Reddit reviews MXL 990, XLR Connector Condenser Microphone

If you're going to do voiceover semi-regularly to very often on even your own projects casually, it's worth doing better than the Blue Yeti or Snowball. You can get a much better sound than that if you can manage a little more cash—I'm sure you can get creative.

AT2020 ($83), Behringer B-1 ($89.95), MXL 770 ($74.99) or 990 ($87.67), or the Samson CO1 ($38 used, $62 new).

All XLR condenser microphones, which means that you also need an interface and an XLR cable. The Focusrite Scarlett is the most popular and most affordable.

It matters because of whatever program your recording into. I would recommend going cheap. This is my set up,

Interface

Microphone

The interface will come with a downloadable DAW but, I don’t know its real capabilities as I’m a Mac user with garrageband. This set up will get you basic recording.

Here is an example using this setup .

Are you going to be running your mics through an audio board (I would suggest that) or try to go straight into your computer?

These are the mics I use:
http://www.amazon.com/MXL-990-Condenser-Microphone-Shockmount/dp/B0002GIRP2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1422462371&sr=8-3&keywords=MXL

Windscreen:
http://www.amazon.com/Nady-MPF-6-6-Inch-Microphone-Filter/dp/B0002CZW0Y/ref=pd_bxgy_MI_img_y

Audio board
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-1202-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B000J5Y282/ref=sr_1_19?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1422462418&sr=1-19&keywords=audio+board

These are doing to be your main components, if the mics are too expensive I can recommend some cheaper ones. Ideally you want to record to hardware (not your computer) then transfer it. I usually also record on my computer as well just to have a backup. I use Audacity to record on my computer

I use this to record to SD cards to put it on the computer.

http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-Handy-Portable-Digital-Recorder/dp/B001QWBM62/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1422462555&sr=1-2&keywords=h2n

Let me know if you have any questions.

Not trying to gearblock here or anything.. but I'm pretty sure you can get this exact mic for 100 brand new on amazon...

My equipment is probably a bit outdated, but for my amateur home recording set up I use this MXL 990 condenser mic, hooked up through an older M-Audio Fast Track audio interface. For recording guitar tracks I use either the mic, or an acoustic sound hole pickup. I use this
Lawrence A300 Acoustic Guitar Pickup which I decided on because it’s what one of my fav musicians used to use lol. Has sort of a unique sound that some may not like though.

Everything works well and I’ve had zero issues, but it’s definitely nothing fancy. Since I'm only recording acoustic guitar and vocal tracks, this setup does the trick.

I also have an ART Tube MP Studio Preamplifier, that I originally got to power the condenser mic (in addition to adding the tube amp which can improve sound quality a bit) . However, since the audio interface includes +48V phantom power for powering the mic, the tube amp isn't necessary and more of an add on to give a warmer sound.

I'm sure others will have some more knowledgeable suggestions, but I thought I'd share my bare-bones setup to get you started.

According to Amazon, the mic is only ~$70 and the headphones are $60 - pop filters and a mic stand are easy purchases, Amazon actually showed a "frequently bought together" with the mic, a pop filter, and a stand for $95.

With that bundle you posted, that means you have about $200 you could use to spend on an interface. If I was you, I would absolutely get the Scarlett 2i2 for $150. Its ease of use and mic pre-amps are second to none I think.

Check out my home studio. Gotta' keep the list building!

List:

• Korg MS20 Mini Semi-Modular Analog Synthesizer
  
• MIDI Fighter 3d
  
• KRK Rokit 6 speakers
  
• Akai MPKII mini keyboard
  
• M-Audio M-Track 2x2 C-series USB Audio Interface
  
• MXL 990 Condenser Microphone
  
• Preferred DAW: Ableton Live
  
  Let me know what ya think or if there are any questions!
  
  EDIT: Links for gear added/formatting.

for $200 you could get this interface and this microphone

and you'd have money left over for a stand if you didn't have one before.

if you want the sm7b then you're looking at a vocal recording setup of $500+

On one show, GACC, we record with AT2020 USB mics fed into a USB hub and haven't experienced any problems directly with the mics, though the hub is getting temperamental having to feed so much power out.
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0006H92QK
On my other show, WWTQ, we use MXL 990 XLR mics fed into a mixer that USBs into a computer.
https://www.amazon.com/MXL-990-Condenser-Microphone-Shockmount/dp/B0002GIRP2/

In both cases the audio is comparably similar and easy enough to edit via Audacity or whatever software of choice, we use on-mic pop filters rather than those that clip to the stands, which will show up on audio if bumped or moved or adjusted during recording.

