Best microphone for Zoom calls in 2021 ($20 vs $200)

🎤 Samson Q2U: amzn.to/3nWDWFH (simple bundle) amzn.to/3iiC2ha (bundle with extender which raises the mic) 🔊 Calisto 7200:amzn.to/35ME57m 🎙️ BOYA BY-M1 lavalier microphone: amzn.to/2ILYfGR

[@ursvipul]

Why not Zoom H1N

[@divadevildog]

Thank you, thank you. You are helping me figure this out for all the groups I belong to locally as well as for future programs. One more time- THANK YOU.

That's great to hear! And tomorrow there will be a video about a brand new speakerphone, so stay tuned!

[@foryourawareness]

Thank you Markus! I found you from searching how to use the OBS virtual camera to remove black bars on my DSLRs webcam utility! I dug deeper because your slide presentation and scene changes wowed the hell out of me. Hope all is well!

Great to hear. And welcome aboard!

[@cadenceenglish]

Great Video. Is there anyway to use computer speakers + USB mic at the same time without feedback ?

Yes! So long as they're connected to the same computer, it should work. Make sure to activate echo cancellation in the software.

[@cadenceenglish]

@ Thanks 👍🏽👍🏽

[@theparadoxray]

Thank you for this video. It’s great. I am looking at just shotgun mic (Rode NTG) for calls and wasn’t thinking of using Dynamic mic. Thanks for the suggestion. I saw a comment you said about never used headset and just use speakers. I am now wondering whether I should get the Samson or Rode mic. Have you had any experiences using shotgun mics for zoom calls without headset? Thanks again. Great video, great contents!!!!

The Rode NTG series (amzn.to/3JHtAW9) is definitely highly regarded!. I only use a shotgun mic when I record my comedy shows. Some of the very first videos on this channel were also recorded with that same setup. But I have too much echo in my space for it to be a good solution for me. The Samson Q2U (amzn.to/3nWDWFH) and my new mic arm from Elgato (amzn.to/3zgk8Eh) have really helped me get rid of much of the echo. Regardless of the mic, I think speakers instead of headphones is the way to go.

[@theparadoxray]

@ thanks for the info. And the Elgato arm looks good too.

[@bs18msm24]

Great video and thanks. Please allow me to suggest. What would the result be with the speakerphone sits about the same distance with your laptop? Maybe that way you could help us have the comparison with the laptop microphone?

Yes you're right. That would have made it a fairer comparison. I think I did a better job in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKu8ZpaCe9hgsKM

[@csmita1]

This was really helpful! I subscribed and liked :)

Thank you for watching! Welcome aboard!

[@Raghs14]

How do you suggest boya for conference calls. How do you supress noise from incoming voice.

If you use Zoom, the echo cancellation should care of that, no problem.

[@ceeIoc]

Should you always use headphones when using a dynamic mic? Or can I use the monitor speakers for output? I just don’t want others on the call to hear echos

I never use headphones. And Zoom's echo cancellation is really good!

[@gormauslander]

Headphones are cheap and easy to come by. If you have some I would run a test call with someone to see if it sounds better to them

[@sharathchandra95]

good video! to the point. but are condenser mics any good? i am thinking of picking up a fifine for my video calls. i am concerned on the background wind noise.

There are absolutely some great USB condenser microphones. The Yeti for example: amzn.to/3o7LIA4 The traditional way to get rid of wind noise is to use a dead cat. Are you planning on doing video conferencing outside?

[@sharathchandra95]

@ thanks for the reply. I will be doing the calls indoors. But there will be a ceiling fan on always

The noise suppression in your video conferencing software should take care if fan noise. The one in Zoom works very well.

[@raviulagavangi9588]

Great video. I wish you added a condenser microphone to the list

Thanks for watching! The lav mic is a condenser mic. But because I have so much echo in my space, I can't really use a condenser mic.

[@TheNewLemurian]

This has been very helpful. Thank you Markus. 🙏

Thanks for watching!

[@ayeemme4248]

Great to have this comparison. Only the lavalier and mic sounded better than the built-in to me. The conference speaker was really echoing, I thought there was a Zoom setting to help with echo. But I'm not sure this was a realistic set up since the built-in might sound better if it was a more natural distance. The laptop was was much further away than I would have for a zoom meeting as you have to be close enough to reach the keyboard to control your settings, like mute.

Yes that's right, it wasn't the best comparison from the perspective of the built-in mic. Yes there's echo cancellation in Zoom, but it doesn't remove room echo. Rather, it's supposed to remove echo in the sense of audio coming from the meeting and then being picked up by the mic again.

[@smartmentu007]

Mark please help me...I want to do a hybrid meeting ...I want to connect through Google meet or zoom through Android phone and some people in a room.I want a speaker connected by Bluetooth for voice output from online and members present in room and a wireless mic compatible with zoom or Google meet in Android phone for speaking host and the members in room..... please tell there are no equipments for this kind of set up.because no wireless mics are compatible with zoom or Google meet.

