Looking to buy one of the best microphone for YouTube but not 100% sure about one that suits better to your requirements, budget and needs?
We’re here to help!
Our team of experts have included in this guide some of the best YouTube microphones that you could choose from & also reviewed them in-depth so you could easily find all the info related to one you might be planning to get.
So, following are the top 10 microphone for YouTube that we highly recommend.
| Name | Frequency | Current Price |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Yeti USB | 20Hz - 20kHz | |
| Apogee MiC 96k | 20 Hz - 18 kHz | |
| Focusrite Scarlett Solo Studio | 20Hz - 20kHz | |
| Rode NT1A | 20Hz - 20kHz | |
| Rode NT-USB | 20Hz - 20kHz | |
| AKG C214 Professional | 20Hz - 20kHz | |
| Audio-Technica AT2035 | 20Hz - 20kHz | |
| Blue Snowball iCE | 40 Hz – 18 kHz | |
| Shure SM7B | 50 Hz - 20 kHz | |
| Samson Go Mic | 20Hz - 18kHz |
YouTube Microphones 2020 Review
1) Blue Yeti USB Microphone
The microphone that scored top most spot in our guide is the Blue Yeti USB Microphone.
Features & Specifications
The blue Yeti microphone seems pretty popular for YouTube, podcasts and for all types of other recording situations. it’s a multi-pattern USB microphone that is super easy to use.
It’s simple plug and play so you simply connect the USB cable to your computer, select blue Yeti microphone as your input device and you are good to go. It doesn’t require you to install any specific drivers or works of Windows and on Mac as long as you have a free USB port.
The blue Yeti contains three condenser microphones that you can configure in a variety of different patterns to capture sounds in all sorts of situations. it comes with four distinct polar patterns to choose from.
Other important features include at bottom of Yeti instead of hairy feet you will find a mini USB port, includes a microphone jack, a standard threaded 5/8 of an inch microphone mount on front of microphone, includes a volume knob as well as a mute button for quickly turning microphone on and off etc.
On back you will find a selector for polar pattern and also gain knob that allows to control how sensitive the microphone is to sound. The blue Yeti comes with a very solid high-quality metallic microphone stand however the capsule itself weighs 0.55 of a kilo so it’s about 1.2 pounds and the stand is about 2.2 pounds making it little heavier.
It’s a USB powered microphone so it doesn’t need any batteries. The vibrations it picks is almost nil when compared to most other options available in same price range making it a reliable choice.
So, overall it is a great and an affordable microphone having features of a studio quality mic making it reliable and one of the best choice to be used for YouTube videos.
2) Apogee MiC 96k
The second most recommended choice is the Apogee MiC 96k Professional Quality Microphone.
Features & Specifications
Apogee mic is definitely one of the most flexible devices that we have come across as it works with almost any type od device including but not limited to iPhone, iPad, Mac etc.
It comes with a lightning cable in Box so you can just plug it right into your device and start recording, you won’t need any external power.
It works with pretty much all applications that accepts audio and it works very very well. So, lets see what you’re going to get in package. Within a box you get are quite a few different cables including a lightning cable to hook up to your device, a tripod, a Quick Start Guide, two additional cables one is the traditional old school 30 pin cable for older devices and one is just a standard USB cable and lastly a tripod which is built using fairly solid material.
It is important to mention here that tripod that comes with this mic is fairly small, it’s meant to just sit on your desk it’s not something that you could stand up on the floor and screws directly into the Apogee mic. it’s also built using solid material so you won’t feel like you’re going to break it by handling it rough.
This mic comes with a grill protecting the diaphragm inside and when you hold this mic in hand you will get to know about its solid aluminum build from top to bottom.
Apogee mic comes with a simple gain knob and a little LED indicator. On back of device right below the apogee logo you’ll notice little hole and it’s a standard threaded hole for tripod that comes with it. It EVEN works with standard tripods as well and on the bottom you’ll see another small port for plug that plugs into your device.
So, keeping in view all features mentioned above Apogee MiC 96k Professional Quality Microphone is one of the best choice and well worth the money you’re going to spend.
3) Focusrite Scarlett Solo Studio (2nd Gen)
Making it to third spot when it comes to microphones for YouTube is the Focusrite Scarlett Solo Studio (2nd Gen)
Features & Specifications
Focusrite Scarlett series products are the sort of de facto standard for YouTube video and for a lot of people I know there are a lot of other options but Focusrite Scarlett solo second-generation studio pack is the one that has come extremely highly recommended.
So, taking a look inside of the box what are you going to find of course is the microphone itself. On the front of it you’ll find one XLR port a quarter inch instrument jack or it can also be used as a line in and a quarter inch headphone jack, On the back you’ll find a USB port for output as well as RCA if you want to output speakers, you also get a safety information guide, a really long XLR cable and a USB cable for connecting it to your computer.
