I think TH-cam turned me into someone that cares a little too much about my friends mics. Honestly if I hear them clearly and I can understand what they’re saying clearly. It’s all good w me.
Yeah feels like tech should be moving forward towards smaller, portable, and better mics that sound as good as big mics...not trying to look like a 1950s radio station. Okay maybe I'm being a bit harsh but you get my point.
i've tried pretty much every solution there is (headset vs dynamic mic vs condenser mic etc) but the convenience of the headset mic is worth it for me- yeah i give up some sound quality by using it but i work from home and use my mic and headphones literally all day so being able to sit back in my chair and be comfortable without worrying about my mic placement is really nice for my usecase
Recently i learned about the existence of wireless lavaliner mics and it's just the best thing for me. It's doesn't take space on a desk, it's doesn't hear a vibrations of a desk, they often have sidetone and noise cancelling. And they actually sounds pretty good, maybe even great. I use fifine wireless mic. Here in my country it cost like 15$ so i just surprised that people don't talk about them.
LETS GO!! Get a usb mic! Thanks for making this video. I also use the Elgato wave 3 and I thought about just using the built in mic on my new Maxwells for convenience. This makes me want to stick with my Elgato. That razer black shark mic is impressive.
Love this video, shed some light on something i didn't consider much, always stuck with built in mics for budget and desk space/area to work with. One of the main reasons i gravitated towards the Audeze Maxwell when looking at the 200-400$ range of headsets from how they function, sound tests and mic tests. the mic really was solid, and wireless and battery life was all a bonus maxing the price worth it.
Keep in mind that some people think they improve there mic quality by buying an external microphone, but then they don't linke having that big microphone (or shockmount) near the face, so they position it far away (in an acoustically untreated room). In those situations the worse headset mic might sound much better, just because it's always near your mouth. I personally didn't buy a wireless headset just to get rid of the cable...I also like to keep talking to my buddies (Discord/TS) even, while I'm making coffee in the kitchen (in that situation, no external mic on a desk-arm will help). Anyway...I'm rocking the Corsair HS80 which has a very good mic (or let's say good wireless bandwidth to get good mic sound) and if I need better audio quality (maybe for a youtube video), I switch to my Yamaha AG03 with one of my XLR mics). Just for gaming and talking over Discord, I prefer just the HS80 headset.
What I do like about this channel was that it did test out the steel series mics and they were all trash, even for the $400 one, which was why I went with the Turtlebeach Stealth 700 Gen 2.
I have a Fifine microphone usb. Got it for £45 at the time. Includes Mic arm shock mount and the mic itself (Cardioid input). So I used to use headset mics before but a standalone mic is far better in every scenario regardless of how expensive the mic is be it the low end of it or the high end. The low end stand alone mic will sound better than a headset that cost upwards £300 and above. Now obviously everyone's gaming setup is different. I play on a desk so I got space for a mic arm. some might be console gamers and playing on a tv for example and mic arm might be far from practical. Everyone's circumstances are a little different. But if you feel like you can make the mic arm work in your setup and don't currently have a standalone mic. I'd say go ahead and give it a try. I have the razer kraven v3 hypersense and blacksharks. Both of them have decent mics. But it just comes down to form factor ... how amazing can a mic get in such a small little contraption. I mean my mic sounds professional crystal clear, it really is worth every penny I got it for. Because I know any headset I get wont come remotely close. And should these headsets I own give up at some point I can buy over ear headphones instead. Your not limited to just headsets.
If I remember correctly I think it was the HS80 that was probably the best headset Mic I've heard. I remember it sounding as good as your Mic on your video when you reviewed it
At my desk i use a Blue Yeti mostly because I've had it forever. I'd love a Wave 3 but am not sure it'd be much of an upgrade for me. On my laptop set up I just use the microphone on my Arctis Nova 7's, It's serviceable enough and gets the job done. Great vid as always!
I’m not going to lie, there was not a massive massive difference between the brand new 2023 razor black shark V2, pro microphone versus the Elgato wave three microphone. Like of course there is a difference and you can tell the El Gato is better but you could do TH-cam videos with the microphone from the razor black shark V2, pro 2023.
