The 7 Best Podcast Microphones for Beginners in 2021
Honest reviews of the best podcast microphones in 2021 — especially if you’re a beginner on a budget
When you’re starting a podcast, the first thing you need to buy is a decent microphone.
The internet is awash with recommendations for what is the best podcast microphone for beginners.
It can be quite overwhelming, I know.
But there comes a time when you have to make a decision and pick one microphone to start with.
It doesn’t have to be the one you keep using forever, but you have to start somewhere.
As a beginner podcaster, you probably want the best value for your money — something that’s going to produce quality sound without costing the earth.
All of the microphones in this list tick that box. They are all good quality microphones that don’t cost too much.
I could add to the overwhelm by providing you with a huge list of the best podcast microphones, but I’ve done the dirty work for you and narrowed the list down to the 7 microphones that, I think, are the best for beginners.
I’m not ranking the microphones from best to worst. All of these microphones are good in their own right.
Featured microphones
Blue Yeti X Professional Condenser USB Microphone — $169.99
Blue Yeti X Review
A Blue podcast mic *rolls eyes*.
If you’ve done any research into podcast mics, you would have come across the Blue Yeti — it’s on every “best podcast mic” list.
It’s been a staple for podcasters for many years. It’s become so popular that people love to hate it — but it really is a great USB microphone.
The Blue Yeti X is a new and improved version of the original Blue Yeti.
The main improvement is that the Blue Yeti X has a four capsule condenser array inside (the original is a 3-capsule set up), which produces cleaner, clearer audio.
It sounds seriously good and may be the best USB microphone on the market right now, especially for the price of around $170.
You can switch between four pickup patterns — cardioid for remote recording and streaming, omni for group sessions, bi-directional for face-to-face podcast interviews, and stereo for more immersive experiences like ASMR recordings (if you’re into that?).
It’s also just a beautiful looking microphone that comes with its own stand (just look at it!).
It’s extremely easy to use (plug and play) and also comes with the Blue VO!CE audio software where you can choose a “podcast” preset to make your finished product sound extra good (only available on Windows).
If you’re getting started, this is an excellent option. It was only released in late 2019, so it really is at the cutting edge of USB podcast microphones.
Or if you want something a little cheaper, the original Blue Yeti and Blue Yeti Nano are worthy options, too.
Elgato Wave:3 USB Condenser Microphone — $215.00
Elgato Wave:3 Review
A worthy competitor to the Blue Yeti X is the Elgato Wave:3.
It’s a high-quality USB condenser microphone that is well-suited to recording podcasts.
Elgato has partnered with Austrian company Lewitt Audio on this microphone.
Lewitt Audio makes premium quality microphones that can be found in legendary recording studios all over the world. They’ve packed all that knowledge and engineering into this powerful podcast mic.
I love the sleek minimal design and the jet black color. It’s a simple plug and play USB microphone packed with a bunch of impressive features that make it sound incredible.
One of the cool features is the “Clipguard technology” which automatically clips audio that is louder than normal to avoid distortion. This is a common problem in podcasts if you’re laughing or getting excited or passionate.
Overall, this is an awesome microphone that will serve both beginners and more advanced podcasters equally well.
It’s a bit more expensive than the Blue Yeti X, but it may be worth it.
Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB Microphone — $99.00
Audio-Technica ATR2100x Review
I love the Audio-Technica ATR2100x because it can be used as a USB microphone but also has an XLR output if you want to run it through an audio interface or preamp.
This microphone is used by Tim Ferriss when he’s on the road or recording remotely and he often sends one to guests who don’t have their own via Amazon Prime.
So if you’re planning to travel a lot and want something that you can plug in and use on the go, the Audio-Technica ATR2100x could be a good option for you.
It’s especially designed for streaming and podcasting and if you’ve ever listened to an episode of The Tim Ferriss Show when he’s recording via Skype, you’ll know that this microphone sounds really good.
“… it has the best bang-for-the-buck value I’ve found” — Tim Ferriss
The main downside of this mic is that it’s hand-held, although you can always buy a cheap microphone stand or arm.
For the $99 price tag, it’s hard to beat the quality and versatility of the Audio-Technica ATR2100x.
Get the Audio-Technica ATR2100x
Rode Podcaster USB Dynamic Microphone — $229.00
Rode Podcaster Review
Rode are renowned for producing excellent microphone and the Rode Podcaster is no exception.
As the name suggests, this is Rode’s dedicated podcasting microphone, designed especially for recording vocals.
Because it’s a USB mic, it lacks the quality of Rode’s XLR studio microphones, but it holds its own as a versatile and easy-to-use podcast microphone.
The design lets this microphone down a bit. In my opinion, it looks more like a vibrator than a microphone.
But if that doesn’t bother you, the Rode Podcaster is a really good microphone that’s going to serve you well as a beginner.
Shure MV51 — $199.00
Shure MV51 Review
The Shure MV51 microphone is a thing of beauty. I mean, look at it. That’s one sexy microphone.
It’s like the vintage vibe has been revived for the digital age.
Shure are the creators of one of the best podcast microphones that money can buy — the Shure SM7B ($399.00), which is used by the likes of Joe Rogan, Marc Maron and Rich Roll.
At half the price, The MV51 is their more affordable USB microphone that’s designed for podcasting.
But you can be Shure (see what I did there) that they’ve packed features from their more expensive mics into the MV51.
The front touch panel lets you choose from five presets, including one that’s especially made for recording speech.
It has a simple kick stand for placing the microphone on a desk or table.
The MV51 is built like a tank, looks amazing, and sounds great.
Samson CO1U Pro USB Microphone — $100.00
Samson C01U Pro Review
Samson is a lesser known microphone brand, but they actually created the world’s first USB studio condenser microphone back in 2005, the C01U.
The C01U Pro is the new and improved version, featuring a headphone output for zero-latency monitoring and an improved signal-to-noise ratio.
It’s not the prettiest microphone but it delivers excellent audio quality in a simple package for an affordable price.
Podcast reviewer Podcastage ranked it as the best USB microphone under $100 back in 2016. It probably still deserves that ranking today.
It comes with its own tripod stand and swivel mount, which is a nice touch.
AKG Lyra Multi-Pattern USB Microphone — $149.00
AKG Lyra Review
The AKG Lyra is clearly trying to grab a slice of the Blue Yeti’s pie.
The design is similar and the functionality is comparable — but the AKG Lyra stands on its own.
The sound quality of this microphone is really impressive (Ultra HD). It’s warm, tight and clean.
It’s a USB microphone that can be used on computers and tablets.
You can choose from four different pickup settings, including front (cardioid), front and back (for those in-person interviews across a table), tight stereo and wide stereo.
It’s big, chunky, sturdy and has that vintage microphone look.
For what it’s worth, Pat Flynn of The Smart Passive Income Podcast highly recommends this microphone.
Take your pick
All of the microphones listed here are great options for beginner podcasters.
The sound quality will vary slightly, but they will all be more than enough for producing a great podcast.
Like I said at the start, you just have to pick one and roll with it.
The gear is less important than the quality of your content.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
Happy podcasting!
Just a heads-up that I’ve included some affiliate links in this article. If you buy one of these mics I might be a small commission. Cool? Cool.
