In the article “Voice Actor’s Guide in Choosing a Microphone”, we have covered the major types of voiceover microphones and the comparison amongst them. After thorough research and based on the experiences of our voice actors, we have compiled and narrowed our top picks on the best microphones taking into consideration many factors especially the price tag.
Here’s what we recommend for the best USB Microphones:
Apogee Electronics MiC Plus USB Cardioid Condenser Microphone |
|
|
Small and light enough to carry on the go, the Apogee MiC Plus is a USB cardioid condenser microphone designed to provide easy setup and high-resolution audio for singers, podcasters, video bloggers, and musicians in home recording rooms, project studios, and portable setups. Its cardioid polar pattern attenuates the signal from behind the microphone to minimize room reflections in the recording. The internal A/D converter supports resolutions up to 24-bit/96 kHz. This is one of the best choices if you are podcasting outdoor. |
Audio-Technica AT2020USB PLUS Cardioid Condenser USB Microphone |
|
 |
One of the popular USB microphones that is of high quality and affordable is this handy mic that has a built-in desktop stand to fit nicely on your office desk, mix and volume control, a headphone jack on the unit itself, as well as easy plug-n-play capabilities. The audio resolution hits up to 16-bit/48 kHz with its built-in A/D converter. This one is highly rated by many voice actors for its overall quality for a very affordable price. |
Blue Snowball iCE Condenser Microphone, Cardioid |
|
 |
The Snowball iCE is a cheap USB mic with decent quality to get your job done. It comes with a sleek size and adjustable built-in mini tripod. This type is travel-friendly or can fit nicely in an existing office or laptop setup. The specs include a mini custom condenser capsule with a cardioid polar pattern, resolution of 16-bit/44.1 kHz and a small weight of about a pound. |
Blue 1967 Yeti Pro USB Condenser Microphone, Multipattern |
|
 |
This legendary premium USB mic is highly recommended for voice overs since it offers both USB and XLR connectivity and has some of the highest audio quality in a USB mic right now with a resolution of 24-bit/192 kHz. XLR microphones are flexible, you can plug it into either an external preamp or audio interface. Having a ‘middle-man’ for microphones gives us more freedom for tweaking the sound quality whether it’s adding FX, gain, additional EQ, or a ‘sound’ that isn’t attainable using a USB mic. With its sufficiently good features for its affordable price, Blue Yeti is one of our best picks. |
Samson C01U Pro USB Studio Condenser Microphone |
|
 $74.06 |
The Samson C01U is is a podcaster’s dream come true. The C01U is USB compatible with any Mac or PC, as well as most DAW software programs, including GarageBand. It also comes with Cakewalk’s Sonar LE digital audio workstation software. With its straight-to-computer USB connection, the C01U brings studio-quality, pristine sound recordings with ease and mobility which are perfect for your podcasts. |
Samson G-Track Pro Studio USB Condenser Mic |
|
 |
Samson’s G-Track is the world’s first USB condenser microphone with a built-in audio interface and mixer, allowing simultaneous input of vocals along with another source while also monitoring through an on board headphone output. Like all large-diaphragm condenser mics, it is ideal for any sort of vocal work be it in home studio or outdoor. The G-Track Pro is more than just a USB microphone. It’s also a high-quality audio interface via a standard 1/4″ instrument input, you can connect a guitar, bass, keyboard or any line level device. |
Popular dynamic microphone for voice overs are as follows:
Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone |
|
|
$399.00 |
The Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone is perfect for both radio studio and a recording studio! This one is a dynamic microphone with a smooth, flat, wide-range frequency response appropriate for music and speech in all professional audio applications. It features a cardioid polar pattern, bass roll-off, and midrange emphasis (presence boost) controls, and shielding against broadband interference. An internal air suspension shock isolation virtually eliminates mechanical noise transmission and a yoke mount facilitates mounting and provides precise control of the mic position. |
Shure SM58S Vocal Microphone (with On Off Switch) |
|
 |
At an amazing price, the Shure SM58S Vocal Microphone features a unidirectional (cardioid) dynamic vocal design, well suited for professional vocal use in live performances, sound reinforcement, and studio recording. A built-in spherical wind and pop filter minimizes wind and breath “pop” noise, while the cardioid pickup pattern isolates the main sound source and minimizes background noise. The microphone offers durable construction, a high-quality, internal shock-mount system, and a steel mesh grille for withstanding rough handling. At a frequency response of 50 Hz to 15 kHz, the SM58S is designed to perform consistently both outdoors and indoors. This midrange microphone features an integrated on/off switch and includes a microphone clip and a zippered pouch. |
