VO Microphones Pt. 5 – What About USB Mics?

USB Microphones for the Voiceover Studio

With all this talk about condensers and dynamics, different capsule designs, and why certain mics cost more, one topic I’ve neglected has been precisely how to plug the mic into your computer, which brings us to…

The Great USB Microphone Debate

First, I want to put on my computer nerd beanie and point out that nearly every mic connected to a computer could be described as a “USB Mic.” The audio coming into the computer for most voice actors has been digitized and enters through the USB port*.

*(Except for all of you using an Apollo interface connected to your Mac’s Thunderbolt port.) (Annnnnnndddd….. both of you still using a Firewire interface. Which I’m not mocking by the way. As long as it works. I’ll just point out that the last Apple Macintosh model which included a Firewire port came out in 2012).

The step of converting the Analog voltage (A) to the Digital ones and zeroes (D) allows us to play with digital audio inside our computers. I touched on this conversion step of the audio input chain back in Mics Pt 2. The “A to D” conversion must occur no matter what microphone we speak into.

What Does “USB Mic” Actually Mean?

People use the term “USB Mic” as shorthand for an all-in-one unit where there is no separate preamp and interface. That type of microphone can be attached directly to the USB port of your computer because all the amplification and conversion to digital occurs inside of the mic itself. I like the term “USB direct-connected mic” but it’s kind of a clunky phrase. Clever designers have crammed these additional circuits within the microphone body.

This may seem like a trivial distinction, but it means there is no separate audio Interface on your VO input chain. An audio interface generally contains both an amplifier (usually referred to as a “pre-amp” at this stage) and an analog-to-digital conversion circuit. There are also output circuits for your headphones or speakers. In a USB direct-connected microphone, all those electronics are contained in the microphone itself.

We’re still talking about a Large Diaphragm Condenser microphone type – though some of the more compact USB-direct-connected mics are more accurately “Medium” Diaphragm Condensers, which is why they sometimes behave a little differently. One indicator of quality: decent USB mics cost $130-170, while a simple audio interface is in that same price range. While gear continues getting better and cheaper, simple cost analysis would tell you that the separate audio interfaces are likely using higher quality components to handle the signal.

In most VO-groups, folks tend to have strong opinions about whether a USB microphone is appropriate for VO.

Reasons to buy a USB-direct-connected microphone

• Your absolute budget for your VO input chain is less than $200.
• You travel enough that supreme simplicity is a high priority.
• You are still not sure about VO as a career, and are trying to limit your expense.
• You are frequently asked to provide immediate audition recordings, and you are often away from your main studio.
  

Reasons NOT to buy a USB-direct-connected microphone

• Cheap USB mics sound pretty danged bad.
• Most USB mics use 16 bit converters, while most separate audio interfaces are shifting to a 24 bit converter.
• XLR cables can be really long. USB cables must be kept short. If you are using a USB-direct-connected mic, you will have trouble getting far enough away from your computer.
• You are frequently asked to exactly match the sound of your home setup which uses a different mic.
• You work in an area of VO where they specify a certain style of microphone.
• You want to use a variety of microphone models in your VO studio.
• You regularly need to play back your audio over speakers. USB microphones generally only have a 1/8″ headphone output connection.

Three more thoughts about USB-Direct-Connected Mics

1. Most USB mics have traditional cardioid pickup patterns which makes them more likely to sound bad in a poorly treated or isolated space. So, it’s worth considering whether the person listening to the audition can hear “past” any issues in recording quality.
2. If you start with a USB mic, there will likely be a point when you “outgrow” it and upgrade to an XLR-connected option and separate audio interface. Price and quality-wise, USB direct-connected mics are largely aimed at the consumer market. The Sennheiser MK4 Digital was an outlier at around $400, but it has now been discontinued. Currently (late 2021), it’s hard to spend even half that on a USB microphone.
3. Client expectations have been changing as well. Before the pandemic, there was a clearer division between self-recorded and studio-recorded sessions, and it was not common to be asked about recording hardware. With more voice talent now working from home and being asked to deliver quality audio, that line has blurred tremendously, While your actual sound quality may be entirely acceptable with your USB microphone in a well-treated space – it might be simpler not to have to convince someone of that fact in the first place.

In the Context of those caveats…
Some Actual Recommended USB Mic Models

There are two USB-direct-connected microphone models which I currently recommend. In both cases, the manufacturer definitely got the details right and these have delivered quality audio consistently for many of my clients. Importantly, they can be mounted in traditional mic stands which is always a better option than a tabletop setup, and they are similar in size and weight to XLR-connected models, unlike certain mics named after abominable snow creatures.

Audio-Technica AT2020 USB+

https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/at2020usb
This model has been around for years, and there are a lot of variations you might encounter. The current “Plus” model has a headphone output which allows for direct monitoring at the source. While it does come with a USB cord, you will need to purchase a pop screen separately.

