8 Best Mics for Discord in 2023
Introduction
Most people who regularly use computers to go online will eventually need an audio device to have a two-way voice conversation with another person or group or even to record their voice for a video, a PowerPoint presentation, or interaction on Discord.
The general public places greater importance on visuals and lesser significance on audio. However, high-quality audio for speech and music can certainly appeal to our auditory senses and enhance the effects of good visuals.
Friends, gaming & NFT communities, and developers frequently ask you to “join their Discord.” It is a multi-platform, fully-featured communications app.
Every day, millions of people use Discord to interact, share content, and play games with one another.
Here, users can join groups and speak to one another simultaneously. You and your friends can easily collaborate in games because it feels like everyone is in the same room. It makes playing multiplayer video games much more convenient.
While most users might be content with using a regular gaming headset, a good microphone for Discord will produce more outstanding sound quality.
If you are starting to engage in online activities that require high-quality audio, this article on the “Best Microphones for Discord” will be massive in helping you focus your search.
So let us get into our list of the best microphones for Discord and have a guided tour of what microphones on the market suit you.
1. Shure MV7 – Best Sound Quality Dynamic USB/XLR Microphone (Price: US$249.00)
Overview:
Product information:
- Connector Type: USB / XLR
- Hardware Interface: 3.5mm Audio
- Frequency response range: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Sample rate: 48kHz
- Bit depth: 24-bit
- Hardware Platform: PC, Smartphone (Lightning cable not included)
- Power Source: Corded electric
Features:
- Dynamic mic
- Cardioid pattern
- Intuitive touch panel controls
- ShurePlus MOTIV desktop application
Pros:
Cons:
Shure MV7
2. Rode NT-USB USB Condenser Microphone – Best Microphone for High-Quality Recordings (Price: US$157.95)
Overview:
Product information:
- Polar pattern: Cardioid
- Connector Type: USB Plug and Play
- Headphone jack: 3.5mm jack Audio
- Hardware Platform: PC, Mac, iPad, Tablet
- Frequency range: 20Hz – 20kHz
- Sample rate: 48kHz
- Bit depth: 16-bit
Features:
- Condenser capsule
- Desktop tripod stand
- Pop filter
- Dials to adjust the monitoring level and mix between the computer/iPad audio and the microphone input
- Gain control setting knob
- Zero latency stereo headphone monitoring
Pros:
Cons:
Rode NT-USB
3. Elgato Wave:3 USB Microphone – Best Microphone for Streaming (Price: US$149.99)
Overview:
Product information:
- Free Mixer Software, Sound Effect Plugins, Anti-Distortion,
- Connector Type: USB Type-C
- Hardware Interface: 3.5mm Audio
- Hardware Platform: PC and Mac
- Power Source: USB
Features:
- Condenser capsule mic
- Cardioid polar pattern
- Microphone stand
- Frequency response range: 70 Hz – 20 kHz
- Sample rate: 48/96 kHz
- Bit depth: 24-bit
- USB output: Plug and Play
- Volume, Gain, Mix
Pros:
Cons:
Elgato Wave:3
4. Razer Seiren V2 Pro USB Dynamic Microphone – Best USB Dynamic Microphone (Price: US$145.99)
Overview:
Product information:
- Capsules: 30mm Dynamic Microphone
- Polar pattern: Cardioid
- Connector Type: USB Type-C to Type-A Plug ‘n Play
- Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Sample rate: 96kHz
- Bit depth: 24-bit
- Hardware Interface: 3.5mm Audio
- Hardware Platform: PC, Mac
Features:
- High Pass Filter – Activated via Razer Synapse software to eliminate low-frequency noises
- Analog Gain Limiter – Activated via Razer Synapse to stop clipping and peaking
- Razer Synapse Software
- Gain Control and Mute Button
Pros:
Cons:
Razer Seiren V2 Pro USB Dynamic
5. Blue Yeti USB Microphone – USB Microphone with Most Complete Design (Price: US$129.99)
Overview:
Product information:
- Polar pattern: cardioid, bi-directional, omnidirectional, and stereo
- Connector Type: USB Cable Plug and Play
- Headphone jack: 3.5mm jack Audio
- Hardware Platform: PC, Mac
- Frequency range: 20Hz – 20kHz
- Sample rate: 48kHz
- Bit depth: 16-bit
Features:
- Proprietary tri-capsule technology that allows for four pick-up pattern modes – cardioid, bi-directional, omnidirectional, and stereo-polar patterns
- Blue VO!CE Software that comes with filters, effects, and audio samples that allow for voice customization
- Gain control knob on the back of the microphone
- Instant mute button
- Zero-latency headphone monitoring eliminates distracting echo.
