(Part 3) Top products from r/letsplay

Okay so I watched Episode 1 of Grandia.
My Thoughts:

• The fraps timer in the corner bothered me. I think it is quite easy to crop it out when editing and it would make the video look a bit more polished.
  
  
• The game's audio, especially in cutscenes, was at points kind of stuttery. It is probably just the emulators fault but if that can be fixed I guess it is worth a mention.
  
  
• You should try investing in a better mic. Logitech as a super cheap one with pretty good commentary, I use one so you can check out the beginning of one of my videos to get an idea for the quality. Having good audio quality generally just makes the video seem better.
  
  
• Your commentary was good. Some cutscenes are kind of boring you can go ahead an talk in between the dialogue to keep things going. You seem to know the game well which is great. When you did speak the commentary overall was kinda funny. You got a couple of chuckles from me throughout the video. :)
  
  
• Video quality was good. It is a PS1 game that is being emulated so I didn't expect much but the game was presented clearly so that is good.
  
  
  That is pretty much it the video was good, just get a better mic and it would improve the video ten fold.
  
  Here is the mic I use:
  http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-981-000246-USB-Desktop-Microphone/dp/B002RL84OY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342815820&sr=8-1&keywords=logitech+usb+desk+mic

Hey! We don’t own an Audio Technica AT2035, but we would be happy to try and help answer your other questions.

Audio interfaces do not perform compression. All the interface is doing is taking the mechanical signal from the microphone and makes it digital for your computer. You cannot plug your XLR microphones directly into your computer, so you need an audio interface.

We also do not have a Scarlett Solo, we use a Tascam US-1200. Both the Scarlett and the Tascam do the same things though, they allow you to record your XLR microphones into your recording program. We use Adobe Audition, but you should be able to use them both in a free program like Audacity. The preamp inside your audio interface is very important, we believe it is more important than whatever microphone you choose to buy. We bought the $120 audio interface, but we use $13 dollar microphones. With some fast and easy editing in Audition, which I could easily provide you with a step by step guide of what we do if you wanted it, we make $13 microphones sound like this.

So I guess my main points of this are the audio interface you pick is more important than your microphone(s). You want to make sure it has a good preamp. Also yes, more expensive microphones are better than our $13 ones, but if you just want to try things out you do not have to spend a lot of money on microphones to get a good sound, a lot of it is in the audio interface.

I hoped we were able to help you at all, and if you have many more questions we would be happy to help!

Oh, interesting. You know, dynamic microphones can be interesting things. I vastly prefer them to condenser mics, but some dynamic mics need additional gain while others are perfectly fine without. Looks like yours need a little extra gain.

If it is the microphone that's the source of your troubles, you might instead look at returning the mixer and either getting another microphone, or get something that'll help provide extra gain to your mic.

For nothing more than gain boosting, the CloudLifter is a good item. However, it's expensive and that's all it does. Alternatively, a vocal processor might be another good way to go. I use a DBX 286s and swear by it. Rock solid, does compression, gain boosting, noise gate, all sorts of stuff in one. Looks like that Amazon link doesn't have good options for purchasing one, but I imagine you could find one in a local/online store (I'm not familiar with what you have in the UK, so I'll leave that to you).

I suppose the alternative to the alternative is to just edit stuff in post. That's always viable and it's the least expensive option. Now that you know it's the mic and not your mixer, it at least points towards what you may want to do in the future. In the interim, I'm not sure how friendly Audacity is to use with screen readers, but that's a good piece of software that's free. I apologize if we've already discussed Audacity, but I'm writing this on the fly.

And of course, grab another mic (swipe a friend's or something) just to be sure it's the mic and then you know you're set and can decide what direction you want to go.

Cheers.

If you're looking to record on your Wii U, then you're probably going to want to use an HD PVR. The problem with this kind of capture card, is that it's a little bit pricey. You can get other capture cards for a lot less, but you will lose the ability to capture footage in High-Definition. Hauppauge makes pretty good equipment for this, but those capture devices run in the $150 range. Since you are on a budget, I'd see how one of these works. Personally I have never used that kind of card, but it is on the more affordable end.

Live commentary is pretty simple. Just record your voice while you play. Audacity is a great free program for this. If you're looking to do anything fancy, try the REAPER program for it's trial period and go from there. You'll also need a microphone that doesn't produce a lot of feedback. Snowball is pretty good for this.

Video editing is going to be expensive if you want good programs. I use Sony Vegas Pro 12, and that cost me quite a bit of money. But you can do it for free with Windows Live Movie Maker. If you want to do it cheap, Pinnacle has a video editor for around $60 dollars that isn't too bad.

