YouTube in the past was used mainly for entertainment purposes, but now it is a tool for business growth as well. For better marketability, you need more views, and for that, you need good videos. Though visuals are essential for a good quality video, they alone are not sufficient. Audio, too, is equally important. Visual grabs viewers’ attention, but if the viewers can’t hear the audio well, they are not of much use. But besides visuals, if you have good audio quality, your channel can have more subscribers and greater outreach.
The audience has to guess what is being said if the audio quality is not clear. If the audience wouldn’t understand the video’s content due to bad audio quality, in the long run, it can lead to a severe decline in the views of your YouTube videos. It will lead to poor marketing and will, in turn, affect the growth of your business.
Both quality content and good audio quality are crucial if you want to do effective marketing using YouTube. These days more and more brands turn to YouTube for marketing and each one is trying to produce better content. This high competition means you’ll be left behind if your content doesn’t match the standards.
Problems of inbuilt camera microphone
Audio can be picked up even by the built-in microphones that are present in the camera. But relying on them is not a very good idea. Cameras are designed to capture visuals, and not much attention is given to the audio. Additionally, rather than recording the main sound you want to record, these microphones record the surrounding sounds as well. Therefore the sound recording is way too noisy, and it spoils the overall quality of the video. The audience that will watch your YouTube videos also might find such a video very irritating to watch.
Factors to consider before buying a microphone
Kinds of microphone available in the market
In the market, several kinds of microphones are available. Depending on the setting in which you would record the video, the microphone’s type may vary. Different types of microphones would be used for indoor and outdoor shoots. The following list covers the microphone types which you can use.
USB Microphones
USB microphones are perfect if you’re shooting beside or within a small distance from the computer. So if you want to record interviews, podcasts, or indoors vlog, this microphone can be used.
DSLR and camera microphones
Whether you’re shooting outside using DSLR or inside near a computer, this microphone is fit for both purposes and, in each case, will record good quality audio.
Lavalier microphones
Lavalier microphones are available both in wireless or wired forms. Even when the microphone is not shown in the video, it still picks up the sounds. So be it interviews, seminars, or other scenarios where you don’t want to show a microphone in the video, then this microphone is a great option.
Smartphone microphones
These days’ even smartphones are capable of recording high-quality videos, which can be used for YouTube as well. So in that scenario, to pick the sound, you can use a smartphone microphone.
Pricing
When you’re deciding on the microphone that you should buy to make YouTube videos, budget is an important point that you should think of. The price range of microphones varies. If the budget is not thought off before, you can have some difficulty choosing the right microphone. Before buying, think of your budget and according to that consider the choices you have.
Additional accessories
For best performance, some additional accessories might be needed. So before buying see if you have to buy the required accessories separately, or they come with the microphone you choose. If you want to shoot travel videos or enhance the feasibility of microphone usage, buying microphones stands, cases, shock mounts, and the filter is a good idea. Some sellers might offer deals that include the microphone along with its accessories. Some sell them separately as well. So buy the items according to accessories that you have.
To buy the best microphone that matches your needs and create high-quality content, you should consider all the factors before deciding.
Best microphones available in the market
Now that I have stressed enough on the importance of audio quality for YouTube videos and have covered all factors you should consider before buying, this list covers some of the best microphones that you can choose from to get exceptional audio quality.
Blue Yeti
Stereo, Omnidirectional, bidirectional, cardioid – 4 types of polar patterns are available in this mic. So even in different settings, the right audio can be picked because of this mic’s versatility. This powerful mic has a resolution of 16-Bit/48 kHz. The in-built headphone amp allows you to monitor results without any latency. It’s very convenient to use thanks to the gain control and mute feature offered by the mic. Portability and easy positioning are also possible because of the foldable stand that comes with the mic. You don’t even have to worry about the type of device to use since the mic is functional with both Mac and Windows.
Rode VideoMic Pro
The microphone is compatible with many devices like smartphones, DSLRs, audio recorders, and camcorders. The mic also offers a 40Hz-20 KHz frequency response. It has a long battery life – the mic can be used for up to 70 hours thanks to its 9V battery. The self-noise is a little as 14dB. For minimizing the background noise and protect the mic, a shock mount and foam windscreen have been incorporated into the mic. The size of 150mm/6 inches makes it compact. Additionally, boom-pole mounting is possible thanks to its camera shoe mount with a 3/8” thread.
Audio-Technica AT2035
The studio-like condenser mic feel allows the microphone to be used both at home and in professional settings. It gives great control over sound pressure level since it comes with a 10db pad and 80Hz high pass filter. Natural, clear, and soft sound and can be recorded since the mic has a large diaphragm. The mic has a special internal mechanism for effective sound isolation, and the cardioid polar pattern in the mic allows good audio quality.
Rode NT-USB
Be it Mac or Windows; this mic can be used with both. It is economical since it comes with many additional accessories, so you don’t have to buy them separately. Some of the accessories that come with the mic are:
- Pop filter
- Mic mount
- Storage pouch
- Desk stand
High audio quality with zero latency can be attained thanks to the 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack and 20Hz-20000Hz frequency range. For convenience in usage, the mic has a mix control and source a well.
Samson Go Mic
Cardioid and omnidirectional- both polar patterns are offered by this mic, so you can switch between them according to the setting in which you are using the mic. Not only is this mic economical, but it can be folded to look like a wallet and therefore is extremely portable. Excellent audio quality can easily be recorded because of its 16 bit resolution and 20Hz-18,000 high-frequency response.
Rode SmartLav
This wearable mic can be used in many professional settings. The mic foam filter allows removing any vocal plosives. The mic has a high sound pressure level of 110dB and 20Hz-20 KHz frequency response. Therefore despite being small, it offers excellent precision and high-quality audio. Usage is also very convenient since the jack needs to be plugged in a smartphone or tablet and the mic itself only needs to be clipped on. With its size of 4.5 mm and weight of just 0.01 lbs, the mic is a very small and portable one. It can be used with both iOS and android devices, and the plus point is that it’s very economical.
Blue Snowball
Omnidirectional and cardioid polar patterns for recording both are available in this microphone, which is very convenient to use. Be it Mac or Windows, the recording can be easily accessed and transferred thanks to the microphone’s easy connectivity. The -10 dB pad, along with its switch, allows you to minimize the sound distortion to a great extent. Both stand and USB cable come with this economical microphone.
Conclusion
For YouTube videos, audio is equally vital as visuals, and therefore it needs to be taken care of. You need to make high-quality videos to grow your YouTube channel and increase its outreach so that you outshine your competition. In the market a variety of microphones are available having different features and before buying this an important factor to consider. You should select a more convenient and feasible microphone for you so that you can capture high-quality videos and take your videos to the next level.
