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The Most Practical Live-streaming Microphones on the Market

By Logan Baker

Published: March 02, 2022 Last Updated: March 02, 2022

Here are nine of the best, most affordable microphones for anyone interested in recording high-quality audio for live-streaming.

When setting up a livestream, it’s easy to prioritize a few things: the camera, your outfit, the background, the internet connection. However, the most important aspect of a good, clear livestream is good audio.

More than likely, your audience cares about being able to hear you first—the visuals come second. So, if you’re new to the world of live-streaming, where do you start? Which microphone brands are the best? What should you look for in specs and details? Do you even need to buy a mic?

Let’s go over some of the best options on the market, who they’re for, and where you can get them.

1. Blue Yeti: $129.99

Nothing new here. Blue Yeti has been a consistent winner for a long time. The quality is exactly what you need for a streaming mic. The body is durable and intuitive, too. There’s no complicated setup with this thing. Just plug it in, and go!

It also looks good—you can order it in different colors, which sounds ridiculous, but if you care about your setup, you know how important this is.

Remember, everyone will be looking at you, so make sure the shot is worth looking at. It includes cardioid, bidirectional, and omnidirectional pickup patterns. Connecting to the computer is simple with a USB cable, so there’s no need to buy extra cables or attachments. If you’re interested in which cameras to purchase for live-streaming, check out our list below:

5 Affordable Live Stream Cameras

2. Elgato Wave 3: $159.99

Elgato has been killing it with their gear for the past few years. With streaming and online creation bigger than ever, they’ve been one of the top competitors for quality microphones, and the Wave series has been a huge success for them.

We are focusing on the Wave 3 here since it’s a fantastic price and hits in the sweet spot of what they offer compared to the rivals and its own Wave 1.

A USB device with a recording sample rate of 96khz/24-bit and a frequency response of up to 20,000hz, this little device not only looks beautiful in design, but sounds incredible.

It uses a digital audio mixer that supports up to eight channels. It can output to OBS, Xspit, or any program without knowing the ins and outs of audio technicality.

If you need something you can plug in and optimize a few settings to your liking, this is an easy recommendation.

Digital mixer with a clean interface
Simple mounting to boom arms
Beautiful and elegant design with mute button & volume/gain control
Clean, crisp audio

3. HyperX QuadCast: $123

The HyperX Quadcast is one of the sleekest designs available right now. The mic boasts an anti-vibration shock mount and a built-in pop filter to reduce unwanted sounds or frequencies. When you’re streaming, the last thing you want is outside noises or the sounds of your mic moving or your chair creaking.

The mic gets branded as a gaming mic, but rest assured, that’s the type of mic you want—the gaming community has this nailed down.

I’d trust a product built with practical use in mind and can withstand all kinds of situations and setups.

4. Samson G-Track Pro: $120

This is the only mic on this list that I haven’t used yet. However, everything I looked up recommended the Samson G-Track Pro as one of the go-to pieces of equipment for streamers. Consider it the Old Faithful of streaming microphones.

With three knobs on the side for volume, instrument, and mic, this isn’t a piece of equipment that will take long to figure out. All the tests I’ve listened to sound good, the reviews seem lovely, and it does look like one of the best bang-for-you-buck microphones on the market.

5. Audio-Technica AT2020USB+: $129

Although this was released back in 2017, the AT2020USB+ sound quality is incredible—it’s immaculate, without extra artifacts. It’s affordable and widely praised by many online creators, even though it’s slowly outdated by its competitors.

I’ve had this microphone since 2018, and it’s been nothing but a joy to use. It is recommended to mount this onto a boom arm of sorts, just so you don’t pick up any desk movements or vibrations you may make.

It’s a simple plug-and-play type of device that’s pretty much open to any audio software you may need to use.

High reputation in the streaming/online creation space
Open box/plug in/record—simple
Solid build
Best bang-for-your-buck

6. Fifine K670 Podcast Microphone: $35.99

This might be your best bet. If you’ve never streamed, recorded a podcast, or even been interested in something like this before, Fifine’s K670 is cheap and straightforward, and will give you quality audio.

Set this bad boy up on your desk and get to work.

In terms of price, its probably the cheapest option out there, short of the microphone on your headphones. This cardioid condenser mic is perfect if you’re in your room with little-to-no background noise.

So, in that sense, you get what you pay for, as it won’t handle a lot of noise very well. I used this mic once on a super-cheap commercial project and it did the job.

7. Razer Seirēn USB Microphone: $99

This supercardioid pickup pattern mic has a built-in shock mount with a supposed zero-latency monitoring. So when you’re streaming, you don’t get tripped up by a slight delay in feedback. These little things matter when you consider the fact that you’re live and there are no second takes.

In terms of design, Razer’s Seirēn X is slick, small, and good with background noise, as the supercardioid pattern is decent for blocking it out and staying with your voice.

It’s also a good-looking microphone, so the presentation is there as well.

8. HyperX SoloCast: $59.99

The smallest microphone on the list, the Solocast by HyperX is only $59.99. Yes, it doesn’t have the bells and whistles like the Shure or Audio-Technica, but it’s a bare-bones device that’s compact and lightweight at only 386g (with base).

It does have a mute switch and can fit nicely on any desk space or table if you need to make a quick voice call or jump into a video meeting.

Powered via USB, the sound quality is really good with this small mic and is perfect for traveling filmmakers who need to capture some audio recording.

While this isn’t for everyone, it’s a suggestion that cheap doesn’t always mean bad.

Sound quality is nice for the price
Compact
Mute button
Price

9. Shure MV7: $249.99

If you’ve seen any professional setup, from podcasts to online streamers, you’ve 100% seen the Shure SM7B. Its reigns as “The Studio King” for its clear, crisp, and flat frequency response levels. But, at $399, it’s a premium price for just the microphone alone—no mixer or anything to get you started.

The MV7, on the other hand, is pretty much the baby brother to the SM7B, with a price of $249. This dynamic microphone with both USB and XLR support is well priced for anyone who wants a serious microphone, without breaking into SM7B territory.

The aesthetic, build quality, and (most importantly) sound quality are all top notch.

Vocal reproduction is superb
Excellent build quality
XLR and USB outputs
A little mic that can do just about anything

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Cover image via Anton27.