Microphone Devices
Studio, broadcast, and streaming microphones. Three connection styles dominate: classic XLR (Shure SM7B, Rode PodMic, Shure SM58), pure USB (Blue Yeti X, Elgato Wave:3), and hybrid USB+XLR (Shure MV7+, Rode PodMic USB, Rode NT1 5th Gen) that started shipping in 2023. Most USB mics use a captive Micro-B or USB-C cable; hybrid designs typically expose USB-C on the body alongside a standard XLR output.
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Audio-Technica AT2020 (XLR) (2004)
The Audio-Technica AT2020 is a cardioid condenser microphone that became a studio and podcast staple thanks to its low price and clean sound. This is the XLR version (distinct from the separate AT2020USB models), so its only connection is a single 3-pin XLR output that must run to an audio interface or mixer supplying 48V…
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Audio-Technica AT2020USB-X (2023)
The AT2020USB-X is a cardioid condenser microphone that connects over USB-C and records at up to 24-bit/96kHz with no drivers required. It is bus-powered, so the USB-C port carries both audio and power, and the box includes a USB-C cable plus a USB-A adapter for legacy ports. A built-in 3.5mm headphone output with its own…
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Audio-Technica AT2035 (XLR) (2012)
The Audio-Technica AT2035 is a large-diaphragm cardioid condenser microphone, a step up from the AT2020 with lower self-noise plus a switchable 80 Hz high-pass filter and a 10 dB pad. Like its smaller sibling it connects over a single 3-pin XLR output and needs 48V phantom power from an audio interface or mixer. There is…
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Audio-Technica AT2040 (XLR) (2021)
The AT2040 is the cheapest way into Audio-Technica’s broadcast-dynamic sound, and its connectivity is exactly one connector: a 3-pin male XLR on the mic body. No USB, no headphone jack, no phantom power needed — it’s a passive dynamic mic that plugs into any interface or mixer with a mic preamp. The hypercardioid pattern and…
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Blue Yeti (2009)
The Blue Yeti is a multi-pattern USB condenser microphone that plugs straight into a computer with no audio interface needed. The connection is the detail buyers most often get wrong: the original 2009 model uses a USB Mini-B port (not the Micro-B or USB-C of later mics), so you need a USB-A-to-Mini-B cable. A 3.5mm…
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Blue Yeti X (2019)
The Blue Yeti X is a multi-pattern USB condenser microphone for streamers and podcasters, with four pickup patterns (cardioid, omni, bidirectional, stereo) and a smart knob with an 11-segment LED meter for live level monitoring. It connects to a computer via a captive USB Micro-B to USB-A cable and runs at up to 24-bit/48 kHz.…
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Elgato Wave DX (2022)
The Wave DX is a cardioid dynamic broadcast microphone that connects over a single 3-pin XLR output and needs no signal booster, unlike many low-output dynamic mics. Because it is purely analog, it requires an audio interface or mixer with an XLR input — there is no USB on the mic itself. Its dynamic capsule…
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Elgato Wave Neo (2023)
Elgato’s entry Wave keeps the two connections that matter: a USB-C port (USB 2.0, bus-powered at 5V/200mA) and — unlike several budget rivals — a real 3.5mm headphone jack for zero-latency monitoring. Tap-to-mute on top, 5/8-inch thread underneath with adapters for 3/8 and 1/4-inch mounts, and a braided USB-C to USB-A cable in the box.
