOU/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and it’s been suiting me pretty nicely. I do animation, so I don’t use a camera in my videos, however I saw that the Logitech c920 seemed really when I wasn’t trying to do animation.

As for Davinci Resolve, it’s mostly just drag and drop once you have the clips in your project. However if you need more help I’m sure it’s a fairly easy problem to solve with some light Googling.

Hey Dash,

I like it. I've watched a few NWN series and the shorter versions bug me just because it takes a while to get anything done. The only thing I noticed was some Mic clipping and keyboard noise, neither of which bothered me that much. I was watching the globlin fight where you got aggro and had to back off to avoid more.

If it helps ....

I bought this combo for dirt cheap from Amazon. Decent mic, plus the boom things.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XB2R57T/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

I plug into my sound card which is perfect for me. The USB sound card is useless and I don't use the amp so if you can find just the mic and arm combo that would be best IMO.

Someone below left some advice on two utilities ... I tried both and I recommend Tube Buddy, the free version has everything I need.

Well I love the Sony H.ear, great noise cancelling but I have not used them for gaming before. And i also love this mic https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D4KYRYC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_cFlHzb6HA8E17

I'm thinking of buying this bundle for ~50$ with the purpose of Twitch streaming as I watched a comparison video between it and the AT2020USB.

I determined that the audio quality with the AT2020 on phantom power, while noticeably better, was not worth the price difference(50 vs ~100) with the Tonor on PP- considering I get the boom arm and more.

2 questions:

1. With the bundle, do I need a mixer? Or after plugging the mic into the PP, do I wire the PP straight into my mobo?
   
2. Is the AT2020 worth paying to 50$+ dollars in mic difference PLUS buying a PP and mixer?( I realize this question is preference/opinion)
   
   Thanks in advance /r/microphones
   
   

It seems like it could be really decent. I use a Florean BM-800 which seem very similar. You don't "need" a mixer, just a phantom power and an XLR cable to connect your mic to the phantom power. With a clean up through Audacity I think you could get by for a good while and that is a pretty decent price.

I did this some time ago before I got the Phantom Power:
>Here is an audio test with usb power unedited and edited (in the same clip).

>44100 Hz: https://clyp.it/wubqpopv
>48000 Hz: https://clyp.it/yqhdiyxp

*Actually this seems like the more complete purchase with phantom power: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D4KYRYC?psc=1

Gotta keep saving. Decent entry level 1080p gaming builds with like i3-6100 + GTX 950 start at around $450-500 and I'd recommend getting Full HD monitor too for another 80-100$. + keyboard mouse like $30 at cheapest in some entry-level bundle.

~So closer to $600 total.

For recording I'd recommend OBS with Intels "Quick Sync" encoding or Nvidia ShadowPlay as those don't impact the gaming performance much at all.

For mic you can start off with something cheap, but at some point, if you're serious about audio quality you'd spend like $50-100 on some condenser mic. Such as: http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B006DIA77E/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1457418672&sr=8-7&keywords=yeti+condenser

I've used the Samson C03U myself, bought it when I was hired to do some videos and I needed decent audio quality. Sounds like this if you use it right: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6BGIBy3GAg

Pickup a Behringer ECM8000 .. a Blue Icicle Mic XLR -> USB Preamp .. Room EQ Wizard freeware software. A capable DSP.. and have at it. This is a very powerful piece of software.. and im surprised that its free.

Hi, would recommend to get a mic that has a extention cable and clip. Thats improves the sound of the voice and captures some atmospere.

good luck

H

https://www.amazon.com/Movo-PM10-Omnidirectional-Microphone-Smartphones/dp/B00N0EPZU8/ref=sr_1_2/139-0275704-4379613?ie=UTF8&qid=1543172991&sr=8-2&keywords=Movo+PM10

​

https://www.micreviews.com/guides/top-10-best-ios-microphones

My roommate has one of these and it's quite nice. Not sure what price cap you have, but Blue makes a lot of pretty good ones.

condenser mics are usually really good. xlr is best audio quality. I have a $30 one neweer nw-700 and alpha gaming shows good it can sound here. but you want $50 so TONOR Pro Condenser Microphone. hope this helps.

