Best Microphones for Streamers – Q2U, WMX-1, and Wave 1

Pros:

• Fantastic Audio
• Excellent Background noise Rejection
• Doesn’t require an inline amplifier to make it loud enough
• Looks professional
• Excellent build quality
• USB-C support
• XLRXLR stands for External Line Return. It is a balanced connector for studio-grade audio equipment that is nearly immune to electromagnetic interference. It is most commonly used for condenser and dynamic microphones, audio interfaces, and audio mixers. More Support

Cons:

• Pretty heavy – You’ll need a beefy microphone boom arm to handle it
• Pop filters are difficult to find that aren’t goosenecks
• Some features are USB only
  • XLRXLR stands for External Line Return. It is a balanced connector for studio-grade audio equipment that is nearly immune to electromagnetic interference. It is most commonly used for condenser and dynamic microphones, audio interfaces, and audio mixers. More doesn’t have access to mute button
  • XLRXLR stands for External Line Return. It is a balanced connector for studio-grade audio equipment that is nearly immune to electromagnetic interference. It is most commonly used for condenser and dynamic microphones, audio interfaces, and audio mixers. More doesn’t have access to the 3-in-one button
  • XLRXLR stands for External Line Return. It is a balanced connector for studio-grade audio equipment that is nearly immune to electromagnetic interference. It is most commonly used for condenser and dynamic microphones, audio interfaces, and audio mixers. More doesn’t have access to the built-in monitor 3.5mm port
  • XLRXLR stands for External Line Return. It is a balanced connector for studio-grade audio equipment that is nearly immune to electromagnetic interference. It is most commonly used for condenser and dynamic microphones, audio interfaces, and audio mixers. More doesn’t have access to built-in equalizers

Just starting out? You may be drowning yourself in research as to what microphone you can buy, and this is good! You should always get multiple viewpoints when looking into buying something.

However, I urge caution; While your research on microphones may state that studio condenser-style microphones may produce the best possible sound (and they’d be technically correct), most reviewers don’t mention something important:

• Studio CondenserA condenser microphone is a type of microphone characterized by an electrolyzed ultra-thin fixed plate. This type of microphone excels at capturing very quiet or delicate audio and has the widest frequency response curve of any microphone type. They vary in cost from $30 to over $10,000. They can be either USB or XLR, and sometimes they can even be both. Due to their sensitivity, condenser microphones often need substantial room acoustics treatment to get the best sound from them. More microphones only sound really good if your room’s acoustics are properly treated.

What this means, in practice, is that a Studio Dynamic-style microphone, like this Samson Q2U, is actually a better choice if you don’t have that in place. Barring edge cases of those of you who have good, natural room acoustics. IE, your room has a lot of absorbing materials in it or a lot of stuff in it to diffuse the sound, eliminating reverb.

This microphone here has a very good sound, especially considering the price it is at. However, the best feature of the Samson Q2U is the inclusion of both a USB and XLRXLR stands for External Line Return. It is a balanced connector for studio-grade audio equipment that is nearly immune to electromagnetic interference. It is most commonly used for condenser and dynamic microphones, audio interfaces, and audio mixers. More connection. What this means, is that it can be used on a PC, Via USB, or connected to a more professional Audio interface/Mixer. This provides a solid upgrade path to you, so you don’t need to heavily invest up-front.

Here is a review by EposVox that goes over the sound of this mic.

Pros:

• Fantastic audio quality for the price
• Both USB and XLRXLR stands for External Line Return. It is a balanced connector for studio-grade audio equipment that is nearly immune to electromagnetic interference. It is most commonly used for condenser and dynamic microphones, audio interfaces, and audio mixers. More connections available
• Built-in monitoring port for headphones
• Kit comes with a mini-tripod mount, a foam pad to help against the wind from a fan/outside, and all the wires that it needs to connect to things.
• The alternate kit comes with a boom arm and small pop filter
• Powered by PC, no need for batteries
• Decent option for moving around while talking, if you are okay with holding the microphone like a singer.

Cons:

• They are considered to be “ugly” on stream compared to other, more fancy-looking mics like the SM7B.
• You need to be 1-3inches away from the microphone for it to sound really good
  • You can’t really keep the microphone out of the camera frame, it’s gotta be close
• Fairly large microphone design due to the internal ADC for the USB connection
• The included mini-tripod takes up a fair amount of desk real estate
• The alternate kit uses a very cheap boom arm. Expect it to break within a year or so.

If you are doing a work-out stream, or have some sort of need for high mobility, then the best option for you would be either a wireless headset or a lavalier microphone connected to a wireless transmitter. While the first option is a possibility, you will likely have better audio – for cheaper – using a dedicated lavalier/lapel microphone wireless system.

