What Are the Best Podcast Microphones?

We all know that quality sound is a critical component of your podcast – you want (and need) to sound great!

Fuzziness, echoing, or sounding like you are underwater is going to turn people away quickly. 

In fact, a study performed by the University of Southern California (USC) found that the quality of audio influences whether people believe what they hear … or not.

With so many microphones available that vary dramatically in price, features and overall quality, how do you pick the best podcast microphone for your budget?

Are you a visual learner? Watch our YouTube Shorts video Starting a Podcast? You’ll Need an External Mic – Here’s What We Recommend

🎙️ First Things First

First, figure out what you actually need.

For example, will you be recording solo, or are you going to have guests or a co-host in the same room with you? This will determine if you’re going to need a hook-up for multiple microphones. 

Will you be recording on the road, or will your studio stay in one place? This can determine if mobility is an important factor in your decision.

Once you have the answers to those question, here are six great options:

Samson Q2U

The Samson Q2U is a great starter microphone for most podcasters. You’ll get quality sound due to its cardioid pickup pattern that captures sound from in the front of the microphone, rather than the side and rear.

It’s both XLR and USB, which means you can start out by plugging it into your computer, but can also use XLR cables for professional equipment.

At the time of writing this article, Samson was selling this mic (with accessories) for $69.99 on their website.

Learn more about or purchase the Samson USB/XLR Dynamic Microphone here.

Blue Yeti USB Microphone

The iconic Blue Yeti USB is another popular microphone that’s reasonably priced and a top choice for podcasters.

As it states in the name, this microphone can only be hooked up to your computer and does not have an XLR option.

The mic features a tri-capsule array, which allows for multiple pickup patterns, allowing you to record in almost any situation and additionally boasts a setting for solo recording, two-person recording, and group recording.

Another popular feature is that it allows you to control the gain (how much quiet sound the mic picks up). Just be careful – too much gain means echoey recordings.

The…