What is the best USB Microphone for Windows 7 - Please Help?

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Parkash-Manners

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Hello. I want to record my own songs from a USB Microphone. So I ordered a Samson G Track - I messed around with it so much and I am now finally sick of it and thinking or re selling it.

First it didn't detect it. And when it did the sound quality was cancerous to the ears!

One time a window popped up saying the device isn't compatible with my sound card. So I need to have some knowledge on which one would be the best for my computer.

I have Real Tek High Definition Audio. Any help would be amazing cheers!

 
Well, you are using a crappy soundcard (RealTek), with the least desirable means of input (USB mic). Of course it sounds like crap.....

Get an interface, and use a 'real' mic. :)

There really is nothing else to discuss here. You probably should have done some research before wasting your money.
 
Yup. USB mics are for podcasting, not music.

RealTek onboard soundcards have about 40cents worth of chips in them, less than the cost of a Hershey bar.
They're made for cheap beeps and boops and light gaming, not music production.

Start here: Tweak's Guide to the Home and Project Studio
 
It's best not to use a USB microphone at all.

But USB microphones do not use the soundcard as they do the conversion in the microphone.

Your best option is to get something like a CEntrance MicPort Pro - this is your mic. pre-amp. and includes the ADC up to 24/96 and also has an excellent integral headphone amplifier.

You can use any mic. you want with this.

An explanation video is HERE.



mpp_main.webp
 
The Samson should work fine, just plug and play. A RealTek sound card isn't a problem either.
The problem appears to be a computer related rather than mic related. So don't buy another device, it probably won't solve it.
Without knowing about your computer setup it's hard to judge but I'd start with a driver reinstall.
Also make sure you're using a USB 2.0 port as opposed to a USB 1.1 port which doesn't have enough power for a microphone.
First off try the mic with another PC if possible, there's probably nothing wrong with it.
 
There might not be anything wrong with the mic or sound card pertaining to his problems with installation and error messages, etc....But as far as the "cancerous sound" he's describing, that's all about the mic and sound card.
 
These guys generally know their onions and they say the Gtrack is sort of ok.

Samson G Track Interface | Tech Reviews | MusicRadar

I would personally never recommend a usb mic but we must give a straight answer.
The Realtec card is not in use. the mic is the soundcard, the reason for the error messages is simply Windows hyperbole, anything it does not like is a "fatal error"!

I suggest you uninstal all the G track software and then disable the internal soundcard. In BIOS is best but scary. Go into Control Panel>Device Manager and disable* the soundcard. Then reinstall the Gtrack. If no more error flags come up and you still don't like the sound, flog it and buy an NI Komplete Audio 6 and a decent mic!

*Do not uninstall it, all that will happen on the next boot is the pc will find and re install it!

Dave.
 
I'll take a different tack...

Have you recorded live music before you bought your USB mic? If you have been recording for quite while and have had good results with a separate mic, preamp A/D interface and PC or Mac, then I'd guess you're right about the mic.

But if this is your first excursion into audio recording, be patient and your recordings will get better as you go. You said you don't like the results you're getting, but you didn't elaborate or give us any specifics. Is the recording too quiet? Is it too distorted? Is there too much background noise? Waht software are you using? These are a few examples of specific problems that we could help you sort out. Everyone has to start somewhere, and there are a lot of experienced people here to help.

Best regards,
KK
 
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