Vocal range is limited. The more expensive interfaces become a little more important for music and cinematography. This is where high gain and low noise become important. Moderate speaking close to a mic does not require a high end interface. Powering a shotgun 3 feet away on a pole requires better equipment. For field recording I use a Zoom, and since I have one, I use it for all recording and it switches to interface mode for podcasting.
"Don't go into debt to upgrade gear". The words of a wise man! Heed this throughout your life for all discretionary spending. With debt you are a slave to the lender.
Exactly. This is something where most people miss the mark. I work in retail, and usually I have to show customers that what they are buying doesn't make sense for their use-case.
@@hkhatri12 You are unusual in your thoughtfulness to consider a person's needs rather than being there just for the buck. You're the kind of salesperson I want to deal with.....and return again to when shopping for an item.
@@johnc.8298 Trust me, most young sales people are like that. This can sometimes not align with the higher-ups, but I haven't seen a big issue with hitting the numbers in the way I proceed.
I've been using a cheap USB condenser mic to record vocals. I've learned a lot about how to clean up the noisy audio caused by the mic and room trying to squeeze out as much quality as I can. But I had enough, so I bought an XLR dynamic mic and my first interface yesterday. I'm pumped! Thanks for your content.
@@Oluwalolese the difference from going from an USB mic to either a dynamic mic or a condenser mic will usually be less self noise and better sibilance control, that guy said he got a dynamic mic so heres my 2 cents about it: Imo a dynamic mic for vocals sometimes isnt so great, especially for singing, even more especially for singing breathy falsettos like a Billie eilish type sound because most dynamic mics dont capture the whole spectrum of human hearing, they typically record around 50 khz to 15 khz while most condenser record around 20 khz to 20khz, so for singing id go with a condenser, for voice over, maybe even rap or rock vocals id consider a dynamic, dynamic mics are also much better at avoiding background noise than a condenser so that could be a good thing to consider for a bedroom rapper/singer/producer etc... But in general a proper recording of a Condenser mic will 9 times outta 10 be better than a dynamic, because the thing is, its easy to remove a frequency you dont want but its pretty much impossible to add a frequency you didnt capture for obvious reasons so yeah hope that answers all you want to know
@@purpleheart69420 interesting. I'm moving from my USB HyperX QuadCast to Shure SM27 w/ Audient 14 for voiceovers and ASMR (keyboard build and soundtest)
@@TheChrisDecember Hmmm thats a very nice setup for voice over but for asmr wouldnt you want a mic that captures from everywhere? like a omnidirectional mic... Just saying this in case you dont know that the sm27 is a cardioid mic (meaning it only pics sounds from the front of the mic)
Bandrew, I'm 62 years AND I want to be just like you when I grow up. I'm right at that cross-road with some gear upgrades/changes, etc. and this very much helped keep me on track. As always, I love your honest, forthright, concise and clear approach and presentation. Well done young man, well done indeed. Thanks!
The moment I realized the audience won't notice a gear change was when I did a remote news segment for the small radio station I work for from home using a budget MXL condenser. My manager texted me asking what I was using since "it sounded just as good" as the RE20 the host was using in the studio. I think investing/upgrading in the space you record in is just as important as the gear you use. Sound panelling can go a long way to improve the quality of your audio.
Thanks so much for all of your hard work on these videos. I am a hobby musician/full-time design professor and when I found out I was going to have to teach online all summer I made the jump to an SM7B. I had been looking at it for a while because I wanted to do create some skillshare classes, but the COVID-19 switch to online made me go for it. I also bought a Cloudlifter based on your comparison video and it was just what I needed for my Presonus Studio26. Thanks again for all the great videos!
Sean P. Hafer same here re: online teaching, musical hobbies, and the Covid-19 situation; My students tell me I have the best audio of all their instructors 😅.
Exactly. Affordable gear has gotten so good in recent years that you can get great quality at a very accessible level. Then you can save for the higher end gear you want.
