Over the past years, ASMR videos have become more popular with new ASMR artists emerging, leaving their listeners with a ton of videos to tingle to. If you are a beginner as an ASMR artist, it is very crucial to have the best ASMR microphone, which will enable you to enhance your channel.
Finding the perfect ASMR microphone for you can be a very daunting task. That is why in this article, we will provide you with a guide covering the best ASMR microphones at multiple price points that will help you as an ASMR artist.
You do not have to stop making ASMR videos just because you do not have high-quality sound. Since every ASMR artist is different, and many people love the poor quality sound.
If you want to improve your sound as an ASMR artist, you are in the right place.
Let’s look at things to look for when choosing the Best ASMR Microphones. When recording videos, you will experience some hissing and the buzzing of your microphone. Some of the ASMR fans likes the hisses and hums the poor quality microphone produces so having a bad quality mic is not necessarily a negative thing.
Things to consider when purchasing an ASMR Microphone
Microphone self-noise
Self-noise is the very crucial thing to consider when selecting the Best ASMR Microphones. Since we tend to record low-level sounds with potentially many pauses thus the hissing, the humming and the buzzing in the background tend to be a lot noticeable. One of the biggest challenges you can face as an ASMR artist is beating the self-noise.
When it comes to technical specs when purchasing a mic is the self-noise of around 15dBA. It is perfect if the self-noise if under 15dBA. The signal to noise ratio is another way to determine the self-noise of a mic. The higher the S/N ratio, the better. The S/N ratio of 80dB is perfect compared to the microphone having an S/N ratio of 60dB. When the S/N ratio is higher, the microphone becomes quieter.
Binaural microphone
Binaural sound is something that can be confusing as an ASMR artist. Binaural recording is the method of recording sounds suing two or more microphones. Usually, they have the headspace just between them to create the sound that the human would typically hear.
In order to create a binaural sound, it is necessary to use two omni-directional microphones. Whereby, one mic is used for the left channel and the other one is used for the right channel. They create a 3D sound, making you hear sounds around you like they are coming from a room you are in.
Omni-directional microphone
Omni-directional microphones tend to pick up sounds equally just from all directions. An excellent and remarkably cheap mic capable of achieving omnidirectional sound is the Blue Yeti. You can plug the Blue Yeti directly into the USB port of the computer.
Phantom power
Most commonly used condenser microphones need the power to run. Phantom power means that the microphone requires external power in order to run. You need to plug the mic into the device of some kind that provides the phantom power.
The Zoom R25 is a recording device that provides the phantom power that you require to make the mic work. Another recording device is the Zoom H4N. Zoom H4N provides the phantom power of about P48 or P24 volts.
Something else to keep in mind is that when purchasing the microphone, it needs to be plugged into some device that records the sounds. You can use a computer, mixer or any recording device such as the field recorder.
If you have to use the computer, you will want to go with the microphone that has a USB connector such as Blue Yeti. Most of the high-end microphones tend to have XLR connections, but they do not fit into the computer. Therefore you need to buy XLR to USB adaptors such as the Shure X2U. Shure X2U allows you to connect the high-end microphone to your PC.
You also need a recorder that accepts the XLR inputs such as the Zoom H4N. A recorder is a device that tends to record the sounds your microphone picks up. Zoom H4N is not just the recorder. Also, it is an audio interface. It has an inbuilt high-quality mic.
Best ASMR Microphones
Selecting the best ASMR microphones can be a daunting task for you. Here are some of our favorites.
Before getting started with the microphones below, we want you to know that some of the links below are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, we will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you.
Please understand that we recommend these microphones because they are good, well-reviewed products, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these ASMR microphones unless you feel you need them.
Our Picks
- Tascam DR-05X – $99.00
- Zoom H1 – $99.99
- Zoom H4N Pro – $199.99
- ATR-2100 – $149.99
- Blue Yeti– $139.99
- Rode NT1-A – $259.00
Tascam DR-05X – $99.00
The Tascam DR-05X was among the first microphones to provide a portable and memory-based digital recorders.
The DR-05 can record in mp3 or the WAV format. It comes with a pair of inbuilt microphones capable of withstanding up to 125dB SPL. It includes a plug-in power for the microphones that requires it. It produces a clean, high-quality sound with a signal-to-noise ratio of over 92dB. It is ideal for recording rehearsals and gigs.
The DR-05 features a playback EQ, chromatic tuner, variable speed loop without affecting the pitch, a self-timer recording and it can record at 96 Kilohertz 24-bit resolution. It also includes two AA batteries that provide enough power to record for about 17.5 hours.
