Why You Can Trust CNET This USB desktop mic can launch your podcasting career for $26
Improve your audio with this stand-alone mic that has built-in noise reduction.
It's no secret that the webcam built into your laptop is mediocre at best, and if you spend a lot of time broadcasting your voice -- in Zoom, on a podcast, Twitch streaming or going live on the social media platform of your choice -- a stand-alone desktop microphone is a worthwhile upgrade. Mics come in all shapes, sizes and prices, and you can spend as much as $200 on a good one. Here's a budget alternative: Right now you can get the $40 Bietrun USB desktop microphone for $26.24 when you apply promo code 25JQXS5Q at checkout.
As microphone brands go, this one is pretty generic, but the mic itself appears to include all the basics. It's a standard barrel design, sort of like the HyperX HyperCast, for example. It has a single pickup pattern: cardioid. If your mic only has one, that's the pattern to get, since it rejects sound in all directions except right in front of the microphone.
The Bietrun has a volume and mute control on the front. Tap the mute button to, you know, mute, but long-pressing the mute button activates an unexpected feature: It toggles a noise reduction filter. The three states of the mic -- on, mute and noise reduction -- are clearly telegraphed by the color of an LED band that goes around the barrel. It's all mounted on a heavy metal base, so you won't easily knock it over.
You're not going to get miracles for $26, though. The mic has no pop filter built-in, nor is there any kind of shock dampening, so if you bang the desk, it'll be transmitted directly to the mic. And while you can adjust the volume of the headphone input, there's no gain control, so you might need to fine-tune the mic level using your desktop recording or streaming software.
Even so, the price is right, and it's probably a noticeable step up from your webcam's mic. This deal should run through Oct. 14.
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