That said, streamers the world over are using mid-range headsets to great effect with little issues, and there are lapel mics that aren't as cumbersome, but carry different problems with their usage, but both are cheaper-to-same cost as a XLR/stand/mixer/usb setup

I'm reposting my comment from another thread asking something similar.

Regarding equipment, I would suggest looking into a cheaper, but decent quality Condenser Microphone such as Audio Technica's AT2020: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AT2020--audio-technica-at2020-cardioid-condenser-microphone
Or an MXL 990: https://www.amazon.com/MXL-990-Condenser-Microphone-Shockmount/dp/B0002GIRP2
I've heard great things about both, and I've personally used the AT2020 and haven't heard any complaints from artists I've worked with.

With that being said you'll also need an audio interface since a Condenser Microphone will not be able to work on it's own and needs Phantom Power (48V) to work. You can also get the AT2020 as a USB and avoid an audio interface, but my personal recommendation if you really want to get into this is to go ahead and buy an audio interface if it's within your budget so that when you upgrade microphones you'll have an interface ready.


Presonus Audiobox: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AudioBoxUSB96--presonus-audiobox-usb-96
Focusrite Scarlett: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ScarlettSoloG3--focusrite-scarlett-solo-3rd-gen-usb-audio-interface

Behringer U-Phoria: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UMC202HD--behringer-u-phoria-umc202hd-usb-audio-interface


Hope this helps! Peace

Yeah I could suggest a few.

[Blue Yeti] (http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Yeti-USB-Microphone/dp/B002VA464S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418924712&sr=8-1&keywords=blue+yeti&pebp=1418924714123)
MXL 990 Condenser Mic
Audio Technica AT2035 I have owned all of these and they might be pricey for you, but any one of them are worth the investment. My favorite is the AT4040, but that is like $300. The AT2035 is a great alternative to that and it's what I use a secondary. Anyone of these are fine just read some reviews check out their manufacturer's webpage. It's important to get a good mic that is right for you. For example the Blue Yeti was nice, but I have a kinda high pitched voice and it was not picking up mid frequencies as well as I would have liked.

If you don't feel like spending that much a couple of good mics are:
Audio Technica ATR2500 $66 on Amazon.
and
MXL 770 $60 on Amazon

EDIT: Forgot to mention. We actually have pretty similar voices oddly enough as it is. Another thing I noticed was the amount of essing (the his sound while pronouncing s) and a little bit of pop on hard consonants. I would lean towards getting a mic with a good mid-range focus and a pop-filter.

With a $500 to $700 budget I might suggest the following. Steer clear of the "packaged podcast stuff". And others will have their own opinions and thoughts but here are mine.

Recorder: Zoom H4nPro $230. Portable, flexible, will accept up to 4 inputs. Records on a SD Card.

Software: Audacity. It is free and allows you to manipulate and put together a cohesive product.

Mics: 2 of the ATR 2100 USB $150. Again, flexible and a decent beginner mic.

Accessories needed. 2 wind screen/pop filters for mics ($20), 2 mic stands ($20), 2 XLR cables for mics ($25)

Headphones: Sony MDR7560 $80 2 might be nice, but 1 required.

That is about $550 to $600 at this point.

If you wanted a studio mic, a decent starter mic is the MXL 990 at $100/ea. But beware that this is a condenser mic and it will pick up a ton of ambient sound especially in a non-treated room.

You may want to add a mixer into the mix at some point. I have a Behringer Xenyx 1204USB $139, but wish I had known more when I bought it and I would have bought the Behringer UFX1204 with the difference being that the one I have sends out a single stereo track to the recorder, but the latter has the ability to send separate tracks. Woudl be very handy if your guest is VERY soft spoken, there is a lot of talk over one another, etc.

MXL mics are pretty affordable and reliable, I'm pretty amateurish but even a limited knowledge in Audition will get you professional sounding audio every time.

Here's the one I use alongside a soundbox AI

This microphone this audio interface work very well for me. Mic - https://www.amazon.com/MXL-990-Condenser-Microphone-Shockmount/dp/B0002GIRP2 & Audio Interface - https://reverb.com/item/6041025-m-audio-fast-track?gclid=Cj0KCQjw78vLBRCZARIsACr4cxw4F96k3kq8YkuJz-SbiD5YFNomfCDcXWBmFeyNf0TyiTeH1yCm-AsaAr9wEALw_wcB&pla=1 . For the price, they provide a clean & clear recording. If you know your DAW well, then with mixing and mastering you could create a high quality track.