Sennheiser MD 421 II Cardioid Dynamic Mic |
|
 |
The Sennheiser MD 421 II is one of Sennheiser’s most popular microphones at no greater than $500! The MD 421 II’s full-bodied cardioid pattern and five-position flexible bass control mean you can use the MD 421 II in close-miking situations and still get a clean, clear response with no unnatural bass boost. With a frequency response of 30 to 17,000 Hz, MD 421 II is an excellent choice for broadcast and VO work. Its excellent feedback rejection enables it to cope with complex recording conditions and broadcasting applications. |
|
Sennheiser MD 441-U versatile dynamic super-cardioid pattern microphone |
|
 |
The Sennheiser MD 441 U is considered as one of the most accurate and versatile dynamic microphones available and is proven a workhorse by many voice actors for any recording application. It is a super-cardioid studio dynamic microphone that has an exceptional feature to reject off-axis noise due to mechanical noise, room ambiance, etc. The dynamic capsule handles high sound pressure levels and provides a wide 30-20,000 Hz frequency response, making the microphone suitable for drums, percussion, electric guitar, horns and other instruments with high transient (peak) response. It has 5-position low-frequency roll-off switch and 2-position high-frequency contour switch. The output stage features a humbucking coil, suppressing noise and hum caused by bad cables, grounding, etc. If you’re willing to invest quite some but not so much, you can go for this 900-buck best pick. |
Here are our Top 5 Condenser Microphones:
Neumann TLM 103 Large-Diaphragm Condenser Microphone (Mono Set, Nickel) |
|
|
This one is quite pricey but is unquestionable as one of the high-quality professional mic available. The TLM 103 Large-Diaphragm Condenser Microphone from Neumann is a cardioid, directional microphone that features low self-noise and high sound pressure level transmission. The capsule, derived from that used in the Neumann U 87, has a cardioid pattern, which is well-tuned, acoustically well-balanced, and has a great attenuation of signals from the rear. This also leads to high feedback suppression when the microphone is used in live situations or where loudspeaker playback is a factor. The large, wire mesh head-grille protects the capsule from plosive sounds and effectively prevents pop noises. |
 |
The Neumann U 87 is one of the most expensive, but the most widely used studio microphone since it has been the standard workhorse of the majority of professional recording studios in the world over time. This is an exceptional large dual-diaphragm condenser microphone with a switchable polar pattern (omnidirectional, cardioid and figure-8), a pad, and a flat response that works well for both female and male voices. A 10 dB attenuation switch is located on the rear. It enables the microphone to handle sound pressure levels up to 127 dB without distortion. The low-frequency response can be reduced to compensate for the proximity effect. The U 87 is used as a main microphone for orchestra recordings, as a spot microphone for single instruments, and extensively as a vocal microphone for all types of music and speech. We highly recommend this mic if you have the money to burn because it’s hands down first-rate in all aspects. Otherwise, Sennheiser MK4 is a great alternative. |
Rode NT1-A Anniversary Vocal Cardioid Condenser Microphone Package |
|
 |
The NT1-A Large-Diaphragm Condenser Microphone from RODE is a 1″ cardioid condenser microphone which has a self-noise level of 5 dB-A, which makes you comfortably record quiet passages. The low self-noise ensures that even the faintest whisper will be captured with exceptional detail. This is great for audiobooks and where detail to articulation is required, and for recording percussion instruments as well. |
Sennheiser MK 4 Cardioid Studio Condenser Microphone |
|
 |
Since Sennheiser actually owns the Neumann company, and the MK4 diaphragm capsule was designed by the same team who built the Neumann U87, this is the perfect alternative to Neumann U 87 Set Z. if you are on a serious budget. The Sennheiser MK4 is definitely one of our top recommendation for any working voice-over artist because it offers the best possible sound quality for only $300. It’s a cardioid mic with no pad, but it produces a powerful warm sound, with vivid mids and a detailed bass range, making it perfect for vocals and acoustic instruments. Compared to the other mics in this price category, this robust mic totally wins on performance and sound quality. |
Sennheiser MKH 416-P48 Short Shotgun Interference Tube Mic & Fur Windshield Deluxe Kit |
|
 |
Sennheiser MKH 416 is a short shotgun interference microphone optimized for outdoor applications, film, radio, and television. It provides an outstanding directional control in a compact design with high consonant articulation and rejection of feedback. The microphone is highly immune to humidity because of its RF condenser design. It operates as a hypercardioid at low and medium frequencies with a lobar pattern above 2 kHz. This one’s also one of the best workhorse microphones for any voiceover productions. |
