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
