Teachers need quality devices to deliver the lessons effectively in an online learning environment. Aside from high-quality personal computers or laptops, teachers need an excellent microphone for students to be able to hear clearly. Whether you are doing live classes, creating an instructional video, or recording a voice over for your slides, you need to have outstanding audio quality so your students can hear and understand your content well. Since a sizable portion of learning involves speaking and listening between teacher and students, poor quality audio may significantly affect educational outcomes.
Features of a Good Microphone for Online Teaching
Audio-quality
To choose the best microphone for online teaching, consider the microphone's frequency response. For the microphone to capture the detail of your voice well, it must at least have a frequency response of 20hz to 20 khz. A noise cancelling feature is also a must so you can have the peace of mind that no unnecessary background noise will disrupt your students during classes and no ambient noise will be picked up as you record videos/ audios.
Convenience
You'd want a no-hassle microphone that you can use right away as you sit down for class. Plug and play microphones are best for online teaching. You plug the microphone on your device and you can use it instantly.
Portability
Microphones can come in different sizes, but small does not always mean less powerful. For online teachers, we recommend having a small and portable microphone that can fit in your bag and take along wherever you are having the class.
Price
There are many microphone models that give excellent audio but at an expensive price. For online teaching, you would want to consider something that can give you a near-professional recording at an affordable price.
Best Microphones For Online Teaching
If you are looking for a high-quality condenser microphone that provides you with professional audio quality, the Fifine USB Microphone is a perfect choice. With a frequency response of 20 hz to 20 khz and cardioid pickup, this USB microphone can clearly catch vocals and record crisp and clear sounds, even from musical instruments. It also offers excellent noise cancelling features that leaves any background noise out of the recorded audio. An additional feature of this microphone is its volume control knob that allows you to adjust the voice input. With all these features, you can guarantee a smooth online class.
The Fifine USB Microphone is compatible with both Windows and Mac OS. It is the plug and play type so you can use it directly with no additional driver installation. It also comes with a stable tripod stand with a bolt that allows you to flip the mic back 180 degrees.
The Fifine USB condenser microphone is truly one of the best microphones for online teaching. We highly recommend this mic.
The Samson Meteor Microphone ranks among one of the best microphones for online teaching. This condenser microphone records high-quality audio and minimizes background noise. Samson Meteor is equipped with a 25 mm diaphragm - one of the largest condenser diaphragms inside any USB type microphone, so you can be sure of a clear and accurate audio recording. Using this microphone will give you the peace of mind that what you say reaches your online students distinctly.
This is also a perfect microphone to use for podcasting and streaming. It is a plug and play microphone compatible with Windows and Mac OS and works well with tablets and mobile devices. Other features of this microphone include a mic mute switch and a headphone volume for easy manipulation.
The Samson Meteor Microphone is a practical option for travel and home use. If you are a teacher who is on the go, this mic is best for you.
One of the best quality microphones for online teaching is the Blue Snowball. This microphone has a frequency response of 40 hz to 18 khz and offers a condenser capsule that allows you to record audio like a pro. With the Blue Snowball, you can rest assured that your students can clearly hear your voice during class. It also produces crystal clear audio recording for videos or podcasts you may do for your online courses.
This microphone is very easy to use. As a plug and play USB mic, it can directly connect to your desktop or laptop computer. It also works well with Mac. There is no need to download any driver. It comes in an adjustable desktop stand so you can position the microphone at your convenience.
Priced at less than seventy dollars, this stylish retro-designed microphone is one that will meet your online teaching needs.
The Fifine K688 Microphone is an inexpensive option for online teachers who, aside from teaching classes, also do light voice overs and video recording. It is highly sensitive and picks up sounds well and records rich audio. Because of its high sensitivity, it also picks up the surrounding noises despite its noise cancellation property; but you can easily solve this issue by lowering the microphone's volume to 80 to 85%.
It is also very convenient to use with its plug and play feature. It comes with a sturdy tripod stand with an adjustable shock mount that lets you move the microphone up to 90 degrees.
If you are an online teacher who records studio-quality audio from your home, the Fifine K6888 Microphone is a great option for you.
The Tonor TC-777 Condenser Microphone is another superb microphone model for an online teacher. It is an easy to set up lightweight microphone. With a USB 2.0 port, you can just plug this microphone into your laptop or computer without using an additional driver software. With cardioid pickup patterns, this microphone clearly captures sounds, allowing you to deliver bright and crisp audio as you teach online.
What we like most about this microphone is its strong compatibility with various operating systems. It works well with most computer operating systems. Additional features of this microphone include noise cancellation capacity, a pop filter, and a metal tripod with a shock mount so you can conveniently adjust the microphone's angle.
The Tonor TC-777 microphone does not include an off and on switch; so you'd need to unplug it whenever you don't want your computer to recognize it as an input. Despite this, it is an impressive device that helps you deliver your online teaching content efficiently.
The Jounivo Desktop Microphone offers impressive sound and style packed in one package. You can be sure of producing high-quality audio for your online teaching with this omnidirectional microphone that captures sound from all directions with high sensitivity.
Equipped with noise cancelling tech, it intelligently reduces background noise and echo giving you that clear and highly audible audio. This easy-to-use microphone comes with a 5 feet cable that you can plug into your device's USB port. It works well with both Windows and Mac OS and with PS4- a feature that comes in handy if you are also a gamer.
What we like about the Jounivo USB microphone is its build quality with a flexible gooseneck design. You can effortlessly adjust its height and angle and comfortably swivel it around as you discuss. It also has a one-click mute button giving you quick control of your microphone.
Its fast and accurate sound recognition makes it one of the best USB microphones for online teaching.
Another great quality USB microphone that gives you value for your money is the CMTeck USB microphone. This omnidirectional microphone gives decent audio quality whether you are teaching online or recording. Your students could hear you as if you are right just in front of them.
Features of the CMTeck microphone include a 360-degree adjustable gooseneck stand, a mute button, and a LED light indicator. Aside from its build quality, this microphone is quite similar to Jounivo. Like its competitors, it can help you deliver the content of your course effectively.
CMTeck is one of the best microphones a teacher can have for teaching online.
The Neewer NW-700 Microphone is for online teachers looking for a microphone that can accurately pick up sounds with ease, whether indoors or out. This condenser microphone gives you a professional studio recording experience. Its cardioid pickup pattern accurately captures sounds and reduces background noises. This microphone is best for educators who create lots of recorded videos for online courses. It comes with an adjustable and foldable steel arm stand that can be mounted on a table.
This USB plug and play microphone is compatible with Windows computers but doesn't work with Mac OS. For usable quality, you'd need to use a Neewer phantom power supply which you can purchase separately.
Overall, the Neewer NW-700 is a great microphone for its price.
Conclusion
Good communication in class happens only when both the teacher and the students can clearly hear what the other is saying. In online teaching, a good microphone is a must for clear communication. The microphones mentioned are the best models for online teaching. With the different models presented, it is important to consider your needs and budget to help you decide which is the most suitable for you.
