20 Best Mics For Electric Guitar (Feb 2023 Update)

I looked up and down everywhere to see what's the best mic for all around, Like the hidden gem in the cornfield. People told me the rodemic, Razer and snow xlr mic, But from looking past the "Normal" I seen the sm57. A famous hidden mic no one really knew about, Basically has the same tone sm7b just a little different. $100ish instead of $400 count me in, I been using it for zoom calls, Twitch, Discord and everyone i talked to said i went from a very noisy and outland voice to a solid nice tone. I personally use mine with a boom arm, the a81ws, focusrite. No issues with it and i had it for about 3 months, I'm not the gentlest on it either so I feel comfortable using it on a day to day basis. Who would i recommend this to? To be totally honest everyone, You want it to do something? Trust me it will. 10/10Bradleigh, K

I've only had chance to do a quick sound check miking my Bugera V22 and recording the sound using my new Tascam DP-008 EX 8-track recorder. Sound quality was very good, especially for a basic home office recording setup. I can see why this mic is so popular in the industry. For perspective, I am a hobbyist and don't perform, but like to have the best sound for my limited budget to make recordings for myself and maybe friends and family. This mic lives up to its rep for being a great value for what you pay, punching above its class, no doubt.Steve

Overall: Finally bought a couple of these for use primarily on drums, guitar cabs, & horns. I'm a former music performance major and audio engineering school grad, & have been building my studio for over 15 years. Got the 421's in the mail and immediately used them on a drum session with rack & floor tom, running through API preamps. The sound was excellent! I was very impressed with the tonal quality, the ambient pickup (or lack thereof), and will probably order at least two more. Different people have different opinions of this mic, but it's a workhorse for a reason. Every mic has its own 'thing', and this mic does what it does amazingly well. Dynamic mics are not condenser mics, and they have a different sound / vibe. The roll-off switch will come in handy for mic'ing guitar cabs, bass cabs, low toms & kick drum, and anything in close proximity. These mics handle louder sources very well. Of course, the only downside to this mic is the notoriously bad clip. It's okay if you don't have to move it, such as placing on drums or guitar cabs in a session. Obviously not meant to be moved once set in place. However, a very, very good dynamic mic that will get used a ton in my studio.Chuck

For podcasters wanting to upgrade their mic, you may have lost a deal of the century. This proven microphone was nearly half off earlier this year. It sold out, but BH honored the sale price when it was back ordered a month (other places didn't). All Sennheiser dynamic mics are time-tested over the years, and you'll see this model in use decades ago on live television. It is no frills, but great for voice. Almost nobody likes the mount, but it hasn't been an issue for me as I leave it in place all of the time. It is a good mic for the price it usually commands, but was an insane price earlier this year. And it wasn't a typo!Jeffery

My first Tom mics Where the Sennheiser 604’s they last over 10 years 1 died and I slowly lost the rest. So I picked 6 more mics but I stepped up to the Sennheiser 904s. These are an improvement and I still use them but I felt compelled to give the Sennheiser 421 a shot ,so I up six of those. And wow such a massive improvement. . They are so rich and full , capturing the true tone of my drums. Where they really shine is in the lower notes I really wish I would’ve bought 10 of these instead of 6 I want to try one out tonight on my snare drum and see how I like that as well. This is one of my best purchases if you can afford it I suggest you go for it and get you a set of these as well. Good luck and happy recording.Death Metal Jim

Overall: Seeing the pictures online made me think one thing. But then seeing in my hand made me think another. This is a rather small microphone in comparison to what I've used in the past. Transitioning from a monsterous Sterling Audio ST-79 to the TLM-102 made a HUGE difference. The depth of the vocal is outstanding. The frequency range is great and the Higher SPL makes it able to withstand some of the loudmouth vocalist rappers it will be used on. I myself have a deeper raspier voice and this mic works wonders on the clarity of it. In the mix there is much more control on dialing in to get the sound you want. This little Big Dog is now my Go to mic for Vocals out of my collection which includes: a. (1) ST-79 -Sterling Audio – Condenser b. (1) ST-55 – Sterling Audio – Condenser c. (1) MXL 990 and (1) 991 – MXL – Condensers d. (2) Fathead I – Cascade – Ribbon e. (1) TLM-102 – Neumann – Condenser (these are just my Vocal specific mics) All in all I love the mic and the mixing flexablity, its smaller size, and its versatility in use. Sure there is not a bass roll-off, or pad switch so it may not be best for SOME RANDOM VERY SPECIFIC NEED. But for the typical use of a microphone this thing has become my best friend.Chris