Rode NT-USB

https://www.rode.com/microphones/nt-usb
Newer electronics and unique integrated metal mesh pop screen make this a solid choice. Add to that the generously long USB cord which Rode supplies and you’ve got a good setup to get up and running. I can personally attest to it’s rugged nature, as mine has been my “travel” rig for years – often knocking around my backpack for classes and trips.

Both of these use a ring adapter that you might have to re-rig if you invert the microphone on a floor stand. Both manufacturers state that the capsules are internally shock isolated, and I find that these don’t tend to transmit vibration as easily as many XLR LDC’s, so while they don’t have suspension shock mounts, that does not seem to be as much of an issue.

Updated Models: Rode NT-USB Plus and the NT-1 Generation 5

As of early 2023, Rode has brought out two interesting updates to their USB direct-connected microphone lineup. The first is the Rode NT-USB Plus which showed up at the same price as the older NT-USB described above. The Rode NT-USB Plus has upgraded the A/D converters to 24 bit and added simple On/Off options for processing at the microphone. It uses the same rugged body and integrated pop screen design. Available through Sweetwater or Amazon.

The NT-1 Generation 5 combines a standard XLR output mic model with the ability to switch over to a USB-direct-connected setup. Yes. It does both. It utilizes 32-bit floating point processing which may provide coverage for high dynamic range performances. Brand new as of February 2023, but worth taking a look at. And the retail price is less than the original NT-1…gotta say, that’s a bit of a jaw-dropper. Sweetwater or Amazon.

Other USB Microphone Options – A “Hybrid” Approach

Recently, there have been a few interesting design approaches, which seem to be geared towards podcasters. I do feel that the quality requirements still differ between voiceover and podcasting, but I’m keeping my eye on these “hybrid” systems. These combine USB-direct-connected simplicity with more sophisticated software/firmware solutions to address recording issues. Depending on what your client needs delivered to them, these could provide workable solutions.

Presonus Revelator Microphone

https://www.presonus.com/products/revelator (above left)
Drawing from their StudioLive series of mixers, which use Presonus’ proprietary effect plug-ins, which have been refined through several versions of their Studio One recording software, this puts a number of effects inside the mic itself*. This approach makes me slightly nervous, as it violates Rule 1: “Thou shalt not process thy audio INPUT!” You must get the settings correct when recording. It’s also a 24 bit system. It does have multiple pickup patterns, which can be helpful (figure-8 pickup patterns have high side rejection, which can make some spaces sound much better).

*What’s more interesting to me is that Presonus has created an interface which uses these tools in the firmware of the interface, which allows input from an XLR mic to be processed in realtime. I’m investigating this interface currently and will be sharing feedback on it.

UPDATE – I’ve now posted some initial videos going through the features of the Presonus Revelator io24 Interface – Under the Hood: Presonus Revelator io24 USB-C Interface on my JustAskJimVO youtube channel.

Tula Microphone

https://www.tulamics.com/ (above center)
It’s hard to not have an opinion about this mic – it just looks completely cool. What’s interesting is that they’ve partnered with Klevgrand, a Swedish plug-in developer. This has allowed them to install a firmware version of the highly regarded Brusfri noise reduction software. It also will work as a standalone recorder with an 8 GB SSD drive, and supports a Lavalier microphone connection through the headphone jack. With all that cool stuff, it does use a 16 bit converter, and I wish they would have upgraded that and made us supply SD cards (which I’m sure grossly simplifies the tradeoff…)

Apogee HypeMiC

https://apogeedigital.com/products/hypemic (above right)
Personally, I’ve never been a fan of the Apogee MiC series. I bought one of the early models and found it excessively susceptible to plosives. Apogee uses a smaller diameter capsule which seemed to have a sweet spot I could never quite find. However, I have a number of clients and VO colleagues who own and like this series. The HypeMiC adds a compression circuit to the basic MiC model which could be useful if you are doing performances with high dynamic range.

Note – the three microphones mentioned above use onboard processing which could negatively impact your audio. If you are relying upon those features, take the time to get things right before you press “RECORD” Once recorded, you cannot separate the ingredients.

Next – Mic encounters of the XLR kind…

Microphone Basics – Microphones Pt. 1 – can be found here.

Types of microphones – Dynamics, Ribbon, & Condenser – Microphones Pt. 2 – can be found here

Condenser microphone capsule designs – how that influences sound quality – Microphones Pt. 3 – can be found here.

What exactly makes a “good” microphone for VO? – Microphones Pt. 4 – can be found here.

Recommended USB Microphones for VO – Microphones Pt. 5 – can be found here.

Recommended XLR Large Diaphragm Condenser Micrphones for VO – Microphones Pt. 6 – can be found here.

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