If you want to stream your basic podcasts or even gaming sessions, having a good quality audio is as equal as a good quality video. In this article, we will be looking at some of the best microphone setups. Especially, for streaming, gaming and podcasting.
Before starting on with the actual information, there are some things that need to be cleared. All of the products that are being discussed in this article are one of the best in their respective sector. And the products are tested by our expert team on a personal basis. So, we are not only giving you products that are good based on public reviews.
We are personally hand testing them, each one, to make sure that you have just the perfect thing for your purpose.
For the convenience of the information, this article will be divided into separate sections. At the very first, we will be discussing the basic features of the product. After that there will be a buyer’s guide for you to understand the products even more.
Best microphone setup for streaming
Shure MV7 Podcast Microphone
This is pretty much one of the best options for you. In the case where you want to focus on The Voice as much as possible with premium studio quality. If you want to create musical content or even if you want your voice to sound in a way that you are dreaming of, the MV7 is the best recommendation.
It is one of the first line of hybrid microphone produced by the manufacturer. It is able to provide premium grade sound quality with the most minimal setup and expertise and as simple as USB plug and play. No special mixing and audio engineering required. It is easily one of the best microphone setup for streaming.
It is really a premium quality hybrid microphone that will provide even the veteran streamers a serious upgrade in terms of audio deliver quality.
Specifications
- USB, XLR connectivity
- Integrated touch panel for microphone controls
- Unidirectional cardioid polar pattern
Positive sides
- High quality vocal clarity
- Hybrid connectivity
- Versatile
- Easy to use software
Negative sites
- No microphone stand
- Uses micro USB
Blue Yeti X – One of the best microphone setup for streaming
The company blue has been manufacturing premium quality and studio microphones for a long time. All of the products from this manufacturer always have a place on every top list for microphone equipment. It is also a hybrid model of the original Yeti.
Those who know about microphone and setups quite well, have obviously heard of the blue Yeti. There are a lot of new microphones entering into the market. But still, this product stands still as a reliable recommendation for everyone who is looking for a proper quality mic.
It features a premium architecture with LED front panel. This panel gives the user better handling of the system. It is still the choice of many professional and popular podcasters.
Specifications
- Stereo audio recording
- USB
- Zero latency monitoring
- Smart knob controls
- Cardioid
- Bidirectional
Positive sides
- Best sound microphone
- LED front panel
- Easy software
Negative sounds
- Low stand
- Delicate ports
HyperX SoloCast – best microphone setup for streaming within a budget
The hyperX solocast Is one of the best items in the “budget” microphone. It is comparatively new in the market. And also, it has proper performance if you compare the price with the expensive siblings.
It is a very minimal microphone, prioritizing the quality of the sound over anything else or any other accessories.
With the software from Jlab and Razer, microphone offers astonishing high-quality sound. It stands above the others because it focuses more on the quality rather than just the features. As a budget microphone should be, it targets the factor of cost cutting at the best. But yet, it prioritizes the quality of the sound over anything else.
Specifications
- Unidirectional cardioid polar pattern
- USB
- 48 kilohertz sampling rates
- Tap to mute sensor
Positive sides
- Sounds nearly identical to quadcast Mic
- best budget
- Portable design
Negative sides
- Mike does not have gain control
RODE NT USB-Mini
Just by the name of the company, you can already understand about the quality of the product. It is one of the best manufacturers of audio equipment. Specially, recording equipment. The microphone features a cardioid pattern with high quality voice control and filtration systems.
as we don’t want to get carried away about the basic specs of the product. Let’s look at the specifications and pros and cons of the product.
Specifications
- Cardioid
- USB
- 48 kilohertz sampling
- Zero latency monitoring
Positive sides
- Great sound
- Compact design
- Decent software
Negative sides
- Small issues with background noise
Hyper X quadcast S
This product is literally the go to solution for any fashionable and quality centric gamer. Even if you are a streamer on audio only, audio plus video. It is one of the best and premium solutions that you can ever have as a microphone setup.
Mainly gamer centric hyper X quadcast as is one of the best solutions for a microphone setup. It is compatible for both gamer or streamer as well as podcasters and studio recording options.
It features a clear mic, easy to use interface so that anyone can use it without any type of “studio like” knowledge. Despite of the fact that it does not exactly match up to the blue Yeti X in terms of sound quality, this product itself makes up for quite a reputation in the design and the feature set.
Specifications
- Bidirectional
- Omni directional with stereo feature
- USB
- Built in shock mount
Positive sides
- Plug and play
- Touch sensitive mute button
- Shock Mount
- RGB lighting
Negative sides
- Comparatively high in budget
Elgato Wave 3
This product is pretty much one of the most minimal items that you’re going to get. It is one of the best microphones for streaming and gaming. This product is pretty much aimed at streamers to add quality to their streams with the minimum of harassment.
