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aaaafireball
79
Sep 16, 2020
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I was wondering if there was a usb-c cable out there that had some type of mic built into the cable? that way we can use the 0 latency of the pandas hooked up through usb-c and get some sort of mic (as the mics don't work when plugged in through usb-c)?
Austinclamon
1
Sep 16, 2020
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Maybe just grab a halfway decent desktop mic instead? I plan on using mine with my blue yeti. Works great with the senns I have now.
aaaafireball
79
Sep 16, 2020
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I don't have enough room on my desk for a mic as much as I would like one (let alone the fact it's overkill for light gaming).
e_dm_b
3
Sep 16, 2020
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A modmic or something else of the sort would probably be your best bet.
aaaafireball
79
Sep 16, 2020
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Yes but the attach through the aux cord, I would like to use the internal DAC/amp through usb-c but also have a mic built into the cable so I don't need an accessory/ two cords
Pandalover1
119
Sep 18, 2020
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Only other idea could be the wireless modmic but I have seen comments that you need to have it attached on one side of the pandas as the other side causes interference from the internals
dolljoints
155
Sep 19, 2020
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it IS a bit overkill, but with a £10 mic arm it doesn't actually take up desk space. a lot of bundled stands are shite anyway, they just transmit desk bumps etc into the mic.
and, overkill or not, i always get ppl telling me i sound so much clearer than other folks on voice. my keyboard is rejected by the cardioid shape, and background noises are minimal. it's that "radio sound" after all – especially if you're really close (i stay about a foot away to minimise sibilance without a pop shield).
they're the only type of mic where i can recognise myself through recordings – everything else is too low or high, too tinny or reverby. but with a capsule condenser, my entire timbre is actually captured, correctly. physics means you simply have to have a big enough opening for the sound if you want to achieve that.
so, although i'm biased, i definitely recommend having a separate mic like that, if you can afford it. it's overkill for just voice, but it sounds real nice. sure, your speech is _intelligible_ through all sorts of cheap or questionable mics. but isn't it nice for your voice itself to be recognisable too? i certainly value that highly – i like all my audio to be high quality, not just my output.
anyway, to actually answer your actual question: the only USB-C cable i know with a mic is aiaiai's option, but that's still got TRS on the headphone side, so you'd still not be using the panda DACs. i've never come across a cable like you're suggesting, where you could use the panda ADC for it, but if i ever see one i'll try to remember to tell you about it!
aaaafireball
79
Sep 19, 2020
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Thanks for the detailed response!!! As much as I would love a separate mic so I can articulate all of the noobs on call of duty, I'm still a little weary on getting a separate mic. It might be great seeing how all of my classes are online, something I need to think about. The cable I'm describing is probably a very niche product and I haven't seen anything like it
dolljoints
155
Sep 19, 2020
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i was pretty trepidant too, before i got mine. and even then, i only plugged it in occasionally at first, as like i said, bundled stands are terrible. i didn't like having to be aware of exactly where i was talking into it, or bumping it with my arms while trying to stream, or the awkwardness of putting it on a table near a guitar or saxophone.
but once i put it on an arm, i've never gone back. the place it unfolds to is perfectly in line with my sitting position and my monitors, so i just fold it out and then put it back when i'm done with it. it's really easy to hold in a perfect position in front of other things too (though i know you've said you're only interested in voice). when i accidentally unplug it or switch to a different one in my computer settings, everyone's like, "whoa what's happening, there's lots of noise and your computer is louder than you".
there's plenty which just plug-n-play with USB, and i do have such a mic myself, but now i'm wishing i'd spent the same money on an XLR mic and a separate converter box. the noise floor would've been lower on the mic, and i could plug speakers or headphones directly into the box too. and the DAC inside such a box would've been better than the one in my mic. obviously that's a little more wiring overall, but at least it's still just a single USB from the computer.
