5 Entry-Level Microphones To Get You Started (2025)
- Matt Quandt
- Nov 20
- 5 min read
So you’re starting a podcast, or you want to improve your show in 2025? Well, you’re going to want to start with good equipment; everything will be easier going forward if you can get a good, quality recording. You will build more trust with your listeners, you will make your editor's life 10x easier, and you’ll feel more proud of the work you’ve put out.
Before I recommend these mics, I want to say first that without proper recording technique, you will not get a high-quality, professional-sounding recording, if you’re bumping the mic, if you have it too far away, if you’re in an untreated room, it won’t matter how good of a mic you have, it will be tough to get the sound you’re looking for. For more tips and information on using proper recording techniques, check out this article I wrote on that very topic!
Most of the microphones on this list come with the option of getting a USB version, as I want to make this as approachable for anyone just getting into podcasting, streaming, creating videos, anything that needs high-quality audio. That means most people coming here will not have an audio interface, which is needed for an XLR microphone.
Now, before I ramble on too much, here are the top 5 microphones I recommend for entry-level podcasters!
You’ve probably heard of or seen the Shure SM7B on several big podcasts, and there is a reason! They are incredible microphones. This could be considered the “little brother” of the SM7B.
It has fantastic low-end; it’s not as much of a dark-sounding microphone as the SM7B, which is the sound that a lot of podcasters are looking for nowadays. It might take a little bit of tweaking in post-production to tame some of those high-end frequencies, but it does give you a very high-quality sound!
It is a dynamic microphone, so it should help cut down on the background noise and focus the capture of the audio directly to what’s in front of it.
This one comes with its own pop filter and a couple of dials right on the side to dial in the volume at which you are monitoring. It doesn’t come with a mute button on the microphone directly, which would have been nice to include in this price point.
It comes with the Rode Central App, which gives you some pretty basic controls, including things like a noise gate, basic compression, a high pass filter, things that can easily enhance the quality of your audio, but nothing that is too fancy.
This is a condenser microphone, so inherently it will be a little more sensitive than dynamic mics, which can be both good and bad. If you’re in a well-treated room, you might be happier with the sound you get out of this, but if you have a lot of background noise, you might want to steer clear of this one.
Another cool thing about this mic is that it can connect directly to portable devices, like your phone, or an iPad. Giving you fantastic audio wherever you are! Pretty cool.
I’ve actually used the XLR version of this microphone for years, and it’s been one of my favorite mics to use, especially at this price point! It covers a wide frequency range, but it doesn’t do the best job of cutting out background noise. There is no high-pass filter built in, so you have to be aware that a lot of that low-end rumble will likely make its way into your audio.
This one comes with a few knobs, one to adjust the mix of how you are monitoring, whether that’s directly from the mic, or from your computer’s audio playback, and another knob to adjust the monitoring volume control. It also features a large mute button on the front, which turns the LED red when engaged.
If you have a fairly well-treated, relatively quiet room, then I would recommend checking this microphone out! Its strengths are the mid-range and mid-low end, the high-end frequencies can get a little biting, and it doesn’t do the best job at cutting out background noise, but overall, it’s a really great mic for not a lot of money.
I’ve been recommending this microphone for years, and there’s a reason for that. I don’t know that any USB mic on the market matches the quality you can get out of this thing for the price. You can find one of these for under $100, and it will come with a pop filter, cables, and a desktop stand; everything you need to get started!
This is a dynamic microphone, but you can also use it as an XLR, which makes it a great option if you’re thinking about upgrading in the future. It has an on/off switch on the front, as well as a volume control for monitoring in your headphones.
If you’re looking for the most professional quality audio, then maybe this isn’t the mic for you. But, if you’re just getting started, you’re not sure if this will be something you stick with, I highly recommend checking this out.
If you have video for your podcast, you might be looking for a mic that looks good on camera as well as sounds good, and with the colorful LED lights on the front of this mic, there might not be a better option.
This is a condenser mic, but you can switch between 4 different polar patterns: cardioid, omnidirectional, stereo, or figure eight. It has a dial on the front that you use for a few different things: the volume of your monitor mix, the gain of the microphone, the mix between 0 latency monitoring and computer audio playback, and you can choose between those 4 polar patterns as well. It also has a mute button on top. There is an LED light on top, indicating if the mic is muted, and which polar pattern you are in.
The quality of this mic is extremely good for this price point. It was built for spoken word, for people who are streaming, and anyone who is talking on camera. That being said, it has very clear mid-range, not too boxy/nasaly, and not too scooped either; it has clear treble, not too piercing, or sharp, and the low-end is exactly what you want.
Again, if you’re on camera, the lights are super customizable on the front of this thing, you can use it in many different ways using the different polar patterns, and you can get good high-quality audio out of this thing as well!
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