Recording with a Microphone or Headset

To use a microphone or headset your computer has to have a sound card installed. If your computer has a speaker jack and a microphone input on the back you have a sound card.

Use a microphone or headset that's plugged into the MIC IN jack on your computer. A headset is preferable because it keeps the microphone at the same distance from your mouth.

Many computers have the sound card built into the motherboard. A separate sound card is not necessary (although highly desired) unless there is a background hum or noise in your recordings.

We have also experienced background noise when using audio jacks on the front of the computer. Your sound recording/editing software may be able to reduce or eliminate the background noise, but the audio may end up sounding muffled as a result.

An alternative might be a USB headset. Using USB converts to digital via the CPU or an in-line sound processor and may eliminate the noise.

There are three degrees of audio recording: cheap, decent and excellent.

Cheap means a built-in sound card and a $10 headset. While audio streamed on the web is not what you would call "hi-fidelity" it's important to understand that the better the recording you start with, the better it will sound during playback, even on the web.

Decent means a $30-$60 computer headset and a separate sound card that goes into a PCI slot in your computer.  We use Sennheiser headsets that are excellent and have better reviews than either Logitech headsets or Plantronics headsets.

Some Sennheiser models have both 1/8" (3.5mm) jacks and a USB connection, so you can use it with either your sound card or as a USB headset.

Excellent may mean spending the extra money on a studio microphone and/or premixer before inputting to the computer.

This may mean using a studio-quality microphone such as the Shure SM-58S for around $100 and a special audio preamplifier/mixing unit, which acts as an external sound card, like the Edirol UA-20 for about $150 that plugs into the USB port.

NOTE: Dynamic microphones are more for stage performances, but can be used in a studio. Condenser mikes are generally more suited to studio use. Also, a mike that needs a preamplifier means that the microphone requires what is known as "phantom power".

Another option is a studio quality, battery operated condenser microphone which plugs directly into the sound card or USB port such as the Samson Audio C01U (USB) or the MXL V63MBP Computer Desktop Recording Kit (sound card).

This does not come close to a studio setup costing thousands of dollars but will provide excellent sound quality for the Internet.

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NOTE: To control the audio input on Windows computers, go to the Control Panel and select Sounds or Sounds and Audio Devices. Under the Audio or Voice tab you will see the device listed for Sound Recording. Under the Voice tab you will see the device for Voice Recording. Click on the Volume... button to bring up a Recording Control box that has sliders to set the input recording level.

Unless you are using a driver that came with your sound card, under the Microphone slider control there is another button labeled Advanced. Clicking on that and you will see a checkbox labeled 1 Mic Boost. This will amplify the microphone if it's too low, but may also add some background noise. Use the input levels here as well as the recording level in your sound recording/editing program to set the proper recording levels.