In terms of sound quality, there is no real alternative to the condenser microphone. They are simply the best option available to you when it comes to recording the sound of any kind.
Given this fact, people who are looking for a good microphone (whether it be for streaming, music, etc.) need to invest in a high-quality condenser microphone setup. If you are new to the world of audio recording and don’t know where to start when it comes to condenser mics, we have you covered.
This article will go over everything that you need to know to get a great microphone. If you happen to be in a hurry, we would say that the best condenser mic that we will review is the ZINGYOU Condenser Microphone Bundle.
A Spotlight On Some of The Best Condenser Mics 2022:
ZINGYOU BM-800 Condenser Microphone Bundle
We really wanted to start off our search for the best condenser mic with a really good product that also wasn’t too pricey. Why? Well, we think that the first review on this list should aim to appeal to as many people as possible.
This means that we needed to find a mic that doesn’t cost too much since that would put it out of the price range of most, while at the same time finding an option that still offers good performance since we know that many of you aren’t going to want to settle for an extremely “cheap” product. The best product that we could find that fits into this category was the ZINGYOU BM-800 Condenser Microphone Bundle.
The very first thing that we want to address in the ZINGYOU BM-800 is the fact that, as the name makes clear, this is not a singular microphone. Oh no, when you buy the ZINGYOU BM-800 Condenser Microphone Bundle you get an entire mic bundle.
The bundle contains a lot of very useful accessories that will be helpful for anyone who is trying to set up a professional audio station for recording music or videos. In the bundle, you not only get a good microphone, but you also get an arm stand, a shock absorber (which prevents physical disturbances from being picked up by the mic), and a pop filter to produce clearer audio quality. All-in-all, given the sheer price of this particular mic bundle, you are getting an extremely good amount of value for roughly $50.
But let’s talk about the mic itself since it is very well-designed and definitely deserving of at least some recognition because of its quality. For starters, the mic itself produces a very low operating noise (under 16 decibels).
This makes it suitable for not only loud recordings (music, video game streaming, etc.), but also recordings of things like plays, audio dramas, or anything else where there is less loud audio and where a microphone’s hum would be more likely to be picked up. Secondly, the mic has a really good cardioid pattern, so it picks up the audio that you want it to pick up very clearly and crisply while discarding unwanted audio.
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- Bundle that offers you great value for your money.
- Comes with helpful accessories.
- Good microphone for a respectable price.
- Good cardioid pattern and low mic operating noise.
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- There are pricier microphones that offer even better performance available.
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Razer Seiren Emote Streaming Microphone
Next up on our journey to showcase the very best condenser mics on the market, we want to take a look at a microphone that is definitely a lot higher-end (and thus pricier) than the last option that we just finished reviewing.
If you are looking to have an extremely good audio setup for your recording studio, then the Razer Seiren is going to be one of the mic options that you definitely need to put some serious consideration into.
The first thing that we want to explain is what is meant by the term “emote” in the title. This microphone comes with a unique feature that lets you display one of 100 emotes on the microphone itself.
This doesn’t have a huge impact on the actual performance of the mic, but it does let you add a bit of customization to your microphone to increase showmanship for things like streaming. The feature isn’t really enough to justify the higher cost or anything like that, but it is a nice little bonus. It also has a stream companion app, which means that you can sync it up with your stream and the microphone can react to things like audience reactions and emotes.
What really helps the Razer Seiren to justify its high cost is the sheer audio quality that it is able to bring to the table. This is truly a high-end microphone that can be used reliably for basically any purpose that you can think of, this includes singing, streaming, recording, and much more. It has a really great cardioid reaction system so that absolutely background noise is picked up.
What audio that the Razer does end up detecting is of the absolute highest quality. It always produces very crisp, clean-sounding audio. Unlike a lot of other mics, which require separate shock filters, the Seiren actually comes with one built-in, so you don’t have to worry about the sensitive mic picking up things like vibrations or physical agitation.
Finally, we want to mention how simple this particular mic is to use. As you will see from some other products that we choose to review, very high-end microphones can be a bit of a hassle to use, but that isn’t the case with this particular entry. It is very easy to get it up and working, to get it synced up with your audio setup, and to get it up to a level you are comfortable with. It comes with this very simple, adjustable gooseneck as well.
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- Very simple to adjust the gooseneck system.
- Great shock dampener that is built-in to the mic.
- Extremely sensitive microphone.
- Produces absolutely fantastic audio with no distortion.
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- Extremely pricey microphone option.
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Audio-Technica AT2035 Cardioid Condenser Microphone
Next up we are going to review yet another very high-end microphone in the form of the AT2035 from Audio-Technica. We know that a lot of audiophiles out there is no doubt in the market for a very high-quality microphone, and so we wanted to make sure that we included at least one other option on this list.
The AT2035 is one of the better high-end microphones that we could find. While it is a bit complicated to get going, once you do get it set up, you are going to find a microphone that is extremely well-made and very reliable.
As with all of the other entries that we have appeared on our list, the AT2035 offers extremely good audio quality, which is, after all, the purpose of a microphone. It has a great cardioid pattern, which does a great job of reducing any noise that isn’t meant to be picked up. It effectively eliminates all noise coming from either the side or rear of the mic, which means that it focuses only on what is coming from the front microphone.
Another thing that dedicated audiophiles are sure to appreciate is just how well-made the diaphragm is on this mic. It does a very good job of picking up audio. Furthermore, it works equally well for all kinds of audio, whether it be music, voices, video game audio, etc. This is a microphone that you can reliably be used for recording video games, singing, and basically anything else that you might want to record. It also has a shock mount to further reduce interference that might reduce audio quality.
