Top 10 Best Podcast Microphones – 2021

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Model	Features
Blue Snowball iCE USB Mic Read Our Review	Custom condenser capsule offers crystal clear audio, desktop mic stand and USB cable. Easy plug 'n play directly to Mac or PC - no drivers to install. Improves audio quality on Skype, Windows Live, Google Talk, Yahoo! Messenger. Records instruments, vocals or bands. Frequency response - 40 -18 kHz.
NASUM PC Microphone Read Our Review	Simple to plug and play. Comes with USB Sound Card Adapter And Y-type Audio Splitter,easy to allow you to monitor your microphone output & stereo without audible delay. Tabletop microphone mount comes with professional dual-layer acoustic filter to prevent from popping and improve vocal recording quality. Folding 270° adjustable Tripod Stand.
Neewer NW1500 Read Our Review	Adopts the completely new audio circuit. Capture rich, full-bodied sound from sources that are directly in front of the mic. Metal Mic Shock Mount is a very nice shock mount for most large diaphragm condenser microphone. 1Stand with adjustable height shaft and locking clutch, designed for heavy duty carrying and good for using at the conference room. Record studio-quality audio directly to your computer.
Neewer NW-700 Read Our Review	Capture rich, full-bodied sound from sources that are directly in front of the mic. The adjustable scissor arm stand is made out of all steel construction, sturdy and durable. Folding type, convenient to carry. The microphone wind screen pop filter mask shield can ensure that your tracks are audible and easy to understand. The metal shock mount features an angle adjustment with locking knob and can effectively reduce handling noise.
TONOR PC Microphone USB Read Our Review	Offers high-quality and realistic audio. Designed for Karaoke, video chat, audio record, and podcast. Physical volume control on the microphone for easy adjustment of sound volume. The adjustable tripod features anti-slip base for increased stability. TONOR 3.5mm Aux Jack Condenser Microphone is compatible with PCs.

How many of you reading this remember life from 20 years ago? 20 years; that’s not a long time, is it? We’re talking 1998, a couple of years before the big millennium parties. Here’s something to think about: in 1998, the mobile phone was a relatively uncommon device. Seriously, not everyone had them. Indeed, it would be another ten years before the first iPhone appeared!

What has this got to do with our review of the best podcast microphones? It’s just one example of how technology has advanced in extremely rapid terms in recent years. You are most likely reading this on a hand-held device – a smart-phone or tablet, perhaps – but you wouldn’t have been able to do so in 1998. Even ten years after that, you would still have struggled to find a device that was affordable and able to access web content.

Nowadays, of course, you can’t move for smart technology; millions of us carry smartphones, tablets and more, and home computers are pretty much a standard fixture. Games consoles can access the net and run apps, and even your TV may be able to do so. The world of communication is a very different place to that of 20 years ago.

The world of marketing is, too, and that is largely down to the same advances in technology we mention above. Take the podcast: not all are for commercial purposes, but many are used as a way of spreading the word, or promoting products and services. The podcast is a phenomenon, yet it is also a medium that anyone with basic knowledge of the technology involved can get involved in. What you need to create your own podcast is a computer with and a good microphone.

What do you need from the best podcast microphone? That’s what we’re about to tell you when we review the top 10 available right now!

Best Podcast Microphone

1: Blue Snowball iCE USB Mic

The main requirements of the best podcast microphone are clarity, ease of use and – of course – affordability, and this very neat and stylish model from Blue Microphones is specifically designed for the job. It is presented in a sort of retro style, so looks the part, and is available in black and white. While optimised for voice, it can also record bands and instruments, and has a frequency range of 40-18 kHz. This makes it ideal for podcast use.

It’s a very compact device with a nice desktop stand, plugs directly into the USB with no need to install drivers or other peripherals, and is ready to go pretty much out of the box. It is custom made with a condenser, so can also improve audio on the likes of Skype and other platforms. It is compatible with Windows 7 and upwards, as well as Mac OSX and higher, and needs very little on terms of memory, so is well worth a look.

2: NASUM PC Microphone

Where the above model majors on style as well as function, this one is purely functional, but that’s not a bad thing as it’s also very cheap. Cheap, that is, in terms of price, as it’s actually a quality microphone with many impressive attributes. First, it comes with a very nice desktop stand that folds away for carrying, so you can take it wherever you want, and it plugs straight into the USB without the hassle of added downloads or servers. It’s simple to use, too, and can be used for vocals and instruments.

This is a professional condenser microphone that will record vocals without distortion. It is compatible with Windows up to 8 (so not Windows 10) as well as Mac formats. You also get a sound card adapter for better performance, plus a dual-layer acoustic filter that sits over the mic itself, with adjustable distance, to improve recording and sound quality even further. All in all, a decent podcast microphone at a sensible price, and one for the shortlist.

