What's a Condenser Microphone?

Are you ready to podcast? You've got your music, your renegade DJ t-shirt with the sleeves cut off, some giant headphones like Rob Gordon wears in High Fidelity, and all your friends are eagerly awaiting your debut. You look ready...but what's that horrible noise!? Static!? Cars driving by!? Dogs barking!? Adjacent apartment noise!? yeah...did you really think a five dollar microphone was going to make you sound like James Earl Jones? If your podcasts are filled with unwanted background noise, and tinny vocals, consider a condenser microphone.

That headset microphone that makes you sound like you're on a pay phone in a windstorm depends on a bit of wire and a magnet to convert your vocals into sweet electric goodness. To get an audible sound, the signal then has to be boosted by your computer sound card. Unfortunately, the computer can't tell the difference between your nightingale voice and the truck that just drove by your window. Chances are, you've been boosting the good noise along with the bad.

Condenser microphones produce a signal using metal plates and an electrical field generated by external power sources, such as batteries or power from a mixer. A condenser (or capacitor) microphone will provide a louder, and usually cleaner output than a cheap dynamic microphone. The inner workings of condenser microphones capture a better range of sound than cheap headset mics. With some proper adjustment, you will get a more natural sounding vocal recording.

The disadvantages of Condenser microphones, aside from their higher cost, are very slight for podcast artists. Condenser microphones give off more feedback when exposed to high volumes, which is not usually a problem for podcast vocals. The complexity of a condenser microphone's design also makes them more fragile than dynamic microphones. For a podcaster, this means no screaming directly into the microphone, and no juggling. Other than that, the mic will be safe on your desk until you're ready to rock the web.

So how much is this gonna set you back? Expect to pay between $60 and $200 (U.S.) for what is considered a budget condenser microphone. The good news is there are many companies who produce microphones in this price range with excellent sound quality for podcasting. The bad news is to use a condenser microphone, it will have to be powered. Some condenser mics are capable of running on battery power. Most, however, rely on power provided by a mixer. A common setup uses 48v "phantom power" supplied by an XLR cable. Check your microphone manual or with the manufacturer for specific power requirements. Shop around several music stores for affordable power sources, as prices sometimes vary greatly.

When podcasting, your microphone is the first step in achieving quality sound. If you sound terrible people will turn you off. Save up some bucks and dump that cheap headset!