# A question for you "sound" experts out there. USB vs 3.5mm microphones.



## logan289 (Aug 7, 2003)

I got myself a Gamescom 367 Closed-ear headset seen here.

I used to have a Turtle Beach PX21 seen here,, but it broke (shredded wires) and I found that the Gamescom 367 was supposed to be really good for the price.

Here's the problem:

The sound coming from the speakers is fine. Great, even. But I like to record Let's Plays, podcasts and commentaries and, quite frankly, the Gamescom microphone isn't as sharp a quality as my PX21 Turtle Beach's was.

I did some research and I found that a USB connection produces better quality than 3.5mm jacks, even if the 3.5mm jack is connected to a good sound card. Or, in short, USB > 3.5mm from my understanding.

The Turtle Beach was USB.
Gamescom is 3.5mm.

So, I want to ask a small number of questions:

1) Is the overall quality of my recorded voice affected because of the connection type (3.5mm compared to my old USB connection)? Or is it the build of the microphone itself?

2) Can a 3.5mm-to-USB adapter I've seen and read about increase the sound quality for recording? There was one on amazon for $10 with great reviews, but after reading about 100 reviews, there's hardly any discussion on recording quality. Most reviews talk about how it's a great alternative to if the 3.5mm jack breaks or to use it on a PS3.
An example of the one I've seen is this one.

3) Are there any alternatives you can think of that can match that super-crisp and clear turtle beach microphone recording quality in case there's nothing that can be done with the Gamescom 367? Besides just buying a new turtle beach, of course. Or perhaps, something even better for the same price range?


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

I'm thinking that the quality would depend on the Mic and not the digital (USB) or analog (3.5mm) connection.
It will be converted to digital in the computer.



> The sound coming from the speakers is fine.


I'm Confused ….. What software/program are you recording with ???
If your computer can play it .. You can record it without using a microphone.
I'd use the freeware Audacity to record what my Computer was playing - Then to edit it.


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## leroys1000 (Aug 16, 2007)

Might want to check the recording tab in /sound/control panel.
Most mics I have used default to mono/16Khz if I remember correctly.
Most PC mics are stereo and can be set up to 48Khz for better quality.
Check the mic properties.


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

USB will be clean in a "noisy" environment, which is to say compters are little intense RF factories and analog processing can pick up that static and worse like crazy. I sometimes go through half a dozen computers to find one "quiet" one for audio recording. USB doesn't have that problem since its converted outside of the box and goes in digital.

That said, that's all it means, quality of microphone and speakers and all that still factor huge.


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