[0:00] Bad mic audio can ruin even the best
[0:02] streams. So, today I'm showing you the
[0:04] best price to performance microphones
[0:05] for OBS Studio. I've tested top picks
[0:08] like the Sure SM7B, the Logitech Yeti,
[0:11] the Fifine AM8, and the Fifine K688. And
[0:15] one of these easily beats the rest for
[0:16] its money. Let's get into it. When
[0:18] you're picking a mic, here's what really
[0:19] matters. The connection type. So, USBs
[0:22] are easy to plug in, but then XLR mics
[0:24] need extra gear. Then there's also the
[0:26] microphone type. Dynamic mics block
[0:28] noise. condensers capture more detail.
[0:31] And then finally, the controls and
[0:32] features like the gain knobs, the mute
[0:34] buttons, and the headphone jacks. Keep
[0:37] those in mind as we go through each
[0:38] model. First up, the Sure SM7B. It's a
[0:41] dynamic XLR microphone known for its
[0:43] warm, rich, natural tone. You'll hear
[0:46] this microphone everywhere in podcast,
[0:48] studios, and even live broadcast. It's
[0:51] built like a tank with amazing
[0:52] background noise rejection, but it's
[0:54] only XLR, so you'll need a audio
[0:56] interface and probably a preamp or cloud
[0:58] lifter to power it properly. At around
[1:00] $350, it's not cheap. But if you want a
[1:03] pro setup, this is a top tier choice.
[1:05] Next is the Logitech Yeti, probably the
[1:07] most famous USB microphone out there.
[1:09] It's a condenser microphone, so it
[1:11] captures crisp detail, but also more
[1:13] room noise. You get four pickup
[1:15] patterns cardioid stereo omni and
[1:18] birectional, plus a mute button and a
[1:20] game knob right on the front. It's
[1:22] plug-andplay. There's no interface
[1:24] needed, which makes it perfect for
[1:25] beginners or quick setups. Just keep in
[1:27] mind, it'll pick up your keyboard, fans,
[1:29] and even background noise. Real quick,
[1:31] if you're finding this video helpful so
[1:33] far, be sure to drop a like on the video
[1:34] and subscribe down below for more gear
[1:37] breakdowns and OBS setup tips. Now,
[1:39] let's talk about the Fine Fine Ampl.
[1:41] This one costs around $60 and it's a USB
[1:44] plus XLR hybrid dynamic microphone so
[1:47] you can plug it straight into your PC
[1:48] now and then upgrade to an interface
[1:50] later. It's got RGB lighting, a touch
[1:52] mute button, a gain knob, and a
[1:54] headphone jack for live monitoring. The
[1:56] sound is clean and focused, and it
[1:58] blocks the background noise really well
[2:00] for the price. It's only 16 bit through
[2:02] USB, so it's not quite as detailed as
[2:04] some pro mics, but overall an awesome
[2:06] choice for budget streamers. Next up is
[2:08] the Fifine K688, and this one's my pick
[2:12] for the best price to performance. It's
[2:14] also a USB plus XLR dynamic microphone,
[2:16] but with a more studio sound compared to
[2:18] the AM8. It's got dedicated knobs for
[2:20] gain and headphone volume, a mute
[2:22] button, and real-time headphone
[2:24] monitoring. The tone is balanced and
[2:26] warm with excellent noise rejection.
[2:28] Perfect if your room isn't soundproof.
[2:30] It skips the RGB lights, but for under
[2:32] $100, it sounds way more professional
[2:34] than it should. All right, so let's
[2:35] quickly break it down. For the Sure
[2:37] SM7B, it's over $350. The sound is very
[2:41] professional. There's a top noise
[2:42] control. It's very expensive, and it
[2:45] also needs a preamp. For the Logitech
[2:46] Yeti, which is at $120, it's easy to set
[2:50] up. There's multiple modes, but the
[2:51] biggest downside is it obviously picks
[2:53] up a bunch of room noise. For the Fifine
[2:56] AM8, it's around $60. There's RGB,
[2:59] there's solid sound, but overall, the
[3:01] microphone gives you slightly less depth
[3:02] in your audio. Finally, for the Fifine
[3:05] K688, it's priced around $80. There's a
[3:07] warm tone, a pro feeling. If you're into
[3:10] RGB, unfortunately, there is none. And
[3:12] for the USB, it's only 16 bit. So,
[3:14] here's my overall thoughts. The SM7B
[3:17] sounds the best, but unfortunately, the
[3:19] price point is crazy. The Yeti is easy
[3:21] and versatile, but it's sensitive to
[3:23] noise. The AM8 is fun, flashy, and
[3:25] affordable, but unfortunately, it
[3:27] doesn't have the greatest depth. And
[3:29] finally, for the K688, it gives you the
[3:31] most balanced studio-like sound for
[3:34] under $100. If you're using OBS Studio,
[3:36] I would go with a dynamic microphone
[3:38] like the Sure SM7B, the AM8, or the
[3:41] K688. They'll reject background noise
[3:44] better than condensers. And don't
[3:45] forget, your OBS filters matter just as
[3:48] much as the microphone itself. If you
[3:49] want to learn exactly how to tune your
[3:51] filters for the best sound, check out my
[3:53] full video on the OBS microphone filter
[3:55] settings. I'll walk you through noise
[3:57] suppression compression EQ and
[3:59] everything you need to know for that
[4:01] clean broadcast quality sound. Now, for
[4:03] my final verdict. For most creators, the
[4:05] Fine Fine K688 wins on price,
[4:08] performance, and flexibility. If you got
[4:10] more budget and the gear, the Sure SM7B
[4:12] is unbeatable. If you want something
[4:14] simple, I would just go with the Yeti.
[4:16] And if you want RGB and want solid
[4:18] performance on the cheap, I would go
[4:19] with the AM8. Thank you so much for
[4:21] watching. Be sure to drop a like on this
[4:22] video and subscribe down below. And I
[4:24] hope we see you in the next one.