What Microphones Do YouTubers Use? 9 Jaw-Dropping Choices Revealed

Ever clicked on a YouTube video only to be greeted by muffled, tinny audio that makes you want to hit the back button faster than you can say “subscribe”? We’ve all been there. In the world of content creation, crystal-clear audio isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a must-have. That’s why savvy YouTubers know that choosing the right microphone is as crucial as nailing that perfect thumbnail or mastering the art of the outro.

But with so many options out there, how do you know what microphones YouTubers use to achieve that professional sound? Buckle up, because we’re about to dive into the world of YouTube audio and reveal nine jaw-dropping microphone choices that’ll make your viewers’ ears perk up and hit that subscribe button.

Why Microphone Choice Matters for YouTubers

Let’s face it: you could have the most engaging personality, the most valuable content, or the most stunning visuals, but if your audio sounds like it was recorded inside a tin can, your viewers will bounce faster than a rubber ball on concrete. High-quality audio isn’t just about sounding good—it’s about respecting your audience’s time and enhancing their overall experience.

Think about it this way: imagine you’re at a concert, and the lead singer’s microphone keeps cutting out. Frustrating, right? The same principle applies to YouTube. Your microphone is your primary tool for communicating with your audience. Whether you’re explaining a complex topic, narrating a thrilling story, or just chatting with your viewers, clear audio ensures your message gets across without any barriers.

Moreover, the type of content you create heavily influences the microphone you should choose. A gaming YouTuber might need a different setup compared to someone who produces ASMR content or hosts interviews. That’s why understanding the various types of microphones and how they cater to different content styles is crucial for any aspiring or established YouTuber.

Understanding Microphone Types Popular Among YouTubers

Before we dive into our jaw-dropping choices, let’s break down the main types of microphones YouTubers commonly use. This knowledge will help you understand why certain mics are better suited for specific content types.

Dynamic vs. Condenser Microphones

Dynamic microphones are like the tough older siblings in the microphone family. They’re durable, can handle high sound pressure levels, and are less sensitive to background noise. This makes them great for recording in less-than-ideal environments or for louder applications like recording instruments or outdoor vlogs.

Condenser microphones, on the other hand, are the sensitive artists of the bunch. They capture more detail and nuance in sound, making them excellent for vocals, podcasting, and studio recordings. However, they’re more delicate and tend to pick up more background noise, so they’re best used in controlled environments.

USB vs. XLR Connections

USB microphones are the plug-and-play champions. They’re easy to set up, don’t require additional audio interfaces, and are generally more budget-friendly. Perfect for beginners or those who want a hassle-free setup.

XLR microphones are the professional standard. They offer superior audio quality and more flexibility in terms of audio processing. However, they require an audio interface to connect to your computer, which means a bit more investment and setup time.

Directional Patterns

Microphones come with different pickup patterns that determine how they capture sound from various directions:

• Cardioid: Picks up sound primarily from the front, reducing background noise. Ideal for solo recordings.
• Omnidirectional: Captures sound equally from all directions. Great for group discussions or capturing room ambiance.
• Bidirectional: Records from the front and back, perfect for face-to-face interviews.
• Stereo: Captures a wide, immersive sound field, excellent for ASMR or ambient recordings.

Understanding these basics will help you appreciate why certain microphones are favored by YouTubers for different applications. Now, let’s unveil those jaw-dropping choices!

Top 9 Microphones YouTubers Swear By

1. The Budget-Friendly Powerhouse: Blue Snowball iCE

When it comes to entry-level microphones that pack a punch without breaking the bank, the Blue Snowball iCE is a fan favorite among YouTubers. This little orb of audio goodness has helped countless creators kickstart their journey to YouTube stardom.

What makes the Snowball iCE stand out is its simplicity and effectiveness. It’s a plug-and-play USB microphone that doesn’t require any fancy setup or additional equipment. Just connect it to your computer, and you’re ready to start recording. Despite its affordable price point, the Snowball iCE delivers clear, crisp audio that’s leagues above your standard built-in computer microphone.

The cardioid pickup pattern of the Snowball iCE focuses on capturing sound directly in front of the microphone, which helps reduce background noise—a godsend for those recording in less-than-ideal environments. Whether you’re recording voiceovers, podcasts, or simple vlogs, this microphone can handle it all with surprising clarity.

However, like any budget option, it does have its limitations. It lacks some of the advanced features found in pricier models, such as gain control or multiple pickup patterns. But for beginners or those on a tight budget, the Blue Snowball iCE provides an excellent starting point to elevate your audio game.

