AT2040

I use the ElgatoXLR dock with AKG 702s. I absolutely love these headphones and they're a little older now and they go on sale all the time. The open back makes them so much more comfortable for longer wear. The down side is they don't isolate noise to anyone else in the room but the sound stage on them is phenomenal and makes it super easy to tell direction. For a mic, I like my AT 2040. Buying separate products is a lot more versatile.

Yeah I don't agree with their 7b comparison. Both would be bad in an untreated room /w background noise. It is true though that the polar pattern of the 2040 will just be way better in the described scenario though. The 58 may be highly reliable, but to avoid the background noise you'll have to be right up on it which will make for an extreme proximity effect. Maybe fine if you have the engineering experience to correct that but, it's a kid. Recipe for some muddy recordings. And given their description is including instruments for performance, being right up on the mic might not even be an option. The 58 is cooler if you can't be stationary right in front of it, want it to be handheld or mobile. But I didn't read that being a requirement. The 58 also is quiet, cheap interface can't power it without a pre. 2040 runs way hotter.

I second the 2040, better for if there will be background noise. That along with a scarlett solo would be in budget.

**TL;DR; : Get an Audio-Technica AT-2040, along with an audio interface.** Everyone is suggesting an SM58, which is a good microphone, but will pick up a lot of reverb in an untreated room. I think the Shure SM7B might be a safer bet. It’s more designed for podcasting and things like that, but I think it works great for recording vocals. It is a dynamic cardioid mic that will cut out a lot of room noise. It is a little costly though, I think about $400 and you would still need an interface, mic cable, and a mic stand. A cheaper option that is similar to the SM7B is the Audio-Technica AT-2040. It would only set you back $100-$150 and it’s a solid microphone. Here’s a used one that’s on sale. Great price https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Audio-Technica/Used-Audio-Technica-AT2040-Dynamic-Microphone-121359759.gc

Checked a test on youtube where it’s AT2020 and AT2040 and can confirm they both pick up the room noise despite AT2040 being a dynamic mic

I checked a test on youtube and neither AT2020 (condenser) nor AT2040 (dynamic) reject unwanted sound. So can confirm

I have used both the AT2040 and the SM58 extensively. I think that the 2040 might be better for you considering that it is a hypercardioid pickup pattern compared to the cardioid pattern of the SM58. This means that the AT2040 will reject a lot more unwanted noise around the microphone while picking up your voice well. On the other hand, I have heard very good things about the podmic. That said, it does have a cardioid pickup pattern so it may not reject as much noise as the 2040.

I have never noticed any issues with the low end. My voice may not be the deepest but every recoding I have done with the 2040 sounds good to my ears. To be completely honest, I think the rejection of noise is more important than having a perfect low end. I know hearing a streamers PC or keyboard would make me click off immediately.

Do not get the Quadcast. They’re not worth the money. With $150 you could get a Rode Podmic, Audio Technica AT2040, or if you really want a condenser mic the AT2020. But I would highly suggest NOT getting a condenser mic. If you want a good budget mic, the Fifine AM8 is a great option at around $50 and has both USB and XLR. So if you decide to get an audio interface later, you won’t have to also get a new mic. If you’re hard set on a condenser mic though, the AT2020 is a highly respected budget condenser mic AND has a USB version for under $150 if I’m remembering correctly. I personally have the AT2040, and while it’s not the best out of the box, it pairs well enough with my voice and sounds fine with EQ. The downside to the Podmic and AT2040 is that they’re both XLR. They have USB versions but they’re a little more expensive. Don’t let anyone force you down the road of getting an interface + mic if you think a USB mic would work for your situation.

Any of those are good mics, but you could shop.used or open box to save some money and put that toward quieting down your PC, which will be very helpful. The SM58 and Podmic have the advantage of being designed to be close to your mouth, so they have better built-in pop filtering. AT2040 will probably sound crisper out of the box, but it will need more help with pop filtering.