Reid’s Gear Resource Page

REID’S GEAR RECOMMENDATIONS
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APPROACH 1 – Using your smartphone

1. iPhones–Prices vary. I use an iPhone, but Androids work, too! Pro-Tip: Consider looking into your cellular plan and if renewing it will allow you to upgrade to a better phone.

2. Sound In (Mics)–Earbuds & Lanyard Mics

First bit of advice: Test-drive what sound-in and sound-out choices you already have on hand (or should that be in-ear?). Why? There’s a decent chance you might not have to spend extra money on sound.

Earbud Pro-Tip: Double-check what their return policy is in case they don’t fit your ears well or don’t do what you need sound-wise, and you need to return them. Oh! And be careful how you unpackaged them and don’t throw away the boxes in case you do end up returning them.

Wireless Earbuds

I upgraded to Apple’s wireless, noise-canceling AirPod Pros because I wanted in-the-ear sound that didn’t look obtrusive when I was teaching. The AirPod Pros are pretty amazing and fit really well in my ears. Earbuds can be hit or miss for me on fit. Weird ear shape, I guess.

The AirPod Pros actually give really good mic sound for teaching, which surprised me. I figured they would be good for phonecalls, but I just figured they wouldn’t be great for teaching. I was wrong. Of course, a dedicated microphone that’s designed for voiceovers and podcasts can beat the AirPods, but I was surprised. (FYI, the internet says they will also pair with PCs and Androids). Biggest drawbacks: 1) AirPods Pro are not cheap. (Approx $250 when I got mine–Maybe try to buy them from a friend whom they don’t fit and save yourself some money?) and 2) the Bluetooth signal can sometimes create static interference, so you should have a backup mic on hand just in case. Oh, and 3) if you’re using them as your only mic, remember to charge them because they eventually run out of juice!

Lavalier Mic–This can be used on all smartphones but tethers you to your device, and you need to make sure you have the proper connectors to plug into whichever phone you have since so many don’t have ear-jacks anymore. This could also work for your laptop as well, but you may encounter echo if you’re doing Live broadcast interviews.

Shure M77 iPhone mic + Windsock— This is for iPhones ONLY–approx. $168

3. 19-inch LED Ring Light–get one that is dimmable and can do indoor/outdoor temperatures (If you attach your phone inside the ring, and depending on the light of your surroundings, you could forego additional lighting purchases)–approx. $138

4. [Optional] Additional Lighting Solutions –Consider 2 to 3 lights to help brighten up dim rooms or light your face against bright backgrounds like windows and outdoors.

Soft-box lighting kits–Soft-box kits are fairly inexpensive and light, but the bulbs must be handled with care (but are easy to replace!). Making indoor/outdoor temperature changes will require swapping out the bulbs (or purchasing more expensive LED lighting kits). If you’re doing a 3 point-type indoor lighting setup, these will do the trick–approx. $129

LED dimmable/bi-color lighting kits–These will allow you to easily adjust indoor/outdoor temperatures. You want to “covers” to help diffuse the light more evenly to avoid harsh shadows–approx. $160

5. Universal Cell Phone Holder –If you won’t be using a ring light kit or already have your lighting situation handled, you will need a phone holder and a tripod (double-check that your phone fits the holder and I recommend one that screws “closed” vs spring-loaded ones, which can break)–approx. $6.99

4. Tripod (for Phone Holder)–I use the tripod that came with the smaller, I-use-for-my-laptop, LED ring light for my phone holder (you can experiment with attaching your phone holder “inside” a larger ring light)–approx. $32 for the kit

6. EasyAcc Gooseneck Tablet Stand Tablet Mount Holder (that fits your phone or tablet) — approx. $8.99-$17.99

Gooseneck Tablet Holder, EasyAcc Tablet Stand Flexible Long Arm Clip Smartphone Tablet Mount 1M Compatible with iPad Mini Pro Air, iPhone 11 Pro Max, Galaxy S20, More 4-10.6" Devices (Black)

APPROACH 2 – Using your laptop

1. Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920 — approx. $65

Logitech C922x Pro Stream Webcam Full 1080p HD Camera Background Replacement Technology for YouTube or Twitch Streaming

2. Blue Raspberry Studio Portable USB and Lightning Microphone — approx. $149-$199

Blue Raspberry Premium Mobile USB Microphone

3. 8-inch LED Selfie Ring Light with Indoor/Outdoor Temperature Settings (comes with Tripod Stand & Cell Phone Holder) — approx. $31.99

UBeesize 8" Selfie Ring Light with Cell Phone Holder, LED Lightning Tripod Stand with Carry Bag for Makeup & YouTube Stream, Compatible with iPhone & Android Phone

4. Adjustable Microphone Suspension Boom Scissor Arm Stand (check to see what connector to your mic you will need) — ranges approx. $19-$70

Etubby [Heavy Duty] Microphone Stand with U-shaped Steel Mesh Mic Pop Filter, Suspension Boom Scissor Arm Stand Mic Clip Holder for Blue Yeti, Snowball & Other Mic in Recording, Broadcasting, Etc.

5. Microphone Shock Mount (that fits your mic) + Wind Pop Filter Mask Shield — approx $17.58

Microphone Shock Mount with 6 Inch Mic Round Shape Wind Pop Filter Mask Shield, Mic Anti-Vibration Suspension Shock Mount Holder Clip for Diameter 1.8inches to 2.1 inches Microphone

6. Sound-In Set ups…

AirPods Pro Wireless Earbuds

You can read what I had to say about the AirPods Pro above.

If you’re interested in noise-canceling earbuds or headsets, there are many review lists out there and every year there will be a new one for sure. This Top 10 List might be useful. If you wouldn’t be caught dead with Apple products in your home and ears, you can always Google “Best wireless earbuds for Android” or you can browse a similar search on Amazon.

Pro-Tip: Read the reviews on Amazon and when you find a few that you like, see if they also show up on any Top 10 Lists (or read the Top 10 Lists first then check Amazon reviews)… You can also ask your friends if anyone they know owns a pair of the ones you’re considering buying to see what they say.

Over-Ear Headphones with Mic

If you have really weirdly shaped ears and in-the-ear buds never fit comfortably for you (or if you’re a gamer), then I recommend looking into gamer headsets. They cover your entire ear and have mics. There are some headsets which are known for having really great mics – This Review List might help. The HyperX Cloud Alpha Gaming Headset (above) looked like it will do the job (Full disclosure, I haven’t tried it).

You can also browse Amazon for noise-canceling gamer headsets to see what fits your budget, especially if you forego the noise-canceling and/or wireless features.

Pro-Tip: I’d recommend a wireless headset if you can afford one (no wires to get tangled in or tug your device off its stand or table during your heights of passion). And the noise-canceling is useful when you use your headphones or earbuds for regular wearing and making calls (especially if you have kids or live in a noisy environment).

Wireless Headset Drawbacks: 1) Remember to keep them charged! Murphy’s Law means you’ll inevitably forget to charge them like I do and run low on battery juice during the middle of teaching! 2) Many professional microphones allow you to plug in your wired headset jack directly into the microphone, which allows you to hear your own voice enough to be able to hear if you’re being too loud, if your voice is clear, etc. Wireless earbuds don’t automatically do that for you, which means you have to figure out if the mic, laptop, or online platform will allow you to configure it for such things.

Old-School Wired Headsets

Why spend money when you don’t have to? Not for nothing, but sometimes what you have around the house or what came with your phone will work GREAT! So always try what you have on hand first. Wired headsets and earbuds can also serve as great backups for when your batteries run low on your higher-tech devices. So know where you put them just in case!