Podcastage Hey man, I’m still watching the video. I’ve watched countless videos on mixing, mastering (kind of), and recording. The one song I still have up on my channel is from late 2018 when I first started. That was with a AT2020 and a phantom power supply from a $50 mic kit I used before that. I’ll let u listen to it (if you will) and get your judgement, I already have mine. Anyways, now I work w the same mic and an Apollo twin x. I learned more about mixing and recording than I ever knew, and while my mixes sound somewhat better, the vocals themselves are still trash. How do Ik if it’s my gear (mic), and not my ear? Ik it shouldn’t take a month to get a good mix on a 20 second verse. Edit: Oh and I mix on ATH-M50X headphones
x Hades Stamps Thanks man, I appreciate that. It’s just when I listen to it compared to “professional” tracks, I don’t get that same feeling. The professionals are wider, separated more, and in your face, even w reverb. Not to mention how crisp and clear it is. Some of their recordings were so good, all they needed was a compressor and nothing else. That’s quality
@@quanboy6533 A lot of genres use delay instead of reverb. That's probably one reason why your voice sounds a little muddy and not that crisp. But mastering is incredibly complex and hard to get right imo, so don't sweat it and keep learning!
You just earned my SUB with that debt tip. I’ve always told my clients don’t hire me if you’re gonna go into debt. And, I encourage my students to avoid debt unless someone’s life is in the line. Keep creating bruh.
Your timing is perfect - this is great advice, and structured perfectly. I especially appreciated your take on interfaces - that's gonna save me some $. You rock, Bandrew!
I have been using the same mic (Rode Podcaster) for the last roughly 7 years, finally want to upgrade just for a different sound as I am tired of how it sounds. Not that its bad and I personally still think its a great mic but just after all these years I need something different. Your videos have been a great help :D
Just spent 5 years on RU-vid with a yeti…. ….Just ordered an Røde NTG3B and Audient Evo4, can’t wait to use it all on my show. Thanks for all of your excellent advice.
I don't know what's scarier, that RU-vid recommended this when I was thinking this question, or that he made the video that answers my question. I'm amazed!
Reminds me of when I was big in recording >10 years ago. I had a cheap Marshall mic and an m audio delta 44 with a presonus tube preamp. My recordings were so so. I only made good recordings when it was at 96khz. The sound card was at its best there because the converters weren't that great. I have a new Motu now, and I can put that thing at 44khz and it sounds leagues ahead.
Thank you for everything you do! You have helped to cure me of my "gear-itis" and convinced me to just start making content and worry about improving my setup after I improve my profitability (if that ever happens). Your reviews are always informative and I can tell you have a great deal of knowledge in the field of audio production. Thanks again!
I use a $25 interface and $15 mic and it sounds waaaaaay better than my Blue Yeti. It also looks much cooler and is much more versatile. It will be a long time before I upgrade.
I just got a 48v neewer phantom power supply and I just bought a tlm 103 do I need an audio interface or am I good cause I connect my neewer to a usb chip that’s a type of audio chip that connects to my computer , do I needa replace my phantom power for a focusrite 212 ?
@Slim Acid It's certainly much better than the Blue Yeti. It does depend on the settings, but if I mess about with it I can get it so it only picks up my voice, but I have to be very close and speaking directly into it. With other settings, it can pick up lots of background noise, but I use it for voice so don't use it like that.
I have only recently come across your channel and am a newbie in the area of audio recording but I am compelled to say how much I love your videos and the objective way you deliver the information which makes it extremely helpful to all of us. You've secured me as another regular viewer. Thank you!