I use the Blue Snowball and love the quality/price for my needs. Sometimes I still use the mic on my headset because I don't like having to worry about my sitting position in relation to my mic.
Hey Techne! I have tried a few different setups for mics/headset combo's. My only problem with having a standalone mic is that if I want to get up and go get something to drink or move about the house between matches and still communicate with my guys, I can't do that easily. And unless you are doing lots of calls on the computer, most people can't tell in games the difference in mic quality because of the compression. Take warzone for example. I have 3 different headsets (New black shark V3 2023, Nova Pro's and Corsair Virtuoso XT) and no one can tell the difference in quality. I imagine it's similar in other games as well, maybe a bigger difference if you are in team speak and other similar programs?
I still prefer the wireless headset and mike. The problem is the microphone DONT stay with me, it stays at the desk. That removers the mobility advantage of a wireless headset. It's not by my side as i go to the fridge for something to drink, or unload the washing machine, or whatever. Also i dont need to think about where i have my head in relation to the mic. Also in your test, the only one that sounded bad was the second one, the USB. Kinda "thin" sound.
Hey Techne, I have always wondered about this. I use a G6 amp/dac and audiotechnica ATH-G1, mic ios ok. I was thinking of getting a mic like this and just connecting it to the g6? The only issue is how good are they with back good sounds, will they pick everything up, sounds,etc,etc?? I play on pc and ps5, What our your thoughts if I were to do this type of set up? Great vid as always.
My main issue for not using the built in mics is that they typically catch the sound leaking from the headset it self, I've had people stating they could hear themselves or the game even when using low to mid volume. This was my experience with the corsair HS 65, Nova 1. I think a lot of reviewers and probably your self don't test the mics with something playing in the background in your headset to see if the sound leaks into the microphone.
This so much. I bought the Hyper X Cloud Flights after seeing they were on sale. Watching a Techne review for them gave me the confidence to pull the trigger. I love the way they sound, but they leak audio like crazy, and they are massive on my head even tho my noggin is huge. Not to mention how the volume wheel can easily be turned down with how easily it touches your shoulder. There's so many things I've noticed about several headsets that reviewers just don't talk about.
@@maybebutwhatever you be able to test this quite easily if you run OBS and record whilst listening to something and see if the mic did in fact catch the sound leaking.
The point of a gaming headset is to have the 2 in 1 (mic + speakers), if we were to get a dedicated mic, might as well as a really good headphone instead of a gaming headset.
I'm all fine with doing this, but maybe if I was shown a cheaper solution that didn't cause half as much or the exact same price as a headset, then I'd consider it. And I mean like a USB mic? I remember when I first bought a Hyperx Cloud II I thought about getting the standalone mic that came with it but opted to just stick with the headset alone. I think that was a USB mic, and the mic would've costed about $40-$50 I think? Something like that, doable. But $150? Insane. I'm having the SteelSeries Arctis Pro + Gamedac shipped here by May 17. so I don't even know if that still allows to be USB plugged into a microphone, but here's hoping there's cheap options for something like that and its still compatible with the gamedac. *Update It seems that the Fifine AM8 seems plenty good enough, so I'll go for that if I can seem to make it work with everything else I have.
For consoles, Elgato and Fifine are more than fine. Don't spend too much. Sure the Shure MV is great, but if you don't use it on pc, don't spend 200+ on a USB mic. I didn't talk about the Hyper X because the plosives are quite strong and picks everything.
Any chance you could do a mic review or setup guide for Xbox and ps5. Using the meze 109 on a console or any other high end audio headphones with a mic could de a great option.
i use the RODE VideoMic go 2. i mount it to the top of my monitor (blue tac xD) and its great. i also use it with AMD's noise suppression, gets me more volume but makes it sound worse, it lets me have the mic 1 meter away though. i use a lot of different headphones and IEM's so something that i dont have to fiddle with, doesnt have to be anywhere near me and people can still hear me fine enough is just great. I think mics that can be far away are so underrated. i know its physically hard to do but something shotgun mics are good at. Its so hard to research my criteria for a mic like this. this rode is my first stop
Been using a Blue Yeti for the longest time, but started having huge issues with voicemeter, i find the quality without an aftermarket software is quite bad. lots of background noise etc. Probably looking at an Audeze Maxwell now just so i can use the included mic and not sound like shit. lol Great videos man!
