Need MIC

[Broth3rz]

So I need a MIC for when I stream, no video / camera, just my PC screen and the MIC audio. I bought a Elgato MIC Arm and a AT2035. But the issue is my desk is 9 foot wide and where I gotta place the arm kinda ruins the whole side of my desk with it being in the way. I did try the Arm in the back but it was just more in the way. Now I did turn the MIC horizontally instead of what you see in this image.

I guess the best solution for me since I have a lot of items I need to not be blocked like my tablet, keyboard, screen, monogram, etc... would be to do a LAV MIC? That connects via XLR and just clips to my shirt? The MIC I got sounds great, but if its not directly in front of me it doesn't sound the best. I really just don't have a lot of space and don't want a MIC in front of me that block my keyboard or tablet. I don't need something big a bulky it turns out... I do use a MOTO M4.

I could place a MIC like 1-2 feet from my mouth above everything.. so I guess that means I'd need a shotgun MIC? Would 1-2 feet be too far?
I did kinda look around at wireless things but I know I don't want a lot of extra things like transmitters, etc. I kinda would like to go from MIC to my XLR.

Anyone have any ideas? Any recommendations on a LAV MIC that is XLR.

Budget is like $200-ish. Also ignore the mess, opened a lot of stuff today.

Thanks.

 

[kingkorg]

I recommend a lav mic, especially if the room is live and has lots of reflection. Youtube recommended me recently a Ben Shapiro's video. I was floored by how his voice sounds on Neumann u87. Only to realize Neumann is just a gimmick, he uses a lavalier.

 

[Broth3rz]

I'm thinking LAV is the way... just not sure which type such as onmi, etc. Then I'm not sure which is the one to get. I do need to connect via XLR as I mentioned. I do need something that is mid to high grade.

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

I'm thinking LAV is the way... just not sure which type such as onmi, etc. Then I'm not sure which is the one to get. I do need to connect via XLR as I mentioned. I do need something that is mid to high grade.

You'll likely want an omni because cardioid ones can sound kind of funky if they're clipped to you. I recommend the Micbooster Clippy EM272 lav mic. People really don't care what you use when you livestream because they're probably not listening on equipment good enough for them to tell, and the platform probably has some compression anyway.

But if you want an XLR condenser for some reason, at a budget around $200 I can recommend the Line Audio CM4, the CAD M179, or the Oktava MK-012 film set. Those are the only legitimately good condenser mics I've tried at that price. Don't use a shotgun mic indoors because not only will you not find a good one (the cheapest good one I can think of is a Rode NTG3 for like $600), but there's a good chance you'll get some sort of phasing issues that close to the wall. Both the Line Audio and Oktava small diaphragm mics can be positioned out of frame like a shotgun mic if that's important.

Now, if you do want to go with a shotgun mic, you'll have to look at the Rode NTG4, Sennheiser MKE600, (both of those are around $300) the Audio Technica AT875R (which is NOT durable), or the Rode VideoMic NTG, and I'd say the Oktava MK-012 film set (hypercardioid instrument mic) is better than all of them. I think the Line Audio CM4 is a bit better than the Oktava at the cost of a bit of 90° rejection. In fact they're so good and in such demand that the guy that builds them can't even build his dedicated pre-amps and can't make the hypercardioid version he's been planning.

 

[Broth3rz]

I guess Shotgun wouldn't be good since I'm in a smaller room. I was thinking something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Shure-WL185-Lavalier-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0002GZIU4?th=1

But I have to dig and check the quality of these. They even have the Supercardioid version, but I still think that the omni is best but I hope it doesn't go crazy picking up my keyboard and anything else.

I didn't see any of yours on Amazon. I don't know of these brands. I was thinking the normal ones like Audio-Technica, Sennheiser, RODE, SHURE, etc. Then get something that is mid-high range for LAV.

 

[Icantthinkofaname]

I guess Shotgun wouldn't be good since I'm in a smaller room. I was thinking something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Shure-WL185-Lavalier-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0002GZIU4?th=1

But I have to dig and check the quality of these. They even have the Supercardioid version, but I still think that the omni is best but I hope it doesn't go crazy picking up my keyboard and anything else.

I didn't see any of yours on Amazon. I don't know of these brands. I was thinking the normal ones like Audio-Technica, Sennheiser, RODE, SHURE, etc. Then get something that is mid-high range for LAV.

You have to get the Clippy from Micbooster's site. Clippy XLR EM272 Microphone, Mono - micbooster.com they also have a cardioid lav mic. These are very cheap but also very good. The only issue with them is they're big for lavs, which only becomes in issue if you need to hide them, though I've been told they're not much harder to hide than a Countryman B3.

