I'm looking for a microphone that I can mount on a boom arm above my monitor, about 30cm away from my mouth. I want it to capture my voice clearly without picking up the loud sounds from my mechanical keyboard and mouse. I'm open to using either XLR or USB mics, and my budget isn't too tight. I've considered options like the Shure SM7B, Blue Sona, and Rode PodMic USB, but I'm unsure which will perform well when positioned overhead rather than close-up. I've heard mixed opinions on whether condensers or dynamic mics are better for this kind of setup, so I'd really appreciate any personal experiences or recommendations. Thanks!
6 Answers
You might want to consider a shotgun microphone, like the Sennheiser MKH416. It has a hyper cardioid pattern, which means it primarily picks up sound from around a 30-degree angle in front of it. Just a heads up, it runs about 999€ and needs an XLR interface with a preamp, but it's known for good noise rejection.
The SM57 is a great choice! Pair it with a budget-friendly XLR interface like the Behringer UMC22, and you’ll be good to go. It’s commonly used on stage for a reason! If you want something more advanced with features like auto-compression and EQ, I'd recommend the Yamaha AG06—it's fantastic for vocal quality.
Rejecting keyboard noise typically requires software to filter it out. There's no mic that can solely eliminate those frequencies without affecting other sounds. So, keep that in mind while you search for your mic!
I personally use a Blue Yeti attached to a mic arm, paired with Nvidia Broadcast software. It really helps filter out the keyboard sounds and keeps my voice clear. It’s a solid setup if you're looking for something effective!
Try getting a directional mic from Blue that has adjustment settings for its pickup pattern. You can tweak it to focus on sound coming from directly in front, so it picks up your voice while reducing noise like your keyboard. It's not perfect, but it can help a lot!
Condenser mics generally pick up a lot of background noise even from 30cm away, while dynamic mics are better for noise rejection but need to be much closer, usually around 5cm from your mouth. They both might require some tuning and processing to optimize their sound, so don't forget to consider noise reduction filters and EQ. A dynamic mic might be more suitable for gaming or streaming environments, even though it limits your distance from the mic. Shotgun mics can work too, but they can get pricey.

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