The 7 best microphones for Zoom meetings, content creators and more
Nowadays, virtual meetings and video calls are as common as texts. So clear audio is essential. Since the microphones built into your computer, camera, or mobile devices don't always cut it, we suggest taking advantage of a specialty microphone.
- Best microphone: Shure SM7B
- Best budget microphone: Blue Yeti Professional
- Best microphone for video calls and virtual meetings: Rode NT-USB Mini
- Best microphone for streaming: HyperX QuadCast S
- Best microphone for content creation: Rode VideoMic Pro+
- Best microphone for podcasters: Rode PodMic USB
- Best wireless microphone: DJI Mic
Some mics designed to pick up just one voice, while others do a better job capturing all audio, including ambient sounds. You can also find wired and wireless microphone options that work with your mobile device, computer or camera.
Pro Tip: You can spend less for a microphone used just for video calls, but content creators, podcasters and live streamers should choose the highest quality microphone that fits into their budget.
What is the best microphone for meetings and content creators?
The trick to sounding your absolute best is to use a high-end microphone.
Our team of tech experts has curated this roundup of the best microphones for Zoom meetings, video calls, vloggers, streamers, podcasters, content creators and others who need a high-end microphone to ensure they always sound their absolute best.
Best microphone overall: Shure SM7B dynamic vocal microphone
Whether you're a streamer, podcaster, or content creator that requires superb sounding vocals, the Shure SM7B is one of the very best microphone options out there. In fact, out of more than 11,000 customer reviews on Amazon, this mic has earned a 4.8-star (out of five) rating.
The SM7B delivers smooth, warm vocals. It nicely captures and then enhances the finer details of the human voice while blocking out all distracting sounds. People love this microphone because it uses a dynamic cartridge with smooth, flat and wide-range frequency response. This allows it to produce exceptionally clean and natural reproduction of music and speech.
The SM7B's air suspension shock isolation and integrated pop filter eliminates mechanical noise and breathiness. So words get through, but the rest stays out of the mix. Even better, the SM7B's cardioid pattern rejects off-axis audio. This means you can speak or sing into the microphone at a comfortable angle and it will capture the sound exactly how you want it.
Keep in mind, the SM7B is an analog microphone that does not communicate directly with devices digitally. You need an audio interface to use this microphone with a computer, tablet or smartphone. The microphone uses a standard XLR cable connection. It comes with a fixed mount that's compatible with many mic stands and boom arms that are sold separately.
Best budget microphone: Blue Yeti Professional
This microphone can easily connect to your computer using a standard USB cable. It's ideal for video calls, virtual meetings or live streaming without spending a fortune. The microphone has an adjustable setting that allows you to switch between a unidirectional, bidirectional, or omnidirectional mode, so it offers versatile performance.
The Blue Yeti Professional comes with a pop filter. It uses a unique, tri-capsule design to capture audio in up to 16-bit, 48 kHz resolution. This studio-quality microphone has an integrated headphone amp that's backed by an independent gain control for latency-free monitoring.
This Yeti mic was designed with a convenient, no-hassle workflow in mind. It sets up in seconds with the included desktop stand. However, you can also use it with almost any standard mic stand. You can easily adjust microphone gain, pick up pattern and headphone volume, plus use a mute/unmute button -- all with easy-to-reach controls.
Best microphone for video calls and virtual meetings: Rode NT-USB+ Mini
The Rode NT-USB+ Mini is a USB condenser microphone that works well with all of the popular video calling and meeting services. The mic also does a great job recording studio-quality vocals and audio that podcasters, streamers and content creators alike will appreciate.
This mic comes with a tabletop stand and pop filter, along with a three-meter USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable for connecting the mic to your computer or mobile device. The NT-USB+ Mini uses a studio-grade condenser capsule and other premium-quality components to capture high-quality audio. You also get an ultra-low-noise, high-gain revolution preamp, so the mic can capture pristine hi-res audio (48kHz / 24-bit) sound.
We like this plug-and-play microphone because it offers plenty of versatility, captures clear audio, and comes at an affordable price. Using the free Rode Central software, you can take full advantage of the powerful on-board processing and effects offered by this unidirectional popular microphone.