Hey man,

So, without giving too much information away, I hosted an independent music podcast with a rather large podcast group back in 2005 when things were just getting started. (Averaged ~300K downloads per month) In fact, some of the episodes of my old show can still be found around the net. That being said, there are a few things that you can do to practice speaking for a show.

Step 1: Listen to other podcasts that you like - set your mind to dissect what people that you like are doing and try and figure out WHY they are speaking in certain ways. You're going to find that experienced podcasters are very conversational and warm. That's part of the appeal of most good podcasters. They speak as though everyone were sitting around the living room having a conversation.

Step 2: Work on carving out your own niche - When I first started out I tried to emulate the old radio DJ's and found that the style didn't fit me. It sounded strange and off coming out of my mouth. So I scrapped trying to sound like other people and started to add my own twists to things. That's when I discovered that while most podcasters may sound similar, each one has differences that make them unique. It's this uniqueness that sets them apart. Radiolab, for instance, sounds nothing like Serial and neither sound like The Moth. They may all be well produced but the content and the voice is unique to each one.

Step 3: Don't try to be everyone's cup of tea. Seriously. Some people are going to think you're annoying and some are going to think you suck and some are going to think that your podcast is the worst thing that has ever been downloaded to a smartphone. These people aren't your listeners. Don't even worry about them. You want people to listen to YOU and what YOU have to say. When you try and be everything to everyone you just end up diluting yourself and then your podcast REALLY starts sucking.

Step 4: Equipment is very important. I started out with an iMac only. I did my first three shows with the internal microphone of the computer and the quality was shit. Eventually, I moved to The MXL990 microphone and a Behringer 4 channel mixer. I hosted most of my shows in a big empty room at first and then moved to a tiny closet with egg crate foam on the walls. You learn these things as you progress, and there isn't any substitute for making shows. As you make more, you'll naturally get better, but there is a learning curve.

Step 5: Find a group of people who are doing what you want to do and reach out to them for help. There are a lot of podcasters out there who will be happy to talk to you about gear, formatting, editing, software, hardware, content etc, but YOU have to take the first step and ask. What I did was wrote a boilerplate letter and blasted it out to five or six podcasters until I stumbled upon one who was willing to help me learn. Ask questions and leave your ego at the door.

Step 6: Podcast. A lot. I had over 50 shows under my belt before I felt totally comfortable and even then I would still find myself editing out 'ums' and 'you knows' in post. It took me a few more shows to get comfortable with my pacing. Some shows were terrible and some were amazing. The difference was always how relaxed I was going in and how much fun I was having. A few beers also seemed to help.

Good luck with your show and if I can be of any more help then drop me a line. It's been almost eleven yeas since I closed the doors to the show, but I still miss it sometimes.

I highly recommend a similar setup to mine, you might spend a little more but it's well worth it!

here are the links

Microphone: MXL 990

Mixer: Behringer Q802usb

Boom arm Neewer Boom Stand

Pop Filter: This one

Here's some stuff I made with the band Indacoda Blue.

Lounge Room

Up on a Hill

Life to Start

If you're looking into getting some starter equipment, I would suggest something like an M-Audio interface like this one http://amzn.com/B00BQ6KSN6 and possibly a condenser mic like this http://amzn.com/B0002GIRP2 or go to your local music shop and see if you can't pick up a slightly used Shure 58 http://amzn.com/B0000AQRSS

Meu kit para podcasting

Mic

Interface de Audio

Uso Adobe Audition para Gravar, editar e masterizar.

The MXL 990 series delivers awesome sound with a price-tag under $100.

There's also this at slightly over $100, but this does not come with shock-mounts, and you definetly want those.

Hey guys ! For my microphone Dynawid MXL990(https://www.amazon.com/MXL-990-Condenser-Microphone-Shockmount/dp/B0002GIRP2)

and headphones, I used M-Audio Fast track back from 2011
and currently it's not supported for windows 10 and has a lot of issues and bugs.

Should I buy new one ? if so, what's some good audio card for me ?

The budget can be fluid, so it's a tough question to answer. This podcast is a pool of media tools for a higher ED institution so it can be flexible. That said, I doubt I'd want to spend more than a few thousand.

For equipment, MXL 990 mics, Auray RF-C12 Isolation Filters, and I record either directly onto a Zoom H6 or use that to passthrough to my Mac.