As we said earlier on, the biggest issue that we feel plagues the AT2035 is the fact that it is a bit more difficult to get set up than some of the other mics that we have reviewed. Comparing the difficulty of setting up the AT2035 to the Razer Seiren is quite striking because the AT2035 is a lot more difficult.
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- Blocks out rear and side audio.
- Picks up all types of audio.
- Blocks audio coming from the side and rear of the microphone.
- Consistently produces high-quality audio.
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- Fairly complicated to set up.
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MXL Mics 770 Cardioid Condenser Microphone
Next up as part of our review article, we want to review a microphone that is firmly in the middle of the road when it comes to price and performance.
So far on this list, we have reviewed really high-end mics and we will be reviewing some cheap ones, later on, so we wanted to also present some options that occupy a middle ground between the really expensive and the really cheap models.
That is where the MXL Mics770 comes into play. Much like the microphone that we started off this review list with, this microphone manages to mix affordability and quality into one package, which is why it is a good fit for this list.
As is standard by now, you know that by including this microphone on our list, it is going to have very good audio quality. It especially excels when it comes to recording music of all different kinds.
It is a great option for any aspiring musicians out there. When combined with the anti-shock stand, it becomes an even better option because the mic filters out unwanted audio before it interferes with your recording. There isn’t too much more for us to mention, as the microphone largely has the same audio-enhancing features that you saw on those other great condenser mics that we decided to review.
Furthermore, you get this very high-quality microphone without having to pay a ton. It isn’t anywhere near as expensive as the other high-end options that we have reviewed. This makes the MXL good for those who want a high-quality mic, but who don’t necessarily want to spend well over $100.
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- The really good audio quality for the price.
- Especially good for musicians.
- Can also be used for streaming.
- Really balanced bass.
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- Some may not like the middle ground between quality and price.
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Neewer NW-800 Professional Studio Microphone
Let’s say that you are trying to set up a recording studio on a budget, what are your options? Well, to be frank, you don’t have many. Sadly speaking, there are just not a lot of options when it comes to cheap, but still functional condenser mics. However, we have managed to find at least one option that is both easy on your wallet, while still being good enough to justify hanging with the pricier options on this list.
Obviously, the main attraction of this particular microphone is its price. Don’t get us wrong, there are some other good aspects to this mic, and we will get to them shortly, but the main feature that really stands out to us is just how cheap this microphone is. At under $25, this is without a doubt the cheapest entry on our list and it is also likely to be one of the cheapest condenser mics on the market as a whole.
This mic offers shockingly good value for your money. Given how cheap it is, you would expect to only get the actual microphone itself when you buy it, but you actually get quite a bit. In addition to the NW-800 mic, you also get a stand, a good shock mount, and a few other extras.
Pretty impressive when you consider that it can be had for under $25.
In terms of overall performance, the NW-800 isn’t bad by any means. It produces decent, reliable audio. It has a good anti-shock mount and it also filters out unwanted audio. Altogether, it is a decent microphone given its price.
Of course, the Neewer NW-800 Professional Studio Microphone isn’t perfect. As we hinted at in the introduction to this review, it isn’t quite as good in terms of audio quality as more expensive options.
However, it is difficult to hold this against the microphone too much because as we said, it is a cheap option. It would be unfair to expect a cheap microphone like this to be able to compete with higher-end options like the AT2035 or the Razer Seiren.
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- The most affordable mic on our list.
- Surprisingly good value for such a low price.
- Decent audio capture.
- Comes with a good anti-shock mount.
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- Can’t compare with other, pricier entries when it comes to pure sound quality.
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What You Need To Know About Condenser Microphones
The second part of this article is not going to be focused on reviews. Instead, we will be focusing on answering a very important question that new audiophiles may be curious about the best condenser mic, which is what exactly is it that sets a condenser mic apart from the other major type of microphone that can currently be found on the market, which is the dynamic mic.
You will see both types of microphones available online, which may lead you to wonder which one is the one for you.
Have no fear as we are going to answer that question in good detail.
Dynamic Microphone vs Condenser Microphone
The first major thing that we need to cover is the differences between the two types of microphones out there. For those who aren’t familiar with personal microphones, there are two types that are broadly popular, dynamic microphones and condenser microphones.
Given the topic of this list, you can probably guess that we are in favor of condenser microphones instead of dynamic ones. This may lead you to the question of why? Well, generally speaking, condenser mics are better in the vast majority of instances.
The main difference between the two is that condenser mics require a power source (which means that they have to be plugged into something) whereas dynamic mics don’t. This means those dynamic mics are the preferred option for things like signing on a stage or doing comedy since they are not only more durable but can also be carried around more easily. This comes at a cost, however, which is poorer sound quality.
Condenser mics are better for just about every application where a mobile, durable mic isn’t needed. This includes things like podcasting, streaming, making videos, doing recorded music, and just about anything else.
As you can see quite plainly for yourself, this includes just about every type of popular use of a microphone these days. Most people who are buying mics are looking to create an audio setup that will allow them to make YouTube videos, create podcasts, stream games, or other things, or create professional studio music. This is why we felt like the best idea for this list was to gear it entirely towards condenser mics.
Contributing Your Thoughts
When it comes to the world of best condenser mic selection, there is a lot of subjectivity and differing opinions. If you have your own thoughts on the matter of the best condenser mic that you would like to share, we would welcome your thoughts on the matter; feel free to leave a comment in our section below.
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