{"id":8608,"date":"2025-12-17T10:27:54","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T10:27:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/licensing.routenote.com\/blog\/?p=8608"},"modified":"2025-12-17T10:27:55","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T10:27:55","slug":"what-microphone-is-best-for-youtubers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/licensing.routenote.com\/blog\/what-microphone-is-best-for-youtubers\/","title":{"rendered":"A YouTubers guide to choosing a microphone"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Good audio has a substantial effect on viewer retention. Well recorded dialogue and sound makes viewers stay, while poor quality audio risks a mass exodus. Having good quality sound effects the perceived production value of your content. It&#8217;s also less distracting, making it easier for you to comunicate your message. In this post we take a quick look at the different types of mic available, how content and location influence the choice, then five picks covering different budgets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Microphone choices for a YouTuber<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>First off, lets break down the various types of microphone&#8217;s suitable for content creation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>USB condenser<\/strong>: <br>USB makes it convenient as you can plug-and-play, Condenser mics are sensitive and great for voiceovers, podcasts and sit-down streams. These mic&#8217;s sound best in treated rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>XLR condenser<\/strong>:<br> The XLR Condenser tends to offer a more studio-grade professional sound due to its high sensitivity and warmth. Note, they will need an audio interface\/preamp and often 48V phantom power to make recordings. Great for voiceovers and music in controlled spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dynamic (USB\/XLR)<\/strong>:<br> Dynamic mic&#8217;s are less sensitive and are better at rejecting room noise. This makes them ideal for untreated rooms, live performance, and loud sources. The worlds most popular and famous microphone, The Shure SM58 is a dynamic mic and as such is the industry standard mic for live recording.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Lavalier (lapel)<\/strong>:<br> These small discreet mics clip to clothing and as such maintain a constant distance from the mouth. They are excellent for on-the-move talking, interviews and \u201cin shot\u201d use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Shotgun \/ on-camera<\/strong>:<br> These microphones are highly directional and mainly pick up sound in front of them. They can be mounted on camera or a boom. This makes them good for run-and-gun outdoor work or when you need the mic to be out of frame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Finding the perfect microphone for your type of content<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.getmulberry.com\/hubfs\/shutterstock_2056726472.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><figcaption>Image courtesy of Mulberry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you understand the different microphone types, it\u2019s time to choose the one that best fits the content you create. Different filming situations call for different audio solutions, so let\u2019s look at a few common scenarios and the microphones that work best for each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Voiceovers<\/strong>:<br>A large-diaphragm condenser (XLR) or a high-quality USB condenser gives warmth and detail. Best sounding mic for quiet indoor spaces and some acoustic treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Piece-to-camera \/ vlogs<\/strong>: <br>Lapel mics (on-shot) or shotgun mics (out-of-shot) Great if you are filming a lot outdoors or in busy rooms as the shotgun helps reject side noise; lavs are great for mobility where you plan on being active.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Music \/ live performance<\/strong>: <br>If you are a youtuber specialising in music and capturing live recordings pick mics rated for high SPL. Dynamic mics are ideal for loud sources so also good for capturing noisy environments such as sporting footage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Indoors vs outdoors<\/strong>: <br>Decide whether you will predominantly be shooting outside or inside. condensers are sensitive and pick up ambient noise outdoors; dynamics and shotguns work better outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In-shot vs out-of-shot<\/strong>: <br>For most video content, having the mic out of site is preferable. However some youtubers who shoot from a curated space will often use the mic as a feature. This is where an aesthetically pleasing mic can look fantastic. Alternatively a lav mic is small enough to be discreet and not distract from the footage. If you need the mic to be hidden then best to go shotgun or condenser on a boom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Five strong choices for every budget<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Entry \/ ultra-cheap \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ukdigital.co.uk\/boya-by-m1-lavalier-lapel-microphone.html\">BOYA BY-M1<\/a> (lavalier)<\/strong><br>Tiny, wired lapel that works with phones, cameras and recorders \u2014 excellent for walking vlogs and interviews on a tight budget. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/71O3-ZwC2gS.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"462\" height=\"462\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Budget \/ beginner \u2014 <a href=\"http:\/\/Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB\">Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB<\/a> (dynamic, USB\/XLR)<\/strong><br>Versatile handheld with USB for plug-and-play and XLR for upgrade paths \u2014 great for noisy rooms because the dynamic capsule rejects ambient noise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/thepodcasthaven.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/atr2100.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"578\" height=\"308\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Midrange \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.logitechg.com\/en-gb\/shop\/p\/yeti-premium-usb-microphone.988-000232?utm_source=Google&amp;utm_medium=Paid-Search&amp;utm_campaign=DEPT_FY26_QX_GBR_GA_G_DTX-LogiG-Shopping_Google_na&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=21261229099&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADDQ2Oyvznc8h3DNap3HnLYwc_5q1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiAxonKBhC1ARIsAIHq_lsrW4wOlaxU6_HumNJQLCgVTNrX0emL6YMfkIfjZuNuKQtx-YHPSBgaAsJMEALw_wcB\">Blue Yeti USB Microphone<\/a> (USB condenser)<\/strong><br>A hugely popular choice for YouTubers, podcasters, and streamers thanks to its excellent sound quality, versatile pickup patterns (including cardioid, omnidirectional, and bidirectional), plug-and-play USB convenience and useful desk stand. A flexible all-around mic for content creators, it also has an aesthetically pleasing look with it&#8217;s striking Blue colour way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media.gq.com\/photos\/5d811af43a215a000947c1b6\/4:3\/w_1500,h_1125,c_limit\/yeti-mic-gq-recommends-lede-0917.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"551\" height=\"413\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>On-camera \/ outdoors \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/rode.com\/en-gb\/products\/videomic-pro-plus\">R\u00d8DE VideoMic Pro+<\/a> (shotgun)<\/strong><br>Directional, battery\/plug options and wind protection make this a top pick for run-and-gun vlogging and outdoor capture when the mic sits out of frame. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com\/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSrmgRkeAzE-6QRcg2Awn3uuY-fXPFEfsZI1g&amp;s\" alt=\"\" width=\"464\" height=\"260\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Pro \/ studio \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/products.electrovoice.com\/na\/es\/re20\">Electro-Voice RE20<\/a> (dynamic XLR)<\/strong><br>For professional voiceovers, podcasts, and music recording, this choice represents the broadcast-standard, delivering exceptional results. The <strong>Electro-Voice RE20<\/strong> offers a neutral, detailed sound with Variable-D technology that minimises proximity effect, making it perfect for consistent vocal tone even when moving slightly on mic. As it is a XLR  it requires an audio interface and plenty of clean gain, but they\u2019re outstanding long-term investments for serious creators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.xingosoftware.com\/audioxpress\/images\/fetch\/dpr_1\/https%3A%2F%2Faudioxpress.com%2Fassets%2Fupload%2Fimages%2F1%2F20201203120103_Electro-Voice-EV-RE20-BlackFrontWeb.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"506\" height=\"379\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that your voiceover and dialogue sound top-quality, it\u2019s time to match them with equally high-quality music and sound effects. RouteNote Licensing delivers premium, copyright-safe audio solutions at exceptional value with our $4.99 subscription. Give your content the audio it deserves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>At RouteNote Licensing, we&#8217;re dedicated to making the process of finding professional, safe, and high-quality production music as easy as possible.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/licensing.routenote.com\/\">Click Here<\/a> to Start Your Claim-Safe Journey Today!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Good audio has a substantial effect on viewer retention. Well recorded dialogue and sound makes viewers stay, while poor quality audio risks a mass exodus. Having good quality sound effects the perceived production value of your content. It&#8217;s also less distracting, making it easier for you to comunicate your message. In this post we take a quick look at the different types of mic available, how content and location influence the choice, then five picks covering different budgets. Microphone choices for a YouTuber First off, lets break down the various types of microphone&#8217;s suitable for content creation. USB condenser: USB&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":8614,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1838,279,1,2349,277,282],"tags":[147,4495,161,142,3813,2984,2883,15,148],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>A YouTubers guide to choosing a microphone - RouteNote Licensing Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Choosing a microphone is an important step for any YouTuber looking to level up the quality of their videos. 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