I litterally just upgraded my whole set up. I was using the BM 700 microphone and the Scarlett Focusrite solo in an untreated room with the Alctron PF8 over my microphone when I first started recording my own music back in 2018. I hated the sound quality I was getting so after watching tons of videos I upgraded my microphone to the Blue Spark Blackout SL. I loved the clarity of the Blue Spark Blackout SL that I wasn't getting from my BM 700 microphone but I hated the bassy tone of the microphone that made my already deep voice sound overbearing and made it incredibly difficult to mix. So after watching a ton of more videos on numerous subjects concering sound quality etc I decided that I needed to treat my room so I went and bought a shit ton of accoustic foam and put it on my walls. That helped but I was still not getting the sound that I was looking for. I started to notice issues with my interface (Scarlett Focusrite solo) and the constant irritation of the Blue Spark Blackout SL and I decided that I needed another upgrade so I went all out. Again after watching videos, reading books and articles and taking advice from different sound engineers just basically doing a shit ton of research, I purchased the Motu M2 interface, The Aurray Isolation Chamber, the Audio Technica AT2035, The Golden Age Project Pre-73 Jr Preamp, studio moniter stands, and small things like pop filters, and the Stage Right by Monoprice Microphone Isolation Shield. Now with all of this there is a big improvement to my sound quality and I love the new sound but it is still not sounding the way I want it to sound. After realizing this I then began to focus on myself and my understanding of equipment and how to use it properly. I realized that although I do have decent gear that I really don't understand how to use it properly. So i've decided not to do anymore upgrades and just spend the rest of my time learning how to make the best out of what I have and learning how to properly use my equipment to ensure I get the best sound quality that I can get.
You’re at the most exciting point of the journey. You get to learn so much cool stuff about audio production and audio gear. Have fun with this part. It’s sooooooo cool!
@@Podcastage Yes I just hate it took so much money and wasted time to get here lol. But like you said it is the best part! Thank you for all of your advice!
My favorite thing about audio is these types of conversations: "Yo, you do music and s*** like that, what gear should I get?" my answer: "none." The fact is, if you know what you are doing and have a good reason as to why you would do it, you wouldn't be asking things in a general way or over a large scope of semantics that will surely be argued if any answer other than "none." is said. much love man. I loved the interface bit. Mainly because I recall a time and mindset where that would've irked me, but now I see it as a sure-fire way to weed out who is approaching this commitment with character and passion, and whom is approaching this purely because to them it is a prerequisite to a purpose in life.
Very good video, especially combined with the tip of avoiding impulse spending and instead sleeping on a purchase for some weeks. I remember buying my acoustic guitar. I went to two different stores, one of them three times, brought along two different friends on different days, had already settled on a guitar that then turned out to be a one trick pony, then finally found a guitar that I consider the best purchase of my life thus far. Man, I fucking have the process of researching and trying different gear. Hate it hate it hate it. But in most cases it's necessary. Plus, the debt advice: Bandrew, that very advice kept me from buying the C414 and borrowing from my bandmates for it. I'll save up a little and probably get the SE 4400A instead. Great channel, cheers!!
This is the first time I've seen one of your videos. I have to say I really appreciated your candour, expertise and humility. I found what you had to say informative, entertaining and useful. I had no hesitation in subscribing. Thank you.
I spent a lot of money on cheap microphones looking for a good sound. After hours and hours if research over many weeks I decided to get an ElecroVoice RE27D so I would stop wasting time and money searching for the perfect mic. It's been fun learning the mic and making minor tweaks with my equipment to get it to sound just right. Love what you're doing, love that you encourage your viewers to start within their budget and work up to something fantastic.
I have just upgraded to MOTU M2, thanks to this channel. I did it because my old Line6 UX1 was just screwing up, turning off at random moments, which required a system restart. That I could not tolerate anymore.
I'm doing well as a ghostproducer, literally hundreds of orders per year. 1 year ago i broke a tweeter on the left speaker and nobody notices any difference in the outcome :) Just too lazy to upgrade, i'm on a pair of VERY budget monitors btw, and I think when my other tweeter will broke - i'll get new ones haha
ITM ! Love the channel and thank you for your reviews. I put together my first podcast/stream audio rig from your videos and i couldn’t be happier. Thanks for all of the hard work!
Thank you so much !!!!!! I'm from France, but i understand quite much English. Your video is so helpfull. Especially the "Interface impact the Sound" part, because nobody was taking it out. THANK YOU.
You should look for an audio interface that comes with a sturdy packaging box as they a great alternative for throwing across the room if you have already destroyed all the microphone boxes. Maybe you should do a top 10 review of the best microphone boxes? Ranked on aerodynamics, endurance and thunk-ability!
