If you're looking at something to wear all day, and I mean all day then these are it, so incredibly comfy.

EDIT1: YMMV some below have said they have found others comfier so do some research and maybe buy a few, compare, and keep your favorite pair. Others suggested the AKG K7XX, the HD598, and the SHP9500.

EDIT2: Wire is removeable although long, 10ft/3m I believe, other sizes can be purchased although not universal since it's 2.5mm to 3.5mm. just search 558 or 598 cable

EDIT3: I don't own a mic other than the one built into my webcam. I have read up on the modmic which you can attach the headphones and something stand alone would be a blue [snowball] (https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=lp_2586045011_1_1?srs=2586045011&ie=UTF8&qid=1503600799&sr=8-1) or a yeti. There's a 4th option but you will have to mod the headphones sorta using the v-moda boompro, you'll have to google that. Good luck!

EDIT4: These are open headphones, unlike the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x's so that means sound does leak, and they're not isolating unless very loud. Check out reviews there are plenty of comparisons and youtube videos out there.

I don't have a picture, but I use my Superlux HD668B, a Blue Snowball, Corsair K65 RGB LUX [MX Red], Logitech G Pro, and a Pecham Extended mousepad to cover up my swiss cheese desk.

I definitely suggest the HD668B if you want a new pair of headphones for cheap, best pair of headphones I've ever had. Removable cable, top tier sound, and you can change the earpads if you want to.

Links:

• Corsair K65 LUX RGB
  
• Superlux HD668B
  
• Cosmos Velvet Replacement Earpads
  
• Sleeved 3.5mm Cable - I think this is the one I have. Not sure.
  
• Logitech G Pro
  
• Pecham Extended Mousepad
  
• Blue Snowball
  
• Blue Snowball iCE
  
  Edit: I can provide low quality pictures of my messy ass desk if you want. Here's an album, and yes, those are my three coolers + a box.

Just from a sound person point of view, you wouldn't want the metal piece over the open bit of the mic. Also, this mic has a built in mic stand mount, so I'm curious where that part could have gotten off to, there should be a little hinge right near the USB input, if you're gonna Macgyver somethin, start there, it should be as easy as putting another pivoting stand mount with an interior thread. Also, this thing has a pretty round cardioid pickup pattern, which means it should be placed about a hand width away from your mouth, with the flat end pointed almost at your nose. Meaning, I don't know how the hell you're going to use this thing mounted this way, and actually capture decent sound.

edit: here, if you dont like this mic anyway, [spend less money and get something better] (https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/)

edit 2: proper words.

this is a real good one

I'd say for me, if I were making my own home office and wanted to trick it out:

At minimum a dual monitor setup, but it would be nice to have 3 (I have dual monitors and also the laptop screen running them so it works out to 3.) A nice monitor arm that will hold both (or all 3) monitors to keep the desk clutter free. Something nice that makes both monitors adjustable for you (maybe even a 90 degree rotation so you can code on a vertical screen when you feel like it.)

A nice condenser mic with an arm for it as well. I figure if I were working from home I would probably be doing conference calls more regularly than if I were in the office, so a good condenser mic will make my life easier and make sure I can communicate well. Maybe a blue yeti or blue yeti snowball with a nice boom arm for it like so so I can use it when I want it and then push it away when I don't.

In the same vein, a decent webcam that can clip on to my monitor (or buy one of the above boom arms and attach the camera to it, probably smart for only $15 so you can move it around.)

Definitely a great office chair since you can justify the expense and you're going to be sitting all day.

This one is great regardless of working for home or working from the office, but a nice mouse. I just got a Logitech G502 the other day for gaming as well as work purposes and MAN. I never knew what I was missing out on. I have thumb buttons/extra buttons programmed to copy, paste, delete, winkey + e to open an explorer window, ctrl + t for new tab, and also a key combination to switch my active window to my other monitor so I can quickly move stuff between them without having to click and drag.

Since you're working from home and don't have to worry about bothering other people, I'd definitely buy a nice mechanical keyboard. They're a dream to type on. I used to have an office to myself so I bought one and I miss it dearly now that I'm in a cubicle. In my opinion, well worth the expense.

Again since you're not in an office you could get a nice speaker. Bluetooth to keep the cord clutter down but really anything works. You can go budget or big here.

If you're a whiteboard person, a whiteboard to hang on the wall.

Definitely yes to the dock. I have one here at my office and it's so flipping nice being able to plug in one thunderbolt cable and keep the clutter contained to the back of my desk behind my monitors with the dock.

I'd probably buy a nice standing or desk light that still uses filament bulbs to make it warm/easy on the eyes. Ample lighting. And probably a plant or two just to make it look nice and feel good being there.

That's all I can think of. Can you tell I'm living vicariously through you? I know you said must haves, so if I were going to buy the above in order, it would be monitors > dock > mouse > blue yeti snowball > mic stand > camera > camera stand

The Blue Snowball is a decent cheap microphone at $50
[Blue Snowball] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B014PYGTUQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1511643949&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=blue+snowball&dpPl=1&dpID=31Ju5HK-6bL&ref=plSrch)

Audacity is a free audio editing software that has a lot of tutorials to make your audio top quality.
[Audacity Download] (http://www.audacityteam.org/download/)

As for a computer, you can do it on any laptop it’s just the speed you want your edits and final products to compile is related to your processing power.

Blue Snowball iCE Condenser Microphone, Cardioid - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_fOAvCbJTQ64C8

Here's a similarly priced mic from a much more reputable company, it's USB over XLR, so you don't need to buy an interface, and it isn't a Chinese knockoff

Ableton is a great DAW and is my preferred software choice for recording/editing.

You can use the TASCAM to capture your performances and transferring those .wav files into Ableton for editing but you'll have a much better experience recording directly into your computer.

You can go a few different routes here. You can pick up an audio interface that accepts an XLR connection for a proper microphone like a Presonus Audiobox and an SM57 which will allow you to capture as good a single channel signal as you can really get outside of a big recording studio.

OR you can go with something cheaper like a Blue Snowball USB microphone. These things actually sound surprisingly good and have multiple settings for directional and omni modes for different situations.

Once you have a way of capturing audio directly into Ableton you can start building up your songs layer by layer. Experiment with things like EQ and compression/delay/etc to make your guitar tracks sound nicer. There are built in patched in Ableton for EQ like "Acoustic Guitar" or "Electric Guitar" and just dragging one of those onto your channel will be a great place to start.

That's a skill in and of itself but you have to start somewhere so start experimenting.

When starting out applying EQ to tracks I'd start this way :

• Solo the track so you're only listening to the single layer
  
  
• Create a single EQ filter with a high Q value so it creates a really sharp and thin "peak" and drag it upwards so it's amplifying a very narrow band of frequencies quite a bit.
  
  
• Drag that "peak" left and right while the audio is playing and listen for something that jumps out at you as unpleasant. Now drag the peak DOWN to bring those frequencies down in the mix to remove whatever harshness you discovered. Bring down the Q value to make that trough a bit wider and smoother.
  
  Do that 3 or 4 times on a channel and you'll have something that sounds a bit nicer. If you do too much it'll sound hollow and empty so make subtle adjustments as much as possible. Don't dump that "bad frequency" all the way to the bottom, just bring it down a little bit so it doesn't jump out at you.
  
  You won't be creating drastically new tones this way, just polishing them so they sound nicer.
  
  Having a good pair of headphones or even some inexpensive studio monitors will also be extremely helpful so you can accurately hear what you're producing.
  
  Use the built-in metronome and record with headphones (so the click doesn't get picked up by the microphone) to keep things tight.
  
  Once you've finished your audio and it's how you like it THEN film your video and just play along with the click. Don't use any audio from the video recording and just pair the two back up in editing.

I've used many headphones/headsets for online/competitive shooters: AKG K52, AKG Q701, Audio-Technica ATH-AD700x, Beyerdynamic DT990 (600Ω), HiFiMan HE-400i (the revision), HiFiMan HE-500, HyperX Cloud, Koss Porta Pro, Monoprice Monlith M1060, Philips Fidelio X2, Philips SHP9500, Sennheiser HD598, Sennheiser HD700, Sennheiser HD800, Superlux HD662 EVO, Superlux HD668B, Superlux HD669, Superlux HD681 EVO, Tritton Pro+ and Turtle Beach Ear Force XP Seven, and AD700x is the one I recommend regardless of budget unless people have other preferences. Games top out very early, and around the $100 mark, diminishing returns set in hard.

There are three sonic properties that determine the performance of headphones/headsets for online/competitive shooters: soundstage, imaging and (instrument) separation.

