USB microphones and audio buying guide

A decent USB microphone used correctly beats an expensive one used badly.

1. Speak close to the microphone (a hand's width) to cut room echo and background noise.
2. Cardioid patterns pick up what is in front of them and reject the sides, which suits most desks.
3. Headphone monitoring with no delay helps you avoid levels that are too loud or quiet.
4. A pop filter and a boom arm are cheap and make the recording noticeably cleaner.
5. For phones and cameras, a clip-on lavalier is often better than a desk microphone.

Common mistake: Recording in an empty hard-walled room; a few soft furnishings do more than a pricier mic.