One of the most honest podcasts on this matter I ever heard. I was asking myself whether what you said for plain podcasting- hey, it is just speech - is also valid in your opinion for singing. I’ve got a basic setup now (UA Volt 1 + SM58 beta) and I’m wondering if an upgrade of the mike is worth it.
Also consider spending money on treating your room if needed! No need to have an expensive mic if the room you're in just sounds shitty. Great video as always!
I'm the one who buy Blue Yeti 7 Years ago as my first mic and used it only couple times. finally I decided to sell it to another in 5 years later. My favorite mic today is Samson Q2U. This painful told me this video is great, you should trust him.
I just recently jumped up to a Scarlett 2i2 3rd gen and the AT2020. I thought I would end up wanting to upgrade the AT2020, but honestly I've been super happy with how it sounds. Unless I really come up with a good reason for a new mic, I don't think I will upgrade anything for a few years.
I'd love a video on sound baffles. I'd like to see a photo of your setup taken from your viewpoint, showing camera, sound proofing, etc. The broadcast area makes a huge difference but most of us are stuck in what we have--small room, flat surfaces on all side we can't alter--so some tips on how to best utilize our own little world would be much appreciated. Thanks for all the helpful information you provide.
I have an aokeo ak-70 with a umc22, the sound quality is very good, it represents irl sound pretty much exactly the way it sounds to me. The only complaint I have is that its rather noisy when I need higher volumes. Happy with it but I need to upgrade to something better, just not sure what I can get for a low cost :(
I know this is an old video and that this is more of a podcast channel, but this is by far the best channel for mic reviews hands down regardless if youre a podcaster or a musician. With that said from a musicians standpoint microphones dont really shine unless youre singing or playing an instrument into them. If youre just trying to set up a podcast and told me you bought a $1000 mic and or interface i would honestly look at you as if you were crazy and tell you to return the gear vs someone who is a singer who bought the same high end gear. Podcasters usually dont do anything special with their vocals but talk and dont usually need a high end interface with multiple functionalities.
I need hella gear like you I mix and master all my music I use a rode nt1 and a audient id4 But I think every mic fits beats different I switch mics alot i have an Aston Oregon Blue baby bottle, akg p120,
You and Geeky Nerdy Techy have definitely saved me some $. I already have the NT1, a Behringer UMC2 on my computer desk, and a TASCAM DR-60D mk II in my blanket iso booth (for VO and audiobooks). A couple of the Behringer Shure clones with my field recorder for when I'm recording with someone else in less than ideal spaces, and I'm good to go, podcast-wise!
I upgrade with versatility in mind. The Rode Boom arm is insanely powerful and can move out of the way, making getting the Procaster along with it even better. Now I don't have a condenser mic in view of my game monitor. Totally worth it. And better yet, IT CAME WITH A STICKURRR!
@@reiniervanzwieten7092 As someone who shelled out a lot of money for an RME UFX+, I can say it was absolutely worth it. Best drivers and low latency performance in the business, on both Mac and Windows.
@@nate_creates update, I went with the UCX and holy shit is it ever amazing! i actually heard a clear diffrence in my headphones when listening to audio(which i wasn't expecting what so ever) then also the latency and the flexibility is just awesome and i practically never have any audio issues anymore
All great advice! And sometimes, it isn’t about the gear at all. Because even the best mic or preamp doesn’t stand a chance against a space with bad acoustics. You could end up saving money and getting better sound with the same gear that you already have by spending a little on room treatments.
I bought a SM57 and EQ'ed it to sound more or less like an SM7B and i think it sounds great. For the price of the SM7B I got SM57 with its pop filter, a good cable, a UR22 Mk2 interface, a K&M stand and DT770 headphones
My podcast crew decided to upgrade because 4 people talking into condenser mics in an untreated room doesn't sound good. Just bought a few of the Shure MV7x and am really excited to use them!
Also, before upgrading mics or interfaces, try upgrading a cable or two. They can make a reasonable difference in audio quality and they come with you when you finally upgrade
GREAT session. Good communicator, balanced in demeanor and presentation. Super practical, common sense info on how to think about achieving your recording goal. What are you recording? Podcast only? Recording demos/projects? Portability/ease of use, Quick set up / extensive routing? Have fun!
