Top 5 Recommendations for Your First Condenser Microphones

Recently, I have been addicted to watching YouTube videos in my spare time. I think quite a lot of people are like me. Some of you may want to go live or upload your own videos on YouTube, and not just be a viewer.

By the way, in a recent most popular career rankings, being a YouTuber is ranked within the top 10 careers for elementary, junior high and senior high school students as though being a YouTuber is a perfectly fine career choice. This is a big sign of how the times have changed.

When I was a kid, I thought baseball players and doctors were ranked as top careers. One of my classmates said he wanted to work for the Ministry of Finance when he was in elementary school but… I wonder what he’s doing now.

Anyway, you will need equipment for streaming or uploading videos and recording at home, so this time I'm going to introduce a list of recommended microphones that are necessary for recording audio.

As for the types of microphones,

there are mainly two types of microphones: dynamic microphones and condenser microphones.

Characteristics of each type microphones are:

Dynamic microphone

• Reduces background noise and feedback
• Does not require a power supply and can be used by connecting itself to the microphone terminal
• High solidity that endures a certain strength of impact

Condenser microphone

• Power must be supplied from connected device
• Wide frequency response and well-balanced sound collection
• Higher sensitivity than dynamic microphones
• Sensitive to humidity, temperature changes, and impact

Condenser microphones are recommended for live streaming and recording music.

There are also various types of condenser microphones, and the uses are different as well. I'm going to show the microphones in order of recommendation ranking.

No. 1

AKG/C214

Needless to say, AKG is the standard brand of microphones, headphones and earphones. As for microphones, they produce condenser microphones such as the C414 series and the C451B, which are owned by most professional musicians and audio engineers. This C214 is recommended for those who desire one of those professional level AKG microphones but can't afford it, but still want the AKG sound. The price is a little higher than the other microphones I introduce here, but the C214 comes with an included protective case, shock mount holder, and windscreen. The rectangular shape is reminiscent of the C414, which is also nice. Equipped with a low cut filter and attenuation pad, it supports a wide range of sounds from musical instruments to vocals. The C214 uses a diaphragm equivalent to that of a standard recording microphone C414 XLII. The characteristic high-range sound is a perfect sound quality for main vocals and lead instruments.

No. 2

MXL / V67G-HE

MXL is a microphone manufacturer that produces a large number of items with reasonable prices, cool designs, and good sound quality. The V67G-HE is the most popular model from MXL microphones. The unique design, which is different from mics from other brands, has a luxurious feel and it doesn't look like a beginner model of condenser mic. In addition, a dedicated hard case, shock mount holder, and pop guard are all included in the price. The V67G-HE achieves the low-cost, high-performance quality like no other.
Like other MXL products, the V67G-HE focuses on vintage sound, and the high range that comes out clearly is characteristic while the midrange is solid. I recommend the V67G-HE if you're looking for a reasonable condenser microphone that comes with everything included.

No. 3

WARM AUDIO / WA-47jr

The WA-47jr is a transistor amp model of the WA-47 tube microphone. Although it is often thought of as a lower-priced model due to its price tag, it has a solid character. Compared to the tube microphone WA-47, which has a fat, overtone-rich sound, the WA47-jr has a wide frequency response and a clear, extended sound. With its well-balanced sound quality over the entire bandwidth, it is an easy-to-use microphone for a variety of applications, from vocals to instruments. It comes with a shock-mount holder and a dedicated case, making it a very cost-effective microphone.

No. 4

Audio-Technica / AT2020

Audio-Technica is an audio brand that produces a wide range of equipment from beginners to professionals. The AT2020 achieves an affordable price of less than 10,000 yen with a minimalist accessory kit. Its luxurious design is comparable to the high-end model AT4040. The AT2020 has a well-balanced sound that is characteristic of most Audio-Technica microphones. It's amazing that it is strong against blowing sounds and they are also strong enough to be recorded without a pop guard. If necessary, you can purchase an optional shock mount (AT8458) for more secure anti-vibration. The AT2020 is recommended for those who want a high quality microphone while keeping the price low.

No. 5

AKG/LYRA

The LYRA is a microphone that can be directly connected to a computer via USB, which is a little different from the other microphones introduced so far. The LYRA is AKG's first USB microphone and you can feel AKG's passion in it. It features the [4-Capsule Adaptive Array] that you can switch the sound collection modes: FRONT, FRONT & BACK, TIGHT STEREO, and WIDE STEREO with 4 capsules. You can obtain professional quality for any type of sound such as vocals, musical instruments, and narration. It comes with a solid and stable stand, making it ideal for podcasting. In addition, a license for the recording software [Ableton Live 10 Lite] is included which is a double advantage. I recommend the LYRA to those looking for a USB microphone as well as to those who are new to microphones.

We made a video where we compared three different microphones: the AKG / C214, the MXL / V67G, and the BOYA / BY-M800. We picked up the sound in the same environment so it was easy to understand the difference among the three microphones. Check out the video and see how the sound quality is different with the three microphones. I recommend listening to the sound quality with headphones.

What did you think? You can actually buy a full-fledged microphone at a surprisingly reasonable price. I hope you will find your perfect microphone and use it for recording and streaming. And if you become a famous YouTuber, please tell us which model of microphone you use on your channel. Lol.