I play acoustic fingerstyle guitar and I was looking at some mics options to do some recordings… this mic is absolutely brilliant ! It captures amazingly the sounds of an acoustic guitar, very detailed and all nuances can be heard. Very rich and natural sound and exactly what I was looking for acoustic guitar recordings. Furthermore the look is stunning and the quality amazing. Love it! I am now considering getting another one so I could pair it nicely with the one I owe. Highly recommended!! Here is a recoding I've made with this mic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIThVYPlJ5MReviewed by Andertons Music Co.

"Arturo Sandoval's Mic of choice! The Mic used most for High Quality Trumpet Recording! With a Life-Like realism to the sound as if you were hearing it played live. A warm outstanding Ribbon Professional Microphone.thevintagehorn

This R-121 is incredibly versatile for a ribbon microphone – I never fear putting it in front of guitar cabs, raucous horn players, even drums. The sound is incredibly clear and true to what my ears are hearing (a little less abrasive top end). Without a doubt worth having in my microphone closet… or out of it which usually the case. A great microphone investment!Excellent microphone – I will be purchasing more. Worth every penny I paid for this – it is a go to microphone in most every session I do these days… which is to say it is paying for itself. My clients dig the sounds = my gear pays for itself.Fester Spunk

Great mic. works magic on guitars. however you do need a good mic and pre and a decent compressor to place in front of mic! If you can get this mic for a good price (less than $1300) I would buy it! make sure you read the manual before use! If you don't you can damage the ribbon and make the mic sound bad!!!surfgreen101

The Seiren Mini is an honestly wonderful microphone for personal computer usage. It picks up voices accurately and clearly while often successfully ignoring background noises such as large summertime fans. This mic is about the size of a 355ML soda can, which makes it easy to relocate on your desk when in or out of use. Unfortunately, this size comparison makes it easy to accidentally attempt to drink from your microphone out of reflex if you're a habitual soda drinker. My only real complaint is that the microphone's top half is designed in a way that's very easy to collect dust or other stray particles that you wouldn't want on your mic. Cleaning has been easy, though it may concern messy eaters or people who work with paints or other craft materials. I'd happily recommend this product, though do be very careful to keep the space it's in clean!V1ral

I pick one of these up while I was building a better zoom/Microsoft teams set up. I wanted something that had better sound quality than the integrated mics in laptops or webcams like the c920, along with good enough noise isolation that I could use it on a desk with speakers, and perhaps most importantly it had to be truly plug and play. One of the primary users of the system it would be part of is my elderly father so having to fiddle with settings menus regularly would be an immediate disqualifier. I'm happy to say this little mic exceeded my expectations in every way. Sound is crisp and clear even when the mic is positioned fairly far away from the speaker and the pick up pattern is tight enough that there's no weird echoes or feedback from the speakers on the desk. The easy of use is also great, I did a little fine tuning in the settings menu of zoom and teams but honestly that step could be skipped it worked perfectly well right out of the box.Cecil

As a home recording artist, this mic definitely met my needs. For the longest time, I've owned the AKG Perception 120 (the old model), and I've never had a problem with this mic. The main reason to why I bought the P220 was so I can change my setup to have one mic for recording vocals (the P220) and the other mic for recording YouTube videos (Perception 120). The shock mount for the P220 is being used for the Perception 120, and it fits the mic perfectly. Both mics are basically the same size, so I figured that it would work. The build quality on the P220 is rugged and tough, and the functions are very simple. You have 2 main settings: the bass roll off, which is great if you want to record without having to deal with any unnecessary low end frequency that the mic picks up. The other setting cuts off the signal by 20db. From my experience, it's best use is if you have a noisy background, and you don't want that to bleed into the mic. It basically isolates the signal to only be heard right in front of the mic as opposed to everything in the environment. I would be lying if I said that were some things I don't like about it (because I simply LOVE AKG products) but for other people, this might be too simple of a mic compared to other more expensive mics. The sound of this mic is warmer and more direct than the AKG Perception 120, so I felt that it was better for recording vocals. However, the Perception 120 still crushes it in the studio. Some people might consider a different taste in sound compared to other mics, but for me, this mic suits my needs perfectly. The AKG Perception 120: AKG Perception P120 Professional Studio Microphone, Sliver So, here are my pros and cons: PROS: – inexpensive – simple settings – versatile (vocals, guitar, etc.) – rugged CONS (possible opinions of others): – too cheap – too simple (not enough settings) – not preferred taste of sound – too heavyA.D.W.

