Changes

== Budget Zero ==

== Budget Zero ==

You'd be surprised how good an earphone (e.g. EarPod) mic can sound, if you use it properly. ''TODO'' what does properly mean?

You'd be surprised how good an earphone (e.g. EarPod) mic can sound, if you use it properly. We'll put some guidance on our [[Working From Home Resource/Microphone Technique|mic technique]] page on how to make it sound better, the tl;dr is to put it close, but not too close, to your mouth.

 

At a pinch you could use your laptop's built-in mic, but we wouldn't recommend it. With a laptop mic you have far less control over positioning, so if at all possible use an external one, even on your earbuds.

 

If you have a gaming headset, or indeed any headset with a mic, lying around, that can work quite well as well. Similar guidelines apply: position it 3-5cm from your mouth, while angling it to avoid air going directly into the mic, because that'll cause popping, which sounds awful.

== <£40 ==

== <£40 ==

Samson Go ''TODO''

At this price range you can't go wrong with the '''Samson Go'''. It's a small condenser mic that plugs in via USB and can sit on top of your laptop (it's really that small!), or on your desk. Don't put it too close to your mouth though, because it is quite sensitive.

== <£75 ==

== <£75 ==

Samson Meteor ''TODO''

At this price range we'd recommend the Go's bigger brother, the Samson Meteor. It also plugs in via USB, but has a bigger sensor, so it'll sound much nicer. Just like the Go, put it a bit further away from your mouth.

 

 

The Shure PGA58 comes in below this range, but you'll also need an audio interface for it, and a stand as well, since it doesn't come with one and suffers from bad handling noise, so when you add it all up it'll end up costing something around this. You could start building up a pro audio setup - having an interface will mean that you can use more advanced mics later down the line - but if all you'll be doing is radio, you'll be better served spending it all on one mic.

 

You'll see a lot of YouTubers and streamers using Blue Snowballs, and while they're ''fine'', if you can stretch the budget for a Meteor it'll sound much nicer for radio, so the Snowball is not recommended.

At this range a good option is the Blue Yeti Nano, or if you can stretch the budget, the full-size Yeti. (There's also the Yeti Studio, but the only real benefit of that is that it has an XLR port, which you probably won't need unless you already have XLR hardware (if you have to ask, you don't)).