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In this episode of Podcasting Q&A, we break down the real difference between dynamic and condenser microphones so you can take the guesswork out of purchasing the best mic for your setup!
Welcome to Podcasting Q&A, brought to you by the people at Buzzsprout. I'm your host, Cara Pacetti, and I'm bringing you the best tips and strategies to keep you podcasting with confidence. Since we recently covered the differences between a USB and an XLR microphone, I wanted to just go ahead and take this opportunity to explain some differences between other types of microphones. So we're going to be talking about a condenser and a dynamic microphone, while including a little bit of a vocabulary lesson along the way. So I'll be honest, the names of these microphones make things sound way more complicated than they really are. The good news is that once you understand just how each microphone works, choosing the right one becomes much easier. When we discussed XLR versus USB mics, the main difference was how they connected to your computer. When it comes to a condenser versus a dynamic microphone, the biggest difference comes down to how sensitive each microphone is to sound. First, I want
to start with a dynamic microphone. Dynamic microphones are less sensitive to surrounding sound, which means they capture the sound that's closest to the microphone, which is your voice. Dynamic microphones are great for podcasters because they're incredibly good at rejecting background noise. If your air conditioner kicks on or your dog starts barking in the next room, or your kids are playing down the hallway, a dynamic microphone will do a much better job of focusing on your voice and ignoring everything else around you. The reason this is a great microphone for podcasters is because when you're just starting out, not everybody has access to a professionally sound-treated studio. A lot of us are just recording from our home office that we've placed a bunch of pillows and comforters on our desk, or we may even be recording from inside of a closet. So having a microphone that helps you reject any outside noise is going to help you get that clear and crisp audio that you would as if you were recording in a professional studio. So to get the best sound out of your dynamic microphone, mic technique is going to be important here. The recommendation is to hold the microphone about two to four inches away from your mouth. Or of course, if you have a boom arm or you can connect the microphone where you're not holding it, that's even better. And since they're less sensitive, they'll also need a little more gain to reach that optimal recording level. All right,
so now it's time for a bonus vocab word. A word you may see come up in your research is the word cardioid. I don't want you to get hung up on that word if you see it. This term is just describing the pattern in which the microphone is picking up sound. An easy way to describe this is that a cardioid microphone is designed to hear your voice from the front of the mic while minimizing sounds from the sides and from behind you. But not to worry, most popular dynamic and condenser microphones will be using this cardioid pattern. So, as a little bonus, does anybody have a guess on how they came up with the name cardioid? Go ahead and click the Send Us fan mail link in the show notes and let me know what your answer is. I'd love to share it on our next episode. Now that you know a little bit more about dynamic microphones and how they work, I want to leave you with some recommendations of popular examples of this type of microphone. The first is a Shure SM7B, which is actually what I'm recording on now. There's also a Shure M V7, a Samsung Q2U, and a Rode Pod mic. So
now that I've introduced you to the dynamic microphone, I'd like to go over what a condenser microphone is. So I'm sure you've guessed it, but a condenser mic is actually more sensitive to sound than the dynamic microphones. The trade-off here is that they capture everything. Your voice sounds great, but so does your ceiling fan, your keyboard, and the neighbor mowing the lawn next door. And every little echo in your room is captured and added to your audio track. So just like the dynamic mic, we need to consider mic technique here. Since these microphones are more sensitive to sound, you can actually sit a little further away. The recommendation is to be about four to eight inches away from the microphone and it will still pick up your voice clearly. And since this microphone is more sensitive to sound, it actually requires less gain since it's designed to capture quieter sounds.
Okay, so I'm gonna throw another vocab word at you. The word is gain. I've said it a couple of times, and I'm not talking about the laundry detergent. Gain is actually the strength of an audio signal that's entering a device. So the input, while volume is the strength of the signal leaving your device. So when you're listening to a podcast and you're turning up your audio controls, this is controlling the volume. So this is controlling the output of that audio signal. But when you're recording into a microphone, you can actually control the audio signal that's going into your interface or even going directly into your computer, into your recording software. And that is called gain. And so, depending on the sensitivity of the microphone you're using, it will determine whether that gain needs to be turned up or turned down. Some of the popular examples of a dynamic microphone include a blue Yeti, a Rode NT1, or an Audio Technica AT2020. So
just like the XLR versus USB microphone setup, neither option here is better than the other. They're just different and they're better suited for different recording environments. The question here is which one is right for you? For most podcasters, especially those recording at home, we almost always recommend a dynamic microphone. Most people aren't recording inside professionally treated studios. They're recording in home offices, bedrooms, kitchens, or spare rooms where there's naturally some background noise. A dynamic microphone helps to eliminate many of those distractions before they ever make it into your recording. That means less editing afterward and a cleaner listening experience for your audience. If you do have a quiet recording space with good sound treatment, a condenser mic can capture an incredible detail and warmth in your voice. Many voiceover artists, musicians, and professional recording studios use condenser microphones because they're designed to capture every little nuance of your performance. If you've invested in acoustic treatment and have control over your recording environment, then a condenser mic can absolutely be the right choice for you. So while it's important to choose the correct microphone, the way that your recording space is set up also has a lot to do with the quality of your audio. So I've actually released an entire episode on creating a home studio and treating it for the best audio possible. And so I'm gonna link that in the show notes below. If you want to check that out next, you can find that there. At the end of the day, your audience isn't listening to your microphone. They're listening to you. So my recommendation is to pick the microphone that helps you create clear audio consistently. That way you can spend your time publishing episodes instead of worrying about your gear. I hope this episode proves that no questions are off limits. If you have a question and you want us to do a deep dive into a solution, send it in using the Send Us fan mail link in the show notes or reach out to us on the Podcaster Success team by emailing support at buzzsprout.com. Be sure to join us every Monday to kickstart your week. Thank you so much for listening. And as always, keep podcasting.