For the past couple of years, I had been using a Nady SCM-800, as circa 50 had been the most I could spare for a vocal mic – but in the more affluent interim, I had not bothered to wonder if I could do better. Recently, I started to notice that that mic was prone to sibiliance of the "crispy" variety, though it did serve the low end of a baritone voice rarther well. I also came to realize that it was not, in fact, a "large-"diaphragm mic, but rather a "medium," and that a larger diaphragm would surely capture more nuance and presence of a voice. This time, I my budget permitted spending up to 150 on a mic. One reviewer compared the P220 to the AKG C214 as being identical in sound and performace, so I gravitated toward this one, though all the reviews of the P220 were nothing but positive. Once I got the P220 set up with my preamp/interface and my DAW, I recorded a vocal track. My suspicions about a larger diaphragm and my expectations about an AKG-brand mic were affirmed: I could hear my own voice in so much greater detail that it MADE ME A BETTER SINGER. That's how it felt, and sounded, anyway. I kept the first take, with a couple of small re-take parts. I was elated. Now I wish that I had bought the AKG P220 a LOT sooner (if it's not a new production model; I don't know). I regret not having recorded so many songs with a much better microphone for vocals. At the time, the SCM-800 had been a big "step up" from the USB mic I'd been using. Not to denigrate the Nady brand – fine manufacturer. The SCM-800 was so inexpensive because it's not exactly their best. The bass-rolloff switch on the body of the P220 reduces the "proximity effect," whereby sounds get louder as they approach the mic. For a baritone voice, this is an important detail, to avoid boominess. Sibilance with this mic is easy to tame. Home-recording vocalists: BUY AS GOOD A MIC AS YOU CAN AFFORD; EVEN GO INTO DEBT FOR AN EVEN BETTER ONE! You'll sound better now and have far fewer regrets later.Guy Dudeman

I went into B&H on a recommendation from a friend who lives in the area, didn't know what to expect. It's like Santa's Workshop in there. Super busy, packages going around above your head on like a chute/train track vibe. I was still easily able to get the attention of an associate who talked to me for a while about different condenser mic options. Actually had decided on a different mic but it wasn't in stock at the store and I couldn't wait for shipping because I needed a mic that week, so went with the AKG and honestly don't even notice that it wasn't my "first choice" because it does everything I want it to. I use it for singing and I'm really pleased with the quality of sound I get. I also use a Rode NT USB mic that I love too but I needed a mic that connected through XLR and this one is definitely at least as good as the Rode, probably better but I haven't done a comparison test.Paula

I bought this mic because I wanted to get my feet wet with ribbon mics. I own another MXL mic and while it has iit's uses, they are not a brand I would recomend. But this one immediately impressed me. My Behringer UCM1820 had no issues providing enough gain to get a nice crisp, warm sound. It definitely adds some color too. A little dark, but a good dark. I first tried it on some rock vocals. I re-recorded the vocal on a completed project and without tweaking any eq, just some slight compression it sat perfectly within the exsiting mix. Next I recorded my Egnater Tweaker 15 with it and an sm57 at the same time on seperate tracks and after working out placement, the results were excellent and it recorded less dark than the sm57 which was a shock to me. I cN see me using this more often, I really like the crisp dark sounds it's producing compared to my GAP FC1 mkII. I definitely would recommend this MXL product to anyone wanting to try a ribbon mic and not break the bank. It really changed my opinion on their products..I might have to give their tube mic offerings a shot..another high cost type of mic I really want to get for ky mic lockerJeff

This is a nice, good-sounding mic; I have used it primarily for bass and tenor vocals so far. It has a very strong Figure-8 polar pattern, and the blue color is a bit more purple-grey than most pictures suggest. The included shock mount works well, and includes extra elastic and an additional screw thread adapter. My only (and minor) quibble is that the case has no easy place to stow the user manual; this is hardly a problem.Erik

