---
title: 'BEST Budget Microphone YOU NEED To Buy! (SM7B vs FIFINE vs Blue Yeti)'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=k-f8TYLj9mU'
video_id: 'k-f8TYLj9mU'
date: 2026-06-17
duration_sec: 0
---

# BEST Budget Microphone YOU NEED To Buy! (SM7B vs FIFINE vs Blue Yeti)

> Source: [BEST Budget Microphone YOU NEED To Buy! (SM7B vs FIFINE vs Blue Yeti)](https://youtube.com/watch?v=k-f8TYLj9mU)

## Summary

This video compares four popular microphones — the Shure SM7B, Logitech Yeti, Fifine AM8, and Fifine K688 — for use with OBS Studio, focusing on price-to-performance. The presenter highlights key buying factors: connection type (USB vs XLR), microphone type (dynamic vs condenser), and features like gain knobs and mute buttons. The Fifine K688 is recommended as the best value, offering a warm, professional sound under $100.

### Key Points

- **Microphone selection criteria** [0:05] — Key factors: connection type (USB vs XLR), microphone type (dynamic blocks noise, condenser captures detail), and controls/features (gain, mute, headphone jacks).
- **Shure SM7B overview** [0:38] — Dynamic XLR mic, warm/rich/natural tone, excellent noise rejection. Requires audio interface and preamp. Price ~$350. Top-tier but expensive.
- **Logitech Yeti overview** [1:05] — USB condenser mic, crisp detail but picks up room noise. Four pickup patterns (cardioid, stereo, omni, bidirectional). Plug-and-play, $120. Good for beginners.
- **Fifine AM8 overview** [1:39] — USB + XLR hybrid dynamic mic, ~$60. RGB lighting, touch mute, gain knob, headphone jack. Clean sound, good noise rejection. 16-bit via USB, less detail.
- **Fifine K688 overview** [2:08] — USB + XLR hybrid dynamic mic, ~$80. Dedicated gain/headphone knobs, mute button, real-time monitoring. Balanced/warm tone, excellent noise rejection. No RGB. Best price-to-performance.
- **Final verdict** [3:29] — K688 wins for price/performance/flexibility. SM7B is best for pro budget. Yeti is simplest. AM8 for RGB on a budget. Recommends dynamic mics for OBS and tuning OBS filters.

### Conclusion

The Fifine K688 offers the most professional sound quality under $100, making it the top recommendation for streamers on a budget. For those with a higher budget and professional gear, the Shure SM7B remains unbeatable.

## Transcript

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