I feel clickbaited by the Audeze Maxwell thumbnail with no maxwell, and then saying blackshark v2 2023 was best. I feel attacked, and I don't know why lmao
I use Sennheiser hd490 open back and have an external mic but I’m struggling because my teammates can hear echo and game sound leakage from my headphones coming through my mic. Whats the solution to this? Thanks
I wanted to use IEM's for gaming and a dedicated mic but it was so inconvinient to use and set up , so i switched back to the G4me One i have been using for years now.
I just want to use the speakers and a mic, I really do not want to wear a head set. I am new to this, age 62. Retired now and gaming is a new hobby for entertainment. Any ideas are welcome I do have a very nice computer set up , from iBuyPower with like a 17" screen from ABUS. It is a nice system. about $5,000 with the desk adjustable height , and a nice computer chair. I used my cell phone on speaker , actually worked well. Again any idea are welcome.
The problem is with closed back headphones, you can't hear your surroundings, and if you are using an audio interface to do audio monitoring, you are going to hear your own voice... Not ideal. What is the solution? Do they make any open back ear buds? Like sony linkbuds but non wireless? Fuck! Really frustrating!
I bought a hyper x quad for dictation on word and it makes absolutely no difference. I'm so pissed the 2023 Black Sharks came out like 2 weeks after my return window.
Why i don't use an external microphone. No desk space, not a desk, mic arm destroy wooden furnitures, i despite the idea of having a metal rod in front of me.
I don’t need a mic to stay with me if my headset lasts 5-10 years My Audeze Maxwell mic is good enough for discord and it works when I’m in the bathroom or at the fridge.
I think TH-cam turned me into someone that cares a little too much about my friends mics. Honestly if I hear them clearly and I can understand what they’re saying clearly. It’s all good w me.
I use the built in mic just because of convenience. Hate having the extra equipment of a dedicated mic and stand and wires.
Agreed. As long as my friends hear me clearly and I can hear my friends clearly. We’re good.
@@NumbahEleven And you have to deal with background noise and mic positioning as well. I find it to be a hassle.
Yeah feels like tech should be moving forward towards smaller, portable, and better mics that sound as good as big mics...not trying to look like a 1950s radio station. Okay maybe I'm being a bit harsh but you get my point.
i've tried pretty much every solution there is (headset vs dynamic mic vs condenser mic etc) but the convenience of the headset mic is worth it for me- yeah i give up some sound quality by using it but i work from home and use my mic and headphones literally all day so being able to sit back in my chair and be comfortable without worrying about my mic placement is really nice for my usecase
Yeah and when it's wireless u can get up and move and still speak directly into the headset mic.
Recently i learned about the existence of wireless lavaliner mics and it's just the best thing for me. It's doesn't take space on a desk, it's doesn't hear a vibrations of a desk, they often have sidetone and noise cancelling. And they actually sounds pretty good, maybe even great.
I use fifine wireless mic. Here in my country it cost like 15$ so i just surprised that people don't talk about them.
yeah I use a great one on my other channel
@@TheTechne which one?
Which microphone is that, meaning which type etc?
LETS GO!! Get a usb mic! Thanks for making this video. I also use the Elgato wave 3 and I thought about just using the built in mic on my new Maxwells for convenience. This makes me want to stick with my Elgato. That razer black shark mic is impressive.
I actually thought the 2nd one you tried was the worst one, followed by the first one, and the razer was the best one.
Love this video, shed some light on something i didn't consider much, always stuck with built in mics for budget and desk space/area to work with.
One of the main reasons i gravitated towards the Audeze Maxwell when looking at the 200-400$ range of headsets from how they function, sound tests and mic tests. the mic really was solid, and wireless and battery life was all a bonus maxing the price worth it.
Keep in mind that some people think they improve there mic quality by buying an external microphone, but then they don't linke having that big microphone (or shockmount) near the face, so they position it far away (in an acoustically untreated room).