You’ll also find included microphone the CM 25 mark 2, it has an XLR jack on the bottom of it and all metal construction having updated branding on back. To know it is the newer model the CM 25 mark and not the original one that came with the first generation studio packs you’ll find the all-metal mounting bracket for the CM 25 which includes a 3/8 inch to 5/8 inch adapter. So, you can put it on a microphone stand properly and you’ll also find the HP 60 mark 2 headphones again upgraded from the original HP 60 headphones included in the first-generation Focusrite Scarlett studio pack. It also comes with an attached audio cable to it that’s a decently long and pretty thick cable. There also an included quarter inch to eighth inch adapter that screws off so you can use it with whatever you want.
When it comes to most important thing i.e. the sound quality it sounds incredible and there is not even slight distortion making this reliable and one of the best mic for YouTube.
So, in view of all features it is great choice and well worth the money you’re going to spend.
4) Rode NT1A
The fourth most recommended choice of YouTubers is the Rode NT1A Condenser Microphone.
Features & Specifications
Rode NT1-A is like the standard microphone for most YouTubers and Vlogger. This mic sounds like what you put in front of it. This mic sounds clear, upfront it sounds natural and it even allows to use mic placement to tweak the sound as needed.
Some people say it’s a little harsh having little high frequency but after testing it we think it sounds most natural and is able to handle loud sources. It is a very quiet microphone just like any premium sounding microphone.
It should be noted here that there is nothing else to this microphone there is no pad, no high pass filter, bass roll-off, there’s no multiple pull other patterns it’s just one cardioid large diaphragm condenser microphone but definitely worth each and every penny due to its studio quality sound.
Road is a well known Australian based company and they make their microphones in-house which is pretty rare these days especially for anything under the thousand-dollar mic range. This mic is not made in China unlike many other mic, it’s made where the company is in Australia in their own factories using their own equipment.
This is also a new version the NT series originally was simply NT-1. So, in view of all specifications and features mentioned in our guide it is definitely a great choice and well worth each and every penny you’re going to spend.
5) Rode NT-USB
Microphone that comes at 5th spot is the Rode NT-USB Condenser Microphone.
Features & Specifications
This is a USB microphone meaning it should work just by plugging it directly into your computer. it is listed as compatible with Mac, PC as well as iPad etc.
let’s talk about what you get in the Box, you get the microphone, a pop shield, a 6-meter USB cable, the microphone stand, microphone mount, you get a carrying pouch, some documentation as well as a two-year warranty and an isle of road microphone sticker.
When it comes to build quality, this microphone feels really nice as it is a full metal body having a metal grill. It also have some really nice weight to it and on the side you have two dials. The top one changes the amount of the sound source that you hear, the bottom dial just controls the headphones volume and last but not the least, it comes with a headphone port for zero latency monitoring.
When it comes to downsides of this mic, the stand is made using plastic and it doesn’t feel that great, another important feature missing is that there is no shock absorption in stand so if you bump your table and you’re using this microphone stand the microphone will pick it up.Pouch on the other hand does have some nice padding in it to protect the microphone.
The frequency response of this mic is 20 Hertz to 20 kilohertz and it offers 16-48 kilohertz recording resolution.
So, making sure all about its specifications and features NT-USB Condenser Microphone is one of the best choice and worth each and every penny you’re going to spend.
6) AKG C214 Professional
Making it to 6th spot is the AKG C214 Professional Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone.
Features & Specifications
AKG C214 large diaphragm condenser microphone is the honorary little sister to renowned AKG C414 which is used for vocals and studios all over the world.
In this article our focus is little more on what we’ve tested it for and that’s voice overs for YouTube. Taking a look around the mic itself apart from the build of it, it got few awesome features like loudness pad, a low-cut filter, a hard case windscreen, a shock Mount making it a reliable choice.
AKG C214 is a very reliable and a good microphone for vocals and voiceovers, it does have little bit of a brighter tone to it and it seems like there’s a portion of top end that don’t get filled well with voice we tested this mic with.
So, we could definitely say that a relatively low and thick voice would be better off on this microphone but as far as a female voice this is a microphone that will capture so many of the nuances and details in the vocal but currently there is no better option out there at least not for a price anywhere close to this mic.
So, keeping in view specifications, features and our test this YouTube microphone is great choice and well worth each and every penny to be spent.
7) Audio-Technica AT2035
YouTube microphone that scored 7th spot is the Audio-Technica AT2035.
Features & Specifications
This is an XLR condenser microphone which means it does require a full 48 volt phantom power to work. What this means is that this microphone will not work plugging directly into your computer and it will also not work with an XLR to USB cable. The way you can connect this microphone to computer is using the scarlett solo USB audio interface with full 48 volt phantom power on and by setting microphone input gain at about 50 percent.
Lets talk about what you get in the Box. Obviously you’re going to get the microphone, a shock mount, you get a plastic version of the 5/8 to 3/8 inch microphone stand adapter, a really nice padded carrying pouch, documentation and a one-year warranty.