To get your content out there you just have to keep working at it, that's all there really is to it. There are also places like this subreddit, or voltronarmy that let you promote your content in friendly communities of LPers.

Basic rules vary depending on your audience and style of play. Some people never do live commentary, others only do live commentary. Different LPers play different kinds of games, or make content that differs from playthroughs to go alongside their Let's Play series. As a general rule, avoid discussing your political and religious views so that you don't piss anyone off. The comments on your videos will be turned away from the video you just made and become some inane babble about why you should/should not believe something.

PC

• AMD a8 6600, not really recommended but gets the job done.
  
• MSI GTX 960 4GB version
  
• 8GB of generic ram i got years ago.
  
• Mouse is a Gigabyte THOR, probably the most durable $10 (now $30?) mouse I've found out of the myriad of mice I have owned. Keyboard is a wierd Azio keyboard that was cheap, not really that great.
  
  Recording stuff
  
  
• AudioTechnica AT2020, frequently goes on sale on amazon for $50
  
• Behringer Xenyx Q802USB, the best thing ever.
  
• Superlux HD668B headphones, amazing quality for $40. Definitely reccomend over anything else sub-$100
  
• Oneplus One as a $200 stopwatch
  
  Software
  
  
• Audacity, nice piece of software Noise reduction is a blessing with a condenser mic.
  
• Blender, for rendering out thumbnails in Orthographic 3D mode, rendering videos out in it's video editor, and various other things. CUDA is a godsend, rendering 20min videos in 45 minutes. With practice it's as good or better than some programs you can pay money for.
  
• OBS through NVENC encoder in CQP mode at CQP=20 (about 20mbps). Recording to MP4 with 2 audio tracks.
  
• Notepad++ for notes and stuff.
  
• Krita for anything I can't do in blender, which isn't much.
  
  Everything I would recommend to another person has links. The processor is pretty weak for recording, but would be great for a media centre PC or something. I've been using blender for about 9 years now, so its interface is easy for me to understand, but I would completely recommend it for its price of $0 and its fast rendering times.

Zombait! Hello fellow kiwi! I've just been in the same boat as you, I wanted to upgrade my microphone (had a $10 Dick Smiths one) and wanted something much better.

I know everything is super expensive here but I spent about 6 months watching stores in NZ and online to find a place that was affordable. I made my decision only 2 weeks ago, so here we go:

I realised I only wanted to invest in a great microphone once, so after looking for reviews of microphones (only wanted USB) my list contained:

• AT2020 ($$$)
  
• Blue Snowball ($$)
  
• Blue Yeti ($$$)
  
• Blue Yeti Pro ($$$$)
  
  $ = Price range
  
  In the end, I choose to go after the Blue Yeti because it's an superb product, plus many other LPers have them and rate them highly. All of them are great mics though.
  
  Places that listed the Blue Yeti in New Zealand include:
  
  
• Apple Store for $300 NZD
  
• Dodgy other shop (can't remember name) for $260 NZD
  
  After looking online for a couple of months, I kept coming back to Amazon as they are a very established brand, and I trust them.
  
  They stock multiple colours of the Blue products, but generally only one is available to be sent overseas (took a lot of trail and error). For the Blue Yeti, the Platinum Version here is only Yeti available with overseas shipping.
  
  Here is the breakdown of cost (product still has 33% discount).
  
  
  Item Subtotal: USD $149.99
  
  Item including Discount: USD $99.99
  
  -----
  
  Item(s) Subtotal: NZD $126.03
  
  Shipping & Handling: NZD $39.43
  
  -----
  
  Total before tax: NZD $165.46
  
  Sales Tax: NZD $0.00
  
  -----
  
  Total for This Shipment: NZD $165.46
  
  
  The shipping was $40 for the 7-10 working day delivery. There is a 2-4 working day delivery, but just go for 7-10 days as I purchased this one and received mine in 5 working days (1 week from purchase) which made me a happy chap.
  
  $165.46 NZD is MUCH cheaper than the $300 that Apple wanted, and I received it in a week, ready to go. So happy with this purchase.
  
  Hopefully that al helped, if you have any more questions, feel free to either reply to this or PM me.
  
  Cheers! Jack.
  
  EDIT: Formatting.

I jsut made the switch from a Blue Yeti to a Dynamic mic and XLR set up. I'll post what i picked up. May be a little over kill for solo but gives plenty of room for expansion.

First up, the MIC

Audio-Technica AT2005USB Cardioid Dynamic USB/XLR Microphone

This as it states is a DUEL USB and XLR Dynamic Mic. Since I got it i have loved using it for LEt's plays to just Team chat in games and at Lan Parties. It's got what you expect from a USB Mic. Has a Headphone jack and on board volume for the headphones, And an ON/OFF switch. But then it is also XLR compatible. So it's not something you will toss out the door when you move to XLR.

