{"id":259366,"date":"2021-05-26T16:00:36","date_gmt":"2021-05-26T13:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/should-you-buy-a-headset-or-a-usb-microphone-review-geek\/"},"modified":"2021-05-26T16:00:36","modified_gmt":"2021-05-26T13:00:36","slug":"should-you-buy-a-headset-or-a-usb-microphone-review-geek","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/should-you-buy-a-headset-or-a-usb-microphone-review-geek\/","title":{"rendered":"#Should You Buy a Headset or a USB Microphone? \u2013 Review Geek"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3d8a8932e52\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3d8a8932e52\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/should-you-buy-a-headset-or-a-usb-microphone-review-geek\/#USB_Mics_Better_Audio_Quality_More_Work\" >USB Mics: Better Audio Quality, More Work<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/should-you-buy-a-headset-or-a-usb-microphone-review-geek\/#Headsets_Jack_of_all_Trades_Master_of_None\" >Headsets: Jack of all Trades, Master of None<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/should-you-buy-a-headset-or-a-usb-microphone-review-geek\/#Which_Should_You_Buy\" >Which Should You Buy?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>&#8220;#Should You Buy a Headset or a USB Microphone? \u2013 Review Geek&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-content-area\">\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage wp-image-82708 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/05\/e7e44edc-2.jpg?width=1200\" alt=\"Gaming headset on desk and a Microphone against red backdrop in a collage.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Random Photo Gallery\/Shutterstock.com, EKKAPHAN CHIMPALEE\/Shutterstock.com\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/usb-microphone-on-red-background-copy-1664359531\">Random Photo Gallery\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/gamer-workspace-concept-top-view-gaming-1164678067\">\u00a0EKKAPHAN CHIMPALEE\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>USB microphones and headsets both offer relatively budget-friendly options when it comes to capturing audio, but they have very different priorities when doing so. Which one is better for your situation? Let\u2019s dive a bit deeper and figure that out.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"USB_Mics_Better_Audio_Quality_More_Work\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_audio\">USB Mics: Better Audio Quality, More Work<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-82709 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/05\/5e2950fe.jpg\" alt=\"Blue Yeti microphone on a silver table against black backdrop\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Rockcache\/Shutterstock.com\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Rockcache\/Shutterstock.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>When it comes to high-quality audio, there\u2019s no competition\u2014a dedicated USB mic is going to beat out a headset mic any day of the week. USB mics are larger and include better internals for recording things like voiceovers and podcasts. Your voice will be clearer, they handle background noise better, and the actual audio captured will be higher definition than most headset mics, allowing for much more freedom in post-production and audio editing. If you\u2019re prioritizing audio quality, then a USB mic is the way to go.<\/p>\n<p>On top of better audio quality, USB mics also tend to be more customizable. Many of them\u2014like the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.elgato.com\/en\/wave-3\">Elgato Wave 3<\/a> or <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=204a528a336ede4177fff0d84a044482&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bluemic.com%2Fen-us%2Fproducts%2Fyeti-x%2F\">Blue Yeti X<\/a>\u2014allow you to fine-tune the audio with different settings like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/59467\/htg-explains-what-is-an-equalizer-and-how-does-it-work\/\">EQ adjustment<\/a>. This is model-dependent, and some USB mics might only allow you to adjust their volume, but these options are much more common than in the world of headsets. Some microphones also include on-device controls (like a dial for adjusting the volume or a mute button), which helps out with this, but that\u2019s not as common\u2014especially in budget mics.<\/p>\n<p>USB microphones often feature zero-latency headphone jacks that allow you to monitor your audio in real-time. This way you know exactly what you\u2019re going to sound like before the recording is over, and you can adjust things live if needed. That brings up an important point against USB mics, though: the setup. Because there\u2019s a lot you can do to ensure the best quality out of a dedicated microphone.<\/p>\n<p>Microphones sound their best when close to your mouth, and while most USB mics come with short stands to help with this, it\u2019s rarely enough. If you want the best quality possible, you\u2019ll have to invest in multiple accessories like a mic arm (for raising the microphone to your mouth) and a pop filter (for removing <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=SzHscqWrrbc\">plosives<\/a>). This can complicate your desk setup and make using the microphone more bothersome (at least until they invent a quality wireless microphone). It might also add to your overall bill, which you may not have been planning on.<\/p>\n<p>USB microphones are by no means the height of audio quality, but they strike a comfortable balance between lower-end microphones you\u2019d find in headsets or webcams and higher-end options like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/404747\/what-is-an-xlr-microphone-and-why-do-i-want-one\/\">XLR microphones<\/a>. But with increased audio quality comes a more finicky product that requires more attention.