Dynamic vs. Condenser Microphone | How to Choose for Podcasting

Podcasts must sound crisp, clear, and professional grade. It is because people tend to judge the sound quality as well, apart from scrutinizing the content and the narration style.

They compare it to other podcasts or radio stations, and this is why you need to have a professional-grade microphone system to make an appealing outcome. And, this is where the Condenser mic and Dynamic mic comes into the frame.

Dynamic Microphone

With a simple construction and utilizing the principle of electromagnetism, dynamic microphones are created. It converts sound into an electrical signal by means of electromagnetism.

How does a Dynamic microphone work?

A voice coil surrounded by the magnet is coupled to the rear portion of the plastic membrane known as the diaphragm. The plastic membrane vibrates to the frequency of the sound waves when sound waves come to the microphones, which makes the coil on the backside move.

The conversion of sound energy to electrical energy comes to practicality when the movement of the coil inside the magnetic field creates a small signal voltage in this coil.

Advantages of Dynamic Microphone

1. They are easier to create, therefore economical, and they also provide great sound quality and good features overall. It also doesn’t involve phantom power.
2. Get classic intimate radio sound effect which is nice at the low end through the proximity effect of the mic.
3. Resistant to high temperature, and rough handling, because of sturdily built, therefore before lifespan.
4. Dynamic mic only picks up sound, which comes directly in front of the grill, so fewer background noises and cleaner audio.

Disadvantages of Dynamic microphone

1. Restriction in frequency and transient response of the microphone because of the diaphragm and wire coil.
2. Not suitable for recording instruments with higher frequencies and harmonics.
3. The absence of the same flat frequency response can impact the audio generation.

Use of Dynamic microphone in podcasting

If you are a beginner who is tight on budget, then opting for a dynamic mic would be a perfect option. For those who will record vocals, it is a perfect option to opt for, especially for those who want good low-end frequencies.

If your talk show has many hosts or guests; each should have one microphone to gather clean discussion audio. They become a perfect partner to record while traveling because of their sturdiness.

Condenser Microphone

These are generally capacitor types of microphones, and a capacitor has two metal plates close to each other. The electrical signal output is created when the capacitor, which involves a gap between the two plates, dictates the capacitance.

The output will vary when there is a change in the gap, and all these things go similarly with condenser microphones.

How does a Condenser microphone work?

The capsule in condenser microphones has a diaphragm made of conductive materials that lie in close range of the metal plate. When the diaphragm gets hit by sound waves, it moves in tune with the sound waves.

A change in the gap is created between the diaphragm and the metal plate. Consequently altering the capacitance and creating an electrical output. An impedance converter can help to convert the weak signal into a stronger one. The microphone needs phantom power, i.e., the capacitors in the microphone need voltage to work, which may be from batteries or other sources.

Advantages of a condenser microphone

1. Condenser microphones can present superior sound quality because the diaphragm has a low mass, where the dynamic microphones have a higher coil mass. This makes the diaphragm in the condenser microphone work more easily, and it gets tuned with the sound waves.
2. Condenser microphones work best when kept at a distant angle, as they can handle the widest frequency response and can pick up abrupt bursts of sound energy.
3. It offers a transparent and pleasant sound when kept away from the mouth, as they offer high sensitivity.

Disadvantages of a condenser microphone

1. The condenser microphone easily picks up sound, so make sure to keep the room silent.
2. Need to handle with care, as they aren’t robust or sturdy like the dynamic microphones.
3. Condenser microphones are costly; buying the cheaper models wouldn’t help much, so it is better to invest in the costlier ones.
4. Need extra power supply.
5. Excess temperature and moisture can affect them.

Use of Condenser microphone in podcasting

It is suitable for recording instruments that are of higher frequencies. The audio output will outshine when you buy a costly alternative of that.

Condenser Vs. Dynamic: Which one to opt for?

To sum things up, if you are new to podcasts, it is better to start things off with a Dynamic mic. The dynamic microphones, as mentioned above, are a complete all-rounder and will get the job done.

It won’t matter if you spend less; the dynamic microphones will produce a sound that is decent enough to listen to. For using a dynamic microphone, there is no need to invest in an acoustic treated room or studio. So, you can start your podcasting with a low-price bracket that will deliver good overall audio output.

Now coming to the condenser microphones, if you got extra money and a better studio, then there is not to think much as you can simply opt for condenser microphones that will give better and rich sound quality. To get rich conversational sound, condenser microphones are the best to choose.

Another thing to remember who has their podcast setup at home; condenser microphones will track even the slightest of the sound, so be aware of the sounds you make. The dynamic mic, on the other hand, has a soft-focus filter which dampens those sounds.

Conclusion So, that’s all for the comparison between Dynamic vs. Condenser microphones, so consider your budget, the number of guests, the type of room you have, and finally, the quality of audio you want your selected podcast listeners to listen to. Consult Barevalue for Podcast editing.