Choosing the right microphone can be a challenging, yet crucial task. Be it for music production, recording vocals for songs/podcasts, or doing livestreams, finding the right tone or sound you desire can be quite the journey.

Yet even after acquiring the right equipment, another dilemma arises - How do you test and make full use of the audio quality of a particular microphone? Here in this article, we'll suggest methods and techniques you can use to ensure you get the best possible audio quality when it comes to your projects.

But first, let's start with the basics:

What is a microphone?

By definition, a microphone is a device or instrument that converts sound waves into electronic signals and reproduces them to an audio recording or speaker. It is often used to record instruments, vocals/speech, and other sounds.

Microphones primarily come in 3 types:

Dynamic Microphones are great at managing high sound pressure levels (SPL). As a result, they're perfect for recording loud instruments, or in live situations, where there are a lot of instruments on stage and feedback reduction is preferred. Notable brands and models include the Shure SM57 & SM58, Sennheiser e835 & 845, AKG D5, Audix OM series, and more!

Condenser Microphones are designed to pick up vocals and other soft sounds with great detail and sensitivity. As such, they perform fantastic in studios and controlled recording environments. Notable models include the Audio Technica AT2020, AKG C214, Rode NT1A, Neumann U87, and more.


Ribbon Microphones are the most natural mics that you can use to capture the sound of an instrument, a voice, and even the ambience of a room. Due to their figure-of-8 polar pattern, massive low-end pick-up, and natural high-frequency roll-off, ribbons really "hear" more like your ears than any other mic out there.





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Of course, there are a lot of other specialized types of microphones, but perhaps the other most common categorisation of microphones are whether they are wired or wireless.


For Wired Microphones, sound is converted into an electrical audio signal via the microphone, which is then transferred to a sound system (usually a mixer and then speakers, sometimes an amplifier) through an XLR cable. Practically speaking, a wired microphone is more straightforward and reliable to set up, seeing as you don't need to worry about battery life and frequency drop outs. The only drawbacks are cable management and the limited movable distance.


When it comes to Wireless Microphones, a typical system usually consists of the microphone itself (a capsule), a transmitter and a receiver. As the name suggests, wireless microphones are popular in the audio industry as it allows speakers/singers to move around freely without any cables attached.


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Here are some ways you can improve the quality of your audio recording & streaming!





Using an Audio Interface


An audio interface basically acts as a bridge between a microphone and your computer, converting the analog microphone signal into a digital signal. Due to the nature of the XLR connection and the superior processors within the interface, the audio quality is vastly improved - For sound that's going "into" the computer (Your speech, your instrument recordings) as well as sound that's "coming out". (The music you hear, your online call partner's voice) etc.


Using a Recording Program or Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)


The first step towards improving your audio quality is to test it to hear how it sounds before going on a livestream or embarking on a recording! Simply use any recording software or apps that come with your computer, make a simple recording and play it back to determine how it sounds. For more advanced users, most DAWs come with metering apps and EQ frequency analysers that are able to tell you more about your recording input and the characteristics of your microphone!


Using an online microphone tester


Everything is online these days - If all else fails, go online! There are a number of online browser-friendly mic tests that you can use to record a short sample and listen back to it. Some also provide simple EQ analysis, and basic SPL measurements to ensure your signal isn't clipping. (distorting)

 

Conclusion


Everyone has a different voice so its hard to judge how suitable each microphone is for your own voice simply by reading reviews. Ultimately, it is best to drop by our showroom to test live or recording microphones with your referred tracks available on Youtube or Spotify to sing along with! We'll let you hear yourself on the best studio monitoring headphones or studio monitors or live sound systems - you can’t get that anywhere else!