Pros:
Cons:
Blue Yeti USB
6. HyperX Quadcast S USB Microphone – Most Trendy Microphone (Price: US$121.99)
Overview:
Features:
- Three 14mm electret condenser capsules
- Cardioid, Bi-directional, Omnidirectional, Stereo polar pickup pattern
- Dynamic RGB lighting
- Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Sample rate: 48kHz
- Bit depth: 16-bit
- Tap-to-mute sensor
- USB output: Plug ‘n Play
Pros:
Cons:
HyperX Quadcast S
7. Rode NT-USB Mini USB Condenser Microphone – Best Microphone for Newcomer Content Producers (Price: US$99.00)
Overview:
Product information:
- Polar pattern: Cardioid
- Connector Type: USB to USB-C
- Headphone jack: 3.5mm jack Audio
- Hardware Platform: PC, Mac, Tablet
- Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Sample rate: 48kHz
- Bit depth: 24-bit
Features:
- Condenser capsule
- Innovative removable magnetic mic stand
- In-built pop filter
- In-built digital signal processing: noise gate
- Zero-latency headphone monitoring that eliminates distracting echo.
Pros:
Cons:
Rode NT-USB Mini
8. Blue snowball iCE USB Mic – Most Fashionable Retro Style Microphone (Price: US$49.99)
Overview:
Product information:
- Pickup pattern: Cardioid
- Connector Type: USB Plug ‘n Plug
- Frequency range: 40 Hz – 18 kHz
- Sample rate: 44.1kHz
- Bit depth: 16-bit
- Hardware Platform: PC, Mac
Features:
- Retro-style microphone
- Desktop Tripod stand
Pros:
Cons:
Blue Snowball iCE.
What are the different types of microphones, polar patterns, and connections?
Knowing the distinctions between the many types of microphones, their features, and their characteristics will be helpful when choosing the best microphones for Discord.
1. USB microphone
If you aren’t overly concerned with having top-notch sound quality, but something that is decent, a USB microphone would undoubtedly be sufficient.
USD microphones are condenser or dynamic microphones with an integrated analog-to-digital converter. They are fantastic plug-and-play options especially when you have a computer with internet access.
An audio interface (which can be quite costly) for converting the analog audio signal into digital format won’t be necessary. Instead, USB microphones use a device driver to communicate with a computer’s operating system.
USB microphones are also very convenient for various situations like home recording, live streaming, podcasting, and recording training video. You do not need complicated and expensive recording equipment like preamps, mixers, or audio interfaces. Also, you can easily pack your USB mic with your laptop if you need to travel.
Probably the only downside to using a USB microphone is that only one can be used at a time with a Windows operating system.
2. XLR microphone
XLR stands for External Line Return which is the electrical connector to an XLR mic.
This type of mic is most frequently used in stage lighting, professional audio, and video equipment. In general, XLR microphones are better than USB microphones in terms of performance.
Professionals in sessions for audio recording most often use XLR mics. In general, XLR microphones are better than USB microphones in terms of consistency and precision.
A three-part setup includes XLR mics as just one of its components (mic, pre-amp, analog-to-digital converter). Upgrades to components are more straightforward. If you want to utilize an XLR microphone with a computer, you must use an adaptor. An XLR mic will only work with dynamic microphones that don’t need phantom power.
