Windows Help & Advice - UK (2020-05)

6 SeirenX

£100,www.razr.com

TheSeirenX is designedwithportability

in mind– it standsonyourdesklikea

canof RedBull.Thebuilt-inshockmount

workswelltoabsorbunwantedspikes

fromdeskkicksandthelike,whilea

volumecontrolandmutebuttonarethe

onlycontrols.

Therearea coupleof minor

downsides,inevitably.LiketheBlue

Yetiwefoundthatthismicpicksupa

noticeableamountofambientnoise

likethedreadedmechanicalkeyboard

clatter.It’snotenoughtopreventit from

beinga feasiblepodcastingmic,

4 NT USB

£170, http://www.rode.com

Rode’s NT USB screams ‘professional’.

Mimicking the look of studio

microphones at a reasonable cost, this is

a good choice for those who want to

take their hobby further. Its sound

quality goes above and beyond the

competition, and the inclusion of a

free pop shield is appreciated.

It may only have one polar pattern

• cardioid – and some odd design
  choices such as the smooth knobs, but
  this remains a top option for voiceover
  and streaming specialists as the audio
  quality is superb.

orseriouspodcasters,

there’snothingworse

thannotbeingheard

duringyourbroadcast.

Yourmicrophonetendstobe

theunsungheroinyourentireaudio

arsenal.Whenchoosingthebest

F

microphone for podcasting, there’s

one thing we look for above all else:

can you be heard loudly and clearly?

XLR mics offer the best studio-

quality sound, but are very pricey.

USB mics, on the other hand,

are easier to set-up, a lot cheaper,

andplaywellwithmostaudio

software.Also,notethe

microphone’spolarpatterns,asthis

is theeasiestwaytofigureoutwhat

thebestuseis.Forpodcasting,look

forcardioid,whichis sensitiveonly

in frontofthemic.

May 2020 | |^71

Upgrade

Mics for podcasting

5

4

6

5 Yeti USB

£120, http://www.bluedesigns.com

The quintessential microphone for

streaming and amateur recording, the

Yeti more than earns its success.

Affordable, versatile, and easy to set

up, this has become something of a

gold standard by which every other

mic is judged. That’s because the Yeti

excels in almost every way. It has clear,

high-quality audio. Straightforward

controls that ensure that it’s easy to

adjust. A streamlined, sturdy design

that makes it likely to survive a fall.

And the four polar patterns mean

it’s adaptable.