Soundstage is produced by the headphone, not the game. It's perceived space and environment of sound. A small soundstage makes the environment around you sound confined or boxed in. With a large soundstage, the environment sounds much more open, spatial and natural. You probably have to experience it yourself to understand it.

Imaging is inherent to the audio content. It's how accurately the locations of sounds/objects are reproduced.

Soundstage and imaging are generally best achieved with open-back or semi-open-back headphones, which means the headphones have cups with grills/perforations/openings that allow sound to freely pass through, unlike closed-back headphones that have cups with solid shells which isolate sound from passing through to some extent. Soundstage and imaging constitute positional audio. You could say they are the stereo equivalent of virtual surround sound. I don't think stereo, no matter how large it is, sounds fully three-dimensional as virtual surround sound at all times. Dialogues and very loud sounds like tanks, jets, trains, etc. near you tend to sound very intimate and dominate in either ear when you don't face them. Virtual surround sound has its drawbacks too: it compresses and degrades the sound quality. I find it most noticeable with rain, waterfalls and splashing water; they sound akin to white and pink noise. Subtle details become faint or not audible. When headphones already have decent soundstage, imaging and separation, I find that virtual surround sound diffuses the positional audio and the ability to pick up and locate/track audio cues.

Virtual Surround sound varies a lot from processor to processor (CMSS-3D, Dolby Headphone, SBX, etc.) How you perceive it compared to stereo also depends on the soundstage, imaging and separation of the headphone, and how games are mixed. I recommend using a headphone with a large soundstage and great imaging and separation, like AD700x, before deciding on virtual surround sound. If you absolutely want virtual surround sound, then I strongly recommend SBX from Creative, especially over Dolby Headphone.

Separation is how you discern individual sounds from a range of overlapping sounds. This is only important in games that are competitive.

Attach an Antlion ModMic 4 and you have a headset. Alternative mics: Massdrop Minimic, Neewer, Sony ECMCS3, Zalman ZM-Mic1, Blue Snowball, Samson Go

If AD700x costs too much, then I recommend HD668B. Other open-back options that are well-regarded in the audio enthusiast community are Audio-Technica ATH-AD500x, Sennheiser HD558/HD579 and Status Audio OB-1. I strongly advise against HyperX Cloud if you don't need sound isolation. For closed-back, I recommend AKG K52, Superlux HD662 EVO and especially Superlux HD669 over the Cloud. Status Audio CB-1 is another well-regarded option, which is compatible with the V-MODA BoomPro mic.

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1505149734&sr=8-7&keywords=blue+yeti+microphone

Of course, I'm happy to help! As for cheap mouse mats, I have this and love it. It's huge though, so you'll want to measure your desk to make sure it'll fit. If not, just about any mouse pad will do. Don't spend a whole lot of money on it (like getting one that's RGB). As for headsets, Amazon has a bunch that are great, and fairly cheap that you can look at. Personally, however, I would recommend getting a stand alone microphone like this guy and using a pair of headphones or earbuds. It might be a little more pricey overall, but I've found that most headsets are really uncomfortable for long periods of use. I splurged and bought some Bose headphones and have a standalone mic that I use. All personal preference, though. Now, for desks and chairs, I'm not sure about. I would maybe check your local Target for a desk, or IKEA if you have one nearby. I'd say the same for chairs. Don't buy a chair just because it has "gaming" in the name, either. Get a chair that you're comfortable in, who cares what it looks like?

Anyways, that's my two cents!

'Gaming' is just a term companies use to cater to people who play video games (gamers). You don't want to buy from someone like Logitech who makes mice, keyboards, webcams, desktop speakers, 'gaming' headsets, etc.

You want to buy a pair of quality headphones (not headset) from a music company like Audio-Technica (Japan), Sennheiser (Germany), AKG, Grado, Shure, Bower & Wilkins (UK) and so on. These companies (besides maybe Sennheiser) don't really advertise to gamers, so you're kind of stuck in the loop of Logitech, Corsair, HyperX, Creative, etc.

I'm not sure what kind of music you're into, so I can't make any suggestions but I can give you starter things to look into. Check out the suggestion thread over in /r/headphones. Add a standalone mic or a V-Moda Boom Mic.

Philips SHP9500

Audio-Technica ATH-AD900X (also the 700X)

Sennheiser HD598

I know a lot of podcasters that use this cheap thing.

I know that a lot of streamers use the audio technica microphones so here's one. There is also the Blue Yeti. In terms of budget microphones, there is the Blue Snowball and the CAD u37. You also might want to consider an audio interface as well. Here's an excellent combo, cause its awesome.

Why the fuck isn't he using his brand new "selfie stick" for his cooking videos...

-EDIT-

Do you guys think he'd be able to figure this out?

• Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920, 1080p Widescreen Video Calling and Recording
  by Logitech
  Link: https://amzn.com/B006JH8T3S
  
• Blue Microphones Snowball Black iCE Condenser Microphone
  by Blue Microphones
  Link: https://amzn.com/B014PYGTUQ
  
  

On-ear is also an option. Koss Porta Pro is cheap and has a lifelong guarantee, and then you could just stick an AntLion ModMic on it. Both run you just about under 100$.

Btw, a Blue Yeti is decent and also usually doesn't cost 100$.

I also wear glasses, and decent headphones aren't going to be uncomfortable, they just cost more. It's an investment, but if you want something cheaper and portable I think the Koss are very decent.

ModMic: https://www.amazon.com/Antlion-Audio-ModMic-Attachable-Microphone/dp/B00R98JVVU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1525683488&sr=8-4&keywords=AntLion+ModMic

Koss Porta Pro: https://www.amazon.com/Koss-Porta-Pro-Headphones-Silver/dp/B00001P4ZH/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1525683534&sr=1-3&keywords=koss+portapro

Some other recommendations:

SoundMagic E10: https://www.amazon.com/SoundMAGIC-Noise-Isolating-Earphones-Gunmetal/dp/B005HP3OB0/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1525683563&sr=1-3&keywords=SoundMagic+E10

These will actually sound amazing depending on the hardware you run them on. The better the source, the better they sound. They can sound as good, if not better, than In-Ears that cost double as much! They're rather neutral.

Yeti Blue Snowball: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-Condenser-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1525683616&sr=1-3&keywords=Yeti+Snowball

(Actually only 50$ right now)

Don't even bother : http://fakespot.com/product/floureon-bm-800-condenser-sound-studio-recording-broadcasting-microphone-shock-mount-holder-blue


Do yourself and everyone you talk to a favor and get a mic that doesn't suck like this https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ

Blue Snowball, $50 Reliable, decent sounding budget option

AT2020 USB, $170 Nicer, will last pretty much your whole podcasting career.

Check if you can trouble shoot the camera and the built-in mic first if you haven't. I have a very finicky old camera with built-in mic in my desktop that i have to unplug and replug the camera every time i turn off my computer. Sometimes I have to play with the skype settings to make it work.

I understand the headphones built-in mic since my SO has gone through a million and one pair and its not the comfiest for him. I use an in-ear earphones and its better for me and its my go to. I'm using these earphones for all around because they are cheap and they sound great for the price and pretty durable.

If you want a separate one and to invest, buy a nice quality mic that has a lot of reviews. I suggest going to amazon and reading the reviews there. I have heard a lot of good things with Blue Snowball mics and you can even use it for gaming or recording audios.

I hope it helps and you find something that works! Best wishes to both of you!!

You don't need to get super fancy (especially starting off). If you're audio sounds like a phone call, that's going to be an issue that will deter listeners. But mediocre audio quality will not hinder your growth, bad content will.

A few recommendations:

Cheap mics:

This works great as a portable mic: https://www.amazon.com/Samson-Mic-Portable-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B001R76D42/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1498145879&sr=8-3&keywords=samson+clip

I also used this to clip onto my headphones before: https://www.amazon.com/Zalman-Zm-Mic1-Sensitivity-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B00029MTMQ/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1498145910&sr=8-6&keywords=clip+mic

Actual mics:

I've heard good things about the Snowball but I've never used it: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1498146044&sr=8-3&keywords=mic

If you want an actual mic, this is the cheap mic I buy all my cohosts. It sounds perfectly fine. I've been using it for over 2 years now: https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATR2100-USB-Cardioid-Dynamic-Microphone/dp/B004QJOZS4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498146015&sr=8-1&keywords=atr-2100

You don't need a mixer. Instead, I would use zencastr to record the audio. It has a free version but I pay for the unlimited one ($12).
Otherwise, you can just record your own individual audio with Audacity which is free and GREAT!

