Best USB Microphone for Zoom

I have spent a lot of time (and a good bit of money) looking for the best USB microphone for Zoom calls. I scoured the internet. I watched dozens of video reviews. I have bought and used several microphones myself. It’s a jungle of confusion for someone not steeped in audio engineering experience. If you, too, find yourself looking for the best USB microphone for Zoom, but just can’t seem to make sense of what’s what, you’ve come to the right place. 

I’ve prepared a shortlist of the top USB microphones you ought to consider. I’ve boiled it down to three, each of which will be a stellar choice.

The best USB microphone for Zoom, if you just want something cheap that works, is a Razer Seiren Mini for $50. For the quality-conscious who don’t want to get into XLR microphones yet, my recommendation is the Samson Q2U ($70). If the price is no object, pick the Shure MV7 ($250).

What Kind of Microphone?

There are different kinds of microphones: dynamic, condenser, ribbon, carbon, and crystal. They can be connected in different ways: most commonly XLR or USB. They can have different pickup patterns, such as omnidirectional, cardioid, super-cardioid, hyper-cardioid, or shotgun. They may have other features too: high-pass filters, mute buttons, compressors, variable pickup patterns. Some need external power while others don’t. They can be side-address or end-address. They also range in price from a few dollars to many thousands of dollars.

It can be confusing, and spending more money doesn’t guarantee better performance. 

Fear not, I’m here to guide you. 

First, let’s define what we need our microphone to do well. Zoom or Teams calls from a computer in a home office. So the main goal is for the other people on the call to hear us clearly. For this, we want good vocal clarity and background noise rejection. There may be traffic or fan noise. You may need to type on your computer. You might have barking dogs or laughing children. Your room may echo.

For this setting, you want a dynamic cardioid microphone. Dynamic and cardioid because both of those attributes will help block out background noise, by pointing the BACK of the mic towards the offending noise (like your keyboard, for example). Unless you’re going to get into more advanced audio, such as recording voice-overs or videos, a USB connection is the right choice.

Best USB Microphone For $50: Razer Seiren Mini

OK, right out of the gate, I’m contradicting myself. The Razer Seiren Mini is a small capsule condenser microphone. What? You literally JUST said to get a dynamic mic! Yeah, I know, but there are way more choices of condenser microphones with USB connectivity, and at this price point, I couldn’t find a dynamic USB mic I could recommend.

That said, the Razer Seiren Mini is an excellent choice for the price. It’s just not going to reject background noise as well as the dynamic microphones on this list. So, if you’re just hoping to snag a microphone that works with minimum hassle, and one that won’t necessarily stand out or destroy your desk’s aesthetic, Razer comes to the rescue.

Their entry-level Seiren Mini comes with a handy stand, and setting it up is as easy as plugging its included USB cable into your PC/Mac device. There are no software drivers to worry about, either – it just works.

Of course, by far the main draw of any ‘affordable’ microphone will be its price. Not only will this unassuming gadget do everything you need it to do, but it’s also going to set you back only about $50, even without any discounts in place.

For those who just want to get their Zoom call done in an orderly fashion with quality audio, the Razer Seiren Mini will not easily be beaten. Definitely not at this price point, either.

Best USB Microphone for Zoom Under $100: Samson Q2U

For just $20 more at $70, I can heartily recommend the Samson Q2U. Reviewed and recommended by such Youtube luminaries as Podcastage, Think Media, and EposVox, the Samson is a really solid choice at a very fair price.

The Samson has a really solid build quality. Being a dynamic mic with a cardioid pattern, it’s quite good at rejecting background noise. It has both USB and XLR outputs (should you desire to upgrade to an audio interface, or use a prosumer audio field recorder later on). It even has an on/off switch and a headphone jack for zero-latency monitoring. The Samson Q2U has a fairly flat frequency response, which means it sounds much more natural than built-in microphones in either laptops or webcams.

The Q2U is plug-and-play. You don’t need to download or install any drivers. Just plug it into a USB port on your computer, make sure the switch is on, and remember to select it as your audio input in Zoom or Teams.

It comes with two USB cables, an XLR cable, a mini desk tripod, and a clip to mount it on the tripod. Get one of these, and use it. The others on your call will be happy to hear you.

Best USB/XLR Microphone for Zoom Over $200: Shure MV7

In some cases, a garden-variety mic just won’t cut it. Whether that’s because you want to sound your absolute best, or your mic will be in the video and you want it to look professional, Shure’s MV7 is a good choice right now. 

Like the Samson Q2U, it has both USB and XLR outputs, that you can use simultaneously. Why is this cool? It allows you to connect via USB to your computer while at the same time running a clean XLR signal to an external recorder so you can get a fully independent recording backup. The Shure MV7 is a step up from the Samson Q2U. It sounds really good, and it looks good, too.

Naturally, if you want the best, by all means – go for it. You’ll definitely get the top-tier sound that Shure promises with this mic, just be aware that it may be a bit overkill for regular web office use.

The counterpoint to this, and really any USB microphone over $200, is that in this price range you can start to get into good XLR microphones and a USB audio interface like the Focusrite Scarlet Solo that can also give you much better audio output to your headphones or speakers. If you have aspirations to record your voice or intend to produce or listen to music, skip the USB microphones, and do this instead.

Why Not the X, Y, or Z?

There are a lot of good USB microphones available in 2021. The Blue Yeti, the Elgato Wave, the Rode Podcaster USB, etc, etc. For Zoom call purposes in a home office, I can’t recommend condenser mics in general. 

Yes, you CAN get better quality audio if, and it’s a big if, you have a good acoustic environment. That means a quiet one, without fans or clicky keyboards and with minimal echo from hard surfaces. 

If you haven’t deliberately treated your home office studio for acoustics yet, I’ll maintain that it is NOT worth spending over $100 on your microphone. You probably won’t be able to hear the potential quality improvement of the better mic on a call, and you’ll probably pick up, and transmit to your calls, more distracting noises.

Also, if you’re ready to spend a few hundred dollars on audio, start by getting a good boom arm (like this Rode PSA1) to isolate your microphone from your desk and some acoustic panels instead. Then upgrade to an XLR microphone and USB audio interface. For Zoom, this is overkill, but sometimes overkill is fun. Besides, it can give you recording capabilities you didn’t have before.

Summary

I hope this short overview of some of the best microphones on the market will help you find your own best USB microphone for Zoom so you can make the best possible impression in your meetings. It’s a bit of an investment, to be sure, but if your job requires you to communicate well to be successful, this investment should be a no-brainer.