USB Microphones & Adapters Bring Stardom Down To Earth

Home video recording is enjoying a renaissance lately, with every smartphone or a digital camcorder owner poised to become the next YouTube star.

But there are loftier possibilities for this explosion of technology: instructional videos, product promotions, podcasting, video blogs- the sky truly is the limit!

Making and uploading videos is now as simple as plugging your camcorder into an available USB port. Most likely, your camera or other device features a built-in mic to record audio as it happens.

But what if you want to add audio after you’ve already recorded your video? Or you want to compensate for poor soundtrack quality by dubbing in voices?

Assuming you already have the software, your first task is to plug a mic into the computer. Here are two easy ways to get your soundtrack going.

1. Plug in a USB microphone

If you’re starting from scratch, the simplest thing to do is to get a mic that plugs directly into your computer’s USB port.

USB microphones have the advantage of producing a strong signal without the need of a preamp, and don’t require adapters or other cords: just plug them in and go.

What’s more, many microphones (especially high-quality condenser mics) require an additional power source – called “phantom power” – to convert a sound into a signal.

With USB microphones, the USB port provides the phantom power, so you won’t have to worry about batteries or other cords.

There is a wide range of microphones available with USB connectors. Both Shure and Samson offer high-quality USB microphones to fit all kinds of budgets.

2. Get your Mic a USB adapter

Until recently, if you wanted to connect a mic with a 3-pin XLR connector to your computer, there weren’t too many options.

Thankfully that situation has changed. Many audio manufacturers now offer XLR to USB adapters with a range of features (and prices).

One of the best is the Shure X2U XLR-to-USB adapter which allows any mic with an XLR output to interface with your PC or Mac.

This is an extra advantage if you already own a high-end mic and don’t want to invest in extra equipment to get the same sound quality.

With features like an integrated preamp with gain control, phantom power, and headphone jack, the Shure X2U promises to make life a whole lot easier for podcasters, producers and computer geeks everywhere.

More questions? Call 407-757-3326 or just drop us an email!