7 Best Retro & Old School Streaming Microphone (2024)

If you have seen old school movies and music videos, you may have seen the infamous silver microphone that is uniquely associated with Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe.

When compared to these vintage microphones, the new ones often appear bland and uncharacteristic.

Best Retro Style Microphone for Streaming

Thankfully, you can still buy a retro streaming microphone without compromising on sound quality as seen with models like:

1. Shure – Super 55 Deluxe Vocal Microphone

Shure prides in more than 70 years in the industry, and their products attest to their immaculate expertise.

The Super 55 Deluxe is an outstanding microphone, and its design represents the history of music creation.

It features a satin chrome-plated die-cast casing and vibrant blue foam. The microphone’s supercardioid tight pattern will ensure that you stay on-axis.

The Super 55 Deluxe microphone is built for performance, and its tailored frequency responds to natural vocals and speech. You can expect raw power from the model and more character-influenced sounds.

It will uniquely complement rock and roll, R&B, and Blues. In addition to stage and studio recording, you can use the mic for personal uses like podcasting or any other application where sound is required.

If you are keen on the quality of sound, you will not be disappointed with this microphone.

High-tech attributes like incredible off-axis rejection and excellent resistance to feedback make it a great contender in the mic segment.

The mic comes with a shock-mounted cartridge that reduces handling noise and promotes quiet operation.

This is the mic for you if you want new technology packaged in a 50s model. It sounds as great as it looks, but it has no off and on switch.

2. Heil Sound – The Fin Dynamic Microphone

The Fin Dynamic microphone by Heil Sound features a vintage look and some futuristic elements that result in a shiny and striking piece.

The mic’s design consists of a copper-plated steel body that is further double chrome-plated to result in a deep showcrome finish.

It glows via the inbuilt LED lights that can be switched on and off through the phantom power from your mixing board. You can use this effect to spice up your next performance.

The Fin produces rich sounds via its broad frequency base, whether music is being produced in the studio or live performances.

You can also use it with other sound-intensive activities thanks to its linear cardioid polar pattern.

Be careful with high-volume recordings, however, as it is more prone to feedback than comparable models.

3. Blue – Baby Bottle Microphone

The Baby Bottle SL microphone captures the appeal of the world’s best vintage mics. The brand has built on the success of the original Baby Bottle to deliver versatile switches and a new streamlined design.

You can expect the mic to bring out the real character of your voice and add a classic touch to instruments like acoustic guitars.

The Baby Bottle SL has been fitted with Blue’s proprietary hand-tuned capsule. It has been equipped with a Mylar diaphragm with a machined brass backplate style that produces warm audio.

Your sound will remain pure regardless of environment and instrument since the mic has a -20dB pad and a switchable 100 Hz high-pass filter.

4. MXL R77 Classic Ribbon Microphone

The MXL R77 Classic Ribbon Microphone is quite eye-catching, and its gold and chrome finish makes it look polished and vintage.

The microphone comes with an inbuilt swivel mount with a US thread but no adaptor.

You also get a 25-foot Mogami XLR cable, a short table stand, and a cleaning cloth in the package. You can tell that the microphone is manufactured from premium materials.

The MXL R77 also has several impressive technical attributes. It utilizes an aluminum ribbon transducer, which is naturally a figure-8 pickup pattern.

This pattern picks up sounds from the front and back sides of the mic with equal sensitivity while promoting a large amount of rejection 90º off access. The MXL logo indicates the front and back areas of the microphone.

Sounds from the MXL R77 will be rich and warm. You can look forward to natural highs and smooth lows, and satisfactory responses to EQ.

It is advisable to use a preamplifier with a lot of gain with ribbon mics since they have reduced output than condenser microphones. MXL recommends the use of a preamplifier with high gain, low noise, and an input impedance of 1500 ohms or higher.

Overall, the R77 is a decent ribbon mic that will fit anything that requires a high-end smoothing out.

