An interface connects an XLR mic to your computer for chat. Choose one that suits your mic's power needs, how you want to hear yourself, your computer and your chat app.
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A dynamic mic with USB and XLR: plug it into your PC today, or into an interface or mixer later
Windows PC: Works
At 900 g it needs a sturdy arm or stand.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $209.00 at RØDE ↗ · checked November 2
A dynamic mic for USB now, with touch mute and a headphone jack, and XLR when you add an interface
Windows PC: Works
On XLR you lose the touch mute, the headphone jack and the voice processing: your interface does that job.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $299.00 at Shure ↗ · checked October 31
A one-mic XLR interface for PC or Mac, with a headphone jack and Elgato's Wave Link app to mix your sound
Windows PC: Works
It takes one XLR mic: for two people with their own gain, choose an interface with two mic inputs.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $169.99 at Elgato ↗ · checked November 2
Two independent microphone inputs for a two-person recording
Windows PC: Works
With Loopback alone, remote guests hear their own voice back: set up a mix-minus in your software, or use a mixer that has one.
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Maker price $224.99 at Focusrite ↗ · checked November 2
A capture card and audio interface in one: game video in over HDMI, plus an XLR mic and a headset jack
Windows PC: Works
The capture resolution is set separately from the passthrough to your screen.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $249.00 at RØDE ↗ · checked November 2
A Windows XLR mic and desk mixer kit: mute and a headphone jack on the mixer, and it can feed two PCs
Windows PC: Works
The mic is XLR: SteelSeries sets it up with the Stream Mixer in the box, which connects it to your PC over USB.
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Maker price $334.99 at SteelSeries ↗ · checked November 2
A small two-mic interface with Smartgain to set your level for you and a loopback mix for streaming, on Windows or Mac
Windows PC: Works
One knob does the volume, headphone level and gain, picked with buttons; there is no separate headphone knob.
The smallest Behringer interface for one mic, with 48 V, a direct-monitor switch and RCA outputs for desktop speakers
Windows PC: Works
One mic input: the second input is for a guitar or bass.
A cheap one-mic interface with 48 V and a direct-monitor switch, with 1/4-inch outputs for studio speakers
Windows PC: Works
One mic input: the second input is for a guitar or bass.
A dynamic XLR mic: you need an XLR cable and an audio interface to use it
Windows PC: With an audio interface
Add an XLR cable and an interface with a microphone preamp. A USB cable or passive XLR adapter alone cannot connect this microphone to the computer.
Photo: Amazon
Maker price $99.99 at Elgato ↗ · checked November 2
Two mic inputs with 48 V, a headphone knob of its own, colour level meters and loopback for streaming, on Windows or Mac
Windows PC: Works
Loopback needs MOTU's driver: Windows always uses it; on a Mac it is optional, and without it there is no loopback.
A streaming mixer for one XLR or headset mic on a Windows PC: its own fader for game, chat, music and system sound, a cough button and voice effects
Windows PC: Works
It needs TC-Helicon's GoXLR App, and TC-Helicon lists only Windows for it: no Mac or Linux.
A smaller, USB-powered GoXLR for one mic on a Windows PC: its own fader for system sound, chat and music and a cough button, without the voice effects or sampler
Windows PC: Works
It needs TC-Helicon's GoXLR App, and TC-Helicon lists only Windows for it: no Mac or Linux.
Try a different platform or headset edition, remove a control filter, or shorten the model name.
USB alone does not confirm console chat support.
13 models in this guide.
The working path is XLR microphone, XLR cable, interface microphone input and preamp, interface-to-computer cable, supported operating system, operating-system input endpoint, and chat-app selection. Add a stand or arm because most XLR microphones are not self-supporting. Add headphones if direct monitoring is required.
Elgato Wave XLR MK.2 supplies one XLR input, a USB-C connection to your computer, a 3.5 mm headphone output, documented direct monitoring, and 48-volt phantom power on Windows 11+ and macOS 14.2+. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen supplies two XLR microphone inputs, line/instrument inputs, monitor outputs, a quarter-inch headphone output, direct monitoring, and 48-volt phantom power on its listed Windows and macOS systems.
RØDE Streamer X combines an XLR/TRS input, 3.5 mm TRRS headset input, quarter-inch headphone output, two USB-C connections, and phantom power. Its capture connections are outside this guide; for gaming voice, focus on the exact microphone input, headphone monitor, host endpoint, and chat routing you will use.
An XLR microphone needs a compatible preamp even when it does not require phantom power. Compare the microphone's published sensitivity and recommended gain with the interface's documented microphone gain range. Set gain while speaking at the planned distance and watch the operating-system or interface meter. More available gain is a capability; it is not a sound ranking.
For a condenser microphone that requires phantom power, confirm that the selected interface explicitly provides the required voltage and that the correct input supports it. Apply phantom power only according to the microphone and interface instructions. Alias Pro's condenser microphone is designed around its included Stream Mixer, power adapter, and XLR cable, so those pieces form one kit path.
Wave DX, MV7+, and PodMic USB are catalog dynamic microphones whose XLR routes do not require phantom power. They still require an interface and XLR cable. Hybrid models can bypass the interface over USB; price and configure the USB and XLR routes separately.
Direct monitoring routes the interface's input to its headphone output in hardware. This is different from enabling Listen to this device or another software playback route. Check whether the interface supplies a monitor mix between the microphone and computer playback, which headphone connector it uses, and whether your headphones need an adapter.
Routing software may create microphone, chat, game, stream, or loopback endpoints. Discord or a game should receive a microphone or intentionally prepared chat mix, not a loopback endpoint containing desktop audio. Name or document the chosen endpoint and repeat the chat application's microphone test after changing routing.
Discord documents a specific caveat for dedicated XLR-input interfaces on macOS: its voice service may produce inconsistent or choppy input for this class. Test the exact interface with Discord Mic Test. If the issue appears, Discord suggests a traditional headset or direct microphone for that call. This does not declare the interface unusable in other macOS software.
Wave XLR MK.2 fits a one-microphone path centered on its headphone output and supported Wave software environment. Scarlett 2i2 fits a two-microphone or stereo-input requirement with separate monitor outputs. Streamer X fits a path that specifically needs its headset input or dual-USB routing, while capture work belongs in a separate setup plan. Select from verified inputs and endpoints, then complete the basket with cables, mount, headphones, and any adapters.
For streaming from a Windows PC, TC-Helicon's GoXLR gives game, chat, music and system sound their own faders, with a cough button and voice effects; it needs TC-Helicon's Windows-only app and its own power adapter. The GoXLR Mini keeps the faders and the cough button on USB power, without the effects, and its phantom power is 24 V, not 48 V. For one mic at the lowest cost, Behringer's UMC22 and UM2 each have one XLR input with 48 V and a direct-monitor switch (the UM2's RCA outputs suit desktop speakers), but no loopback and nothing above 48 kHz. MOTU's M2 and Audient's EVO 4 have two mic inputs and a loopback for streaming your game sound with your voice: the M2 adds its own headphone knob and level meters, the EVO 4 sets your mic level for you with Smartgain.
Check the exact platform, connection and required controls. Then measure the stand or arm position before adding mounting parts.