Recommend a cheap-ass microphone.

Aldurin · 05-30-2012, 11:23 PM

Ok, so I've been interested in doing Youtube commentaries and video LPs for a while, so I recently did some experimenting and I've figured out a system I like, with only one snag. Realtek uses sloppy programming for their audio drivers, which means that I can't activate microphone boost on my Turtle Beach headset (it recognizes it as something completely different within the control panel, basically creating a separate input channel that doesn't work.)

The obvious solution at this point is to ~~ragequit and upgrade my whole computer~~ buy a cheap microphone I can simply plug into the back and mount on my monitor. There's plenty of models that are less than $20, which is honestly the most I'd spend for a good mike at this point, but I don't want one that sounds like I tried to record it on my DSi.

Anyone have a model they recommend? I hold preference to stuff that I can get through Walmart due to the fact that site-to-store is an awesome feature and I get a discount on their crap.

synkr0nized · 05-31-2012, 12:00 AM

This is basically what I have ("basically" 'cause it may be a slightly different model number, but it's the same damn thing).
I've been told on vent and Skype and the like I am much clearer than most everyone else and come through without noise.

The only downside to it (i.e. the only reason why I've been looking at alternatives) is that I want to be able to push voice chat to an ear speaker and still use my surround system for music and game audio. Being a desktop mic, it's input-only. For now I've been plugging in one in-ear headphone and pumping, say, Ventrillo to that.

It's, of course, likely not the best if you're doing heavy show recording, and I haven't tried it in, say, a group setting (such as a couple people around a table recording for an LP or the like), but that's a different kind of mic, more or less, anyway.

EDIT: Hey, synk, reading all the details helps.
So it sounds like since you're not happy with the Realtek's lack of mic boost that you may need to look at USB microphones.
In that case, just look at the USB version of this mic here.

Bells · 05-31-2012, 12:47 AM

This is my primary Microphone (the other is on my Headset)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Microphone-M...ht_2664wt_1017

It's truly awesome and caught me by surprise with it's quality, so much that i can easily recommend it.

Aldurin · 07-03-2012, 02:27 PM

Thanks for the advice, after some more research it seems my problem is that USB microphones just plain cannot get mic boost through the sound driver (as it bypasses the sound card instead of going through the actual mic port). That said I'll probably go with Synk's first recommendation.

05-30-2012, 11:23 PM	#1
Aldurin Lakitu Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 4,648	Recommend a cheap-ass microphone. Ok, so I've been interested in doing Youtube commentaries and video LPs for a while, so I recently did some experimenting and I've figured out a system I like, with only one snag. Realtek uses sloppy programming for their audio drivers, which means that I can't activate microphone boost on my Turtle Beach headset (it recognizes it as something completely different within the control panel, basically creating a separate input channel that doesn't work.) The obvious solution at this point is to ~~ragequit and upgrade my whole computer~~ buy a cheap microphone I can simply plug into the back and mount on my monitor. There's plenty of models that are less than $20, which is honestly the most I'd spend for a good mike at this point, but I don't want one that sounds like I tried to record it on my DSi. Anyone have a model they recommend? I hold preference to stuff that I can get through Walmart due to the fact that site-to-store is an awesome feature and I get a discount on their crap.

05-31-2012, 12:00 AM	#2
synkr0nized synk-ism Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: throughout the Wired Posts: 6,857	It's pretty rad. This is basically what I have ("basically" 'cause it may be a slightly different model number, but it's the same damn thing). I've been told on vent and Skype and the like I am much clearer than most everyone else and come through without noise. The only downside to it (i.e. the only reason why I've been looking at alternatives) is that I want to be able to push voice chat to an ear speaker and still use my surround system for music and game audio. Being a desktop mic, it's input-only. For now I've been plugging in one in-ear headphone and pumping, say, Ventrillo to that. It's, of course, likely not the best if you're doing heavy show recording, and I haven't tried it in, say, a group setting (such as a couple people around a table recording for an LP or the like), but that's a different kind of mic, more or less, anyway. EDIT: Hey, synk, reading all the details helps. So it sounds like since you're not happy with the Realtek's lack of mic boost that you may need to look at USB microphones. In that case, just look at the USB version of this mic here. __________________ Find love. Last edited by synkr0nized; 05-31-2012 at 12:05 AM.

05-31-2012, 12:47 AM	#3
Bells That's so PC of you Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: In a Server-sided Dimension where time is meaningless Posts: 10,490	This is my primary Microphone (the other is on my Headset) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Microphone-M...ht_2664wt_1017 It's truly awesome and caught me by surprise with it's quality, so much that i can easily recommend it. __________________ *BELLS STORE : Clothes! You wear* them! Free US Shipping Subscription System? WTF?! Zazzle Black!**

07-03-2012, 02:27 PM	#4
Aldurin Lakitu Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 4,648	Thanks for the advice, after some more research it seems my problem is that USB microphones just plain cannot get mic boost through the sound driver (as it bypasses the sound card instead of going through the actual mic port). That said I'll probably go with Synk's first recommendation.