A good microphone is essential for any good streaming session. No matter how good your stream’s video quality is, it will not be as enjoyable if the sound quality is poor. Indeed good quality sound is the most crucial thing in any online stream or podcast. It is more important than high end streaming PC and top of the line camera.
To capture the sound at its fullest, you need to find a good microphone. But not every microphone is not suitable for streamers. The microphone choice will be varied form streamers to streamers based on the types of streams.
For streamers, we choose 10 of the very best microphones for streaming. We will also explain why we have chosen these microphones and who should use them.
Here is the list of 10 best microphones for streaming that will help you to record good quality sound.
1. HyperX Quadcast
HyperX Quadcast is hands down the best microphones for streaming that you will ever find. It is the most feature-rich and supports many platforms. It has four polar patterns. They are cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional, and stereo.
This microphone can be used for podcasts, voiceover, sound recording, ASMR, and so on. This microphone has a built-in anti-vibration shock mount and a gain controller for adjusting mic sensitivity. Undoubtedly this excellent microphone is compatible with PC, MAC, and PS4. This why we keep this on top of the list of best microphones for streaming.
Specification:
Power: 5V 125mA | Sample Rate: 48 kHz | Bit rate: 16-bit | Polar Patterns: Cardioid, Bidirectional, Omnidirectional and Stereo | Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz | Weight: 254 gram
Pros:
It is compatible with multiple platforms
 Has a gain control and touch-sensitive mute button
 Comes with anti-vibration shock mount
Cons:
 Slightly expensive than other microphone
2. Blue Yeti pro
Blue has a wide range of good quality mics for streamers. The Blue Yeti Pro stands above all of them. It has a lot of useful features you need for a professional quality sound recording. The microphone has four polar patterns, a mute button, gain control knob and zero-latency headphone monitoring.
This is very easy to use a microphone like all other blue yeti microphones. It supports both Windows and Mac operating systems. Also can be connected via both XLR and USB cables.
Though it is an expensive microphone, the features and sound recording quality make it up for the price. This microphone has a high demand and hard to find. Unquestionably, it is one of the best mics for streaming and suitable for any type of streamer.
Specification:
Power: 5V 500mA | Sample Rate: 192 kHz | Bit rate: 24-bit | Polar Patterns: Cardioid, Bidirectional, Omnidirectional and Stereo | Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz | Weight: 2.2 lbs
Pros:
 Has excellent sound recording quality
 It comes with four polar patterns
Supported with mute button and gain controller too
Cons:
 Expensive than most microphones
3. Razer Seiren X
All of the Razer products are made for gamers in mind. The Razer Seiren X is no different. It has a super-cardioid polar pattern and it is slightly better than the regular cardioid polar pattern. This microphone is one of the best microphones for streaming video games. This microphone is shock resistant and compact. It has the looks and quality of other Razer products. But it is not suitable for all types of streamers.
Specification:
Power: 5V 100mA | Sample Rate: 48 kHz | Bit rate: 16-bit | Polar Patterns: Super-Cardioid | Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz | Weight: 13.4 ounces
Pros:
 Indeed it is cheaper in comparison with other Razer products
 It is Shock resistant and portable too.
Cons:
 Has only one polar pattern
4. Rode NT USB
Rode NT USB is a high-quality USB microphone with a different design. It has an included pop filter, and also the tripod desk stands for hassle-free use. This microphone has a cardioid polar pattern. So it is well suited for voiceovers. The 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack can be used for zero-latency sound monitoring. The microphone is compatible with the SMR shock mount and WS2 foam windshield.
The microphone can be used in both MAC and Windows. Moreover, it is also compatible with the iPad.
Specification:
Power: 5V | Bit rate: 16-bit | Polar Patterns: Cardioid | Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz | Weight: 520 grams
Pros:
 Built-in pop filter and tripod style stand
 Compatible with iPad
Cons:
 Only cardioid polar pattern
5. Blue Yeti
Blue Yeti is one of the most popular microphones in the market. It is used by all types of streams. It has four popular polar patterns. This mic is definitely good for any kind of streamer.
This microphone has a very sturdy and excellent design. Blue yeti has useful features like a mute button and a gain control knob. For this, we pick it on our list of best microphones for streaming.
The microphone is also very easy to use. It is driver free. You can use it on both MAC and Windows.
Specification:
Power: 5V 150mA | Sample Rate: 48 kHz | Bit rate: 16-bit | Polar Patterns: Cardioid, Bidirectional, Omnidirectional and Stereo | Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz | Weight: 1.2 lbs
Pros:
 It has four polar patterns
 Driver free microphone
 Very easy to use
Cons:
 Gain knob feels cheap
6. Samson G-Track Pro
Samson G-Track Pro is a unique microphone that will be suitable for most streamers. The microphone has an audio interface built-in inside. So you can record your voice as well as instruments.
The polar pattern of this microphone is cardioid, bidirectional, and omnidirectional. It will be enough for most streamers except for the ASMR streamers.
In addition, this microphone is reasonably priced, and unique compares to the others on this list.
