If you’re someone planning to get into the streaming world, be it Twitch or YouTube, you’re going to need a quality streaming microphone. And, as with any other specialty situation, you don’t want to get an old microphone for streaming.
Depending on the type of mic you get, the type of pattern it has, the quality of the mic, and even the way it connects to your computer, you could be looking at a very different experience.
Below, we’ve procured some of the best mic for streaming worth checking out in the streaming world between now and 2023.
Not only that, but we’ll go over some key points to consider before making a final decision one way or another.
DJ Tech Review’s Choice
Used by many streamers, podcasters, and other online personalities, the Blue Yeti streaming microphone makes a point of being a super simple and versatile mic that offers incredible sound quality. What’s even more impressive is its competitive pricing. At $129 you seriously can’t get much more for the price. Sure you can get get better sound and features with other mics, but not for $129.
Another point worth making about this mic is just how super easy it is to get it up and running. Simply connect it via USB and away you go. No drivers, setups, or complicated troubleshooting – serious plug ‘n’ play.
Lastly, the form-factor of this piece of kit is serious impressive too. Weighing in at a lowly 0.5Kg this thing is serious portable but don’t be fooled, the build quality is still really good for the price.
This is certain our favorite pick for being one of the best mics for streaming. However, we have curated a list of the ones that we think are great down below, so go check that out.
The Product Guide
Below, we’ll take the time to check out some of the top Mics For Streaming currently on the market while also giving you some tips on how to get high-quality sound from your streaming microphones.
1. Blue Yeti USB Microphone – Overall Best Mic for Streaming
Specifications
| Pricing | $129 / approx. £100 |
| Polar Patterns | Cardioid, Bidirectional, Omnidirectional, Stereo |
| Connectivity | USB |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz – 20,000Hz |
Arguably one of the best USB microphones for streaming picks (and best mics n general) is the Blue Yeti.
Used by many streamers, podcasters, and other online personalities, the Blue Yeti mic makes a point of being simple to use, flexible and versatile, and a mic that offers incredible audio quality. What’s even more impressive is that it is priced very competitively.
Unlike others on this list, the Blue Yeti streaming microphone offers multiple condenser capsule types to play with and choose from alongside four different polar patterns. These range from cardioid, figure-8, stereo, and Omni.
The mic has an analog-to-digital converter that has a 16-bit/48kHz setup that makes it possible to capture virtually any and all forms of expressiveness in the human voice with no latency due to an internal amp and output option.
The Blue Yeti comes with an input gain control that works to keep some of the louder sounds under control and mutable whenever you feel like keeping certain things mum from your audience. It also is super easy to connect to your computer, both with its inclusion of a desk stand as well as the fact that it doesn’t require an audio interface to connect with.
There is even the option to play with an assortment of different colors – ranging from silver, blue, teal, black, white, and red. The only drawback here is the lack of sleekness compared to other USB microphones. This is more of a personal choice however I do see some people wishing for something a bit more fleshed out or uniform.
What We Like:
- Three Condenser Capsules
- Four Different Polar Patterns
- Easy To Connect To Computer
What We Do Not Like:
- Isn’t Sleek
- No XLR Mic Port
2. Shure SM7B – Best Premium Streaming Mic
Specifications
| Pricing | $399 / approx. £320 |
| Polar Patterns | Cardioid |
| Connectivity | XLR |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz – 20,000Hz |
We’ve talked about Shure before here as well as the SM7B.
Without question, it’s a truly awesome and amazing mic that is part of a company that has easily led the professional pack, even as early as the mid-1920s. The SM7B can produce incredibly varied and deep sounds, ranging from the more relaxing rich tones you hear on late-night radio shows, to the intense and crazy sounds you’ll hear during a Livestream.
The mic uses a dynamic capsule that acts as a recording microphone set that takes in all other sounds. It has a reliable sound frequency response range from 50Hz to 20kHz, allowing it to handle some fairly high volumes without worrying about any real sound quality distortion.
This microphone for streaming also utilizes a cardioid polar pattern. This pattern ensures that only anything in front of the mic gets picked up, with all surrounding noises being greatly reduced. The mic comes with built-in toggle switches such as a bass roll-off and a presence toggle.
The only area where the SM7B falters a bit is in the fact that its use of an XLR mic connector means you’ll need to have an intermediary audio interface if you want to connect it to your computer.
The bad news is that, without this third-party device, you’re pretty much sitting on a useless piece of plastic. However, the good news is that, with an audio interface of any kind (including mixers), you have a plethora of fun and interesting options to play with that are difficult to find on many other mics out there.