To go with it i got a desk mount Etubby Adjustable Desktop Microphone Suspension Boom Scissor Arm Stand Holder and some better Mounts for the stand. I have it set up so i just push it out of the way when i don't need it.

As for a mix board i have picked up this
Behringer Q1202USB 12-Channel Mixer.

As in the name as well this is a USB mixer. This does have phantom power if needed, has 4 XLR Inputs , and 12 Channels. And it's only 100 bucks or less depending on Amazon's Mood. And if you got any Music stores around you, This is also sold by GUITAR CENTER in the states, So you may be able to find it locally for same or cheeper.

Since i got it, I Had a little bit of a learning curb and the need to turn up the Compression on the mic channels. First recording with it was well a little blown out. I use this even when solo now cause I get more control over the MIC levels. It's easy to use in windows as it is very much plug and play. Shows up as USB AUDIO CODEC in windows. And if you want to, you CAN send you audio back out through it. Though that part i'm still learning on if it's usable in recordings or not.

I'm Not sure how much Cost wise that will Translate into £'s. But this over all Cost me $180 just for the mic and Mixer. The Mic did come with an XLR cable with it, so you do not need to buy one unless you need it to be longer.

Long post, I Know, But hopefully that gives a few useful suggestions for ya.

I use Photoshop to make my thumbnails, Final Cut Pro to do 99% of my editing, and Motion (basically Apple's version of After Effects) to do any "fancy" edits. This is not a very wallet friendly option though.

As for free/cheap software, there's the most basic editing software out there, Movie Maker. Sony Movie Studio isn't bad (from what i've read). It's like the little brother of Sony Vegas. Less expensive, less features, but you can still get a lot done with it. I've only played around with it for a few minutes, but Hitfilm 4 Express is free. I think it's more for people looking for a lot of effect-type things, but you'll be able to do basic edits that any other video editor could do. Lightworks is another option.

For thumbnails and art, i'll just copy/paste what I wrote for someone else a few days ago. If you're looking for sites to make thumbnails, there's Backgrounder and Pixlr. Backgrounder has some templates for thumbnails, channel art, Twitter art, and a few other things. They aren't crazy good or anything, but they will be better than nothing. Pixlr is sort of like an online version of Photoshop or Gimp. It's got some filters, masking options, layers, and some layer style options (things like stroke, drop shadow, and bevel). Considering the fact that it's free and online, Pixlr is a pretty good tool. If you're looking for free programs, as /u/StandardToast mentioned, Gimp is really good. I took an art class recently, and my professor said Gimp is pretty much Photopshop, just a few versions behind. Some of the tools that came with the most recent version of Photoshop won't be in Gimp, but you can still get a lot done with it. I know very little about Gimp, but I know less about Paint.NET. It's free, and can do some imagine manipulation.

The Podcaster does have a quality upgrade over the ATR2100, but since you are using it for gaming it's probably not worth the extra money.

Thanks! Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with! I have some other things you could try, but the pricing may not make it worthwhile. Still may be worth a shot:

Get an XLR cardioid dynamic mic. Quality companies (Shure, Audio Technica, Rode) make decent low cost dynamic mics for like $20. Then get a very inexpensive audio interface or Blue icicle. The pricing probably doesn't work out, but I don't know what you can find in your area. You may be surprised (but I doubt it).

Since dynamic microphones do not require phantom power like condenser or ribbon microphones you could try to get an XLR mic and an XLR to 3.5mm cable and plug it into the mic port on your PC. You will likely have to turn the volume up quite a ways to get a decent signal, but it may work out for you.

Finally, I have tried out the ModMic 4 and ModMic 5 and find them to have very good quality audio while not picking up much background noise. I can definitely recommend them personally, especially the ModMic 5. They are made to mount on a headset, which I know you are trying to avoid. However, there is nothing saying you can't mount them to something else and use it like a regular mic. You could probably mount it directly to your mic stand if you wanted it, it's just double sided tape and some magnets. Here is a video I made on it if you are interested.

This one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-Movie-Studio-13-Platinum/dp/B00HRQB216

To clairify - There is Movie Studio, Movie Studio Platinum, Movie Studio Platinum Suite.

Movie Studio is intended for very basic use, like family home videos, (II think it also has limited rendering options).

MS Platinum contains the basic version plus an advanced version more appropriate to making internet videos. It also lets you render in 1080p.

MS Platinum Suite contains the Platinum version plus tons of additional software. It has an audio recording program with plugins and tools. It has a software which lets you compose music. And I think it also has some kind of image editor. Furthermore it comes with a very large amount of royalty free resources like sound effects, music, images and fonts which you can use in monetized videos.