In those situations the worse headset mic might sound much better, just because it's always near your mouth.
I personally didn't buy a wireless headset just to get rid of the cable...I also like to keep talking to my buddies (Discord/TS) even, while I'm making coffee in the kitchen (in that situation, no external mic on a desk-arm will help).
Anyway...I'm rocking the Corsair HS80 which has a very good mic (or let's say good wireless bandwidth to get good mic sound) and if I need better audio quality (maybe for a youtube video), I switch to my Yamaha AG03 with one of my XLR mics). Just for gaming and talking over Discord, I prefer just the HS80 headset.
What I do like about this channel was that it did test out the steel series mics and they were all trash, even for the $400 one, which was why I went with the Turtlebeach Stealth 700 Gen 2.
I have a Fifine microphone usb. Got it for £45 at the time. Includes Mic arm shock mount and the mic itself (Cardioid input). So I used to use headset mics before but a standalone mic is far better in every scenario regardless of how expensive the mic is be it the low end of it or the high end. The low end stand alone mic will sound better than a headset that cost upwards £300 and above. Now obviously everyone's gaming setup is different. I play on a desk so I got space for a mic arm. some might be console gamers and playing on a tv for example and mic arm might be far from practical. Everyone's circumstances are a little different. But if you feel like you can make the mic arm work in your setup and don't currently have a standalone mic. I'd say go ahead and give it a try. I have the razer kraven v3 hypersense and blacksharks. Both of them have decent mics. But it just comes down to form factor ... how amazing can a mic get in such a small little contraption. I mean my mic sounds professional crystal clear, it really is worth every penny I got it for. Because I know any headset I get wont come remotely close. And should these headsets I own give up at some point I can buy over ear headphones instead. Your not limited to just headsets.
If I remember correctly I think it was the HS80 that was probably the best headset Mic I've heard. I remember it sounding as good as your Mic on your video when you reviewed it
a dang good one for sure
At my desk i use a Blue Yeti mostly because I've had it forever. I'd love a Wave 3 but am not sure it'd be much of an upgrade for me. On my laptop set up I just use the microphone on my Arctis Nova 7's, It's serviceable enough and gets the job done. Great vid as always!
the wave 3 blows away the yeti.. the yeti picks up EVERYTHINGGGG . having the built in clip guard in elgato wins hands down
Thank you for this ‘solition’
LOL!
I’m not going to lie, there was not a massive massive difference between the brand new 2023 razor black shark V2, pro microphone versus the Elgato wave three microphone. Like of course there is a difference and you can tell the El Gato is better but you could do TH-cam videos with the microphone from the razor black shark V2, pro 2023.
I use the Blue Snowball and love the quality/price for my needs. Sometimes I still use the mic on my headset because I don't like having to worry about my sitting position in relation to my mic.
hs80 still the king of headset mics imo
Great mic but happy meal audio
Hey Techne! I have tried a few different setups for mics/headset combo's. My only problem with having a standalone mic is that if I want to get up and go get something to drink or move about the house between matches and still communicate with my guys, I can't do that easily. And unless you are doing lots of calls on the computer, most people can't tell in games the difference in mic quality because of the compression. Take warzone for example. I have 3 different headsets (New black shark V3 2023, Nova Pro's and Corsair Virtuoso XT) and no one can tell the difference in quality. I imagine it's similar in other games as well, maybe a bigger difference if you are in team speak and other similar programs?
So this is TH-cam or the games themselves that mess up the audio quality through compression?
@@VRBH1 it’s a combination of things between the computer, hardware used, and program using the hardware.
I still prefer the wireless headset and mike. The problem is the microphone DONT stay with me, it stays at the desk. That removers the mobility advantage of a wireless headset. It's not by my side as i go to the fridge for something to drink, or unload the washing machine, or whatever. Also i dont need to think about where i have my head in relation to the mic. Also in your test, the only one that sounded bad was the second one, the USB. Kinda "thin" sound.
Hey Techne, I have always wondered about this. I use a G6 amp/dac and audiotechnica ATH-G1, mic ios ok. I was thinking of getting a mic like this and just connecting it to the g6? The only issue is how good are they with back good sounds, will they pick everything up, sounds,etc,etc?? I play on pc and ps5, What our your thoughts if I were to do this type of set up?
