Best Mic Setup for £30

[fARQUAD_]

What the title is really.

I'm looking for a FULL mic setup for around the cost of £30. I would prefer a USB mic, as they are much easier to use - just plug and play. Also, a condenser mic is already around £20-30, not including the phantom power that is needed to supply enough voltage (another £20).

I want the best quality for the price, however I do have a pretty deep voice, if that changes any considerations.

Thanks for reading this thread, and any help would be appreciated.

 

[ssddx]

a "full" mic setup? not sure what you meant by that however i take it as meaning mic+shockmount+boom+pop filter. finding an all in one for cheap is going to be rough.

neewer mics (like the nw-800 for example) arent terrible xlr microphones but you will need an interface or phantom power supply in most cases although some find that they can plug it into their desktop and it will work. they are a bit bass light but for the money are decent quality. there is a good youtube review as far as vocal clarity is concerned and they cover phantom power for it as well.

most of the good budget options like the c01u, atr2500, snowball ice, etc are all above budget in uk. most also do not come with with accessories.

bm800 may be a good option to the nw800 but you would still need a phantom supply https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa9bB2JYEic

there is the modmic for 9gbp more than your budget which for a boom mic is not terrible. not sure if this is what you want though.

samson go mic clip might work if you need portable https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya_FRTfjC3Q but as expected of a cheap microphone its not perfect.

given uk increased prices i think its hard to find a quality microphone in your budget with all the accessories you seem to want. if you could raise your budget a bit i think you will be better able to find some decent options.

now there are certainly budget options like http/www.micreviews.com/guides/best-microphone-under-50-dollars out there which are one step up from the office store junk you can buy however you really do get what you pay for. if you want higher quality for things like youtube recording or similar it helps to spend a bit more money.

things like a proper boom arm or stand, pop filter / windscreen and good interface can also help.

 

[fARQUAD_]

Alright thanks for the answer. It is unfortunate the prices that decent mics are in the UK. Some condensers I've heard will work without phantom power, but will be much quieter. I was thinking of a USB mic as they come with a small stand which could be sat on my desk, so I don't have to speak directly into it, removing the need for a boom and pop filter.

If I was to raise my budget to around £50 for everything, could I gain a significant increase in quality? Would that warrant the extra money spent?

Sorry to be a pain and ask more questions, but it seems getting the right mic can be a bit of a minefield.

 

[ssddx]

with a larger budget you are open to a few more options.

keep in mind that mics which do not have much range also pick up less background noise. if you use such microphones with a boom close to your mouth you will get not much ambient noise in your recordings. with very sensitive microphones you need to pay a bit more attention to your ambient noise levels.

there is the blue snowball ice or blue snowball. its usb powered. decent quality however accessories like a shock mount are expensive since they are special. can be used with included base but be aware that on the desk may pick up noise.
3:22 https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bVUnByLHSo
whole vid https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUqXERXXjpc

there is the samson meteor. it may not have good distance pickup (best used with a boom or arm) but it has decent quality and bass. doesnt come with accessories again but you can likely make cheap accessories work. you can use it with included stand but again, being on the desk might pick up noise.
whole vid is a comparision between many models https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fRDTCfXMXA
meteor vs snowball https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQK8DFgpyAA

samson co1u. while i dont think its quite as nice as the meteor or snowball and doesnt have much range it does decent noise cancelling. does not come with accessories.
whole video https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=01Eezdu7OGw

as i listed before the neewer nw800 and similar would need a 48v power supply. this would be where the extra cost would go.

be aware, the nicer microphones are not going to come with accessories (mount, pop filter, etc) when you buy them at the cheapest listed price. some lowe end microphones may but generally they are going to be a bit inferior. quality is not free and you do get what you pay for.

ideally for the best quality audio possible a boom arm, shock mount, pop filter (or windscreen) should be used to position the mic close to your face.

heres a nice little kit for 27gbp https/www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-Professional-Broadcasting-Recording-Microphone/dp/B011KJG300/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1461184671&sr=8-6&keywords=neewer+mic which comes with a stand, nw-700 pop filter, shock mount and windscreen. all you need is a 48v power supply. review here https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqI96QWnpKk and as you can see its not very bassy but the quality is not bad. remember its a budget mic but you do get lots of accessories for cheap.

alternatively you could get the nw800, a 48v supply and stand separately if you feel the quality difference is large.

if you want a bit more bass response and want to eliminate a power supply you can pair a blue snowball without a shock mount with a cheap boom arm for just over that budget. no shock mount means it might pick up some vibration if you bang on the desk but you might get better volume and less pickup than using it on the included stand.

which is a more full featured option? having all the accessories might make for some better recordings which makes the neewer look good however be aware you will need to use a phantom power supply and it will not have much deep bass response. the other microphones listed will sound a bit more warm and welcoming however do not include any accessories which will set you back extra if you need them. i feel they are better quality microphones and you pay for that which is why accessories are not included. either way would work but given how you stated you have a bass voice you may want something with some warmth.

what i would HIGHLY suggest is listening to not just reviews i listed (even though podcastage is an exceelent reviewer) but also try and find as many other comparisions and videos on youtube showing how a model sounds. be aware if they are using a pop filter, shock mount, boom arm and how far the mic is from their mouth. also be aware that turning volume/gain up will make the mic sound different than low volume/gain.