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<small>[[Working From Home Resources|back to hub]]</small>

<small>[[Working From Home Resources|back to hub]]</small>

You can get surprisingly far with even a potato mic, as long as you use it properly. A proper one will always help, though. On this page you'll find recommendations for microphones in every price range.

You can get surprisingly far with even a basic mic, as long as you use it properly. A proper one will always help, though. On this page you'll find recommendations for microphones in every price range.

When looking at a mic, make sure you take a careful look at its connectivity - if it has USB you'll be good to just plug it into your laptop, if it has only XLR you'll need an external audio interface as well. Most of the mics on this page will be USB unless otherwise indicated.

When looking at a mic, make sure you take a careful look at its connectivity - if it has USB you'll be good to just plug it into your laptop, if it has only XLR you'll need an external audio interface as well. Most of the mics on this page will be USB unless otherwise indicated.

=== Pop Shield / Muff ===

=== Pop Shield / Muff ===

You've seen them - a thin piece of fabric in front of the mic. They're there to stop plosives (for an idea of what a plosive sounds like, say the word "plosive" loudly) from destroying your sound quality.

You've seen them - a thin piece of fabric in front of the mic. They're there to stop plosives, the sounds that you can hear when you're speaking too close to a mic (for an idea of what a plosive sounds like, say the word "plosive" loudly), from destroying your sound quality.

While with adequate mic positioning you won't need one, it never hurts to have one. Again, look on whatever shopping website you prefer - make sure, however, to check how the pop shield attaches to your stand, to avoid buying something useless.

While with adequate mic positioning you won't need one, it never hurts to have one. Again, look on whatever shopping website you prefer - make sure, however, to check how the pop shield attaches to your stand, to avoid buying something useless.

=== Audio Interfaces ===

=== Audio Interfaces ===

Almost all the mics listed above are USB, so you don't need an interface, but if you're looking into more advanced gear, or eventually recording multiple mics at once, these may be useful.

An audio interface is like a really basic mixer that plugs directly into your computer. Almost all the mics listed above are USB, so you don't need an interface, but if you're looking into more advanced gear, or eventually recording multiple mics at once, these may be useful.

A common URY bodging tool is the '''Behringer U-Phoria UMC22''' - we use them for a lot of events and OBs where we don't have the space or time to set up a full mixer.

One that the eng and comp people use a lot at URY is the '''Behringer U-Phoria UMC22''' - we use them for a lot of events and OBs where we don't have the space or time to set up a full mixer.

If you want to get fancier and need more inputs, good options are the '''Native Instruments Komplete Audio 2''' or the '''Focusrite Scarlett 2i2''', although these do have a price tag to match the fanciness.

If you want to get fancier and need more inputs, good options are the '''Native Instruments Komplete Audio 2''' or the '''Focusrite Scarlett 2i2''', although these do have a price tag to match the fanciness.

As already stated, '''''you probably don't need an audio interface'''''. The options are here in case you're interested, but for most simple use cases, a mic and a pair of headphones will do you just fine.

As already stated, '''''you probably don't need an audio interface'''''. The options are here in case you're interested, but for most simple use cases, a mic and a pair of headphones will do you just fine.