[@WDaland]

Microphone placement, and proximity to your mouth matters a great deal. Having a half decent USB headset with a MIC boom would most likely produce better audio than all but the Q2U I'd imagine.

That's correct. I just don't like the look of having a headset on.

[@goharderr]

For zoom and phone calls, Do you recommend a usb mic and a separate output speaker vs a poly speaker phone? I want to also want to connect my mobile as well when needed

If you need the setup on a mobile phone, then definitely a bluetooth speaker is the better choice.

[@picchioknossus8096]

The noise suppression can change the quality quite a bit. You shall not make any comparison with this setting set to auto nor you should chnge this between tests. Eighter you keep it active for all the mics or inactive for al the mics.

Thanks for watching Picchio!

[@MrWennerstrom]

Have you looked into watercooling your setup with mineral oil?

Might need it. Cause I'm so hot on this mic.

[@jianacutting1848]

Thank you for your videos. We are looking for a dual mic option so the facilitator can talk but also attendees can ask questions and the zoom attendees can hear their questions. And also if there is a wireless option?

Are you talking about a hybrid meeting? You can connect multiple mics into a mixer and connect the mixer to Zoom. Or connect multiple mics to a laptop, add them in OBS Studio, and then output OBS to Zoom like this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaunc4uHhpaekLs

[@jieliu1607]

condenser mic typically requires a preamp, is it the case? How does the Samson work directly connecting to the laptop?

All of these USB mics have the capsule, preamp and converter built into one. So just plug and play.

[@SteveSteiners]

Oof. I was looking for some additional data from the 7200 (which I have and use with some frequency when there are more than 1 in a meeting). But whenever you use it in the videos I've seen (sample size of 2 tbh) you always use it on Bluetooth. From my experience, and testing done by other creators it is pretty well established for me and others hearing a wired test, that it is one of the best performers for a portable conference speakerphone when it is wired, at least as of a few years ago. Not saying that it out performs other methods of audio capture (lav and so on), but for comparisons, it is hard to get useful data if you only include audio capture from the poorer performing connection that devices you test have available. Poster doesn't say it in this video, but I have to believe if he's a pro then he must have posted or taught it somewhere. This is a huge tip that needs to be included in videos like this. Bluetooth transmission is always inferior to wired transmission assuming similar quality (or same) mic or speaker. It seems strange to me that something as basic as using a better form of transmission has in the 2 videos I've seen been excluded.

Sometimes I do include a USB connection sample in the video. Here's one example: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHLSp6SNetB_o5I

[@SteveSteiners]

@ That is fair enough. However I think you can understand that given how much worse devices like these sound over Bluetooth, a comparison like this would feel like it has very limited utility for someone that wants to sound great on calls. In my opinion, John Scott set a standard of how audio devices should be tested when he did a blind/wired head to head early on during the pandemic. I'm still looking for someone to do something similar using the highest quality connection available with an updated range of devices. Personally I am really curious if the newer Poly devices hold up given that they bring a bit of additional utility to the table. However every channel is different. While I am seeking a fairly objective perspective on the best solution possible for hybrid, and always will be disappointed when objectively better methods of transmission are not included in a test, perhaps what I am looking for, is not in line with what your audience here is looking for. I am specifically looking to be equipped to sound as good as possible in a call given the circumstances (hybrid vs solo where I have a corner of mouth countryman style Mic). I am hoping that either a smaller (comparatively) creator can fill this void well, or that one of the efforts by other larger KZbinrs who are building out testing facilities for things like this will eventually be able to provide good objective data on this. I'm sure at some point the time will come to retire the 7200, and when I have data on something significantly better over the wire I'll get it.

[@musicmaker5720]

FANTASTIC !!!

Thanks for watching!

[@neelgoplani1178]

I have guests on my podcast via zoom calls, will samson q2u work for that? will I able to hear the other person's voice if i use samon q2u?

Well it depends on how you set it up. You should select whatever speaker device (or headphones) you use and it should work nicely.

[@universemediallc]

THANK YOU!!!!!

I'm glad you got value from the video!

[@carvingsonthewall5468]

will you recommend lavalier mic in a room with kids when you have meeting?

If you want the kids to be heard, yes. If you don't want them to be heard, no.

[@uncanny15]

Awesome

I'm glad you liked the video!

[@uncanny15]

@ Nobody does this. The raw audio from a mic is different from the processed audio on Zoom or other platforms. So, Kudos!

[@MrWennerstrom]

Thought it said "Mac" upgrade. Got my hopes up.

You can't build a värsting with Apple!

[@Fcp007]

I can’t believe you didn’t once explain how to set one of these mics up. What a waste of time.

Thanks for watching anyway!

[@seankennedy4284]

Dude talking about great audio, meanwhile his voice is bouncing all around the room in the background.

You're right!

[@mamonpaul4859]

This has been very helpful. Thank you Markus.

Thanks for watching!