I had serval years an pci interface (Im that old school) where I had an cheap as XLR mic. I wasn't happy about it. I got at my birthday an ssl 2+ usb and then I bought Neumann kms 105 black with pop filter. That combo and ssl 4k button on, it lift up with an presence that makes it sounded that I'm in a booth. Very happy about it.
Always thrilled to know a video of mine helped make a decision that you’re happy with! Amazing! Thank you for sharing, and have a great day and stay safe.
A friend of mine got me into audio input and recording. I use microphones all day for work and play. I consider myself somewhat of an audiophile and have been using the same pair of Sennheiser HD-600 headphones for the last 10 years. I haven't gotten tired of them over those years and so I did a little research, but knowing I wanted a Sennheiser product. The MK4 came a couple of days ago and love it. I had a very particular situation, because I already had the audio path I wanted (and invested into at $2000). Buying a "gaming headset" to improve my microphone quality was not really an option. The dedicated mic solved a couple of things for me: (1) I don't have to wear something around my neck anymore, and (2) HUGE audio input improvement!!! Love it.
I'm currently looking to upgrade my mic from the Aokeo AK80 to the At2035 mic. After listening to my twitch streams and knowing what to look for in sound quality now, I'm really wanting to upgrade. Your videos have been a huge help to me ❤️
I learnt this too late, I bought the Samson Q2U from your reviews basing it off the ATR2100x and i just went with whatever was cheaper at the time. I have to say, the microphone does pick up a lot of interference from my keyboard thought and I needed to install VST hosts and plugins alongside a virtual mixer which now eat at my CPU. I agree with this video so much. I also didn't realise that the microphone gain isn't very dynamic for my use which is gaming, with live commentary and I have noticed that the gain also makes me too quiet in normal speech but also clips when i shout due to excitement or frustration. So i had to install more VSTs and learn more into the problems. I realised that Automatic Gain Control comes standard with some mikes, but no one seems to explain anything about it, or information is limited. I think in my case the perfect mike will be AGC compat, with a low SNR. and the flat response of the Q2U imo. You got any ideas? I don't want to be constantly tweaking the VSTs in the host and software mixers.
I periodically watch your podcasts, and I would add this comment; One of my regular customers at a music store I work at had purchased a U87 and a very low cost interface. I asked him why he spent all this money on the mic, but (comparatively) next to nothing on his interface. "All interfaces are designed to be relatively transparent, so I don't see the point." I asked him about his room and any treatment he may have, and he again seemed to think it wasn't that important. Flash forward two weeks, and he wanted to return both the mic and the interface. "This is really disappointing." Long story short, He purchased a Metric Halo ULN2 and some room treatment. He's quite happy. Am I saying spend a ton of money to get excellent results? No. What I am saying is that its a much lengthier discussion then I'm going to write out here, and can always be described in a 13 minute video
One of the bad trends I followed was blindly buying the Scarlett 2i2 and Lewitt 440 Pro. The 440 Pro is AMAZING. No regrets. But the Scarlett has some issues, picks up guitars weirdly and doesn't let you connect pads. If I had to pick again, I would probably get an Evo 4 or PreSonus Studio 24c.
This is the best guide I've watched on youtube!! I remember wanting an SM7B not because I understood the specs etc....I wanted one cause I keep seeing podcasters and streamers using it that's it! I've been using the Samson Q2u and I am completely happy with this mic! only upgrade I made was purchasing a 2i2 3rd Gen which has made a significant difference
I bought my first mic on the suggestion of a Guitar Center Employee probably 17 years ago, it was an Audio Technica AT4040 and I just hated it on my voice forever. I eventually bought an MXL V67g FOR $120 and it just worked so much better back then... And THEN I finally got an SM7b well before the streamers turned them into the go-to thing to own... But my favorite mic right now is an Ear Trumpet Labs Louise that I have on loan from a friend. Biggest thing that really helped my recordings was upgrading my room, and my preamps. At this point I could probably dig out that Audio Technica and get good sounds with it, though it hasn't done more than record acoustic guitars in a decade.