Best microphone for streaming: HyperX QuadCast S
For live streamers who appear on camera, the HyperX QuadCast S not only makes you sound excellent, it also looks great on camera thanks to its professional looking design and integrated RGB lighting.
This microphone plugs into the USB port of your computer, PlatyStation game console, or mobile device. It offers a cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional and stereo mode.
The QuadCast S comes with a built-in, anti-vibration shock mount. This means it can suppress the sound of unintentional rumbles and bumps with its elastic rope suspension. You also get a convenient tap-to-mute feature for preventing an audio accident. This feature works with the mic's LED status indicator. So, if the light is on, the mic is active. When the light is off, the mic is muted.
Using the included HyperX Ngenuity software, you can personalize the mic's RGB lighting and effects. Meanwhile, the gain control adjustment makes it easy to adjust the mic's sensitivity, simply by turning a dial. The mic comes with a mount adapter, pop filter, and headphone jack. The adapter fits 3/8-inch and 5/8-inch threaded setups, so it's compatible with most mic stands or boom arms. The internal pop filter helps block unwanted sounds cause by hitting the mic. And you can monitor the mic via the headphone jack and your own corded headphones.
Out of more than 18,000 reviews on Amazon, the HyperX QuadCast S has earned a 4.7-star (out of five) rating, so you know it's a microphone a lot of live streamers and social media content creators rely on.
Best microphone for content creation: Rode VideoMic Pro+
The Rode VideoMic Pro+ is the perfect shotgun microphone to attach to a camera. It's a professional-quality, omnidirectional microphone that offers USB connectivity to a camera or computer.
This microphone's automatic power function (with plug-in power availability) is perfect for the run-and-gun shooter. When it comes to powering the mic, you have three options -- two AA batteries, Rode's LB-1 lithium-ion rechargeable battery, or a micro USB cable that can connect to your camera or computer for continuous power.
We like the Rode VideoMic Pro+ because it works nicely with most camcorders, DSLR cameras and portable audio recorders. You get features that deliver truly professional results. The VideoMic Pro+ uses a three-stage, high-pass filter, a three-stage gain control, a +20dB boost function, a pre-sense lift, and an innovative safety channel. So you can be assured that your audio will always sound exactly as you need it to.
The VideoMic Pro+ is lightweight (just 4.3 ounces) and ideal for recording dialogue and interviews, as well as for run-and-gun shooting, filmmaking, videography and content creation.
Best microphone for podcasters: Rode PodMic USB
As its name suggestions, this microphone is designed for podcasters, live streamers and content creators. However, it can also be used to make yourself sound fantastic when participating in a video call or virtual meeting.
We like this mic because it can connect to your equipment using a standard XLR or USB connection. So it works with pro-level recording gear, Windows and Mac computers, and even iOS and Android mobile devices. The mic's internal shock mount reduces the sound of knocks and vibration, while a built-in pop filter and external pop filter work in tandem to tame plosives, allowing for natural and clear voice reproduction.
The microphone comes with a mount compatible with most stands. The PodMic USB is a broadcast-quality, dynamic microphone that offers a rugged design along with a classic aesthetic. One standout feature is the mic's high-power neodymium dynamic capsule that delivers warm, highly detailed audio with incredible clarity. Meanwhile, its tight cardioid polar pattern rejects room noise, keyboard taps and mouse clicks, which makes it ideal for podcasting, streaming and content creation.
Best wireless microphone: DJI Mic
If you move around a lot while you talk, or if you need wireless audio capture capabilities while you're out and about, the DJI Mic is a relatively low-cost, but high-quality, wireless solution. It works seamlessly with computers, mobile devices and many cameras.
The DJI Mic has an 820-foot wireless range and uses a battery that lasts for up to 14 hours of continuous use. The microphone itself features a convenient clip-on design. Meanwhile, the 1.06 ounce receiver has a built-in, 0.95-inch OLED touchscreen and provides intuitive controls. It also uses a USB Type-C, Lightning, or 3.5mm TSR port, so you have plenty of options when connecting it to your equipment.
One nice feature is that the microphone has 8GB of internal storage. This means it can record and store 48kHz 24-bit audio without compression and then output audio files quickly to a computer using a data cable. We like this wireless mic because it comes with everything needed to use it with a wide range of devices and computers.
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