What factors should be considered when selecting a microphone for professional voiceover work?

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When picking a mic for voiceover, you want something that captures your voice with clarity and warmth. Condenser mics like the Golden Age Microphone FC1 or Audio-Technica AT2020 are great for starters. If you're going higher-end, there are huge list of great mics (just hit me up with message, I'll be glad to help you). Just make sure it’s cardioid to cut out background noise, and handles plosives well. I'm a huge fan of Shure SM7B dynamic microphone as well, it can be good too, especially when your room is not perfect. So don’t forget, even the best mic can sound bad if your room’s not treated!

TLDR: While mics make a very important contribution to sound quality, your recording space is the most important part of the equation. Start out with a good $100-$250 mic and decent interface, and focus most of your time and money on acoustically treating your room you record in. Once you have gained experience with doing VO and critical listening, you will get a better feel for what you need, both in terms of more room treatment and mic/equipment upgrades. As you upgrade/add better mics to your collection, you can keep your first mic for travel/backup. The nicer the mic, the more it will reveal about the deficiencies of your recording space, so keep improving the space until you really feel in your gut it's time to upgrade mics. You don't have to buy a mic with name recognition but if the pricing is similar it might be worth getting one for those rare times when that matters to a potential client. Don't go into debt, and don't buy something until you are sure you need it and know exactly why you need it. 

The long version:

As an audio engineer and sound designer with more than 25 years professional experience AND a voice over talent, I can tell you that what matters more than mic choice is your recording space (your mic technique can make a big difference, too). You can spend thousands of dollars on an amazing, sensitive, accurate, detailed microphone, but if you have a noisy recording space with poor acoustic treatment, it's just going to give you a more detailed and accurate recording of a really bad sounding room. 

If you are just starting out, spend most of your time and money to get your room sounding good with proper acoustic treatment (real acoustic panels you buy or build yourself, none of that cheap, lightweight foam stuff) and as much mitigation of noise sources as possible. Audio is all about tradeoffs. Your space, budget and specific needs will all need to be balanced when starting out, or you may become paralyzed by all the choices and never get started!

One valid approach when first staring out is to do some basic treatment (a few hundred dollars worth) and simply buy a $100 dynamic mic (sE Electronics SE7 and Shure SM58 are two popular examples) and keep upgrading your room treatment and equipment as your budget allows and your ears and skills improve.  These are good, durable mics that you can later use that as your travel/backup mic. A dynamic isn't going to have the detail or nuance of a large diaphragm condenser, but it will be more forgiving of less-than-optimum recording spaces, and can be the perfect choice when traveling once you buy a nicer mic later. For a bit more money, you can instead start with a condenser that is designed for close proximity use in non-ideal environments, such as the Earthworks SR117 Supercardioid Condenser Vocal Microphone ($200) or the Lauten Audio LS-208 Large-diaphragm End-address Condenser Microphone ($600) if you've got some extra bucks to burn. Or you can even pick up a shotgun mic, such as the Audio-Technica AT875R ($170), which can sound fantastic and be a great option as long as you have at least some decent room treatment and get your mic placement right to minimize reflections. If you have a great sounding room from the get-go and only need to do a little more treatment, then you may want to opt for a reasonably priced large diaphragm condenser from the start (see further down for some recommendations in this price category).

Once you have some experience under your belt doing VO and developing your "engineer's ears" working with your initial rig, you will start to get a feel for what else needs to be done--adding room treatment, tinkering with mic location and angle, upgrading to a better mic, better interface, etc. Do not go into debt, and do not buy something without a clear reason why it is needed. 

There are some wonderful inexpensive large diaphragm condenser (LDC) mics available these days, it's mostly about finding the one that's right for your voice and room. Where the cheaper LDC mics often fall short is when you (or your client) start to apply EQ. This is where uneven frequency response and/or resonances, particular in the higher frequency range, start to be revealed. There is much to be said for spending extra to buy a mic with a very flat, accurate response that "takes EQ well", and this may require you to save up your money a little longer. LDCs in the low/mid price range continue to get better and better and exhibit fewer of these anomalies these days.