The suite version is the best value for money, but I recommend the platinum version. After trying suite 11, I found the extra content did not sustain any appeal.

For recording audio I recommend audacity. It's free and there are tons of tutorials you can find on Youtube and Google.

For editng images, I recommend Photoshop for the same reasons. I use photoshop 7, which is super old, and get by just fine.

For royalty free music, Youtube has a lot of good stuff and there are many websites you can see find as well.

And I don't have the talent/time to compose my own music.

There is nothing worde than buying new software and having noone to turn to to ask questions. Even the sales department for Sony Productions website failed to send me a response, let alone technical support.

What higher-end programs do you have access to? You'll have more options most likely than Audacity. Even Reaper is a better choice for editing/processing/mixing.

Getting something to dampen the wall now might help, but it's unlikely to be able to tell without doing a full room acoustic analysis.

USB microphones pale in comparison to regular XLR microphones and a good recording interface, because of the sheer difference in sound card quality. Basically, all the A/D conversion in a USB microphone is shafted for convenience. I have an Audio-Technica AT2020, and a Blue Yeti Pro, and the AT2020 through my Focusrite is much better.

I've done some listening to you and to Matt Shea. From what I can tell, he's got some audio issues as well, but he also uses compression, EQ, and other effects. You come across clearly, but the timbre (natural fundamentals) of your voice is cut through by noise reduction. Noise reduction is NOT a catch-all; it should be used sparingly. I usually go by this rule: Try to make your processed audio match the original sound as much as possible.

Those are a couple of suggestions. You're already ahead of the curve with the shock mount. Now you just need to use some more advanced software and upgrade your microphone. I think maybe switching to a dynamic microphone could work for your voice. Something like the Shure SM7B or similar (SM7B's are expensive).

I hope I gave you some insight on improving. If you have more questions, make sure to ask!

Here's the deal. Get only the most necesary equipment right now, and don't skimp on the cost. Most microphones are good, and I particularly like Logitech's desktop mic as a starting point. HOWEVER, remember that the more you shell out on equipment the better it will sound.

Get a good set of headphones, at least a pair you can use whilst recording. Having the mic pick up your game audio is a bad idea. If you can get a good headset, even better. I know it's an expensive option, but I found the Astro A30 to be totally worth every penny (start with just the headset, get a mixamp if you want to use multiple audio sources without switching around cables)

As for a capture device, there's plenty of options, but again, remember that the more you pay, the better quality the capture will be and the better the software will be for capturing. I personally don't use a capture device, but I have a friend who uses a hauppage HD PVR and swears by it. Also remember that the device you get may or may not be usable for live streaming if you want to get into that. Also keep in mind that the low cost recording devices are fairly limited in what they can do. They might be good for older consoles and the wii, but they won't be good for the 360 or ps3 at all.

As far as software goes, invest in a copy of FRAPS for PC recording. You buy it once and they give updates for free. Also get editing software. If you record both the mic and the game audio to the same file (like how fraps does it) you won't need anything special, just something to re-encode the files so they aren't so huge. I can't remember what I did before just dropping in my video to Sony Vegas, but I like SUPER for converting most things. If you want to get into live streaming, you'll need Xsplit it's the easiest way to get streaming up and running.

I'm using an AT2020 combined with a Behringer Xenyx Q802USB. It's a really nice setup, and works really well for around $180. It does have a few issues, like how you cannot hear yourself and your desktop audio at the same time without an extra cable, but that is fixed with an extra ~$3 of cables. The Q802USB is a really nice interface if you want to work around a few minor issues, since it exposes the EQ and compressor dials. There are some cool things you can do with the FX send and recieve like noise reduction, but I have not tested that.

Currently the MXL 770 is on sale on amazon, and it sounds really good in the few videos I saw of it. A Focusrite Scarlett Solo would also do ya fine. I'm not too familiar with some of the more high end dynamic microphones, but an ATR2100 is something I always reccomend since it's actually a really good microphone.

After exploring various options, I've settled on Dxtory for recording. I've been using it for the last year, and I love it. I use Lagarith Lossless codec with it. I use Audacity for cleaning up the audio. For editing, I use Sony Movie Studio Platinum 13. (Apparently $45 for the physical disc on Amazon right now!) I have been meaning to check out DaVinci Resolve, which I've heard good things about, though I think it's a bit more than I need for my purposes.

