Do you want to buy a reasonable microphone to kickstart your music career or for starting your very own music or gaming channel? Are you looking for perfect microphones with noise cancellation and extremely brilliant sound quality?
If your answer is a yes, then this article will be perfect for you.
TYPES OF VOCAL MICS
The first and foremost criteria to figure out while choosing a vocal mic for yourself is to decide which of the following types of it you need.
DYNAMIC MICS
These mics have a better sound frequency response and offer better noise cancellation to eliminate unwanted surrounding noise.
Which therefore suggests that these microphones are better for those who prefer to record music with high intonation like rock, jazz, etc., and work very well with wide ranges of frequencies.
There is no requirement for any power source to be arranged separately for these types of mics. These are also comparatively less expensive than the condenser mics.
CONDENSER MICS
These are more expensive and rather more complex kinds of microphones.
These are more specialized and are more compatible for professional use, but one thing that needs to be considered while choosing such microphones is that they are highly fragile. Thus, it requires to be handled very carefully.
These also require a separate power source, and these work the best in controlled environments and are the best for recording low intonation music and voices. So, if you are looking for recording music or songs with a low base and intonations, then the condenser mics would be perfect for you.
CHARACTERISTICS OF MICROPHONES TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE BUYING
SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL
It is very commonly noticed that most of the mics, especially the condenser mics, cannot record high-frequency sounds. You often observe that the sound gets distorted, so you should always ensure to check the Sound Pressure Level (SPL) to avoid this issue. The more the SPL, the lesser the chances of any voice breaking and distortion of sound.
DIRECTIONALITY
The directionality, often known as the Polar pattern of the microphone, determines the clarity of voice receiving and processing by the microphones.
In terms of choosing a good vocal microphone, one should choose to go with the mics, which are uni-directional, and amongst them, the Cardioid patterned mics are extremely efficient. These picks receive and process sound only from the front direction and majorly eliminate the surroundings’ sound.
WHICH VOCAL MIC TO USE?
Before choosing a vocal mic, one needs to know that there are both multi-function and specific purpose microphones. So, suppose you need a vocal microphone. In that case, you should prefer going for condenser microphones with a Cardioid pattern and a larger diaphragm as this will ensure more clarity, enhanced sound picking even at lower frequencies. These mics will also be perfect in case you need one to record high-note music and singing.
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
This is one of the most important characteristics of a microphone that needs to be considered before buying a good mic.
You need to check the frequency response graph of the mic rather than only checking the manual frequency range. One of the main reasons behind this is that the frequency that is mentioned is often very misleading.
The frequency graph of the mic will tell you whether the mic will be able to handle sharp frequency or low-frequency sound. Where the former is observed in shaped and curved frequency graphs and the latter in flat frequency graphs. So, you can choose amongst both according to your requirement. Before going further with this article if you have a good budget range with you, you can also check out the best vocal mic under $1000.
Best Vocal Mic Under 500 USD
Image | Product | Features | Price |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | MXL MIC 770 |
| Check Price on Amazon |
![]() | RODE NTK |
| Check Price on Amazon |
![]() | BLUEBIRD SL |
| Check Price on Amazon |
![]() | SHURE SM7B |
| Check Price on Amazon |
![]() | ASTON MICROPHONE ORIGIN |
| Check Price on Amazon |
MXL770 is one of the best multi-functional vocal microphones available in the market. It is highly versatile and is suitable for recording all ranges of frequencies. You can record your instruments like guitars and pianos as well as your songs.
- Roll of frequency is low
- Highly Versatile
- Efficient and high-quality recording
- Reasonable cost and uncompromised quality
- High rate of depreciation
- Fragile
- Heavy in weight
- Some users experience ambient noise.
It records and processes the sounds very well without distorting and hampering their quality and clarity. It is one of the best microphones which is available at a very reasonable cost.
The versatility of this microphone can be well illustrated by the fact that it is well compatible with both YouTube and podcasts like those of Spotify.
It is a highly advanced microphone that is best suited to record a particular instrument in highly efficient quality. It is very suitable for recording higher pitches as well as low bases
- Included power supply
- Large Diaphragm size
- RF elimination is high
- High dynamic range
- Not multi-purpose
- Does not support the high and mid ranges very well
The primary feature of this microphone is to record vocals; thus, it is highly specialized to perform this task. This is one of the best microphones available in the market.
Although not suitable for you in case you are looking for a multi-purpose microphone, it records very specific instrumental ranges.
This microphone is best suited for smaller assignments due to its highly specific recording nature and function; therefore, it is not compatible to record instruments and songs all together with efficiency and clarity.
Choice

This microphone has been designed specifically to cater to the needs of small and home-based studios and recording centers.
- Highly versatile
- Multi-purpose mic
- High range clarity
- Modern sonic signature
- The sound might get distorted due to excessive use
- Ambient noise
- Inefficient bottom-end capture
It is one of the best microphones available in the market for this purpose. It is highly versatile and has brilliant sound recording and processing clarity for almost all ranges, excluding the high ones.
It also is highly specialized for surrounding noise cancellation due to its transformerless design.
It is highly compatible with recording multi-instrumental songs and is highly efficient as a vocal mic.
It is a highly efficient multi-purpose microphone that is brilliantly balanced and has amazing sound processing and clarity due to its symmetricity around its axis.
- Highly efficient lows
- Reasonable cost
- High running period
- Build-in suspension system
- Disturbing background noise
- Requires multiple attachments and equipment.
It has an amazing frequency response, and it has a pre-installed shock mount which enhances its absorption level. It is a highly trusted and experimented model by the company and is well trusted by a large range of musicians.
This is compatible with both home-based and professional, and highly advanced studios.
This microphone is highly versatile and is extremely brilliant in terms of its design and set-up. It works best for recording vocals as well instruments like drums, acoustic guitars, pianos, etc.
- Large-diaphragm
- Multi-functional
- Pre-installed shock mount
- Unique design
- Absence of a USB mount
- Heavyweight
- No headphone jacks
It has amazing built-in features, making it extremely unique from all the other microphones available in the market. It is efficiently protected with the help of a mesh head in the form of a wave.
This acts as a shield for its physical protection, and this also protects its capsule to eliminate any distortions or unwanted sound absorption.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)
Q.1) Can these microphones be connected to the PC?
Ans – Yes, if the microphones have USB jacks, then they can be easily connected to your PC. In case the jacks are absent, then you might need some attachments to connect them to the computer.
Q.2) Can these be used for streaming?
Ans – Yes, almost all of these microphones can be efficiently used for streaming and podcasts.
Q.3) Are there any microphones that can be used for both vocals and other activities?
Ans – Yes, there are some microphones that have switchable polar patterns like the Spirits one, which allows you to enhance the multifunctionality of your microphones.
CONCLUSION
If you are thinking of buying a perfect vocal microphone below $500, then you should have a careful look at this article. The characteristics mentioned above should be carefully taken into account before buying a vocal microphone. The microphones mentioned in the article are some of the best available microphones in the market. So, if you want a good vocal microphone, you can choose any one of these without any hesitation or doubt.
Conclusion: (Product)
- First Product – Best Buy
- Second Product – Top Pick
- Third Product – Editor’s Choice
- Fourth Product
- Fifth Product