The Shure HPAEC1840 pads might work. They are super nice and pretty big. link

Your best bet will definitely be the C01U. It's nice and cheap on Amazon right now, as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Samson-C01U-Studio-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B00HXE4BYW/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1457800238&sr=1-1&keywords=c01u

The shock mount kit is also cheap. Doesn't come with a stand or pop filter, however.

http://www.amazon.com/Samson-Studio-Condenser-Microphone-Shock/dp/B000BR0U1Q

Standard setup for bedroom production is something like a Scarlett 2i2 with varying mic choices based on budget. Two sweet spots as far as price/performance ratio for me:

Rode NT1:
New version of the classic NT1a with clear performance representation and a crisp high end. Metal pop filter is also dope. Sensitive to background noise.

https://www.amazon.com/Rode-NT1KIT-Condenser-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B00GGGQK56

Shure SM7b:
Widely used for a reason. Everyone and their mom has one of these because they sound so good. Bonus for non-studio work is that it isn't going to pick up a fly farting in the room next to you because it's dynamic. You need a cloudlifter tho so keep that in mind.

https://www.amazon.com/Shure-SM7B-Dynamic-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B0002E4Z8M

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Professional-Condenser-Microphone-Suspension/dp/B01D4KYRYC/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1520108136&sr=8-5&keywords=microphone+kit

This is what you want! Comes with everything you'd need and a microphone that's just as good as the ones you mentioned...just a fraction the price. Look up reviews on YouTube or read the ones on Amazon, shit's legit and under budget.

Edit: I have the same kit minus the XLR power adapter. Mic just plugged into my motherboards mic input and it works fine. So you might could get the non-powered kit and save more money:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XOXRTX6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I didn't see this post up here. This guy wrote what I was going to say. The 2i2 interface is excellent and is what I use. I have this mic https://www.amazon.com/Rode-NT1KIT-Condenser-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B00GGGQK56

If you want a good example of what this interface and a condenser mic is capable of here https://soundcloud.com/user-420962322/01-flex

If you plan on recording more in the future, look into getting a condenser mic setup like this. Even if you use it for other things like simple voice chat, the difference in audio quality is huge. You can find lot's of videos on youtube on their quality and how to set them up (it's pretty easy)

We need more info. How is this different than anyone else asking about XLR mics in ___ price range?

Anyways, you'll need more than just a mic. The AT2020 is a popular choice in the under $100 range as well as the MXL 770, however you will need a stand ($15 for a cheap one) and an interface to get it into your computer. The standard is a Scarlett Solo ($100) however I've used a Xenyx 302USB ($50) just fine.

It'd be hard to get everything you need under $100. There's some "xlr" bundles on youtube like this that just use an XLR to 3.5mm converter, because it doesn't require phantom power (you need an interface for mics that require phantom power, which is almost all good condensers)

Firstly, the mouse pad really makes this look old, despite the decent peripherals. QcK+ is currently on sale and is a GREAT pad

Second, that sock..... You can get a decent foam pop filter for a few bucks on amazon.

Finally, I would put your PC under the desk, and zip tie up he cables. It’s really taking up a lot of room. The only time I think keeping the PC on the table is excusable is when the internals are really nice and viewable. That’s just my opinion, though.

Sorry my mistake it's a BM-800 like this one.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0756V2B6R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_r.aMDbN15J9V9

I've an external USB audio gadget as you recommended. Thanks for the help! Hopefully it works.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CN2C93T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's holding up pretty well I have it pretty far to the left, so it isn't in the way for gaming. Sometimes I wish I had an actual desk so I can put it on the side. It blocks my entire left side of the desk which is annoying to get around sometimes.

No issues with it not being rigid enough or having enough strength to hold up the Yeti.

Would a Xonar DG or DGX (the PCIe revision of the former) be a worthwhile investment,
to sufficiently drive a T20RP MK3 or T50RP MK3 without distortion or clipping,
at least until I can get my hands on a decent external solution?!

There is no need to drive them at max volume,
just to have enough power to start up the engine properly, so to say.

In other words:
Would they be powerful enough to supply a decent amount of power without distortion,
at normal listening levels, as mentioned above.

Also:

Currently I am at somewhat of a crossroads between
the Shure HPAEC1840 and the HM5 Hybrid Non-Angled pads for the T20RP or T50RP, both or either MK3.

