With most professionals working from home and spending more time on video and conference calls than ever, it is very important to able to communicate and be heard clearly in such a setup. I am sure you would agree that the most annoying part about video calls is the sound quality. You can perhaps do with a slightly compromised video. But a poor audio quality can make the entire call a colossal waste of time and effort. In this article, we will discuss the best microphones for zoom and other such video meetings, so that you are heard clearly, just as if being face to face.
Let’s dive in.
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Why invest on a microphone
While we are working from home and staying safe, we need to conduct business via video and audio mediums. Though this might look relatively easy but the quality of these calls and the outcomes of these meetings would be greatly dependent on the inbuilt microphone of your laptop or of the video camera which you intend to use.
Unfortunately, business laptops are not built for such use. As a result, what you get out of these is an extremely poor quality of both audio and video.
The main reason being the inbuilt microphones of your computers are not directional. The microphone captures everything around the room from where you take these calls. With all sorts of background noise and sound reflections from the hard walls – which at times makes it very difficult to be heard clearly and understood by the people on the other side.
So, it is now more important than ever that you invest in professional sound equipment. This will ensure your colleagues can hear you properly and save you the time from repeating over and over again.
Thankfully you do not have to spend a fortune to achieve this. There are some very affordable microphones available that can make a HUGE difference to these zoom calls and other similar virtual meetings.
Different kind of microphones
There are different kinds of microphones that could be used depending on the kind of setup you want to have.
Microphones can be broadly classified into 3 different types:
Dynamic microphones: Out of the three, these are the least sensitive and generally have a unidirectional or cardioid pattern. Cardioid pattern microphones pick up sound only from one direction. These work well when the microphone needs to cater to the voice of a single person speaking to it.
Condenser microphones: These microphones are more sensitive and clearer than the dynamic microphones (and more expensive as well). Some of these microphones can switch mode from unidirectional (sensitive to sound from one direction only), to bi-directional (can capture sound from both front and back), or even to omnidirectional patterns (all-round sound capture).
These microphones can be further divided into Large Diaphragm (more appropriate for voice recording) or Small Diaphragm (more appropriate for certain brighter sounding instruments).
The best choice for home use is condenser microphones with a unidirectional or cardioid setting. These are sensitive microphones that can pick up the softer sounds of the voice. At the same time, the cardioid function helps to cancel out other sound disturbances in the room rendering a clear voice in the calls.
Ribbon microphones: These are the most expensive of all the three microphones and are most sensitive as well. Used best for voice and softer sounds. These microphones are bi directional and should be used in rooms with proper acoustics. These are not the ones which we are looking for.
Some different types of condenser microphones
Given below are different microphones setups that are now used for a variety of settings.
USB Microphones
USB microphones are the simplest and easiest to use. These microphones can be easily connected to your laptop or via an adapter to your smart phone. These microphones do not require any interface or software and are basically just plug and play. These are the most commonly used microphones for zoom and virtual meetings nowadays.
Lavalier Microphones
Lavalier microphones are used in video recordings extensively. These microphones are small clip-like mics that can clip to your shirt. These can make a huge difference in the audio quality of any video or interview. These microphones are mostly used for Youtube recording etc rather than virtual zoom meetings.
Shotgun Mic
Shotgun microphones are used by Youtubers, Vloggers and by jounalists. These microphones are plugged into the camera and held either with a boom arm (in case of an indoor recording) or through an adapter on the body of the camera in case of recording out in the open.
These mics are also the choice of the journalists and a good shotgun microphone can improve the audio quality significantly. The directional setting of these microphones helps to capture voice very clearly, be a vlogger or a journalist.
Wireless Microphones
This is a great option for individuals who prefer to have the flexibility of movement and not tied down by a wire. These microphones generally are on the pricier side due to the added technology to make them wireless.
Microphone with XLR output
This is generally used by individuals who are more into recording music at home. These microphones are studio-grade high-quality condenser microphones. The good ones can provide options of Cardioid, Bi-directional or even Omnidirectional. So are a great choice for recording singers as it can capture the lows and softer sounds very well.
These microphones need an audio interface and a preamp to channel the frequency through a sound card of a computer for output. If you are not a studio geek, then these microphones are probably an overkill for zoom meetings.
Below is one of the good audio interfaces and an XLR Mic at a reasonable price for individuals who might still be interested in this.
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5 choices of microphones for zoom meeting or a virtual meeting set up
So here we are with our top 5 picks of microphones for home zoom meetings or any other such virtual meeting set up. These are not ranked in any specific order as each of them has a place of its own. My personal favorite of the Samsom Meteor Mic.
Table could not be displayed.Samson Meteor Mic
This in my opinion packs the biggest bang for the buck.
