With the advent and rise of new professions like YouTube video making, podcasting, audio book reading, vlogging, etc., there is also a rise in demand for different advanced microphones that produce the best quality sound.
To meet the requirements mentioned above, there is the XLR microphone which many technical experts consider the best among others. They are said to bring out the best sound quality and are very helpful in producing audio with high clarity.
Detailed features of XLR microphones
The XLR microphones come with ultra-high frequency response. Often these microphones are bought along with a voice filter that allows to cut or reduce the outside surrounding noise and thus increases the quality of the recorded sound.
Inside the microphone, there are shock absorbers that prevent unwanted noise that occurs due to vibration. These XLR microphones are very widely used in multimedia industries these days, where recorded audio quality is needed to be maximised. Thus, this mic is a great device when interested in the fields mentioned above.
However, some issues may occur when one tries to connect the XLR mic to a computer. Here we shall discuss two methods on how one can connect two different types of XLR microphones to a PC.
Method 1: Using the XLR to USB adapter
XLR to USB signal adapter is a very cheap device that can be easily purchased from any online or offline store. This device is handy for connecting an XLR mic to a PC through the USB port present in the CPU of the computer.
After connecting the computer’s USB port to the adapter cable whose other end is connected to the XLR microphone, one needs to go to the computer sound settings and click on new mic input and then enable the audio access to the XLR mic. Now the XLR mic will be ready to use on a computer. However, this method of connecting the XLR microphone is only applicable for dynamic types of microphones.
Thus, connecting an XLR mic to a PC is impossible when using a condenser microphone. This is because the power requirements of a condenser microphone are much more than that of dynamic types.
Method 2: Connect the XLR microphone to a computer using an audio mixer
For condenser XLR microphones, the user must purchase an audio mixer device connected to the microphone and the puter.
These audio mixers are often a little costly but are readily available online. After connecting the computer to the mixer through the USB port, one needs to connect the XLR microphone to the mixer using a cable. Audio mixers have special software that needs to be installed or downloaded so that the computer can support the mixer and microphone.
After installing the software, click on add device and connect the microphone to the computer through the mixer. Thus, your XLR condenser microphone is ready to be used through the PC.
Problems occur on how to connect XLR mic to PC
There may be several technical issues that may occur even after following the steps mentioned above. Some of these may be problems connecting the dynamic microphone to the XLR to a USB signal adapter. In that case, despite being a dynamic microphone, the device must be connected to an audio interface mixer device, just like in the case of a condenser microphone.
Compatibility issues may arise while connecting the XLR microphone to an audio mixer. This may also happen that the computer cannot read the connected audio interface mixer device due to compatibility issues. To solve these issues, one should visit the official website of the audio mixer device or take help from customer support services.
Lastly, the computer may sometimes have technical problems with the audio mic input system and so may be unable to connect to the XLR microphone. In such a case, one should go through the sound device compatibility settings in the computer to solve the problem or take expert help to upgrade the audio system settings of the computer and then retry the earlier mentioned process.
By following all the steps mentioned in the article, one is sure to get an XLR microphone successfully connected to a computer with ease.
Conclusion
The XLR microphone is one of the most exciting microphones in the current market. It is a must-have device for YouTubers, Podcasters, audiobook readers, singers, etc. These microphones allow you to increase the quality and clarity of sound and also help produce an excellent clear sound that will impress the listener in the first instance.
The other devices that come with the microphone, like shock absorbers to reduce noise from vibration, the voice filter that reduces unwanted outside noises, etc., make this device even more exciting and easy to use. Following the instructions mentioned above, one can easily connect the XLR microphone to a computer.
QnAs
1. What is the need to get an XLR microphone?
Many technical experts consider the XLR microphone to be the best, among others. They are said to bring out the best sound quality and are very helpful in producing audio with high clarity.
2. What is the cost of an XLR microphone?
An average cost of a dynamic type of XLR mic is about 50 USD.
The cost of a condenser XLR microphone is approximately 80 USD.
3. What is the cost of an audio mixer?
The average cost of an audio mixer is about 50 to 200 USD depending on the quality.
4. Why can the condenser XLR mic not connect directly to a computer without a mixer?
The condenser XLR microphone requires a power capacity above 48 volts which ordinary USB sockets cannot produce. Hence, they need an audio mixer device.
5. What microphones can be connected using just an XLR to USB signal adapter?
Only dynamic types of XLR microphones can be connected to a computer using an XLR to USB signal adapter.
