Pro tip: That cheap microphone I bought cost me three gigs in a row

I wasted about $150 on a budget USB mic last spring because I thought it would be fine for client calls and voiceovers. The audio was decent at first, but after two months it started picking up this weird hiss in every recording. I lost a gig with a local wedding video company because they said my sound quality was distracting. Then another client ghosted me after a Zoom meeting where my mic made me sound like I was underwater. I finally spent $350 on a proper used AT2020 and a small audio interface, and the difference was night and day. Has anyone else had a cheap piece of gear mess up their reputation before they upgraded?

3 comments

3 Comments

martinez.paul4d ago

A decent interface and an SM58 will never let you down for under two hundred bucks total.

gracej995d ago

I read a review from a podcaster who said his cheap mic picked up his neighbor's lawnmower from two houses away. That was me with my old one except it was my refrigerator buzzing every time the compressor kicked on. Spent hours in post trying to filter out noise that shouldn't have been there in the first place. The AT2020 setup changed everything for me too, clear audio makes you sound like you actually know what you're doing. Once you hear the difference it's hard to ever go back.

the_mary4d agoMost Upvoted

Oh man, your story hits way too close to home. I spent six months editing out the hum from my old desk fan every single week before I finally just bought a decent mic. Does it drive anyone else crazy how we normalize terrible audio quality just because we're used to it? I mean, what's the point of spending hours on content when people can't even focus on what you're saying because there's a weird buzzing in the background? The AT2020 really is a game changer for that reason alone - it's not even about sounding professional, it's about not fighting your own equipment anymore. Makes you wonder why we put up with the bad stuff for so long in the first place, doesn't it?