THIRTY SEVEN DOLLARS ON SALE??

No! Do yourself a favor and get either this

or if you have less room, this instead.

I love your voice and your video style. You really need to invest in a better audio setup, though. It sounds like youre 15 feet away from the mic.

Near professional quality audio is very simple and essentially plug and play these days. Well under 100 bucks can get you a decent mic, boom stand and pop filter. A good mic example: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-iCE-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/

I mean obviously im not the only one thinking this based on the comments or upvotes, a simple $50 [mic] (https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-Black-iCE/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1467786315&sr=8-2&keywords=blue+snowball+microphones) that isnt by your headset or speakers, or using push-to-talk would be simple fixes for most of those problems, also i appreciate the insults, its really showing me that you're trying to make a better platform that when you get simple criticism that you go there, if you want to get more likes and views, the simple fixes help, otherwise dont talk about lack of support when you attack the audience

Get a desktop mic instead.

This will give better quality than any headset you can buy below $200.

Headset microphones are atrocious pretty much across the board due to the incredibly limiting dimensions normally required.

With a real mic you and your teammates/friends will have a much better experience. Clearer audio with better leveling and it will probably outlive your PC.

Even a cheap one will be 10x better, and if you ever want to foray into youtube/podcasts/twitch you've got the equipment.

Then, when your headset dies death buy some good headphones without a mic. Before you know it you've better quality equipment at a lower price.

I went looking for a $60 headset and couldn't find one (I was converting prices since I'm in the UK and it didn't really work)

Those headphones look really nice for the price, After reading up on them they lack bass which makes them pretty good for gaming. This is because explosions will be less prevalent making it easier to hear footsteps. The downside is they won't be terribly good for music unless you like your music without much bass.

The other thing to take note of is that they are open back. (If you don't know what open back means keep reading) See how In the picture there is only mesh coving the outside of the headphones. This means that they will leak sound like the titanic leaks water. It'll be like you're wearing mini speakers on your head to anyone around you.

The good thing about them being open back is that they will have a nice open soundstage making it easier to pinpoint where sounds are coming from, I don't have to tell you why that's a godsend in R6S (this also applies to music, it's kinda cool really)

More opinions about the headphone that are worth reading.


I was going to suggest getting a mod mic but I'm not really sure they would work with mini speakers open back headphones since you would get really bad feedback. You would probably want a desk mic.

I own a Blus snowball. I fucking hate it's but it still regarded on one of the better USB mics you can get

> Under $20: Blue Snowball microphone

I had heard about the Blue Yeti so this sounded interesting. But it looks like it's never been below $35 on Amazon, so this seems a bit misleading?

https://camelcamelcamel.com/Blue-Snowball-Condenser-Microphone-Cardioid/product/B014PYGTUQ

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014PYGTUQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I got this one with a pop filter :d

If you're only going to be gaming, a desktop microphone, like the Blue Snowball, would be just fine. The Blue Snowball's quality is better than that of the modmic and it's significantly cheaper than the Blue Yeti.

9 bucks more you can get this, streamers and youtubers use this actually.

Main Monitor - S2417DG

Second Monitor - Dell ST2421L

Keyboard - Arealer Roarer (Found it on Amazon for $34. Haven't ever seen it in stock again.)

Mouse - Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum

Microphone - Blue Snowball

Headphones are some cheapo things I bought on Amazon a while back.. Due to be replaced soon.

I recommend getting some Studio Over Ear Headphones, and getting a Mod Mic or Desk Mic to go along with it. I bought an Antlion ModMic for the wife, and it works great. Sounds great as well compared to all the shitty gaming headset mics. My setup is a Razer Seiren Pro that I got on a banging deal almost $100 cheaper than typical pricing :). I have a mic stand that sits right above my monitors. It does pick up echoes if I have my speakers turned up too loud, but it's not too bad. I use voice meeter banana to route all my audio to 2 separate audio devices so I can just mute my speakers and put headphones on.

 

Recommendations:
Desk Mic: Blue Yeti - ~$120, Blue Snowball ~$50
Mod Mic: Antlion ModMic ~$60, V Moda BoomPro ~$30 (V Moda Mic wont work on all headphones)
Headphones: r/Headphones | Read about headphones.

 

They come down to preference for the user typically. I have M-Audio Q40's with Beyerdynamic's EDT 770 V Replacement Pads. You probably won't be able to find any Q40's online, but I bought mine back in 2010 and I still use them today. I've replaced the audio cable probably 10+ times now. They are built to endure, and they are not that comfortable with the stock pads. Put the EDT 770 V pads on and feels like a cloud. I personally also have a desk headphone amp to get clearer/crisper sound.
As I said, this all comes down to preference. You need to research specific items you are interested in. Try to find reviews on reddit or forums. I wouldn't follow "reviews" that are articles on web pages. Half of those are BS and are generally favored towards the provider of the equipment unfortunately.
Typical google searches would be:
M-Audio Q40 headfi
Blue Yeti Pro reddit
Blue Yeti Pro Issues reddit
mod mic reddit

 

Good luck on your ventures! Let me know if you have any other questions.

PS - If you have a mechanical keyboard, invest in o-rings/pads to help with the clickiness, or if you don't have a mechanical keyboard and you are looking for one, get silent keys. I forget the actual switch types names.

i don't know how to mix i literally just got out and have been writing for the last 10 months i put some reverb and eq on it tho
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-iCE-condensateur/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1506236262&sr=1-3&keywords=blue+usb+microphone using that mic

looks like a Blue Snowball https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=twister_B015U3QY1A?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Not sure if you're still doing your podcast but if you are I would recommend a better mic. The Blue Snowball Condenser Microphone is a great low cost yet high quality option.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=psdc_11974651_t2_B00K68MT9Q

If you're willing to go a little over budget I'd pick up the [Logitech C920] (https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/hd-pro-webcam-c920) and the [Blue Yeti Microphone] (https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Yeti-USB-Microphone-Blackout/dp/B00N1YPXW2/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1520708427&sr=1-3&keywords=blue+yeti). Both of these are quality equipment that even bigger streamers with a large budget use. If that's outside of your price range, I'd switch out the Yeti for the [Blue Snowball] (https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1520708583&sr=1-2&keywords=blue+snowball). It's still a good quality microphone for around half the price of the Yeti. I'm not sure if there is anything better at that price range but I've heard nothing dealbreaking about either the Yeti/Snowball or the C920.

As for tips, I'd recommend having some way to look at chat and whatever alert system you use (We use StreamLabs) without having to alt-tab out of game constantly. Whether it's a two monitor setup, a tablet/phone, or even playing in windowed mode, interacting with the people watching is definitely important.

I'd go with the Blue Snowball Ice, it's a pretty decent mic for a usb one.

Almost any dedicated mic will be better than your camera mic. I picked up a Snowball which is wonderful sounding, and there are other cheap options as well, but any non-dedicated mic will usually not "be up to par".

As a matter of fact, I do.

All prices in USD, and based on Amazon.

Price | Microphone | Manufacturer's Product Page |Amazon Link

------:|--------|--------|--------
$35.82 | Samson Meteorite | Samsontech | Amazon
$49.00 | Blue Snowball iCE | Bluemic | Amazon
$69.99| Samson Meteor | Samsontech | Amazon
$129.00 | Blue Yeti| Bluemic | Amazon

EDIT: I will mention that the Yeti is used by u/alwaysslightlysleepy

Like this one?

Blue Microphones Snowball iCE USB Microphone - Black https://www.amazon.de/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_cZiNBbRG6MJP5

For a mic, I recommend a blue snowball, its easy to setup, sounds good and has a stand.

To be honest, I really dont think that a webcam at this early stage would be such a good idea but a good one would be a Logitech C922x

As headphones go, a pair of corsair void pros would be great and have awesome sound quality. The wireless ones are great, plug them in overnight and then play all day and you are good to go! But for simplicity, I recomend the wired version as then you dont have to remember to plug them in

I know little to nothing about really recording audio, or how to make stuff sound good. What i do know is that all my friends i voice chat with think my mic sounds like i wired my Nintendo DS lite to my computer and used it to talk to them. So I figured I'd do what a normal person would do and do research instead of being lazy consult reddit for advice on what microphone i should buy. I don't plan on spending a lot on my microphone, but I think i might as well spend enough for my friends to be able to hear my actual voice instead of the equivalent of what you'd hear from a usb microphone you'd hook up to your Wii to play rock band.