While it is absolutely true that there are many mics out there that don't have the same brand/model recognition (or price) of a Neumann U87 or a Sennheiser MKH 416 that sound as good or better, these are industry standards for a reason, and sometimes (right or wrong), being able to say you have one can give you an edge. My thought is that if you have the means, and the mic matches well to your voice and room, it may be worth getting one of the big names that people recognize. On rare occasions, some projects (especially animation or game projects) may even require certain minimum standards and list specific mics they require/prefer you use (often the list will include U87/U89, TLM103 and MKH416 on the mid-range/high end, and the Rode NT1 on the low end of the price spectrum as the minimum standard). Engineers, right or wrong, like to work with recordings from known gear they have worked with and know the sound of. The fewer varieties of mics that are in play for a large project with multiple actors, the easier it is for them to dial things in so all the characters sound like they are in the same world. Among these mics with name recognition, I personally prefer the Neumann U89 to the U87 in the "gold standard Neumann LDC" category because it has a more flat frequency response with less of that U87 midrange lift. But both are amazing mics that take EQ very well, so it's down to which one works better with your voice. They are very sensitive and so your room/booth better be very well treated and free of noise. For shotguns, I am not alone in believing that nothing cuts through in a commercial mix or makes promo VO's stand out quite like an MKH416. It has a specific sound we all have heard and know, and can work well to reduce background noise/reverberation within reason (in a totally untreated space it can start to sound strange, but in decently treated spaces, or even well-placed in an automobile, it can sound fantastic). The 416's signature sound is both its strength and its weakness. It may not be right for all projects/genres, but for the ones it is suited for, it's a killer. 

That said, thousands of VO professionals never need to buy one of the "holy grail" mics to achieve great success, so unless you really want one, or are missing out on work because you don't have one, or have auditioned one and are sure it's the exact right mic for your voice and space, the mic brand and model are not really important. There are some fantastic mics out there in the $200-$600 range that could serve you well the rest of your life, including mics made by Austrian Audio, sE Electronics, Lauten, Lewitt, Shure and Rode. There are even some standouts in the ever-growing sub-$200 category such as the sE Electronics X1 S, Neat King Bee II or Worker Bee II, that punch well above their weight.

In the end, it's less about the equipment than how you use it, and the space you use it in. When you first start out, it's hard to know what you need, so just buy some good quality, reasonably priced, durable equipment that won't break the bank and only upgrade once you have developed the skills and ears to determine you need to, and have the means to do so. Keep the old stuff for backup/travel, keep improving your performance and listening skills, and above all, HAVE FUN!

With 40 years of professional voice over work to reflect back on I wish someone had told me what I am going to share - the microphone you use in your VO business doesn't matter nearly as much as what most people will try and tell you! 

Equipment geeks and audiophiles will tell you that you have to have a different mic for different work, but in my experience finding the right mic just takes a little experimentation and listening to yourself on good headphones and monitors.

The technology has changed dramatically over the last 4 decades and even more so over the last 12 years since I started my own professional voice over business, but the basics have not.

I started with a USB Blue Yeti in a high ceilinged dining room with no understanding of how to treat a space for sound recording (but I still booked work) - then I learned and changed my space and equipment. I later evolved to a budget friendly Marshall condenser mic, then a Rode NT1 condenser mic and eventually a Sennheiser 416 microphone that I have been using in my studio and on the road for the past 6 years and I have no reason to change it because it works with my voice whether in a controlled or uncontrolled recording environment. Could I actually tell the difference listening to each of those mics on playback if you blindfolded me and played samples? No, I probably could not - BUT I could tell you if it sounded full and professional and if the room was treated properly and if there was noise in the recording. I can listen to some projects I did with a USB microphone that sound great years later because I learned how to mix and process the audio after I recorded through experience.

The two most important considerations I have discovered start with sound treatment of the recording space and having a good audio interface to bring that captured audio into your system for processing, editing and delivery. You can use a decent USB microphone and it will sound good and make you money. Is that the best mic for your voice and your business? Experiment with a couple others, but don't buy into the hype you have to get an expensive mic to play with the big boys and girls. Performance matters more than the gear (repeat that). Almost no one outside the VO world will know or care what you are using, but will care if you sound good and know how to use what you have.

