Condenser microphones are especially important in vocal studios, but are also used commonly in podcasting and broadcasting in general for how they center in on a voice and capture any vocals and tiny details with incredibly high quality.
Condenser microphones however do come in a wide variety of variations depending on what you want the mic to pick up and how detailed you want the overall quality to be when you get to editing.
Features such as the sampling rate and size of a condenser can drastically affect how it performs and what purpose it will serve in the studio whether it’s being used just to focus purely on the details of a singular voice or trying to add some flavor and variation to a sound.
It’s important to pick the right condenser mic to suit the amount of precision and detail you want for your voice or instruments, so to make the choice easier we have taken a look into some of the best quality condenser pics that you can pick up and start using right away.
#1 Audio-Technica AT2020 Cardioid Condenser Microphone
A small condenser microphone that is very portable while still working incredibly well and picking up as much detail as it needs to, this microphone is designed to measure ø 16 mm low-mass diaphragm which provides both an excellent wide frequency response and superior transient response to most other mics.
The built in cardioid polar pattern also has an isolated design in order to greatly reduce the pickup of any unwanted sounds from the sides and rear, ensuring that it is only the vocals right in front of the mic that are being focused on.
The screw fixtures and swivel foot also allows for secure mounting with the microphone to make for great and easy positioning so you won’t have to awkwardly balance it on an uneven surface.
Coming in a sleek black or metallic gray color, the Audio-Technica is an incredibly reliable microphone with some excellent built in features to ensure it is only your voice being focused on.
Pros
- Very wide frequency with low-mass diaphragm
- Built-in cardioid polar pattern designed to mitigate unwanted noises
- Screw fixtures and swivel foot for easy placement
- Choice of black and gray colors
Cons
- Heavy on a mic stand
#2 ZINGYOU Condenser Microphone Bundle
If you are just getting started with podcasting or recording in the studio, this kit is perfect for getting you set up and ready to record at a very generous price point for what you get.
This set includes a ZY-007 condenser microphone that is lightweight and uses an effective cardioid pick-up pattern that accurately picks up noise right in front of it while staying fairly isolated from any noises coming from the sides and behind, keeping your vocals crisp and clear for listeners.
Based on customer feedback, ZINGYOU have also taken it upon themselves to update the microphones sound core to make it even more sensitive, allowing it to pick up sounds with extreme accuracy while still being of the highest quality.
Rather than just coming with a microphone however, this product is an all in one set and comes with everything you could want for maintaining a condenser mic and keeping it effective and easy to use for future use when you’re recording.
This includes a pop filter, mitigating any whistling sounds from the outside, an extended microphone arm for easy placement, a shock proof mount that reduces any vibrations and rumblings and even a 3.5mm to XLR cable.
Perfect for beginners and those who want an all in one set rather than having to purchase all the other necessary additions separately from the condenser microphone, this set is a great choice.
Pros
- All in one set (Mic, Stand, Pop filter, shock proof mount and more)
- Built in cardioid pick-up pattern works great for audio
- Very lightweight and portable
- Cheap for great additions
Cons
- Mic arm is fairly lightweight
#3 TONOR PC Microphone Cardioid Condenser Microphone
If you are looking for a condenser mic that will accurately and clearly pick up your voice while streaming or hosting a solo podcast, this small set is perfect including a TONOR Condenser Microphone that hones in on the clear, smooth and crisp sound directly in front of it while suppressing background noise.
Alongside an excellent mic that will direct its focus only to your voice, the set also comes featured with a foldable mic tripod standing at 7 inches tall which can make for easy placement on a desk or table with the mic resting in a frontward position being easy to speak into.
Microphones on smaller and lighter stands can often be prone to vibrating and creating a nasty distorted sound in the audio, however the mini shock mount on top of the tripod for this product mitigates this entirely making for a small but extremely effective condenser microphone which is easy to set up and near perfect for having the microphone resting on a desk for streaming or small podcasts.
Pros
- 100Hz – 16kHz frequency response for great quality
- Non-slip tripod stand included
- Shock proof mount mitigates vibrations
- 180 degree quick turnaround swivel
Cons
- Distance is quite limited
#4 LEWITT LCT 440 PURE Condenser Microphone
This larger condenser microphone picks up not only highly detailed vocals, it is also great for registering and recording instruments such as guitars and acoustics.
