Apple Compatible Sound Recording Microphones
Looking for the best audio recording microphone for Mac? Although many Macintosh computers like the MacBook and iMac come with a built-in microphone, others such as the Mac Pro and Mac mini desktops don't have any internal mic included at all. External mics with a USB connection are a quick and easy solution to far more versatile and much, much higher quality computer audio recording on your Mac.Best Selling USB Microphones For Apple
Here's a couple of highly versatile Mac compatible microphones for nearly any sound recording need:| Mixer Mic For OSX | USB Desktop Microphone |
|---|---|
G-Track Multi-Mode Mic For Mac Audio Mixer For Voice & Instrument 
|
Samson Meteor Mic Flip-Up Built-In Tripod 
|
Best Mac Compatible Podcast Microphones
Whether you're an amateur or pro podcaster, these high-quality USB condenser microphones are an excellent choice for podcasting sessions done on your MacBook laptop - or from your Macintosh desktop setup.| Multi-Mode Mac Microphone | Premium Podcasting Microphone |
|---|---|
Blue Nessie Desktop Mic 3-Mode Audio Recording 
|
Rode NT USB Mic Onboard Mixer + Headphone Jack 
|
Best Portable USB Microphones For MacBook Pro or Air
For vastly improved computer sound recording from your MacBook laptop, nearly any external mic will run circles around the tiny internal microphone built into your Apple notebook. Here's some compact, ultra-portable MacBook Air and Pro compatible USB sound recording mics ideal for enhanced dictation, podcasting, music and audio capture on the go.| Portable USB MacBook Mic | Mini MacBook Travel Mic |
|---|---|
Samson Go Mic Direct Pivoting Condenser Microphone 
|
CAD Audio u9 Mic Ultra Portable Microphone 
|
About Mac USB Sound Recording Mics
Universal Serial Bus microphones are ideal for instant, driver-free plug-and-play use on any Macintosh when just a single mic is needed for speech, vocal, music or podcast sessions. When multiple mics are needed, you're best off using XLR connected microphones connected to a mixing deck since OSX can generally only connect to one USB mic at a time.Any of the above featured Mac compatible microphones are instantly recognized in MacOS and will work on any speed USB port your Mac has. The digital audio signals aren't very bandwidth intensive, so they'll work equally well on 12Mpbs USB 1.1, 480Mpbs USB 2.0, 5Gbps USB 3.0 or 10Gbps USB 3.1 SuperSpeed Plus ports all the same. Do note that USB does have a bit of timing overhead and lag, which is why many microphones include a 1/8" 3.5mm headphone monitor jack for direct, real-time monitoring of the sound signal. For optimal sound recording, having the mic plugged directly into your computer's USB port is preferred as other active devices in shared use on a USB hub may cause some bandwidth contention.
No audio driver installation is needed for a USB mic to be recognized on OSX. Very standard USB Audio Drivers are built into Apple's OS kernel. You simply need to select the microphone as your preferred input source first in your Macintosh's Apple System Preferences > Sound > Input pane. It may also be wise to check whatever audio recording software you're using on your MacBook Pr or Air, iMac, Mac mini or Mac Pro for app-specific mic input settings.