I have the AKG 414 xls. use it in my home studio ,and bring it to other studios. we have done many shoot outs against everything you could imagine either vintage or recent, even those costing ten time more, and the 414 constantly is the last choice.ruhtra

I prefer this over the XLII, Modern Sounding and great detail. Pair with a good mic pre and you will not be disappointed. But this is not a vintage voiced mic. I use on everything with 1290 Neve, 610, and stock ensamble pres.david001002

Nah, that's probably a bit of false bravado– also not alot of Irish traditions in my family, and to say that my admiration for this mic will extend to my dying day, that I will breathe my last breath holding onto it and capturing some musical performance– a nice picture, but how realistic, really? I guess I just metaphorically, in a Clint Eastwood kinda way, want to impress on you that, if we were all cowboys, this mic would be the six-shooter that everyone longed to have– lawman, outlaw, everyone in between. There's a reason it's a standard of the industry and you've heard its coolly accurate wondrous alive-sounding exceptional capture on a gabazillion records. It gets and gives you what's really there. The self noise is so low, 6 decibels, that there is no self noise. Everything comes through crisply and clearly. I will confess to you– I've cobbled together a subsistence farming kind of audio life, recording singers and ensembles, and I've always made do with gear that checked in much lower on the food chain than this. So when the house tech at a classical quartet concert had a pair of these and set them up just basically at the front edge of the stage, and offered to feed them into my tape deck, I swooned. Back in the studio mixing that performance, the 414's were smooth and airy and cast a lovely perspective on the players. Okay, that's it, I am getting myself a pair! What did I hear when I set up a pair of these for the first time in front of a guitar player? Within the ringing density of the guitar sound, a whole rainbow of colors, a detailed picture down to the granular level. The dual capsule will give you any and every polar pattern, from omni to hypercardioid, with halfway settings in between each setting! Also, four versions of low-cut roll-off, and also three levels of volume pads. A finely crafted German-engineered shockmount, and double sided (the best kind!) pop filter to affix to a mic stand. And a windsock. There are going with me everywhere from now on. Although– this overblown elaborate packaging with all this cut-out foam– no, give me all-put-together-and-ready-to-go in the smallest space, please. (I attach a picture of the pair suited up and ready for the showdown.)Joel

It's not as full as my sm58 but for half the price, it's worth getting a few more. I use it for live streaming and karaoke. All 3 works great. You might need to get the pop shield to prevent the extra pops from some singers though. My friends are loving my set up with these and they're asking to get them set up with these mics as well. It's worth mentioning that you should get the switch version for these applications.Duan

I bought three for my rehearsal studio for Vocals. My opinion is for the price they can't be beat. Yes a 58 sounds a bit better with a little more mid range punch and a little smoother quality sound. But the deal I got for three brand new ones was excellent and can't beat the value. One of the gigs my band plays regularly the soundman absolutely loves my Mike's. I personally use a 58 and our lead singer uses a sure wireless mic but the other three guys are on my 48's and the sound man compliments them every time!!Dev the drummer

I read the reviews and recommendations on the legendary Sure SM58, but didn't really need to buy another mic. I have an AKG, an MXL and a Samson at home, and I work with the Sennheiser 421, EV RE-20 and Heil mics at work. But I saw the B & H price on this, and decided to give it a whirl. WOW.. seriously? Less than $35 for a mic of this quality? Unbelievably good deal! This little Sure SM48 sounds so good, crisp, clean.. blows the Heil and the EV RE-20 out of the water, even sounds better than the Sennheiser! I do a slight EQ contour to shift the bass energy a little lower, with a -1.5db dip @ 378Hz, and a 2db bump around 90 Hz, a little bump at 900 for presence.. and this sounds perfect every time! I don't have to wrestle with that bass tip-up that you always get with the condensers like the AKG and the MXL. For pure voice stuff, this one is a gem. I'll grab it first now before messing with the other mics.. this is a more direct line to getting a great result without the intermediate adjustment stops the other mics need. The RE-20 is retired now. I won't even use it with the SM48 to choose from. I use this for VO work, mostly with commercial spots at a major market radio station. Totally recommend this mic. At this price? A no brainer! Bargain of the century.L. A. Radio Guy