Which of the two preserve the sound signature of the original pads the best or are closest to it?
A bit of added clarity is also a bonus, but not a must for either of these.

The best bang-for-the-buck microphone right now it the AT 2020. Countless musicians, voice actors, etc recommend it for beginners and people looking to step up their game.

If you're absolutely hellbent on a USB mic, I've heard that the Samson C01U is good, but I do highly recommend going XLR.

It’s ok, I’m still interested in doing vocals if you need them, I write a bit as well and can try and figure something out! I only really Have examples of me singing online in the form of basic covers on Instagram, but here is an example, and looking at the hashtag #erinsings on Instagram will bring up everything else I’ve done :) just let me know! I also have a decent microphone for recording!

Hey people of r/audioengineering, I'm new to all this, but I've ended up with a Sterling Audio ST51 Condenser Microphone. I was thinking I would do some streaming with it, and possibly getting into amateur voice acting as well.

The only problem is, I'm a little confused on how to connect it to my PC. I know a more expensive proper set up would have both a pre-amp and audio interface, but I'm not looking to spend a whole lot of money here. I was wondering what should I buy to connect the mic to my computer fairly cheaply? I've looked into some mixers like the behringer Q802, and I found this which looks okay, but I'm not very confident about it. Thanks for any and all help with this.

bought a pair when they were $50 and love them,my earpads started to tear so i replaced them with Shure 1840 earpads and they are more comfortable than ever

I wouldn’t get the Snowball iCE, maybe just me but I don’t like it’s look or performance for price, my advice? Get the NW-700 kit which has the microphone, boom arm, pop filter and phantom power for £35 so probably $50. It’s also XLR so the phantom power can be replaced by an interface for even better audio.

Edit: LINK!

Man am I glad you commented on this post. I'd just like to take a minute and thank you because without you I would've been fucked over and either have to drive 25 miles to my "local" music shop or wait another week for those cables to come in.

I bought one of those sound shields, actually I'll link you to these couple of things I bought. I'm wondering if you've got any clue if these will fit together? I feel like if I put the sound shield and the mic on the stand it might be a little wobbly. Just speculating tho.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GGGQK56/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BPBKQ9C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C05AL74/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also, I bought this headphone adapter. It was the only one I saw when I searched it on Amazon... this is what you're talking about right?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073NYPYVR/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It might be easier to just download Audacity and get an affordable audio interface and mic. Here's what I record with and it sounds great for what I need.

Focusrite Scarlett Solo - $89

Tonor Condensor Mic - $30

XLR Cable - $6

https://www.reddit.com/r/Zeos/comments/66wz27/guide_headphones_general_usemusic/

I like open-back headphones because I can still listen to the room and not get the crap scared out of me. I have the Philips in that section and the only thing the needed was a new cord (it's a standard cord) and meatier padding (heard this fits but I have yet to upgrade). They definitely breathe better than my 500 series Sennheisers so no sweaty head.

Love this Fifine $27 mic. Sounds great streaming and you can adjust everything!

Fifine Usb Podcast Condenser Microphone Recording On Laptop, No Need Sound Card Interface and Phantom Power.(K669) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MXL3EOU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_dQzZCb0GY5A3F

I use that exact mount with my blue yeti, yes you still absolutely want this as well :)

This is great for the price if you care enough

I recommend downloading Reaper. It has unrestricted free trial and purchase is $60.

Interface: something like M-audio mobile pre will work.
You can often find package deals that come with an interface, mic, cables and headphones for a couple hundred bucks. Just make sure the interface has Phantom Power and an Instrument (Hi-z) input.

Any PC made in the last 4 years can handle audio production no problem.

Choose a mic based on your style. For hard rock/metal/punk, get a Dynamic Mic (such as a Shure SM57). For acoustic/lighter/prettier stuff, get a Large Diaphragm Condenser Mic (such as a Sterling ST51

I recommend that you buy a USB X-Fi Go! Creative Audio sound card and a small mixer with phantom power. All the USB mics I've used have been terrible. Some pre and an external sound card will do you good. Especially if you later decide to expand your recordings. It'll cost you $200 max.


http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Soundblaster-Audio-System-SB1290/dp/B0044DEDC0

http://www.amazon.com/Sterling-Audio-ST51-Diaphragm-Microphone/dp/B003OA1BUQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1331437866&sr=1-1


http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Premium-8-Input-Compact-Silver/dp/B004O2P6EU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1331437846&sr=1-1

Before I switched to an interface, I used Tonor Pro Condenser Mics and I really, really like it. Sounds great.

