Your microphone is the most important piece of equipment you will use when streaming. Because of this, it’s vital that you take steps to ensure your stream sounds as good as possible.
Here are several tips you should follow to improve your microphone quality for streaming.
Table of Contents
1) Use a pop filter
No need for an expensive studio condenser mic! To avoid “pops” in your audio sudden changes in air pressure caused by saying words with letters like B or P simply drape a thin cloth over your mic stand and dangle some tassels off the bottom of it so that they dangle just slightly above your mouth. As you speak into the mic, the tassels will catch any pops before they can reach it.
2) Get a better mic
If the above tip didn’t work out for you, your next best bet is to invest in a slightly better microphone. You don’t need anything expensive, check out reviews on equivalent mics under $100. They are usually good enough quality that they will outperform your stock microphone by leaps and bounds.
3) Try different USB ports
If you’re plugging into a single USB port on your computer, try unplugging other devices plugged into it (like webcams or mice). It’s possible one of these devices may be causing interference with your sound despite having its own driver installed. For example, if your webcam drivers are messed up for some reason, this may cause problems with any other devices plugged into the same USB port.
4) Distance makes a difference
When you’re microphone streaming, try to position it as close to your mouth as possible (without hurting yourself!) but make sure you aren’t blocking the air vent on the top of it – this is how sound travels from your voice to the mic! If there isn’t an air vent, make sure you don’t put anything over the grill on the front of it. Ideally, raise your mic stand higher than your head and position yourself slightly below it so that sound has somewhere to go after it leaves your lips.
5) Use an audio interface
An audio interface will improve both input and output quality for your microphone by boosting its signal using dedicated hardware. This ensures your microphone streaming will receive a much better signal without any need for further tinkering. The cheapest interfaces are around $50, but you can find them even cheaper if you look at second-hand items on eBay.
6) Proper positioning is key
Be aware that sound reflects off surfaces, so the best way to avoid this is to point the front of your mic directly into whatever space you’re in. This ensures all sounds come straight from you and reduces echo considerably. If there’s no way to do this safely, simply moving closer or further away from walls will have an effect on how well they reflect sound waves. Remember to try not to block your voice channel with things like bookshelves or large boxes; these obstructions may absorb sounds from your voice, causing tinny reverberation.
Conclusion:
By following the above pointers, you’ll be able to improve microphone quality for streaming in no time. In most cases, these tips will apply to whatever hardware you’re using – simply adjust your settings accordingly.