USB Podcast Microphone Reviews and Round Up

June 17, 2008

Lucas sent me an email asking my recommendation on a good USB microphone since he’s launching the SchoolbusCast in August (8/8/08, I believe). I could have just brushed him off and told him to get the first thing that came to my mind but I happen to take microphones seriously. I have a degree in audio engineering, I’ve logged hundreds if not thousands of hours in studios working on projects by Gold, Platinum and Grammy-winning artists like Phil Collins, Boyz to Men, Taj Mahal, recording my music for TV and my own voice overs and new media projects. I know the importance of a good microphone. I wanted Lucas to have the benefit of my experience in picking the best mic for his budget.

And that budget was $50 to $200 all-in. Now he already has a computer and Garageband and a copy of the free audio recording/editing program Audacity so really, all that was left to get him podcasting was the mic. For that budget range there are a number of pretty decent options.

Let’s start at the lowest price entry, the Samson C01U. Now, Samson’s been around making pro audio equipment for quite a while and their reputation for quality at a decent price is quite good. The Samson C01U (U for USB) is a very simple USB-powered condenser mic that weighs a bit more than it looks which gives it a nice substantial feel often reserved for more expensive microphones. Sound quality is pretty darned good for a mic this cheap though and if you have more than one USB port available you can plug in a pair of C01U’s for doing interviews. For a USB condenser mic, it’s pretty quiet though if you’re recording in a noisy or ambient environment expect it to pick that up as well (as most condensers do). The Samson C01U has an internal pre-amplifier to help you get good levels going into your computer but the controls of that preamp are software only and need to be accessed from your computer and as in most lower-end preamps if you set it too low and try to boost the volume level later with compression or gain while mixing you’ll definitely notice the noise. But once you get your levels set properly for your recording environment and your voice, you’ll probably be pretty impressed at how decent a microphone you just bought for under 80 bucks. My only criticism is that I can’t see holding this mic in-hand for too long (handling will add noticeable noise as your hand shifts) and (for optimal vibration reduction) the spider-mount is an optional purchase which will cost you another 30 bucks or so. Plus you’ll have to buy a desktop mic stand for another ten bucks or so. It does come with a 10 foot USB cable and an adapter so you can clip it to any standard mic stand.

Next up, price-wise is the Alesis USB Podcasting Kit. I’ve recommended the Alesis USB Podcasting Kit to a few people who were looking to upgrade from that $15 Radio Shack mic and have loved it and after listening to the results of their new sound, I have to say I’m a fan. What I really like about the Alesis USB Podcasting Mic is that the microphone (also a condenser) sounds really full in the low mids where generally you’ll find the meat of any voice. I’ve owned (and still own) quite a number of Alesis products over the years and I’ve found them to be affordable, good sounding and reliable (to a point) though perhaps a tiny, tiny bit noisier than their more expensive counterparts. Nearly all of the Alesis gear I’ve bought but no longer have died on me a few years after purchase (usually some electronic component like a resistor gone bad and it being more cost effective to replace rather than repair) but if this USB Podcasting Kit mic lasts you that long, you’ll definitely be getting your money’s worth. Like all USB mics, in my humble opinion, they are just intermediate steps leading to more professional sounding (and costing) equipment. The Alesis USB Podcasting Kit mic has a volume control right on the front (easy to accidentally hit if you’re not careful while recording) and requires no drivers or control panels to install in Mac OSX or Windows. It also comes complete with a mic stand, (cheap, but decent) headphones and a version of Audacity (which of course can be downloaded for free off the net). You can generally buy the Alesis USB Podcasting Kit for under a hundred bucks, which makes it a really great deal and a great step toward better sounding podcasts.

If you’re looking for a USB microphone with a high-end pedigree but low-end pricetag, look no further than the Blue Snowball. Blue is known for their higher-end studio microphones which sound amazing. Superb quality and innovative design are hallmarks of Blue’s microphones and the Snowball is no exception. Sure the Snowball is the lowest price Blue microphone on the market but like it’s higher-priced brethren it has a very open sound with great high-end reproduction. (Can you tell I’m in love with this mic?) The Blue Snowball sounds outstanding, just make sure you install their high-gain firmware update (if needed) because there’s no volume control on the Snowball or a control panel volume window. However if you have the high-gain firmware installed you shouldn’t see a problem with having enough level, in fact you may even need to reach around to the back of your Blue Snowball and switch on the -10dB pad so you don’t overdrive it if you’re recording something like a guitar amp or yourself screaming. The Blue Snowball comes with a geeky little tripod that looks cool but always seems like it’lll be too easy to knock over by accident (it is sturdy though) and a USB cable. If you really want to make it look as cool as possible, buy the optimal shock mount for it so it doesn’t pick up vibrations such as computer/hard drive fans from your desktop surface.

Last but certainly not least, is the Samson G Track USB Microphone and Audio Interface. Yes, it’s a mouthful but this mic claims to do a lot of things for a little price tag. First off it’s a USB microphone of course but what the Samson G Track USB Microphone also brings to the table is a built-in audio interface and mixer, allowing simultaneous input of vocals and guitar, bass, or keyboard while also providing monitoring through an on board headphone output. Record vocals like a standard USB microphone or two mono instruments through the line/instrument input or a mix of one mono instrument and vocal. Now you can directly record vocals and instruments easily with one device, making the G-Track a fairly decent addition any songwriter’s mobile studio setup. What I definitely really like about the G-Track is that it has a built-in headphone jack so you can monitor your input without any latency (delay caused by computer processing). Latency is a problem with nearly any computer recording setup and can be distracting sometimes while recording so this feature is great for vocals, voice-overs and overdubs. The G-Track also has on-board volume controls for the mic and your inputs making it a small mixer as well. It includes a desktop microphone stand, swivel stand mount, USB cable and all the cables needed to connect any musical instrument with a standard 1/4-inch or RCA output. Cakewalk’s Sonar LE is also included while the G-Track works brilliantly with Apple’s GarageBand.

As I mentioned, a USB microphone is a great option to improve your sound without hurting your wallet too much. Personally, my choice is going with a really good standard microphone and a separate decent audio interface but you can’t beat the ease and convenience of a USB powered mic that you can just plug in and go. Sure, you may not get the same sound quality as if you stepped up to a professional sounding vocal microphone like a Heil Sound PR-40 Dynamic Studio Recording Microphone or Shure SM7B Dynamic Cardioid Studio Vocal Microphone but any of the USB Podcasting microphones listed above will do the job and hopefully get you on your way so that more expensive pro-level gear will become necessary as your podcasting endeavors continue.

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