Are you a budding streamer or are you planning to start streaming? In this case, one of the first purchases that you should absolutely consider is that of a good microphone: having a dedicated device available to record your voice, instead of the microphones integrated in the headphones, is in fact one of the first steps to take to make make a big leap in quality to your content. At the beginning of your career as a streamer, at the same time, it is more than fair to want to spend little: do not feel obliged to shell out a capital for a microphone, since many devices are able to offer excellent recording quality at a more than accessible price. In fact, below we will focus on what are the best budget microphones available on the market, with which you can have a more than valid companion in your recordings at an excellent quality / price ratio.
Almost all devices you will see in the list below are USB microphones (this saves you from having to buy an external power supply, further reducing the total cost), and can be connected not only to a PC, but in general to any device equipped with an interface of this type and compatible with a microphone. Before starting to talk about the best cheap microphones for streamers, remember that on our pages you will also find other guides complementary to this one: one on the best products to beautify your station, one on the best streaming lights, to improve the lighting of the room, and one on the best accessories to complete your streaming station. Without getting lost in further ado, let's get started!
Let's start with the cheapest ( the microphones you find are in order of price, clearly without considering the offers, which are variable), or the Tonor TC30. It is a USB microphone with a very compact size, characterized by a good build quality in relation to the cost and equipped with a USB type C connection (the other end of the cable is type A, but you can always bring an adapter) . A note of merit is linked to the fact that, despite the low cost at which it is sold, it includes both a small base with which to hold it in a stable position on a table (it can also be mounted on a support, if necessary), and a pop filter, used to "soften" the voice and reduce distortions.
YOTTO YDM-10
Rising slightly with the price , we find the YOTTO YDM-10, one of the most reliable and best made microphones available under 50 euros. It too is characterized by a plug and play design, which does not require any type of installation, and is characterized by a good technical data sheet in relation to the price, with a high resolution frequency up to 192 KHz / 24 bit. It is, at the same time, a cardioid microphone, which captures the voice following a “heart” pattern, with particular attention to that coming from the front, and at the same time minimizes ambient noise. Note of value also for the build quality, both of the microphone itself and of the base, which has numerous adjustments and a large and stable support surface. Also present in this case the pop filter.
Marantz MPM-1000U
Marantz is a guarantee when it comes to talking of microphones, and the MPM-1000U is no exception. Economical and reliable, it is basically the USB variant of a microphone that is sold in two different variants, of which the other, the "U-less" one, is the condenser one, which requires that it be connected to an external power supply. The Marantz MPM-1000U features a cardioid polar pattern, and has a high frequency response (20 to 17,000 Hz). It is sold exclusively with the connection cable and with a very basic microphone holder: our advice, if you are not satisfied with the base included in the package, is therefore to buy a separate one or to insert it in a microphone holder arm, in order to have greater stability.
Tonor Q9
The Tonor Q9 is one of the best-selling and popular USB microphones in its price range , or that between 50 and 100 euros. Rather reliable and with great fidelity in sound recording (with 16mm diaphragm), it is sold with an enviable set of accessories: pop filter, dust cover for the microphone and microphone holder arm, which can be easily and intuitively fixed to any table. or flat surface. The microphone is equipped with two front buttons useful both to turn it off and on (by long pressing) and to adjust the volume, which avoids having to intervene via software: an extra convenience that should not be underestimated.
HyperX SoloCast
HyperX is one of the best known brands for the production of accessories dedicated to gaming, always distinguished by excellent quality products. The HyperX SoloCast is no exception: it is an excellent microphone, designed to be inserted into an adjustable arm and perfect for those dedicated to streaming video games, thanks to its extremely small and compact size. Also in this case, it is an "intelligent" microphone, equipped with a mute button to be instantly put to "rest", as well as a status LED, which allows you to instantly check if the microphone is recording at that moment. or not. It is sold with a comfortable base, also quite small in size, which allows it to take up very little space on the desk.
Samson Meteor
The Samson Meteor is a real institution in its price range: we wanted to include it among the cheap microphones because of the very high quality / price ratio, which for an acceptable amount allows you to take home a superior quality device compared to many others, even of similar cost. The 25 mm diaphragm and the frequency response that reaches up to 20,000 Hz make it a microphone of absolute quality: the dimensions, which make it the most compact microphone of the lot (if you play it with the SoloCast), then allow you to carry it practically anywhere you want: in addition to being able to be used without problems at home, therefore, it is the perfect companion for anyone who owns a laptop and needs to record podcasts or gaming sessions on the go.
Blue Snowball
The Blue Snowball sells for about two-thirds the price of its higher-end counterpart, the Yeti, yet has little to envy in terms of quality (especially when compared to the lower cost), and, among the microphones sold for about 80 euros, he plays on par with the Samson Meteor. One of the elements that distinguish it most is undoubtedly the retro design (as per tradition for Blue products), characterized by a "ball" shape, not so unusual (other microphones follow the same philosophy). If you want to save money, there is also the Blue Snowball iCE on the market, a slightly cheaper version, with a lower build quality and less customizable sound settings.
How to choose the best cheap streamer microphone
When it comes to cheap streamer microphones it's not easy to choose a device that suits your needs, especially considering that the market is full of microphones that at first glance might seem "good" but then, digging deeply, have too many compromises that compromise their usability. Below, we will guide you in choosing the best compromise through three simple tips.
Price
Price is an important factor to consider, but it is not the only one: more than price in the strict sense, we should perhaps talk about the relationship between the quality and the price of the microphone, which is not always the same, indeed, it is different according to each microphone: keep in mind, especially in this market, that the cheapest option it is not necessarily the "best" in an absolute sense in terms of savings. For example, it might be more convenient for you to buy a slightly more expensive microphone (in the order of a few tens of euros) and keep it for many years, rather than buying the cheapest of all by focusing on convenience and then, perhaps, having to change it because of different needs arose. The final choice, however, is always up to you: it depends on what you have to do with it!
Build quality
When you look at a microphone, build quality is an element not to be underestimated at all, on the contrary: they are devices whose build quality goes hand in hand with the quality of the sound produced. It is a simple logic linked to their own functioning: a microphone may also have an exceptional diaphragm, but if the latter is not surrounded by quality materials, capable of minimizing vibrations and distortions, the sound will be increasingly poor. than normal. For this reason, try to choose the microphone that seems to you the best from a construction point of view, and in the first days of use do not underestimate this aspect at all: before even moving on to the examination of the sound quality, take it in hand the microphone, examine it from all angles and check for the presence or absence of any creaks or parts that seem less solid.
Technical characteristics
In the low and medium range of the market, many microphones (especially those USB) tend to resemble each other in the "numbers" declared by the manufacturers, such as those concerning the frequency response, the amplitude of the diaphragm and so on. Some differences, however, can also happen here: for this reason, carefully examine all the technical data sheets of the microphones you are considering purchasing, especially checking elements such as sensitivity to noise, impedance and frequency. Compatibility with multiple devices is also a "plus" in favor of this or that microphone: before buying it, check that you can connect it without problems to all the devices you will use for recordings. It can also be convenient to take into account the length of the USB cable, in case you need a slightly longer cable: some manufacturers, in fact, have a bit of a "short arm" from this point of view. >
