USB or XLR. Which microphone is best for your show?

Microphones are an essential tool that can help capture sound on a higher quality level. Choosing the right one can be a difficult choice. That’s why I am going to try and alleviate some of the hassle by outlining a few key differences between the two different types of microphone inputs. USB input microphones and XLR input microphones - these two choices is the first one you have to make when shopping for a microphone. Now there are both pro’s and con’s to each, but there are excellent choices for each. USB microphones have become a modern necessity with remote work becoming the new normal since the beginning of COVID-19.

USB microphones are some of the easiest and cheapest microphones to work with. The majority of them come with plug and play functions that make it easier for the average consumer to operate. Some of the pro’s of a USB microphone would include:

1. Cost effective

2. Easy to transport/store

3. User friendly

Here are some of the con’s of a USB microphone:

1. Susceptible to background noise.

2. Cheaper option, so the quality of the microphone may be poor.

3. Recording difficulty with multiple USB microphones in the same vicinity.

Some examples of a few good USB microphones would be any Blue brand microphone (Yeti, Yeti-Nano, or Snowball), Elgato Wave 3, or the Razer Siren. All of these microphones come with their respective software that individuals can tailor the settings to their specific needs. On the other end of the microphone spectrum there is the XLR input.

XLR microphones can be an excellent addition to your show when making the choice of what microphone to choose. These are the microphones that major artists, radio hosts, recording studios, and more use to help deliver that crisp and clear audio. Here are some pro’s:

1. Again, crisp and clear audio.

2. Easier to edit due to it being less susceptible to background noise.

3. XLR compatibility. The majority of all XLR equipment is compatible with one another, so you can continue to invest and upgrade your equipment one piece at a time.

These are all great things, but with a higher quality of audio typically comes with a few down sides to it. Here are some of the con’s:

1. Cost. XLR equipment typically cost more than USB based equipment.

2. Additional equipment needed. In order to record the audio on your computer you will need an amp, and sometimes a pre-amp (depending on your microphone), on top of the microphone and XLR cable. Which again, can add to the overall cost of using an XLR microphone.

3. Can be less user friendly. Depending on the amp and microphone you use, it can take some more time to learn how to fine tune your audio.

There are plenty of different options when it comes to XLR microphones. Some of the larger names are the Shure MV7 or SM7B, Samson Q2U, or the Rode Podmic. All of the equipment for XLR microphones including the amp, pre-amp (if you need it), and the cables should all work with any of these microphones.

I personally have used both USB and XLR microphones. My current set-up is an XLR one, but I started out on a USB microphone. If you are wondering which microphone would be the best for your, I encourage you to take a look at our other blog posts to get a more in-depth perspective. Overall, they both do the basic job of capturing your audio. It just depends to what degree you want to capture that audio at. One thing to keep in mind is work within your means. If you can only afford a USB microphone right now, then great - go for it! There is always the opportunity to grow and update your equipment as your show continues to grow.