Because you’re reading this post, I’ll assume you’re a home producer, podcaster, or YouTuber on a budget.
Well, you’ve come to the right place.
After doing a hefty amount of online research and looking at user reviews, here are the five best microphones under $50 that I could find.
I noted the average star rating on Amazon in the title for each mic. And I included a 4-, 3-, and 2-star review for each (gotta keep things balanced and objective, you know?).
I tried to find reviews that captured the general sentiment of the other users who left the same number of stars.
Updated December 1, 2019
Here are the five best microphones under $50 and what we’ll cover:
- Marantz Professional MPM-1000
- What users are saying
- Specs and features
- Final word
- Blue Snowball iCE
- What users are saying
- Specs and features
- Final word
- Shure SM48-LC
- What users are saying
- Specs and features
- Final word
- Samson Go Mic
- What users are saying
- Specs and features
- Final word
- Samson Meteorite
- What users are saying
- Specs and features
- Final word
- The Best Mic Under $50 For DIY Musicians
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Marantz Professional MPM-1000 — 4.4 Stars
What users are saying:
4 stars: “Perfect for my podcasting needs.”
3 stars: “Standard quality for the price range. Good product for the price point. But its nothing special.”
2 stars: “The MPM-1000 is a great condenser microphone for $50, but you do get what you pay for.”
Specs and features:
| Connector | XLR |
| Pickup Pattern / Type | Cardioid / Condenser |
| Frequency response | 20 - 20,000 Hz |
| Capsule size | 18mm |
| Accessories | Windscreen, shock mount, tripod stand |
| Maximum SPL | 136 dB (THD ~ 1%, 1 kHz) |
| Sensitivity | -38 dB +/- 2 dB (0 dB = 1 V/Pa @ 1 kHz) |
| Signal-to-Noise Ratio | 77 dB |
| Self-Noise | 17 dBA |
| Impedance Output | 200 ohms |
| Impedance Load | 1000 ohms |
Final word:
This seems like a decent mic best used for podcasts or anything that’s not too loud, like gentle vocals or plucked acoustic guitar.
Blue Snowball iCE — 4.4 Stars
What users are saying:
4-stars: “Really good Microphone! I use it to replace the microphone on my laptop. It can be used for Skype, or if you do a podcast or youtube channel. It is quite clear and has a good range of pick up. What I would not use this for is music. It is not a very good vocal mic or instrument mic.”
3-stars: “The sound quality is pretty good, but it can be really frustrating if you use it on the go a lot. Basically, if you wanna use it, try to have the mic in a consistent stationary location so the fragility doesn’t matter as much.”
2-stars: “The sound quality is the best of any mic I own, and probably the best you can get at this price. BUT, it only works about 1/2 the time. The other times, I plug it in, and nothing happens.”
Specs and features:
| Connector | USB |
| Color Options | White and Black iCE |
| Drivers Required | None |
| Microphone Capsules | Single |
| Pickup Pattern | Cardioid |
| Frequency Response | 40 –18 kHz |
| Transducer Type | Condenser, Pressure Gradient With USB digital output |
| Sample/word Rate | 44.1 kHz/16 bit |
Final word:
Okay, so this one doesn’t sound like a good option for recording music. Maybe you could record vocals with it, but if you’re a musician, there may be better options for you on this list.
Shure SM48-LC — 4.5 Stars
What users are saying:
4 stars: “I own a vocal studio…and we use these in each of our classrooms to teach our [students] how to use a microphone properly. It is a good lightweight microphone. …For younger kids, it’s a great microphone because it’s heavy-duty and not cheaply made.”
3 stars: “Sounds fine on its own. My bandmates can tell the difference between a nice [SM58] and this based on lower/muddier output to the PA.”
2 stars: “Very weak sound. One has to stay very close (almost touching the grilles) to get acceptable (not great) volume level.”
Specs and features:
| Type | Dynamic |
| Frequency Response | 55 to 14,000 Hz |
| Pickup Pattern | Cardioid (unidirectional) |
| Output Level | Open Circuit Voltage: * -57.5 dBV/Pa (1.3 mV), *1 Pa = 94 dB SPL |
| Connector | XLR |
Final word:
Shure is a name you can and should trust. So many great singers and artists use their SM58 mic, which is possibly the most versatile mic in its price range. I think it’s one of the best microphones for recording at home.
Think of the SM48-LC as its little brother.
Yeah, maybe not as good when you compare them side-by-side, but it’s also half the price. It’s for sure one of the best microphones under $50.
Samson Go Mic — 4.3 Stars
What users are saying:
4 stars: “This little microphone puts out MUCH better quality than that of the internal mic of the computer. It is very durable [and convenient] for travel…”
3 stars: “It’s powerful but it was picking up my background sounds too easily and too loudly. Couldn’t adjust it enough for my tastes but it has some remarkable qualities.”
2 stars: “This mic is a great value but they compromised in an important area: the mini-USB connection on the mic body.”
Specs and features:
| Connector | USB |
| System compatibility | Mac and PC |
| Pickup pattern | Switchable between cardioid and omnidirectional |
| Resolution | 16-bit, 44.1kHz resolution |
| Frequency response | 20Hz–18kHz |
| Output | 1/8″ stereo headphone output |
Final word:
This mic is mainly for podcasting or YouTube videos. But, hey, if you’re a good audio engineer, you could probably get some OK sounds from it.
Samson Meteorite — 4.3 Stars
What users are saying:
4 stars: “All in all, I like this microphone. it’s quite sensitive so you don’t have to put it too close to your mouth. The only flaw for me is that the USB cable is really short.”
3 stars: “The thing is, it will sound quite good, but only if it is pretty close to your face, like about a foot away. Otherwise, the sound will have a hollow, echo-y quality to it.”
2 stars: “I purchased this microphone to address some background noise problems in my office. Doesn’t work at all for that purpose.”
Specs and features:
| Connector | USB |
| PIckup pattern / type | Cardioid / condenser |
| Drivers required | None |
| Resolution | 16-bit, 44.1/48kHz |
| Frequency response | 20Hz20kHz |
Final word:
I’m not too impressed with this one. The design looks illogical and annoying. But it seems like a great option if you’re using it for gaming, Skype calls, or even podcasting.
Best Microphones Under $50: The Winner
Out of these five best microphones under $50, the Shure SM48-LC easily wins.
If I were going to buy a new mic and I only had $50, that’s the one I would get.
Shure is just so good and the reviews left by actual users are definitely reassuring.
Hope this review helps! To see a mini-review of each piece of equipment and software I use, you can go here.