but i totally understand. i toyed around with the idea of using such a mic for years, constantly telling myself inline headphone mics and built-in webcam mics and so on were just fine for what i was doing – talking to people. so i'm not going to try and say "you should definitely buy one tomorrow before you're sure about it!!", haha. but i will say this: once i was converted, i was kind of annoyed at myself for putting it off so long, hah. and it's that energy which compelled me to say something in the first place :D
edit: just in case you want some lighthouse style guiding beacons, instead of me just talking generic terms: my current mic is a blue yeti, which i bought on sale for like 30% off or something. it's completely fine, although as i alluded to, a bit noisy. denoise algorithms work fine, unless your content is in the noise range too. but i still kinda wish i had a less noisy one, yk?
my personal recommendation for something midrangey in audio interface was previously a focusrite scarlett 2i2 or a steinberg ur22(c - the c just has usbc instead of miniusb) – but now they're like £120, £130... when i was looking to recommend a friend months and months ago they were like £60 and £70. at twice the price, i don't think they're super great options.
so now that increase has eaten up the cost that would've gone to a mic too. i guess covid ate into those production lines too. which means waiting before deciding on anything will almost certainly save you money, and it's your initial instinct anyway. though amazon currently has some behringer options at a better price right now.
and of course a 1in1out interface is cheaper than a 2in2out, but i highly recommend 2in2out as a starting place – you can record your mic and a line-in/guitar, you can listen with headphones and speakers, without a bunch of swapping.
the mic i recommend, the AT2020, is still about £60 (edit edit: wait it's £80, i misread, so that's gone up in price too. doh). there's also the MPM-1000 which is a little bit cheaper.
but yeah. like i said, don't rush yourself or anything. but i figured, maybe giving some actual examples instead of just vague things like "a decent audio interface" might help, even if just as a thing you can load back up in months/years like "oh yeah, i was given some recommendations before wasn't i".
also there's plenty of "best mic/audio interface" blogs out there, but those are the recommendations i distilled from looking at a ton of those for my friend, and sifting out the parts of those blogs that have £1000+ options, and so on.
so, IMO, these are decent options which won't leave you wanting to replace one or both the parts immediately once you acclimate. there's £10, £20 interfaces, which are noisy and have 1in1out. there's similarly low priced mics, which don't sound very full or clear. and of course, going huge first time isn't a great idea either, obviously. so i think these are both solid mid-range options for a decent start.
and, of course, you can always go with a yeti or an AT2020USB if you like – there just isn't much of a cost benefit there, it's only in upfront convenience, and with the tradeoff of having to replace both aspects if you want to upgrade just one part. not a single USB mic that i know of also has an XLR output, it's just one or the other, at least in this price range. although thinking back, i think the all-in-one nature of a USB mic did help me get over the hump a little easier. but yeah, like i said, with hindsight i'm wishing i'd spent the money on the interface+mic combo. but it's not like it's bad enough that i'm willing to spend the same money AGAIN for the change. yk? i do still use my yeti every day.
oh jeez, my addendum has become longer than my original comment..... oh well. this website is literally FOR audio nerds. :D (edit edit: but yes, like i've said a couple times, waiting is a great idea even if you do decide to go this route, just because of covid tech pricing.......)
(Edited)
aaaafireball
79
Sep 20, 2020
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I completely get it, I would absolutely love to have one of I wasn't in college, so I have to weigh the outcomes on my limited budget. Thanks for your input tho!! It helps alot
dolljoints
155
Sep 20, 2020
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whoops, it looks like i made a bunch of edits after you'd already replied >.> but yeah definitely, with covid price increases, it's a good idea to wait it out/save up/etc anyway. and glad to have been of help :D
(Edited)
aaaafireball
79
Sep 20, 2020
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Thanks for the recommendations!! I have always heard good things about the blue yeti. I'll definitely wait on getting one till after covid, but who knows. I wanted to make YouTube videos of my next project on making a robot, so I might want a decent mic lol
dolljoints
155
Sep 20, 2020
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oh shit, ok, last thing: despite the name, the scarlett solo is not a 1x1 interface. it's 2x2, just like the 2i2. the difference being, 2i2 has combo inputs while solo has one mic and one line input. 2i2 has two volume knobs, while solo has one that does both headphones and speakers.
