Rode NT2000 Vocal Condenser Microphone Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Everyone should have a multi-pattern mic around for utility purposes and this is the one I chose after demoing a half-dozen of interest (I had particularly high hopes for the Blue Mics). Aside from one super-expensive, and unnamed mic, the Rode NT2000 was actually my favorite by quite a margin. As I regard this type of mic as a utility piece, I was looking for a mic that was fairly neutral on voice/cardioid and without too heavy a proximity effect, airy and crisp on omni, and had to have an attentuation switch.
The NT2000 has all that, plus a rugged build. I've been very pleased since purchase, having used it for voice, acoustic guitar (could probably use a warmer mic here), cab miking on electric, bagpipes, recording ambience, and percussion. I'm especially pleased with the mic's ability to capture detail in high sound pressure conditions.
The NT2000 has continuously variable patterns, not a fixed selection of patterns. It has a variable pad, not a simple cut type attentuation switch, which really helps in nailing the sound without having to compromise the mic's position. Finally, the high-pass filter is also continuously variable. All go a long way in making this a HIGHLY adaptable mic.
After my demos, I went in to buy one mic, got an offer I couldn't refuse on two, and walked away poorer but happier! You won't be able to equal that price, as it was something of a favor, but the price here is good.
Although I love NT2000's sound and capabilities, I'm not wild about the controls (pattern, etc.). These aren't knobs you grab and turn - they're thin and flat. They have an edge pattern, but I can't turn them reliably by trying to grab the edges. I have to put my thumb on the knob surface and rotate it that way. It works and the knobs won't get accidently moved, but it's not exactly the height of convenience.
Great multipurpose mics.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Rode NT2000 Vocal Condenser Microphone

The World's First Fully Variable Control Microphone! The RØDE NT2000 is the latest brainchild from Australian master microphone designer Peter Freedman. Never before has this much control and versatility been available in a superlative class large capsule recording microphone. You have totally variable polar pattern, filter and pad all located on the body of the microphone! The NT2000's state of the art surface-mount electronics combined with the new Australian designed and manufactured HF1 Capsule, provide extremely low self-noise (7 dBA) and a maximum SPL of 147 dB (157 dB with pad fully engaged) ensuring exceptional results and the ultimate in recording creativity. The NT2000 includes a hard case and a shockmount. Rode NT2000 Features Large 1 inch HF1 gold sputtered capsule Continuously variable polar pattern, from omnidirectional to cardioid to figure 8 controlled on the microphone Continuously variable pad and high-pass filter Ultra low noise, transformerless surface mount circuitry Wide dynamic range High strength welded and heat treated steel mesh head Internal capsule shock mounting 'I could go on to share the thousands of hours that went in to the research and development of this microphone, instead I am prepared to put my reputation on the line. I am saying without fear of contradiction, the NT2000 is the best sounding and most versatile 1' FET studio microphoneon the world market today, regardless of cost.' Peter Freedman, President RØDE Microphones AmericanMusical.com is an authorized dealer of Rode products.

Get 47% OFF

Click here for more information about Rode NT2000 Vocal Condenser Microphone

Read More...

AKG PERCEPTION 220 Professional Studio Microphone for general purpose with one inch true condenser large diaphragm capsule. Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this mic about 3 years ago. It still gets more use than many of my other mics. I've used it for the kick drum, for the bass, and I still prefer it over my 57's and 58's on guitar. It picks up more of the air and still remains focused. You wont go wrong buying this mic.

Click Here to see more reviews about: AKG PERCEPTION 220 Professional Studio Microphone for general purpose with one inch true condenser large diaphragm capsule.

AKG\'s Perception microphones have built a strong following among musicians and engineers, proving to be among the best high-value true condenser microphones on the market today. The AKG Perception Series includes the P 120, P 170, P 220, P 420 and also the new Perception 820 Tube – each offering a switchable 20 dB attenuation pad and a low cut switch for an even wider range of miking capabilities including vocals, acoustic instruments, classical music, electric guitar amps and drums across multiple applications of studio recording, live sound and broadcast. The Perception line offers AKG\'s signature \'up-front" sound quality captured in a rugged precision-tooled zinc/aluminium alloy body with dent-resistant stainless steel grille screens.

Get 58% OFF

Click here for more information about AKG PERCEPTION 220 Professional Studio Microphone for general purpose with one inch true condenser large diaphragm capsule.

Read More...