Read More:
Tascam DR-05 Digital Recorder Reviews
How To Use The Tascam DR-05 Digital Recorder
Zoom H1 – $99.99
The Zoom H1 is easy to use, a versatile stereo digital recorder that tends to fit in your hand.
The H1 tends to record high-quality MP3 and WAV files to meet your professional need. The H1 has an X/Y stereo mic configuration that tends to capture amazing stereo images. It comes with an inbuilt speaker that allows you to listen to the recordings right away.
The H1 records the audio onto the micro SDHC or Micro SD flash memory cards which tend to support up to 32GB capacity. To get you started, the H1 provides you with a 2GB. The device manages to record WAV audio at a rate up to 96 kHz/ 24-bit. However, it also records MP3 audio at a rate up to 320kbps and the VBR.
The H1 is included with a mono AA battery that provides power for up to 10 hours. It comes with a 3.5-millimeter mic/line input that allows you to connect the external mic. It is also included with a 3.5-millimeter headphone/line output that allows you to connect to your headphones or external speakers. It comes with a high-speed USB 2.0 port that lets you transfer data very quickly right to your computer.
The H1 is included with an intuitive interface that gives you the 1-button recording and also a backlit LCD screen that shows crucial info. The H1 auto-level function tends to set the input gain automatically in order to prevent distortion and overload. The H1 comes with an inbuilt low cut filter capable of eliminating the pops, blowing, wind noise, and other types of low-frequency boom.
Read More:
Zoom H1 Digital Recorder Reviews
How To Use The Zoom H1 Digital Recorder
Zoom H4N Pro – $199.99
The H4N Pro is a portable recording device.
It is a two-channel USB interface that fits in the palm of your hand. The H4N Pro features the X/Y stereo mic configuration that is capable of withstanding 140 dB SPL. It also features two low-noise preamps with a combination of XLR and ¼ inches inputs.
The H4N Pro is capable of recording up to 4 audio channels simultaneously at rates and resolutions higher than the CD-quality. It captures sound sources in MP3 and WAV formats.
The H4N Pro utilizes the micro SDHC card for storage, and USB connection capable of transferring data right to your PC. It is included with a standard AA battery that provides power for up to 12 hours. It utilizes a backlit LCD that ensures reading its panel convenient.
The H4N Pro has an inbuilt MS decoder that allows you to adjust the width of a stereo image within the H4N Pro. It has a stereo 3.5-millimeter line jack just for external devices like lavaliere microphones. The jack is capable of supplying 2.5 volts power.
Read More:
Zoom H4N Pro Digital Recorder Reviews
How To Use The Zoom H4N Pro Digital Recorder
ATR-2100 – $149.99
The ATR-2100 comes with a conventional XLR output just for the standard analog use.
The device has direct USB connection that allows you to transfer data to your computer. It can be used with any recording software. The ATR-2100 has XLR cable that enables you to plug into the standard analog mixer or preamp.
It is included with a 3.5-millimeter output line that allows you to connect to your headphone. It is included with a high-quality AD converter capable of withstanding up to 48 kHz and 16-bit. It has a durable metal model for sustainable performance.
Read More:
How To Use The ATR-2100 Microphone
Blue Yeti – $139.99
Blue Yeti is known as the best ASMR mic for beginners.
It has a tri-capsule design that gives you a variety of polar patterns to select when recording. The device is capable of capturing the audio in up to 16- bit / 48 kHz resolution. When it comes to your sound source, you can choose between cardioid, stereo, omnidirectional, and the bi-directional kinds of polar patterns for optimal results.
The Blue Yeti is included with a USB cable making it compatible with Mac and Windows computers. The device is included with the 3.5-millimeter headphone jack that lets you listen to what you are recording in real-time without any latency delay. You can change the volume of the headphones using the controls located on the front of the mic.
Rode NT1-A – $259.00
The Blue Yeti is a 1” cardioid condenser mic.
This device has a self-noise of about five dB-A thus making it a fantastic choice for vocal microphones, recording guitars, and percussion instruments. The one-inch diaphragm gives a wide frequency response and also an excellent signal-to-noise ratio.
The cardioid polar pattern reduces the off-axis noises like monitors, room ambiance, and off-axis instruments. It is included with a transformerless output. The Rode NT1-A uses a standard 48 volts phantom power which is supplied via the XLR connector.
Conclusion
Now that you have seen some of the best ASMR microphones and their features, it is up to you to decide which is the right one for you.