The most important thing to consider is choosing a mic that compliments and enhances the best qualities of your voice, and that starts with being honest with yourself about what kind of voice you have in the first place.

If your tone of voice is naturally high pitched and perhaps a bit shrill, don't go for an overly bright microphone, which will just exaggerate that shrillness. Most cheaper made mics are artificially hyped in the top end because it sounds 'exciting' when you first start using them.

If (like me) you have a voice with a lot of low end information, be wary of microphones that enhance low end, which you're just going to have to dial out later on. A lot of large diaphragm condensers will have issues with proximity effect, in this way.

Scenarios like these are why shotgun mics are so common in animation and dubbing in Hollywood, as they can handle pretty much any voice style and timbre.

Maybe look into a Sennheiser 416 or something similar.

1. If you have a poorly treated room, then get a shotgun small capsule mic like the Sennheiser 416 ($990) or the cheaper alternative - Diety SMic-2 ($300).  Small capsule shotgun mics were made to have a very focused zone while recording.  These mics are used on movie sets and vocal booths of all top LA studios because they sound clean and help reduce room noise.  It wont cut out a dog barking or recording in a bathroom, but in a normal bedroom or hotel room, this is the mic to get.  I use one about 8 times a day for TV commercials.  It's one of the go to mics for Promo and Commercial work.
2. If you have a decently treated recording space or booth, consider a larger capsule condenser mic.  I know everyone wants to get a Neumann, but at this point Neumann is just a mass produced chinese mic.  I would suggest looking at some of the decently priced Lewitt mics, or better yet, the handmade Soyuz 1973.  If you are looking for the Neumann TLM 103 sound, get the Soyus 1973.  
3. If you have a high budget and good recording space, consider the Neumann U87 or 67.  It is also a staple in most full time voice actor mic closets.  There are cheaper clones like the Warm Audio 87 that sound very close.  The Neumann U87 ($3000) and a good mic pre will be a combo you keep for life. 

I'll try to keep this short, simple and to the point:

1/ TRY BEFORE YOU BUY! I have a female, young sounding, higher pitched, British voice which does NOT sound the same on my microphone as a raspy, middle aged American man. One size does not fit all. Try them out before you invest.

2/ You can have a great microphone for your voice but if your recording space is not correctly 'treated' for the best acoustics, noise floor etc...you'll sound rubbish! Sort your environment out first! You wont regret it!

3/ You do not need to spend thousands on a Sennheiser. I record on a mid range Audient Cardioid Condenser Microphone AT2035 and have done for 7yrs. It works a dream. Do not try and fix what isn't broken.

4/ USB mics are ok when you are starting out but there is a definite difference in audio quality so as time goes on, moving on to a condenser mic would be advisable

I believe the choice ultimately depends on your budget and skill level. If you're new to voice-over and want to invest a smaller amount while proving your value in the market, like I did, I recommend starting with a USB microphone. I made my first $30,000 using one in my living room without any soundproofing. Once you've built up your profile and have a deeper understanding of voice-over work and the tools needed for high-quality output, you can invest in an audio interface with a microphone that connects to it. This setup provides a slight edge over a USB mic, but it's not something clients are likely to notice significantly, in my opinion. Ultimately, the quality of your sound depends more on the soundproofing of your room, so prioritize that over the type of microphone you choose.

Audio transparency is key, aswell as frequency-independent directionality. Furthermore a high signal to noise ratio or low noise, clarity and low sensitivity to handling noise and vibrations is important. Depending on the use, a wide dynamic range and transparent signal are also things to look into. Besides the microphone, make sure that the location (room) of where you record is soundproof or make it as soundproof as possible. You cab have the perfect microphone, but when you record is, let's say a bathroom, the quality or your recording is still poor. So yes, a good quality microphone is essential, but so is the room where you record. Take a recording of your voice in the space you intend to use, play it back, and listen to the sound of your own voice in the recording and noting any boominess, high-ringing sounds or any echos. All of these flaws in the playback voice over recording are indicators that you may need more ways to absorb external noise in the room. You can do  this by acoustic paneling.