Everything that you listed is legit, and as you can see, you're getting many of the same recommendations here. I think it's a good idea to be cautious, but it's not necessary to be quite so nervous about downloading software that has been consistently recommended. Aside from ensuring your software is legitimate, the most important aspect of downloading software is to make quite sure that you're downloading it from the proper source (thus why I linked directly to the software I discussed.)

Btw, I use the Yeti as well. It's a good mic, and doesn't need to be right in front of you to work well. I recommend playing with the settings and positioning.

Things I've observed while watching them for some time:

• They can only catch the game audio when no one is talking or at least yelling so they have the speakers turned down most of the time.
  
  
• They have a mic for each person or will sit closely to share a mic and talk loudly.
  
  
• They use a gate in post process to cut out back ground noise when no one is talking.
  
  
• It sounds like they use a compressor at the right thresh hold so their quitest voice is heightened and any back ground noise is inaudible.
  
  This can all be done but you have to learn how to edit audio and understand all the tools that can accomplish this as well as invest in better equipment.
  
  If you want an easier set up but obviously more expensive than not wearing headphones is to look into a headphone mixer, they are fairly inexpensive, and look into open back headphones so you can hear each other talk in the same room while hearing the audio. ( I highly recommend SuperLux because of the price you get so much fidelity for editing but they can be uncomfortable so look into getting velour ear cups also they are fairly small so if you have a big head I wouldn't recommend this)
  
  They use $100+ mics per person so I can imagine if you're starting out with a webcam mic you'll definitely want to use headphones since you can't move the web cam closer to you to help make you guys sound louder and clearer.
  
  You've got a lot ahead of you tbh, they use some pretty pricey equipment for a hobbyist and they have knowledge on editing that are a must to learn to increase the quiality of your content.
  

The Podcaster is a decent mic. The XLR version, Røde Procaster is better and, along with the EV RE20, and the Shure SM7b, are genereally considered some of the best broadcast mics on the market, so any of those should be a safe bet if you want that round, warm, radio host sound.

The Focusrite 2i2 is a decent interface for the price, it will however need a preamp, as it alone lacks the gain to run these mics. You can save money by buying an inline preamp, like the Triton Fethead or the CL-1 Cloudlifter. They will up your gain something like 20db, giving you more than enough.

This will all be expensive though, so maybe space the purchases out over a few months and just keep using the Podcaster in the meantime?

Condenser mics are good for picking up a lot of people, but they also create a lot of background noise too. I used a condenser for 2 years, we JUST made the switch. Now i use 4 dynamic mics, via an xlr to USB interface. We record in adobe audition. Even if you dont record in it, i recommend learning it and running your audio through it for post editing. ill link all my useful stuff and equipment. These will all be amazon links.

The Mics

Good Mic Stands for cheap

interface

if you go through the trouble of learning audition this is helpful. This is the algorithm the Game Grumps use, i cannot state enough what an amazingly drastic quality difference this makes. it raises the lows, lowers the highs, evens it all out.

Dynamic Audio Processing Chart

​

I should mention that to record multiple mic inputs, you need either an additional sound card, or the ASIO4ALL driver (which hogs your soundcard making it so you cant hear your game, booo.) The alternate solution i went for is recording the audio on another PC.

​

If you're recording with lots of people, to avoid audio spillover (one person being picked up on another's mic) you want to record with each track at the near lowest possible Gain/Volume/Db, and raise it all later. this will make the mics only pick up the voice right in front of them. I usually also angle all the mics in a way that they face only their speaker, but not others. I can elaborate on this further if you like. Then i run it all thru the Dynamic Processing. I think that about covers the gist of it, sorry for how detailed it was lol. If anyone is curious, i can give good tips on creating thumbnails, info about how i make my art and music, how i edit my videos and general technique too, when i have time

Recording two people with one mic is tricky to keep levels right, and worse still for three people. I don't have that mic, so I can't say how well or not it would work. It might be great, but I just don't know either way.

One other option to consider is getting multiple individual dynamic mics (dynamics can exist relatively close to each other without being picked up by their neighboring mic). Most 3+ port interfaces are $200 and up, but this one is about $100 (and maybe less if you can find it used?).

Pairing that with three entry-level dynamics (like the PG48) or similar, again, search for used) may give you a more flexible end result than a single condenser (albeit at a slightly higher price point).

I'd be curious to know what you go with and how you like it, if you don't mind updating me. Improving information in my creator's guide regarding recording multiple people is something I 'm very interested in!

Roxio Game Cap I've used both the HD and SD versions. They get a little more hate than I say they deserve. They do an admirable job and are usually heavily discounted on Amazon. If he has his own video editor this is perfect. It comes with one but it's not very good.

USB Microphone Fairly cheap but good rated USB Microphone. He can use Audacity, which is a free recording and sound editing program, along with this for his commentary.

