You will find the vast lists of best microphones on the internet. You will get tones of articles for the reviews and specifications of mics.
There are more than enough number of microphones out there in the market because of use itself. The use of microphones is not limited to only artists like singers or those who perform on the stage. Nowadays, almost every other guy who is on the internet might need it.
Most people use it just for attending online meetings and stuff. Most of the people use mics for recording various things. Getting the target mic which will help us in the thing we want is necessary. That is why I have written this content specifically for the people who want the microphone for recording vocals on their computer or laptop.
All the microphones that are listed here will be compatible with any of the computer/laptop.
You will not need any external things such as connector cable or anything like that in these microphones. As we are just going to take a look at mics for computers, you must know this.
USB Microphones are the microphones that can be connected directly to the pc or computer. You can use USB Mics directly by plugging it to your pc. That is why all the mics in this list are the USB Microphones only.
If you don’t have to go with USB Mic then you can always check out our other article where I have listed out the 5 Best Condenser Microphones For Vocals or 10 Best Microphones For Singing Or Recording Vocals
All the microphones listed here are priced in the low to medium range. Actually, USB Mics don’t cost that much either.
5 Best Microphones For Recording Vocals On Computer/Laptop in 2024
| Image | Product | Feature | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
1
|
Blue Snowball iCE
| Easily portable, Natural sound, Low pricing, Multipolar pattern, Desktop stand | Check On Amazon |
2
|
Blue Yeti
| Professional design, Easy to use, Easily Portable, Best for beginners | Check On Amazon |
3
|
Audio Technica AT 2020
| Versatile Microphone, Nice Noise Cancellation, Classical Design, Beginner Friendly | Check On Amazon |
4
|
Rode NT
| Specifically made for home studio, Gain control, Realtime input monitoring, Cost-effective | Check On Amazon |
5
|
Samson Q2U
| Professional dynamic mic design, Natural sound, Good sampling rate, Easy to use | Check On Amazon |
Blue Snowball iCE
Blue is one of the favourite brands in mics industry for USB Mics. They focus much more on USB Microphone than condenser mics and dynamic mics. The target audience is beginners and the small to medium business artists.
Blue is the very old Swiss Technology company which was established in year 1981. There are constantly making good mics for everyone. And here is one of them.
Blue Snowball iCE has a very basic and normal design in the look with two variants as white and black. It is a pretty classic design with three stand.
This mic has three polar pattern cardioid, omni directional and cardioid with -10 dB.
Multipolar pattern gives you the option to capture the sound from multi instruments and for multi purpose.
Snowball iCE is specifically made for the podcasters, gamers, streamers in mind. It works really fine for the people who want to record their own audio as well. It gives you the natural sound quality.
Snowball iCE has a frequency response of 40 Hz to 18 kHz. The low of this mic is a bit low than the ideal condenser microphones. Yet, it doesn’t affect the natural sound at all.
The sample rate of this microphone is 16-bit/44 kHz which is ideal.
Other than that, you will not get gain controls in this mic. Other functionalities such as buttons for mute button, headphone output and volume are not included.
At this price point the things you are getting are enough for any ideal microphone for recording the vocals.
If those functionalities limits you then you can surely upgrade it to the Blue Yeti mic which is also in our list for a bit higher price. Or else you can also choose from other mics as well.
This mic is well suited for the beginners and is cost effective as well for the people who are just starting out.
Blue Yeti
Here’s the another one from the Blue again. I have added this, just because this more likely the upgrade one for the previous one. So, if above specs has not satisfied you yet, then this might.
Blue Yeti is one of the most sold and top-rated products manufactured by Blue. This mic is already so much popular that you must already have heard the name of this microphone.
Yeti has got the most number of praises and positive reviews by users and artists. So many high profile artists suggest Yeti to everyone who is into home recordings.
Yeti has got the really attractive look with the black and white variants like snowball iCE microphone. The design of this microphone is very professional and attractive.
Yeti has got the total of four different polar patterns that are cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional and stereo.
Having multipolar pattern with all the basic needed functionalties halps you expand your dimensions in many skills.
Yeti has got your covered in the home recording and recording vocals. It produces the supernatural sound.
The power consumption of this microphone is 5V. This mic has three polar patterns. The maximum Sound Pressure Level of this mic is 120dB. The frequency response is 15 Hz to 22kHz. This mic is normal at noise cancellation. It works perfectly for quite a room.
Blue Yeti is the perfect mic for vocals, podcasting, instrumentals, gaming, interviews, calls, and more. Another best thing as this is the USB Microphone, this mic will not require any phantom power supply like a condenser. You just have to plug it into your mac or pc and start tuning in.
If you are a beginner just starting out. If you don’t want to get too much technical and want a mic for a beginner then you should think about Blue Yeti. This is a perfect USB Microphone for you.
Audio Technica AT 2020
Audio Technica is one of the most trusted and the oldest brand in the mic industry. They have wide collection of different types of mics. You will always find mics from this brand in almost every list you go through.
HOLD ON!
I know. This is not the USB Microphone. Yet, I have added this.
