Hey savvies. Welcome back to another episode of the podcast. Today’s episode is a fun one where we’re putting the two microphone types head to head to battle style. We’re comparing dynamic mics against condenser mics and seeing which is the best for podcasters. 

So first up, I want to explain what each option is so you have an idea of what each type of mic is.

Dynamic Mic vs. Condenser Mic

Dynamic mic – Dynamic microphones turn sound waves into a voltage with the use of a magnet. They essentially work like speakers but in reverse. In a speaker, electricity vibrates the diaphragm, which creates the sound waves. Dynamic microphones on the other hand use sound waves that vibrate the diaphragm and create electricity. This electricity is then increased with the use of a transformer, and sent to the microphone’s output, creating sound.

Dynamic microphones are great for spaces that aren’t sound treated like a recording studio would be. 

Condenser mic – Condenser microphones are one of the most popular mic choices for studio recording applications because of their sensitivity and fidelity. In general, a condenser microphone will provide a wider frequency response range than their dynamic microphone cousins, but will have a lower input sensitivity. In other words, they’ll pick up more of the input signal faster. This means that most condenser microphones (with some exceptions) are better suited for quieter environments, like one afforded by a studio.

Most commonly, condenser microphones are used in the studio where their superior frequency and transient response, as well as their lower self-noise, are great for capturing clean, high-fidelity recordings that are true to the sound source

What types of mics are considered a dynamic mic?

  • Samson Q2U, Audio-Technica ATR2100, etc. 

What types of mics are considered a condenser mic?

  • Blue Yeti, Rode NT1, etc. 

Which is the best microphone for beginners and why?

When I first launched my podcast back in 2018, I thought that the Blue Yeti was the best mic out there because it was all that I knew. Once I did a little more research and got more into podcasting, I realized just how wrong that I was. 

Blue Yetis are great microphones if you have a studio but if you’re just recording at home in your office, they leave a lot to be desired because it does tend to pick up more background noise than a dynamic mic like the Samson Q2U does. 

Okay, that’s it for today’s episode. I hope it was really informative and helped you make a decision on what microphone to use for your own podcast. I’d love to know, what microphone do you currently use? Let me know over on Instagram @savvypodcaststudio. 

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