This microphone is one of the best suited for handling guitar amps and other louder close mic applications, especially where a low profile is advantageous, such as on stage or in a cramped studio setting. The mike can be hung/slung over a speaker cabinet or mounted on small footprint stand and placed directly in front of speaker cone/grill. The flat design allows for setup in extremely tight spaces. The frequency response of 40-18k works well on most amplified instruments. It is designed optimally to handle high sound pressure levels (loud) without pads. Response is fairly flat and even across the entire range. It is also super-cardroid pattern meaning crosstalk can be kept to a minimum, important when mic'ing multiple cabs. I found these to be superior to the standard sm-57 type mics for guitar cabinet pickup, more bottom end, crisper high end and very low profile. They are also fairly durable. I've been using mine for a long time and they have held up well.Steviebone

Works great as a guitar-amp mic. You can hang it over the top of the amp, or use something like the K&M 25950 (or 25900) stands. I'm not enamored with Sennheiser's mic clips, but they function; I'd be concerned about repeatedly attaching/removing mics from those clips. That could be unwarranted, but time will tell. Otherwise the mic sounds perfect for my needs (micing guitar amps)Dan

Che dire, per il prezzo che ha questo microfono, la qualità Mackie si vede e si sente. Molto pratico e semplice da utilizzare. L'ho ricevuto il giorno dopo averlo ordinato. Velocissimi!Giacomo P.

Love all the extras that this mic has, you can switch between 5 patterns of capturing your sound/voice, the gain control, volume and mute buttons make all easy to control and the input for monitoring is a must have for me. I am very happy with my purchase, best mic and in a great price for all its features. Thanks Mackie for this carbon model that is fire, and thanks AMS for offer easy payment forms, so I could put together my dreamy studio set! ??Michele B.

Good sound, and I am happy to to have received recording software included. The entire package is less expensive than the software used to be on its own.docsiddall

It’s only the practical issue of size! There is no real indication of size for this mic and I understand why. Yet it’s HUGE, I can’t have it centered in front of me even. It’s the same size as a very large orange, so 10 cm across and on its 20 cm high stand it is a very large black bobb! It also has a very bright red light when it has power and this annoying light at night has no function at all. As ounce it’s plugged in, it’s always on. So why advertise the fact with such a large bright light? Needless to say, it does have two very important redeeming features; very good sound quality and because of this alone it’s then very cheap. My son actually sounds exactly as if his in the same room with no distortions. Yet 3 stars is still a very good achievement in my opinion. Recommend this as it can be placed to one side. Yet due to the two problems and the fact that it has no switch 3 star rating.MajorBrighton01

Really good mic. I really love it. it's a very big upgrade over my 20 dollar wireless headphones. and I continue to use my Corsair HS35with it, just like my old wireless headphones. the plug and play with absolutely nothing avoiding its path are very amazing. Zero Complaints One thing though is if you do have background noise you should consider going with another microphone like the Razer Seiren Mini, Or a HyperX. Really love this microphone though. the sound quality of the voice is outstanding. I got it on sale for 50$. But if you are looking for a really good mic and good price (wait for it to go on sale) id say pull the trigger if you don't have background noise and want an awesome mic! Thanks Bestbuy!MysteriousPlxyz_YT

Meh and letdown would be the words to describe this. First of all they need to remove the $20 Ubisoft part of the item description. The codes these contain are all from 2020/2021 and well expired. But we don't buy microphones for whatever dollar off codes they contain – this was meant to be used in place of a full-on gaming headset – hoping the mic quality would be better than a my laptops mic array, without looking like a knob on conference calls while working from home with a cumbersome gaming headset on. Mission accomplished? Nope. Well. You at least look normal speaking – the downside here is this mic picks up EVERYTHING. Like. Everything. Typing? Kids? Someone in the house on the other side of the same floor flushing a toilet? Yep, check everything. To the point co-workers asked how I even got any work done. I can't have that while working. And being a Blue product, I expected some customization in voice and some sort of background canceling – but the software is limited to showing you your iCE mic and controlling only the gain. And even then unless I was on top of the thing, it wasn't picking up my voice very well – but had no problem with everything else leaking through in my house. Disappointing. Back to the store this went. I could only see low end streamers using this in a sound proof room. Otherwise I'd highly recommend skipping.NikS

