Audio

[T]

Hi,

What kind of external mike do you use to record audio?

I have CaseCatalyst, but don't use a mike.  I just use the laptop's internal mike to record, but the quality is pretty awful.  Previously I used Stenograph's microphone, but it broke after a few years.  (It was a few hundred dollars, from what I remember, so I'm not willing to purchase from Stenograph again.)

Does anyone use just a microphone you can purchase at Best Buy and stick it into your laptop?

What's worked for you?

Thanks!!!

T.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I learned about this microphone from Janet.  Here is the link from Amazon.  Only cost me 70.00 and I've been using the same one for years.  I bought a backup because I love it so much.  Best microphone ever!!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B008BS3CF8

[Janet]

I just bought another one.  The audio is crystal clear.  

T, if you ever work in court or arbitrations, there is also a version of this microphone with a standard microphone plug.  You can daisy chain them together for large rooms.

Here is a link to the standard plug:

http://www.amazon.com/VEC-CONFERENCE-Omni-Directional-Conference-CM...

The reviews on Amazon are not very good on this microphone.  I wouldn't pay attention to that.  It seems the reviews are from people trying to hook it up to a video camera.   It works great with the USB microphone.  You plug the USB microphone into your computer and then plug one of these standard mics into the port on the back of the USB mic.  You can then plug another standard into the back of that standard to form the daisy chain.

[K. D. Nick]

Just ordered it.

[Linda Mullen]

Backing up what Kelli said.  I bought the same microphone from her recommendation and hands down, best microphone I've owned...

[Janiece Young]

I use a high gain mic I buy from Martel.  It is around $150.  I do not buy the one that has the battery tester attached.  I have great quality audio with it and have been using it for around 15 years.

[T]

Thanks, everyone, for your input!

I think I'm going to go with the amazon one :)

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Good choice!!

[Alice Clark]

Hi, Kelli ~ I just wondered if you had tried the $199 USB mic that reporters are always recommending from Sound Professionals and compared it to this one on Amazon? 

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Yes, I did try that 199 microphone and hated it.  It was all distorted.  I sent it back and Sound Professionsl still kept my money.  I even sent it back within the first 30 days as was the rule.  I didn't, however, have the same packaging.  They always have a ton of rules so they can inevitably keep your money.  There was no comparison.  I had a very difficult time getting clear audio with it.

[Alice Clark]

You're right, Kelly ~ I ordered it from Amazon and I am SO happy with the clear audio.

[Sandy]

Sorry I'm late to this discussion.  It's not for a laptop, but I purchased a $20 microphone for my Mira from Radio Shack.

It works just as well as Stenograph's way-over-priced microphone.

[Alice Clark]

This just came up on a Facebook group.  This microphone has a headphone monitor jack which sometimes can be nice.

Steve Stogel‎REALTIME -LEARN AND SHARE

15 hrs ·

So this was posted in another FB group, but I wanted to share with my fellow RTers since I love new gadgets. This is by no means a new one, but it's quite simply the best open-air mic I've ever heard. I've tried plenty of them (high-gain USB from Martel - mic level, not USB), at least two different ones from Sound Professionals (the USB-6, I believe, and the little square ones that you can daisy-chain), the Labtec back in the day (great mic), both the Samson Meteor Mic and the Samson Go Mic.....this thing blows them all way, way, way out of the water.

It's not small by any means (looks like the boundary mics that videographers often put in the middle of the table to go with their lapel mics), but it's so so good.

http://www.amazon.com/MXL-AC404-USB-Conference-Microphone/dp/B001TG...