Best Microphone and Speakers for Gaming and Good for Blasting Some Music?

[Jinn-Gon Qui]

I don't like headphones. I like to hear the sound as it is in the background so I could pretty much hear everything. So while I have a decent/junk speakers and microphone, I'd like something of quality.

[Jinn-Gon Qui]

Publicado originalmente por Advanced3:

Any 600 series Sennheiser are great, but kinda pricey. The Phiilips SPH9500s are also very nice open back headphones for gaming and they're usually under $80, most people agree they are the best open back headphones for under $200, real over performers.

Looks minimalistic, but I'm sure they do the job. I like the Phillips SPH9500, because of the design, so I might consider that.

What do you say about this mic: http://www.bluedesigns.com/products/spark-sl/

I watched it from a YouTuber who checked it, and I actually like the design.

[Morethan2Letters]

Publicado originalmente por Blazko Boy:

Publicado originalmente por Advanced3:

Any 600 series Sennheiser are great, but kinda pricey. The Phiilips SPH9500s are also very nice open back headphones for gaming and they're usually under $80, most people agree they are the best open back headphones for under $200, real over performers.

Looks minimalistic, but I'm sure they do the job. I like the Phillips SPH9500, because of the design, so I might consider that.

They're currently 54.99 on newegg, thats a steal.

Publicado originalmente por Blazko Boy:

What do you say about this mic: http://www.bluedesigns.com/products/spark-sl/

I watched it from a YouTuber who checked it, and I actually like the design.

Never used that mic. I use an Audio-Techinca 2035 microphone with a Scarlett 2i2 interface.

[Jinn-Gon Qui]

Publicado originalmente por Advanced3:

Publicado originalmente por Blazko Boy:

Looks minimalistic, but I'm sure they do the job. I like the Phillips SPH9500, because of the design, so I might consider that.

They're currently 54.99 on newegg, thats a steal.

Damn!

Publicado originalmente por Advanced3:

Publicado originalmente por Blazko Boy:

What do you say about this mic: http://www.bluedesigns.com/products/spark-sl/

I watched it from a YouTuber who checked it, and I actually like the design.

Never used that mic. I use an Audio-Techinca 2035 microphone with a Scarlett 2i2 interface.

That's some rig.

[Morethan2Letters]

You will need an interface with the blue mic also.

[John Doe]

Blue makes some good mics, a lot of streamers and KCRW use them. However, that mic seems to be a bit more suited for instrument recording, rather than voice recording. It also needs an external interface as was pointed above.

[Jinn-Gon Qui]

Publicado originalmente por Advanced3:

You will need an interface with the blue mic also.

Publicado originalmente por John Doe:

Blue makes some good mics, a lot of streamers and KCRW use them. However, that mic seems to be a bit more suited for instrument recording, rather than voice recording. It also needs an external interface as was pointed above.

Shoot. But I probably have one somewhere lying around my father's equipment. Or I might as well just end up getting an interface if I really want to get that microphone. The question is, if it's good for gaming?

[John Doe]

If you have an external sound card that can provide +48V phantom power, you can get it. Yes, it'll do the job for gaming as well. It's also likely better than the Seiren in sound quality. It just doesn't offer as many directional options (2 against 4).

Also, do take a look at Yamaha HS5s. They're great studio speakers for the price, you might use them with an interface.

[Jinn-Gon Qui]

Publicado originalmente por John Doe:

If you have an external sound card that can provide +48V phantom power, you can get it. Yes, it'll do the job for gaming as well. It's also likely better than the Seiren in sound quality. It just doesn't offer as many directional options (2 against 4).

Also, do take a look at Yamaha HS5s. They're great studio speakers for the price, you might use them with an interface.

By sound card do you mean like a PCI-e connecter into computer, that has FireWire or some kind of connector, or literally external?

I don't know about Yamaha. I actually had them big speakers before I left them for my brother. I just like the Logitech one that I chose because it's practically what I was aiming for.

Oh, you know what, John Doe. I just noticed there's a cheaper version of Blue that even comes with a game, so that mic might be fitting for gaming purposes, compared to the one I posted first.

