RØDE - NT1 (Original 1991-1997)

I would not buy a Cloudlifter just so I can use a mediocre mic like the Samson S9U. Seems like a waste of money. I would not buy an SM7B or SM7DB just for work calls and gaming. That’s ballpark $500 just so your coworkers and gaming buddies can hear you. People want the SM7B because we are living in an era of peak SM7B hype… every streamer and podcaster seems to use one. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good mic, but you shouldn’t buy an expensive mic just for the hype. Get a Røde NT1 or AT2035 or similar large-diaphragm condenser under $200. These all have higher sensitivity, which means you can turn the gain down on your audio interface. You’ll sound clear and the mic will work great with your interface. IMO, spending $400 instead of $200 doesn’t get you a much better mic. Most of the really good-sounding mics cost somewhere north of $700, with a few excellent, less-expensive dynamics below that price point (but you need more gain to use them).

Do you know what it means for a microphone to be more sensitive? It means that the microphone puts out a stronger signal for the same sound. Play the same sound for two microphones… if one microphone puts out a stronger signal, you that the microphone is more sensitive. But, isn’t that exactly a solution for your problem? Your problem is that the signal is not strong enough, and it sounds quiet. So if you get a more sensitive microphone, the signal will be stronger, and you can turn the gain down. “Sensitive” does not mean that the microphone picks up more details or anything like that. There is a kind of myth that dynamic microphones somehow don’t sound bad in a poorly-treated room. Maybe it’s time to put that myth to rest. But a lot of people believe that myth, and keep repeating it on YouTube and Reddit. Coincidentally, Dan Worall complained about that myth in a video he posted today: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP74656yTi8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP74656yTi8) “No, condenser mics don’t pick up more background noise. Not really.”

Nt1 is great for quiet recordings, but tbone actually have 16db noise and are very inconsistent. I suggest Earsight Omni Standard, inexpensive but handmade, small, very sensitive and low selfnoise.

Rode NT1 all the way. The rest of this stuff is junk. Fine if you're doing a podcast or streaming on twitch, but if you want to be taken seriously, you need equipment that doesnt sound like shit.

Spend another $20 and get an NT1

Rode NT1. Got it used for $200 AUD, sounds great for vocals and guitar amps.

I use both the Shure SM7B and the Rode NT1 depending how I want the vocal to sound

The NT1 is one of the more balanced condenser mics money can buy and is a real contender in its price range. The SM7b will just sound like someone on a podcast is reading the book. That mic is very familiar sounding at this point. I think what you need to focus on more is which interface you're going to get. The SSL2 is, to me, leaps and bounds better than a Focusrite (especially if you're on Windows) More flexible, cleaner pres and AD/DA conversion, and rock solid stable drivers. It scales with mics. I have a first gen SSL2+ and a Neumann MT48 and the difference is truly negligible as far as quality of recordings goes. I've personally done the shootouts with thousands of $ of mics. You're going to have to get an interface regardless. Going with the NT1 will just save you almost $250.

Rode NT1 in one channel and direct in the other and blend them together.

From the home recording perspective without much money for a great room, I've really been liking the UAD SD-1 for vocals. I get less room tone than the RODE NT-1 I was using and I get good results on rock vocals. It's basically just a SM7B and has a bit of a midrange hump I need to tame, but I have been enjoying it.

Shure sm58 is a dynamic mic, it’s indestructible and very versatile for live performances but for recording it has a really dark and kind of a muddy tone. IMO you ll be better of with NT1, as it can capture your voice more clearly. Try some diy room treatment or recording in your closet for starters.

Long time pro-musician and recording engineer here... While I have a choice of several mics, I currently run either a Rode NT1 into an RME Fireface UFX or a BETA58A into a Behringer X32 Rack (I stream Just Chatting and also live drumming streams, so run two different setups) Having said that, and as good as my specific gear is, the reality is that great sound is less to do with the mics and a lot more to do with the room you're in, the treatment and your overall setup. Firstly, I would look into a dedicated interface from a reputable audio company. Elgato makes decent stuff, but pro audio really isn't their space, and for the money I believe better options exist. Any of the mics you listed will technically do the job, but your money is likely wasted on the SM7B - which is a lot more expensive than the others, and won't sound great at all if you're running it through an interface that cannot provide a decent amount of gain. If you aren't planning on having overly loud/percussive sounds during your stream, you'd probably benefit from the extra clarity and detail that a *condenser* microphone providse - although you'll need an interface that can provide *phantom power* in order to make it work. Condenser mics can sound great and don't need to be expensive, but will suffer if your room acoustics aren't great - so that may need to be your first step. So... many potential factors to consider if you really want to go down the rabbit hole, but if it were me in your position I'd probably just go get myself something like a Rode NT1 and a Focusrite Scarlet 2i2. That should give a decent upgrade in sound without spending too much money.