There is another good cheap microphone that I use myself, I think it is a great option, Neewer NW-700 It comes with boom arm, pop filter, and everything you need. It does require a 48 watt phantom power supply which you can get with a Bundle with the mic or buy one separately. Though one thing I would recommend is a different Pop Filter as the one that comes with the microphone can be very annoying.

SECTION | CONTENT

--|:--
Title | Z Review - Shure SRH840 (M50x wish they were here)
Description | Are you Shure? [http://amzn.to/21DwTF5] All the current pads have Stock Issues, Be patient. HM5 pads [http://amzn.to/1QLLfrB] 1540 pads [http://amzn.to/1QLM8QN] Sound Demo : https://youtu.be/Na244PlFz_M Wallpaper : http://i.imgur.com/EgtYlwv.png My Reddit Recommendations Guides [http://www.reddit.com/r/zeos] Join The Patreon for Dedicated Give-a-ways [https://goo.gl/Vx3HsK] Yes, I have a twitter [https://twitter.com/Zeospantera]
Length | 0:14:58






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I use a similar stand from a different company like this one: https://www.amazon.com/InnoGear-Microphone-Windscreen-Suspension-Snowball/dp/B07CN2C93T/ and have tried that approach of pretty much talking directly into the mic with about a couple of 3-5 cms between my mouth and the microphone while keeping the gain as low as possible. The feedback I've received so far is that while I talk, the background noise is still noticeable although not too loud.

If you want to try what I'm playing around with I can send u a few Amazon links.

30 dollar xlr mic
ZINGYOU Condenser Microphone... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0756V2B6R?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Sound board
Focusrite Audio Interface Solo -... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E6T56CM?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Cable
AmazonBasics XLR Male to Female... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JNLTTKS?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

voicemod is the program I'm currently using on my PC to make it sound louder (voice mod)

I'm not 100 percent on this being the best setup and I definitely have a list of better xlr microphones but those are more expensive at the moment.

Focus Pads and grill mod them takes the HE-400 to the next level imo. Heres what mine looks like http://i.imgur.com/UWpu8vq.jpg

Apparently the Shure 1540 pads are the best pads for the Hifiman cans http://www.amazon.ca/Shure-HPAEC1540-Replacement-Alcantara-Headphones/dp/B00HXAV0UY - they are pricey though.

A few bucks over your budget but still a great deal.

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Professional-Condenser-Microphone-Suspension/dp/B01D4KYRYC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1502448974&sr=8-3&keywords=Neewer+NW-700+kit

I bought this one and it came with wind screen and pop filter. Great deal and it holds up like it should. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CN2C93T/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_v2yBDTVHSqm79

The Fidelio X1 pads are glued on, and will take some effort to remove them. Many people use Brainwavz pads of various designs with the Fidelio X2 (which is similar). I use the Brainwavz HM-5 velour pads on mine, but it isn't the best match, as it reduces the mid bass and give a slightly brighter overall tone. Others have recommended the Shure 1840 velour pads as a better match for retaining the original sound. Whichever pads you get should stretch over the cups, so you shouldn't have to glue them.

Don't use real leather or pleathor pads, as it will turn the bass into a bloated mess.

i use this mic with the arm mount and it works great but it has to be close. i would not generally recommend a mic that works from 2-3 feet away because background noise, but blue yetis are common and pick up sound from that distance pretty well. usually that's a bad thing because keyboards and mice make a lot of noise, which is a reason i like this one i have - i stream with speakers and it doesn't pick up a sound unless i'm deliberately looping it.

I got it in a kit, I think it’s this one

(although mine came with earbuds too 🤔)

I really like it, pretty adjustable.

This whole package is selling for $35 on amazon. Mic, arm, pop filter, xlr cable. Way under budget and great reviews.

