What's the best microphone for a screencast?

published Feb 02, 2019 01:55   by admin ( last modified Feb 02, 2019 02:34 )

I want super sound quality that doesn't preoccupy my hands, or is a table microphone, it needs to be close to my mouth.

My best microphone for this purpose that I own, is a T-bone TWS One (~€60) wireless headset that runs on 865 MHz to a wireless receiver. It's actually really good. I do not need any better. But it is a bit of work to set up:

  • the headset itself
  • the transmitter with batteries
  • the receiver, with power adapter
  • A 6.3mm output from the receiver that needs to go somewhere

So is there more convenient stuff out there?

What is not better

I have a lavalier, an Aputure A.lav. It is emphatically worse in sound quality than the T-bone. Its thin microphone cable is prone to picking up hum, and it makes a lot of scratching noises when cables move around. Maybe my copy shouldn't have passed quality control.

Also worse is a Sony MDR-XB950B1 headset over Bluetooth. If you post process with normalization, equalization and compression you can get up to the level of the sound of a depressed airline pilot over the plane's PA.

Here is the microphones I am looking at right now

Plantronics Voyager 4220 UC bluetooth headset €200

Has good reviews. A bit expensive though, but might be a good replacement for my Sony MDR-XB950B1. About €200.

Samson Go Mic USB, USB microphone €40

USB means there is very little analog cable length to pic up hum. It is also reasonably priced, very small with built-in clip and mic mount. About €50.

ModMic 4/5, clip-on analog microphone for headphones

Good reputation but does have a long analog cable. But maybe it is well shielded. Analog means it can be plugged into an analog mixer. However if you run a Linux distribution with Jack, such as MediBuntu, you ought to be able to do simultaneous recording from multiple sound cards, including USB microphones.

ModMic Wireless, clip-on wireless microphone for headphones €100

ModMic Wireless – Antlion Audio A bit expensive.

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