[zests]

There doesn't seem to be a great consensus on the best microphones to use on my usual sources (HN). This is surprising because the difference between laptop mic or bluetooth mic and a good microphone is enormous. I also don't mind spending a bit more $$$ because this is for my day job.

But when buying a mic, I've read many types of good microphones (bluetooth streamer/podcaster looking mics vs XLR traditional looking mics e.g., Shure SM58-LC). Its hard to pull the trigger and know whats best. At this point I'll go with the Shure model, a stand and an XLR to USB-C cable sooner rather than later.

I have a nice webcam so a great mic is the next step.

[crazygringo]

I think your main choice is primarily just condenser vs dynamic -- for budget, that means something like a Blue Snowball vs an AT2005 (similar to the Shure you mentioned).

And that's ultimately a question these days mainly of aesthetics -- how do you want your voice to sound? I personally prefer the condenser for being a bit more "full-range" (brighter, more sensitive = more realistic) but plenty prefer the dynamic precisely for being less sensitive so it picks up less background noise.

[justincormack]

Choice also depends on how much you use it. I do a lot of calls so I gave up on the mic on a stand that needs to be moved in place and mounted a small condenser on a boom above my head so its not in the way of the monitor and is always in the right place.

[ghaff]

>the difference between laptop mic or bluetooth mic and a good microphone is enormous

Yes but for most of us for most purposes, you can probably spend $50-$100 and you're pretty much there. Something like that Shure is almost certainly fine. I have a Blue Snowball and a Behringer XM1800S that I use for different purposes. (Not for different sound quality but the Behringer is plugged into a mixer for podcasting.)