Audio engineer explains NPR's signature sound (2015)
I do recommend that people with some spare cash ($200?) try improving the quality of their audio stream in remote meetings. You&#x27;ll be easier to understand. People will react more positively.<p>You can spend days or weeks doing research, if you really want. My advice is to get a USB microphone if your budget is more like $100, and get a USB interface + XLR microphone if your budget is more like $200. For XLR mics, get something ordinary and boring like a Shure SM58 or an Audio-Technica AT2020. Keep your plosive Ps and Ks from blowing into the mic, keep the mic about 10cm &#x2F; 5&quot; away from your mouth, and bam, you&#x27;ve got wonderful, clear sound.<p>Known traps: The SM7b has low sensitivity, and there&#x27;s a good chance you&#x27;ll need a FetHead or Cloudlifter (or outboard preamp) to get the levels you need. SM7b shouldn&#x27;t be your first mic.<p>Known misinformation: &quot;This microphone is so sensitive, it picks up all sorts of background noise.&quot; This is almost always wrong! Any microphone which is more sensitive to background noise is <i>also</i> more sensitive to foreground noise. The net effect is close to zero.