5. MXL V67G – Capsule Microphone

The MXL V67G microphone is designed to breathe warmth into vocals. Its green body and golden grille give the mic an appealing retro vibe. It weighs 1.3 pounds and will fit a range of vocal applications.

The mic is fitted with a 32 mm pressure gradient condenser capsule. A 6-micron gold-sputtered diaphragm sits on a solid-state preamp to produce a frequency response of between 30kHZ to 20kHz. The mic works on a single cardioid pattern, and its maximum SPL rating is 130dB.

The mic works the best with acoustic guitars, and it is especially suited for pop, R&B, country, and rock. Its rich midrange matches with tube microphones, and it is able to eliminate ambient noise.

6. Shure – 520DX Bullet Microphone

The Green Bullet 520DX microphone by Shure produces a unique sound that is popular among harmonica players. Shure produces the mic in a dark hazel hue that is reminiscent of microphones in the 40s and 50s.

The mic has a high sensitivity since it is omnidirectional, and it is contoured to fit comfortably in your hands. It is supplied with a ¼-inch connector and a dynamic cartridge.

Using the Green Bullet 520DX microphone is incredibly easy. The volume should be down before you plug it into an amplifier, and you can turn it up as you walk away from the amplifier.

You can then adjust the volume as needed during the performance.

Avoiding feedback is as simple as staying as far as possible from loudspeakers and monitors.

You need to be very aware of the sounds you would like from the mic since its frequency response is between 100 to 5,000 Hz.

This mic is ideal for live performances rather than studio sessions.

7. Samson Meteor – Capsule Microphone

The Samson Meteor Condenser Microphone is a portable USB studio mic for voice recording. You can link it directly to your computer and record podcasts, skype calls, and any other kind of streaming.

The microphone is a beloved of podcasters thanks to its clever design. The fold-back leg design makes it extremely portable, and it can be mounted on various surfaces via the adapter at the bottom.

The mic will make the perfect companion for multimedia creators by providing studio-quality audio to any project. Its 1ʺ condenser capsule will perfectly capture the character and nuance of your voice.

The mic offers plug-and-play function with no driver installation and can even work with iPhones, iPads, and Android devices.

Samson Technologies is committed to providing incredible recordings for their users. The mic’s 16 bit, 44.1/48kHz resolution, smooth frequency response, and cardioid pickup pattern deliver professional audio results.

You get a 1/8ʺ headphone output to monitor the sound produced by your computer as well as by the microphone. A mute switch offers audio privacy while video conferencing, and a headphone volume knob provides control over the mix.

How to Choose a Streaming Microphone?

You can buy streaming microphones based on the factors below:

Type

You will come across terms like dynamic, condenser, USB, and ribbon as you search for a streaming microphone.

Condenser mics are more prevalent in vocal recording because of their high accuracy. This sensitivity, however, may be a disadvantage if there are a lot of background noises in the room that you intend to record in. The microphones can pick up sounds like passing cars and air conditioning.

Condenser models also need phantom power provided by a solid audio interface or mixer. Dynamic microphones don’t require phantom power, and they are not as sensitive as condenser mics.

Ribbon microphones are less popular in the streaming world, but they are ideal for recording in higher frequency ranges.

Polar patterns

Microphones have different polar patterns that influence the quality of sound that you get. Cardioid patterns will need you to record in front of the mic, and they are perfect for voice-over, streaming, and vocals.

Bidirectional mics can capture audio both in front and behind the mic, and you can use them for one-on-one interviews. An omnidirectional mic best serves Round-table interviews.

Frequency Response

Frequencies are measured in Hertz and Kilohertz, and they typically range from low to high. Vocalists need high frequencies responses, whereas creators like gamers can get away with a moderate range.

Budget

There are many budget microphones, but you will have to part with more to get professional audio. Retro streaming microphones can also get expensive.

Conclusion

Old school microphones capture the nostalgia of the 40s, 50s, and 60s when classic stars belted out music from silver mics.

You can get a slice of these eras with a vintage-style microphone, where the machinery is new and modern. Select a model from a reputable brand like Shure, Heil, Samson, Blue, and MXL.