This microphone has got your covered with everything you want and this mic doesn’t let you down. That is the reason why I have added it. If you don’t want to be settled with the USB Microphone only then this is the option for you.
AT 2020 holds the most recommended condenser microphone award. That is why this mic deserves the place in this as well. Because this list is specifically for the microphones for recording vocals on the computer.
AT 2020 helps you do that without adding up anything over it. You will not need to get stressed at all for this. It comes with the XLR cable which helps you connect your mic directly with your computer. Unlike other microphones, you will not need the phantom power cable of anything like that.
AT 2020 is one of the best versatile mic that you will get in the market. The frequency response of this mic is 20Hz – 20Khz.
The maximum Sound Pressure of this microphone is 144dB which is nice. You are not going to catch up with any issue even if you are on instruments.
This mic will not give you trouble at all while recording your vocals. You will be satisfied with the output and sound quality of this microphone for sure.
AT 2020 will not need much of any technical skills for you to use this mic. You can easily use this microphone even if you are just starting out.
Rode NT
Rode is into the industry to help out by making the microphones for the artists and singers. Singers and artists are the main focused audience of the Rode Microphones. They also have other wide collection of microphones as well.
This tiny and cool looking microphone is the one which I got recommended by a lot of my friends who record vocals. It is a high-quality studio USB microphone at a very cost-effective price.
Rode NT USB Microphone is specifically made for the vocal recordings in the head. All the features of these microphones are suitable for anyone to record the best quality vocal sound output.
NT has got the 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack with zero-latency monitoring which will allow you to monitor input in realtime. You will also get the direct control over the mic input and sound output.
NT is fully compatible with mainstream recording and vocals as well on any device (Windows/MacBook). There is an option for you if you want to gain control as well which is very important for some of the vocal recordings.
If you are looking for a highly focused microphone made for recording vocals, then Rode NT is the go-to mic for you. This microphone is specifically a USB microphone that is made for vocals and singing in your home studio. If you are just starting out this is the very budget-friendly option for you as well.
Samson Q2U
Samson is the newly emerging name which has gained quite a lot of popularity in a very short time. They have been producing competitive products for all the big brands in the industry. Q2U is one of them.
Samson Q2U is the USB/XLR Dynamic Microphone. Don’t get confused!
Q2U is the USB dynamic microphone made for the studio stuff like podcasting and recordings. You will be a bit surprised by the design of this mic but yes it is compatible with your computer. It will not even need any technical stuff for you to know as well.
Q2U does have the analog and digital both the vocal requirements. It has the only one polar pattern being the dynamic microphone.
It has got a high-quality A/D converter with a sample rate of 16-bit/48 kHz. The frequency response of Samson Q2U is 50 Hz to 15kHz which I thing is a bit insufficient than the condenser mics. Yet, it is perfect for the home recording as the noise and all can be controlled easily.
Q2U produces really nice and crisp sound output which is necessary for the recording vocals. You will surely be satisfied with the sound quality of this microphone. Also, you can enjoy the feel of performing on the stage itself because it the dynamic microphone.
Take a look at this one as well if you want the options. You will surely not going to regret picking any of the above options for sure.
Make sure you are getting what you want specifically from the microphone and go for it.
Buying Guide
Before picking up any of the microphones you need to look for some of the basic things in it. You should always make sure that the mic that you are picking can flow up easily with your requirements.
That is why I have made this very short buying guide that will help you know what things you should know before picking the microphone for recording vocals in the computer. Make sure the mic you are picking is compatible with below things and some of your own personalized things as well.
Type of the Microphone
We have already discussed this. There are mainly three types in the market: Condenser microphone, dynamic microphone, and USB microphone. According to me, USB microphones are the best suited for computers. Although, I have given you options in the other two types in the list as well.
Polar Patterns
Based on the recordings you are going to capture. A polar pattern does play a big role in it. It controls how your sound has to be captured. Having a multipolar pattern in the microphone gives you the option to record more types of sound inputs.
Basic Functionalities
Make sure you are getting basic switches for your recordings. There has to be a certain button to switch on/off, change polar patterns, and adjust the pads in the microphone.
Design
Not the necessary but sometimes designs motivate us to show up and look cool. It might help you if you are picking the design that is comfortable for you.
Connectivity
There are various kinds of connections in microphones based on the types. Some of them might need XLR Cable, phantom power, and all stuff. You must check before purchasing that you are comfortable with that specific connectivity. If not, there are always easier options available for you.
Conclusion
I hope I have not made you confused. The reason why I haven’t made the long list for this is because there are already so many microphones in the market. Picking up the best and letting you know is part of my research.
I have picked up the best microphones for recording vocals for computers in almost all the aspects. I have got you covered with the pricing, patterns, specificity, and almost everything you need to look for.
If you ask me for my own recommendation then I will suggest you to choose from Blue Yeti as it is more popular and has got enough features. Other than that, AT 2020 is also the mic that I will recommend you to look for.
You can also check: Top 5 Best Studio Microphones In 2024
If you are facing any issue at all while picking up the microphone, do let me know in the comments section below.