Microphones for Streaming: A Practical Guide

Streaming puts demands on a microphone that recording alone does not. The audience hears everything live, so there is no second take. A cough, a keyboard clatter, or a sudden echo goes out as it happens, which is why the controls on a streaming microphone matter as much as its sound quality.

Monitoring is the first control worth having. A headphone socket on the microphone or the sound card lets the streamer hear exactly what the audience hears, including problems, while they can still be fixed. A streamer without monitoring discovers problems from comments, which is always too late.

Mute within reach is the second control. A physical mute button, or a one-touch mute on the microphone, lets the streamer silence coughs, side conversations, and interruptions without reaching for software. The CR-T15 and CR-T20 both list one-touch mute among their features, which suits live use.

Noise control is the third. One-touch noise reduction, listed for both the CR-T15 and the CR-T20, reduces background noise at the source. It does not replace a quiet room, but it raises the floor for a streamer working in an ordinary room rather than a treated studio.

Pickup pattern is the fourth consideration. A pattern that favours sound from the front and rejects sound from the sides suits a single streamer at a desk. The CR-T20 lists switchable patterns, which suits a streamer who sometimes records alone and sometimes with a guest. The CR-T15's voice changing and reverb controls suit entertainment streaming, where the voice itself is part of the show.