The Winner here is the Movo WMX-1, a 2.4 GHz wireless lavalier microphone system. You can hear the microphone in action here.

Pros:

• Max of 200 feet audio range, allowing you to easily use your phone as the webcam for a stream while streaming something like tennis
• Uses 3.5mm cables to connect, making it compatible with phones if you stream IRL
• The audio is clear and easy to understand
• The audio quality is fairly good
• The wireless transmitter can be clipped to your clothes, mounted to a tripod, or stuffed in your pocket
• Built-in headphone monitoring jack
• The mic can be hidden out of view

Cons:

• Not the cheapest wireless system available (But also not nearly the most expensive one.)
• Completely plastic design
  • Be careful with the attachable clips. If you pull on it, there is the potential to break the clip.
• No built-in battery
• Max of 6-hour battery life using two Alkaline AAA batteries for the transmitter. Rechargeable will vary based on mAh.
  • You may benefit from having spares ready or a few sets of rechargeable AAA batteries, just in case.
  • You may benefit from a power bank to charge on-the-fly.
• May pick up clothing rubbing on mic diaphragm
• Susceptible to radio interference

If you have some sound treatment in place, like acoustic foam, or insulation, then you may get better results using a condenser-style microphone. The Elgato Wave one fits this bill quite nicely, as it also has a built-in software audio mixer.

The addition of an audio mixer gives you an incredible amount of control over your audio. However, mixers tend to cost a lot of money and, until recently, were really the only solution outside of programming a MIDI device to do something similar. Enter the Elgato Wave 1. This microphone, and its bigger cousin, the Wave 3, do something that no other microphone does. It allows you to create a virtual mixer and create sourcesA source is a media element that is part of a scene. In OBS Studio, there are many different source types that capture many different things.
• Application Audio Capture (Beta)
• Audio Input Capture
• Audio Output Capture
• Browser
• Color Source
• Display Capture
• Game Capture
• Image
• Image Slide Show
• Media Source
• Scene
• Text (GDI+)
• VLC Video Source
• Video Capture Device
• Window Capture
More that a real mixer can latch onto and control.

Windows 10 does have a built-in Software Mixer, but it relies on having either real physical devices to create sourcesA source is a media element that is part of a scene. In OBS Studio, there are many different source types that capture many different things.
• Application Audio Capture (Beta)
• Audio Input Capture
• Audio Output Capture
• Browser
• Color Source
• Display Capture
• Game Capture
• Image
• Image Slide Show
• Media Source
• Scene
• Text (GDI+)
• VLC Video Source
• Video Capture Device
• Window Capture
More or for another program to create the sourcesA source is a media element that is part of a scene. In OBS Studio, there are many different source types that capture many different things.
• Application Audio Capture (Beta)
• Audio Input Capture
• Audio Output Capture
• Browser
• Color Source
• Display Capture
• Game Capture
• Image
• Image Slide Show
• Media Source
• Scene
• Text (GDI+)
• VLC Video Source
• Video Capture Device
• Window Capture
More for it, like Virtual Audio Cable. Check out this video by EposVox to see how it works in action.

Note: You don’t need an audio mixer to stream. Having one just makes your life easier and makes your stream feel more professional when you can fade out audio sourcesA source is a media element that is part of a scene. In OBS Studio, there are many different source types that capture many different things.
• Application Audio Capture (Beta)
• Audio Input Capture
• Audio Output Capture
• Browser
• Color Source
• Display Capture
• Game Capture
• Image
• Image Slide Show
• Media Source
• Scene
• Text (GDI+)
• VLC Video Source
• Video Capture Device
• Window Capture
More whenever you like.

Pros:

• Very good audio quality (Capsule made by Lewitt)
• USB connection into PC
• Built-in virtual Mixer functionality, removing the need for Virtual Audio Cable entirely
• Able to create additional virtual sourcesA source is a media element that is part of a scene. In OBS Studio, there are many different source types that capture many different things.
  • Application Audio Capture (Beta)
  • Audio Input Capture
  • Audio Output Capture
  • Browser
  • Color Source
  • Display Capture
  • Game Capture
  • Image
  • Image Slide Show
  • Media Source
  • Scene
  • Text (GDI+)
  • VLC Video Source
  • Video Capture Device
  • Window Capture
  More that you can control with other equipment
• It looks very good on stream.

Cons:

• The controls aren’t separate from the mic, resulting in mic handling noise when using it
• Its proprietary design means that it isn’t compatible with standard mounts, and shock mounts.
• The casing is made entirely from plastic and feels cheap/lightweight
• Boom arms designed for heavier mics will not stay in the position you set it to.
• Wave 1 can only adjust the volume to the headphone jack for monitoring
  • Wave 3 can do that, the gain, and the balance between real-time monitoring and any sound being output to it via USB (Credit to EposVox for clarifying this in that video)