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Buying a mic for your computer: What you need to know🎙️

If you’re still using a pair of earbuds for your game sessions and zoom meetings, it’s time to consider an upgrade. Here’s a handy guide to help you decide how much to spend, and what kind of microphone you need. You can see the products featured in this video here 👇 Blue Yeti Nano: Elgato…

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If you’re still using a pair of earbuds for your game sessions and zoom meetings, it’s time to consider an upgrade. Here’s a handy guide to help you decide how much to spend, and what kind of microphone you need.

You can see the products featured in this video here 👇
Blue Yeti Nano:
Elgato Wave 3:
HyperX Quadcaster:
Shure MV7:
Elgato Wave XLR:
Shure SM7B:
*CNET may get a commission from these offers.

Elgato Wave 3 review:

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0:00 Intro
1:07 Room sound
1:37 Polar patterns
3:02 Microphones budgets
3:51 Testing microphones
4:39 Under $100 microphones
5:29 $100-$150 microphones
6:20 $150-$200 microphones
7:16 $200-$250 microhphones
8:18 XLR connection
9:40 Over $250 microphones
10:32 Adjustable mic arms
11:23 Comparing every mic

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57 Comments

57 Comments

  1. chinmoy s

    December 23, 2021 at 9:19 pm

    👍

  2. Gaurav Pradhan

    December 23, 2021 at 9:19 pm

    Yay👍

  3. Derek Binelli

    December 23, 2021 at 9:21 pm

    Woo-hoo!

  4. Horror Story Diaries

    December 23, 2021 at 9:24 pm

    Ashley Esqueda💓

  5. Wesley Davids

    December 23, 2021 at 9:25 pm

    woah, just saw you on nerdist few hours ago.

  6. Angga Tri S.

    December 23, 2021 at 9:26 pm

    🙂

  7. TheRampager613

    December 23, 2021 at 9:34 pm

    Elgato Wave 3 sounds like a great choice. Might actually buy that

  8. Kwantis

    December 23, 2021 at 9:39 pm

    i couldn’t tell the difference between the sound of the mics other than the yeti one sounding slightly worse than the others. i think the elgato wave 3 sounded great and i think i’ll pick one up because of its value and simplicity to adjust and control

    • ŤÈMPŁÂŘ

      December 23, 2021 at 10:32 pm

      Using quality headphones, you should be able to hear a difference in sound quality between most microphones until around $300 – $500, after that microphones sound different its harder to tell which is better or worst.

      Mic technique will make a bigger difference than money spent on a mic after around $500 imo but it really depends on the vocalist. For streamers, an SM7B is the gold standard for a reason.

  9. Naiyah Patel

    December 23, 2021 at 9:40 pm

    Yay 21 minutes ago cool

  10. Amilton10

    December 23, 2021 at 10:03 pm

    Thank you so much Ashley big lesson.

  11. Ching Chong

    December 23, 2021 at 10:10 pm

    Oh yea, you want me to upgrade my microphone right now? Sure just send me the microphone set or money.

  12. Yannick Orounla

    December 23, 2021 at 10:12 pm

    I don’t understand why the category from 200 to 250 is considered as USB whereas other mics under 100 like the blue yeti nano is a USB mic.

    • CNET

      December 24, 2021 at 12:01 am

      That’s the type of connection we were using for that test. The Shure MV7 has both USB and XLR.

    • Yannick Orounla

      December 24, 2021 at 12:04 am

      @CNET ok I see now. Thanks

  13. LazySphynx

    December 23, 2021 at 10:26 pm

    I am using the samson q2 and its amazing! Probably the best price to performance mic.

  14. Corny1210

    December 23, 2021 at 10:48 pm

    I just saw Ashley do the Easter eggs video for Hawkeye on the Nerdist channel. She’s everywhere🤯

  15. BowlTM

    December 23, 2021 at 11:19 pm

    aye the thumbnail rn looks like one youd see for an ASMR video

  16. Alessandro Zanardi

    December 23, 2021 at 11:29 pm

    Just one question.. what microphone are you using in the video? ☺️

  17. victor fuentes

    December 23, 2021 at 11:50 pm

    I thought this was going to be a CNET/ASMR Review version

  18. Brighty McBrightface

    December 23, 2021 at 11:55 pm

    next topic would be camera framing and background setup so graphics aren’t washed out by a LED light and hand motions don’t trip up autofocus …. : )
    as for mics, just choose one with echo cancellation and don’t try to shape your voice to sound smooth or to fake gravitas
    for media training, practice enunciation and pronunciation, especially avoiding vocal fry, also, don’t attempt to “act” (it’s a profession, not a pastime)

  19. Marcus Aurelius

    December 23, 2021 at 11:56 pm

    Great review 👏 thanks!