Ideally you need to purchase a musician's Audio Interface and a Microphone. A tested, tried and good enough quality for beginners is the Focusrite 2i2. A brand new, but unknown how good it will be since it is brand new budget interface is the Behringer UMC204

This will have XLR interfaces and provide phantom power.

Then you also need a microphone. You need to choose a condenser or dynamic. A condenser mic is fragiale and very sensative. You can't hold them while singing. They need a stand. They are better for quiet locations. They do a better job of capturing dynamics (both soft, quiet sounds and loud sounds). Condensers are more often used in studios to get the best quality. A good beginner condensor is the MXL 990, another good choice that is a little more flexable is the AT2020.

If you use a condenser (recommended) I also recommend a mic shield. Condensers will pick up all the noise of the room as well as any reflections (Dynamic will too but to a lesser degree). The mic shield will block a lot of the reflections at least on one side.

A dynamic microphone is one you can hold, this is what is usually used in a live situation. They can take more abuse such as being dropped. They don't do as good of a job with both quiet and loud at the same time they do better when the overall performances is similar volume. A good budget dynamic is the Shure SM48. A better one is the SM58.

I do not recommend a USB mic. It will dramatically limit you in the future and usually has a much lower quality preamp and AD converter than even the budget behringer interface I linked above.

All of this is way over your budget - but unfortunately that's about as cheap as I recommend even for a hobbiest getting into this.

For the mic?

In that case, get an MXL 770 and a Mackie 402VLZ4.

(I'm a producer if you can't tell)

what are you planning on getting? as far as quality goes, you wont need more than 50$ USD, but if you want professional you can go for a MXL 990
The only problem with mics is the USb part. you're going to get background electricity noise either way. the only way to fix this is by getting an external sound booth thingy. forget the name.

I plan on getting a mic stand for this as well, but even then I'm not sure how i'll set it up just yet so it wont be in the way of the screen.

https://www.amazon.com/MXL-990-Condenser-Microphone-Shockmount/dp/B0002GIRP2

Amazon has the mic for $69.33 nice price on the interface though

I agree with this setup. I already happened to have some of the equipment needed for my setup from my music recording. Using a USB audio interface does give you more freedom with your choice of mics and makes it easier/cheaper to replace or upgrade.

I use the 4 channel version of this interface
I use this mic currently and it works well

Right now just get a better microphone. You need an audio interface for a better microphone.
Pick one of these audio interfaces:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=sxts_kp_bs_lp_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=8778bc68-27e7-403f-8460-de48b6e788fb&pd_rd_wg=Pp8US&pf_rd_r=2CXEYH49RHP8A00H6TAJ&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B00EK1OTZC&pd_rd_w=nP9xh&pf_rd_i=behringer&pd_rd_r=c437f235-49ed-4bbe-8ba4-a229a80d0410&ie=UTF8&qid=1538287182&sr=1

​

https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-GENERATION-USB-Recording/dp/B005OZE9SA

​

https://www.amazon.com/Audient-2-out-Performance-Audio-Interface/dp/B0107YJU8Q/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1538287237&sr=1-3&keywords=audient+id4

​

As far as a "pre amp", the interface will act as the pre amp, (for your cost range).

Choose one of these mics:


https://www.amazon.com/SE-Electronics-Diaphragm-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B007W294X8

https://www.amazon.com/MXL-990-Condenser-Microphone-Shockmount/dp/B0002GIRP2

​

After that It's just about mic placement and etiquette. Proper acoustic treatment will run you atleast 2 grand no matter what, so I wouldn't bother

All the microphones listed would still work great, minus the instrument microphones.


To add onto this, if your space is quiet and reasonable enough to use a condenser microphone here are a few of them:

Condenser Microphones

AT2020 - $100


Samson C02 - $100 ($50/ea)


MXL 770 - $100


MXL 990 - $110


Why a condenser? Fuller, Richer sound since it covers more of the audible spectrum. They are really cheap for how good they sound, and they don't take a lot of gain.


Cons of condenser microphones? They are sensitive microphones. So if you use a mechanical keyboard there is no way in hell it won't pick it up, so be ready for people to hear every keystroke. On top of this, people will hear everything going on around you, from roommates to running pipes.