For the sake of accuracy, I don't plan on spending much more than $30-$40 on a mic, and if I can go lower without much sacrifice in audio quality I'd prefer that. If it helps any, I have a somewhat deep voice and I plan on using it for gaming, more specifically voice chat on discord. I am currently looking at the Blue Snowball iCE Condenser Microphone which is on the upper end of my budget. Thank you so much for any advice you can give me.

This guy seems to be pretty popular. I've seen a few streamers who use it and they sound fine.

Honestly, get a blue snowball. They sound pretty great for what they are. I wouldn’t record a record with them, but for gaming or YouTube recording they are just fine, and probably one of the best sounding options out there. Certainly better than the options you listed.

Blue snowball amazon

Source: I use one for my gaming set up and I have apogee interfaces and high end mics at my disposal.

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.

Alright so here's some stuff to get you started.

Blue snowball microphone.

AGPTEK MyPin capture device.

Both of these are "budget" solutions but should perform just fine for your needs. It's your call if you want to get a mic arm but I would suggest one, along with a pop filter.

The capture device should interface with OBS Studio without any major problems. It's a bit on the "no frills" side but from what I can gather it's still a pretty solid option.

Just be aware that you may run into HDCP issues with the Switch, where the capture device will refuse to accept the video stream. If that happens, you can just run the signal via a cheap HDMI splitter and it will take care of that.

Hey Naff!! I just got back from a trip, so sorry for the delayed response! First off, I love the organization of your reply! I'm such a sucker for nice formatting and structure haha! Thanks so much for the kind words and I'm glad my feedback was useful!

• 2a - great points and I completely agree there were a few (all reasonable) options to make this one work.
  
• 3a - haha BGM will be the bane of us all. It can be so hard! Again, your levels in this one were good though!
  
• 6a - I totally understand. I researched this a lot and, from what I saw / remember, I believe the Blue Snowball is great starting mic and comes at $49. There are definitely other options out there, but adding this in case it helps you guys reduce research time / get something relatively affordable. https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-Condenser-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1542600764&sr=1-4&keywords=blue+snowball
  
  ~
  
  
• 3b / edit - I had the exact same issue and would have never noticed until I read something online. I'm so glad I was able to share some useful info! Again, I didn't notice anything wrong with the quality in the first place, but I was watching on mobile.
  
• 5b - Oh, interesting, I've never tried recording Skype. I mostly record Discord or Battle.net for audio. If you ever experience issues, might be worth trying one of those out and
  
• 6b - Hahah XD I feel like I've given a similar response to people who gave feedback to me on one of my posts when I did a one-time change as well.
  
  Love the mission statement! At it's core, mine is also about spreading laughs and happiness. Will try to re-collect my thoughts and let you know what I think about your AC video! At the end of the day, our videos should consist of what makes us happy, so I like your comment about not stressing out about it. :)
  
  
  You and Ric sound like good-natured, cool people. Thanks again for the kind words and hope you've been well!

Yo super late to the party.

Was picking up the house a bit, I've got my whole computer setup, and one of these guys coming in the mail either tomorrow or Thurs.

Discord works great for me, I use it for practically everything anyway.

And yes, I'm super interested still.

Continuing the answer, /u/talbayne:

As mentioned above, XLR is a way to get super clear sound - more than USB.
The reason for this, is because the hardware converting the analog (actual) sound waves to digital input, called Analog-to-Digital-Convert (ADC), is better in a preamp, than inside the a usb-microphone... Or at least they used to be.

The ADC is actually just a small chip - or a part of a small chip - which are inside a regular computer chip. They have a number of input pins to register to register the sound from the actual microphone, as seen on this picture of a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 - the bigger, black chip, reading XMOS upside down.

16 of those small pins come from the first XLR-input, and 16 from the second. This is because it's a 16-bit preamp, which you can also see from this screenshot.

Now - these ADCs used to require quite a certain amount of power, but do no longer. They can now be powered by 5 volts (to convert to 48 volts) - the output of a USB-port. Or... at least some of them can, and quite a few of them do a pretty decent job.

----
Time for examples in the USB-section:

• The Røde NT-USB ($169) review.
  
  I have a friend who uses this, and I have a hard time not hearing it being just as good as my own microphone (longer down the list).
  
  
• Bill Dewees talks about the Apogee MiC 96k ($20).
  
  That man knows his shit - pro dude, who makes 4k a week doing voice over.
  
  
• The Excelvan BM-800 ($25) is in the opposite price range. How can this cheap thing work? Well, like the XLR-microphones it needs what's called phantom power, which is 48 volts - this comes pretty cheap ($20)... or you plug it into your desktop (laptop won't work, I've read).
  
  
• The Blue Snowball Ice ($45) being compared to a few others.
  
  This one is extremely popular with YouTubers - for a good reason.
  
  ----
  
  Well, that's all good and nice, but what about the XLR options?
  
  When you go XLR, you need a preamp, which provides the 48 volts I described before - also known as phantom power.
  
  If you'd asked one year ago I'd say 'get the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2', but that was what I knew worked.
  Today you have two other options (from the same company):
  
  
• Scarlett Solo - $99.
  
  I takes only one input - but you only have one microphone, right? It converts upto 24 bits (where as my own only goes to 16 bit).
  
  
• Scarlett 2i2 (gen 2) - $149.
  
  This takes two inputs, so when you plugin your guitar you get a separate channel for each... It is also 24 bit, where as my gen 1 is only 16 bit.
  
  Are there others? Yes - plenty, but I don't know them.
  
  -----
  
  So microphones with XLR?
  
  
• I have a Røde NT1 (as a kit) for $269.
  
  
• The Blue Yeti Pro ($245) are spoken of as the next step up from its little brother (USB-microphone, mentioned above).
  
  
  Steep price for a starter, right? Well, the sound from it is not too bad, and this is where you need to remember what I wrote in my previous post - Your clients want clear sound. You can get clear sound from the USB-devices as well, but there will still be some quality loss between them. Decide for yourself what you want, and how much you want to spend on it.
  This list can go on forever, but it's getting late right now, so I'll holdt that here.
  
  ----
  
  I talked about sound treatment, yes?
  
  
• /u/sureillrecordthat has a great YouTube channel, where he posted a "booth" to record in (hear the actual recording at about 13:03.
  
  
• If you don't have a walk-in closet, you can do as I already posted and make sure you cover the microphone from reflected sound waves.
  
  
• If that's not an option, put up cheap panels to absorb the sound waves. They work SO DAMN WELL.
  
  Best of luck with your adventure :)

If you're specifically thinking of recording the Wii U, you're going to need a capture card between the console and your PC. While I haven't tried to record any gaming on a VCR since hooking a Nintendo 64 up to one back in the day, I'm not sure that would work with a newer console (as I'm pretty sure the Wii U doesn't support the old red/white/yellow AV cords).

Elgato Game Capture HD60 is what you're looking for (there's an older "Elgato HD" that will support older consoles but not newer ones). Now that's a $US150 option, so I guess that depends how much you plan to spend on your daughter's make-believe. On the plus side, you shouldn't have much trouble reselling the Elgato down the line if she's just going through a phase, or indeed you could just keep it if you decide to do some game capturing of your own.

The Elgato comes with its own software. It's not too terribly difficult to set up the first time, and after that you barely have to do any set up ever again (especially if you're recording from the same console every time). It has the ability to record video/game audio and your commentary audio too. All you need is a mic-- even a headset mic would probably suffice for your daughter, but there's plenty of condenser mics out there if you want to splurge).

Out of curiosity, what channels or videos does your daughter watch? I'm fascinated by the idea of anyone under the age of 10 being interested in Let's Plays.

This is a bit of a tricky setup, but as long as you only want to use the microphone on your PC it is pretty achievable. Also if you want to play the sound off your PC and use a gaming console, you will require a mixer to play both sources. If you don't require this it makes your setup less complicated.

Either way you will need an HDMI audio extractor, this should work: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BIQER0E Plug that into the output of HDMI switch then:

Setup 1 - With mixer. https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=614305 plug the output of the HDMI audio extractor and your PC (using 3.5mm to RCA cable). Headphones plug into mixer. This will not sound as good as option 2.

Setup 2 - With DAC. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0722FRQQ7 . Plug the output of the HDMI extractor (using an optical cable) and the PC in using a USB cable. Select one or the other using the toggle switch and it will play that source out to the headphones.

I would recommend setup 2, as the external DAC will be of higher quality.

As far as microphones go, try a USB one (this is a decent cheaper one, you can go more or less expensive: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014PYGTUQ) to reduce the audio noise your friends are telling you about.