Sound: While the Blue Yeti may not be THE best sounding USB mic right out of the box, it does have good sound quality. With a little tweaking through a free audio mixer software like Voice Meeter Banana will result in a very professional sounding mic without spending the big bucks. Stock settings will give you more than sufficient sound quality though. With easy access to the knobs to control the gain and pic up pattern makes for easy adjusting on the fly. Due to the pic up patterns I would only recommend this mic for individual use and not for an interview setting. Price: Being priced at $130 isn't terrible, but should probably be closer to the $100.00 mic segment given it doesn't have XLR. Personally, I would opt to buy the Blue Yeticaster Broadcast Bundle which includes the mic (no desktop stand), boom arm, and shockmount for $180-$200 vs the stand alone Blue Yeti Mic for reasons below. Purchasing all three items individually would be in the $280 range Keep in Mind/Cons: I would highly, highly, highly recommend a boom arm for this mic. The desk stand for the mic is not very useful. I found myself slouching over due to having no height adjustment. Additionally, to get your mouth the appropriate distance from the mic for optimal sound quality (without cranking the gain) means the mic stand is sitting at an awkward spot in relation to your keyboard/mouse. I also found that with the desk stand no matter how I positioned the mic, set the pickup, gain or gate I could not eliminate picking up desk noise such as keyboard clicks, mouse clicks, or even setting my phone down on the desk due no shock dampening. Even setting the stand on a towel did not assist much. Mounting the mic to the Blue Boom Arm completely fixed the unwanted sound and positioning issues. If you are going to mount this mic to the Blue Boom Arm I would recommend installing it with the shock mount. The shock mount isn't much of an advantage sound quality wise, but definitely helps weight wise with the boom arm. While this mic is heavier than normal it's not quite heavy enough on it's on for the Blue Boom Arm. I found the boom arm wanting to "snap open" on the loosest tension settings due to there not being enough weight at the end of it. Adding the yeti shock mount to the mic and boom arm allowed for the proper weight to adjust the mic to my desired position without any sagging or raising. In conclusion, I would highly recommend this mic being purchased in the Yesticaster bundle due to the savings vs buying the individual components. While I still can recommend the mic being purchased individually, I believe you're going to be wanting a boom arm sooner rather than later due to the desk stand offering no dampening or height adjustment.Preston H

So far so good, sounds excellent as expected. I will likely need to put it on a box to elevate it, or get a boom mount. Installation was removing from packaging and plugging in the usb cable. Done. This review is taking longer to write than the installation. What surprised me though is that it's about twice the size I expected. I figured it was maybe an inch and a half wide, subconsciously extrapolating from smaller hand held mikes I've had previously. It's 2-1/2 wide at the screen, 2-3/4 on the main body. 11-1/4 or so tall. I've seen complaints that the stand is flimsy, but it sure isn't, it's pretty weighty and metal, not plastic, which is good. You do need to tighten the side screws to firm positioning up, but that's done with fingers. There's a threaded hole on the bottom that's about 1/2 wide, apparently you can get a 1/4-20 adapter for it. I'm guessing it'll screw into a mike stand, but I don't have one to check. Nice rubber bottom, anti-skid and won't mark your desk up. I'm pretty happy with it, the build quality is good, no complaints there. Using with a Mac, just showed up in preferences as a selection for both input and output (has a headset amp built in, 1/8 jack). Recorded a test video screen capture with voice over, no problem. The multiple patterns are nice, I haven't tried them all yet, but I'll probably just use the Cardoid/single person pattern mostly. Ideal speaking distance seems to be around a foot, but you can easily use it from a yard or more away. Has gain control that I didn't even need to turn up at all. All in all, it seems like a no-brainer. I see why the major reviews are pretty unanimous in recommending it.Jay

White-out is gorgeous, nice to have software support but also physical buttons. Yeti mics used to not have any native software controls but now they are recognized inside Ghub so if you want to do things like equalizing via that, you can (or whatever other audio software you are using). The physical buttons are also great though because you can make adjustments on the fly without having to navigate to software. That makes it pretty versatile for a lot of different use cases. Some people are experts and doing some serious audio work, others just want a nice mic for their zoom meetings. I'm in the latter category. I do think there are better mics out there for audio experts but for the price, this is an awesome mic for someone who just wants to sound better than everyone else in their meeting or want some good controls for things like background nosie.Spacey