​

Edit: Forgot the link: https://www.amazon.com/ZINGYOU-Microphone-BM-800-Double-layer-Broadcasting/dp/B0756V2B6R/ref=sr_1_4?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1536620494&sr=1-4&keywords=mic+with+arm

i personally prefer the neewer nw-700 over the snowball. it has great quality especially if you put it close to your face with the sensitivity low. you can barely hear my keyboard with it compared to the snowball which ALWAYS picks up my keyboard sounds. i use it with the foam instead of the pop filter and the difference in sound quality between the foam and pop filter isnt noticeable unless you're an audiophile.

just my opinion though. its also cheaper and comes with a boom arm, but the snowball is much more popular. here's the neewer nw-700 (you'll need the phantom power supply that comes with it).

Yeah actually heres a link to the one I use it works amazing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D4KYRYC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_YaMhzbSHZGJ0J

Was looking into them, just the cost adds up, a friend or two always come for a brew day, then would each one need a mic as well?

If I get a condenser mic and mount it on a arm in the center ish could work? Something like this perhaps

It looks like they've made a new bundle that includes the power supply and XLR to 3.5mm cable. I had to purchase those separately. This is also cheaper. I'm running off of onboard audio, so I didn't get the adapter people get, either. Look at reviews/samples on YouTube. Podcastage does some really good ones.

Neewer NW-700 Professional Condenser Microphone & NW-35 Suspension Boom Scissor Arm Stand with XLR Cable and Mounting Clamp & NW-3 Pop Filter & 48V Phantom Power Supply with Adapter Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D4KYRYC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_sDwPzbSXMN9QS

Buy this: https://www.amazon.com/Samson-C01U-Studio-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B00HXE4BYW/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1510400515&sr=1-3&keywords=Samson+C01U

This: https://www.amazon.com/Tree-New-Bee-Microphone-Suspension/dp/B01JTOK5DE/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1510400601&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=microphone+arm&psc=1

And this (in case you're appearing on camera, that pop filter that comes with the mic arm might be a little bit to big): https://www.amazon.com/PEMOTech-Microphone-Isolation-Windscreen-Recording/dp/B01J5OTVTC/ref=sr_1_6?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1510400541&sr=1-6&keywords=pop+filter

This is enough to have great audio.

Thank you. I keep hearing about that particular mic. Is there really a big difference in sound quality between USB and XLR. Also, I'm assuming if you use USB, you just connect directly to PC while XLR you must use an interface, correct?

I've been doing a little bit of research. This is what I've come up with so far.



Sennheiser E835 Dynamic Cardioid Vocal Microphone
https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Dynamic-Cardioid-Vocal-Microphone/dp/B0002H0RCC/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1

Focusrite Scarlett Solo (2nd Gen) USB Audio Interface
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM

InnoGear Heavy Duty Microphone Stand
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CN2C93T/ref=sspa_dk_detail_2?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07CN2C93T

I started with a Rockband mic (lol), moved to a CAD USB mic, and now that I'm serious about music, I use a Rode NT1, which I really love. However, if you are really serious about making music, I would recommend spending a little more and focusing on quality up front, because eventually you will want to upgrade anyway when you realize the limitations of cheaper microphones. Another thing to consider is buying an interface (I needed one for the NT1). This will allow you to connect XLR microphones (like the NT1) and eliminate the annoying latency associated with USB mics.

If you are recording vocals, and have access to phantom power on your interface, i'd highly suggest purchasing a condenser microphone.

You can pick up a Sterling Audio ST51 for under a hundred dollars, and you will get a much better recording than using a sm57 (an instrument mic) or a sm58 (a live dynamic vocal microphone)

Amazon Link

Also purchase a pop filter if you can afford it.

I can attest to this, I used these pads with mine as well. The sound is really similar to stock, a little deeper. It is very comfortable as well. However, when I needed new pads, I tried buying the Shure HPAEC1840 pads instead and they were even better. They are similar, but they are a bit softer.

You could go for the Røde NT1 kit which includes a microphone, a shock mount, and a metal pop-filter, and connect it to a Scarlett Focusrite Solo (2. gen). This way you get 24 bit, 48 kHz recordings, which ought to be enough for most of your clients :)

How well does it sound? Well, here's a comparison with the Neumann U47 ($4000 mic).