and i suppose there's a chance the panda's built in DAC and amp would outclass such an interface. my previous comment assumed the interface would definitely beat it, and subsequently you would want to plug your headphones into it. to be clear, i don't expect an interface to sound worse – the box is bigger than the "box" in the panda's earcup, they all try to keep noise super low, and so on – but it might do. i can't know for sure.
to sum up: if the headphone output on an audio interface sounded worse than the panda on USB... and if you don't use speakers or line in, and don't think you'll want to anytime soon... then you'd basically only care about the mic input. in that case, i'd say you might be a customer for whom a USB mic is actually better than a separate interface. and that's pretty rare – everyone else i've advised has either been using built-in computer audio or bluetooth, and obviously would benefit from buying a high quality headphone output at the same time.
but yeah. that's really really the last thing :D
aaaafireball
79
Sep 20, 2020
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Thanks so much for the advice!!!!!!! This will really help in the future when I look at this sort of stuff!!!!!
dolljoints
155
Sep 20, 2020
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you're welcome :) i'm seeing some other comments from the start of august from will saying the panda's amp sounds the same as a 789 amp, which is itself 3/4 the cost of these headphones (albeit also an AAA amp, and it doesn't have a DAC), so my theory about an audio interface not giving gains over the panda with USB is getting a bit more weight behind it. it shouldn't sound worse, but it probably wouldn't sound better either.
so yeah, probably the AT2020USB or yeti is the most appropriate for you :) the AT2020USB gets better reviews for vocal clarity, and it's said to sound bright and crisp. the yeti reviews better for versatility, offering other pickup patterns (but i never use anything other than cardioid anyway), and having a darker warmer sound which many appreciate (of course, EQing can make any mic sound brighter or darker). the 2020 is smaller and lighter, but that also makes the dials become these small thumbwheels.
ultimately, if they're the same price when you're looking, i'd go for the 2020, because the sound is universally said to be a little more detailed than the yeti. but if you can get a better deal on the yeti (like £/$20 or more), you still can't go wrong on that. you'll want to de-noise the yeti a little more, but conversely you'd probably want to EQ the 2020 a little more too.
and yeah, happy to help :)
aaaafireball
79
Sep 21, 2020
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After looking into it a bit, it seems like the blue yeti is 120 USD and the AT2020USB is 190 USD. The yeti is the superior option in price for me, I have a 3d printer and could alway print a boom arm for it if I wanted to (would want to get a real one anyways tho). Thanks for the advice and the different options. I'll wait till I see a sale of some sort before I buy it. The more I thought about it a decent mic wouldn't be too bad, I play the saxophone so making multitracks and recording my auditions would be alot better, if I wanted to start documenting my progress on my robot that would help a lot, plus zoom class will be the tiniest bit better for everyone.
dolljoints
155
Sep 22, 2020
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oh wow, that's a bigger price difference than i expected. for comparison, the yeti is 120GBP on amazon for me, while the 2020 is.... huh, it's out of stock. okay. i'd surmise you're seeing inflated price from no stock, rather than a stable price bump. the XLR 2020 is 85GBP for me, and that's still a bit inflated with "hurry – only 10 left in stock". i definitely remember it being about 60-70GBP last year, so i was expecting the 2020 to be like 120 or 130GBP, yknow, fairly in line with the yeti. (i bought my yeti at 100GBP, but that was on a winter sale.)
when it comes to arms: if you're going to record your sax, you don't need to worry about hitting the table your mic is sitting on. if you're doing voiceover on a pre-recorded video, you can also avoid touching the desk. but IME, if you're going to be using your computer at the same time as recording, every single desk bump becomes a VERY loud deep bass thud, completely drowning out everything else.