  20. Ruth J. Morrison

    December 24, 2021 at 12:04 am

    This video is a keeper! Thank you.😊

  21. Zach Wilkinson

    December 24, 2021 at 12:27 am

    Newbie question, but does USB introduce any latency vs Audio-In? Perhaps for podcasting it doesn’t matter, but for live setups of the serious pro variety, I can believe purists can tell.

  22. André Pamplona da Silva

    December 24, 2021 at 12:33 am

    Also, for those interested in getting a Shure SM7B, make sure to get a good preamp that doesn’t have a loose connection to the mic! I learned that the hard way when I was in Boston, where there are WAY more radio stations than my small town, which only has two radio stations. I set up my SM7B for my friend’s musical theater concept recording, and I was confused when I heard Doja Cat and country music while setting levels. Because of the loose connection on my sE Electronics DM1 in-line preamp, it picked up radio frequencies!

    • Martin Brunswick

      December 24, 2021 at 8:14 pm

      Kind of a side note but I have some guitar pedals that aren’t properly shielded and in Boston they also picked up radio stations almost perpetually if I wasn’t careful with the gain

  23. Sonic Crash

    December 24, 2021 at 12:38 am

    Thank you as a sound guy when I’m in a video call I can tell right away what equipment they’re using for audio and some of it is just atrocious. People clear everything out of their room and they have clean walls to make it look great. But the sound is terrible. I actually had to go to a friend’s house and fix it so that it didn’t sound like she was at a symphony speaking to the audience.

  24. Static CamperVan

    December 24, 2021 at 12:42 am

    The HyperX Quadcast S is the mic I bought. The mic is easy to use and the LED lights add a cool factor. But the sound quality isn’t the microphones best feature.

    • LUK7N

      December 25, 2021 at 11:21 am

      Every mic is easy to use if you have some basic microphone knowledge, if not every mic would sound great, but if your mic looks nice and flashy but doesn´t sound good, it won´t much help you

  25. jam6web

    December 24, 2021 at 2:43 am

    Is an over the ear headphone with a swivel microphone a good alternative for WFH setup?

  26. Troy Broström

    December 24, 2021 at 3:04 am

    Watching with my SM7B right next to me 😅 Good review. Although, you really should’ve had at least one “P” plosive for each mic. Otherwise, great video!

  27. Wayno Guerrini

    December 24, 2021 at 6:21 am

    I have an audio technica 2020 very satisfied with that. .

  28. Edwin Fernandez

    December 24, 2021 at 7:02 am

    I liked the Elgato more than the rest. Even the most expensive 300+ one that reminded me of an automatic message machine.

  29. Linh Nguyen

    December 24, 2021 at 7:43 am

    My mic choice is the shure mv7

  30. Belal Ali

    December 24, 2021 at 7:58 am

    Honestly splitting hairs here… on balance I am very happy with my cheap Blue Yeti Nano which takes up very minimal desk space and does not require a boom arm…

  31. Mazetarabu

    December 24, 2021 at 8:08 am

    I never leave comments usually, but I think the video was really cool. Spent a good time listening to someone talking about mic while I do not own one and not plan on buying one. Ahah

  32. Johan Herrman

    December 24, 2021 at 8:58 am

    Good microphones are nice and all, but for meetings and casual streamers (non-professional), spend half the budget (heck, just spend some money and time) on fixing your room/location first. I’d rather sit with a wave 1 in a location with no echo than to sit with a SM7B in a room with echo. Location makes for over the half of the sound.

