Need help with Microphone purchase for home use (song recording)

Hello friends and fellow members

This is my first post here, so I hope it is not the wrong section to post.

I am planning to buy a microphone for home use, mainly to record songs, to connect with my desktop (sometimes with a smartphone). The main use of the microphone would be record songs. My computer has Gigabyte AX370 Gaming K3, AMD Ryzen 5 2600x, 16GB DDD4 memory and Nvidia GTX 1050Ti Graphics card.

My budget is limited and for example, one I found on Amazon India is a BM800 condenser Microphone, here is the link: https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B082STZFWD/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A373ZTMQV06P91&psc=1

Could members here please guide me on this?

Do I need to buy a separate sound card to use this microphone properly?

Thank you.

I think the worst problem this microphone had was that I couldn’t buy it. This was a microphone series that a company made and dumped on the market for many different suppliers to put their name on. I tried to buy it (from the US) and the supplier admitted that they couldn’t actually sell me one. I just recently got an email that the purchase was still alive (I thought it had died) and I could still kill the purchase (again) if I wanted. Yes, I do want to kill it.

Some of the illustrations for this microphone have the singer singing into the round end. The microphone is side address. You sing into the side grill just up from the model number, not the end. It’s similar to this illustration for a Yeti microphone.

The BM800 is an analog microphone that takes 48 volt phantom power from an interface or sound mixer. This is the control on a Peavey mixer.

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The microphone comes with an adapter cable to plug into a computer soundcard Mic-In. While that works, the soundcard only supplies 5 volts, not 48 volts. 5 volts may give low volume and some symmetry distortions.

You may have computer problems when you record, and they’re not electronic. Gaming computers tend to be loud and if yours is like that, you will have a hard time separating your voice from the fan noises in the room. This is a problem no matter whose microphone you use. I sometimes use a stand-alone sound recorder to get around noise problems like that. Move the sound files to the computer for editing.

If you can tell the computer is on just by listening, you may have this problem.

If you do use a USB interface (I use a Behringer UM2) you can take full advantage of the XLR cable’s ability to go long distances without noise and interference. If you use the computer soundcard, the adapter cable may receive electrical interference.

If you do decide on a UM2, record by watching the lights. Keep the volume low enough so the red overload light never comes on.

Koz

mainly to record songs

Just in general - Solo voice or solo acoustic instruments are the most difficult because of room noise & reflections, and sometimes electronic noise. A more “dense” or “complex” mix will help to mask (drown-out) noise.

Try a recording application on your phone. The microphone built-into most phones is quite good, and phones don’t have fans or spinning hard drives that make noise.

Try to find an app that records to WAV (lossless). Then, you can transfer the files to your computer for optional editing/processing. The biggest downside is that it’s a non-directional mic so it picks-up room noise from all directions whereas the sound you’re trying to record comes from only one direction. Try to get the mic in a “good position” in some kind of holder or placed on a soft surface and/or rig-up something similar to what Koz shows with his stand-alone recorder.

Do I need to buy a separate sound card to use this microphone properly?

That BM8000 and similar is sort-of an unknown with strange-confusing specs… It’s obviously built-around an inexpensive [u]Electret condenser element[/u] like a regular “computer mic” (not necessarily a bad thing) with most of the cost going into the housing and accessories, etc. But, we don’t know anything about the other electronics inside and it’s not really clear what kind of connection it needs…

Some people do report good results with these cheap mics. And some of these kits come with a mic stand and a pop filter and a cable that are about worth the cost even if you end-up upgrading the mic.

Stage & studio mics are not compatible with regular consumer soundcards or the mic-input on a laptop. “Good” microphones use a balanced (3-wire) [u]XLR connection[/u]. In addition, studio condenser mics require 48V phantom power. (Dynamic mics don’t need power.)

The most common solution is a [u]USB audio interface[/u] which has the proper microphone connection and supplies phantom power. There are also (relatively) inexpensive USB mixers with proper mic inputs.

Another option is a “studio style” USB microphone (AKA “podcast mic”) similar to the [u]Blue Yeti[/u].

Or as Koz suggested, most solid state audio recorders are very good quality.


My budget is limited

A good microphone usually costs at least $100 USD and it’s usually another $100 or more for a USB interface. With a USB microphone the built-in interface is essentially free. A separate interface almost always has recording level control and a headphone output and sometimes you get better quality (less electrical noise). Some USB mics also have these features.

The cost is “relative”. I grew-up in the analog days and it blows my mind that for a few hundred dollars you can get a set-up that’s better than a professional analog tape recorder. (It’s still expensive to build a soundproof recording studio with multiple microphones, multi-track recording, high-quality monitors, etc.)

Thank you so much for your replies.

I am probably going to receive a preamplifier and Shure microphone as a gift from a generous and kind donor. If somehow, it can not be received due to present restrictions, I was thining about Fifine t669 USB condenser microphone.

I’ve not seen one of those in real life, but it looks very much like one of the many ultra-cheap “badged” Chinese microphones.
Ultra-cheap USB microphones are very popular with YouTube reviewers, and usually receive “great” reviews, even though most of them are crap.

Personally I’d be more inclined to go with a known, reputable brand that has reviews from audio professionals, such as the Samson C01U. The Samson C01U is a cheap USB mic, but it’s pretty good for the price, and you can get a better idea of what you are actually getting rather than relying on YouTubers that clearly have very little knowledge or experience with high quality audio recording.

(I’m using the Samson mic as an example only - there are several other reputable brands that produce low cost USB mics).
For people in Europe, I would also suggest looking at “T-bone” mics - these are re-badged microphones for Thomann, one of Europe’s largest musical equipment retailers and are generally great value for the price (I have several of their stage mics).

Note that very common problems with USB microphones are low recording volume or high noise level. If you have a quiet voice, then USB mics are unlikely to be a good choice unless you can afford one of the more expensive ones. If you can afford one of the more expensive USB mics, then it may be worth considering a conventional “XLR” connected mic with a proper USB pre-amp instead.

See … ReviewMeta.com: ZINGYOU Condenser Microphone Bundle, BM-800 Mic Kit with Adjustable Mic Suspension Scissor Arm, Metal Shock Mount and Double-layer Pop Filter for Studio Recording & Broadcasting (Gold) Amazon Review Analysis