Making YouTube videos is becoming an everyday affair, so having the right equipment is also becoming more important. Today we are going to have a look at the best cheap microphones under $50. We are going to check which type of budget microphones are the best for your YouTube video making.
We are going to review the updated list of lavalier, shotgun, and USB mics and checking which are the best. We are also going to show you what to do if your camera does not have a microphone. Let’s get right into it and start with the review.
First, in the video below there’s a soundcheck with the on-camera mic from the Sony A7III. So that you can hear the sound quality we are getting from the standard mic on our camera.
BOYA BY-M1 Lavalier microphone
First of you can hear that the BY-M1 does not have the “tinny” sound that the on-camera mic has, an immediate improvement in sound quality. This mic costs around $20. A great feature of this mic is that it comes with an extra-long cable and a battery pack. On the battery holder, you can choose from camera mode or smartphone mode. This mic only gives you one audio source, to do interviews you would need to upgrade it to a dual-mic. This option is only $30 so still a great budget mic.
TAKSTAR SGC-598 Shotgun Microphone
A great shotgun mic. Powered by an AA battery and mounts on the camera you are using. This particular model has a 10db gain switch that gives you a little extra boost if you need it. This makes your video audio so much better if you have a camera that does not have any gain on the mic input. Compared to the previous mic we used you can hear that the quality is actually quite good. However, you must remember to always stay close enough to the mic as you will lose sound quality.
When we switch the on-camera mic again you can hear the difference between the first 2 options and the on-camera mic. Quite a big audio improvement!
If you are shooting with an iPhone here’s a handy list of best iPhone Mics for Video:
Blue Snowball iCE USB Mic
This USB mic plugs directly into your laptop and not into the camera. As you hear, the quality of the audio is very good for less than $50. This type of mic is great for gaming and podcasting, and you can either hold in your hand or stand it up on the desk. What you do need to remember is that you will have to sync the audio in post-production as you are recording a separate audio file. These mic’s sound great but you will have to contend with them being in your shot as you need to have them close to get great audio quality.
Conclusion
Budget mics come in many shapes and variants, and most of them actually have great sound quality. You would have to remember that these mics are not a one-size-fits-all but are aimed at a specific use or type of recording. There are also handheld mics that come in below the $50 mark that also gives great audio quality. This list of best cheap microphones under $50 should help you improve your overall audio quality for your vlogs and live streaming.
Extra Reviews
Zoom H1n Handy Recorder
This handy audio recorder gives you all the ability of a wireless handheld mic plus it has an audio-in jack that allows you to get an extra audio source for your video. Again, with the audio being recorded onto the mic you would have to sync the audio in post-production.