2. The All-Rounder for Versatile Content Creators: Rode NT-USB

For YouTubers who wear many hats—vlogger one day, podcaster the next, maybe even a budding musician—the Rode NT-USB is a Swiss Army knife of a microphone. This versatile piece of equipment has earned its place in many content creators’ toolkits thanks to its ability to deliver professional-grade audio across various applications.

The Rode NT-USB is a condenser microphone that connects directly to your computer via USB, combining the ease of use of USB mics with the audio quality typically associated with more professional XLR setups. Its cardioid polar pattern makes it ideal for single-person recordings, effectively minimizing background noise.

One of the standout features of the NT-USB is its built-in pop filter, which helps reduce plosives (those pesky ‘p’ and ‘b’ sounds that can cause audio spikes). This means you can start recording right out of the box without worrying about additional accessories.

The NT-USB also comes with a mix control that allows you to blend your computer/playback audio with your microphone input. This feature is particularly useful for musicians who want to record while listening to a backing track, or for gamers who need to balance game audio with their commentary.

While it’s not the cheapest option on the market, the Rode NT-USB’s versatility and quality make it a smart investment for content creators who don’t want to be limited by their equipment. Whether you’re recording a heartfelt vlog, a professional interview, or laying down some vocals for your next hit song, this microphone has got you covered.

3. The Podcaster’s Dream: Shure SM7B

If you’ve ever watched a professional podcast or radio show, chances are you’ve seen the Shure SM7B in action. This legendary microphone has been a staple in broadcast studios for decades, and it’s found a new legion of fans among YouTubers who prioritize top-notch audio quality.

The SM7B is a dynamic microphone, which means it’s excellent at rejecting background noise and handling high sound pressure levels. This makes it ideal for recording in less-than-perfect acoustic environments—a common scenario for many home-based YouTubers. Its cardioid polar pattern further enhances its ability to focus on the speaker’s voice while minimizing ambient noise.

One of the SM7B’s standout features is its ability to produce warm, rich vocals. It has a frequency response tailored for speech, with a presence boost that adds clarity and brightness to voices without sounding harsh. This characteristic has made it a favorite not just among podcasters, but also for YouTubers who do a lot of talking head videos or voiceovers.

However, the SM7B does come with a few considerations. It’s an XLR microphone, which means you’ll need an audio interface to connect it to your computer. It also requires a significant amount of gain, so a good quality preamp is essential to get the best out of this mic. These factors make the SM7B setup more complex and expensive compared to USB options.

But for those who are serious about their audio quality and are willing to invest in their setup, the Shure SM7B delivers professional-grade results that can truly elevate your content. It’s a microphone that can grow with you as your channel evolves, providing consistent, high-quality audio that your listeners will appreciate.

4. The Vlogger’s Companion: Rode VideoMic Pro+

For YouTubers who love to take their content on the road, the Rode VideoMic Pro+ is a game-changer. This shotgun microphone is designed to sit atop your camera, making it the perfect companion for vloggers, travel content creators, and anyone who needs high-quality audio in a portable package.

The VideoMic Pro+ excels in outdoor environments where traditional studio microphones would struggle. Its super-cardioid polar pattern provides excellent off-axis sound rejection, meaning it focuses on what’s in front of the camera while minimizing background noise. This is particularly useful when you’re vlogging in busy streets, noisy events, or windy conditions.

One of the standout features of the VideoMic Pro+ is its auto power functionality. The mic turns on and off with your camera, ensuring you never miss a moment of audio due to forgetting to switch on your mic. It also has a built-in rechargeable battery that lasts up to 100 hours, saving you from the hassle of constantly replacing batteries.

The VideoMic Pro+ offers several filters and settings to help you capture the best possible audio in various situations. It has a high-pass filter to reduce low-frequency rumble, a high-frequency boost to enhance clarity, and a safety channel that records a second track at -10dB in case your main track clips.

While it’s primarily designed for use with cameras, many YouTubers also use the VideoMic Pro+ for desktop setups, appreciating its clear, focused audio capture. However, keep in mind that to use it with a computer, you’ll need an adapter to convert its 3.5mm output to USB.

For vloggers and on-the-go content creators, the Rode VideoMic Pro+ offers a perfect blend of portability and professional-quality audio, ensuring your audience gets crystal clear sound no matter where your YouTube adventures take you.

5. The Studio-Quality Game Changer: Neumann TLM 103

When it comes to microphones, few names carry as much weight as Neumann. The Neumann TLM 103 is a studio-grade condenser microphone that has found its way into the setups of many professional YouTubers who demand the absolute best in audio quality.

