When you’re shopping for a gaming microphone, the last thing you want is audio that sounds like it came from a well. You might believe that getting the lowest-cost option available online is the greatest approach to go. However, this isn’t true. While pricing is significant, there are other factors to consider as well.
We are sure you want o buy g a decent gaming microphone for yourself, but there are a lot of options out there, and we’re going to guess that many of them will leave you disappointed. To help prevent that from happening today we’ll be going over several aspects that will contribute to your decision in terms of which mic is right for you. For a great suggestion, you can click here.
Let’s get started!
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Microphone Pick
Up Pattern How close do you want your voice? In other words, what kind of environment is best suited for? Is it an open area or a small room? Large rooms tend to have echoes and reverb so keep this in mind when selecting your microphone. Pickup Patterns come in two main types: Omnidirectional and Cardioid.
Omnidirectional mics are best for capturing sounds from all directions whereas cardioid mics are better suited for close proximity recording, especially where there are many noises around the mic so it can focus on your voice.
What is Noise Reduction?
If you’re buying a gaming mic that has noise reduction capabilities, look into how much outside noise will be reduced or eliminated by that particular mic, because the higher the frequency of external sound to signal ratio, the more effective noise cancellation will be. If you’re playing video games with this mic then having low levels of background noise may give an advantage to your team or yourself.
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Size & Shape
If you’re going with a condenser microphone, keep in mind that it will require phantom power to operate which can reduce noise so always check with your device before making a purchase. Condensers tend to be large and bulky whereas dynamic mics are the opposite of both the above-mentioned qualities.
Some gaming microphones like the Blue Yeti also have more options for attaching them onto stands or arms of different shapes and sizes. This is very useful if you want to place your mic somewhere where it won’t take up much space on your desk (like under monitor arms) and/or if you don’t want something long hanging off your monitor arm. Some of these arms also support 360-degree rotation and pivot of the microphone, so if you’re not completely sure where you want it on your desk just yet then put it on an arm and rotate and orient it until you find a spot.
Headset vs Stand Alone
There are pros and cons to both options. Headsets generally will have more features for noise cancellation and recording than stand-alone mics would but they also tend to be smaller in size which may cause them not to sound as good or get in the way of certain activities such as typing. If you’re going for a headset we recommend that you look into some wired rather than wireless headsets since we believe wired is better when it comes to headsets in general.
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Accessories & Mounts
Since gaming headsets tend to be quite large, you will want a mic that allows for rotational and/or pivot movement so that you can move your microphone out of the way or rotate it so that no one but yourself is looking at the back of it when you’re using voice chat. Some mics come with shock mounts built-in which helps reduce internal vibrations and noise from transferring to the microphone and onto the recording device. If your budget allows for this then we recommend going with a mic that has either of these two things otherwise don’t worry too much about them as they hardly improve audio quality anyways.
Frequency Of A Microphone
Every mic has a different range of frequencies which is measured in Hertz (Hz). The higher the Hz, the more crystal clear and clean your voice can sound. If you’re playing games like Overwatch or CS: GO then you will want to find a microphone with a high-frequency response (for example, 20-15000 Hz) since these types of games require precise audio input such as hearing footsteps from far away distances.
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Price & Value
Now for an area that doesn’t really affect audio quality but is still worth mentioning, price and value. We think that even if the product is cheap it shouldn’t mean much because we believe there are plenty of good quality mics out there at decent prices so don’t always go for the cheapest one, look around and compare which mics have good audio quality for their price instead. That being said, if you’re going with a headset then it’s understandable that they will cost more than stand-alone microphones since they also will have built-in audio processing features.
Recording Quality
If you’re looking for a mic to use in games like CS: GO or Overwatch then we highly recommend dynamic microphones due to their high noise cancellation capabilities and overall great recording clarity. The Rode Procaster takes our #1 spot with its low self-noise of 5dBA (self-noise is when background noises make it into the microphone) and high recording quality. It’s a dynamic microphone that comes with an XLR cable, shock mount, and carrying case for easy transportation to LAN events or gaming tournaments.
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Conclusion
We hope we’ve been able to help you discover the best microphone for gaming and live streaming. The features you require are determined by the usage you wish to provide the microphone and your specific situation. If you already have a decent pair of headphones, consider buying a tiny mic that clips on. If you want a long-term solution, invest in a dedicated microphone. Even though there are alternatives on the market that are excellent value for money and work wonderfully if you choose to buy an inexpensive microphone, keep in mind that you’re receiving what you paid for at the end of the day.
