If Apogee MiCs aren’t really your thing, you might find some of their other digital audio products are more suited to your needs:

Ifyes, perhapsMiC Pluswill better suit your needs. Although don’t forget, a compressor on your livestream mic will definitely help to keep your voice clear and defined above any other audio in the mix. Shape it (Light Compression) - The minimal amount of compression, great for shaping the vocals and instruments in your music recordings. With its built-in analogue compressor, Apogee's latest USB mic aims to give you radio-ready recordings straight out of the box. Up to this point the mics are basically the same. The difference comes in singal processing. The MiC Plus records at 24-bit/96kHz without any sort of digital signal processing (DSP). The HypeMiC signal is also DSP-free. Instead, it uses ASP (analog signal processing), a something I'm happy to see in a USB microphone.The warmth added is a little more than the previous mode – still sounds ok but not great. The overall levels increased to -17.7dB RMS. HypeMic Smash Compression Setting HypeMiC’s unique analog compression enhances vocals like no other microphone. The three compression settings availablein HypeMiC give you a truly balanced and “mixed” recording, reducing the need for extensive processing and mixing. Capturingyour perfect take has never been easier. Shape it (least) The minimal amount of compression, great for shaping the vocals and instruments in your music recordings Before we dive into the world of USB mics, you should know how most professional microphones work. In a typical recording studio scenario, a microphone is an analog piece of gear that sends a signal to a console or computer through an XLR cable (often through a mixer that can handle multiple microphones at once). The signal from the mic should be more or less pure; EQ, dynamic compression, and reverb are all later steps in production. Perhaps it’s best to start with the features and applications that MiC Plus& HypeMiC have in common. For a start, both these USB microphones are great for the following applications:

To conduct this test, I mimic movements that podcasters might make while interviewing guests – after all, most people don’t sit completely still. As much as audio pros would love to duct tape people to chairs while recording, people shift around!HypeMiC brings a new level of smoothness and warmth to acoustic instrument recording. Varying compression levels allow you to capture the fullest tone of your instrument without compromise. Built for high SPL levels, HypeMiC provides greater clarity and detail when recording loud acoustic instruments from drums to horns to choirs. Voice/Audio for Video: Podcasts, Voiceovers, Interviews, YouTube etc. The build of the HypeMic is solid. The built-in compression settings are useful at times, but it’s hit or miss for a podcast setting. They are not mind-blowing and it won’t sound as if you recorded in a fancy studio. It takes a lot of adjustments to get out of clipping range. I did like that I had manual gain control, at least, to compensate for the issues I was running into. Compressors can be complicated to set up, but Apogee have simplified the one in HypeMic to operate in 3 switchable modes: Outwardly, the HypeMiC looks very similar to the Apogee MiC+, and uses the same medium‑diameter cardioid‑pattern capacitor capsule. It can run at up to 24-bit/96kHz and comes with an accessory kit that includes a substantial metal desktop tripod with 'tilt and pan' mic mount, a metal mesh‑screen pop filter and a semi-rigid woven carrying case that also contains three types of cable: micro-USB to USB-C, micro-USB to USB-A, and micro-USB to Apple Lightning connector. The mic offers plug-and-play operation with iOS (version 9 or later), Mac OS and Windows, and is fully compatible with Core Audio on the Mac OS platform, meaning that no additional drivers are necessary. The headphone output, which appears on both theHypeMiC andMiC Plus, allows you to listen to audio coming directly from the MiC capsule, and also from the device you’re plugged into. The direct feed allows you to monitor yourself with zero latency (no delay time), which is pretty important when recording audio that needs to be in time e.g. for music.

