Whether you’re a content creator, streamer, or someone who takes meetings from home, having a great microphone is crucial to your setup. We saw a huge surge in candidates for Best Microphone 2024, with plenty of popular audio companies taking their first crack at mics in the last year.
CGM looks at microphones of all kinds, including USB, XLR, and condenser mics, as well as various pick-up patterns, styles and more. This year, SteelSeries, NZXT, Sennheiser, RØDE and Cherry blew us away with their offerings, and we can’t wait to see what comes next from these great brands. Here are our winners for Best Microphone 2024.
Best Microphone 2024:
NZXT CAPSULE MINI MICROPHONE
Writer: Joe Findlay
NZXT has just released their newest device, the NZXT Capsule Mini microphone, a smaller version of its predecessor, the NZXT Capsule (it should go without saying, but here we are), which was the company’s first foray into content creator audio. The USB condenser mic is an attractive microphone that is also friendly on the wallet.
The NZXT Capsule Mini microphone is a plug-and-play device, but it does have some software support via the NZXT Cam software—NZXT’s catch-all software for all of their devices. The controls for the Capsule Mini, however, are very rudimentary. You can control the mic gain, the audio being fed to your headphones (if they are plugged into the mic) from the PC, and you can adjust the sidetone, which is the amount of your own voice you can hear in the mic.
The NZXT Capsule Mini microphone is a worthy follow-up to the original Capsule, but don’t call it a lite version. It’s smaller, yes, and the sample rate is considerably smaller, but the sound quality is still big and bold. It is a great mic for the people who are looking to go easy on their wallets.
- CLEAR COMMS: High-resolution 24-bit depth and 48kHz sampling rate capture your voice with optimal clarity.
- SPACE-SAVING SIZE: Compact form factor frees up valuable space on a desk or end of a boom arm.
CHERRY UM 9.0 PRO RGB MICROPHONE
Writer: Joe Findlay
Cherry is known mainly for their keyboards or, more specifically, their keyboard switches. All the best mechanical keyboards on the market have Cherry MX switches installed. So the product in question only has one thing in common with those keyboards: making noise. Cherry has entered the microphone market with a series of Cherry UM microphones, the most powerful of which being the Cherry UM 9.0 Pro RGB Microphone, a USB mic with style and substance.
It has the simplicity that a beginner might be looking for but the specs of a microphone that is more suited to detailed vocals. The Cherry UM 9.0 Pro RGB microphone feels like a natural successor to something like the HyperX Quadcast S, only arguably more well-designed. It is a mic that a streamer can be proud of, and all from a company not known for audio.
The Cherry UM 9.0 Pro RGB Microphone is stylistically advanced and has the quality, but may have gone a little overkill with their specs given the core audience for this type of microphone. All in all, though, it’s a really good entrance by Cherry into the microphone market.
- Stylish gaming mic with USB-C port: Best equipped for gaming sessions, streaming, podcasting, video conferencing, face-to-face interviews, vlogging, ASMR and much more!
- Elegant design in black and copper and impressive RGB lighting: choose between different colours, a rainbow effect or unlit – whatever you prefer
SENNHEISER PROFILE USB MICROPHONE
Writer: Joe Findlay
The Sennheiser Profile came to me as a beautiful microphone kit that included the microphone and a boom arm—which appeals to my number one philosophy of mics for content creators: get that microphone up near your mouth. In addition to the microphone and arm (with desk clamp), you also get a carrying bag for the mic and a 3-metre USB-C to USB-C cable. There is no USB-C to USB-A adapter, so if you don’t have a spare USB-C port on your PC, you may want to pick one up. It is worth noting that they do offer a version with a desk stand instead of the boom arm as well.
The Sennheiser Profile USB microphone has no software to speak of, and there are no drivers to install. It is a completely plug-and-play device. The setup was complete within seconds of plugging in the microphone and was available on OBS and all of my audio software. While I have been a fan of many microphones that offer their own software solution for some processing and, in an ideal scenario, some mixing/recording UIs, there is still something to be said for a simple mic that is just ready to go.
The Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone may well be the best out-of-the-box microphone that we have reviewed here.
RØDE
RØDE NT1 5TH GEN CONDENSER MICROPHONE
Writer: Joe Findlay
In 1997, RØDE Microphones released the NT1, a condenser microphone that became a flagship for the company with its outstanding quality. Now, 26 years later, the audio giant has released a new generation that is not just an update of the microphone but the next step in an evolution of microphones that caters to content creators of all kinds, whether in the studio or at a streaming setup. The RØDE NT1 5th Generation microphone is so much more than a run-of-the-mill condenser microphone.
Some notes on the NT1 5th Gen mic: despite being a USB microphone, it does not have a headphone jack for zero-latency monitoring. You can hear yourself when connected to a computer, but there will be a delay that will almost certainly mess you up if you are trying to monitor your voice as you broadcast. For use as an XLR microphone, you need only hook the headphones up to your interface and monitor normally.
The RØDE NT1 5th Generation Condenser microphone is the best of every world. This mic is highly recommended for any content creator where vocals are key and need a mic that is future-proof and, frankly, everything-proof.
- Groundbreaking studio condenser microphone that fuses the classic sound signature of the iconic NT1 with patented next-generation technology
- Connect to an audio interface or mixer via XLR, or plug directly into a computer via USB to record studio-grade sound in any setup – an all-in-one digital recording solution for the home or the studio
STEELSERIES ALIAS USB MICROPHONE
Writer: Joe Findlay
The SteelSeries Alias is a brand-new take on a condenser microphone. While the Alias has a lot of similarities with its sibling, the Alias Pro, it has some distinct differences as well. They both have the same pill-like body design and come attached to the same shock mount and desk stand; the big difference is, as a USB microphone, the Alias has all of its controls on the mic itself.
While the SteelSeries Alias can certainly be set up as a plug-and-play microphone, its real power comes when you unleash SteelSeries’ software, Sonar for Streamers. Sonar is a part of the SteelSeries GG Application, the central control system for all SteelSeries gear.
The SteelSeries Alias is a revolutionary entrance into the large market of USB microphones. Your vocals will sound great with the amazing EQ and AI noise cancellation and fantastic design on the physical microphone. It’s unique, it’s sleek and it’s definitely worth a peek.
- DESIGNED FOR GAMERS – Mic for gaming, broadcasting, and podcasting, level up your stream with Alias and free audio software. Cardioid polar pattern.
- 3X BIGGER CAPSULE – Capture a wide range of vocals with a capsule up to three times bigger than other mics
RØDE PODMIC USB MICROPHONE
Writer: Joe Findlay
Score: 9.5
The gear that content creators used began to evolve, and I’d argue that the company best able to adapt and evolve with the needs of creators is RØDE, and not just by giving creators what they want, but by simultaneously giving them what they are going to want later. In this case, the RØDE PodMic USB is the next step in the popular microphone’s evolution, and it is built to keep evolving with you.
The RØDE PodMic USB Microphone is one of the latest in RØDE’s line of XLR/USB combos, allowing it to be used by users of either preference, which is looking to become more and more the norm in the marketplace thanks largely due to RØDE’s advancements in this space with a number of hybrid mics in their lineup.
The RØDE PodMic USB sounds as good as you expect from RØDE and doesn’t break the bank. They took a microphone that, for years, has been a favourite among content creators and evolved it into a microphone that anyone can use any way that they want.
- Broadcast-quality dynamic microphone optimised for podcasting and streaming with a rich, balanced sound perfect for all voice applications, including broadcast and voice-overs
- For ultimate versatility, PodMic USB features both XLR and USB-C connectivity, for combability with traditional audio interfaces and mixers as well as computers
