Blue Microphones - Yeti Pro

Did the exact same upgrade very recently from the Yeti Pro and I can't say enough good things about it!

*Nearly* every USB Mic out there is not good enough. Unless there's a new USB brand that I've missed, the only professional quality usb mics are Blue Yeti (up to narration and small commercial work, perhaps not bigger things) and Blue Yeti Pro (a genuinely professionally capable microphone that is in a similar tier level to the NT1. Better mics do exist, just like better mics than the NT1 exist, but the difference is minor compared to the extreme difference between all the other cheaply made USB mics and these utmost professionally capable mics. You *will* eventually want to graduate to a better mic eventually, but its good enough to get you plenty of proper jobs (so long as you yourself can pull it off obviously).

As a side note for your comment, human hearing is \~20Hz to 20kHz. The human vocal range is closer to \~80Hz to 300Hz for the fundamental frequency but harmonics will extend to the full range of hearing. Using a USB mic vs. XLR is less about frequency response and more about fidelity and ease of use. With a USB mic, everything is built into the mic from the capsule and circuitry to the preamp and A/DC. With XLR, the mic is just the capsule and internal circuitry. The preamp and A/DC are part of the interface. Having them separate allows for higher quality components to be used(for the price of the mic, since the interface is another expense). It isn't a huge quality difference, and most people won't notice it. But there *is* a difference, and it can be enough to stand out. The real issue with USB mics for podcasting though is when you have more than one person. Recording into one computer with two USB mics just doesn't work (although I believe the Podtrak P2 is designed to make that work, that's still an extra expence and I think it's limited to two USB mics). With an XLR mic, all you need is an interface with multiple inputs. It's extra gear, but it's less expensive than a second computer. If you were doing professional VO then the difference between USB and XLR mics is a concern. For a podcast, the only real issue is usability. If it's a solo podcast, or you're recording remotely, USB can be a lot easier. If you have in person guests or co-hosts, you need XLR mics to make it work. Either way you'll need good mic technique and acoustic treatment to get the best sound from whatever mic you're using. The only caveat to that is that I highly, *highly* recommend against getting a Blue Yeti. They're overpriced for the quality. You can get better audio from the Samson Q2u for cheaper. You can buy a professionally usable XLR setup for cheaper. If you already have the Yeti it's certainly usable, it's just overpriced and isn't quite as good as cheaper options.

Hi! I am a nerdy female developer by day, streamer by every freetime I have. I am of the more ancient creatures, you can call me hag or experienced (*´∀`) I started about 5 months ago with a little avatar I did in paint, a corsair headset, my old computer that I don't fully remember the specs of, but it did crash after the first streams 😅 I used OBS and veadotube light when I started. Now I have GX Yeti microphone, brand new comp with i7 ultra 265F 2400mhz, 32gb ram and geforce rtx 5070. Otherwise the only change in prohram is I use vtube studio now. My channel is one of those - I play everything, it is the fun time that matters (^-^) There is no judgement. There is no elitism. Also it's octopus themed! I ebgage a lot with ny chat and I talk a lot - even when no ones watching (if thats insanity or just dedicated I dont know) I tend to do all things myself, even my Octogirl vtuber (was a lot of work as an amateur). Another thing is that I most of the time co-op with my fiance, so you get 2for1. I think we got a great repotoar going. Sharing a video of my latest looong vod (last of Dispatch), but also just a random short clip if people find that a bit intimidating. Vod: [Dispatch - it all ends in chaos](https://youtu.be/l3hhlAlANyw?si=tPFGSBZKmcT11Pgp) Short clip: [Zomboid - a drink to DIE for](https://youtube.com/shorts/SYGvEXDBTqQ?si=xbmYyF9vNcXMdFX7)

Great post! Seriously, audio really is vital. I highly recommend spending $50-100 on a USB condenser mic (Fefine, Yeti). Inexpensive gaming headsets or laptop mics that cause clipping or plosive pops can be really distracting and instantly limit how much time someone is willing to spend watching your content. If you are trying to get into actual podcasting, where audio is the primary focus, you'll need to start spending more on a Shure SM7B or equivalent, but you will not need anything super serious for YouTube content.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that the blue yeti is a *crappy* mic - it's a solid (if overpriced) entry level mic. Just messing around with noise gate filter and gain in OBS yielded pretty good results

i used a blue yeti microphone for 6 years, it did everything i needed it to and lasted me so long, the only reason i ditched it recently was simply for an upgrade. The blue yeti is a fantastic affordable microphone, i just recently upgraded to the Shure SM7B because I could finally afford to upgrade the quality, and i'll likely be using this mic for years and years to come

I curently have the blue yeti mic but i bought a focus solo 4th gen in prep for a dynamic xlr. Im leaning toward a rode procaster. I have seen the mv7x is good and then the sm58 and se electronics v7 are good. Best thing to do is listen to podcastage compare the mics and pick the one you like. I want a sm7b eventually because i think it sounds the best and is easier to listen to on the ears.

Id go for something like the Hollyland Lark A1 or M2, the bonus to both of these are that they have USB C connections so you can plug them into just about anything. But if you want a real podcast style mic, blue yeti mics are solid

Yeah I use the Blue Yeti that I got secondhand in awesome condition