What We Like:
- Easy To Mount
- Impressive Sound Frequency Ranges
- Good Audio Quality
- Cardioid Response Pattern Is Great
What We Do Not Like:
- Not a USB Microphone
- XLR Mics Output Needs Separate Audio Interface
3. Rode PodMic – Best Value Streaming Mic
Specifications
| Pricing | $120 / approx. £99 |
| Polar Patterns | Cardioid |
| Connectivity | XLR |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz – 20,000Hz |
If you’re one of those people that wants a great mic but don’t want to pay an obscene amount of money for it, some would call you crazy. Others, however, would point you in the direction of the Rode PodMic as the best budget microphone.
Many of Rode’s microphones for streaming units have been high-quality while offering low costs, and many regularly find themselves in many professional venues throughout different parts of the world.
The Rode PodMic is one of the latest inclusions in their impressive line and it fills its role perfectly as a top-tier mic worth using.
While carrying one dynamic capsule and a cardioid polar pattern, the PodMic has a fairly wide frequency response range, able to hit 20Hz on the low end and 20kHz on the higher ends.
It also has an XLR microphone connector for balanced output and the ability to connect with just about any audio interface out there as well as most cameras, audio mixers for streaming, and other recording units.
Where this best budge streaming microphone does falter a bit is in its apparent thin sound quality compared to other more dynamic microphone models. It also needs an audio interface if you want to connect your mic to the computer, which can be frustrating.
What We Like:
- Very Robust Build
- Uses A Dynamic Capsule
- Has A Fairly Wide Frequency Response Range
- Affordable
What We Do Not Like:
- Thinner Sound Quality
- XLR Microphone Connection
Our Alternative Picks
If the three options above aren’t well-suited to you, there are still a host of quality best microphones for streaming picks to choose from. Our team also highlighted the following options for those in search of getting the best out of your streaming microphones.
Sennheiser MKE 400
Specifications
| Pricing | $199 / approx. £150 |
| Polar Patterns | Super-Cardioid |
| Connectivity | 3.5mm Jack |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz – 20,000Hz |
The German Company, Sennheiser has garnered quite a reputation for putting out some pretty impressive microphones offering amazing audio quality over the years. In fact, for many companies, they’re easily one of the leading “go-to” suppliers for quality mics around the world and an industry standard.
The MKE 400, while small and compact, seems to carry that legacy squarely on its tiny shoulders as it makes a point of being one of the best mics you could use when heading out or being on the go. Physically, the mic is extremely small.
It can sit comfortably on most smartphones or compact cameras without too much of an issue. It has TRRS connectivity and can be connected to an Android or iOS device without hindering any of the phone’s abilities.
The mic has a TRS connector that can be used with most cameras, as well as micro-mixers with TRS inputs or full-size mixers or audio interfaces through the use of a third-party TRS adapter.
Also known as a “shotgun mic”, the MKE 400 has a single-condenser interface along with a super-cardioid polar pattern which greatly reduces any ambient background noise that could be leaking in from the sides, instead focusing squarely on what’s pointed out in front of them.
The MKE 400 for streaming offers several different switches, including a gain boost and cut switch, a bass roll-off switch, and a dedicated volume control switch.
There’s also a zero-latency headphone output jack and an included tripod and phone holder to make this unit really great for livestreaming your DJ sets.
What We Like:
- Small & Lightweight
- Handles Ambient Sounds Very Well
- Works With iOS & Android Devices
- Solid Audio Quality
What We Do Not Like:
- Needs AA Batteries To Run
- Output Jack’s Placement Is Odd
Elgato Wave:3
Specifications
| Pricing | $170 / approx. £120 |
| Polar Patterns | Cardioid |
| Connectivity | XLR |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz – 20,000Hz |
The Elgato Wave:3 for streaming is easily one of the more innovative and scene-stealing streaming mics one could get in the modern era.
With the ability to seamlessly connect to Wave Link, the Wave:3 is able to perfectly act as a viable platform for both Windows and Mac OS.
Presented as a classical rectangular mic that is reminiscent of those of yesteryear, the Wave:3 uses a condenser capsule alongside a fixed cardioid polar pattern. As a result, it has a moderate frequency response range between 70Hz and 20kHz, with the audio coming at a 96kHz/24-bit sound resolution.
The Wave:3 has an internal pop filter that helps cut down on the loud B’s and P’s spoken which can cause the audience’s speakers to rattle.
The mic also uses proprietary Clipguard technology which allows the user to yell and scream as loud as they want without having to deal with any clipping or mic distortion. Probably Wave:3’s biggest selling point, however, is the use of the Wave Link software touched on earlier.