Great vid as always.
My main issue for not using the built in mics is that they typically catch the sound leaking from the headset it self, I've had people stating they could hear themselves or the game even when using low to mid volume.
This was my experience with the corsair HS 65, Nova 1.
I think a lot of reviewers and probably your self don't test the mics with something playing in the background in your headset to see if the sound leaks into the microphone.
This so much. I bought the Hyper X Cloud Flights after seeing they were on sale. Watching a Techne review for them gave me the confidence to pull the trigger. I love the way they sound, but they leak audio like crazy, and they are massive on my head even tho my noggin is huge. Not to mention how the volume wheel can easily be turned down with how easily it touches your shoulder. There's so many things I've noticed about several headsets that reviewers just don't talk about.
@@N7Bluerose flight s doesn't cantch anything from the headset but they just cut every quiet sound. And for me that a huge problem 😅
@@maybebutwhatever you be able to test this quite easily if you run OBS and record whilst listening to something and see if the mic did in fact catch the sound leaking.
The point of a gaming headset is to have the 2 in 1 (mic + speakers), if we were to get a dedicated mic, might as well as a really good headphone instead of a gaming headset.
It does sound very good! Audio is good on this video.
I'm all fine with doing this, but maybe if I was shown a cheaper solution that didn't cause half as much or the exact same price as a headset, then I'd consider it. And I mean like a USB mic? I remember when I first bought a Hyperx Cloud II I thought about getting the standalone mic that came with it but opted to just stick with the headset alone. I think that was a USB mic, and the mic would've costed about $40-$50 I think? Something like that, doable. But $150? Insane. I'm having the SteelSeries Arctis Pro + Gamedac shipped here by May 17. so I don't even know if that still allows to be USB plugged into a microphone, but here's hoping there's cheap options for something like that and its still compatible with the gamedac. *Update It seems that the Fifine AM8 seems plenty good enough, so I'll go for that if I can seem to make it work with everything else I have.
I think the low quality sound on headset mics adds to the experience.
would you say the 2023 blacksharks mic is better than the HS80 wireless? Because the hs80 mic is amazing
For consoles, Elgato and Fifine are more than fine.
Don't spend too much. Sure the Shure MV is great, but if you don't use it on pc, don't spend 200+ on a USB mic.
I didn't talk about the Hyper X because the plosives are quite strong and picks everything.
Is HS80 still the best microphone or the Blackshark V2 pro 2023?
When you use a desktop mic can you hear yourself in your headset? Like Sidetone?
Any chance you could do a mic review or setup guide for Xbox and ps5. Using the meze 109 on a console or any other high end audio headphones with a mic could de a great option.
I think the audio test would have been better if you used the corsair hs80 for the USB one as its the best microphone imo
i use the RODE VideoMic go 2. i mount it to the top of my monitor (blue tac xD) and its great. i also use it with AMD's noise suppression, gets me more volume but makes it sound worse, it lets me have the mic 1 meter away though. i use a lot of different headphones and IEM's so something that i dont have to fiddle with, doesnt have to be anywhere near me and people can still hear me fine enough is just great.
I think mics that can be far away are so underrated. i know its physically hard to do but something shotgun mics are good at. Its so hard to research my criteria for a mic like this. this rode is my first stop
Been using a Blue Yeti for the longest time, but started having huge issues with voicemeter, i find the quality without an aftermarket software is quite bad. lots of background noise etc. Probably looking at an Audeze Maxwell now just so i can use the included mic and not sound like shit. lol
Great videos man!
Thoughts on FIFINE mics for budget mics?
am using the elgato wave 3+shock mount on the low profile elgato boom arm
Can you do one of gaming earbuds 🙏 i love the how comfortable they are but their mics are always so bad
why 3.5mm sounds better? or maybe I cant recognize what sounds better :3
Does that Razer sound that good on console???
