The most important piece of equipment when starting a podcast is the microphone because you can’t record a podcast without a microphone. This guide will help you find the best USB mic for podcasting.
There are two main types of microphones for podcasting based on their cable connection – USB and XLR. USB microphones are more popular because USB microphones are able to be connected directly to a computer. There’s no audio interface or mixer needed. You don’t need to be a sound engineer either to use a USB microphone because they’re easy to use.
The Best Overall USB Mic is the Blue Yeti. It’s great for beginners and experienced podcasters alike, so it’ll be able to last you a while. There’s no need to continually upgrade your podcast microphone.
Finding the best USB mic for podcasting is easy when you look at the list below.
  | Blue Yeti
| BEST OVERALL VALUE |
  | Audio-Technica ATR2100X
| BEST FOR BEGINNERS |
  | Audio-Technica AT2020USB+
| BEST MID-RANGE |
  | Razer Seiren Elite USB
| BEST FOR STREAMING |
  | Blue Snowball iCE USB
| BEST BUDGET-FRIENDLY USB MIC |
Table of Contents
Things to Consider Before Buying a USB Mic
There are several important things to consider before buying a microphone for podcasting. Check out the Best Type of Microphone Buyer’s Guide when you can. It’ll help you understand the various considerations of what you should know – USB vs. XLR, condenser vs, dynamic, and directionality polar patterns.
Now, without wasting more time let’s get to the list of 5 Best USB Mics for Podcasting.
Blue Yeti USB Mic – Best Overall
Almost all the microphones in the Yeti series are popular amongst podcasters as they deliver superior audio quality with their features. This USB microphone comes with lots of excellent features, including a headphone port on the mic. To get the best sound quality recordings, it features zero latency. You can also record sound with several polar patterns, thanks to its multi-pattern selection feature.
USB condenser microphones are a great choice for those who can control the background noise in their recording areas. The Yeti has a wide frequency response range as well at 20Hz – 20kHz.
Pros
- Multiple polar pickup pattern selection
- Features zero latency audio pickup
- Includes volume and mute button
- Condenser microphone
Cons
- Require extra support for mounting
Audio-Technica ATR2100X – Best For Beginners
At great value for its price, the Audio-Technica ATR2100X is one of the most popular dynamic USB podcast mics that people start with. It’s regularly on the top list of beginner mics, along with the Samson Q2U. The ATR2100X microphone can be used with both XLR and USB cables for different setups.
It’s a cardioid mic, so it picks up sound from the front of the mic and there’s less background noise pickup from the side and rear. The mic has a headphone port for you to connect headphones directly to the microphone. The Audio Technica ATR2100X is a great USB podcast mic that provides balanced sound quality and versatility.
Pros
- Built-in headphone jack
- Volume control and on/off switch included
- Dynamic microphone reduces background sounds
Cons
- The tripod stand is not very durable
Audio Technica AT2020USB+ (Plus) – Best Mid-Range
This is the updated version of the popular AT2020USB. Along with minor upgrades, the major difference between the AT2020USB and AT2020USB+ is that the AT2020USB+ comes with a headphone jack. Connecting your headphones directly to the mic leads to zero delays in hearing what’s being recorded. It also comes with a mix control and level control system which will help you mix pre-recorded sound with your voice. This is can be useful for podcasts with voiceovers.
The Audio Technica AT2020USB+ will deliver you studio-quality sound. It’s a dynamic microphone. To deliver excellent audio quality it has a high-end analog to digital converter with 16 bit, 44.1/48 kHz sampling rate. There’s no doubt that it is one of the best USB mics for podcasting.
Pros
- Delivers studio-quality sound
- Best for podcasting and voice-over
- Mix and volume control included
Cons
- The desk stand is not very good
- May pick up slight noise
Razer Seiren Elite – Best For Streaming
Most gamers out there are very familiar with the name Razer. It’s a well-known brand in the sector of computer gaming. So it only makes sense that they create the best USB mic for streaming.
One of the best features of this mic is the multi-pattern selection feature like the Blue Yeti. It has a high-pass filter that removes unwanted sounds. The LCD screen is the unique feature of this microphone that lets you see the pattern and volume information. A built-in 3.5mm headphone port is included at the bottom of the Seiren.
If you’re looking for the best USB mic for podcasting that can deliver excellent sound quality, be sure to check this one out.
Pros
- Excellent Design
- LCD display for monitoring volume and pattern info
- Zero Latency Monitoring
Cons
- A bit expensive
Blue Snowball – Best Budget USB Mic
The Blue Snowball iCE is for you if you’re looking for a budget-friendly USB podcast mic that still delivers great sound quality. Does the color in the name sound familiar? Yep, it’s the same company as the Blue Yeti.
The Snowball iCE is uniquely designed and attractive. It also comes with a cute adjustable tripod mic stand. It is a cardioid polar pattern mic. One drawback is it doesn’t have a headphone jack, which means you can’t monitor sound while recording.
Pros
- Unique Design
- Great for beginners
- Very affordable
Cons
- No built-in headphone jack
- Sensitive to plosives (pronunciation of alphabets like p, t, k, d)
Conclusion
There you have it, 5 of the best USB microphones for podcasting on the market that will fulfill the majority of needs.
Don’t forget to check out the other podcasting microphone guides and articles on the site to learn more:
- Best Type of Microphone for Podcasting – Buyer’s Guide
- Best XLR Microphones
- Condenser Versus Dynamic Microphone for Podcasting
- Things You Need for Podcasting – Covers everything you need to improve sound quality. Equipment like a pop filter, shock mount, mic stand boom arm, and more.