I actually have a Yeti because I record a lot of videos for YouTube, but maybe the smaller/cheaper one from the same company is a good alternative? Beats $5 Logitech crap, but not as expensive as a $100 mic.

If you really want good mic and audio quality I recommend not getting a headset as usually there cheaply made with bad sound/mic quality(Not all gaming headsets but the majority) but getting high quality headphones and a high quality mic like the
Modmic(68$ cad) (https://www.amazon.com/Antlion-Audio-ModMic-Attachable-Microphone/dp/B00T6XUL8S)

Or getting a blue snowball (67$ cad) (https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_267_bs_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=R660NR2KHRV6HMS92RSQ)


I am not familiar with good wireless headphones so I cant recommend any.

Skim through the materials already covered, but any essential concepts should be written or typed. To make note taking even faster, I use Windows speech recognition software to write down notes on a word document to review later. If your computer doesn't have a built in microphone, I would suggest getting one of these. They are some of the best budget microphones and really pick up words well.
So far tonight in about 2.5 hours of studying general psychology, I was able to make 4 chapters of vocabulary terms and practice question sets, and I am now only 6 chapters behind lecture. Anyway, good luck catching up!

Edit: I read the whole motivation thing right after typing and I would suggest treating school like a 9-5 job (even though it takes money from you). This mindset has really helped me make college one of my top priorities every day.

This is a great answer. Thank you!

I've made worse than $11 mistakes, so that's not a big deal.

I'm guessing my next low budget option would be something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-Condenser-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B014PYGTUQ

or

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076ZSR6BB/ref=vp_d_pb_t1_m_lp_B014PYGTUQ_pd

I would like to keep using the high-end noise canceling headphones, as they make it much easier to hear what's being said by the others on the call who don't always have very good mics either.

Thank you!

Based on what you mentioned as your budget, I'd recommend purchasing a USB type of condenser microphone. Unfortunately, anything under $40 isn't going to sound too nice when recording. Your best bet is to up the $40 to $50-ish and get a Blue Snowball.

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_21?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1519757795&sr=1-21&keywords=condenser+mic

It's a nice mic and it'll do you justice over any other mic in the price range. As for headphones, I'd buy these: https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-201-Lightweight-Headphones/dp/B0007XJSQC/ref=sr_1_12?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1519758135&sr=1-12&keywords=studio+headphones

General consensus is to get the headphones and mic separate. Gaming headsets have too many compromises.

I use these and they are great. And this is a very popular mic.

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-Condenser-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_27?keywords=microphone&qid=1563722504&s=gateway&sr=8-27

thats the cheapest u can get.. around 290 riyals i think including shipping.

​

Most good condenser mic start at 450+ riyals to 550 riyals.

​

I assume this is for Podcast / Gaming.

Heard good things about these headphones and for a great mic check out the Snowball

> get a replacement cable for my HD688B, preferably a tangle-resistant one or even a coiled cable.

> Next step would be ditch the modmic and set up a USB mic with a cheap boom attached to my desk

Yep, that's a good solution, I've ditched my ModMic too and just bought the Blue Snowball ICE. The more expensive version with 3 pick up patterns is only worth the money if you want to record instruments or singing.

With regard to the 3,5mm extension cable for the Superlux...just get an Amazon basics one, they are cheap enough to just say fuck it and get a new one once the cable memory gets too annoying.

___

Now to the business side of things:

Rule 1

All requests for purchase advice, or any post that solicits product opinion, must be posted in the sticky thread!

You are very welcome to repost your question in the stickied daily purchase advice thread.

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-Black-iCE/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1474259361&sr=1-3&keywords=blue+snowball

It is $42.49, but it is a great mic. No static. Nothing. Great quality audio.

you should get a USB mic then. otherwise you're going to bring your budget up quite a bit between the mic and an interface / preamp.

check out these (searched usb microphone on amazon):
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Yeti-USB-Microphone/dp/B002VA464S/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1474038764&sr=8-7&keywords=usb+microphone

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B006DIA77E/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1474038764&sr=8-6&keywords=usb+microphone

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-Black-iCE/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1474038764&sr=8-16&keywords=usb+microphone

https://www.amazon.com/Floureon-BM-100FX-Professional-Broadcasting-Instruments/dp/B00ZTC0E78/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1474038764&sr=8-17&keywords=usb+microphone

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATR2500-USB-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B004QJREXM/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1474038803&sr=8-17&keywords=usb+microphone

i'd recommend one of the Blue's, or the last one, the ATr2500.

About 50 Euros, this should work for what you're needing.

Looking into grabbing this. Is anybody familiar with it? How is it?

Assuming you are recording with a computer, do you have an audio interface and/or a mixer with phantom power? If not, you'll have to confine yourself to USB mics. The one I usually recommend is the Blue Snowball, which is about $70 and works quite well for voice/narration. I have perhaps 20 mics and a decent home recording system but still use the Snowball for podcasts and quick projects sometimes because it's reliable, easy to setup, and sounds good for the price.

There's also a cheaper version (called the Snowball iCE) that is a simpler design with fewer features for about $25 less. I haven't used those but it might be worth a shot, especially if you're just doing a single voice in a quiet room.

Kingston HyperX Cloud 2

Edit: Or you could go with really good headphones and an external mic, like this Sennheiser HD 598 and this Blue Snowball

Not knowing where to start is a bummer. Lots of good advice already offered, so I'll just throw in my 2 cents. I like to make recommendations based off of budget and preferred music genre. As a rock, classic rock, trance, etc. fan, I would recommend The Fidelio x1/x2. Lively sounding headphones, comfortable, easy to drive, and built like tanks. The Sennheisers already mentioned in another reply are good.

Also, I use a usb desk mic. I don't like boom mic in my face. I use this https://amzn.com/B00022TNHM. If you want to get fancy, something like this. https://amzn.com/B014PYGTUQ. It sits out of the way, and it works fine at my computer desk. USB mics don't interface with your sound card, so ground loop hums and stuff are rarely a concern. That might be an option. Hope that helps.

oh sorry I was thinking of the snowball, but it's the ICE version, cheaper and it's just the same mic, but without the different modes, Microphone Link and here are accessories, the boom stand is much better than the tiny stand they give you, and it's better for freedom, and it comes with extra bits for future proofing Suspension Stand Here's some medium quality padding if needed Padding and a nice pop filter to stop the P's and S's slipping through Pop Filter This is all the same stuff I use and it is a wonderful starter kit, I highly recommend this to you!

Pro tips:

• Do not buy headsets.
  
  Buy a mic and a pair of headphones individually. There are two reasons:
  
  First, if you buy a headset, then if the mic fails, you need to buy a new mic (or a whole new headset), same with if the headphone portion fucks up. One breaks = you'll need to replace the other. If you buy them separately, you can individually replace either or both of them as needed. Saves money in the long run
  
  Secondly, headsets are always unnecessarily marked up. If you buy a mic and a pair of headphones individually, then for the same price as a headset, you can get 2x better stuff.
  
  
• Literally never buy "gaming headsets/headphones"
  
  Their "gaming" branding is used to unnecessarily mark up the products. You can get normal headphones with much better sound quality for far less.
  
  
• Audio stuff has diminishing returns.
  
  Unless you're a pro of some sort, don't spend more than $50 or so on headphones or a mic.
  
  So no, no reason to buy "gaming" headphones unless you're a sucker.
  
  Also, fuck Bose, don't buy those cans. Bose is overpriced. If you're resolved to spend $100, then here's what you're going to do:
  
  
• Buy a Blue Snowball iCE for $50
  
  https://www.amazon.com/d/B014PYGTUQ/
  
  
• Buy the Monoprice headphones for $30
  
  https://www.amazon.com/d/B007SP2CO2/
  
  The iCE is a phenomenal microphone that you can use for the rest of your life, while the Monoprice headphones are the single best value headphones out right now, and lunch with plenty of cans at around $100ish level.

Going with the Sony Studio Monitor Headphones and the Blue Microphone will be only 130$ and a great upgrade compared to any headset in that range.

This is the one I use. It has good sound and picks my voice up perfectly from a few feet away on my desk. Pretty affordable too.

Blue snowball ice:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B014PYGTUQ/ref=mw_dp_olp?ie=UTF8&condition=all

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B014PYGTUQ/ref=mw_dp_olp?ie=UTF8&condition=all

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/99?loc=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fp%2F3019375605%3Fiid%3D372756362561


Monoprice retros:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B01M7Z0VKR/ref=mw_dp_olp?ie=UTF8&condition=all

Here https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B014PYGTUQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1524485470&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=snowball+mic

How about this very popular brand of microphone?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014PYGTUQ

All the streamers use it.