    • LUK7N

      December 25, 2021 at 11:30 am

      Well that´s true, but there is a lot more going on than just saying treat your room. Most people spend extra money to fill their room with cheap acoustic panels which doesn´t work. You need a carpet on floor, you need some furniture in your room and then add some acoustic panels on the walls, but I mean big acoustic panels, not those small with triangles and other shapes on them, you need those nice and clean and also measure the room sound and then adjust the panels to reduce the echo, but you can´t kill the sound by filling your room with cheap panels that doesn´t wok. But I don´t exactly mean to buy expensive panels, I just mean those cheap panels that you can buy from Aliexpress, etc. You can also make good ones and home

    • Johan Herrman

      December 25, 2021 at 10:34 pm

      @LUK7N You have valid points. That’s soundproofing for me. =) Getting furniture, some heavy curtains, carpets etc. Also what you say, don’t buy some Triangles expecting miracles. Cheapest (bang for the buck) is to buy some Rockwool blocks (10cm deep) make a frame in wood and then use some cloth to cover it. You can paint them to with a special paint for closing in fibres and still make it absorb sound. A lot of YouTube videos around. A good room for dampened sound is usually the bedroom, since it’s filled with heavy cloth to begin with.

  33. DJ is pro

    December 24, 2021 at 10:04 am

    “You can’t scape by a laptop microphone.”
    Any MacBook released in the last decade: 😥

    • Tommy R

      December 26, 2021 at 2:16 am

      Yes, if both the mic and headphones sound good on the headset. One headset that fits the bill is the Sennheiser HME-27 for about $500.

  34. aesean

    December 24, 2021 at 11:43 am

    No difference other than price. If you hide that label then nobody will be able find which is which.

  35. CaptainBearPants

    December 24, 2021 at 5:44 pm

    I got the Mercase USB for podcasting. Cost’s $45. It has decent weight, echo, volume and cough controls, just a plug and play. I podcasted for 8 months just talking into my phone so for me it sounds great. If you’re new to whatever you’re striving to do it’s a good buy, but not some high end microphone. It gets the job done, so entry level.

  36. Marc F. Pelletier

    December 24, 2021 at 8:05 pm

    I would recommend using your normal voice during testing, rather than sing-song reads.

  37. TheOutsider Jess

    December 24, 2021 at 10:33 pm

    I just got an audio interface and I’m thinking of getting a shure mv7 or a rode podmic

  38. tkmcdon

    December 24, 2021 at 10:59 pm

    I think this is the first time I’ve ever commented on a CNET video, but I must say… it was well done and much appreciated!

  39. Tohur

    December 25, 2021 at 1:51 am

    for XLR just get a Elgato Wave XLR and your mic you want and stream deck. best money you can spend on audio and you don’t need to be a audio engineer to understand the setup or use it

  40. Stop the FOMO

    December 25, 2021 at 4:14 am

    NO, let’s downgrade our mics and stick it to the man!!!

  41. SteveTS101

    December 25, 2021 at 4:19 am

    My numbee one choice is the EV RE-20

  42. LUK7N

    December 25, 2021 at 11:34 am

    Great, so you upgrade to SM7B, buy the cheapest usb soundcard and record it to Audacity, that´s a great recommendation. Money well spent.

  43. scruffyyjin

    December 25, 2021 at 4:55 pm

    IMO the Electrovoice RE-20 is so much better than a Sure SM7B

    Also I’ve never heard cardiod described as a mushroom lol. I was always told it’s cardiod, because it look like a heart(cardio)

  44. Edgardo Rodriguez

    December 25, 2021 at 5:34 pm

    Ashley the best

  45. Moises

    December 25, 2021 at 9:55 pm

    I recommend the fifine k669b for around 25 to 30 dollars, and ik it sounds like a bad mic cuz it’s only 30 but trust me it’s sounds amazing especially with adding some eq it’ll sound really really good, I personally used it for a while and to me it did the job

  46. D Hong Kong

    December 25, 2021 at 11:20 pm

    The best mic was the one used to film the sound for the video. You couldn’t see it and most of the time it sounded balance in volume and frequency. Which mic was you using for this?

  47. イワン

    December 27, 2021 at 12:20 am

    9:00 state $150 for wave xlr but price shown is $250

  48. Thushara Lakshan

    December 27, 2021 at 2:54 pm

    Samson Q2U – The best mic for price!

  49. Mr Ridder

    December 28, 2021 at 5:16 pm

    Now let’s talk about streaming and compression..good luck.

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