An audio interface device is also necessary when using XLR condenser microphones in order to convert the audio analog signal into digital format for a computer program to understand. This can often range in price from a few hundred dollars to thousands for a top-of-the-line model.
Choosing an XLR mic makes more sense if you intend to go into professional recording.
3. Dynamic microphone
Dynamic microphones are microphones that use electromagnetism to convert sound into an electrical signal.
They have a particular characteristic of being able to cancel background noise. This is great if you want to prevent keyboard clicks from making your Discord friends angry. It would be best to position it close to your mouth, so you’ll need a microphone arm.
Dynamic microphones with a cardioid pattern reduce background noise more because of their coarser sound quality, but they may lose some performance details. They can also capture thunderous sounds, like drums, firearms, and explosions.
They are, therefore, excellent candidates for hosting podcasts, general voice recording, and recording voices outside for voiceover or interviews.
4. Condenser Microphone:
For most studio tasks, including voice acting, condenser mics work well. They give it warmth and presence while also producing clarity of voice. Condenser microphones are more delicate than dynamic microphones and capture soft sounds.
If you need more information on the essential studio equipment required for a recording space at home, check out our article on how to set up a home studio!
To prevent damage to the mic, many of the more expensive condenser microphones have a “pad” option that allows you to lower the dB level of a signal entering the device.
Condenser mics need power to operate. Thus, they’ll need a power supply known as a 48-volt “phantom power.”
4. Ribbon Microphone:
The ribbon microphone is a kind of dynamic microphone where a thin corrugated aluminum ribbon is used as a transducer placed between two permanent magnets.
Ribbon microphones have a dark, vintage sound as if you are listening to an old radio station. Audio recorded from high-quality ribbon microphones will sound very natural as if you’re listening to real-life acoustics.
They were first popular in the mid-20th century, and have seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years for their unique sonic character.
However, they require careful handling and can be fragile, making them less suited to certain recording environments.
5. Polar pattern:
A microphone’s capacity to pick up your voice from various perspectives is known as its polar pattern. There are three basic polar patterns, namely, cardioid, omnidirectional, and bidirectional polar pickup patterns.
Cardioid:
The sound is picked up from the front by a traditional cardioid microphone. Cardioid microphones shield any undesirable background noise and other noises from the microphone’s back.
Microphones with a cardioid polar pattern are great for ASMR recordings, live streams, and podcasts.
Omnidirectional:
Omnidirectional microphones can pick up sound from any direction with equal sensitivity. This omnidirectional pattern indicates that they equally pick up sound from 360 degrees.
Bi-directional:
The bidirectional microphones captured sound type in the shape of figure eight. A bidirectional microphone, then, will be able to pick up sound from both the front and the back of the device.
Applications Software to improve your audio output from your microphone
A USB microphone has an analog-to-digital converter built in, so all you need to do is plug the microphone into your computer and start your recording or communication software.
However, to improve the mic’s audio output, some mics may come along with free software.
Microphone software is one of the most essential tools for recording and editing voice recordings. You can find many applications online which are available to help in processing your microphone audio.
A digital audio workstation (DAW) such as Audacity can be used for editing audio. You may edit audio using a range of tools available in most DAWs. For instance, equalization (EQ) can alter the sound frequencies or include effects like reverb or delay.
Some people who do not wish to do a recording of their own voice sometimes use text-to-speech AI voice software that can create realistic human-like voices.
Choosing between a Dynamic mic and a Condenser mic
If you use speakers and your preferred voice platform does not include echo cancellation, you need something that isn’t overly sensitive. So it would help if you chose a dynamic rather than a condenser mic.
Additionally, you might want a microphone with a “cardioid” or “hyper-cardioid” polar pattern, which refers to the pickup angle of the sound.
It is crucial to prevent the sounds of other people’s voices reflecting on them or the audio from your own game from reaching them.