I use a Blue Snowball, relatively cheap, legs fold up for storage, I just have it right behind my keyboard between that and the monitor.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014PYGTUQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The snowball is a great starter standalone mic that is well under $150. from there the rest of this sub will help you pick a good closed headphone in your price range.

Also, they're not closed, but I have the Fidelio X2HR and they're a joy for gaming, just food for thought

The msrp for the blue snowball is $49.99. The blue yeti now that I think about it won’t be below 100. You can find the blue snowball at msrp at target, bestbuy, from the dell website, of course eBay, and finally there is one on sale here https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sspa_mw_detail_0?psc=1 on Amazon.

This is the wrong subreddit for this kind of question, try /r/buildapc or maybe /r/audio/

But i'd look into the blue snowball:
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-Condenser-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_267_bs_t_1/147-7525553-4230639?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=81MDP300D04E4NH6S5KF

Or if you have a xlr input Samson C01

I'd recommend splitting into separate components.

$150 spent on a mic and cans separately will yield a much better setup than a combo deal.

I would go with a Blue Snowball and a pair of ATH M40x. You can get these with a Bluetooth adapter. They are great cans. Links below total up $160 and will blow away any bluetooth headset.

Headphones

Bluetooth

Mic

Mic Option 2

XLR to 3.5 makes me cringe lol. XLR microphones sound like dogshit without phantom power an audio interface, I'd take the HD58X + Blue Snowball for $35 over the XLR to 3.5mm. Only problem is you've gotta mount both mics or you'll pick up keyboard noises.

And what type, headset, one to place on a desk or handheld ones?
For ones on the desk a snowball are pretty good:

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-Condenser-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_4?crid=35Q42ABO64FU&keywords=snowball+mic&qid=1572375229&sprefix=snowball+mic%2Caps%2C400&sr=8-4

The Blue Snowball ICE for $49 is very popular. I use it and my only complaint is the size and footprint. It also doesn't filter background noise, particularly keyboard taps, but it's a lot cheaper than the Blue Yeti. If you can, wait for Black Friday; it will almost certainly go on sale.

I used this, with a pop filter for demoing privately for two years. It's pretty cool for personal use because of the plug and play nature. You can get a USB to lightning adapter and go directly into Garageband on the iPad. No power issues, or interface needed. Of course it has its own firmware and programming on-board, so you're surrendering a lot of control.. That said, it's great for personal use. Fantastic for speaking engagements like podcasts too (mine is out on loan for that now.)


If you're just trying to get in the habit of recording quick, easy and dirty for your own review - it's great. It's also salvage in post production considering how cheap the mic is.

Anyway, the Blue Ice is a great piece to have around to capture when you need to quickly! It'll be a gateway to better things later!

If prices near me are correct:

The C1-U is 38$
Snowball is 49.99$
Meteor is 69.99


If you dont have a boom stand/Desk stand such as this, or this Buy the C1U + Stand (nearly same price as meteor alone, and it allows you to lift mic off table and higher up. Less keyboard+mice clicking noise and if its closer to your face it will have better pickup.)

If you already have a stand, then I would say grab the Snowball.

If you really like the look of the meteor then go for it. But understand that you are paying for the material around the mic, not necessarily better sound quality.

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-iCE-condensateur/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1506164739&sr=1-4&keywords=blue+snowball

Same mic I use works like a charm

For anyone looking for a cheap mic that's good quality for the price, I bought a Blue Snowball for like $30 when it was cheaper along with a like $5-$10 pop filter and it sounds really good. It's $69, but the cheaper version, the Ice, is only $49. Tons of smaller youtubers use them, my Blue Snowball has 3 different settings where it can take in sound from the front, the sides, or all over.

I'm sure you've already heard of it, but the [Blue Snowball] (https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1502846732&sr=1-3&keywords=blue+snowball) is fairly affordable and is great quality for the price.

Alright. Would a set up like this be better?

Headphone: https://www.amazon.com/Technica-AUD-ATHAD500X-Audiophile-Headphones/dp/B009S333U4/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1482986852&sr=1-2&keywords=open+back+headphones

Mic: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1482987136&sr=1-1&keywords=blue+ice+condenser

I'd go for a decent set of headphones and a seperate Mic. I have these Audio Technica M20x headphones, really good quality and nice long cord to tuck away. I pair these with a Blue Snowball Mic as its good quality but doesn't look out of place on a desk or tucked behind a monitor when not in use.

This combo is $10 over your max budget but really gives you the best of both worlds for a reasonable price, I personally couldn't reccomend any 'gaming headset'.

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M20x-Professional-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR18/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482690495&sr=8-1&keywords=audio+technica+m20

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1482690510&sr=8-3&keywords=snowball

I would recommend the Blue Snowball, which sounds almost as good as the Yeti. The Samson Meteor is also great and slightly pricier.

Edit - if you want to attach your headphones to a mic, the ModMic will serve you well.

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=pd_lpo_267_bs_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HFG9NJSQ0VGHYACGE87J

If you want something easy to use that will be good for hobby but would need an upgrade for anything more...

I would recommend the blue snowball (I have the Yeti which is the upgraded version of this).

and amazon has them for about $79

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826138190

https://www.amazon.com/Philips-SHP9500-Precision-Over-ear-Headphones/dp/B00ENMK1DW

and for mic you can either get https://www.amazon.com/Antlion-Audio-ModMic-Attachable-Microphone/dp/B00R98JVVU/ref=sr_1_1?m=A34JWT04R7KMFW&s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1481933682&sr=1-1&keywords=boom+mic or https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1481933744&sr=1-3&keywords=blue+snowball

The Blue Snowball microphone is pretty affordable and can be used with an arm or the little stand it comes with. I like it, seems like the audio quality of my voice is pretty good.

Mic https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_uJ-QAbQ2DMSJZ

Cam https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006JH8T3S?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

blue snowball for 50 usd

Audio-Technica ATR2500-USB for 65 usd

And this really good deal on the at2020+stand+pop filter 99 usd

looking for a budget audio input solution for podcasting.

I currently podcast with one friend, but would like to eventually add more friends to the podcast. I currently have a cheap microphone, but no stand and no USB adapter for it, and a wireless gaming headset.

For our first episode I planned to use the built-in mic of my laptop and the USB headset as inputs, but i couldn't get the USB headset to mix with the built-in mic.

I saw this article on best USB audio interface. My initial plan was to buy the Tascam US-2×2 to mix my non-USB mic and another cheap microphone. I would need to buy some cheap tabletop mic stands, but i don't know which brands.

An alternative would be to spend the $150 I would spend on a sound board on two new USB microphones instead of a USB mixer. One advantage of USB mics is I wouldn't need mic stands. I was thinking maybe the Meteor or the Snowball ICE

which is the better solution? USB mics or USB mixer?

If I go with the USB mixer, which cheap mic and tabletop stands should I buy?

Is there a cheaper alternative that I'm missing? I would like to start low budget and gradually upgrade as necessary.

I'm looking for a recommendation for a new microphone. For a while now I've been sing a cheap clip on mic and the quality is pretty bad and I'm ready for an upgrade.

I want a standalone mic that has good sound quality while picking up as little of the ambient sound as possible. I am looking at the blue snowball ice since it has good reviews and says it only picks up sound from the front which seems like it will help with the ambient noise issue.

Is this probably the best one for my needs in the <$50 price range?

Blue Snowball iCE Condenser Microphone, Cardioid - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_3E1VDb7SC3D02

I’d recommend this for ssd:


Sabrent 512GB Rocket NVMe PCIe M.2 2280 Internal SSD High Performance Solid State Drive (SB-ROCKET-512) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KGMBCKD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2F1VDbDSH53F4

Short answer no they don't. If you want to spice up your headphones get yourself a dac/amp combo. A very popular one is a schiit stack. https://www.schiit.com/

I use a Beyer DT 770 pros 250 ohms for my gaming ($142 on Amazon right now), but I also use a dac/amp ($200). You really only need an amp for these (250 ohms) but that can be had for less than $100. My mic is a snowball mic that I got for $50. So you can have a nice setup for under $250 (w/o mic) which is what some of these gaming headsets run.

Here are the DT 770 Pros on Amazon, but if you don't want to spend the money for the amp (amp is a must with the 250 ohm version) you can get the 80 ohm version for a bit more.

https://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-770-PRO-Studio-Headphone/dp/B0006NL5SM

This is the amp I have for another pair of headphones I have, but will work well with the DT 770 pros.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VETHZ04/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and here is my mic

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014PYGTUQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


So if you go with DT-770 Pro 250 ohm (grey color cheaper) + amp + snowball mic you are looking at $253.