The gold layered 1 inch true condenser capsule records voices with an astonishing amount of depth thanks to its size as well as featuring a very low self-noise value while also automatically handling and stabilizing ear shattering sound pressure levels.
Despite being a bit weightier, the microphone comes along with a magnetic pop filter to mitigate any sudden popping sounds as well as an added shock mount to resist any rumblings or vibrations, not to mention a leatherette bag making it extremely portable.
The beauty of this microphone and what really makes it stand out is its large diaphragm condenser capsule technology that is often used in much larger models being condensed into this tight and compact package.
It allows the mic to look and feel quite small while being easy to carry around in the hand or in the bag it’s included with while providing incredible vocal and instrumental detail due to its incredibly intricate large-diaphragm technology.
For a state of the art condenser microphone that will give you huge amounts of detail for a bit of a higher price point, you can’t go wrong with the LEWITT LCT 440.
Pros
- Incredible audio quality from large diaphragm condenser
- Low self noise value and monitors sound pressure levels
- Very professional design
- Compact for it’s built in qualities
- Leatherette bag included
Cons
- Quite expensive
#5 MAONO USB Microphone Kit
This condenser mic offers you a bit more customization (see also: Presonus Px-1 Review), allowing you to set the height of the microphone to exactly how you would like it thanks to the products included metal housed stand.
Not only is the stand incredibly stable and resistant against vibrations and falling over, it can also be easily adjusted from 11 inches all the way up to 14.
This means rather than having to get as close as possible to the microphone as is the case with many other condenser mics, you can easily lift it up to your seating levels allowing you to feel comfortable while you record.
The set comes with a whole host of other additions including a firm shock mount, a stable metal base that will remain strong in the long term and even a magnet ring to mitigate any major interference.
The microphone itself is also incredibly efficient with a 192kHz sampling rate for excellent audio feedback and a built in Dia. 16mm condenser to make for even tighter focus and sensitivity on the mic.
Pros
- Adjustable metal stand (11 – 14 inches)
- Good 192kHz sampling rate
- Built in Dis. 16mm condenser for clear audio
- Shock mount, metal base and magnet ring included
Cons
- Can sometimes pick up medium level background noise from behind
Buyer’s Guide
While most condenser mics come with similar built in cardioid technology to center in on just the vocals and to make them as clear as possible for the editing process, their added qualities and functions can change how they act quite a lot so there are a few compartments to pay special attention to when picking one of these microphones up.
Sampling Rate
The sample rate refers to the total number of samples of a single sound that are registered each second to represent the event digitally.
Therefore the higher the number, and the more samples taken each second, the more accurate and clear the digital representation of the sound will be.
The standard sample rate for most regular pics that are not condensed is 48 kHz, this is commonly used for music production where you want the sounds to be a bit more spacious and as if it is a live performance.
For condenser microphones, this number will often be much higher in order to register more detail in one sound and represent it more clearly afterwards. Many will range from 140kHz all the way up to 200 kHz for premium amounts of audio detail.
Shock Mount
The last thing you want when recording with a condenser mic is for some unnecessary disruption to enter the mic caused by vibrations, which is why shock mounts are so useful.
These will usually come as part of a stand and are designed to stop the microphone buzzing if it picks up too much feedback or from vibrating a table or light desk which can create a nasty sound that we may not hear originally, but the listeners definitely will.
If a condenser microphone comes featured with a shock mount, it is therefore a huge added bonus and keeps it much more reliable in the long term.
Material
Condenser mics will usually have a solid metal plate covering them in order to give them a bit of weight while remaining firmly placed on a surface.
The diaphragms are more often than not made of gold-covered polyester film in order to add a conductive element to the material.
Condenser microphones that are made of a more plastic material can still work just fine, especially if they come with a non-slip base, however be aware that the microphone itself can more easily be knocked over or dropped because of its lighter and slippier material.
Favourite Mic Guides:
Summary
For the clearest and most detailed microphone quality for voices that you can get, condenser mics are perfect for blocking out any unnecessary background noise and only giving your listeners excellent and focused audio quality.
It is especially important with condenser microphones to make sure not only do they have high enough audio capabilities built in to pick up every last detail of the recording, but that they are also able to sit firmly on a surface without falling ensuring they stay usable for a long time.