The TLM 103 is renowned for its exceptionally clear and detailed sound reproduction. It captures voices with a level of richness and nuance that can make your audience feel like you’re speaking directly into their ears. This level of clarity can be particularly beneficial for content that relies heavily on voice quality, such as ASMR, voiceovers, or music performances.

One of the key features of the TLM 103 is its large-diaphragm capsule, which is based on the legendary Neumann U 87. This capsule, combined with the mic’s transformerless circuitry, results in very low self-noise. This means you get clean, noise-free recordings even when capturing quiet sources or subtle sounds.

The TLM 103 has a cardioid polar pattern, which helps isolate your voice from background noise. It also has a slight presence boost in the upper mid-range, which adds air and intimacy to vocal recordings without sounding harsh or sibilant.

However, the TLM 103 is not for the faint of heart (or wallet). It’s a significant investment, and as an XLR microphone, it requires additional equipment like an audio interface and possibly acoustic treatment for your recording space to truly shine. It’s also quite sensitive, meaning it will pick up room reflections and background noises if your recording environment isn’t well-controlled.

For YouTubers who are serious about audio quality and have the budget and setup to support it, the Neumann TLM 103 can be a game-changing addition to their toolkit. It’s a microphone that can take your production values to the next level, providing studio-quality audio that can truly set your content apart.

6. The Streaming Superstar: Elgato Wave:3

In the world of gaming and live streaming, the Elgato Wave:3 has quickly become a fan favorite. This USB condenser microphone is designed with streamers in mind, offering a perfect blend of high-quality audio and user-friendly features that make it ideal for both gaming commentary and general content creation.

The Wave:3 boasts a cardioid polar pattern that focuses on capturing your voice while minimizing background noise—a crucial feature for streamers who often have to contend with the sound of clicking keyboards and whirring computer fans. Its 24-bit/96kHz analog-to-digital converter ensures your voice comes through with exceptional clarity and detail.

One of the standout features of the Wave:3 is its Clipguard technology. This clever bit of engineering automatically reroutes sound through a second signal path that’s set to a lower volume, effectively eliminating audio clipping even when you get excited and raise your voice during intense gaming moments.

The Wave:3 also comes with the Wave Link app, a powerful mixing solution that allows you to control your mic input alongside other audio sources like game sound, music, and voice chat. This gives you studio-like control over your audio mix, all manageable from a single interface.

Another nifty feature is the capacitive mute button at the top of the mic. A gentle tap is all it takes to mute or unmute yourself, with an LED indicator clearly showing your current status—no more accidentally talking while muted!

While the Wave:3 is marketed towards streamers, its high-quality audio and user-friendly features make it a great choice for any content creator who wants a hassle-free, great-sounding USB microphone. It’s a bit pricier than entry-level USB mics, but for many YouTubers, the additional features and audio quality make it well worth the investment.

7. The ASMR Artist’s Secret Weapon: 3Dio Free Space Pro II

For ASMR content creators, the 3Dio Free Space Pro II is nothing short of revolutionary. This unique binaural microphone is designed to capture audio in a way that mimics human hearing, creating an immersive 3D sound experience that can send tingles down your viewers’ spines.

The most striking feature of the 3Dio Free Space Pro II is its design—it looks like a pair of human ears mounted on a stand. This isn’t just for show; these silicon ears are carefully shaped to capture sound just as human ears would. This results in incredibly realistic spatial audio that, when listened to with headphones, can make viewers feel like they’re right there in the room with you.

Each ear contains a high-quality omnidirectional condenser capsule, allowing for the capture of subtle sounds from all directions. This is perfect for ASMR content where creators often move around the microphone, creating a sense of movement and space in the audio.

The Free Space Pro II doesn’t just excel at close-up, intimate sounds (though it certainly does that exceptionally well). Its ability to capture a realistic sound field also makes it great for ambient recordings, nature sounds, or any situation where you want to transport your audience to a specific auditory environment.

While the 3Dio Free Space Pro II is a specialist tool primarily aimed at ASMR content creators, it’s also found fans among binaural recording enthusiasts, sound designers, and YouTubers looking to experiment with immersive audio experiences. It’s worth noting that this is an XLR microphone, so you’ll need an audio interface to use it with your computer.

The unique capabilities of the 3Dio Free Space Pro II come with a significant price tag, making it a serious investment. However, for ASMR artists and creators focused on immersive audio experiences, it’s a tool that can truly set your content apart and give your audience an auditory experience like no other.

8. The Musician’s Choice: Shure SM58

When it comes to capturing vocals and instruments, few microphones have the legendary status of the Shure SM58. This dynamic microphone has been a staple in the music industry for decades, and it’s found a new audience among YouTubers who create music content or need a versatile, rugged mic for various applications.

