HERE ARE THE 11 BEST HOME STUDIO MICROPHONES & HOME RECORDING MICROPHONES FOR THOSE WHO WANT HIGH-QUALITY SOUND, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
In this list, we've rounded up 11 of what we think are the some of the best home studio microphones for recording vocals, guitars, acoustic instruments and more. These home recording microphones are all fairly budget-friendly and will offer exceptional sound at all times without any fuss. If you're putting together a home studio, or you just want a way to record in high quality without going to a studio, these are fantastic microphones. All of these options and contenders for best home studio microphones are under £300 (or very close to). These are all incredible options for people who care about their sound.
SHOW ME THE 11 BEST HOME STUDIO MICROPHONES
In summary, we think the following home recording mics which are some of the best home studio recording microphones:
- TOURTECH VM50 Dynamic Microphones, 3-Pack
- Shure SM58 Dynamic Microphone
- Shure PGA58 Vocal Microphone with XLR Cable
- Rode NT1-A Condenser Microphone Package
- sE Electronics X1 S Vocal Microphone Pack
- Sennheiser Mk4 Digital USB Condenser Studio Microphone
- Rode M3 Condenser Microphone
- sE Electronics SE2200 Condenser Microphone
- Rode NT-USB Mini Microphone
- Shure SM57 Dynamic Microphone
- sE Electronics X1A Condenser Microphone
1. TOURTECH VM50 DYNAMIC MICROPHONES, 3-PACK - £69.99
It's not very often you can get a 3 -pack of home studio microphones for under £100! Well the TOURTECH VM50 Dynamic Microphones, 3-Pack is actually just under £70 which is incredible value for money. We think these are some of the best home recording microphones as you have a high SPL capability of up to 135dB which means they can handle all manner of acoustic instruments, vocals and even guitar tabs.
The supercardioid pickup pattern ensures background sound is minimalised, making it great for recording at home where background noise could be an issue. Oh and there's also a protective case included and a 5 year warranty too! Did we also mention that you get three mics? This means you can record in stereo or mic up a whole drum kit Glyn Johns style! Probably the best cheap microphone for recording vocals and instruments that doesn't suck!
2. SHURE SM58 DYNAMIC MICROPHONE - £85.00
I know what you're probably thinking: "Wait this is a live microphone!" and you'd be right. In fact, this is one of the best live microphones, possibly even THE best live microphone ever created. There's not a chance that you haven't seen these being used in a live show - they're everywhere! So, yes the Shure SM58 is probably the best microphone for live vocals. But did you know it's also really good for home recording too! The fact you have a uniform cardioid pickup pattern means the microphone isolates the main sound source and minimizes background noise.
However, it's a Cardioid (unidirectional) dynamic, so you get quite a bit of life in your recordings. It's especially suited to vocals, and acoustic instruments, so we wouldn't recommend putting it against a full volume guitar cabinet. But it'll certainly record a practice amp nicely. If you play live and record, you'll ALWAYS need one of these microphones. A perfect home studio microphone that you'll get a lot of use out of.
3. SHURE PGA58 VOCAL MICROPHONE WITH XLR CABLE - £52.00
We've added the Shure PGA58 Vocal Microphone in this list as it's a perfect beginners vocal microphone that you can use to record with and take to the live stage when you're ready. It's also a more budget-friendly version for those who can't stretch to the SM58. If you're just starting out, the £52 price tag is ideal.
However, don't let the low price fool you. This is great for home studio recording as it features a Cardioid Polar Pattern to reject background noise and has an impressive frequency response of 50 to 16,000 Hz - which means it'll pick up the subtle nuances of your voice when podcasting or recording singing vocals. Again, this will add life to your recordings that home demos really benefit from. There's also an on/off switch and an included XLR cable, so you're ready to go straight out of the box. Also available as a Jack to XLR version.
4. RODE NT1-A CONDENSER MICROPHONE PACKAGE - £189
The Rode NT1-A Condenser Microphone Package is easily one of the best home studio microphones available - even more so as the Rode NT1-A you get comes bundled with a pop shield, shock mount, dust cover and XLR cable to get you started straight out of the box. We think the Rode NT1-A is one of the best home recording microphones as it has been constructed with a large 1" capsule featuring a gold plated diaphragm. This means you get crystal clear audio capture which will ensure all the subtle nuances of your voice or acoustic instrument are captured beautifully and accurately.
The JFET impedance converter with bipolar output buffer ensures your recordings have a lush 'life' to them that really brings a studio-quality to your mixes. You can even capture mid-level volume guitar cabinets thanks to the max 137dB SPL - but we wouldn't recommend cranking a VOX AC30 at full volume in front of it just to be safe... A perfect microphone for home recording studios.
5. SE ELECTRONICS X1 S VOCAL MICROPHONE PACK - £119.50
The sE Electronics X1 S Vocal Microphone Pack is an affordable recording package that proves you don't have to spend a fortune to get a great sound when recording at home. The key reason we think this is one of the best home studio microphones comes down to its hand made gold-sputtered capsule. The hand-crafted 1" true condenser capsule has been designed in such a way that it brings exceptional clarity and accuracy to every recording. This feature is usually reserved for microphones many times the price.
