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Integrated pop filters can help silence distracting popping sounds when you’re speaking close to the grille, but these aren’t essential for high sound quality. But it’s natural to want want the highest recording quality that your budget allows for, which is probably why the Blue Yeti remains so popular.
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None of the mics on this list sound bad, or else they wouldn’t be here. It’s fine to shop cheaper, though, if you only want a USB microphone for merely occasional use. In truth, $100-150 is still relatively low by dedicated microphone standards, and you can get several rich-sounding mics in this price range alone. As such the first thing you may wish to consider is price: do you try to stick with a cheap $50 model, or spend over $100 for a more fully-featured model? How to choose the best USB microphone for youĪll of the best USB microphones have broadly similar form factors and, of course, connectivity. A full set of cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional and stereo modes are on hand too, though once again this doesn’t overcomplicate things if you just want to pop in the USB cable and go. If you’re willing to spend a little more for some hardware extras, the QuadCast S has you covered. Gamers and streamers in particular might appreciate this extra touch of flashiness - after all, who says a USB device can’t look interesting?Ĭlean, clear recording quality also ensures that the QuadCast S isn’t just a shiny bauble, and the built-in shock mount and pop filter help out too. We’re fans of the standard HyperX QuadCast, and the QuadCast S model ups its game by adding customizable RGB lighting around the grille. It’s also got a range of directional recording patterns, which can be useful if you want to record multiple speakers with a single low-cost mic.
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Despite being over a decade old, no other mic in the Yeti’s class has fully bested its combination of affordability, ease of use, build quality and detail-rich recording capability.Īnother great option is the JLab Talk, a slightly cheaper USB microphone that nonetheless stands up on sound quality. Our choice as the overall best USB mic is the Blue Yeti.
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