What type of microphone is best for conference calls?

19 Aug.,2024

 

The 5 Best Microphones for Video Conferencing in

Getting the right microphone for video conferencing is an integral part of hybrid or remote working as it ensures colleagues can collaborate with each other. 

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For the best video conferencing experience, companies need to provide staff with the right equipment. 

Although most laptops come with a built-in mic, they tend to offer a very basic setup and are not designed for the complex video conferencing need of today&#;s hybrid workplace. 

Built-in mics are suitable for some audio or video calls but when dealing with important meetings, a dedicated mic is a better option. 

The UC Today team has put together a list of five microphones that are perfect for video conferencing in . 

1. Shure MV7

The Shure MV7 is a microphone built for podcasting, meaning that it can capture vocals in extremely high audio quality. 

The mic is equipped with Voice Isolation Technology so it can focus on the speaker&#;s voice to give a professional recording. 

The MV7 also includes a built-in 3.5mm headphone jack so the user can monitor sound and adjust mic gain, headphone volume, and more. 

The mic can be mounted to a desktop tripod, meaning that it can be positioned in the best place possible to capture what the speaker is talking about. 

The key features of the Shure MV7 include the following: 

  • USB or XLR connection.

  • Customisable audio settings via the ShurePlus MOTVI app.

     

  • Can be connected to mobile devices.

  • Optimised mic position presents to allow the speaker to be &#;near&#; or &#;far&#; from the mic.

     

The Shure Mv7 is available for $249. 

2. Blue Yeti Premium Multi-Pattern USB Microphone

 

The Blue Yeti Premium Multi-Pattern USB microphone is part of the company&#;s best-selling family of Yeti USB microphones. 

The mic is compatible with Blue VO!CE software allows the user to create the correct vocal sound that they need. 

It has four different pickup patterns to offer flexibility to suit the user&#;s needs, whether it is for video conferences, podcasting, and more. 

The Blue Yeti has controls for headphone volume, pattern selection, instant mute, and microphone gain, meaning the user is in complete control of what their audio sounds like. 

The mic comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack that allows the user to listen to what they are recording in real time, without latency delays. 

The key features of the microphone include the following: 

  • Easy to set up, just plug in and play on both PC and Mac.

     

  • Can be attached to a mic arm for better positioning in a home office.

     

  • Four different pickup patterns include cardioid mode, stereo mode, omnidirectional mode, and bidirectional mode.

     

  • The mic can be folded down for easy portability, meaning the user can take it to any working location.

     

The Blue Yeti Premium Multi-Pattern USB is available from $99. 

3. Sennheiser SL Boundary SET DW

 

Smaller microphones are perfect for one-to-one video meetings or small huddles but what about enterprise meetings or conference rooms? 

The Sennheiser SL Boundary SET DW is the complete microphone setup for larger meetings in the hybrid workplace. 

The product is part of Sennheiser&#;s SpeechLine range, and the setup includes a rack receiver to monitor and manipulate audio, plus a wireless microphone to pick up sound. 

Users and IT admins can manage the kit remotely through the Sennheiser Control Cockpit. 

The key features of this top microphone for video conferencing include the following: 

  • Up to 13 hours of operating time on a single charge.

     

  • Rack receiver for audio customization through the equalizer and multiple sound profiles.

     

  • Battery life indication through LEDs.

  • Optimized for speech transmission in conference rooms (unidirectional).

     

The Sennheiser SL Boundary SET DW costs $1,250. 

4. Samson Go Mic

 

The Samson Go Mic is the ideal microphone for video conferencing for those who need an ultra-portable, wireless option.  

It is easy to set up and use and can enhance the quality of audio no matter the use case. The device is designed for use during video calls and conferences and for recording podcasts or webinars.  

It has a built-in clip that makes it possible to mount the mic directly on a laptop of your choice, or one can clip the mic to the desk when not in use.  

Samson Go Mic supports two pickup patterns &#; unidirectional and omnidirectional. The former is ideal for one person to use, such as taking part in a video conference from home.  

The omnidirectional capability is helpful for group conferences in a hybrid meeting room. 

The key features of this portable microphone include the following: 

  • 360-degree sound pickup and audio protection.

     

  • Plug and play operation, no drivers required.

     

  • A 1/3-inch (3.5mm) headphone output for audio monitoring 

     

  • Ergonomic design that fits into the user&#;s pocket 

     

The Samson Go Mic is available for around $39. 

5. Logitech Zone Wireless

 

A traditional mic may not be suited for hybrid workers who find themselves needing high-quality audio in a busy environment. 

The Logitech Zone Wireless is a Bluetooth headset designed to help the wearer communicate and concentrate in busy workspaces. 

The Zone Wireless has a built-in, simple-to-use, interface that allows the user to adjust the headset&#;s volume, play or pause music and start or end calls. 

