Much better than a Jabra headset, but also much pricier. Why a dynamic XLR microphone instead of a condenser USB microphone? Read on to find out.
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Huge upgrade from a Jabra headset
I have previously used a Jabra Evolve 65 headset. My new RØDE Procaster microphone has so much better audio quality.
I always thought that the Jabra has quite good audio quality – and it kind of has; everything is relative.
But then I compared my voice recorded with the Jabra to my brother's voice recorded with a decent condenser microphone. The difference in audio quality was immense. No way I'm going back to the Jabra (unless I need portability).
I have worked mostly remotely for the past few years and plan to continue working remotely, so having high quality audio equipment benefits my colleagues as well.
Another reason to buy a decent microphone was that my brother and I were planning to start a podcast. (Nowadays our Finnish podcast Koodikrapula is up and running.)
And finally, high-quality audio makes you sound smarter! (The linked article was published a few months after I had already bought the microphone, so it didn't affect my purchasing decision. Cool nonetheless. 🤙)
What did it cost?
Everything. :thanos:
No but seriously, these are the prices I paid in Finland in January 2021:
Total price: 436€ 🙈
In comparison, the Jabra Evolve 65 headset costs about 130€.
I got the RØDE PSA1 studio arm on sale (70€); normally it costs ~90€.
Different kinds of microphones
When deciding what microphone to buy, I watched some videos.
XLR vs USB
From Podcastage's video XLR vs USB Microphones, Which Should You Buy?, I learned that:
- USB microphones are easier to use.
- XLR microphones offer better audio quality and more choices, but they require an USB audio interface.
Thus, I opted for an XLR microphone. There's no such thing as overkill when it comes to audio stuff, right?
Dynamic vs condenser
From Podcastage's video Dynamic vs Condenser Microphones, What's the Difference?, I learned that:
- Condenser microphones are more sensitive so they pick up more background noises, like the sound of the keyboard, air conditioner etc.
- Dynamic microphones are better at suppressing background noises at the cost of reduced audio quality.
In my case, I'm sure no one (including me) would notice the difference in audio quality between a dynamic and a condenser microphone. But background noises are always annoying, so I opted for a dynamic microphone.