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Microphones
Microphones: Choosing the Right One for Gaming or Streaming
In this section, we’ll focus exclusively on external microphones, not the ones built into headsets. Before selecting a mic, it’s essential to understand that every recording environment is unique—factors like background noise, room size, microphone sensitivity (gain), and even the mic’s distance and height will all influence how your voice sounds and how clean the recording will be.
Main Microphone Categories
Microphones fall into two primary types, each with its own setup process and advantages:
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USB Microphones:
These are the easiest to use and configure since they include built-in drivers that manage sound processing directly through the USB connection. They’re often plug-and-play, making them ideal for beginners, streamers, or anyone who wants a quick setup without extra equipment. -
XLR Microphones:
These send the raw audio signal through an XLR cable to a dedicated sound card, mixer, or audio interface, which then handles the sound processing. While setup is more complex, XLR microphones provide superior audio quality, greater flexibility, and more professional-grade control.
Because the signal passes through external hardware, your PC’s resources are barely affected, allowing for cleaner, lower-latency recording.
Dynamic vs. Condenser Microphones
When purchasing an XLR microphone, it’s crucial to know whether it’s dynamic or condenser, as this affects both sensitivity and power requirements:
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Dynamic Microphones:
These operate through electromagnetic induction, making them less sensitive to ambient sounds and background noise. They don’t require external power (known as phantom power) and are great for live streaming or gaming setups where background noise may be an issue. -
Condenser Microphones:
These use the capacitive effect to capture sound with much greater detail and sensitivity. They pick up more nuances in the voice but are also more prone to catching pops, breathing sounds, and room noise. For this reason, it’s best to mount them on a shock mount (a vibration-dampening stand) and use a pop filter or foam windscreen to reduce unwanted noise.
Condenser microphones generally deliver studio-quality sound, making them ideal for podcasts, voice-overs, and professional streaming—provided you’re in a relatively quiet, treated room.
Pickup Patterns (Polar Patterns)
Another key characteristic to consider—whether you’re using a USB or XLR mic—is the pickup pattern, which defines the direction from which the microphone captures sound.
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Unidirectional (Cardioid):
The most common choice for gaming and streaming, as it captures sound primarily from the front, minimizing unwanted background noise.
Other patterns (such as bidirectional, omnidirectional, or stereo) are generally reserved for music recording, interviews, or podcasts involving multiple speakers.
Optimizing XLR Microphones
With a quality audio interface or mixer—such as the GoXLR—you can fine-tune an XLR microphone to achieve professional-level sound, even if the mic itself is mid-range in price.
These devices allow you to:
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Adjust gain, equalization, and compression precisely
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Remove interference and static noise
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Add real-time voice effects for streaming or recording
Remember: In streaming and live broadcasting, the goal isn’t necessarily the most expensive microphone—it’s achieving clean, interference-free audio. A properly configured mic, even an affordable one, will always outperform an expensive model used incorrectly.
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