First off, Happy New Year!

Hopefully the break gave you a little time to switch off, reflect, and get yourself ready for a prosperous 2025!

So, USB vs XLR Microphones, which is best?

XLR. The answer is XLR

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk

Jokes aside (although it is nice when someone just gets to the point rather than having endless waffle you have to scroll through), i’ll list a few things comparing the two. But I will say now that yes XLR is superior, however USB certainly has its place and i’ll explain why.

Firstly though, it’s important to remember that a shiny new mic means nothing, regardless how expensive it is, if the area you’re recording in is not correctly treated; so make that a priority first

ACOUSTICS FIRST PEOPLE!

But assuming that’s all taken care of, first lets just clarify what is an XLR and USB mic

Also side note, purely for SEO purposes you’ll see keywords scattered around like british male voiceover or manchester voiceover that might seem forced. Sorry, just playing the game without it trying to sound spammy, but they aren’t typical things you say in a sentence 😂😉

XLR microphones use a balanced audio line, which means the audio signal travels through three wires within the cable, two for the signal (one positive and one negative) and one for ground. This setup cancels out much of the noise and interference that might be picked up along the cable run, leading to a cleaner signal. The XLR is type primarily used for professional audio, video, and lighting applications and are very durable. XLR mics also require an audio interface to connect to.

USB mics connect directly to your computer via USB. Naturally the first thing that will spring to mind is the simplicity and convenience of them, which is easily their big ‘plus’. They’re used quite commonly by streamers because speech audio quality, whilst important, isn’t the paramount of their content and many USB mics will happily suffice

So which one…USB or XLR?

First off, USB mics over the years have improved tremendously, particularly in the upper range price points. Many people starting in VO (and if that’s you pay attention) start with a good quality USB mic, because until you’re booking work on the regular and have invested in other priority areas of voiceover (such as coaching, pro demos, acoustics for your recording space etc), spending a small fortune on a mic shouldn’t be the first priority, but you do need a decent one to get you going. Step forward, a USB mic.

I started with a Blue Yeti and then went to a Rode NT-USB. Both served me very well and i’d recommend them, but do your research as microphones aren’t like buying a TV where you’re buying good image quality. Different voices suit different microphones and so you need to research which one suits you best. Youtube is a great treasure trove of reviews for this.

But beginner reasons aside, the other reason a USB mic has its place is for when you’re on the road. Some people will take their interface and XLR mic and make a fort in a hotel room or cupboard with pillows and blankets etc, but given the expense of these devices, many prefer to just have a back up ‘travel mic’, and a great quality USB mic is a good option.

But if you’re going semi of full time, a USB mic needs to be upgraded as your main recording microphone

XLR mics are the standard. Period. The quality is better and the sheer range of options that are available to choose from is so much more vast

Add to that, in such a competitive landscape, you don’t want to hurt your chances of booking work by sounding sub par against your competition. It goes without saying that if you want to compete you need to invest in good equipment

I use a Neumann TLM102 and my partner, who is also a Voice Over (check out her website if you need a good american female voiceover) uses a Neumann U87 of which I use too, both are excellent but both sound very different; the 102 is great for lower range tones whereas the U87 is just excellent for crisp clarity.

And you don’t have to break the bank for a good XLR either. Rode do the NT-1A which is a really great clear mic and you can often find them bundled with an interface.

Which brings me to the next thing, interfaces.

In order to use an XLR you need an interface to connect the mic to and the interface connects to your computer. This essentially converts the analogue signal to digital for computers. But they have more benefits such as improving the audio quality and those that come with a preamp, boost the signal without causing noise or distortion problems amongst assisting towards many other professional settings for pro audio recording. Really helpful if you’re a british male voiceover 😉. You can read more about Interfaces here

Already you can see the difference to a plug an play USB microphone

So, 2025 is here. For many its time for new resolutions, doubling down on dreams and chasing goals etc.

If getting ahead in your voiceover career is on your list and you’ve got all other aspects covered as mentioned earlier, maybe consider upgrading that USB mic to XLR for your main studio microphone….

Also, most importantly is to do your research! I mentioned a few mics in this blog but these are my likes, there are many other options to look at/factor for your voice and budget.

And if you happen to need a voiceover for your own video and would like me to record a demo for you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me on at michael@manchestervo.co.uk

Michael.

Quick reminder about me as a Voiceover…

I’m a Manchester born voiceover artist but don’t have a strong regional accent. My voiceover style is largely built on a human, relatable performance, whether that be bright and friendly or something more gritty and emotive. However if you need something different I can recommend some voices to you, so don’t hesitate to ask. You listen to my work on my portfolio page www.manchestervo.co.uk/demos