I looked up and down everywhere to see what's the best mic for all around, Like the hidden gem in the cornfield. People told me the rodemic, Razer and snow xlr mic, But from looking past the "Normal" I seen the sm57. A famous hidden mic no one really knew about, Basically has the same tone sm7b just a little different. $100ish instead of $400 count me in, I been using it for zoom calls, Twitch, Discord and everyone i talked to said i went from a very noisy and outland voice to a solid nice tone. I personally use mine with a boom arm, the a81ws, focusrite. No issues with it and i had it for about 3 months, I'm not the gentlest on it either so I feel comfortable using it on a day to day basis. Who would i recommend this to? To be totally honest everyone, You want it to do something? Trust me it will. 10/10Bradleigh, K

I've only had chance to do a quick sound check miking my Bugera V22 and recording the sound using my new Tascam DP-008 EX 8-track recorder. Sound quality was very good, especially for a basic home office recording setup. I can see why this mic is so popular in the industry. For perspective, I am a hobbyist and don't perform, but like to have the best sound for my limited budget to make recordings for myself and maybe friends and family. This mic lives up to its rep for being a great value for what you pay, punching above its class, no doubt.Steve

I have the AKG 414 xls. use it in my home studio ,and bring it to other studios. we have done many shoot outs against everything you could imagine either vintage or recent, even those costing ten time more, and the 414 constantly is the last choice.ruhtra

I prefer this over the XLII, Modern Sounding and great detail. Pair with a good mic pre and you will not be disappointed. But this is not a vintage voiced mic. I use on everything with 1290 Neve, 610, and stock ensamble pres.david001002

Nah, that's probably a bit of false bravado– also not alot of Irish traditions in my family, and to say that my admiration for this mic will extend to my dying day, that I will breathe my last breath holding onto it and capturing some musical performance– a nice picture, but how realistic, really? I guess I just metaphorically, in a Clint Eastwood kinda way, want to impress on you that, if we were all cowboys, this mic would be the six-shooter that everyone longed to have– lawman, outlaw, everyone in between. There's a reason it's a standard of the industry and you've heard its coolly accurate wondrous alive-sounding exceptional capture on a gabazillion records. It gets and gives you what's really there. The self noise is so low, 6 decibels, that there is no self noise. Everything comes through crisply and clearly. I will confess to you– I've cobbled together a subsistence farming kind of audio life, recording singers and ensembles, and I've always made do with gear that checked in much lower on the food chain than this. So when the house tech at a classical quartet concert had a pair of these and set them up just basically at the front edge of the stage, and offered to feed them into my tape deck, I swooned. Back in the studio mixing that performance, the 414's were smooth and airy and cast a lovely perspective on the players. Okay, that's it, I am getting myself a pair! What did I hear when I set up a pair of these for the first time in front of a guitar player? Within the ringing density of the guitar sound, a whole rainbow of colors, a detailed picture down to the granular level. The dual capsule will give you any and every polar pattern, from omni to hypercardioid, with halfway settings in between each setting! Also, four versions of low-cut roll-off, and also three levels of volume pads. A finely crafted German-engineered shockmount, and double sided (the best kind!) pop filter to affix to a mic stand. And a windsock. There are going with me everywhere from now on. Although– this overblown elaborate packaging with all this cut-out foam– no, give me all-put-together-and-ready-to-go in the smallest space, please. (I attach a picture of the pair suited up and ready for the showdown.)Joel

I have the AKG 414 xls. use it in my home studio ,and bring it to other studios. we have done many shoot outs against everything you could imagine either vintage or recent, even those costing ten time more, and the 414 constantly is the last choice.ruhtra

I prefer this over the XLII, Modern Sounding and great detail. Pair with a good mic pre and you will not be disappointed. But this is not a vintage voiced mic. I use on everything with 1290 Neve, 610, and stock ensamble pres.david001002