The above is a spectrogram of a recording. The audio is interference-free (no hums caused by surrounding wireless waves or from the phone’s components). Device Compatibility of the HypeMic Some gaming mics up the ante by providing multiple polar patterns. Although cardioid (single-direction) is the standard, maybe you want to capture more than one voice with an omnidirectional or figure-eight pattern. Some gaming mics also have built-in switches to work with specific consoles. One of our minor gripes with the MiC Plus is the decent-but-not-great desktop tripod it ships with. The HypeMiC's tripod is redesigned—it's far sturdier, and the movable attachment can also be used as a traditional mic stand adapter. (A hex key is included to remove the necessary piece to attach the adapter to a mic stand rather than the tripod.) Everything about the tripod—from the swivel mount to the legs—is a huge improvement over the other model. Ideal for live streaming, podcasts and broadcasts, HypeMiC balances audio dynamics for greater clarity resulting in better ‘broadcast ready’ recordings. HypeMiC is compatible with any Mac/PC and iOS app that allows you to select an audio device so you’re never without a pro studio when you are on the go. Speciality Recording Apogee provides some handy accessories to accompany both their MiCs. However, this is where we start to see a little difference.

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It’s worth noting that there is no official Windows ASIO driver. Windows users are encouraged to use the freeware ASIO4ALL to get the mic to work inside DAWs that require an ASIO driver setting. This is software like Pro Tools, Audition, Cubase, etc. The divide between Apple and Windows in the creative community has shrunk considerably. Many folks getting started with audio projects are likely to start with a Windows and/or Android system due to the lower cost barrier, so I wish more companies would have better/any support. But, of course, a focus on Apple systems is completely within their prerogative. That said, it is still plug-and-play for a software like Audacity on Windows. A user will need to find that sweet spot for input gain for any of the compression settings based on the natural intensity of their voice. I prefer the tone of the initial recording, with no compression activated. I was running into wonky recording levels with the compressor settings. HypeMic Plosive Test

The goal with any mic is almost always clarity. But for podcasts, we need to take the vocalist into account. If you are recording an experienced speaker who has excellent mic technique, you might want to go for a USB mic that has no DSP. If, on the other hand, the podcast routinely calls for less experienced interviewees, you might wish to use a mic that has some protective DSP like in the aforementioned gaming mics, so thatoutbursts of laughter or sudden rises in level don't immediately cause distortion. Again, don't base your decision entirely on pricing and buy the most expensive thing. Determine what you need first and see what options meet your criteria. Apogee Electronics is well known for its high-quality audio interfaces, but in recent years the company has been ploughing much of its knowledge into USB mic development. It now has a number of models to choose from including the MIC Plus studio microphone and the NITE Mic aimed at gaming and streaming. Yet another, the HypeMic reviewed here, boasts that must-have feature. It is, the company claims "the only USB microphone with built-in analog compression". This should, as we shall see, give you a unique recording option at source and the chance to capture even better recordings. Finally, most USB mics are plug-and-play ready. Apple GarageBand, for instance, typically recognizes a USB mic immediately and asks if you want to use it as an input (set it for both input and output if you want to use it as a headphone monitor as well). But not all recording software plays nice with USB mics. Perhaps most surprisingly, Avid Pro Tools, which is more or less the industry standard for music recording software, requires a somewhat tedious workaround to support most USB mics. (You can search for "aggregate device USB mic Pro Tools" to get a better handle on that.)HypeMiC and MiC Plus both feature a studio-quality condenser capsule for capturing hi-fidelity audio. The frequency response is smooth and evenly balanced, making it great for a wide variety of sound sources. This is partnered with a super low-noise preamp, built straight into the microphone to amplify its output. It can provide a maximum of 46dB, allowing you to capture the most delicate of sounds with minimal noise. The combination of the two equates to professional results with your recordings from either MiC. The nice thing with the tripod stand is that the “mic clip” part is on a swivel. This allows a user to make slight mic placement adjustments to angle the mic to help cut out plosives at the source. However, an issue is that the legs still collapse easily despite tightening the tripod’s screw. HypeMic Off-Axis Test In this article we’ll discuss what makes both of these MiCs a great option creators, but also what sets them apart. Ultimately, we’ll help you decide whether theMiC Plus or theHypeMiC is the MiC for you.