Because why should you invest in 'the best' microphone for podcasting, webinars and video? Can't you just use the microphone of your laptop? Or a microphone of a few tens? The answer is complex, because I would have to answer 'Yes and No'.
This article about the best microphone therefore also offers a little insight into how I deal with investments in my companies.
**UPDATE** I have now written an extensive blog about all my podcast equipment.
Why a microphone?
First, let's take a step back... why I want a microphone.
As the title suggests, I want to do something with podcasting, webinars and video. It has always been a high threshold for me, but the signs are clear ... podcasting and video are the future. Facebook predicts that in one year 70% of all content on its platform will be video.
I am a huge fan of podcastsbecause they allow me to consume large amounts of information in an easily accessible way. Think of listening to a podcast In the car, in the bath, during exercise or just in my 'old cock chair' in front of the window.
I hardly ever read books these days. Books demand a lot of energy from me and it costs me a lot of effort to process all those letters. Video and audio are much easier for me to process and are therefore preferred.
I've published ebooks in the past, but with the new trend on my doorstep, it's time to get in on the biggest development in the field of 'online' at the moment... podcasts, webinars and video. And especially if you are going to use podcasts, webinars and video commercially, quality is important. It's very annoying to listen to someone if the audio is contaminated with noise.
Why "the best microphone"?
Let me nuance that immediately... the best microphone for podcasts, webinars and video. There is a class higher for studios and other professional applications. I am talking about the best microphone for bloggers, businesses and people who want to do something with podcasts, webinars and video.
Now the question... why the best microphone?
There are videos and podcasts that go completely viral, recorded with an iPhone or even cheaper smartphones, so why spend money on a microphone?
In my case, it has to do with a number of things. I will sum them up briefly for you:
- Cheap is often expensive (quality lasts longer)
- Listening to someone with noise in the background for half an hour is not cool!
- I will use it to produce products that people will pay for
- I just love quality and it makes my life more enjoyable
But there are also technical aspects, such as the sensitivity of the microphone and the settings you can make to allow sound from different directions. If you are doing interviews, for example, it is useful if the microphone can pick up sound from two directions. If you are recording a video or doing a podcast, it is useful if the microphone can only pick up sound from one direction.
What makes a good Podcast, webinar and video microphone?
- It is affordable. Quality is important, but since you always have some loss of quality online, a real professional microphone is often overkill and too expensive.
- You can adjust the position of the microphone.
- The microphone can be placed standing on a desk or mounted on a wall or ceiling system.
- You can connect the microphone via USB to your laptop or Macbook.
- You have different positions for channelling sound and you can exclude certain angles.
Of course, I could go into great detail about the various technical aspects such as frequency response in kHz and so on, but my research shows that the quality of those specs is inherently linked to price. I would say, choose a microphone between €90 and €200 and you're always on the right track.
If you still want to immerse yourself in the technical aspects of a microphone, you can this more technical article read.
My top 3: Microphones for podcasts, webinars and video
- Yeti (best value for money and chosen by me)
- Røde NT1-A (slightly over budget, but definitely quality)
- Blue Snowball (Fine price, but slightly less quality)
That was my article. I hope it will also help you to find the right microphone for your application.
Just out of curiosity...
What do you use your microphone for? And do you have a good postcast hosting provider? Without hosting for your podcast, it is not possible to put a podcast online.
