Best USB Microphone For Singing

There’s no doubt that today, USB microphones are more popular than ever. With home studios, podcasters, YouTubers, and many others. They have become standard tools of the trade. And while they aren’t quite at the level of professional recording microphones yet they get closer and closer with each passing day.

Whether you’re starting a home studio, podcast, or YouTube channel you’ll definitely need a good computer microphone. So in this list of the Best USB microphones for singing and podcasting. I hope this helps you with your purchasing decision.

Our Top 3 Picks For Best USB Microphone For Singing

Mackie EM-91CU

Rugged Built Quality USB Microphone For Singing

Mackie has been a popular live-sound choice for performers, and their product’s rugged build quality has been known to withstand years of wear-and-tear while providing the same great sound quality that you heard the day you brought them home from the music shop. I’ve always thought that it was only a matter of time before they entered the realm of microphones and content creation gear.

Mackie sure lives up to their reputation by providing reliable, “built like a tank” microphones with a sound quality that will make you do a double-take after seeing the price tag.

There are three mics in this series: the EM-89D (hand-held dynamic microphone), the EM-91C (large diaphragm condenser microphone), and the EM-USB (USB condenser microphone). All these mics sport a plug-and-play nature that is sure to keep Mackie’s name on stage all around, even if it’s temporarily the virtual world.

The onboard Mackie mic provides clean headroom with low noise and great harmonics for a USB mic.I’ve been trusting this mic to achieve quality recording when I’m both singing and playing, and the cardioid rejection leads to a vocal track that’s well isolated from the guitar, especially after rolling off everything under 120 hz. This mic also works well on acoustic guitar, maintaining the body and high-frequency clarity that you’d desire.

If you’re looking for your first large-diaphragm condenser mic, be sure to check this out. Yet, even if you’re a pro with a full mic locker, this mic will find much more useful than you’d expect. It comes with a shock-mount and short XLR cable as well, so you can use this straight out of the box without having to hit one more aisle in the music store.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Great with female vocals.
• The sound signature is accentuated by subtle low-frequency harmonics that lend depth to female vocals and power to deep male vocals.
• Sibilant S and F sounds get rounded off.

Cons

• Expensive
• Needs further processing to bring out some sparkle.

Check it out on Amazon

Blue Yeti Nano

Affordable USB Microphone For Singing

Blue keeps churning out variations on a recipe it has come close to mastering: the USB microphone. The Yeti Nano is a more affordable take on the company’s popular (and more expensive) Yeti mic.

It differs in that it has fewer polar patterns to choose from, but it still offers a cardioid pattern and an omnidirectional pattern—and these are based on individual capsules, not digital algorithms. Possibly the biggest difference between the two mics is the Yeti Nano’s lack of an onboard gain control knob—the gain must be adjusted through software rather than manually.

This will be enough of an annoyance to some users that the Yeti’s slightly higher price will be worth it to get the extrapolar pattern and the manual gain control. However, the Yeti Nano offers a DSP (digital signal processing)-free, clear, and crisp signal that’s ideal for podcasting and music recording.

The Blue Yeti Nano looks like a compact version of the company’s iconic Yeti Mic. Under the hood, it has an analog signal path with two capsules for cardioid and Omni polar patterns. This is to ensure the best possible sound before hitting the analog to digital converters.

The Multifunction knob controls mic gain, headphone level and also functions as a mute switch. While focused as a content creation mic, it works equally well for capturing acoustic guitars. Its small size makes it easy to place in an optimal position.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Two selectable polar patterns despite their small size.
• Has a similar “broadcast” sound signature to the original Yeti.
• It is not expensive.

Cons

• No separate controls for gain, mute, and headphone volume.
• Fewer polar patterns to choose from.

Check it out on Amazon

Blue Yeti

Rich Feature USB Microphone For Singing

The Blue Yeti is a great a option for anyone who just wants to plug in and play without spending hours tweaking audio settings. This unassuming gadget is actually one of the best-selling USB Microphones for many retailers. It owes this to its 3 capsules which enable it to have Cardioid, Bidirectional, Omnidirectional and Stereo recording capabilities.

One advantage of its 5v-powered USB makeup is that the Yeti is able to put many of the most important recording controls on board. There’s a built-in gain dial, essential if you’re recording quiet or distant sounds and useful for preventing later processing.

It also features a volume knob for the live-monitoring headphone amp, a mute button to pause recording, and the most important control of all: the pattern switch, which selects between the four operating modes of its triple-capsule array. Its stereo pattern is perfect for singing.

Pros And Cons

Pros

• Great sound quality
• Rich feature set.
• Easy for first-timers to set up.

Cons

• Durability issues so one must handle with care.
• The initial gain level may be too loud

Check it out on Amazon

Conclusion

The Blue Yeti is a great pick for the home recording enthusiast that wants a mic that can do it all. In this price range, it’s hard be beat.

If you need a USB mic for singing, the Mackie EM-91CU offers a quality sound for just this purpose. It also delivers a reliable and rugged design at a reasonable price, making it both a suitable entry-level product and a solid choice to augment a podcaster’s existing collection. If you want a warm and deep sounding mic for vocals, then, EM-91CU is a great pick.

The yeti nano is the perfect pick for fans or owners of the original Yeti that want a more portable version. It also makes a great first condenser mic for those that don’t want a separate audio interface. To see similar products, visit Amazon.com