The switchable attenuation pad means you can enjoy a max SPL of either 140, 150 or 160 dB so you're completely ready to record acoustic instruments, drums, brass and mic'd up guitar cabinets - basically anything! A switchable low cut filter removes potential unwanted boomy noise and ensures proximity effect is dealt with accordingly. For just over £100 you also get a 3-metre XLR cable and sE’s Isolation Pack, and a high-performance quick-release shock mount with an integrated adjustable pop filter so your vocals will sound clear and free from interference and plosive noises. Great value and an awesome home recording microphone that won't break the bank.
6. SENNHEISER MK4 DIGITAL USB CONDENSER STUDIO MICROPHONE -£317.00
If you want to connect directly to your computer, iOS or Android device via USB, then the Sennheiser Mk4 Digital USB Condenser Studio Microphone is a great option. At just over £300 it certainly won't break the bank, but it will make your recordings sound like they've been recorded in a professional studio. USB microphones have been unable to capture the nuance and detail that a true large diaphragm condenser can... until now. With this incredible USB microphone, you actually have built-in Analogue to Digital conversion providing 24-bit / 96kHz conversion - which rivals high-end audio interfaces.
This makes it one of the best home studio microphones for those with a limited set up, podcasters, voiceover artists and more. However, the 140dB max SPL makes it perfect for recording acoustic and electric instruments too. This is a convenient way to record high-quality audio without a mixer or audio interface, straight to your DAW.
7. RODE M3 CONDENSER MICROPHONE -£67.44
Again, if you need something to use on stage as well as the studio, then the Rode M3 Condenser Microphone is a great option. Versatility is the reason we've selected this mic for our best home studio microphones list as you can record drums, brass instruments, guitars, vocals and mic'd up cabinets with ease thanks to the -10 and -20 Pad and max SPL of 142dB. The fact it's a condenser mic makes it great for capturing lush vocals and the tonal qualities of your guitar with ease.
It's also ideal for those who need to be able to record anywhere thanks to the fact it can be powered via 9V battery or 24 or 48V Phantom Power. Selectable high pass filter, internal capsule shock mount and 10 year extended warranty are all great reasons to get hold of this mic. Oh, and it's way under £70, too!
8. SE ELECTRONICS SE2200 CONDENSER MICROPHONE - £166.00
The sE Electronics SE2200 is the latest version of SE's award-winning studio condenser microphone. It comes complete with sE’s Isolation Pack, consisting of a custom-made shock mount, integrated pop filter, and a thread adapter to fit with any standard microphone boom or desktop stand.
Courtesy of a 1" cardioid condenser capsule and Class-A Electronic circuitry, the 2200 is well suited for a wide range of recording applications, and switchable attenuation levels (-10dB and -20dB) allow you to pad the microphone in high-volume environments.
In addition to a switchable Low-Cut filter and the aforementioned Isolation Pack from sE, this microphone is perfect for turning home-recording environments into a place where you can nail a crystal clear acoustic guitar or vocal take, and the rugged construction means that it will last a lifetime, too.
9. RODE NT-USB MINI MICROPHONE -£99.00
The Rode NT-USB Mini Microphone is an ideal home studio mic for those who record podcasts, create content for YouTube, Twitch or social media owing to the desktop style construction. This features a built-in pop filter and studio-grade headphone amplifier, so there's no need for an external audio interface. It's plug-and-play! At just 89mm wide and 141mm tall, it's ideal for smaller setups whilst the USB-C connectivity ensures you're ready to record on your computer instantly.
A 20 Hz – 20 kHz frequency range makes it ideal for spoken word or singing with an acoustic instrument, whilst the Max SPL of 121dB and cardioid pattern ensures you can capture everything you need to with minimal fuss. A great USB microphone for podcasters and content creators that can be used instantly.
10. SHURE SM57 DYNAMIC MICROPHONE -£84.00
Never trust any producer who doesn't own a Shure SM57 Dynamic Microphone. This thing is the sound behind Nirvana and countless albums spanning all genres. This can handle anything you throw at it, whether you're recording vocals, acoustic instruments, drums, percussion, brass or cranked tube amps. The cardioid pickup pattern makes it ideal for directional placement, reducing spill and feedback from surrounding sound sources and the pneumatic shock-mount system cuts down handling noise. The frequency response of 40 to 15,000 Hz ensures you're recording all the tonal qualities of your sound source even at higher volumes. This is an essential recording microphone for producers and a contender for the best home studio microphone of all time. It's very budget-friendly at £84, but if that was too far a stretch, it's younger brother the Shure PGA57 is almost like a little brother, offering great durability and sonic quality for a smaller price tag.
11. SE ELECTRONICS X1A CONDENSER MICROPHONE - £79.00
The sE Electronics X1A Condenser Microphone provides studio-quality performance at a budget-friendly price. We'd even go so far to say as it's one of the best cheap condenser microphones on the planet that doesn't suck. At under £80, you get an incredibly versatile recording microphone with onboard tools that make life a lot easier. The dynamic range can be changed from 114 to 134dB via the 0/20dB pad, making it perfect for recording louder guitar cabinets and drums. However, the 20 Hz - 20 kHz frequency range means spoken word and singing vocals are well captured and accurate.
An all-metal construction and useful 100 Hz low-cut switch that helps eliminate low-frequency rumble or footfall noise proves that sE electronics have changed the game when it comes to what a "first microphone" can really do. If you're just starting out - this is a great option as a home recording microphone for beginners to mid level recording artists.
Shop a full range of home studio microphones over at PMT Online today or call in to your local PMT store to speak to our experts about your home studio recording needs. Need a complete home recording bundle? Check out our best home recording bundles blog and get everything you need in one package!