The wave three is a compact product with 96 kilohertz specification that sounds literally incredible. It is pretty much just plug and play and no mixing required. And the most amazing part about it is that it is compatible with most of the desk boom arms.
Integrated digital audio mixer into the microphone supports up to 8 channels of audio. The microphone has compatibility to provide direct output into OBS studios and Xplicit.
Specifications
- Cardioid
- USB
- 96 KH
- Capacitive Mute
- volume control
- Volume gain control
Positive sides
- Clear audio
- Digital mixer
- Simple mounting technology
Negative sides
- Single polar pattern
Razer Seiren Mini
this is one of the obnoxiously adorable pieces of hardware that anyone would want to put on their desk instantly. As much as streamers go, getting proper quality as well as having that visual appearance is really important.
And it is definitely something that you would love to put on your desk. The stylish design and variety of color gives it the personality that many other products lack in their list.
Despite of the fact that it is not one of the “best” microphones in this list. It literally makes up the Lacking in the price and the quality of the sound.
Specifications
- Super cardioid
- Forty-eight kilohertz
- USB
- Tap to mute sensor
Positive sides
- Attractive design
- Great sound
Negative sides
- Minimum features
Additional discussion
With the best seven products ready in front of you, it is now time for us to look at some more details. Apart from the fact that streamers need high quality microphone, it is certain that every streamer and every person need to understand their needs.
If you are only looking for gaming, it is a must that you will need a long stand and even a boom arm if possible. And if you are looking for only streaming purposes, you should probably get something that has a better voice range. Because when you are just recording inside your studio, the environment is different. You can easily be near your microphone at all time.
But, when you are recording for streaming purposes or if you are live streaming your video game sessions or podcasts, you need a bit more range with proper noise cancellation. It is because, when you are live streaming, you might not be within the same distance at all time with the microphone. And, you will need proper noise cancellation as the range is comparatively higher.
Things that you need to remember before purchasing a microphone
As promised, here is a detailed discussion on a buyer’s guide about getting the best microphone setup for streaming.
Keep in mind that, the need of the overall quality might vary from people to people. You need to organize and carry out the checklist by yourself. Here is a basic list of things that you need to keep in your mind.
Do a quick study about the range
If you look at the mikes that people usually use for concerts, they can hold the mic pretty much far away from their mouth. And, if you look at any of the studio videos, you will see that the singers or the sound recorders hold the mic close to their face. It is because of the range of the microphone.
Different type of range effect the audio quality in different matter. If you are recording or streaming in a confined space that has no exterior sound, you can easily sacrifice some of the range that you have on the mic.
But you need to organize and get a proper understanding about what range do you need.
Microphone stand is A plus
Having a microphone stand with the microphone as a bundle gives you a little bit of head start. It doesn’t mean that the microphones that do not have a stand included is to be avoided. But, it would help a lot if it does.
Look for additional features
Any microphone that might have built in equalizer or built-in gain control will give you a lot of benefits. It is because you won’t need any type of fancy setup and you can easily just plug and play the whole system with ease.
More feature does not mean better
There are some middle range microphones that offer a ton of feature just for attracting attention. We do recognize that all of those microphone do actually have that much of a feature. But it is not that much necessary. Sometimes, due to cost cutting, the manufacturers either sacrificed the feature or the sound quality.
All cases, we would urge you to focus on the sound quality as much as possible. As some of the premium features can easily be controlled via a simple software installed in your computer or in your smartphone.
FAQ about best microphone setup for streaming
What is a polar pattern?
A polar pattern is basically the determining factor of the direction that a microphone can receive audio signal. For any type of streaming or gaming purpose, you would want a microphone with a polar pattern that only picks up sound directly in front of the microphone. And not from the sides or from the back.
It helps the noise cancellation and getting just the proper focus on your voice the best. Imagine that you are recording or streaming a session. And something is slightly making a noise behind the microphone, which might be even behind your monitor. You wouldn’t want that sound to get picked up by the microphone.
What should be the ideal recording quality?
Audio quality is one of the most important things. But it is never everything. But still, you have to prioritize the audio quality over anything else. Some of the recording features or additional features of the microphone can be easily overlooked if the audio quality is decent.
Microphone boom arm, shock mount, pop filter- necessary or not?
It actually depends on the setup that you have on your desk. We recommend shock mount over anything else as it helps to reduce the sound of the wires moving.
If you record a microphone while holding it in your hands, you may notice that whenever the wires of the microphone are moving, it captures that sound. And it just makes the whole audio nasty. So getting a boom arm and a shock mount is more important than a pop filter.
But if you want that additional bit of enhancement, a pop filter actually works.
But among the discussed three items, boom arm and shock mount are basically more important rather than getting a pop filter.
