Microphone for Recording Vocals on Computer

Blue Microphones are extremely popular, and the Yeti is one of the most popular USB microphones that you’ll find.

The Blue Yeti is one of the few mics you might see more professional artists using, but its stand-out quality and price make it an excellent choice for beginners.

It offers a host of recording possibilities that usually require multiple microphones as it has four patterns – stereo, cardioid, omnidirectional, and bidirectional.

STEREO: Uses both the left and right channels to capture a wide, realistic sound image—ideal for recording acoustic guitar or choir.

OMNIDIRECTIONAL: Picks up sound equally from all around the mic. It’s best used in situations when you want to capture the ambience of “being there”—like recording a band’s live performance, a multi-person podcast or a conference call.

CARDIOID: Perfect for podcasts, game streaming, vocal performances, voice overs and instruments. Cardioid mode records sound sources that are directly in front of the microphone, delivering rich, full-bodied sound.

BIDIRECTIONAL: Records from both the front and rear of the microphone—good for recording a duet or a two-person interview.

Yeti is a side-address microphone, which means you should sing, play or speak into the side of the microphone not the top of the microphone.

It includes a mute button, gain control and a standard 1/8” (3.5mm) headphone jack for monitoring and playback and you can use the headphone output to monitor your microphone recording in real time, without latency delays.

Audio-Technica is another renowned brand that has a great USB mic. An USB condenser mic, with cardioid polar pattern for  Superb Audio Quality.

The AT2020USB is the USB version of the AT2020, and more closely resembles a standard condenser mic. Features include:

A/D converter (a device that converts analog signals to digital format) with 16 bit, 44.1/48 kilohertz sampling rate.

1/8″ (3.5 mm) Headphone jack with volume control allows you to directly monitor your recording without the delay that occurs when monitoring through your computer’s headphone output.

When you talk into the microphone you hear yourself right away in the headphones.

Mix control which blends microphone with pre-recorded audio.

Listen to previously recorded tracks as you record new audio by adjusting the mix control dial either towards (com) computer of Mic (microphone).

This mic sits on a tripod and comes with a carrying case for convenience. While it’s a bit more expensive than the Yeti, the quality is excellent.

This mic sits on a tripod and comes with a carrying case for convenience. No more expensive than the Yeti, the quality is excellent and can be used for podcasting, field recording, voiceover use and home studio recording.

This plug and play USB Condenser, Cardiood (record directly in front) microphone is great for recording studio quality vocals including podcasts, live streaming, dictation and offers a rich detailed audio usually found in studio recordings.

It connects directly to your laptop or desktop computer with an USB cable and you’re not required to download any manufacturer drivers or software.It connects directly to your laptop or desktop computer with an USB cable and you’re not required to download any manufacturer drivers or software.

It’s been awarded Skype & Discord certification (programs ensure USB peripherals offer rich audio quality) and is perfect for single person/source recording.

It comes with a stand but has standard thread and can be mounted on a traditional mic stand.. 

The Samson Meteor is another high-quality USB microphone that has one of the biggest diaphragms you can get with a USB device.

This Large, 1″ (25mm) diaphragm condenser microphone with Cardioi pickup pattern plugs directly into your USB input and doesn’t require additional drivers.  It’s 16-bit, 44.1/48kHz resolution with flat frequency response of 20Hz–20kHz , a Stereo 1/8″ headphone jack for zero latency monitoring and mute switch.  Although not technically a computer it works with iPhone/ iPad using Apple’s Lightning USB Camera Adapter.

This mic delivers accuracy and clarity.

The best way to record vocals with the Meteor Mic is to put it directly in front of the person approximately 6 to 24 inches away with them aiming the microphone center line towards their mouth.

It’s very portable for both home and travel recording and affordable, so if you are looking for something that compares to the Yeti, but doesn’t cost as much, the Samson Meteor is the right choice.

Good for recording, journalism, gaming, singer-songwriters,corporate narration, commercial voice-over or just better video call quality.

The Rode NTK is a high quality, robust, durable all tube design microphone that produces a fabulous clear, natural, warm sound.

With its wide frequency range, it can handle vocals of almost any type.

The Australian company Rode has been making word renowned microphones for many years including budget conscious mics.

The fixed cardioid pickup pattern is ideal for vocal and can handle vocals of almost any type.

The hand selected twin triode vacuum tube and audiophile grade components  result in an ultra dynamic range. 

The capsule is internally shock mounted to stop unwanted noise caused by vibration and being a tube mic should be warmed up approximately 30 minutes before recording for the best results.

Take care of it, and it should last you many years.

The package comes with the necessary XLR cables and its own power supply. You won’t need phantom power (both audio signal & voltage signal in one).

It can be particularly great for rap vocals, but also perform well for singing, podcasts, and anything else you might be doing as its the perfect balance between cost & performance.

The Neumann TLM-102 condenser mic has exceptional build quality and an extremely impressive sound, though it is one of the more expensive microphones for vocals in our list.

This  is a large diaphragm mic with Cardioid directional pattern built in a compact Neumann design. 

The Neumann TLM (transformless microphone) technology used with the 102 replaces the output transform with an electronic circuit.

Again, this mic has a wide frequency range, so it doesn’t matter if you are a soprano or a bass, and it doesn’t matter if you speak softly or loudly.

Perfect for vocals and speech in the studio or broadcasting area.

Distortion free sound even with extreme SPL (sound pressure levels) up to 144 dB, a frequency response of 20Hz – 20kHz and an integrated pop screen.

It fuses a beautiful sound with technical excellence.

If you have a couple of extra dollars and need exceptional sound quality, you couldn’t go wrong here.

The Bluebird is an attractive-looking large-diaphragm condenser microphone and one of the best from Blue Microphones.

Stylistically, it’s has a vintage-look, and sound-wise, it’s very impressive.

A cardioid polar pattern, frequency response of 20Hz-20kHz and Sensitivity: 28.5 mV/Pa at 1 kHz (1 pa = 94 dB SPL).

The transformerless class A amplifier circuit ensures a more accurate and noise-free signal. What you hear at the input is what you get at the output  with minimal distortion and coloration

It’ll produce great results no matter what your voice type is, and while it might not be as sophisticated as the previous two, it’s still a great piece of equipment.

The AKG C214 is an excellent mic with the ability to produce natural-sounding vocals no matter what the vocal range is.

This large diaphragm condenser microphone has a cardioid polar pattern and an audio frequency bandwith of 20 – 20000 Hz with a maximum SPL of 156dB (did you say loud?).

It has a bass-cut filter, so you can get close to the mic without messing up the sound, and the switchable attenuation gives you even greater customizability allowing recording of loud sources – remember the 156dB?

Many people will swear by this microphone and will tell you it’s the best for vocals.

The AKG Back Plate patented Technology  and dual-capsule system results in outstanding performance and is a cost-effective alternative to the higher-end AKG C414 family.

Shure’s PGA27  microphone is a professional quality large cardioid diagphragm mic and produces an excellent sound – crisp and detailed. It’s a  side address large mic with a high SPL threshold (meaning it can handle high sound pressure before it starts to distort)

It has features that offer greater control such as a switchable high-pass filter to reduce pickup of any low-frequency room noise, making it perfect for home recording. 

It’s very sensitive, but you can minimize sensitivity with the attenuator switch allowing you to record loud instruments without distortion and overloading the microphone.

This professional caliber gear comes is an affordable price mic with an industrial design. If you want superior sound quality with an XLR  mic, this is the way to go for home recording vocals.  This mic is great for live performances as well.

The XLR output connects to your mixer through a standard mic cable