Having trouble finding a suitable mic, any suggestions?

[Reaper 392]

A couple of friends I play with online have been nagging me for ages to get a new microphone. They are now threatening to get me a new mic as a birthday present and, while I’m sure they would get me something nice, part of me fears that they would get something silly like Barbie’s first microphone or my little pony. So I would like to at least give them some suggestions.

I already have some in ear headphones that I quite like and wouldn’t want to replace (Soundmagic E10), and I’m also not keen on over ear/around ear headsets which seems to limit microphone options to the following:

• something that clips onto they headphone wire itself.
• something that goes around my ear that works with my earphones.
• a desk mic with decent range (a bit more than arms length if I’m using an Xbox controller or steering wheel). Although the keyboard/controller/wheel noises it will pick up wont be ideal.

For some reason I seem to go through headphones very quickly so ideally I would like something that’s reasonably well built, especially if it clips onto the headphones (which seems to eliminate the microphones in the stickied thread here). I would prefer something that is wired if possible because I am terrible at remembering to charge wireless things up. Finally, an easily accessible switch on the microphone itself to turn it on/off would be a bonus, like the Xbox 360 headsets have.

When I asked my friends what sort of money they were planning on spending in order to make this post I was expecting £20 at most, but they were actually looking at £50-60. I really wouldn’t want them to spend that much though, so any suggestions below and up to their budget would be great.

 

[Marsman]

If you'd prefer to keep using the E10's, then that pretty much means either a clip on or desk microphone.

Clip on ones, such as Zalman ZM MIC1, or Speedlink SPES, are cheap but pretty decent microphones, but being so cheap offer no background noise cancellation. Background noise would need to be limited by software on whatever the microphone is plugged into, or by lowering sensitivity.

Something like the Antlion Modmic is good quality popular clip on microphone; but that's going to be of no use, as that is attached to headphone cups. Not going to work with earphones.

Samson Go USB, would probably the best desk microphone to consider.

 

[WILD9]

A new set of E10S (the S have an inline mic) and a £4 "StarTech 3.5mm 4 Pin to 2x 3 Pin 3.5mm Headset Splitter Adapter"

 

[Rroff]

If you spend much time doing any serious gaming then frankly desktop or clipon mics generally just don't cut it (super annoying if you have someone on comms using one) the exception being a good quality clipon mic and knowing how to set it up so you aren't getting background and impact noises, etc which most people don't :S

I use IEMs a lot for gaming due to the comfort of them but swap to a headset when doing anything semi organised in terms of multiplayer.

If its just casual gaming then ignore me.

 

[Rroff]

You probably want to drop that Amazon link as well as OcUK sell headphones and stuff - rules state no linking to competitors.

 

[Twirlywoos]

Samson C01U
Boom stand
Voicemeeter banana

Desktop mics aren't meant to be an armslength away, otherwise they will pick up every noise in the room which will make your mates wish they never bought you a present.

 

[BenJ]

I also use in ear headphones and wanted a seperate mic, I use this Logitech OEM PC 860 Stereo Headset for the mic and not for sound. Can be had for a tenner and just wear over your in ears