<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s without mentioning the prices; while you can find solid USB mics for around $50, the $100 to $150 range is where you\u2019ll find the best balance of quality for the money. These higher-end microphones include better audio quality, more features (like the in-depth settings previously mentioned), and superior build quality. Add in those accessories we mentioned earlier, and you can easily spend a pretty penny on a USB microphone setup.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Headsets_Jack_of_all_Trades_Master_of_None\"><\/span>Headsets: Jack of all Trades, Master of None<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-82710 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/05\/6d3a681c.jpg\" alt=\"Man wearing headset while using a computer\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"fizkes\/Shutterstock.com\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">fizkes\/Shutterstock.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While USB microphones put their emphasis on audio quality, headsets differ because they need to balance their priorities between the headphones and microphone. Making a comfortable, nice-sounding pair of headphones is no simple task, and adding a microphone into the mix only complicates things. However, the pricing isn\u2019t that different from USB microphones\u2014there are budget options that strike the $50 to $100 range, with higher-end options that can go up to $150 to $200 (especially wireless headsets).<\/p>\n<p>This immediately means the microphone quality won\u2019t be as good as a USB mic, but that\u2019s probably expected. Not only are the microphones much smaller, but the money also needs to go to ensuring a quality pair of headphones as well. This leads to microphones that, while not bad most of the time, certainly won\u2019t blow you away.<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s not like the headphones get away scot-free here, they also suffer from this versatile design. You can\u2019t expect a high-end pair of headphones out of a headset for the same reason you can\u2019t expect a high-end microphone. Again, they don\u2019t sound bad, but a dedicated pair of headphones for the same price would definitely outperform them.<\/p>\n<p>However, with that lower quality comes convenience, as you\u2019ll never have to worry about purchasing a mic arm or fiddling around with the settings for a headset\u2014they\u2019re about as plug-n-play as it gets. Whether it\u2019s an inexpensive office headset or a high-end gaming one, the trade-off of audio quality for convenience is clear.<\/p>\n<p>This is also seen in what features are prioritized when it comes to headsets. For example, there are no wireless USB microphones because of the quality loss, but there are quite a few wireless headsets out there. And headsets often include small buttons and dials for adjusting your volume or muting yourself on the fly, which isn\u2019t as frequent on dedicated microphones.<\/p>\n<p>If you don\u2019t care much about the audio quality\u2014going in or out\u2014and you just want something all-around decent, then a headset is more than fine. They\u2019re not made to excel anywhere, but rather cover a few different use cases well. Headsets aim to be easy-to-use products that exchange pure quality for simplicity, and they do a fantastic job at that\u2014but if you\u2019re looking for an amazing pair of headphones or microphone, it\u2019s not the market you should be looking in.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Which_Should_You_Buy\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_conclusion\">Which Should You Buy?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>While we\u2019ve covered a lot here, this decision may be easier than you think, as it just comes down to what you actually need a microphone for. If all you do is join voice calls, then that\u2019s what headsets are designed for, and a quality one will be more than enough. You can also save some money by not needing to buy a separate pair of headphones, assuming you need a new pair in the first place.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, if you\u2019re looking to record voiceovers, create a podcast, or anything else that requires quality audio, a USB microphone is definitely the better option. USB mics are great because they balance quality sound with convenience. They may not be as high-end as XLR microphones, but they beat out headset and webcam mics easily.<\/p>\n<p>So if your only concern with audio quality is sounding alright, then a headset mic is fine\u2014if you have higher aspirations, then you should probably pick up a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/76467\/the-8-best-usb-microphones\/\">USB mic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\nsetTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n  fbq('init', '1137093656460433');\n  fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. 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Which one is better for your situation? Let\u2019s dive a bit deeper and figure that&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":259367,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/05\/e7e44edc-2.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-259366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259366","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=259366"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259366\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/259367"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=259366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=259366"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=259366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}