3: Neewer NW1500

The trend with podcast microphones appears to be to make them good-looking, with a touch of retro being the way to go. This one, from the Neewer brand, is a very nice microphone at a sensible price, and it’s one that comes with some very nice accessories. You get a decent stand for a desktop, and it also comes with an acoustic shield for added quality, plus – like many -it is designed with the cardioid pick-up pattern for added clarity.

Make note there are two things you should know about this microphone before you consider it: first, it is not a USB mic and comes with a standard audio jack, and second, it is not Mac compatible, thus wiping out a good proportion of potential buyers. That’s not to say it is not a quality item, as it is, but because of those two main points it will appeal only to a certain audience.

4: Neewer NW-700

Another from the Neewer range of quality podcast microphones – which promise studio-quality sound at very sensible prices – is this one, the NW-700. The one thing we like best about this one is the angle-poise type stand, which can be clamped to any surface and adjusted to sit precisely where you want. It’s a very nice touch, and one that will appeal to many users.

You get an acoustic shield, a microphone with professional level sound quality, and a number of accessories that help you get the very best from your purchase. This one is not a USB mike – as the one above – and comes with a standard audio jack, and you also need to purchase some added cables and add a sound card if you want to use it. However, it gets many excellent reviews from satisfied customers, so is certainly worth looking at.

5: TONOR PC Microphone USB

This is one of the more simple and straightforward on our list, and as such is well worth looking at if you want a decent quality podcast microphone at a very sensible price. It’s from Tonor, who have a range of such items, and it is a USB mic that does not require you to download any additional drivers or software, so is pretty much a plug in and play device. That makes it greatly appealing to those of use who are not particularly tech-savvy!

It comes with a neat desktop stand that allows you to adjust the head, is suitable for up to 10ft distances in quiet rooms, and records very able to a decent quality. Frequency response gives you plenty of capability, and it is compatible with most up to date operating systems. With many satisfactory user reviews, we can’t help but recommend this simple and clever microphone as one for your shortlist.

6: Blue Yeti USB

Blue Microphones offer a wide range of impressive mics covering all the bases, and if you want one that can do everything you could possibly need, this could be the one for you. This is a true professional-standard mic that comes with all the necessary features for recording everything you could possibly need, and it also has a very nice stand that makes it easy to use from a desktop location.

This model comes with gain control, so is a very useful model when you want to control your sound input, and also features three condenser capsules, so it can record in many different arrays. You also get the benefit of cardioid, bidirectional, omni-directional and stereo pick up capability, so this really is as comprehensive a microphone as you will find anywhere. Compatible with both Mac and Windows operating systems, this is a plug in and play USB mic of the highest order, and one you need to consider very strongly.

7: Rode NT1-A Vocal

This microphone, from the renowned Rode brand, is designed for vocal use, and features a range of 20Hz to 20kHz for maximum clarity. It is, make no mistake, a high-quality item, and one that is widely used throughout the recording industry. You get a very neat, practical and simple microphone with the usual pop-shield – removable – for added clarity, and it comes with a nice stand that is fully adjustable.

This is a condenser microphone for the best low-noise results, but make note it is not a USB model and does need some added software to get going. Nevertheless, you get a good selection of accessories with this one, so it is worth looking at. It uses cardioid direction for the best results, is regarded as providing very impressive sound quality, and is therefore perfect for podcasts. This one also comes highly recommended by a host of satisfied users, so add it to your shortlist right away.

8: Marantz Professional PodPack

This neat and very affordable microphone comes from Marantz, a long-standing brand with a reputation for quality audio equipment, so you are guaranteed a decent item straight away. In truth, there is nothing special about this one compared to any of the others, but in many ways that is a bonus. It doesn’t try to be clever, it just delivers quality audio recording and is perfect for vocal use and podcast purposes.

It comes with a very neat stand that is fully adjustable – clamp it to your desk and adjust it all ways, even with the mic upside down – and is very nicely made from quality materials. This is a professional-standard cardioid condenser mic, and one that has many satisfied users. The stand is also dual-sprung so you get a nice damping system for better sound, and it’s USB powered so is plug in and play. All in all, a very nice mic that will suit your podcast well.

9: Nextany Professional

Sometimes all you want is a cheap and cheerful microphone for using on podcasts, on Skype and on other video and audio calling formats, and if that’s the case then this microphone may be the one for you. It’s a simple, easy to use omni-directional mic that offers nothing more than that you need for basic use, and it comes with a 3.5mm standard jack for use. That does mean it’s not USB but even so it is plug in and play with no need for added servers or software.