How come, that such a price difference is so hard hear? The room is treated very well. You can do something like what I did.
I would not recommend a box - it can sound "boxy", but it might work...

1. ssd https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OAJ412U/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
2. Hard drive https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IEKG2HM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
3. Graphics card https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814126109
   
4. CPU https://www.amazon.com/Intel-I7-6700-FC-LGA14C-Processor-BX80662I76700/dp/B0136JONG8/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1525461083&sr=1-5&keywords=i7+6700k&dpID=411v0MvpCaL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
   
5. Desk https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S19006323/
   
6. Monitor 1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VRCLHYS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
7. Monitor 2 https://www.amazon.com/Acer-R240HY-bidx-23-8-Inch-Widescreen/dp/B0148NNKTC/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1525460691&sr=1-1&keywords=acer+monitor
   
8. Desk mount https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AI2YGK4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
9. Speakers, they sound fantastic! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N1ZTJJK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
10. Speakers mounting brackets https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000X9O8SI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
11. External audio card for headphones: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EZT7RE4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
12. Headphones, If you're into the bass this are the best. https://www.skullcandy.com/shop/headphones/bluetooth-headphones/crusher-wireless
    
13. Headphone stand https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MUB8RJ5/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
14. Phone stand https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QF1KDR8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
15. Mic https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0170NWLWY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
16. mic mount https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0170NWLWY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
17. Shock mount https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FQB3DD8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
18. pop filter https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008AOH1O6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
19. Camera https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXCDPPK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
20. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXCDPPK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
21. Keyboard https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016MAK38U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
22. Mouse pad https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FVPPE0E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
23. Ps4 stand https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015KJAQX6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
    
24. XOne stand https://www.amazon.com/PowerA-Charging-Stand-Xbox-One-Black/dp/B013JLB1IQ/ref=pd_sbs_63_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B013JLB1IQ&pd_rd_r=BD1B7QRYQ42ESY3F8MS2&pd_rd_w=uGnIp&pd_rd_wg=V2OJ4&refRID=BD1B7QRYQ42ESY3F8MS2&th=1
    
25. Plant https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90207685/
    
26. Chair https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MQKKS73/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
27. battle station more angles https://imgur.com/a/Ae2xEKl

Thanks for the input.

Perhaps something like this will suit my needs?
http://www.amazon.com/Samson-Multi-Pattern-Studio-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B000QDF3G2

I started with this guy which goes for around 60 bucks. Add in this mic though you can find much more budget mics, I got that used for 35 bucks at a Guitar Center. Some balanced XLR cables, probably 20 bucks of RCA cables and 8 dollars of RCA-f to TS-m plugs from ebay and one of these to eliminate the ground loop on my mixer since my house is old and has poor grounding, it gets rid of that hum. I spent around 150 bucks for rather boss audio. I have since upgraded to an audio interface and a bigger mixer, but the 802 was a wonderful buy.

You could also go with a AT2020 USB, the same stand and pop filter, but go with a Samson SP01 and save yourself a few bucks.

Boom! I have the Mini DSP 4x2 and this mic. Very happy. If you need more info message me and I'll get back to you when I'm sober and not in Delhi

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-ECM8000-Omnidirectional-Measurement/dp/B000HT4RSA

I love my Blue Nessie and it is reasonably priced.

Yeah I just used a lint roller on them, because I'm putting them back on. I like velour but taking it out in public, or looking at them critically, is the thing. At any given time they might need to be lint brushed, and that's more maintenance that I'm willing to do so they'll just look like spider web is all over them.

I tried the angled velour on these and while it's not as bad as the full pleather angled, it still kills some of the open-ness of the headphone. And I don't need that since I have a separate pair of cans as my closed headphones.

And so, I have now added these Shure HPAEC1540 pads to my wish list. At 40 dollars, I don't see myself buying them just yet but maybe in the future. It doesn't look like these will be as visibly disgusting as all velour because the material looks a little different and it has holes all throughout it which would draw attention away from any lint that it may acquire. Also, with that design, I imagine it would make the headphone sound even more open.

edit: I did consider the ebay pads, but yeah it has the same price-tag barrier as the shure's. Out of the two I think I'd buy the shure's before something similar to stock just because ... they're basically stock pads that might be better (and ink, but collect lint slower), if that makes sense.

https://www.amazon.com/Samson-Technologies-SP01-Spider-Shockmount/dp/B000LQLDM2/ and https://www.amazon.com/Sywon-Handheld-Microphone-Filter-Windscreen/dp/B01F6WIX5K/ works great.