I'd avoid Deity btw. None of their stuff I've tried has been to spec and I didn't even get responses from their support. Not that you mentioned them but you see their mics a lot on YouTube.

 

[dfchandler]

If you can hold your head still and not move it left to right, then a cardioid lav will work best. If not, get an Omni lav.
Or, check out the AKG C111LP Mic. $119. It will need a mini xlr to normal xlr adapter cable.

 

[MicMaven]

So I need a MIC for when I stream, no video / camera, just my PC screen and the MIC audio. I bought a Elgato MIC Arm and a AT2035. But the issue is my desk is 9 foot wide and where I gotta place the arm kinda ruins the whole side of my desk with it being in the way. I did try the Arm in the back but it was just more in the way. Now I did turn the MIC horizontally instead of what you see in this image.

I guess the best solution for me since I have a lot of items I need to not be blocked like my tablet, keyboard, screen, monogram, etc... would be to do a LAV MIC? That connects via XLR and just clips to my shirt? The MIC I got sounds great, but if its not directly in front of me it doesn't sound the best. I really just don't have a lot of space and don't want a MIC in front of me that block my keyboard or tablet. I don't need something big a bulky it turns out... I do use a MOTO M4.

I could place a MIC like 1-2 feet from my mouth above everything.. so I guess that means I'd need a shotgun MIC? Would 1-2 feet be too far?
I did kinda look around at wireless things but I know I don't want a lot of extra things like transmitters, etc. I kinda would like to go from MIC to my XLR.

Anyone have any ideas? Any recommendations on a LAV MIC that is XLR.

Budget is like $200-ish. Also ignore the mess, opened a lot of stuff today.

Thanks.

Have you considered a head-worn dynamic type microphone which would place the mic element just off the corner of the mouth, or, even better, just above the mouth and off to the side, but above the nostrills? That has the advantage of being very consistent, even if you move or look around and shift in your chair, and so forth. Audio-Technica, Samson, SHURE, and many other manufacturers make good ones. Or, perhaps it could be a decent condenser type head-worn microphone that plugs directly into your sound card.

If you are just streaming your voice for Zoom or TeamMeeting confabs, or just streaming an audio channel, then a close-talked head-worn microphone is just the ticket because it strongly rejects most ambient noise/sound from the speaking venue (room). This is what works best for other applications which seek vocal and communication clarity with little or no pickup of ambient sound/noise - including, but not limited to, computer speech recognition and amateur radio applications, and is a sure fire application of the KISS method. Streaming live over Zoom and TeamMeeting events rarely requires Hi Fi audio input - rather they truly rely upon clear, crisp, articulated communications-grade audio - and a small close-talked head-worn condenser or dynamic microphone often works best - consistent placement with substantial rejection of ambient sound.

Another suggestion ... you could mount the articulating studio boom arm above the desk, so it drops the microphone down from above, rather than hold it up from below attached to the desktop. This keeps your desk clear and minimizes the chances you will crash into the boom if you talk with your hands or ever flail your arms about as you speak (as I often do - even when I am alone and nobody is watching ... after all, I am who and what I am, whether the audience can see me or not!) A number of studios employ this drop down arrangement ... although you have to be careful, because an upside down microphone can lead to phase reversal and skewed thoughts. (OK, just kidding.)

While moving the boom arm may get the click for no substantial cost ... I prefer the proposed head-worn mic solution. You can find any number of decent sounding headsets - many good sounding examples can be found on eBay for less than $20, with very simple and comfortable headband configurations. SHURE makes a reasonably durable and good sounding model for its PGA series of wireless microphones for about $40-$45. The SHURE WH-20 series have good dynamic cartridges and cost around $75 street price these days. AudioTechnica has good models starting around $80 (+/-). Other brands are good - because, after all, they pretty much all all use a little fifty cent 6mm or 9mm diameter electret condenser capsule. There is really nothing to any of them - they all sound good enough for the intended use, and all pretty much use a very low cost electret condenser capsule. I once destroyed vendors of expensive microphone for speech recognition programs with my home made headset made from an old coat hanger covered with shrink tubing (for the headband) and a fifty cent 9.7mm condenser capsule secured to it with shrink tubing and a dab of superglue. Trust me it works just as well, and sounds just as good, as the very expensive models they claimed were "more accurate" with recognition engine (which is really dumb, considering the programming engineers actually recommend a cheap headset for that application .... but ... ahem ... I digress...)

Point is, you don't have to spend big bucks to sound good over the Internet, whereas it is a very different story in a proper recording studio or on an FM broadcast station.

So, just a couple of ideas to consider. Good luck. James