A desktop microphone

[horlock]

I'm looking for a microphone to record from a PC. I'm only looking at recording voice - but I want a microphone which will do its utmost to remove the white noise of the computer fans, and avoid popping (my very technical term [sarcasm implied] for the noise when saying plosives eg "Peter piper picked a peck of pickled computers")
I guess I want it to be close to single directional - ie I wont be walking about while speaking into it, but I may well move my head from side to side.

The microphone could potentially be:
desk mounted
a clip on - to clothes style
built into headphones
wrap around from the ear

I want cheap but still fit for purpose - I'm guessing the type which I can buy in poundland/homebargains probably aren't fit for purpose.

I would like the microphone for more than just VOIP.

Any advice gratefully received.

[DanceswithUnix]

My son uses one for youtube which we got from Maplin. It has a USB microphone with desk stand, and an add on pop shield:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/desktop-dy...crophone-a99jb
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/pop-shield-large-black-vw93b

If you want budget, the perhaps a skype/gaming headset could be cheaper

[Dashers]

You want a unidirectional microphone to try and minimise picking up ambient noises. But mostly you're reliant on your environment or audio processing to remove everything else. A good soundcard does this sort of thing on the fly (to varying degrees of success).

[horlock]

My son uses one for youtube which we got from Maplin. It has a USB microphone with desk stand, and an add on pop shield:


If you want budget, the perhaps a skype/gaming headset could be cheaper

Thanks very much this does look like the sort of thing I'm after.

You want a unidirectional microphone to try and minimise picking up ambient noises. But mostly you're reliant on your environment or audio processing to remove everything else. A good soundcard does this sort of thing on the fly (to varying degrees of success).

Thanks I must confess I hadn't considered buying a sound card. Would this really help?

[horlock]

After looking about a bit, I'm pretty much decided on this one

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Recording-m...ct_top?ie=UTF8

Flubit offered it to me for less than £20.50 (though I missed the offer) so I've decided that provided flubit can offer it to me for about this amount again - I'll take it.

That is unless someone is able to find a convincing reason why not - like it is rubbish, or there is a better one for x amount that I really should have.

Thanks again to everyone. I'll go back and do official thanks once I pass the requisite amount of posts.




EDIT:

Have now bought the above one. Flubit just came back with £20.49 so have bit the bullet, hopefully it will do the job.

[Dashers]

A dedicated sound-card may or may not be worth the money. Depends on how good your on-board sound is and how sensitive you are to good quality sound

[horlock]

To be honest, I'm guessing I may well get more gain from spending on a quieter fan than on a sound card - but I will investigate once the microphone arrives. Ordered a pop shield from amazon a while back and still no sign of it.