By: Nick Gambino
Whether you’re conducting online meetings or rocking out at home on a karaoke machine, you need quality microphones that’ll help you sound your best. While you could dump hundreds or even thousands of dollars into high-end mics, most of us can’t afford that.
TONOR is a leader in affordable sound recording equipment and has specifically made a name for themselves by selling high-end sounding microphones that won’t break the bank. This comes in handy especially when you’re building a podcast set-up that requires a lot of gear.
When looking into a TONOR microphone, you’ll see a number of options, all with different applications, including XLR, USB and wireless mics. Let’s highlight one of their most popular products – the TC30 USB microphone.
This plug and play TONOR USB condenser microphone is ideal for gaming, streaming, holding Zoom meetings and, yes, podcasting. There’s a reason why it’s the perfect mic for these types of recordings, it’s in the design. The TC30 utilizes a cardioid pickup pattern which is key if you’re more interested in picking up the speaker’s voice than the random noises around you.
The cardioid pickup pattern is essentially a field of recording that includes anything in front of the mic (unidirectional) and a small field around it, much like the shape of a heart (hence, why it’s called “cardioid”).
That said, if you’re looking for a microphone to record on the go or in any active situation where you are trying to capture more than just the speaker, you’re not going to want the TC30, or any cardioid mic for that matter. TONOR has a bunch of great and affordable sound recording equipment to pick from.
The beauty of the TC30 is in its ease of use. When you’re ready to get started, all you have to do is slide it into your USB port and fire up your recording software or the video/voice app of your choice. You don’t need to mess around with downloading drivers or other bloatware. It’s literally plug and play.
You can use it with pretty much anything. It’s compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux and can be linked up with a laptop, desktop, PS4 or even an iPad if you’ve got a USB 3.0 adaptor.
When you buy the TC30, you’re getting much more than just a microphone. It comes as a full kit, providing all the accessories you’ll need to stream, video call or game without worrying about the quality of sound. The kit includes the TONOR microphone itself as well as a foldable mic stand, a 2-meter long USB cable, a pop filter and a shock mount.
The shock mount is super useful, especially when recording something like a podcast. I’ve recorded hundreds of podcasts and have run the gamut of mistakes. One of the most egregious errors was using an omnidirectional mic on a shaky table. The result is an ambient beating of your eardrums nobody wants to listen to, especially for an entire 30–60-minute podcast.
The concealed TC30 shock mount significantly reduces noise pickup from things like a clicking mouse and clacking keyboard or any other desktop disturbance. The microphone simply slides into the mount which then sits on the tripod, providing suspended support so it doesn’t absorb all the fidgeting that naturally occurs while talking.
I’d venture to say the TONOR TC30 is the most hassle-free mic setup you’ll find anywhere. Right out the box, you’ll be up and running in a matter of seconds, ready to record a podcast, livestream, YouTube video or webinar. And all for less than $40.
Interested in updating your sound recording gear? You can find your new podcast microphone on Amazon.