Specification:
Power: 5V | Sample Rate: 96 kHz | Bit rate: 24-bit | Polar Patterns: Cardioid, Bidirectional, Omnidirectional | Frequency response: 50 Hz – 20 kHz | Weight: 3.53 lbs
Pros:
 Three polar patterns
 You can use as an audio interface also
 The mixing control knobs are excellent
Cons:
 Slightly heavier than other microphones
7. Blue Yeti Nano
Blue Yeti Nano is the cheapest Blue Yeti series microphone. Though it is low price but that does not affect its quality. The microphone may not be as feature-rich as Blue Yeti or Blue Yeti pro, but it is still an outstanding microphone on its own. The microphone has a cardio-id and omnidirectional polar pattern. It is a natural choice for voice-over and podcasts.
This microphone supports both Windows and Mac. It is easy to use as all other Blue microphones. And it can be a perfect choice for people with a tight budget.
Specification:
Power: 5V 150mA | Sample Rate: 48 kHz | Bit rate: 24-bit | Polar Patterns: Cardioid and Omnidirectional | Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz | Weight: 1.39 lbs
Pros:
 Lower price
 Plug n play and easy setup process
Cons:
 Not for all streamers
8. Razer Seiren Elite
Razer Seiren Elite is Razer’s top of the line microphone. This microphone is made for video game streamers. For that reason, it has only one polar pattern. Without a doubt cardioid polar pattern is ideal for voice overs.
It is a premium high-quality microphone from Razer and has a higher price.
Specification:
Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz – 48 kHz | Bit rate: 16-bit | Polar Patterns: Cardioid | Frequency response: 50 Hz – 20 kHz | Weight: 2.1 lbs
Pros:
 Zero-latency sound monitoring
 High-end microphone
Cons:
 Higher price
 Only one polar pattern
9. Samson Meteor
Samson Meteor is a cheaper cardioid microphone. It is an excellent microphone for beginner voice-over streamers. This microphone is very portable and comes along with a carry pouch.
This microphone supports Mac, Windows, iPad, and iPhone. Additionally, it has a mute button and a zero-latency sound monitoring feature.
Specification:
Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz – 48 kHz | Bit rate: 16-bit | Polar Patterns: Cardioid | Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz | Weight: 1.32 lbs
Pros:
 Quite cheap
 Good portability
 Can be used with iPad and iPhone
Cons:
 Only cardioid polar pattern
10. Blue Snowball iCE
Blue Snowball iCE is the cheapest microphone in this list. It is a budget-friendly portable microphone. It has cardioid and omnidirectional polar patterns. This is the right choice for voiceovers, interviews, and even podcasts.
Also it supports both Windows and Mac. It is a driver-free, easy to use the microphone and the best microphones for streaming for people with a budget.
Specification:
Sample Rate: 48 kHz | Bit rate: 16-bit | Polar Patterns: Cardioid and Omnidirectional | Frequency response: 40 Hz – 18 kHz | Weight: 460 grams
Pros:
 Very affordable
 Cardioid and omnidirectional polar patterns
 Portable and easy to use
Cons:
 Mic height may not be enough for proper mouth alignment
How to select the best microphones for streaming
Choosing the right and best microphone for your online stream or podcast might be confusing. But the good news is, you do not need to know tons of stuff before buying a good microphone. The most important factors are polar pattern and frequency response. There are some other factors like design, price, and as well as that accessories which may influence your microphone choice.
Polar Pattern
The polar pattern of a microphone indicates the sound capturing direction of that particular microphone. There are a few types of polar patterns. Among them, cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional, and stereo are the most common ones.
Cardioid microphones are usually used by the streamers who are doing voice-overs, podcasts, or video game stream by themselves. Cardioid pattern picks up sound with very low background noise.
Omnidirectional microphones allow capturing sounds from every direction. It is clearly made for recording the voice of multiple people talking in the same stream.
As the name suggests, the bidirectional microphone can capture sound from two directions. It is especially good fit for face to face interviews.
The stereo polar pattern is usually used by ASMR streamers in the platform like twitch and YouTube.
Frequency Response
Frequency response is the range of sound frequency that a microphone can pick up. The minimum frequency rate of most microphones is within 80 Hz – 15 kHz. Frequency response is not that important for voiceover streamers. But it is essential for musicians and ASMR streamers. There are few microphones in the market that have a frequency range of 20 Hz – 20 kHz.
Design
Most of the time, the design, appearance, and color of a microphone does not dictate the quality of the microphone. You will always obviously find a microphone that has your desired features, design, color, and shape.
Adaptability
Before choosing a microphone, always check that if the microphone is compatible with your current setup.
Price
You will always find a suitable microphone for you within your budget. But the price should be the last thing you should consider. If possible, buy a good microphone that has the features you need. A microphone will last for a long time. So a good microphone is always a good investment.
Included Accessories
Sometimes the only difference between two good microphones might be the extra accessories comes with them. Some microphone provides things like long USB cable, stand and pop filter. These accessories may save you some additional costs.
Conclusion
A good microphone will let you record good quality sound and makes your stream more enjoyable. Investing your money for a good microphone is obviously a great decision. If you are a new streamer looking for a microphone or trying to improve the sound quality of your stream, you can never go wrong with these microphones. These are some of the best microphones for streaming that you can find. Last but not least suggestion, choose the mic based on your budget as well as requirements.
Suggestion:Â Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones WH1000XM3
