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What microphone are you using for Linux?

Looking for a good, studio quality microphone that just works on Linux. Also wondering what software or hardware people are using for enhancing your voice.

39 comments
  • Get an audio interface. Then you can use any microphone.

    I use a Shure SM58 for voice and a Shure SM137 for instruments with a Behringer UMC204HD.

  • Microphones are usually just an analog XLR connector. Good news is most audio interfaces work well in linux because they use standard drivers.

  • I use a Audio Technica AT2040 with a Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 audio interface.

  • Also suggest the advice of getting an external audio interface. That wy, no drivers shenanigans, as it should be. For me, an Audio-Technica AT2020 XLR works great. Been using some cheap Tonor ones before too.

  • Not sure about studio quality, but for video conferencing and doing some Twitch streams, I've being using a Blue Yeti Nano USB microphone for a few years (since COVID) with no issues on Linux.

  • A cheap XLR one; Behringer C2 IIRC.

    Mic isn't as important as the interface though.
    I can highly recommend the MOTU M2 for that. The noise floor is very very low and it's not nearly as expensive as interfaces with comparable performance.

    It can also serve as a very good DAC/AMP for almost all high-end headphones. It'd only struggle with extremely inefficient headphones and for those you can always get another AMP and connect that to the interface; using it as a DAC.

  • Shure SM7B with a dbx 286s preamp going out to a Focusrite Scarlett Solo USB Audio Interface.

  • Blue Yeti.

    Not a street or professional musician, but I wanted something that had great out of the box sound and stereo recording without brealong the budget. I got it on sale.

    I don't know the quality now that Logitech aquired them though. With tons of companies, Logitech drives the quality into hell for profit margins.

  • I have a Zoom, it appears as a USB audio input device, never gave me any issues.

  • Definitely not a studio quality, but I use Sudotack ST-800 along with noise-suppression-for-voice to get rid of static, key presses, etc.
    The price to quality ratio is amazing (obviously the boom arm that comes with it is trash, but again, fine for the price).

  • HyperX Quad Cast. Since it's USB, it just works. Sound quality is very good for the price, but you can get better ones of course.

  • I use a Rode NT1 with a Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 3rd (!) gen. It's not quite "just works", you need to set up parameters for the USB sound kernel module to get the Scarlett working. Otherwise it "just works".
    Be careful with Focusrite products in general and read the Linux kernel project's instructions very carefully on supported products, in case you're interested in such a device (e.g. it's common that 3rd gen works, 2nd or earlier doesn't).

  • I use a fifine microphone which mostly works ok. I used to use NoiseTorch when I had a keyboard with clickies but it was more trouble than it was worth (probably zoom linux client's fault not NoiseTorch though).

39 comments