Introduction
The first article for The Backlot will focus on audio hardware recommendation. My background in audio is limited, so this article will focus on hardware recommendations for content creators. As an undergraduate student in the Electronic Media, Arts, and Communication program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, I took two courses in audio (ARTS 1010 – Media Studio: Video/Audio and ARTS 2020 – Computer Music) and produced live video programs for RPI TV.
For broadcasters in the Seattle area, the Seattle Online Broadcasters Association has an BroadcasterU audio workshop for content creators this Saturday. The course is free. The instructor, Michel Henein, is extraordinarily well-qualified to teach the course. His professional qualifications span across television and film, video games, and research and development.
If you live in the Seattle area, please make it out – opportunities for free professional instruction from well-qualified experts are rare. As a SOBA organizer, we believe in making professional development accessible to all broadcasters.
Headsets, USB, or XLR microphones?
As a broadcaster, you have several choices for audio hardware to choose from. If you already have a gaming headset with a built-in microphone, you do not need to purchase anything else to get started. However, gaming headset microphones do not provide the best audio quality for most broadcast use cases. My recommended upgrade path from a headset microphone is a condenser microphone.
The majority of condenser microphones use an 3-pin XLR connector (XLR3), which usually requires the use a separate piece of hardware called a USB audio interface in order to connect it to a PC. Several recommendations are provided to address common broadcasting use cases.
Hardware Picks
Headsets
I do not recommend a gaming headset as a long-term audio solution for content creators, but the Kingston HyperX Cloud Pro headset ($79.99 on Amazon) should work well. It is the successor to the discontinued HyperX Cloud Gaming headset, which I have personally used for several years.
Standalone USB Microphones
If you are looking to spend less than $100 on a standalone USB microphone, the Plugable Studio Microphone is an excellent choice at $75. I have had the opportunity to borrow one when Plugable Technologies provided several of them as raffle items at the Seattle Community MeetUp hosted by SOBA.
If you’re willing to spend a bit more, the Blue Yeti ($130 on Amazon) from Blue Microphones (recently acquired by Logitech) is an extremely popular microphone for content creators.
USB Audio Interfaces
For individual use, I recommend the Focusrite Scarlett line of USB audio interfaces. The cheapest interface available is the Focusrite Scarlett Solo ($109.99 on Amazon), but is limited to a single microphone.
If you’re looking to use more than one microphone, look at the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 ($159.99 on Amazon). The Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 ($169.99 on Amazon) allows you to monitor both input and playback, allowing you to listen to game audio and microphone audio with no latency. This is extremely useful for singing games like Twitch Sings or esports commentary with multiple commentators.
XLR Microphones
For individual use, I recommend the Audio-Technica AT2020 XLR microphone ($99 on Amazon). The AT2020 is a popular pick among broadcasters for a professional microphone.
Kenley Cheung 