[tacoshy]

Motherboard only has a 24v atx connector with the 24pin... No way to reach 48v with it.
It's literally external.

[John Doe]

I mean, an interface that uses USB, they used to do with FireWire as well but that interface died.

Some examples to that would be Focusrite Scarlett, M-Audio M Track and Roland Quad Capture.

You need one of that kind of external interface to power those non-USB condenser mics. They use XLR cables and you WILL need the interface in order to provide the +48V phantom power required for that mic to work.

[Jinn-Gon Qui]

Publicado originalmente por John Doe:

I mean, an interface that uses USB, they used to do with FireWire as well but that interface died.

Some examples to that would be Focusrite Scarlett, M-Audio M Track and Roland Quad Capture.

You need one of that kind of external interface to power those non-USB condenser mics. They use XLR cables and you WILL need the interface in order to provide the +48V phantom power required for that mic to work.

Understood!

I think I might go with this mic: http://www.bluedesigns.com/products/yeti/

It says USB, but giving your explanation, does it mean it won't work if I connect to I/O of my Motherboard, or I still need an interface nonetheless?

[John Doe]

Nope, you won't need an external interface with USB since USB can deliver power. That's the good thing about it, and yes, that mic is a good choice.

[Jinn-Gon Qui]

Publicado originalmente por John Doe:

Nope, you won't need an external interface with USB since USB can deliver power. That's the good thing about it, and yes, that mic is a good choice.

Good to know! So I'll probably just go with the $130-$139 one.

[Sticky Honeybuns]

Publicado originalmente por ⛧EyMi Mayhem⛧:

Publicado originalmente por Blazko Boy:

I'm all ears. Which speakers are talking about?

Also, do you have any microphone suggestions, like what John Doe suggested?

I own the companion 5 multimedia.

https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/speakers/stereo_speakers/companion-5-multimedia-speaker-system.html#ProductTabs_tab1

Publicado originalmente por Blazko Boy:

Also, do you have any microphone suggestions, like what John Doe suggested?

Well, the nt1 is alrdy one of the top notch mic's.
Hmm mxl 770 or akg pro maybe worth a look.

Publicado originalmente por John Doe:

She's talking about Bose Companions.

^my bad, yes

The companions are absolute junk do not buy them. I didn't read through all 60 responses but if you have a small budget get the klipsch pro media 2.1. Bestbuy carries them and they are the best computer speaker system you can get.

If you have a bigger budget then go with a dedicated receiver with nice bookshelf speakers and a sub.

The mic will be the trickiest part since you will need to do some acoustic treatment in the room even with a highly directional mic. The reason is because of your first reflection points will still have incident waves that propagate parallel to your mic.

There are a bunch of quality mics (audio technica, Shure) but after getting it you will want to treat the back wall directly behind you with acoustic foam to cut down on the first reflection points. You will also want to get a pop filter and some small foam to go behind your mic.

To treat your roam with the foam remember that sound propagates like light does. Take a mirror and run it along the surface of the wall. If you can see the speaker in the mirror that is a first reflection point and should be treated. Use a small handheld mirror. Also, high frequency is unidirectional and low frequency is omnidirectional. So if you don't want to treat your whole room with thick acoustic foam or pink poly stay away from loud bass as it's really difficult to tame the low end.

Now if you don't care about professional voice sound in your video and can deal with some feedback then you can ignore everything I said.

Also stay away from anything that says Bose or beats on it.

[Sticky Honeybuns]

Publicado originalmente por John Doe:

I mean, an interface that uses USB, they used to do with FireWire as well but that interface died.

Some examples to that would be Focusrite Scarlett, M-Audio M Track and Roland Quad Capture.

You need one of that kind of external interface to power those non-USB condenser mics. They use XLR cables and you WILL need the interface in order to provide the +48V phantom power required for that mic to work.

Straight USB mics should work fine. He mentions here using a phantom power source with xlr cables and mic. This will give you your best SNR but will be much more expensive then stand alone mics. If you want the most professional sound though this is the way to go and is what I use for videos and audio calibrations.