I feel clickbaited by the Audeze Maxwell thumbnail with no maxwell, and then saying blackshark v2 2023 was best. I feel attacked, and I don't know why lmao
I use Sennheiser hd490 open back and have an external mic but I’m struggling because my teammates can hear echo and game sound leakage from my headphones coming through my mic. Whats the solution to this? Thanks
I wanted to use IEM's for gaming and a dedicated mic but it was so inconvinient to use and set up , so i switched back to the G4me One i have been using for years now.
same - i hate using a desktop mic as its another thing on the desk and i have to be near it
i would LOVE to get the Maxwell's over my Turtle Beach Stealth pro's, but the DARN thing is NOT in stock ANYWHERE! ........
Where does the headphones plug into the stand alone mic ?
idk man the corsair Hs80 have a pretty good mic, but that's an exception, not the rule so I feel where you're coming from.
My son wants a stand alone mic he has a ps5 how will that work with his headset?
What headset should I use to plug from my mic to the headphone
I bought headphones that didn’t have aux input and need to return it
I don't like how headset mic sound, but I don't like a black box or bar blocking my line of sight.
Techne with best logitech g733 or steelseries arctis nova 7 ?
What are the USB headset used in this video?
Is this Razer headset better then Razer kaira pro? Mine keep disconnecting and reconnecting randomly
I use the elgato wave1 and use corsair virtuoso xt wireless for my headphones. Want to get a pair of cloud2 wireless as well tho.
How about HS80 vs Razer Blackshark v2 pro (2023)? :)
I just want to use the speakers and a mic, I really do not want to wear a head set. I am new to this, age 62. Retired now and gaming is a new hobby for entertainment. Any ideas are welcome I do have a very nice computer set up , from iBuyPower with like a 17" screen from ABUS. It is a nice system. about $5,000 with the desk adjustable height , and a nice computer chair. I used my cell phone on speaker , actually worked well. Again any idea are welcome.
Can you review Streamplify mic (with arm)
The problem is with closed back headphones, you can't hear your surroundings, and if you are using an audio interface to do audio monitoring, you are going to hear your own voice... Not ideal. What is the solution? Do they make any open back ear buds? Like sony linkbuds but non wireless? Fuck! Really frustrating!
fifine has some niceee budget mics
I bought a hyper x quad for dictation on word and it makes absolutely no difference. I'm so pissed the 2023 Black Sharks came out like 2 weeks after my return window.
Why i don't use an external microphone.
No desk space, not a desk, mic arm destroy wooden furnitures, i despite the idea of having a metal rod in front of me.
Gaming mics and Studio mics are 2 different things. Lol.
And what do the console players do? I can hardly imagine a standalone microphone there.
I use a wave XLR interface with an se v7 microphone
i wish i could... but xbox doesnt support external usb mics...
the only downside is you have something dangling by your mouth your whole gaming session
The mic distract me when it came into my peripheral vision when gaming. So i never used headset mic.
Well, for the Corsair HS80 wireless, it is a different story.
So how you use the mic with a xbox?
But here is the big question.. does el Cato work on console?
Yes , but rezar black shark v 2 pro ond astro a50 x better
Do you use settings for the wave 3 I have one and doesn’t sound this good
no, I just plug and play, even on my pc
The reason you buy alone mic vs headset mic is because you doing meeting or youtube.
Can Customize Iq the usb mic settings and connect it to the ps5 like some hedset do
3.5 mm mic sounded better than usb
I wish there was a way to make this happen for console!
I don’t need a mic to stay with me if my headset lasts 5-10 years
My Audeze Maxwell mic is good enough for discord and it works when I’m in the bathroom or at the fridge.
Please don’t use the mic when your in the bathroom
@@TheJustPull5641 You don't want him to do ARSM with when he's using the toilets?
Just got the Audeze maxwells for Xbox and all my mates say the mic sounds awful. Anyone know any fixes ?
Just try repairing them. (Power off, and remove dongle)
Honestly the 2nd one sounds way worse than the first one.
well this clip didn’t fix the issue
12:51 true
I just use a separate mic 🎤
I cant stand a arm and a mic in front of me .
I agree. That’s why I always keep mine to the side
Modmic usb ftw.
Bruh… 325?! 😮
Hey!
damn that channel totally dead now!