i'm seeing also a fairly recent miniature yeti (yeti nano) which is slightly cheaper, at 100GBP, but has fewer pickup modes than its big brother. there's also the rode NT-USB and NT-USB-mini, the mini is 95GBP and the fullsize is 150GBP currently. so the NT mini is actually slightly cheaper than the yeti nano, while the fullsize NT is slightly more than the yeti. at least, in my currency :)
again, though, if they're similarly priced for you, the NT options are also said to do better at acoustic instruments than the yeti. but yes – the yeti is more than 63% of the mic than the 2020, and right now it's 63% of the cost. so, just like before, if the alternative is within 10% or 15% of the price, i'd go for the alternative. of course, blue is american, AT is japanese, and rode is australian, so blue will basically always have a currency conversion advantage if you're in the USA. this may swing it for you even post-COVID.
for what it's worth, i also play the sax, and the yeti is... fine, but i do see what some reviewers meant when they called its instrument presentation "a little flat sounding" with acoustic instruments. EQ-ing gets me 90% of the way back but i will be honest – sometimes i've felt it doesn't match my ear's perception even with tweaking, especially on blowouts or really soft tones, or the rly low notes that come out of the horn directly. the larger diaphragm, which rode and AT use, purportedly helps with such clarity.
also, restating from yesterday so you don't have to wade thru tons of comments, the yeti does have a higher noise floor, and that can really add up in multi-tracks. with vocals, your voice range isn't going to be in the same active range as the noise, so de-noising won't lose you much or anything. but with instruments, various notes are in range of the noise, and would sound deadened from de-noising. (and, for recording multitracks, i'd recommend garageband on a mac or reaper anywhere else. audacity is fine for making a voiceover track but is too basic for music.)
so yeah. right now, and based on your USD pricing, i would suggest a yeti nano or NT-USB-mini; and again only if the yeti isn't significantly cheaper.
hope this helps :)
(Edited)
aaaafireball
79
Sep 22, 2020
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aaaafireball
79
Sep 22, 2020
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Yeah! I have noticed when I record my sax on my phone for an audition or something, it sounds completely different from what i actually sound like, maybe a better mic would help lol. do you do a lot of recordings/multitracks?
(Edited)
dolljoints
155
Sep 22, 2020
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not a huge amount of multitracks currently, i used to do more a few years ago. my life has been pretty hectic with moving from rental to rental and stuff the last few years.. gotta get my musical mojo back. it's just been a few 2/3 track demos for folks thrown together rly hastily lately. (which could've been done on one of those 4-track cassette tape porta-studios, lol, no fx or nothin) i'm actually kinda rusty at playing right now x_x rip.....
but i started playing the sax when i was 6, and guitar when i was 11. trying to get properly into jazz and the underlying music theory instead of just reading music other people arranged, and doing covers with them (which is all my paid music lessons ever involved... >.> no one even told me that the notes in a scale were the same as the ones in the corresponding key, i had to figure that out for myself, lol)
and yeah, even the yeti sounds much more realistic than recording a demo on a phone or laptop or something. even the "smaller" diaphragm in the yeti (to make space for multiple capsules, for the multiple modes) is SOOOOOoo much bigger than the tiny tiny electret mic in a phone. and the sound doesn't have to go through a tiny pinhole (which causes all sorts of distortion and resonance, just like the way light diffracts thru the bottom of a door). it's like 90% of the way there (so, obviously, if available for 60% of the price, that's sense-making).
so no matter what mic you pick, you'd stand out against 95% of other students in that regard. but the 2020 and the NT do both have the edge when it comes to acoustic instrument reproduction, or so reviews and comparisons say. probably isn't super relevant for throwing together demos, but if you want to make something more polished, i think you'd appreciate the difference (if you can get a good deal of course).
(Edited)
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