Blue Microphones Bluebird Cardioid Condenser Mic Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This microphone sounds very good on everything I've tried it on. Running the mic through a DBX 376 mic pre, I was able to get some great vocals. Though to get a good amount of clarity on the consonants I did have to ask the singer to back up about six inches from the mic. Being close in, the mic just didn't pick up the T and S sounds. With that adjustment, the mic did a good job on vocals ending up with takes the singer and I were both happy with. It didn't blow me away, but it sounded good. I've used it on a combo amp with good results as well as acoustic guitar and mandolin with better results. Not blown away, but overall happy with the way it sounds being a two to three hundred dollar mic.
What I really don't like about this mic is how the look of the design and aesthetics of the mic are clearly more important to blue than the functionality. Getting this thing in and out of the shock mount is a bit of a pain as it threads into it. I just know I'm going to mis-thread the thing once and have to spend another 80 bucks to get a replacement. Also, every time you adjust the angle of the shock mount you really have to crank the small thumb screw to get it to stay into place. I find the thing very difficult to lock into place all for the sake of looking attractive. I find nothing less attractive than poor functionality. Which brings me to the pop screen. I've read plenty of reviews claiming the pop screen was useless. I wouldn't know because the screen that came with my mic doesn't fit the mic. I sent an email off to Blue and didn't hear anything for two weeks, in the mean time Amazon shipped a free replacement, but it had the exact same issue. Blue responded to a second email and they said the last batch of screens was bad. Blue is supposed to be shipping me a pop screen "when they become available", so I hope I'll be getting one.
All in all, it's a good sounding mic for the money. I find it to be on par with my ADK A51. It's not the "crown jewel" of my modest mic collection but a different flavor to use. But I find the functionality of the accessories to be cumbersome at best, and unusable at worst.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Blue Microphones Bluebird Cardioid Condenser Mic


Designed to offer superb sound and maximum versatility, Blue Microphones' Bluebird is a large-diaphragm cardioid condenser that can handle everything--including vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, drums, strings, and woodwinds. It utilizes Blue's renowned microphone technology and a Class-A discrete circuit to achieve superior detail and clarity, while its unique, retro appearance is sure to be a hit in the studio. The complete Bluebird package includes a shockmount, pop filter, cable, and wooden case.
All-Purpose Design Gives You Professional Quality
The Bluebird is Blue Microphones' response to popular opinion--most people ask for a mic with a warm tone and silky smooth highs, and the Bluebird delivers. Engineered to be as versatile as possible, the Bluebird maintains the high-quality, no-compromise audio that you expect from Blue Microphones. This makes it ideal for male and female vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, close-miking of drums, drum overheads, percussion, piano, horns, and strings--in short, whatever you need it for most.
Proprietary Capsule and Discrete Electronic Components
Each professional-grade Blue Microphone utilizes a unique, proprietary capsule design to capture a specific sonic signature, and the Bluebird is no exception. As a large-diaphragm condenser with a cardioid polar pattern, the Bluebird is built to capture rich, full-bodied sound from sources that are directly in front of the mic.

The capsule and cardioid pattern combine with high-quality electronic components, including a Class-A discrete amplifier circuit, to ensure that each Bluebird mic offers consistent, reliable performance with extended top- and bottom-end sound detail. The electronic components in all of Blue's microphones have been carefully selected, based on 20 years of engineering and experimentation, in order to increase microphone speed, decrease distortion, reduce product variance, and ensure long-term dependability.
Unique Vintage Look and Complete Setup
Satin nickel plating and a baby-blue grip give the Bluebird Mic an original look that matches its well-rounded audio performance. A specially designed shockmount and metal mesh pop filter for laying down clean vocals are included with the mic. It also comes with a wooden storage case that matches the mics retro good looks.

The Bluebird is backed by a three-year limited warranty.
What's in the Box
Bluebird cardioid condenser microphone, shockmount, pop filter, cable, and wooden case.

Click here for more information about Blue Microphones Bluebird Cardioid Condenser Mic

Read More...

MXL 990/MXL 991 Recording Microphone Package Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I produce music for a living and normally write only at my studio. Recently I became interested in having a basic laptop rig for home and I picked up this mic package based on some reviews. When I got them home I had found that they were an excellent value. They're really quite good sounding with lots of detail in the high end. Again, this is considering price- if they were $1,000 for the pair it would be an incredible ripoff. Of course I should state the obvious: These will not sound like a high-end Neumann, Lawson, or Telefunken mic costing many, many, times the price of these mics. That said, they're only $99! I bought two packs and have found they work very nicely in stereo pairs. There seems to be a large influx of inexpensive condensor mics coming in from overseas (particularly Asia) which IMHO are miles better than similarly-priced competition from Europe. However, if you want a Neumann U87, you have to buy one. While the high end on these are nice for the price it does have a bit of a synthetic sound to it at times, and lacks the smoothness of some of the much higher end mics. That said, the pair of these cover much sonic ground; you can use them for most instruments. Drums would be inadvisable unless you were using two matched larger ones as overheads.
This is the type of package I would strongly recommend to the hobbyist because of the price to performance ratio. I -wish- that something like this had existed when I was in high school, just getting into recording. It would make a great gift for the budding enthusiast.