That's about $80 but I don't know how much cheaper you could get. If he has a microphone already and computer games he can record there's always OBS, a free computer recording software. As far as a PS3 capture device though with a mic this is about as cheap as I can see. Certain gaming headsets are compatible with the PC if he has some Turtle Beaches or something. I hope this helped!

I do couch coop stuff with 2 mics but can do up to 4.
Best solution is expensive ish and that's to get a mixer that will handle multiple mics and several inexpensive (but decent) dynamic mics.

Like 4 Pyle pro PDMic58s and a BEHRINGER XENYX X1204USB.

And don't forget to sound treat the room a little.

Like SketchTop, I use the Dazzle for N64,Gamecube, Wii, PS1, and PS2 games. If you want to record in HD, I recommend the Hauppauge HD-PVR.

Hauppauge

Dazzle

Note that you will need to buy some extra cables like:

S-video Cables

Component Cables

You may also need a distribution amplifier for the Dazzle depending on how you want your setup.

Distribution Amp

Hope this helped. I'm a fairly new LPer so feel free to disregard my recommendations if someone who is more experienced offers different advice. Feel free to read customer reviews so you can fully decide what you want. When you start making videos, you should post a link to your channel! Hope everything goes well!

I wouldn't say big, but definitely noticeable to my ears over the MXL 770 condenser I was using. I think I sounded better with the condenser but the echo was apparent and coloring it, while my dynamic rarely picks up echo and people have said it's more crisp even though I think it has a relatively muddy quality.

I've stuck with it because echos suck, haha. I got a Shure SM57 (with an expensive foam topper), but a friend of mine (not into LPs, just a voice actor) uses a, AKG D5 which, in my opinion, sounds quite a bit cleaner. See if you can find a comparison video or demo them yourself at a music shop.

Thanks for the feedback:)

So just to be clear, using something like fraps would get me over 10 fps? Or would that be a case of a better webcam?

As regards the microphone we we're sharing the one on the turtle beach headset. I agree that isnt great, i was thinking of getting something like this

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samson-CO1U-Studio-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B000PTF0E2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371470450&sr=8-1&keywords=C01U+-+USB+Studio+Condenser+Microphone

It seems to have good reviews although it is a little pricey but if it was worth it i would purchase it.

Thanks in advance.

AT2005USB Dynamic Mic s really good if your room has noise, its a professional MIC used in podcasts, its recommended as a starting mic.

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2005USB-Cardioid-Dynamic-Microphone/dp/B007JX8O0Y?th=1

There is a big difference between a Dynamic Mic and Condenser Mic, so choose wisely when buying one, it will effect your sound drastically.

Dynamic Mic dose not need sound proof room, pick up sound around 2 feet away from you.

Condenser Mic needs sound proofing, this mic will pick up sounds from your neighbor's house, if a dog frats down the street you hear it :)

What Hardware are you using, as in MIC. is it the mic from a Gaming headset or something else? It sounds like to me it's a MIC built into a gaming headset. Most headsets focused on gaming do not have great microphones. So if that is what your using. Will want to look at using a different mic.

If you want to get better audio without tons of extra hardware. i would look at getting the Audio-Technica AT2005USB

It's a good starting mic and can stick with you for a while cause it does support XLR if you decide to get a Mix board or or a simple XLR-USB interface. Other wise even using USB it does a great job in my book. Sure there are better options out there, but will require more hardware than just the MIC it self.

Thanks for that man! Should I keep the foam up? Because the reflections for the lower freq isn't being soaked up.... is there a way to combat this with EQ? Do you think this is the possible cause for my issues? I wasn't aware adding too much foam was a bad thing. I tried to treat the room the best I could.

I know this sounds nuts, but is there a way I can hear what you hear? I don't think we are hearing the same audio because the first one is god awful on my headphones. These are pretty neutral too. The name for the headphones I am using is called ' HD 668D'.

These are the headphones: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Superlux-HD668B-Headphones/dp/B003JOETX8

Once again, thank you Alan for the input !!!

holy crap the price went up 40 euros lol. But if you look at the warehouse deals, you can get one for 98 euros in silver and it says the only thing that could be in not new condition is the packaging http://www.amazon.de/gp/offer-listing/B008F4USMS/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

I got mine the same way. I first got a black one of a warehouse deal for 98 euros and it worked and looked absolutely flawless, then I got a 100 euro gift card and returned the black one and bought a silver one of a warehouse deal for 99 euros and that one is flawless too. You get get the full 30 days amazon moneyback guarantee for the warehouse deal so there is no risk at all...

You really need to better define a budget here. "Extremely pricey" is super subjective.

