Gentlemen, don't expect a condenser mic to be "plug & play" with all radios, you will be disapointed. ALL condenser mics are not created equal, I tried a Behringer XM8500 and it was terrible! A $15-$20 mic can only give so much. Also I highly recommend a windscreen and foam cover to eliminate voice pops & other room/ambient noises. Show KE0EYJ Rating:  Now, as for the MXL990, I had mine one week before I dumped it. The mids were too muddy. It is easy for people to be impressed with the full sound initially, but comparison to other models outs it as cheap and muddy in the mids. We tried several "cheaper condenser mics" in studio, and if you are looking for a quality condenser mic for studio work, go with the Studio Projects B1 instead. Almost the same price as the MXL990, too. We were very impressed with that mic, and the quality for the price was outstanding. As stated, however, I do not consider condenser mics a good choice for Ham use. K5DSQ Rating: N8WGM Rating: In stock form, the 990 is a pretty good mic with a few shortcomings. The audio on this mic is a bit high on the treble. The lows are a bit muffled. Overall, in stock form, it is a pretty good microphone. I did do quite a bit of modifications to it and the mods are what can make this microphone one of the best. There are tons of articles about how to modify the 990 and where to get parts. The two top things to modify is the circuit board and replace the small capsule with one a bit larger. With these mods, the 990 then has a very balanced high end sound quality. Expect to spend about $200 to modify it with the recommended changes. I use the 990 for not only ham radio, but also Skype and commercial radio broadcasting from my home. It also makes an excellent mic for podcasting and Youtube video. I've used many really high end microphones in the past and the price often reflected in the quality of the sound I was getting. With the modifications to this very inexpensive microphone, (often less than $70) it can become a top end performer and can compete with high end mics costing hundreds if not thousands more. Today I am reviewing MXL 990 XLR Condenser Microphone. This is part 1 of 2 of the MXL 990/991 Recording Kit review series. This is the larger of the two microphones in the kit and it is designed as Vocal/Instrument Mic. It is also a condenser microphone, which means it will require phantom power to work properly, so keep that in mind when you are considering this recording kit. If you are interested in this microphone, it will set you back $90 on Amazon What's In the Box
Performance / FeaturesThe build of this microphone feels pretty nice. It has an all metal construction and an all metal grill. It has some substantial weight to it too. It feels all around like a well built sturdy microphone. It doesn't feel like it's as high quality as an AT2035, but keep in mind that this microphone is between $50-$60 (if you buy the kit). The frequency response of this mic is listed as 30Hz - 20kHz which is a very nice range. It sounded relatively nice on vocals and electric guitar, but when I tested it on the acoustic it sounded a little bit thin. This could have been easily remedied by altering the microphones position. Regardless of the mic positions, it does seem to lack a little bit in the low end. The microphone also offers a cardioid polar pattern. This means it picks up audio directly in front of the microphone and picks up little to no audio around the sides or back of the mic. It seems to be a narrow pick up range, which helps eliminate a lot of the unwanted keyboard noise in the background. Pros
Cons
ConclusionAll around I think this is a nice sounding microphone for the price. It sounded nice on the vocals and the electric guitar, but did seem to lack a little in the low end. I think this would be a great option for gamers because it does help eliminate a lot of the background noise and has a good clean sound for vocals. This would also work really well as an entry level studio mic set and will allow you to play around with multiple micing positions if you opt for the mic kit. If you have any additional questions about this microphone, leave them in the comments on this site or on the youtube channel, and I will try to reply ASAP. What is the MXL 990 good for?The 990 makes an excellent cardioid vocal mic, imparting a neutral and balanced sound with enough bottom end for radio-ready voice-overs and enough sizzle to make your tracks pop. It also lends a nice silky sheen to acoustic instruments. Is there a microphone that makes your voice sound good?Best Vocal Microphone: For Podcasting The Shure SM7B is one of the most renowned microphones in podcasting. It offers a refined and professional sound at a realistic price point, making it an exceptional buy for new and expert podcasters. What is the best sound quality mic?Our top picks:. Best Overall Microphone. HyperX ProCast. $157 at Amazon. ... . Best Value Microphone. HyperX SoloCast. ... . Best Microphone for Vocals. Shure SM7dB. ... . Best Microphone for Streaming. SteelSeries Alias Pro. ... . Best USB Microphone. HyperX QuadCast. ... . Best Microphone for Gaming. SteelSeries Alias. ... . Best Microphone for Podcasting. Shure MV7.. Why is my condenser mic so quiet?The most common reasons why your condenser microphone is too quiet include incorrectly set gain, lack of phantom power, issues with input, or cable, mic positioning, or incorrect direct monitoring settings. All of those can be tested in 15 minutes to diagnose the source of your problem. |