Click Here to see more reviews about: MXL 990/MXL 991 Recording Microphone Package

The MXL 990/MXL 991 Recording Mic Package is a 2-microphone kit with the latest in MXL's range of studio condenser microphones. The 990 has silky, sweet high end and a tight solid bass, perfect for recording vocals. The 991 is a superior instrument microphone designed for recording acoustic guitar and drum overheads. Both have gold-sputtered diaphragms (20mm) creating a professional sound perfectly suited for digital and analog recording. The MXL 990/MXL 991 Recording Mic Package includes a high-impact carrying case and mic stand adapters.

Get 50% OFF

Click here for more information about MXL 990/MXL 991 Recording Microphone Package

Read More...

MXL USB007 USB Stereo Condenser Microphone Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As a music director, I bought this for its portability to record concerts in stereo. Just hook it up to a laptop computer (plugs into a USB port) and record away - anywhere! The resulting WAV file is already on the computer ready to tweak in Sound Forge. The stereo sound quality is rich and accurate. We have been very impressed.

Click Here to see more reviews about: MXL USB007 USB Stereo Condenser Microphone

MXL Introduces the World's First USB Large Gold Diaphragm Stereo Condenser Mic. It's like having a recording studio in a mic. No mixers, pre-amps, or expensive studio gear. No mixers, preamps or expensive studio gear. No special software or drivers, just plug in to your portable or desktop computer, set your preferences and enjoy instant studio quality recordings. The mic uses dual gold diaphragm capsules in a XY pattern together with low noise electronics and the latest in enhanced digital conversion techniques for pristine audio quality. In a demonstration CD a vintage acoustic guitar was recorded with a famous studio mic going thru high quality studio gear to a hard disk recorder and then was compared to the MXL USB.007 recorded direct to a standard computer. The results were nothing short of amazing; the MXL USB.007 sounded like a pristine direct to disc recording while the studio mic sounded nice but lacked punch or detail of the USB mic. Because of its high quality and ease of use the new mic opens up new possibilities for direct stereo recording with a standard computer such as live performances in the professional, school and home environment. It's also a very exciting tool for podcasts, multimedia, news and broadcast applications using portable computers for remote stereo recording of concerts, lectures, or even documenting outdoor sounds in stereo for film and and sharing with friends and TV backgrounds. Imagine the fun of recording performances and sound effects from anywhere in the world on a portable computer in full stereo and sharing with friends and associates. The MXL USB .007 comes with a carry bag, a desktop mic stand, mic stand adapter, a 10-foot USB cable, wind screen, owners manual and an applications guide. The new MXL USB mics usher in a new era of high quality recording never before achieved without a studio. It completely redefines what users can do on their computers opening up a new world for the audio, computer and broadcast industries. All New MXL Microphones are Designed in Our HDTV Design Center inLos Angeles, CAand are wired with MOGAMI.

Get 50% OFF

Click here for more information about MXL USB007 USB Stereo Condenser Microphone

Read More...

MXL V67G Large Capsule Condenser Microphone Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This mic is fantastic! I've been singing, writing, and recording for almost 30 years and this mic is pretty much just as good as all of the silly expensive German mics I've used in larger studios over the years. There's a very slight presence peak, but nothing like most of the other Chinese mics. It isn't shrilling or peaky at all. Male tenor vocals and acoustic guitar sound great without any need for EQ whatsoever beyond a hi pass filter for the sub 100hz stuff. This mic is also an excellent candidate for a Michael Joly mod, he calls it one of the 7 audio wonders of the world because it makes no sense that this mic is this good at under $200. Michael mods these mics and you'd be hard pressed to be able to tell the difference between this one and the famous U87 with the German name that starts with an "N". I'm using it totally stock and it's been great. Buy it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: MXL V67G Large Capsule Condenser Microphone


The MXL-V67G sports a gold plated round grill and distinctive vintage brass body design. It was designed for vocals, so this mic will surely stand out in any crowd. The V67G sounds as golden as its looks. Its 1" gold sputtered, 6-micron diaphragm, FET preamp and transformer balanced output combine to create an open, vintage sound. The double screen, round grill, also helps to produce a smooth, even frequency response. It comes complete with stand adapter and an optional high isolation shock mount is available.

25mm (1") large capsule condenser
Gold-sputtered, 6 micron densitydiaphragm
Solid state preamp balanced transformeroutput
Durable brass enclosure
Screw-on mic stand adapter
MXL-57 isolation shock mount available
Type:

Click here for more information about MXL V67G Large Capsule Condenser Microphone

Read More...