For me, my setup is an ElectroVoice RE-20, into a CloudLifter CL-1, that leads into DBX 286s, Native Inustraments Komplete Audio 6. Then I'm using a RSA Intruder headphone amp as an output into either a pair of JH Audio JH-16s or the more casual, open back AKG K7xx Massdrop Edition.

It's a setup I built over time (and for a more uses than just Let's Plays), but to me, it's not something I consider "extremely pricey". Expensive, sure, but so is my Ford Fusion. It's all a matter of perspective.

We use Sony Movie Studio Platinum Suite 12, and it does the job well. I think it's the "lite" version of Sony Vegas, though it sounds like the effects and stuff that we're missing out on are way more advanced that anything we actually need. It always seems to be on a good sale on Amazon too.

Good idea to ask for advice before you recorded anything, lots of people just go into it with no knowledge and it's a shame how many easily avoidable problems come up as a result.

1. Don't use Pinnacle Studio to record, it sucks dick (I have a Dazzle as well). Use the (so-called) VirtualDub Hack to record your gameplay. It's super-reliable and way more intuitive, I promise
   
   
2. For microphones, I use a $20 Logitech desktop mic and it sounds pretty good. Here's how it sounds.
   
   
3. My suggestion is to absolutely use post-commentary. New Let's Players almost always have an aversion to post-commentary for one reason or another (usually they think it's 'less authentic', as if authenticity = more "umms" and fumbling over your words). It's very, very rare for me to see a new Let's Player who doesn't benefit from using post-commentary, at least to start.
   
   
4. Record audio with the Audacity 1.3 Beta. Even though it's a beta, it's way more stable than the actual 'stable' release.
   
   Good luck, make sure to post here when you get started!

I would recommend getting an HDPVR, I use that for my console gaming, and it's pretty cheap considering

Here's the model I use, it has HD component in and out and also allows for standard def AV cables (like PS2 and such):
http://www.amazon.com/Hauppauge-1212-Definition-Personal-Recorder/dp/B0018LX0DY

This is the HDPVR 2, only has HDMI in and out, but 1080p is nice:
http://www.amazon.com/Hauppauge-Edition-Definition-Capture-Passthrough/dp/B008ZT8QKO

Windtech Pop filter. It's a little pricier than a standard pop filter but it's worth it because it's so non obtrusive. As for stands, I personally use the Rode PSA 1 mic arm. It's very solid and worth the money.

I'll paste my comment from the last time a question was asked about mics.

>I use the Blue Snowball microphone in all of my videos. I have for years and honestly, this mic is fantastic. One of my achievement guides should show off the quality since there is very little game audio in the video.

>Plus it's got a 6 foot USB cable, and I'm pretty sure this damn thing is indestructible. I accidentally knocked it into a bowl of milk and it got completely submerged and still works without a hitch. I should repeat that just in case it's not setting in properly: It was completely submerged in liquid and took no damage whatsoever.

I ended up going with this one for the blue yeti https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FJABIEM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I don't regret my decision. It was worth the $20 or whatever because it completely removed the vibration for when I get enthusiastic with my keyboard clicks.

Currently, I have a Blue Spark microphone (best mic I've ever had, it's fantastic)

Blue actually sells and XLR to USB converter that goes right into the mic. It's called the Icicle. It's small too, so don't worry about the size.

It's sound quality is almost identical to an interface, but the only downside is you don't have a lot of options with the audio. The Icicle has a gain knob on it, but that's about it.

It's about $40 on Amazon. Cheap compared to a complicated setup: http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Icicle-Converter-Preamp/dp/B001EW5YQS

Not sure what you mean? An XLR dynamic mic is $14 on amazon Pyle-Pro PDMIC58 Professional Moving Coil Dynamic Handheld Microphone https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003GEBGA0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_weAEzbX78M0C5

Not sure how much difference in weight there is between the Yeti and Snowball, but I currently run a Snowball with this boom arm that I bought when Amazon was running a combo with those cheap Neewer pre-amps and condenser mics. Later swapped out for the Snowball and have no issues with the weight on that boom. USB cable nicely velcroed along the boom run behind my desk. Don't currently have a shock mount on it though. Currently just used for voice chat and nothing critical.

I'm not sure if this is against the rules but I'm personally selling a hdpvr (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0018LX0DY/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used&m=APNWTC855EV9O)

With the component cables you can record up to 1080i. However if you want 1080p I recommend you go with the hdpvr 2 which will require an hdmi splitter as /u/MrZebraGamer mentioned.

I would suggest using a strong glue, duct tape, or a AV to HDMI converter.

