Cameras and microphones have become part of daily life for many of us during the pandemic. While most external video cameras have built-in microphones, they’re usually only slightly better than using the microphone integrated into a laptop. Unfortunately, the best external microphones are often rather complicated to use. However, the AKG Ara microphone is an excellent dual pattern USB mic, and it’s easy to use.
Shure makes some of the best microphones on the market, and their portfolio just got a bit bigger. They’ve just introduced two new microphones, the Shure MV7X Podcast Microphone and the Shure MV88+ Stereo USB Microphone. Each serves a different kind of creative and, if past experience with Shure microphones holds as I expect it will, both will be awesome.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been testing the Movo MA5L; it’s an omnidirectional condenser microphone that plugs into a Lightning port so that it will work with iPhones and older iPads. It promises to make your Zoom calls sound a bit clearer for the person listening, but there is a major caveat that you should consider before purchasing this particular model.
As a podcaster, having a microphone that can do “a little bit of this, a little bit of that” regardless of the circumstances is ideal. Whether you have an audio interface or simply want to plug it into your computer, the Samson Q9U Professional Broadcast Microphone is a mic that truly grows with you.
Spotify has become the go-to music and podcast streaming service for many with good reason. Breaking the traditional recording industry model and making the release of new material more accessible and monetizable for musicians and content creators, the service has made it possible for unknown talent to break out and for established talent to get their material out to even more listeners. Whether you use Spotify Free or Spotify Premium, you’ll be interested in today’s Spotify Stream On event.
It seems more and more people have started a podcast during the pandemic, and with apps like Clubhouse, Stereo, and Zoom, it’s been made even easier to connect to your community. But how do you do it without spending a fortune on the setup? The answer is with the Shure MV7 Podcast Microphone and Shure AONIC 4 Sound Isolating Earphones.
Whether you’re a streamer on Twitch or starting up a podcast on Anchor, you’re going to need a great microphone. The Shure MV7 Podcast Microphone was made to take recording and streaming to the next level; it’s their first Hybrid XLR/USB Microphone.
2020 has given us a lot of time to reflect, complete goals, and even find new things to do with our time. One growing trend has creatives starting podcasts. September 30th is International Podcast Day, and there’s never been a better time to get started. No matter what platform you decide to publish your show on, all podcasts have to start with the proper equipment, and I think these are some that are worth checking out.
As a podcaster, one of the things that I absolutely dread when we record our shows is having to hold a microphone. But thanks to the ModMic Uni by Antlion, I’ve simplified my setup without compromising my sound.
It’s been a while since we had a regular Gear Diary podcast but, when we did, we all used microphones from Blue. One of us had a Blue Yeti while two others used a Blue Snowball. All of them worked perfectly. We’ve been discussing starting up the podcast again, and, if we do, I’ll be using the Blue Yeti X.
As a podcaster, I’m typically of a simple mindset — Absolutely no USB Microphones. They are a hindrance when recording as well as editing, picking up every single noise possible. But MXL’s AC-404 USB Conference Microphone actually surprised me; here are my thoughts.
For the past few years, I’ve been trying to increase Gear Diary’s presence on YouTube. Sure, we are approaching nine million lifetime views but that’s not enough. But do make a decent video requires a good microphone. I’ve tried a few, but MXL Podcasting APS Bundle promises to make it even easier.
Being a podcaster, I’ve learned that a good microphone is hard to find. You can search any group, any forum, and someone will suggest the Blue Yeti Mic as a starter microphone. But what if I told you that while USB microphones are great, Blue Microphones offers better microphones that are more versatile, that will grow with you over time?
Alright, let just get this out of the way now: If you’ve ever attempted to podcast using a USB Microphone, it’s not the greatest experience you will have. Sure, a USB microphone may be most convenient, but with the Blue Ember XLR Microphone, you can have complete control as you record your audio.
Let me just begin by saying this: Without the Zoom H6, my podcast experience has been less than mediocre. I’ve recorded using a USB Mic for the better part of year to record my show, but Zoom’s H6 has been a delight to use, and going forward it’s the only way I’ll record my show.
I am utterly and completely fascinated by the saga of Theranos. The story is so insane it’s hard to believe it is true, and every new bit of information makes you wonder all over again how it all unfolded. Now ABC has waded into the discussion with a podcast expanding on their research on Theranos for an episode of Nightline!
Samson just revealed their new Samson Satellite USB/iOS Broadcast Microphone. A small but powerful microphone, it pulls off a trick that far too few microphones can; it works just as well with iOS devices as it does with computers. Samson describes it as “versatile.” I describe it as “awesome” and hope to give it a try when it is released.
Beyerdynamic has just introduced the Phonum, a wireless Bluetooth and USB Speakerphone that the company promises will give you high-quality sound at an affordable price.
The Audio Technica’s AT2020 USB Cardioid Condenser Studio Microphone was the first microphone I attempted to use to record my weekly podcast, and I have to say, even at the affordable price of $149.00 it’s been one of the better microphones I’ve used to date.
Regardless of whether you’re a gamer, podcaster, or just dong voice-overs, the one thing you need to have is a really good microphone. While you can probably find a cheap microphone to get by with for a while, we’re sure you’ve also looked at microphones from Blue.
Judie and I first met while we were guests on a podcast. I loved chatting with her and am grateful that I was able to begin writing for Gear Diary. Last week I was a guest on Pocketnow’s podcast PNWeekly. A longtime Pocketnow reader, I was excited. The conversation was lively and covered a lot of ground. Check it out.