[SOLVED] Recommendations on usb mic for phone calls from PC

[nickbeef]

I frequently use the "Your Phone" app to send texts and make phone calls from my PC. Love it - however my current desktop setup relies on the built-in mic on my old webcam as the input mic, as that's all I got. I generally get complaints about this mic when trying to make calls that it sounds "bad" - especially since it pics up noises in the room like the PC fan and the AC. If I switch back to using the phone on "Speaker Phone", this apparently greatly improves the audio - though I have to manually switch over to my phone, set it to speaker phone, and take off my headphones in order to do this. Either way the phone is about 3 feet away from my face.

I'm assuming that if I get a cheap desktop mic, this will "hopefully" improve the situation. I say hopefully because I'm not sure what about the built in phone mic is better then the built in mic on my webcam.

First off the bat, I'm assuming it's just a better, new mic. I'm sure this helps. Second, I'm assuming that the phone has built-in noise reduction. I've tried using Nvidia RTX Audio to process noise reduction, but I've been told that the phone is still better. I'm also assuming that the phone might be a cardioid mic, whereas the webcam is an omnidirectional mic? Totally assuming that one. Don't know what a condenser mic is. I do know that I want it to be as small and unobtrusive as possible. I don't need podcast quality.

I've got a nice pair of Beyerdynamic's DT 990 Pro headphones that not only I'm in love with for the auido quality, but I also use as reference headphones for video editing - so I'm not interested in replacing them with some kind of gaming headphones with a built-in mic (wouldn't work anyways because my audio goes through an amp that won't receive mic audio). Any suggestions?

 

[hang-the-9]

You can use a mod mic and connect it to your headphones https://antlionaudio.com/

I don't know of any cheap directional or noise canceling desk mics, maybe the Blue Snowball using the more directional setting would be OK. I use one and no-one complains about room or computer noise.

 

[nickbeef]

You can use a mod mic and connect it to your headphones https://antlionaudio.com/

Yeah, I know a clip on mic does seem like the best option - especially if it's bluetooth - not sure what kind of crazy person wants a second wire coming from their setup to their headphones....

But yeah, is it going to be worth it vs spending like $30 on a goose neck desk mic? I'm sorta tempted to say yes, just because it won't take up desk space..... but like $100 for the bluetooth version? I mean I'm just making phone calls.... I'd buy it if I had to, but is a gooseneck desktop mic, you know.... "good enough"?

 

[hang-the-9]

Yeah, I know a clip on mic does seem like the best option - especially if it's bluetooth - not sure what kind of crazy person wants a second wire coming from their setup to their headphones....

But yeah, is it going to be worth it vs spending like $30 on a goose neck desk mic? I'm sorta tempted to say yes, just because it won't take up desk space..... but like $100 for the bluetooth version? I mean I'm just making phone calls.... I'd buy it if I had to, but is a gooseneck desktop mic, you know.... "good enough"?

Sure any mic on a desk would be OK, if you can find a good one. Issue is you need to find one that won't pick up other noise in the room and has good quality, which is not easy to find in a cheap mic. We have several Logitech desk mics lying around at work https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Desktop-Microphone-Black-Silver/dp/B00009EHJV they seem OK but I only remember trying them out once or twice so can't really say how good them are.

 

[Math Geek]

i went with one of these when everything went to zoom meetings.

https://www.amazon.com/Samson-Mic-Portable-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B001R76D42?language=en_US

though i paid $40 for it a local best buy in store. very small, and works great. no one yet has said anything other than how good it sounds during the million meetings i've done online this year. can clip onto your monitor or sits up nicely on the desk as well. i usually set it next to my keyboard and have no issues with it picking up my voice.