It promises noise-cancelling capability so is fine for speech, and also for singing, and if you are just beginning in the world of podcasts it’s worth a look at the price, which will amaze you! You also get a very basic yet usable tripod stand for desk use, and the cable is 2m long for versatility, and a frequency range of 50Hz to 16kHz may not be the most comprehensive, but is perfectly adequate for a mic of this type.

10: Rode NT-USB

Another from the Rode range, this is a professional-standard mic. There is a reason that this brand is popular within the recording industry, and this particular model is excellent for voice use – as well as for music and bands – so is one of the best of all for podcasts. You get a very neat, practical and simple microphone with the usual pop-shield – removable – for added clarity, and it comes with a nice stand that is fully adjustable.

This is a condenser microphone for the best low-noise results, but make note it is not a USB model and does need some added software to get going. Nevertheless, you get a good selection of accessories with this one, so it is worth looking at. It uses cardioid direction for the best results, is regarded as providing very impressive sound quality, and is therefore perfect for podcasts. This one also comes highly recommended by a host of satisfied users, so add it to your shortlist right away.

That’s our list of the top 10 best podcast microphones, so which one is for you? To be honest, we found it hard to recommend one out of all of these, so before we try and give you a verdict, here’s a look at some of the features you should be looking out for.

Important Features to Consider

If you are looking for the best podcast microphone, you are clearly interested in putting your voice out there. Or, perhaps you already have a podcast and are looking to upgrade to a better microphone? This is why we took the trouble to have a close look at ten of the very best, and to see if we can find one for you.

Before we sum it up, what do you need to look for?

Cardioid – microphones come in a range of different directional capabilities; that is, they pick up sound from a certain angle. There is no doubt that, for podcast use and also for the most effective usage in smaller rooms, the cardioid pattern is the one to have. It gives you vocal clarity and less echo, and most – if not all – of the above feature this pattern.

Stand – you want a mic with a decent stand, preferably one that can be adjusted. Some of the above feature simple tripod stands for desktop use while others offer a more sophisticated solution. These tend to be fully adjustable and also feature spring dampers for added noise cancelling capability, and it is worth checking them out for the best deals.

USB or Jack – there are two different types of connectivity among the above; some plug straight into the USB slot and can be used straight away, while others are equipped with a standard type 3.5mm audio jack, and may need additional software (although not all do). It’s personal choice which you prefer.

Professional Quality – there is a broad price difference among the microphones on our list, and with that comes a difference in quality. While all are adequate for podcast use, some offer much better recording capability, and this may be one item where it is worth paying more for the best you can afford.

That’s our brief list of what you need to consider, so which of the 10 we have features is for you? It’s hard to say, but we will give it a go, so let’s sum it up!

How It Works

The advantage of a podcast is that is a very simple medium to create and present. Some people add visuals to a podcast – at which point it really becomes a vlog – but listeners like to have podcasts for entertainment when they are on the but, out for a run, or simply to get up to date with the latest news and views from their favourite podcasters.

Indeed, some of the most prolific have many thousands of followers, who tune in regularly to get up to date and find out what’s going on, and this could be you if you have interesting, engaging and well-presented content to put out there. Whether you are producing your podcast for fun or to promote your business, quality is the key.

It’s a bit like a spoken version of blog content; you wouldn’t expect your readers to stick with poorly written, error-ridden copy, so the same goes for your podcast. It needs to not only be interesting for the listener, and to give them something they can take away from it, but it needs to be clear and listenable.

So, you need the best  podcast microphone, and such is the popularity of this medium that there are many on the market dedicated to this very specific use. They tend to be neat, affordable and easy to use, and we have picked the ten best for you to get to know. Let’s have a look at them then – here are our reviews of the top 10 best podcast microphones.

Let’s Sum It Up!

If you are new to the podcast game there are two ways of looking at purchasing a microphone: one is to go cheap and cheerful and, if you like what comes about, to trade up in the future to better equipment. The other is to buy a higher-quality mike in the first instance, and in many ways this makes sense.

If you are looking at the first option, there are a few very affordable mics on this list: the model at number 9 is very basic and very cheap, but we would recommend you look at the model at number 2 on the list as it is a quality model at a surprisingly affordable price, but be aware it will not work with Windows 10.

If you want true quality, either of the models from the Rode brand will do; these are good enough for professional use, and will do the job you need for the long term. We can also recommend the Marantz, at number 8, which is a very good quality microphone with an excellent stand that is among the best here, and that is sensibly priced against the competition.

So, there you go, a list of 10 of the best podcast microphones to choose from! Have another look, buy the one you want, and happy podcasting – you’ll be hooked!