Maono PM500 – Budget Cardioid LDC Review

Maono PM500 – Budget Cardioid LDC Review
9.4/10

Maono PM500 is a very affordable large diaphragm condenser, suitable for streaming, podcasting and home studio recording. It exhibits a uniform response and produces a natural, mellow sound. Unlike most condensers in this price range, it is quite consistent when miking up close and doesn’t seem to be affected by proximity. PM500 isn’t too sensitive and so you don’t have to worry about sounding harsh. Consequently, it is possible to record a clean audio even…

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Marantz Professional MPM-2000U USB Condenser Review

Marantz Professional MPM-2000U USB Condenser Review
8.5/10

Marantz Professional MPM-2000U is a computer mic, which could be easily mistaken for a studio microphone. It has a full aluminum body, shielded with a quality grille and placed into a shock mount –the only difference is – it has a USB port instead of XLR and hosts a 48 kHz/16-bit audio converter. MPM-2000U features a tight cardioid pickup pattern that results in superior background noise rejection, and it has a larger capsule, which facilitates…

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Electro-Voice RE20 Broadcast Dynamic Microphone Review

Electro-Voice RE20 Broadcast Dynamic Microphone Review
9/10

Electro-Voice RE20 is an industry standard dynamic broadcast microphone that offers maximum background rejection without sacrificing the quality and the tone of the voice. The mic has a rich and deep sound to it, not as bright as the RE320 as but certainly brighter than the Rode Procaster. The greatest advantage of the Electro-Voice RE-20 is what they call the variable-D response, which gives it a uniform sound regardless of how close you are to…

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AKG Perception 220 – studio worthy budget LDC

AKG Perception 220 – studio worthy budget LDC
8.5/10

AKG Perception 220 is a budget recording LDC microphone used for vocal and instruments. The price of this mic is comparable to that of a USB, which is considered a trash tier as far as recording goes, and yet it is more than capable of a quality performance in a controlled studio setting. It can sound almost as good as 3-5 times more expensive mics with few nuances but usually good LDCs are always pricey….

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Electro-Voice RE320 Review – Dynamic Recording Mic

Electro-Voice RE320 Review – Dynamic Recording Mic
9/10

Electro-Voice RE320 is a large diaphragm cardiod dynamic microphone widely used for radio recording and broadcasting. This mic is fairly sensitive and requires a quieter or moderately treated room in order to be effective. It is great for spoken word and singing when you want to capture all the detail and nuances while giving it a touch of silkiness and smoothness of a dynamic. RE320 is hotter than Shure SM7B and other broadcaster mics like…

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Heil Sound PR35 – Cardioid Dynamic Review

Heil Sound PR35 – Cardioid Dynamic Review
8.8/10

Heil Sound PR35 is a high quality, recording-grade dynamic handheld with an emphasis on presence and a rich, extended low end. This mic sounds very smooth, the highs are clean and there is almost zero harshness. It can be used for high quality live recordings while being stage-worthy and this is a great advantage. On the other hand, in the hands of an unskilled sound engineer and a mediocre quality PA, it may actually sound…

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Audio-Technica AT2035 Review – Best Affordable LDC

Audio-Technica AT2035 Review – Best Affordable LDC
9/10

AT2035 is an inexpensive back electret condenser from Audio Technica that boasts pretty clear and balanced sound with low noise floor. This mic is a veeery good tradeoff between price and quality and hence, an ideal choice for home studios where budget is a factor. AT2035 has cardioid polar pattern and large diaphragm that actually works for both vocals and instruments. Having said that, the essential features of pad and low pass make it an…

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CAD U37 – budget USB mic unbiased review

CAD U37 – budget USB mic unbiased review
7/10

CAD U37 is a very cheap USB mic and while some may not take it seriously, it actually offers the best bang for the buck. Despite having some disadvantages, overall quality is quite decent. This mic is mainly designed for situations that don’t demand maximum performance. Particularly, it will be a great choice for Skype, amateur videos and even gaming. Musicians who make simple covers for YouTube will also probably find it suitable. If this…

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Rode NT1 Cardioid LDC Microphone Review

Rode NT1 Cardioid LDC Microphone Review
10/10
Editor's Choice

Introduction. NT1 is a new all-purpose LDC from Rode with a truly exceptional sound. It resembles the appearance of older NT1-A, however, the inside has been redesigned from scratch. Comparing to predecessors the sound has become clearer, purer and far more natural, showing a tremendous improvement in every single aspect! As a large diaphragm mic, it also has a very neutral response, which is a privilege of expensive professional units. Particularly, it is very similar to…

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AKG D112 Dynamic Kick Drum Microphone Review

AKG D112 Dynamic Kick Drum Microphone Review
9/10

AKG D112 is a classic mic for kick drums that features large diaphragm, designed for high sound pressure and can handle quite a bit of vibrations. Typically, dynamic mics never boast having balanced frequency charts, especially when meant for kick recording where all you’d probably hope for is a decent low-end. Surprisingly, D112 is rather the exception. This mic is more or less accurate throughout its entire range of up to 17 kHz, and it doesn’t…

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Audio-Technica AT4040 Cardioid Condenser Microphone Review

Audio-Technica AT4040 Cardioid Condenser Microphone Review
8/10

AT4040 is another masterpiece from Audio-Technica sitting in the middle-end price range. It is a large diaphragm, condenser mic with a cardioid pick-up pattern and a smooth, uncolored sound. This mic will work for any situations, both for home and professional studios alike. Conversations or singing, instruments, percussions or drums – there’s nothing it cannot handle. With the pad on, it can record even the loudest sounds with minimum distortion. A specification of maximum SPL…

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CAD M179 Variable-Pattern Condenser Microphone Review

CAD M179 Variable-Pattern Condenser Microphone Review
6/10

CAD M179 is one of the good old mics from this company, which is still available today although it does have problems competing with more recent models. It actually has a great sound with a relatively low noise floor, the package also includes a quite decent shock mount and the mic itself has a variable pattern, meaning it could be useful for different recording situations. The sound and quality The first thing that will strike you about this entry-level microphone…

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Neumann TLM-103 Cardioid Microphone Review

Neumann TLM-103 Cardioid Microphone Review
9/10

Neumann can be undoubtedly named as one of the most recognizable microphone brands, especially in professional circles and this is far from being an accident. The company has a long history – it survived the World War II to bring forth the first-ever commercial condenser mic and eventually set quality standards for the whole industry. Neumann mics remain to be the top-notch up to day, but what’s even more important is that they have their…

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