Could you tell me what the cheapest microphone…
I don’t have a specific recommendation for you, but generally a decent microphone will cost more than $100. You can probably find an acceptable mic for less than that, but you’ll have to shop carefully.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are lots of mics that cost over $1000 but IMO that’s too much for a “home studio” unless you’ve got lots of “extra” money.
BTW - Most good mics are directional (“cardioid”). Acoustic noise generally comes from all directions and a directional mic “focuses” on the sound from one direction which reduces noise pickup. It also minimizes reflected sound (unwanted reverb & echo) coming from all directions.
I could find on Amazon…
You can buy from Amazon, but I’d recommend that you “shop” as stores like [u]Musician’s Friend[/u] that specialize in sound and recording equipment.
Good studio or stage analog microphones are not compatible with consumer soundcards or laptops. They use a low-impedance balanced XLR connection. You need a [u]USB audio interface[/u] with a “proper” microphone input.
If you do buy an interface, I recommend one that has zero-latency hardware monitoring. If you monitor yourself with headphones through the computer there is latency (delay). Sometimes it’s a pain (or sometimes impossible) to get the delay down to the point where it’s not a distraction. Avoid the whole issue with direct monitoring.
Or, as Steve suggested you can use a [u]“studio style” USB microphone[/u] AKA “podcast mic”. (These mics bypass your existing soundcard and you don’t need a separate USB audio interface.) You’ll want a USB mic that has low noise, a gain control is nice, and some have a built-in zero-latency headphone jack.
I just wish I knew more about using Audacity to make improvements
There’s only so-much you can do with software. Even with expensive pro software, pros still record in soundproof studios with good equipment. Noise reduction can help, but if you overdo it and your recording no longer sounds “natural”, your audiobook might be rejected. Compression and/or limiting can help to get your levels in-spec but they tend to increase any existing noise. You may not need equalization if you’ve got a good microphone.
Yes, I have a cell phone, an old Android Galaxy.
The idea would be to record on the phone (with a recording app), then transfer to the computer for editing. It’s best to find an app that records to WAV (non-lossy), but for a quick-test you can try MP3 or another lossy format as long as you use a high-quality (high bitrate) setting.
You could also use a solid state recorder. Again, these things start at about $100 and they have a built-in microphone (or two). They generally give pretty good quality and (like the cell phone) there is no fan or hard drive making noise. You’ll want to add a stand for good microphone-positioning. (You’d also want to rig-up some kind of stand if you use the phone.)
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“Cheap” is relative. I’m old enough to remember analog recoding. To me, it’s amazing that you can get near-professional recording equipment for ONLY a few-hundred dollars. For a few hundred dollars we can get better equipment than The Beatles used!!! The real expense of getting to that professional level is in soundproofing and other acoustic and architectural considerations. (Plenty of people are recording audiobooks at home without dedicated home-studios, but the acoustic environment is the biggest challenge.)