I want to have an online drinking session with high quality sound!

Now that the phrase “stay home” is being heard around the globe, many "Online LIVE SHOWS" using online meeting applications have been posted on SNS. On top of that, I've started to see that some are enjoying posting "online drinking parties"… I thought to myself, “I'd like to try that!”

So, I tried this using Zoom, an app that is being used by many people.

Click here for the site ↓↓↓ and Zoom will appear at the top ♬
https://zoom.us/jp-jp/meetings.html

Signing up is very easy -- just click on the "Sign up is free" button, and all you have to do is register your email address, name, and password! After that, if I install the Zoom app, you’re done and it’ll be OK to use in a few minutes.

I didn't want to invite my friends at first, so I registered a separate account with my smartphone and computer and tried it out. Here's a photo of that embarrassing and sad experiment in progress (laughs)

Ohhhh!

Of course, users can see each other video in real time!

But as soon as I started talking to myself to check it out, I felt uncomfortable.

I feel like there was a lot of noise.

It's probably from the built-in microphone in my phone or computer, so I shouldn't get too excited about it.

I can hear myself talking normally, so this isn't particularly problematic.

However, since I am working for a sound equipment company, I thought “I wish I could enjoy it with a better, clearer sound!”

So then, I prepared a "USB microphone". It is an external high quality microphone that can be used as is by simply connecting it via a USB cable.

The most popular USB microphones at Sound House now are below

■ AKG / LYRA

Let's hook it up.

By the way, I'm a beginner when it comes to USB microphones, so this is the first time I've used this microphone.

For the time being, I connected the USB cable with Zoom up and running. She's so cute. Dad's working hard at his job~♪

What do you think?

At first only the built-in microphone and speakers installed in the computer were available, but as soon as I plugged in the USB mic, it was recognized by the computer. Here it is.

The "AKG C-44USB Microphone" was listed in the microphone and headphones section.

What surprised me was that, the moment I turned on the microphone, the sound changed to a level of clarity that I think anyone would recognize. It's like taking off not one, but two or three veils.

This is awesome!

And LYRA is so easy to use!!!!

① The knobs for the headphone output volume and microphone sensitivity are large and easy to asjust!
I was released from ever-present necessity of having to push the tiny icons on my computer to adjust the speaker and microphone faders with the mouse...

② What's interesting about the LYRA is that you can change the range of the microphone's sound pickup from FRONT, FRONT & BACK, TIGHT STEREO, and WIDE STEREO. These, too, are easily selected by turning the large knob.

FRONT: If you're talking by yourself.
FRONT & BACK: Two people sitting across from each other with the microphone for a chat
TIGHT STEREO: Two people talking side-by-side in front of the microphone
WIDE STEREO: A larger number of people talking around the microphone.

My impressions from actually trying it out.
Zoom is an easy-to-get-started convenient online meeting app.
The USB microphone is also very easy to use and provides high sound quality.

I suppose you could use this to practice with band members when you’re practicing social distancing. However, there are only a limited number of instruments that can be picked up with a microphone. So next time, I'd like to try an "online band practice" with an analog mixer with a built-in USB interface. By the way, the product I'm intending to use for this is THIS!

■ Soundcraft / Notepad-5