This software allows you to combine the audio options of eight different sources, ranging from voice chats to video games, to different samples and alerts, all into a single broadcast.
Compared to many other mics, there is little wrong with the Wave:3., for many, it’s as close as you’re going to get to a perfect mic as possible. The only issues really only pertain to the lack of options around the number of capsules and polar patterns, though these are more nitpicks and don’t take away from the inherent value of the mic as a whole.
What We Like:
- Wave Link Is A Seamless Inclusion
- Clipguard Tech Prevents Distorted Audio quality
- Uses USB-C
- Isolates Voice from Background noise
What We Do Not Like:
- Doesn’t Have A Shock-Mount To Attach
Streaming Mic Buying Guide
Mic Types
The first thing you’ll want to pay attention to is the type of microphone you’re using for your streams, whether they be in the house or outdoors and on the road.
The two primary mic types are dynamic microphones and condenser mics.
In most cases, streamers tend to rely on condenser mics due to their ability to capture more subtle and nuanced talking points.
On the other hand, condenser mics tend to be more fragile and easily worn out compared to dynamic mics, which are usually regarded as being more robust and able to stand some very intense situations.
If you are planning to just have a chill stream where you’re mainly talking and a few video games, the condenser microphone for streaming is the best option by far.
On the other hand, if you expect to play a lot of loud games or livestream DJ sets, it’ll be much better for you to look into a more dynamic mic setup.
Position Pattern
Just as the type of mic is important, so too is the position pattern. Because microphones are meant and designed to capture sound from specific positions, the way the mic is set will determine audio quality and what is and isn’t getting picked up.
One of the most well-known and referred-to microphone patterns is the cardioid polar pattern pickup pattern. This simply means that the sound is picked up directly from in front of the mic rather than from the sides or other angles.
Other options include figure-8 patterns (ideal for interviews), Omni patterns (great for nature streams), and stereo (which picks up sound from either side of the mic).
All of these options are great for their respective purpose, so it’s important to decide what you plan to use the mic for before investing in any one option.
Portability
For many, portability and mobility are incredibly important. If you’re planning to be out and about, you’ll want a mic that is smaller and on the lighter side of things. These can be connected via USB, lighting port, or TRRS jack.
Mini mics are almost always going to be a super or hyper-cardioid polar patterns. These are the most focused, actually giving them the name “shotgun mics”.
This is great for directional conversations, though you’ll need to be mindful of where the mic is facing if you want to avoid errant background noise from flashing through.
Connectivity
Depending on the type of microphone for streaming you’re using, they can either plug directly into the computer via a USB microphone connection or will use more standard cable options like XLR mics or TRS.
If you’re planning to deal with multiple mics, it’s worth it to look into the more traditional mics, as you’ll be able to connect them to a mixer or USB audio interface.
On the other hand, if you’re planning to have a relatively small podcast – with you and one or two other people – or only plan to stream by yourself, a USB connection is great since it really only requires your computer, the cable, and the mic.
Microphone Or Headset?
An important distinction that can greatly depend on the type of stream you’re doing, headsets and microphones do offer a ton of similarities as well as a fair bit of differences.
If you’re using a microphone, you’re generally going to have a higher level of audio and sound quality. Mics are also the primary way you’re going to multiple people on a stream at the same time.
Headsets, on the other hand, while maybe not as impressive in terms of sound quality, offer more freedom of movement as well as access to movements with your hands.
This affords you the ability to get up, walk around, and be in separate rooms while still interacting with your stream.
Ultimately it depends on if you plan to get up and move around or sit in a specific area, either alone or with others. If you plan to spend time with others and don’t expect to be out and about, you’ll want to look into a quality standalone mic.
On the other hand, if you expect to be constantly on the move, or simply just enjoy the freedom of walking around whenever you want, you’ll be much better suited for a quality headset instead.
Our Final Verdict
For most streamers and would-be streamers out there, it’s obvious that getting and using a microphone for streaming is a serious investment of time, money, and energy.
You’re looking for something that not only can capture what you’re saying but something that can capture everything you’re saying with crystal clear audio quality even while living but also eliminate any background noise.
Our editors pick is the Blue Yeti Microphone.
A quality microphone for streaming can transform your channel’s viewing experience and help you grow a lot faster than you would otherwise.
One thing people rarely think about is also the fact that multiple mics are needed for multiple situations.
A streaming mic at your home DJ setup or in your studio is certainly fine enough, however, that same mic may not be great if you’re going to be playing a very loud game, planning a walk around the city, or heading out to an event or festival.
Consider the type of streams you plan on having and get the right microphone for streaming (or mics) so that you come across as clearly to your audience as possible.
