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calvinmd
81
Oct 10, 2016
If you connect your mic to a mixer or pre-amp with XLR input, you should get a XLR. If you are connecting your mic directly to your computer via USB, then go with the USB.
Flammable_Sug4r
4
Oct 11, 2016
calvinmdwhat are the advantages to XLR then. is it just more expensive?
calvinmd
81
Oct 11, 2016
Flammable_Sug4rSee the answer from Google below. Not sure about the specific model you are looking at, but it really depends what is the device your mic is connected to. I would use USB mic for direct recording to my computer. I have XLR mics connecting to mixer that connects to my PA system. So the answer depends on your use case.
Best answer from google: http://blog.shure.com/top-8-microphone-myths-exposed/ Many USB mics feature the exact same condenser mic element as the XLR version used in studio recording. USB models provide the same high quality sound signature; the primary difference in the models is the interface to the next device.
DeathMettle
18
Oct 11, 2016
calvinmdThis is true, but the quality of your audio interface matters quite a bit. The AT2020 usb basically has its own interface built in, but it's very inexpensive and won't give you the best audio quality.
I think about it this way, the usb and xlr AT2020 both cost $100, but the usb version has to do 2 jobs and the xlr version only has 1 job. So the xlr mic can do its 1 job (detect vibrations and turn them into an electrical signal, also called an analog signal), and let something else (an audio interface) do the analog to digital conversion. The 2020 usb has to do both things for the same $100, so the analog/digital conversion is not as "good".
Really the only thing that matters is that it sounds the way you want it to sound. If you have a music store close by, go in and test both out. Pick the one that does what you need. For YouTube vids, podcasts, live streaming games, or anything like that a usb mic will do just fine. If you need every detail of an acoustic guitar to be recorded perfectly, invest in a nice xlr condenser mic and audio interface.
calvinmd
81
Oct 11, 2016
Flammable_Sug4r
4
Oct 12, 2016
DeathMettleThanks for the rundown : helps alot
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