Microphones

Q: What microphone do you recommend for use with VO auditions at home?

Depending upon how involved your at-home setup is, your microphone choices will change. Let’s take a look at various options, beginning with the least expensive, best quality USB microphone choice.

1. The Audio-Technica AT2020 USB Microphone

The USB version of AudioTechnica’s amazing AT2020 microphone is the ONLY USB MIC I recommend. I put that in all caps not to shout, but to make sure that you read it clearly. Why? Because no other USB microphone has the clarity of sound that the AT-2020 USB has, because AudioTechnica uses high quality analog-to-digital conversion hardware (the circuitry that converts your voice to data) in their product, something that the Snowball and the Samson and other mics recommended elsewhere don’t. This means there’s no hiss under everything you record, something you are going to hate with those other mics.

You can use any sound software with this microphone (except for ProTools, which requires a standard, XLR-connected studio mic) – I suggest Audacity for a lightweight, fast and agile piece of software. Get more details on the VO Software page.

Click here for Amazon’s best price on The Audio-Technica AT2020 USB Microphone.

And that’s it! Don’t purchase the Snowball or the Yeti or anything else they try to sell you. Seriously. There’s a reason those mics are cheaper.