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Elgato Wave:1 (2020)
The Elgato Wave:1 is a USB condenser microphone aimed at streamers, pairing a cardioid capsule with Elgato’s Wave Link mixing software. It connects over a USB-C port on the mic (USB 2.0 class) to a USB-A cable on the computer, and adds a 3.5mm headphone jack for low-latency monitoring with USB audio playback. There are…
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Elgato Wave:3 (2020)
The Elgato Wave:3 is a cardioid USB condenser microphone aimed at streamers and content creators. It connects to a host computer via USB-C at up to 24-bit/96 kHz and pairs with the free Wave Link mixer software for multi-source streaming. A 3.5mm headphone jack on the rear gives zero-latency stereo monitoring, and Elgato’s Clipguard technology…
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HyperX DuoCast (2022)
The DuoCast sits between HyperX’s SoloCast and QuadCast with the I/O most streamers actually need: a USB-C port (USB 2.0 full-speed, 5V/200mA bus power) and a rear 3.5mm headphone jack for zero-latency monitoring at up to 7mW into 32 ohms. The shock mount is built in, the RGB ring is tasteful, and the included mount…
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HyperX QuadCast 2 (2024)
The QuadCast 2 is a multi-pattern USB condenser microphone aimed at streamers, connecting to a computer or console over USB-C at up to 24-bit/96kHz. It is bus-powered, so a single USB-C cable handles both data and power, and HyperX includes a USB-C-to-USB-A adapter for older ports. A 3.5mm headphone jack on the body provides real-time…
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HyperX QuadCast S (2020)
The QuadCast S is an RGB multi-pattern USB condenser microphone for streamers, connecting to a computer or console over USB-C at 16-bit/48kHz. Unlike the original QuadCast, which used a Mini-B port, the QuadCast S upgraded to USB-C on the mic body with a USB-C-to-USB-A cable in the box. A 3.5mm headphone jack near the USB…
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Logitech Blue Sona XLR (2022)
The Blue Sona is an active-dynamic XLR broadcast microphone from Logitech’s Blue line, built for streamers and podcasters who run a proper audio interface. Its only connection is a single 3-pin XLR output — there is no USB path on this model. Thanks to its built-in ClearAmp preamp it delivers about +25 dB of extra…
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Logitech Yeti GX (2023)
Logitech G’s Yeti GX is a dynamic supercardioid streaming mic with exactly one connector: a USB-C port on the underside. Unlike the classic Blue Yeti it replaces, there is no 3.5mm headphone jack — monitoring happens through your PC. The spec sheet asks for a USB 3.0 host port, but that’s about bus power for…
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Logitech Yeti Orb (2023)
The Yeti Orb is Logitech G’s entry condenser mic, and its back panel could not be simpler: one USB-C port, nothing else. No headphone jack, no XLR — monitoring runs through your computer, and the RGB G-logo doubles as the mute indicator. A detachable 2m USB-C to USB-A cable and 1/4-inch mounting threads cover desk…
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Rode NT-USB Mini (2020)
The NT-USB Mini is a compact studio condenser microphone that connects over USB-C and is class-compliant, so it works on any PC or Mac with no drivers. It records at 24-bit/48kHz and is bus-powered, meaning the USB-C port supplies both audio and power. A high-quality 3.5mm headphone output on the back offers zero-latency monitoring with…
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Rode NT-USB+ (2023)
The NT-USB+ is a studio condenser microphone that plugs straight into a computer or phone over USB-C, with class-compliant audio that needs no drivers. It records at up to 24-bit/48kHz and is bus-powered, so the USB-C connection carries both data and power. A dedicated 3.5mm headphone output on the base gives zero-latency monitoring while you…
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Rode NT1 5th Generation (2023)
The Rode NT1 5th Generation is a large-diaphragm cardioid condenser studio microphone with Rode’s Dual Connect socket — a single base that accepts either a standard XLR cable or a USB-C cable. Over USB-C it becomes the first microphone in the world with a 32-bit float digital output (up to 192 kHz), with onboard DSP…
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Rode NT1 Signature Series (2023)
RODE’s NT1 Signature Series is the analog-only take on their legendary studio condenser: a single 3-pin XLR output that needs 48V phantom power from your interface, and nothing else on the body. Don’t confuse it with the NT1 5th Generation, which adds a USB-C digital output — the Signature is pure XLR at a lower…
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Rode NT1-A (2003)
The Rode NT1-A is a large-diaphragm cardioid condenser microphone famous for being one of the quietest studio mics ever made, with just 5 dBA of self-noise. It is a pure XLR microphone: a single 3-pin XLR output runs to an audio interface or mixer that supplies 48V phantom power. There is no USB or onboard…
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Rode PodMic (2019)
The Rode PodMic is a budget broadcast-style cardioid dynamic microphone designed for podcasting and voice work. It has a single 3-pin XLR output and an internal pop filter, so it needs an external interface or mixer (such as the Rode AI-1 or RODECaster Pro) to reach a computer. The all-metal housing weighs 937g and includes…
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Rode PodMic USB (2023)
The Rode PodMic USB is a hybrid broadcast cardioid dynamic that pairs the original PodMic’s voicing with a digital USB-C output and a 3.5mm headphone jack for zero-latency monitoring. The XLR output runs a clean analog signal; the USB-C output streams 24-bit/48 kHz audio with onboard APHEX DSP, allowing it to plug straight into a…
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Rode VideoMic NTG (2020)
The Rode VideoMic NTG is a hybrid on-camera shotgun microphone that doubles as a USB mic. It carries a USB-C port for plugging directly into a computer for voice-over or streaming, plus a single 3.5mm output that auto-senses whether it is connected to a camera (TRS) or phone (TRRS) — and that same 3.5mm jack…
