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Deirdre · Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 10:23 am Post subject: USB Mic Recommendations?

Hey Gang—

One of my pals does a podcast about game audio. His forté is in-game sounds like footsteps and race cars.

It's time he got a decent mic for his VOICE.
What do you like for USB mics?
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Frank F · Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 11:50 am Post subject:

Deebs, is he looking for portable or studio?

With his forte' in mind the Blue Spark Digital is a very nice choice although it has a unique shock mount. (Around $199.00 USD)

The Avid Vocal Studio mic is not terrible, but can be shrill for effects type sounds.

MXL has a couple of decent tools while Samson, Apogee, and Rode offer a few with good qualities as well. Stay away from a USB mic which only offers 44.1 kHz sampling and/or stereo USB products; these provide diminished levels of quality reproduction.

Forget the Snowballs, or the Podcaster style mics for SFX AND voice over recording, these usually are tuned poorly. The price may be right with some selections, but the quality is less than stellar.

Choose a mic which sounds a bit brighter than you would think desirable, it will benefit the production of vocals, VO, and SFX in post.

Frank F
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Deirdre · Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 12:27 pm Post subject:

Just need something for voice this time. USB for podcasting.

Thanks!
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kkuhlken · Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 12:31 pm Post subject:

I have an Audio Technica AT2020 USB and am happy with it.
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Jason Huggins · Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 1:42 pm Post subject:

I have an Apopee MiC, but (had they been available) I would rather have gotten the Blue Spark Digital. It has a full size diaphragm and the headphone jack for now latency monitoring g. They both can do iOS or USB, but the Apogee MiC doesn't play well with PCs (though I have heard that there is a way to get them to communicate).

If I was buying a USB mic today, it'd be the Spark Digital.

cyclometh · Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 2:17 pm Post subject:

I'm still not sure I'm sold on USB mics. There are portable USB interfaces that can work with a normal XLR mic, so you can get the best of both worlds. The trade-off is of course price, so there is that to consider.

That said, I've heard good things about the AT2020, and it sounds good to my ears when I've heard recordings done with it.
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Deirdre · Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 2:27 pm Post subject:

Yes, indeed! Thank you for all these ideas and reminders.
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Bill Campbell · DC Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 621

The Samson CO3U sounds really good. Full and fairly low noice. Part of what makes it good is it's a supercardioid so it picks up a bit less room reflection.

I've owned two for five years or so with no issues. They're road mics for my wife and I. No complaints from clients.
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todd ellis · Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 8:07 pm Post subject:

i'm going with my standard - micport pro + mic of choice.
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chuckweis · Contributor IV Joined: 27 Feb 2008 Posts: 136

I was actually pretty amazed at the sound quality of the MXL USB.009, hearing a VO guy use it on a couple demo reads.

captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

My votes would be , Blue Yeti, Samson CO3U, Audio Technica 2020, Avid Producer/Vocal Studio.. in that order.. I have used all of these mics..

georgethetech · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 1:49 am Post subject:

Shure pg42usb has had an excellent track record among my clients.
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