If you go with the 80 ohm version (black one is cheaper here) + snowball mic you are looking at $220.

Any other questions feel free to reply.

OK, so all you need is a microphone.

TheEternalNightmare's suggestion of the Zalman Zm-Mic1 will get the job done but this is a case of "You get what you pay for" at less than $10 it's not much. But it is a mic; you talk, they hear you (mostly).

If you're willing to spend more (around $50) the Blue Snowball iCE is a pretty good choice. Connects with USB.

If you need something like a standard headset boom mic the Antlion ModMic is probably your best bet. It sorta just sticks to the side of the headphone cups and connects to the
3.5mm microphone port. It's around $55

It just depends on what you want and what you're willing to pay for.

Hey man you can pick up up off Amazon when they go on sale!

I got this microphone back when it was on sale for like $40 which isn't too much of a dent. Pop on a pop filter for another $9 and only $50 for an operation mic you can use for gaming as well!

>Also FTF podcast when?

We really ought to do one but that takes time and effort and we don't have tim-

Okay nevermind we can totally do one.

This is $10 over your proposed budget, but I wanted to bring it to your attention as it is a fairly common intro level condenser mic.

If you're just using it to chat on discord, or use for in game chat, it might be a bit overkill, maybe check out something more like this.

That first mic is a great multipurpose condenser mic, the second is just a good alternative dependent on your needs and intended use.

Personally I use the Blue Snowball but if $50 is a bit out of range you could always go with ZaxSound

Ig i payed $50 for it actually but it works great

Blue Snowball iCE Condenser Microphone, Cardioid - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_QBpxzbBR718J0

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.

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-Condenser-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=blue+ice&qid=1556938366&s=gateway&sr=8-3

No question. No comparison for the price.

Samson Q2U is $60 the Blue Snowball is $35

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-Condenser-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2YIWI37MBN1L4&keywords=blue+snowball&qid=1558239350&s=musical-instruments&sprefix=blue+sno%2Cmi%2C196&sr=1-3

Audio Technica AD700X or AD900X with a modmic or desktop mic

Is it better to buy a medium priced microphone, or a cheap microphone with a cheap audio interface for around the same price?

My friend wants to start a hobby in singing, so as a Christmas present I was going to buy him some vocal equipment (around $60 CAD). I've heard audio interfaces are quite important for voice work, but will it make that much of a difference in this case?

Here are the 2 ideas I had for each scenario:

• Medium priced Microphone
  
• Cheaper Microphone & Audio interface
  
  Are there any microphones/interfaces that would work better for this budget?

I'm no rapper but i've done some animations on youtube so I can give some tips. As of writting, reading help a lot with that. You'll write awesome tracks before you know it. Now for recording, you willl obviously a mic. Any mic will do, even a 1$ mic can do the job just fine. Of course, if you want to invest in your hobby I suggest a Blue Snowball. Now for actually record your rap you'll need Audacity which is a free quality recording software. Good luck!

Have you tried looking at the Blue snowball mic ? Great quality for that price range

Blue Snowball iCE Condenser Microphone, Cardioid - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PeznzbR2GME9K

Not sure about sub $30 mics, but if you're willing to a little more ($50), the Blue Snowball Ice is pretty fantastic for the price.

> boom arm

Do you suggest a Pop Filter? I am looking to go this way for when i play MMO's and for work using skype for my phone system. Would it be advised i was planning on purchasing this

​

https://www.amazon.ca/Earamble-Studio-Microphone-Filter-Shield/dp/B0742C94SL/ref=pd_bxgy_267_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0742C94SL&pd_rd_r=9c968eb4-d615-11e8-95c3-9923a080f912&pd_rd_w=yF5Wm&pd_rd_wg=0Owxe&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_p=cda2b2aa-f379-4b98-b5ff-b78659186dbe&pf_rd_r=N717XSH7RDD4DCYKRQSA&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=N717XSH7RDD4DCYKRQSA

​

https://www.amazon.ca/Microphone-Professional-Broadcast-Suspension-Adjustable/dp/B06VX1ZW2M/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1540224765&sr=8-4&keywords=boom+arm+for+blue+snowball&dpID=41UQHntGleL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

​

https://www.amazon.ca/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=pd_bxgy_267_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B014PYGTUQ&pd_rd_r=9c968eb4-d615-11e8-95c3-9923a080f912&pd_rd_w=yF5Wm&pd_rd_wg=0Owxe&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_p=cda2b2aa-f379-4b98-b5ff-b78659186dbe&pf_rd_r=N717XSH7RDD4DCYKRQSA&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=N717XSH7RDD4DCYKRQSA

​

thanks

​

I have a similar issue with headsets. I have been using Audio Technica. I had the $50 set but recently got the $150 pair and it was a nice upgrade in material. The difference between these and the Turtle Beaches I used to have is night and day. The earpads fit fully around my areas and doesn't squish them. I would be able to wear my old headset for a couple hours before my ears would start to hurt. I have never experienced this kind of pain with my audio technicas. You will need an external mic though in which case I also recommend the snowball as a starter.

Edit: Also found these upgraded ear pads that have good reviews.

[netherlands][60$]

Guys ive been doing some research for the past week for a good usb mic for gaming and streaming I dont want to spent hundreds of dollars but just a nice little something that has a decent output the budget is 60euro

I found 2 contestants:

1: samson meteor

2: Blue Snowball Ice

When I listened to audio tests i felled that the samson meteor sounded better just wanted to know what you guys thought about it

If you got some similar suggestions please do so and state why it would be better. (ps USB is highly preffered

I want to thank everyone who took their time to respond to my question in advance!

Yeah Im trying to get my hands on a basic Blue SnowBall ICE since its really popular and not too expensive.

The big point I like to make about my stream is that Im flying COMPLETELY blind. I know 0 about Morrowind. Im not looking anything up. The only info I get is asking my twitch audience for super vague help.

Heres a link to my Morrowind playlist Id love some feedback..

I have a blue yeti but apparently I sound awful on it. Any ideas how to tinker with the voice options?

EDIT: Nevermind, I have another blue product - https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=pd_lpo_267_bs_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TYQ07BGD8P21QN31FANK

That phantom power thing you linked before isn't a replacement for an audio interface, it's just to supply power to condenser microphones. You would still need an audio interface after that. For talking to your friends on discord, you don't need all that. A good usb mic is more than enough. A very decent affordable option is the Blue Snowball. My brother uses that and he sounds very good. I also highly recommend the AT2020 USB if you want to spend that kind of money.

One of those usb mics, with your current setup is plenty good.

There's tons of good options sub $100, HyperX Clouds are really popular on this sub, I haven't tried them myself but my friends like it and the reviews look good.


If you want a split headphone/mic system, audiotechina and sennhieser are pretty good that have headphones in sale somewhat often. Just be sure to get a decent mic like the snowball although this mic might push you over your budget with the headphonws i listed. Theres good headphones by phillips and monoprice that are ~$50 o keep you under $100. Or a cheap clip on like this zalman one I use this mic and the only issue I have is that theres no mute button but most chat programs have one so its not too bad.


As for the mic issue have you tried playing with the windows setting and your chat program? You could boost your mic and adjust the threshold to not pick up your breathing noises

Wow thanks for the detailed reply!
> This is a bit of a tricky setup, but as long as you only want to use the microphone on your PC it is pretty achievable.

Yeah I do only want to use the mic on my PC.
>
> Also if you want to play the sound off your PC and use a gaming console, you will require a mixer to play both sources. If you don't require this it makes your setup less complicated.

Yeah it sounds like I need a mixer since I want both sources. So it sounds like setup 1 will work for me.

> This will not sound as good as option 2.

Do you have any recommendations on how I could improve Setup 1's sound? I'm willing to spend more money if need be. If not though I'm sure the mixer will sound fine.

> As far as microphones go, try a USB one (this is a decent cheaper one, you can go more or less expensive: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014PYGTUQ) to reduce the audio noise your friends are telling you about.

That looks perfect! I think that's the mic I will buy.

EDIT: Also any recommendations on quality cables to buy to try an alleviate any of the static that may be coming from them?

Since you're new to the PC gaming world, I'll try to give you some recommendations that will prevent the some future regret.

Parts:

• CPU - R5 1500X - 4 cores / 8 threads and can be overclocked. If you're not comfortable / informed on overclocking, I'd recommend spending the extra ~ $20 on the 1500X over the 1400. They're essentially the same chip, but the 1500X has a higher clock speed. The 1500X also comes with a better cooler so you can experiment when you're ready to do so. You can find a ton of Ryzen overclocking tutorials on YouTube.
  