I bought this shock mount and this arm for my Yeti to save some money. One of the two (believe the arm) included a brass thread adapter that was needed. If you want to keep things inexpensive, those work well for me, with the caveat that the Yeti is heavy enough that you may need to readjust the height every few times you use it.

I've got a WindTech PopGard on the way. Not sure how effective it is since it hasn't come in yet, but I like the look of it. It is a little expensive for a pop filter.

WindTechPop Gard

Then:

• Computer (laptop): HP HDX 18, Windows Vista Ultimate, 64-bit, Intel Core 2 Duo T9550 @2.66 GHz, DDR2 4GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT, 320 GB HDD, 1 broken interior fan, and laptop mouse buttons that don't work
  
  
• Microphone: Samson Go Mic USB Condenser Microphone
  
  
• Recording Software: Dazzle DVD Recorder for consoles. PC capture? Silly human, I don't want to set my laptop on fire.
  
  
• Edit Software: Sony Vegas 10 Pro + Audacity
  
  
• Image Software: Adobe Photoshop CS5
  
  Now:
  
  
• Computer (custom desktop): Windows 8.1, 64-bit, [Not near my computer so I'll updated this with all my stuff later], 1 TB HDD, 240 GB SSD, liquid cooling, and the blood of many innocents.
  
  
• Microphone: Samson CO1U USB Condenser Microphone with a pop filter and a microphone arm.
  
  
• Recording Software: Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition for HDMI capture, Hauppauge 1212 HD-PVR for Composite/component capture, and Open Broadcsater Software for PC capture/streaming.
  
  
• Edit Software: Sony Vegas 12 Pro + Audacity
  
  
• Image Software: Adobe Photoshop CS6
  

https://www.amazon.ca/Shure-SM7B-Dynamic-Microphone-Cardioid/dp/B0002E4Z8M/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1469576428&sr=1-1&keywords=sm7b+shure this one is a bit expensive but it is an industry standard. You could probably record a nuclear explosion on it. Road podcaster dynnamic could work well also cheaper I believe too

The Blue Snowball is available for only 40$ as well!

Neewer Mic Stand
$15 ish

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DY1F2CS/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_cu8Zxb1WCA7N5

AT2020 $88


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006H92QK/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_kv8ZxbDDA21QD

Scarlett Solo $100

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_3y8ZxbHHPDGMC

Hosa XLR cable $12


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TPDBGC/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_sC8ZxbZJZGRXD

This is almost identical to what I used for a while, besides us having a gen 1 2i2 instead of a gen 2 solo. You can upgrade the microphone down the line without upgrading the interface.

Whether or not you can get free shipping will probably impact shipping a lot, we have prime so I'm not sure how much shipping will cost.

I would recommend you to try the stuff out before buying audio equipment if possible. I feel like with this much money you shouldn't leave anything to a leap of faith, plus what mic suits my voice can be a lot different than what suits yours.

Edit: I forgot to mention: I hate the Neewer stand, but I can't possibly recommend the Rode PSA1 to someone with a 200-300 budget.

I use to do multi person let’s plays so I have one of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008O517IW/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1525704957&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=4+mic+mixer&dpPl=1&dpID=5153d6epzTL&ref=plSrch is actually trying to sell it plus we used 4 at2020 Mics XLR I have 2 of those for sale and will throw in xlr cables if you want

Blue yeti platinum is on sale right now. 80$ just wanted to let you know Blue Microphones Yeti USB Microphone - Platinum https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008F4USMS/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_1ZWDwbXXJ92PB

Non-mobile: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009A6PJKQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1426548838&sr=8-1&keywords=av+to+hdmi&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?

Get a Superlux HD668B and an Antlion Modmic (uni-directional).

This one?

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Movie-Studio-Platinum-Suite/dp/B008MIMIY8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1426057157&sr=8-2&keywords=movie+studio+platinum

Or this one?

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Movie-Studio-Suite-Download/dp/B00I3O2QFM/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1426056153&sr=8-5&keywords=vegas+pro

There's not much you can do about the quality. Those games really didn't age well. As far as the converter, we use this.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009A6PJKQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1426548838&sr=8-1&keywords=av+to+hdmi&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

I've tried almost every iteration of Premiere Elements, and I honestly severely dislike the interface. Every single recent version has been plain sluggish on my system.

I can't speak for the PowerDirector, but Sony Movie Studio will do everything you'll need for a long, long time. And this is coming from somebody who uses Premiere Pro

Hi all.

I got the Roxio Game Capture to record gameplay, but whenever I record, the video is sped up. I've tested it on my Wii U and my PS2, to no avail.

Microphone - Samson C01U

Stand - Scissor Boom Stand

Pop Filter - Samson SAPS01

Shock Mount - Samson SP01