It's funny that this video came out right as I was getting ready to buy an Audient iD22 to replace my Scarlett 6i6 2nd gen. A very solid interface for sure, but all the buzz about the Audient's preamps, A/D converters, line inputs that bypass the pres should I want to pair it with a dedicated external pre down the line, and even its headphone amp compared to other interfaces on the market really attracted me to it. Excellent video as always Bandrew, and I agree with everything said. I probably won't get a world's difference of sound upgrading to the Audient from the Scarlett, but it's within my price range and I see it as enough of a step up to buy it.
All the things you said really just made me realized that I do have a bad habit. Which I need to correct from now on. Thank you for sharing and enlightening us.
I'm going to hopefully be doing it in the next month or so. But I can't promise anything. Ha. I'm so far behind on reviews. There are some mics I've had for 2 years that I've yet to review.
Bandrew this is amazing. Thank you so much for your kind heart and generous information. Would you be able to do a video explaining DSP? I don’t completely understand it, and I want to buy the Twin X Duo, but now I see a Twin X Quad? No online tutorials seems to help me understand. Thank you!
Great video, very informative in a great way and like you said, sometimes, if not often, it´s more about how you set up your mics than the mic itself. It´s all about mic placement and post production. Cheers mate!
I wasn't focused on the differences at the beginning and I didn't notice them. After you said about three different interfaces used, I rewinded back to check again and I can say I can definately hear the difference between Behringer and Scarlett, but I'd probably fail the blind test between Scarlett and UA.
Thank you so much for the valuable information. I was just in the business of buying a mic and interface equipment. I very much appreciate your help today.
I recently upgraded my Audio from a plain Auna USB condenser microphone, which was already pretty decent. I now have an MPM1000 Mic and an Ammoon AGM04 audio interface which both together cost me about 145 USD and quite honestly, I am so happy with the quality I get out of those two that I cannot see myself upgrading again in a long while. Ultimately, I think if you are happy with the quality you are getting out of your setup, chances are your viewers/listeners are going to be completely fine with it because you yourself will be a much harsher judge, given that you are worried about the quality in the first place. That being said, I've learned a lot from your videos regarding audio interfaces and microphones and your reviews have helped me a lot to identify the MPM1000 as the condenser microphone that has the best cost to performance ratio for me.
A year later, I am using a dbx286 preamp/processor, a Tascam US-2x2HR audio interface and own a Beyerdynamic TG V70, Shure SM58, Neat King Bee I and II. The MPM1000 hasn't been used for a while now. Turns out trying out different setups and mics for their subtle differences is quite fun and can throw you down a rabbit hole.
Keep up the great work. I watch your every review, some of them more times :) you are making great point. You are great to listen to, and I watched all videos from 4 years back to new ones, and you have build a nice your own signature style/trade mark in your videos. I love the actual state and quality and content quality of your videos. (I am former musician and I have also TV/movie making and radio background)
I recently bought my first blue yeti and boom arm. I am very happy with it I stream occasionally and do some voice over stuff for sports highlights for fun. Its perfect for me the whole setup was 170 bucks and I didnt go into debt to do it.
Good information as always. A great help to a budding VO artist like me. I splashed out on a couple of decent mics, CAD E100S, SL300 Editors Keys (USB) and a Sinco D2 Shotgun. I'm using a Focusrite 6i6 but often just record onto a Zoom H4N SD card then load the audio into my Reaper DAW. The acoustics in my study are crap, so when I move next year to a new apartment I will have a custom built studio, properly acoustically treated. How about a video on overcoming poor room acoustics at minimal cost? Keep up the good work.
_Hi Bandrew,_ _Many thanks for this video as it has been really helpful! 🙌💯 Planning to get a Focusrite Solo 3rd Gen > XLR cable > AT2020._ Also: *1. Can I suggest making like an "What is an Equalizer for Beginners" video?* *2. Maybe make a video on how to choose an XLR cable? There are many out there and most of us don't really know if there's any notable difference.* Thanks again!! 🤘