So, similar to all the other 20 series microphones the build quality of this mic is pretty awesome. It comes with an all-metal construction, a nice metal grille and some weight to it.
This mic also comes with two options on the back, the first one is a 10 decibel pad which helps when using loud sound sources like a guitar amp and the other is a bass roll-off that cuts little bit of the low frequencies below 80 Hertz.
In order to help with low-frequency rumbles, the shock mount is all plastic but it feels like a relatively sturdy plastic making it a good choice and in order to connect you just need push this mic right in there. There’s no clip or anything that fits right.
This mic also have frequency response rate of 20 Hertz to 20 kilohertz that is pretty much all you can ask for and it also has a cardioid polar pattern making it a reliable choice.
So, keeping in regards all specifications and features Audio-Technica AT2035 is one of the best choice and a big bang for the buck.
8) Blue Snowball iCE
Coming at 8th top most choice is the Blue Snowball iCE condenser microphone.
Features & Specifications
When it comes to Blue Snowball iCE following are things we get in the box i.e. a USB cable which on one side is USB type C and then the other side is USB type B which would be the same as a printer cable. We also get the mantle, the tripod and of course most importantly we get the microphone.
This microphone is very much alike regular snowball as these both are USB microphones and both pick up cardioid. The only difference with snowball is that it also pick up patterns omnidirectional. If you’re going to do voiceovers or vocals and want to save some bucks, iCE is the way to go.
This microphone is a condenser microphone with only one condenser capsule. Regular snowball has two condenser capsule and Yeti has three and these are small microphones that are going to pick a pattern from different places.
Snowball iCE and the regular Snowball have a recording resolution of 44 point one kilohertz at sixteen bit compared to Yeti at 48 kilohertz 16 bit.
In short we do get great sound and branding all around this microphone head. This microphone is basically a plug in play that means that you won’t need any drivers to get it going. The only thing you will need to do is just plug it into your computer or laptop and you’re ready to go.
So, keeping in consideration all the features of this YouTube microphone Blue Snowball iCE is one of the top most choice and well worth the monry you’re going to spend.
9) Shure SM7B
Another good option that made it to our guide is the Shure SM7B Vocal Dynamic Microphone.
Features & Specifications
Shure SM7B cardioid dynamic microphone is used by Joe Rogan to record the Joe Rogan experience podcast, Robin Quivers of the Howard Stern Show and was famously used by Michael Jackson to record thriller.
This microphone comes with a long successful history and is somewhat of an industry standard for those reasons garnered our interests when looking for a replacement for Audio Technica AT2020 which is another starter microphone for anyone looking to get into podcasting or creating YouTube videos.
This mic picks up sound from the front and not so much from the sides or the rear. It also comes with switchable response controls on body allowing users to the input signal processing from bass roll-off that removes low-frequency humming that is usually present.
In case you have multiple microphones in system you will need to set your main hosts microphone to presence boost and finally flat which is ideal for spoken words and narration.
Body of SM7b is shielded against electrical interference so computers and electronics located nearby will not introduce noise. The microphone housing features an internal air suspension shock isolation that’s a tongue twister what this means is you won’t need to purchase a separate shock mount to isolate the mic from physical vibrations. So, due to internal shock isolation it also comes with two windshields i.e. standard and more puffy one making this mic best for people doing voiceovers.
This microphone is an XLR mic so if you’re going to connect it to your computer you will need some decent balanced XLR cables, an audio interface like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 and a cloud lifter Cl1 to bring signals up to usable level.
So, in view of this mic specifications and features it is definitely a good choice and worth each and every penny.
10) Samson Go Mic
The last most recommended choice when it comes to choosing a microphone for YouTube gaming and streaming is the Samson Go Mic.
Features & Specifications
Samson Go Mic is one of the most budget friendly microphone that is definitely a good choice for YouTube videos and voiceovers.
Some features of this mic includes but not limited to being a Portable USB condenser microphone. This is a plug and play microphone that don’t require any drivers and is compatible with almost all devices including but not limited to PC, Mac etc.
This microphone also comes with a custom compact design that could easily clip to a laptop or sit on a desk making it one of the best choice for YouTube video recording, podcasting and for recording music.
This mic is also compatible with almost all the voice recognition software including but not limited to iChat, web casting, VoIP etc.
So, in regards to all features mentioned above Samson Go Mic is one of the best YouTube microphones and being affordable is well worth the money to be spent on.
YouTube Microphones 2020 Buyer’s Guide
We’ve included in this list some of the best microphones for YouTube that you could choose from. Now, its up to you which one you choose according to your budget, needs and requirements.
You can also check out our guide about streaming and gaming microphone or wireless microphone to get all the info about one that better suits to your needs.
Now, its up to you which one you choose after reading review of top pick’s mentioned above.
If you have any concern or questions related to any YouTube mic, feel free to reach out to us or comment below.
We will try our best to help you out as much we could.
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Editor's Review
Summary
Rated After Reviewing Features, Specifications and Budget Requirements