The mic boom arm features a flip-to-mute function, as well as button controls to provide easy access to power, noise cancellation, and wireless Bluetooth pairing. 

The headset has already been certified for Microsoft Teams, giving the user a seamless audio experience when using the key functionalities of the collaboration platform. 

The key features of the headset include the following: 

  • Universally compatible with major UCaaS products including Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Zoom, and RingCentral.

     

  • The headset is lightweight and padded to ensure users can wear it for long periods.

     

  • The Zone Wireless supports wireless Qi charging.

     

  • A mobile companion app that supports the setup and control of headset functions.

     

The Logitech Zone Wireless is available for $229. 

 

 

Best Microphones for Zoom, According to the CNET Staff ...

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If your work calls are plagued by comments like "Can you hear me?," "You're really quiet" and "What was that you said?", it might be time to upgrade your work-from-home setup with some better audio equipment. These phrases probably sound all too familiar if you regularly attend Zoom meetings for work. Some of it might be due to internet issues, the problems often lie with the microphones you're using for these calls.

Investing in an external microphone can help upgrade your sound quality for Zoom meetings so that your coworkers can properly hear you. Even relatively cheap USB microphones can make a huge difference in terms of clarity, so you don't necessarily have to spend a ton of money to get a good microphone.

Here at CNET, we've been working in a hybrid model since before the pandemic, so our team has plenty of experience with Zoom meetings and finding the best microphones for video calls. Here are some of the microphones we use every day when on these calls.

We've found the best external microphone options, including USB mics, headsets and low-cost selections. While you're at it, consider upgrading your remote work setup with one of the best webcams on our list.

$58 at Amazon $58 at Amazon

A simple mic with excellent sound

Sennheiser SC635

$58 at Amazon

I've tried all kinds of Bluetooth single-sided headsets with boom microphones and none of them sound very good. Corded headsets really excel for Zoom, and how far do you really need to walk away from a video call anyway? The Sennheiser SC635 is a premium corded headset available in either 1/8-inch plug or USB versions -- I use the former for the best audio quality. Skip the wireless earbuds, they put microphones on the sides of your head, too far from the hole where the words come from.

-- Brian Cooley

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$179 at Amazon $180 at Best Buy $179 at Amazon

Best USB mic to use with a boom

Steel Series Alias

$179 at Amazon $180 at Best Buy

Steel Series is best known for its gaming gear, but did you know it makes excellent mics too? The Alias is a dark grey pill-shaped microphone that works well with a stand. I found it worked best on a boom. The sound quality is excellent. If you plug your headphones in, you can use the monitoring feature to hear yourself as well as your team. It has a simple touch mute button that shows you a big red X so you know you're on mute. There's also some cool lighting underneath because, at heart, it's a gamer.
I love the Alias, and it's my current favorite standalone mic for Zoom calls.

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$249 at Amazon $249 at B&H Photo-Video $249 at Amazon

Best lavalier mic

Hollyland Lark Max

$249 at Amazon $249 at B&H Photo-Video

Not all conference calls involve sitting down in front of a laptop. Sometimes you're the person giving a presentation and you need a little freedom of movement. A Lavalier mic connects to your collar and wirelessly streams to a small control unit attached to your laptop.

The Lark Max comes with two mics, with noise cancellation and a controller unit that'll easily connect to your iPhone, Android, or laptop (via USB-C). The sound quality is excellent, although you'll need to speak a little louder than with a desk mic. The drop in volume is well worth it to have the freedom of movement and the sound quality you get from the Lark Max. As an added bonus, the case also charges the mics and controller so you'll have them ready to go when you need them.

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$100 at Amazon $100 at Best Buy $100 at Amazon

A brand name you can trust

Blue Yeti USB microphone

$100 at Amazon $100 at Best Buy

I've been using my Blue Yeti microphone for quite a while now and have loved every second of it. Mine sits on a no-name arm that I picked up from Amazon as I was reorganizing my desk, and that's actually made it even more useful for me. There's a volume knob and mute button on the front of it so I can easily mute myself on a call without reaching for a software feature on my Mac.
The quality has been great and it's never given me an issue. I wish that it used USB-C instead of Micro-USB, but since it's something I leave plugged in all the time and don't really fuss with, I'm not overly worried about that.

-- Jared DiPane

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$244 at Amazon $249 at Walmart $244 at Amazon

Professional sound quality

Shure MV7

$244 at Amazon $249 at Walmart

I need one microphone for Zoom calls, for podcasting, for presenting videos and for doing voice-over work and the beautiful audio quality of the Shure MV7 provides all of that. Unlike a lot of professional condenser mics, it connects via USB straight into my computer so I don't have to mess about with audio interfaces or any of that nonsense. It's totally just plug-and-play, making it simple to get professional-quality recordings. 

-- Andrew Lanxon

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