The Samsung Meteorite is a cool and cheap (and good) microphone

My Steam

I'd really like Project Zomboid.

It's made by Auphonix and on Amazon for pretty decent price:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FQB3DD8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s04?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There's a pop-filter on Amazon for like $6. It works, and you really don't need to spend more than that. Idk what specifically a "spider" shock mount is, but this one is the cheapest one with good reviews I saw.

I wouldn't blow money just yet if you are trying tofigure it out.

I'd suggest maybe something like this http://www.amazon.com/Movo-PM10-Omnidirectional-Microphone-Smartphones/dp/B00N0EPZU8/ref=pd_cp_MI_2

I am sure you could borrow a couple more iphones.

Just make a loud clapping noise to sync your iphone and the ones using the lavs.

Read this article about Edward Burns move Newlyweds where he used recorders and lavs.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/talkingyourtech/2012/12/18/edward-burns/1769929/

Chinese companies have been making cheapo generic condenser mics for years now. This is the one that I have: https://www.amazon.com/ZINGYOU-Microphone-BM-800-Double-layer-Broadcasting/dp/B0756V2B6R?ref_=ast_sto_dp

You'd be surprised at how good it sounds for being $30

There is a used Samson COU1 going for 65$ shipped and new ones going for 75$ prime on amazon. Also I might be interested in the blue snowball, what's the price on it?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00HXE4BYW/ref=dp_olp_all_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=all

Here's a link to some example clips highlighting the noises/artifacts I'm hearing (you'll probably need headphones):

https://soundcloud.com/tags/audio_noises

This is my setup, all purchased new, in order of connection:

1. Electro-Voice RE20
   
   
2. DBX 286s Microphone Pre-amp Processor
   
   
3. Mackie Onyx Blackjack 2x2 USB Recording Interface
   
   
4. My Macbook
   
   Backup Mic:
   
   
5. Audio-Technica ATR2100
   
   Old microphone, which doesn't have the issue:
   
   
6. Samson C01U Pro USB Studio Condenser Microphone
   
   What I've tried so far:
   
   

• Tried every combination of knobs I can think of, including bypassing all processing on the DBX, 0 gain on the Onyx Blackjack, a little gain on the DBX and a little gain on the Onyx, both with and without the Hi-Z button...etc.
  
• Removed the computer from the equation, plugging my headphones directly into the Onyx Blackjack monitoring jack.
  
• Removed the DBX 286s from the equation, plugging the RE20 directly into the Blackjack (tried both with and without the computer in the loop).
  
• Removed the Onyx Blackjack and the computer from the equation, plugging my headphones directly into the output of the DBX 286s.
  
• Removed electrical power from the equation, using the Onyx Blackjack directly, and unplugging my Macbook from power (the Onyx Blackjack is powered by USB).
  
• Removed the room from the equation, taking my Macbook and Onyx Blackjack to another room, and then outside.
  
• Put a wind filter on the mic.
  
• Enabled the "bass tilt down" roll-off switch on the RE20.
  
• Tried talking further away from the mic.
  
• Tried all of the above with the backup mic.
  
• Tried all of the above with a different XLR cable.
  
  Nothing got rid of the noise. The weird part is, it's not always consistent. Sometimes it will appear and be really obvious, other times it will sit subtly in the background. When I tried again with the old Samson mic, everything sounded normal. If someone can tell me the technical term for this sound, I can do my research and hopefully figure it out, but I'm lost, I don't know what to search, and I feel like I tried everything.
  
  
  TL:DR - Tried 2 XLR mics, 2 XLR cables, 2 pieces of equipment, with and without the computer, went outside, unplugged everything from power, and isolated all the above variables. What the heck is this noise???

Thanks man I'll check out your stories! Mic wise I'm using a RØDE NT1KIT and I edit with adobe audition / izotope noise reduction BUT I reckon my recording room is too reverb-ish?

Sorry to bother you, but are these the pads you're referring to? Also would this pairing make for a good experience with EDM music?

