Getting a perfect microphone that goes well with what you have to record and ease of use is something that every content creator should look for. It is not an easy job but worth investing your time.
Are you looking for a microphone for yourself or might be planning to get a microphone in near future but don’t know anything at all about the microphone?
No issues at all. In this post, I have shared everything you should know about the microphone when you are about to choose the best microphone for yourself.
I assure you that, till the end of this post, you will have a clear idea about what things you should check in the microphone when you are buying.
What to look for in the microphone when buying?
Here are all the things that you should look at when buying a microphone for any purpose at all. Whichever microphone you choose, you should have a look at the following features, specifications in the microphone.
Type of the microphone
The very first thing that you should check is the type of microphone. You can know it by the name of the microphone itself. It is always written in the title of the microphone.
You can also understand the microphone by their looks as well. Some of the popular types of microphones are:
- Condenser Microphone
- Large-diaphragm Condenser Microphone
- Small-diaphragm Condenser Microphone
- Dynamic Microphone
- USB Microphone
- Ribbon Microphone
- Shotgun Microphone
- Lapel Microphone
- Lavalier Microphone
Condenser Microphone is preferred for studio recordings and other stuff like vocals. Dynamic microphones are more popular for on-stage performances while USB microphones are popular for portability and mostly for content creators.
Lapel mic and all are the best for phones. You should choose the best type of microphone based on what you are going to use it for.
Polar Pattern
The polar pattern of the microphone is how your microphone captures the sound. There are various ways you might need to capture sound in order to remove background sound and whatnot.
There are basically three main polar patterns as following:
- Cardioid (Unidirectional): Captures sound only from the front side of the microphone
- Omni: Captures sound from all the sides of the microphone
- Figure-8: Captures the sound from the front and backside of the microphone only
Choose the polar pattern of the microphone on how you are going to capture the sound.
Connectivity of the microphone
Check what kind of connectivity your microphone has. You should check if that’s convenient and easy for you or not. If you are someone who does often travels with your microphone yet you get the microphone with a phantom power supply then it is going to be a pain for you.
Here are the various connectivity options that you get with the microphone:
- Phantom Power Supply
- USB Connectivity
- XLR Connectivity
- Wireless Bluetooth Connectivity
- WiFi Connectivity
Check if the microphone is easy and convenient for you to connect and use anytime.
Frequency Response
The Frequency Response of a microphone is the range of the frequency which your microphone can capture. 20Hz to 20KHz is the frequency that is audible to humans.
If 30Hz – 18KHz is the frequency of any microphone that means it can capture the sound with a minimum 30Hz of frequency and a maximum of 18KHz.
Choose the range of your microphone wide enough to capture most of the sound around the microphone.
Maximum Sound Pressure Level (SPL)
Max. SPL is the maximum pressure of the sound any microphone can handle. It is calculated in the dB. The more the max SPL is the more high source sound the microphone can easily handle.
If you want the microphone for instrumentals or anything you will need the microphone with a bit extra SPL. Anything above the 110dB of max SPL is the best choice.
If you want a microphone for voiceovers or dictation then you should check out the best dictation microphones that you can purchase online.
Design and Build Quality
Even if it does not affect the performance of the microphone, it does affect how you look at the microphone. It affects how your setup looks like. You should always pick the microphone which you think looks good in your own views.
Check the material used in the microphone. Many microphones come with all-metal construction nowadays which makes them more durable as well. Choose the microphone with the best material used so that it will be much reliable for you as well.
Budget
There are tons of options when it comes to microphones. You can get a microphone for $15 and also for $5000 or even more as well. You don’t need to compromise on some features or expand your budget to get the best microphone.
You can always get the best microphone based on your needs with the best sound quality.
If you want to know more in-depth reviews or anything related to microphones then Geeksper is the best site that has everything about the microphone.
Conclusion
I hope you have got to know every essential thing that you should know when you are about to buy a microphone. Must check out all the things while buying a microphone.
Do you still have anything to ask related to microphones? Please do let me know, I will help you out with it.