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To start with, the Meteor Mic has a retro look with a chrome casing. The microphone has a three-legged stand of its own which could be folded. It’s a super-compact microphone which after being folded can go into the pocket of your jacket. Easy to carry on the go. The package also includes a small drawstring pouch in which the mic could be carried for protection from scratches and other external insults.
The microphone is plug and play, can be connected by a standard USB cable (included in the package) to your laptop. To connect to an iPad, you will need an additional adapter. The mic also has a place for a low latency headphone port at the back and volume control in the front. So, you can hear through a headphone as you speak. It could be muted through a button on the front.
The diaphragm of the meteor is quite impressive and one of the largest among USB microphones – 25 mm and it provides a superb sound quality.
The quality this rather inexpensive microphone delivers is truly remarkable. This is an ideal microphone for settings like zoom or virtual meetings. If you use this microphone, you can be assured that you will be heard loud and clear on the other side.
Blue Yeti
The Blue Yeti lives up to its name. It’s a beast of a microphone and no wonder you will see the very familiar looking table standing microphone on the desk of most podcasters and Youtubers.
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It’s built like a tank. The Blue Yeti is metal cased and has a large metal footprint of a stand. This makes the microphone super stable and also provides a height that is just right.
One of the features of this microphone that makes it stand out from the crowd are the options to choose polar patterns. The Blue Yeti offers Cardioid, Omnidirectional, Bi-directional, and Stereo.
Though for the purpose of zoom or virtual meetings, or for podcasts, gaming, etc the cardioid mode is mostly used, but having an option to use other modes opens up other possibilities.
For instance, a bi-directional mode is great for an interview or an omnidirectional model is perfect for a conference call with multiple people in the room and to capture the sound of all. Stereo mode has its place in sound recording as well.
Like the Samson Meteor, the Blue Yeti has a headphone jack by which you can listen real time without any delay and a mute button but it scores over the Samson Meteor in having a gain control. This makes this microphone a more versatile one where you can control the loudness of the recording through the mic itself and not being dependent on the recording software.
Last but not the least it comes with a Blue Yeti desktop software by which you can update the mic’s settings.
A great microphone for your virtual meeting set up and offers additional features to explore other possibilities.
Audio- Technica AT 2020USB Plus
Audio Technica is a known name in the microphone segment and they already have a model AT2020 USB. But the model which we will cover here is the PLUS version which provides a headphone jack and a mix control dial.
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The AT 2020 USB Plus is a cardioid microphone. It comes with a tripod which helps it to be placed on the desktop and used without any additional set up requirements.
The introduction of the headphone jack with a thumbwheel potentiometer makes this microphone a must have for podcasters.
This microphone offers flattering tonality and clarity of sound with no major issues with background noise. A good old performer now with an upgraded USB plus version.
Rode NT USB
Rode has been producing quality microphones which are widely used among Youtubers and Vloggers. The model NT USB brings all the great features of Rode microphone on a desktop model.
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The microphone comes with Pop Filter. There are two knobs on the microphone which are placed on the side but none of them can control the gain of the input sound.
Rode lives upto its name in the quality of the sound it produces. The microphone is super quiet and hardly picks up any background noise. A perfect choice for virtual meetings where you would want to reduce any background.
It’s a great looking microphone. Like all the mics in this section, the NT USB comes with a standard mount which allows the microphone to angle by 180 deg. The stand provided by Rode is plastic in material without any cushioning which definitely offers room for improvement.
Lastly, it comes with a low latency headphone jack and mix control.
Rode has always delivered quality and is an extremely safe bet.
Samson Go Mic
This is a different kind of a mic from the rest but when we are discussing microphones that are ideal for zoom or virtual meetings, you cannot ignore the Go Mic.
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First and foremost, at this price to get a microphone with a dual pattern (cardioid and omnidirectional) is a steal.
The design of this mic is super clever. You can use this either as a mic which can sit flat on its base or it can be clipped to your laptop. This microphone can significantly improve the quality of the signal for any virtual meeting.
The mic offers a low latency headphone jack to monitor the voice and also has a micro-USB cable.
It’s not the Go Mic is in the same league as the ones above. It might not be able to provide the quality of sound the other big brothers can, but at the price at which it is offered, to me, it provides the best value for money. If the objective is to have a good clear voice during a virtual meeting, the Samson Go Mic offers much more than that.
To Sum Up
USB microphones have completely taken over regular microphones with XLR cables and audio interfaces. USB microphones provide a hassle-free plug and play experience, easy to carry, great-sounding, and studio-quality.
In this current time when we are having an increasing number of virtual meetings and conference calls every day, having one of these will ensure you sound professional and are heard clearly, and stand out from the rest. Making this small change to your setup can potentially have a huge impact on your business. Make yourself heard, go for it.
Last update on 2024-05-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