It is unlikely that your use case calls for a condenser microphone. I'd opt for a E-V ND767A or a Shure Beta 58, but if you really want a condenser I'd opt you towards an AT2020 or a pair of C02s in a stereo configuration (people would hear which side of the microphones you are on).

i'm rocking a set of senn 598SEs (now the 598SR or C[closed back, lower imp], but both are slightly cheaper feeling build quality, but still decent enough) paired to a presonus firepod (mostly because i prefer fulltime streaming vs packet protocols for audio, but to each their own) and my mic is an MXL 990 on an articulating boom arm. speakers are presonus eris e5's with an onkyo powered subwoofer run though a 2 channel 15 band eq.

i will admit i go a bit overboard with these things. :)

as side notes; presonus has many audiobox variants that tend to be a bit cheaper, and there's a lot of general things you can plug in a machine via usb or pci-e that will give you equal quality if all you care about is basic in/out but clear.

as for mics the MXL line has a bunch of other options including the 770 which is just as nifty, at 50-60 usd. its not quite as awesome for vocal recording if you're into proper production, but it'll suffice for anyone doing streaming/youtube/general gaming stuff where relative clarity is desired. there's usb variants as well, for those who wish to keep things as simple as possible.

speakers; i have no complaints with my eris e5s, but i will be the first to admit they aren't fully flat like a set of monitors should be. they suffice for my needs though. and at $200/set they were awesome with a nice full sound that really only lacked that really low end punch. if not getting a 'proper' interface for it, you'll need to get the right cables to hook up to a regular pc style sound card (either 3.5mm to rca cable or some of the higher end audio cards have rca outs, so the eris speakers will hook up with straight rca cables in those cases. i have no idea what ROKRs have for connections, its been a while.)

the sub is literally just some 10" powered sub from a thrift store run i had kicking around and is usually hooked to my av setup. if it sounds alright and has the relevant hookups (my eq has a set of unbalanced RCA outs, for instance, gotten specifically for the subwoofer hookup) then you're gold and can sort of cheap out. it doesn't go as low as i want, but i'll be building my own solely for the subsonic potential later on. if you're in an apartment, perhaps skip the sub if you wish to be nice to your neighbors :)

don't cheap out on cables, but don't drop the bank. avoid monster. any decent music shop will be able to point you to a decent ratio of good/cost. if you can afford it and know how to solder, make your own with mogami or similar quality (quality, not cost!) bulk cable and some neutrik ends. you don't have to get mogami, there are some good lower end brands, and i imagine the folks over at gearslutz forum could point you in the right direction for any and all cable needs, as well as anything else. there's probably reviews and testings of most of the gear you could want to know about as well.

cheers!

I'm in the market for a new microphone. I was thinking either the MXL 990 or the MXL V67G. I'm just looking for some feedback or reccomenations. I'm looking for a warmish but crisp microphone, it has to be XLR and preferably a large capsule, cardioid or hypercardioid. I'll probably hook it up to a Mic Mate or Blue Icicle. I'm more than open to suggestions!

Your close threshold should never be = to or above your open threshold. But first you need to find where those thresholds are, to do that use the enable preview button. Once you do that set the close threshold to slightly in the green. Now set your open threshold slightly above the green as shown [here:] (http://i.imgur.com/2bUP0Od.png)

Now ideally you shouldn't have to use noise gate with a good properly configured mic. If you are on Windows 7 you can always check the enhancement tab under microphone properties, but this may or may not help depending on what audio drivers you have. If you have realtek drivers let me know and I can help you further with that. Hope this helped!

Edit: Also if you're looking for a good MIC specifically one for voice overs I would STRONGLY recommend sticking with a Condenser microphone, however all Condenser microphones are XLR so you would need something like a mixer. All Condenser microphones also require phantom power (48v of power) so you need to buy a mixer with phantom power.

I recommend this [microphone] (http://www.amazon.com/MXL-990-Condenser-Microphone-Shockmount/dp/B0002GIRP2) if you don't want a mixer MXL also has a xlr to usb preamp and is %100 compatible with that microphone. you can find that [here] (http://www.amazon.com/MXL-MICMATEC-Preamp-Condenser-Microphones/dp/B000VZ8WC2/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1352506918&sr=1-1&keywords=MXL+-+Mic+Mate) once again hope this helped.

Any condenser mic should work, and you can spend a lot or little and will probably end up with similar results either way.
HERE’S one for $35,
HERE’S one for $70, and
HERE’S one for $130. Any one of these mics would most likely serve your purposes. More expensive does not always mean better, so try not to overspend. I’d recommend using Amazon (unbeatable customer service IMO) and find your price point, then let the customer review section guide you to the best choice! Good luck!