TB and Jessie normally recommend the Samson C01U.

Here it is on its own: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HXE4BYW

He may have meant one of these kits:

• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075FY43DK
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00REV0GKC
  
  Here's some previous discussion of this question:
  https://www.reddit.com/r/cynicalbritofficial/comments/89pfap/tb_mentioned_a_podcast_starter_kit/
  
  
  Edit:
  
  He may have meant this kit, which I'm not able to find on Amazon:
  
  http://www.samsontech.com/samson/products/microphones/usb-microphones/c01upak
  
  It's been discontinued because it included the C01U, which has been replaced by the C01U Pro.
  
  Edit2:
  
  You can get the accessories individually if you want to mix-and-match your own kit:
  
  
• MD5 Stand: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MYIIRG
  
  
• SP01 Shockmount: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LQLDM2
  
  
• PS04 Pop filter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H7JKW46

Hmm. It just boggles my mind that I see my friend with a similar room and people on YT just stand it up and speak into it and it sounds so much better (also on USB, and unfortunately standard Yeti doesn't have XLR input)

Arm

[Shock Mount]
(https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01FQB3DD8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

And Mudder

Or apparently just rebuy these and don't be depressed about a mic for a year and a half

As far as budget option go, I highly recommend this because it comes with the sleeve and pop filter. I’ve had mine for a few months now and used it on quite a few desks and had some really good results with little to no complaints considering how low the price is. If you wanna go all-out and spend more money on something that’s considered to be better then I suggest this RODE mount.

for a compressor depends on what software you are using, if you have OBS (google it if you don't know what it is) then there is plenty of youtube tutorials. i personally haven't yet ventured into streaming myself and can't help much more than googling the correct terms for you. "OBS compressor tutorial" it's easier to see an example through the tutorial then for me to explain in words what they do.

as for the other question ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ i don't personally use a mic stand for gaming i'm using a lav mic. i'm guessing it depends on your setup whether you'd want a on desk mic stand or a free sitting one. there is a youtube video for that.

my personal quess would be : gator short mic stand with sp1 shock mount and generic pop filter

If you are at that point in treating your room you should buy a measurement mic and use some software to analyze it and try it in both positions. It's not that expensive for the mic and there is free analyzing software for Windows.

This is pretty much what I use

This is the one I use I’ve compared it with my friend who has the expensive blue microphone (around 3x the price) and they’re almost the same. I mean of course the more expensive one has better audio but mine comes with a stand, has a standard xlr cable (the blue has a unique cable) and a pop filter.

Anyone know if these pads https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00HXAV0UY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1

fit on the ATH-WS1100is? And if not what should I be looking for?

Yes it is! https://www.amazon.com/Samson-Meteorite-USB-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B00I9RK97K

I got this mic and have been very pleased with it (sorry im a reddit noob who doesnt know how to embed links into my text)

https://www.amazon.com/TONOR-Professional-Microphone-Podcasting-Broadcasting/dp/B01KHMUQ2M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1527186533&sr=8-2&keywords=tonor+bm+700

Ive read somewhere on a forum that the Samson SP01 Shockmount should fit the G track pro tho it doesnt list it. Im in the same boat as you where my mic for some reason didnt come with the piece to click onto my current boom arm and it doesnt look like any shockmounts quite fit this thing. Heres the link to the arm on amazon im not sure if it would work : https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000LQLDM2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1

but I may be willing to give it a try

samson C01U is def the way to go, pretty cheap too. quality is unmatched - i just recorded this on it earlier

​

https://soundcloud.com/beanbagderulo/magic-johnson

What I mean't was actually one yeti per player table, then another seperate mic for the DM.

If you're able to I would get the mics onto shockmounts as there is quite a bit of noise coming from people touching the tables. I recently bought this one to fit onto my yeti and it's really good:

https://www.amazon.com/Auphonix-Shock-Mount-Blue-Microphone/dp/B01FQB3DD8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1479195070&sr=8-2&keywords=Auphonix+Shock+Mount

I would also be using noise gates for the mics; this will help to reduce the spill from the rest of the room. As you're recording in an acoustcially untreated room, and currently using one mic to cover a large area, it's going to be quite difficult to reduce the reflections being picked up by the mic.