The SM58 is renowned for its durability—it’s often joked that you could hammer nails with it and it would still work perfectly. This ruggedness, combined with its excellent sound quality, makes it a favorite for musicians who create content both in the studio and on the road.

Sonically, the SM58 has a frequency response tailored for vocals, with a presence boost that adds clarity and brightness to the voice. It has a cardioid polar pattern that helps isolate the main sound source and reduce background noise, making it great for recording in less-than-ideal acoustic environments.

While it’s primarily known as a vocal mic, the SM58 is surprisingly versatile. It can handle high sound pressure levels, making it suitable for recording loud instruments like guitar amps or drums. Many YouTubers who create music tutorials or gear reviews appreciate this flexibility.

One of the advantages of the SM58 for YouTube creators is its forgiving nature. It’s less sensitive to plosives and proximity effect compared to many condenser mics, meaning you can get up close and personal without worrying too much about audio issues. This

can be particularly useful for energetic performances or when you need to move around while recording.

It’s worth noting that the SM58 is an XLR microphone, so you’ll need an audio interface to connect it to your computer. Also, as a dynamic microphone, it requires more gain than typical condenser mics, so a good quality preamp is beneficial to get the best results.

While it may not have the ultra-high fidelity of some studio condenser microphones, the Shure SM58’s combination of great sound, versatility, and legendary durability makes it a solid choice for YouTubers who create music content or need a reliable, all-purpose microphone that can handle whatever they throw at it.

9. The Future-Proof Tech Marvel: Earthworks ICON Pro

For YouTubers looking to stay ahead of the curve with cutting-edge audio technology, the Earthworks ICON Pro represents the future of streaming and podcasting microphones. This sleek, innovative microphone combines top-tier audio quality with advanced features that cater to the needs of modern content creators.

The ICON Pro is a condenser microphone that boasts an incredibly wide frequency response of 20Hz to 30kHz, capturing audio detail well beyond the range of human hearing. This extended frequency range contributes to an exceptionally natural and open sound that can add a new level of clarity and presence to your recordings.

One of the standout features of the ICON Pro is its proprietary polar pattern technology. It offers both cardioid and omnidirectional patterns, but what sets it apart is the exceptional off-axis response. This means that even sounds coming from the sides or rear of the microphone are captured with remarkable accuracy and consistency, giving you more flexibility in your recording setup.

The ICON Pro also incorporates some nifty tech features. It has a touch-sensitive mute button on top, which can be customized to toggle between mute and push-to-talk functionality. The mic also features programmable LED lighting, allowing you to match it to your streaming setup or use it as a visual cue for your recording status.

For ease of use, the ICON Pro connects via USB and is plug-and-play compatible with both PC and Mac. It also includes a headphone jack for zero-latency monitoring, allowing you to hear yourself in real-time without any delay.

While the Earthworks ICON Pro comes with a premium price tag, it represents an investment in future-proof technology. Its exceptional audio quality, versatile features, and innovative design make it a compelling choice for YouTubers who want to be at the forefront of audio technology and are willing to invest in a top-of-the-line microphone that can grow with their channel.

How to Choose the Right Microphone for Your YouTube Channel

Selecting the perfect microphone for your YouTube channel isn’t just about picking the most expensive or popular option. It’s about finding the right tool that fits your specific needs, content style, and budget. Here’s a guide to help you make an informed decision:

Consider Your Content Type:

• For vlogs and on-the-go content: Look for portable options like the Rode VideoMic Pro+
• For studio recordings and voiceovers: Consider condenser mics like the Rode NT-USB or Neumann TLM 103
• For podcasts and interviews: Dynamic mics like the Shure SM7B excel
• For music: Versatile options like the Shure SM58 or studio-grade condensers work well

Assess Your Recording Environment:

• If you have a quiet, treated space: Condenser mics can capture more detail
• For noisier environments: Dynamic mics are more forgiving and reject background noise better

Consider Your Technical Skills and Setup:

• For beginners: USB mics offer plug-and-play simplicity
• For those comfortable with more complex setups: XLR mics provide more flexibility and often better quality

Think About Future Growth:

• While budget options are great to start, consider if a slightly pricier mic might serve you longer as your channel grows

Don’t Forget About Accessories:

• Factor in the cost of pop filters, shock mounts, or audio interfaces if needed

Remember, the best microphone is the one that helps you create consistently great content. It’s better to master a mid-range microphone than to struggle with a top-tier one that doesn’t suit your needs.

FAQ – What Microphones Do YouTubers Use