If you want a compact USB sound card at a reasonable price ... inch headphone and mic ports, you also get XLR inputs with 48V phantom power. That means you don't need a separate audio interface ...

Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Technology journalist specializing in audio, computing and Apple Macs. Most professional microphones rely on the tried-and-trusted XLR ...

For one more USB mic to consider, check the XLR category below for our write-up of the Audio-Technica AT2020USB-XP, a new variant of the XLR AT2020 mic. Bright, clear sound with great off-axis ...