  
• ASRock Fatal1ty AB350 Gaming K4 - A good motherboard that will go along with the Black/Red theme i went with for this build, also has some LED's.
  
  
• 16gb's of fast ddr4 - Note: You'll have to set the memory in speed in the BIOS (Enable XMP in the advanced memory settings), otherwise it'll run at stock speed.
  
  
• Storage - 240gb ssd / 1tb hdd, pretty standard for a gaming build.
  
  
• RX 580 8gb - Just released last week and it'll be able to play most AAA games on ultra settings 60fps (Don't expect 60fps on Ark on any system lol).
  
  
• Phanteks P400 TG - If you like NZXT's cases, you'll like the P400. This version has a slick tempered glass side panel. Also has a black / red color scheme.
  
  
• 550W EVGA G3 - Good quality fully modular power supply.
  
  
• Corsair K95 RGB - Went with the non-platinum edition. You only get 6 macro keys with the Platinum and you get 18(!) with the non-platinum version. Corsair Keyboards aren't really my cup of tea, but they are decent. This k95 i added has Red Cherry switches, it also comes in the Blue and Brown. This guide will give you a good visual on how each switch works.
  
  
• Logitech G502 PS - Considered to be the best all around gaming mouse. Depending if you have a claw or palm grip or if you want a lighter fps mouse, there's also the G403 Prodigy.
  
  

• The only "gaming headset" that i can recommend that aren't garbage, are the HyperX Cloud ll's. Everything thing else just isn't good enough or overpriced. If you want to get better audio, going with something like some HD558's and a Blue Snowball is usually a good start.
  

  
  

  Let me know if you have any questions :)
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
  

  
  

  Type|Item|Price
  

  ----|:----|:----
  CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 1500X 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor | $188.98 @ NCIX US
  Motherboard | ASRock Fatal1ty AB350 Gaming K4 ATX AM4 Motherboard | $102.99 @ SuperBiiz
  Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory | $119.89 @ OutletPC
  Storage | Zotac T500 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $69.99 @ Amazon
  Storage | Seagate BarraCuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $47.49 @ OutletPC
  Video Card | Sapphire Radeon RX 580 8GB PULSE Video Card | $228.99 @ SuperBiiz
  Case | Phanteks ECLIPSE P400 TEMPERED GLASS ATX Mid Tower Case | $79.99 @ Amazon
  Power Supply | EVGA SuperNOVA G3 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $79.99 @ SuperBiiz
  Keyboard | Corsair K95 RGB Wired Gaming Keyboard | $189.99 @ Best Buy
  Mouse | Logitech G502 Wired Optical Mouse | $59.99 @ Amazon
  Headphones | Kingston HyperX Cloud II 7.1 Channel Headset | $99.99 @ Amazon
  | Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
  | Total | $1268.28
  | Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-04-24 13:40 EDT-0400 |

I have the Blue Snowball mic! Got it on Amazon for about $60.00 Amazon Link

Well, your budget does not have a lot of room...here are my thoughts and recommendations...

1-Camera...Keep using your cell phone for mobile recording, maybe consider getting some sort of stabilizing grip or selfie stick...that being said, your budget must leave room for good sound and software, so i am reccomending you purchase this HD 1080p webcam for all stationary shots at home...dont underestimate it, this is one of the most used webcams on Twitch...https://www.bestbuy.com/site/logitech-c920-pro-webcam-black/4612476.p?skuId=4612476&ref=212&loc=1&gclid=CIn069KPs9oCFbiPxQIdQ9UAdw&gclsrc=ds

2-Sound...Blue is a trusted and WIDELY USED company in the YouTube world...this USB mic would be for home use, but would allow you to have great audio and do voice overs...https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=asc_df_B014PYGTUQ5436005/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B014PYGTUQ&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198066279761&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10746801737752064127&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9061082&hvtargid=pla-343815780929

3-Software....As another person has recommended, i would go with Adobe Premiere Elements...get used to the Adobe ecosystem so one day you can graduate to the full program and entire suite!...https://www.bestbuy.com/site/premiere-elements-2018-macwindows/5983001.pskuId=5983001&cmp=RMX&extStoreId=1104&ref=212&loc=1&gclid=CKPes4KQs9oCFV6VxQIdgbYFqg&gclsrc=ds

Entire package comes in at around $170...if you want to spend more, put it towards the microphone!

-Cam

Oh good, at least you figured out what's going on. Yeah Gigabyte has some questionable quality control in some of their products.

Onboard soundcards aren't always bad and if yours worked I'd imagine it would have been perfectly fine for your setup. I'm not sure you'd benefit much (outside of working audio) from a soundcard/amp/dac. As for PCI I don't really know, I haven't really ventured in that field much and an external amp/dac is almost always recommended here.

The cheapest (not bad, mind you) amp/dac that seems to be worth the money is the FiiO E10k. The only downside in your case is I don't think any external setups or interfaces have a 3.5mm mic in, at least I haven't seen one. I'd imagine you could keep the amp by your header mic in and just plug it in there with the audio in through the dac/amp.

If you stream, though, I highly recommend looking into a proper external mic as well, probably a condenser. The mics on headsets are acceptable for voice chat but if you want good audio for your voice the way to go is definitely an external mic. That would also leave you room to ditch headsets entirely and get a good pair of headphones :D.

My brother uses a snowball mic when we play online and it sounds really good. Like this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_X4-WAbRGV7E7P

Hey AltusJ, thanks for the kind words - the feedback is much appreciated! It's definitely a learning curve but I hope speaking to myself will become natural over time :)

I'm currently using the Blue Snowball Ice - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=twister_B0168R7CKY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Yea I noticed the echo too - any recommendations on sound proofing?

Thanks again

Blue Microphones Snowball Black iCE Condenser Microphone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_7fPMxb9B7X9MA

Or

CAD U37 USB Studio Condenser Recording Microphone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AIQGUO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_EhPMxb30B1DH1


How big is the sound difference and what is more bang for the Buck?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Snowball-iCE-USB-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1509886858&sr=1-3&keywords=blue%2Byeti&th=1
If you have some money to spare this is a brilliant microphone for the price.

Blue Snowball decent starting mic ~$50
it's where I started before I upgraded to the audiotechnia I have today

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-Black-iCE/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1468396156&sr=8-2&keywords=blue+snowball+mic

This is what I use, I would buy a pop filter with it. You said not a lot of money but that has different meanings so this is what I considered cheap. Seriously though if you buy this the extra $7 for a pop filter is so worth it.

I had no idea what kind of mic could be described as a dildo, so for anyone else curious, it's just your average shotgun mic.

Since those tend to be pricy, a viable alternative would be something like the Blue Microphones Yeti or the Snowball.

Regarding shotguns, this one seems to be the best option within a reasonable price point, but the others will give a much richer sound to your voice as they have a frequency range that extends to 20 versus the shotgun's 90. Additionally, the shotgun is a condenser that requires a Phantom power line, typically from an audio interface (I don't trust much in the way of XLR to USB), which is an additional step/cost/complication.

Like the other commenter stayed, beautiful voice.

My critique would be to buy an actual mic. Blue snowball is a pretty great beginner condenser mic. Later down the road you could play with some dynamic mics but you can literally do some great recordings with the blue snowball mic alone.
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-Condenser-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=blue%2Bsnowball%2Bmicrophone&qid=1564511189&s=gateway&sprefix=blue%2Bsnowb&sr=8-3&th=1&psc=1


If you get the blue snowball I would say make some individual tracks. Example would be one track for vocals, another for your instrument and that would allow you to further tweak your recordings accordingly.

The Blue Snowball is one of the most popular budget-friendly mics ever. It's always gotten positive reviews.

I use the Blue Yeti, another popular mic, and I can recommend it!

Would this mic and stand be better?
mic
stand
pop filter

It's pricey, I won't lie. Besides a DAW (unless you use something free like Audacity or something) You only need a USB mic, which can run you like $50-$80(This one is nice for the price). Everything else can be added with time. Get it done man. You remind me of Quentin Miller, most def would like to hear more of your tracks man.

Have you looked at the blue snowball?

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483511998&sr=8-1&keywords=snowball

I would strongly recommend the Super Lux 668B and the Blue Snowball iCE

Blue snowball is on sale right now here is the black version of it.

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowball-iCE-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1495725310&sr=1-2&keywords=blue+snowball

The Blue Snowball iCE is great! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014PYGTUQ/ref=twister_B075MTR76Q?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1