Nah, that's probably a bit of false bravado– also not alot of Irish traditions in my family, and to say that my admiration for this mic will extend to my dying day, that I will breathe my last breath holding onto it and capturing some musical performance– a nice picture, but how realistic, really? I guess I just metaphorically, in a Clint Eastwood kinda way, want to impress on you that, if we were all cowboys, this mic would be the six-shooter that everyone longed to have– lawman, outlaw, everyone in between. There's a reason it's a standard of the industry and you've heard its coolly accurate wondrous alive-sounding exceptional capture on a gabazillion records. It gets and gives you what's really there. The self noise is so low, 6 decibels, that there is no self noise. Everything comes through crisply and clearly. I will confess to you– I've cobbled together a subsistence farming kind of audio life, recording singers and ensembles, and I've always made do with gear that checked in much lower on the food chain than this. So when the house tech at a classical quartet concert had a pair of these and set them up just basically at the front edge of the stage, and offered to feed them into my tape deck, I swooned. Back in the studio mixing that performance, the 414's were smooth and airy and cast a lovely perspective on the players. Okay, that's it, I am getting myself a pair! What did I hear when I set up a pair of these for the first time in front of a guitar player? Within the ringing density of the guitar sound, a whole rainbow of colors, a detailed picture down to the granular level. The dual capsule will give you any and every polar pattern, from omni to hypercardioid, with halfway settings in between each setting! Also, four versions of low-cut roll-off, and also three levels of volume pads. A finely crafted German-engineered shockmount, and double sided (the best kind!) pop filter to affix to a mic stand. And a windsock. There are going with me everywhere from now on. Although– this overblown elaborate packaging with all this cut-out foam– no, give me all-put-together-and-ready-to-go in the smallest space, please. (I attach a picture of the pair suited up and ready for the showdown.)Joel

I bought to of these to run as a stereo pair for guitar amplifiers in a live environment. They are terrific! They handle whatever two 100 watt amps can throw at them and do not color the sound in any sort of negative manner. They definitely let the amps tone shine right through. I went from two classic Sm57s to these and I just notice more clarity and detail than I did with the 57s. Mic placement is a breeze. I spent all of 5 minutes with a pre-recorded loop figuring out the most natural sound and its very easy to find the large sweetspot with these mics. Again, the 57 does not have a huge sweet spot.Blakemore

These mics came highly recommended by another sound engineer I know and, having owned the lesser e609 mics, I decided to take the plunge when I found these at a fantastic price. Pros: Excellent sound quality. Have used it in front of a few different types of bands guitar amps and found it did a fine job whether they played the blues or rock. The filter suggestions in the manual worked and I look forward to trying it with a heavier band to see how it does. Cons: None so far, but if the quality of the 609's that I own, one for over 20 years, is any indication, then this mic will provide years of quality sound reproduction. Brand new, these come with a soft cloth mic bag, mic clip, mic stand euro-adapter and manual.yankeemuso

I have a Demeter Silent Speaker Iso Box that I have been using a 57 and a 58 in with semi-satisfying results. I built a second box to put the Demeter in to even further cut down on the sound levels in my studio. I have taken the door off of the Demeter to let it breath and it takes away all the boxiness of the sound. The only thing missing was this mic! It sounds so much better I can't even believe it! It's so much more balanced and it has smoothed out the mids that have a tendency to build up in a small space like this. Blending the 58 in brings back a little of the "mid scoop" present in the 906. The super cardioid polar pattern of this mic is perfect for this application. From clean to crunch to distortion, my iso rig now sounds like a mic'd up cab in a dead room. All of my stomp boxes and guitars are now in play as they sound like real guitars and not mid range and nasally toys. I am blown away! Buy this mic and follow this recipe if you want an iso box to sound like an isolation room. I'm sure it sounds great in a room as well but the iso box is a more critical situation that only this mic works in. Buy it!radguitars

I still use it. The size is handy. It won't link to iPad Air via lightning cable so I can only use it with my phone. Not my iPad. The sound is ok. The app is limited. I'd say it's more for talking and improving basic videos than it is for music. The stand it comes with only fits the phone in landscape mode which kinda limits its use with social media and live streaming on IG and making tiktok video. Kinda meh 😑.Luke H

The connection port could have been better by discarding that Micro USB port in favour of newer USB C. The connection just about manages to stay on during use. Mildest movement on the cable can dislodge it from the port interrupting the recording. Longer cables of Micro USB to Lightning are almost non-existent. Other than that the build quality is what you can expect with cast metal alloy body which seems to give a good sonic performance and reduce interference. The sonic signature and quality is sublime. Exceptional. I have a few microphones including a home studio and compared to the other microphones that I have, I love what this can do. It can record in stereo as well as with a very beautiful sound texture that is truly exceptional at this price-point. So as far as the sonic signature is concerned, the cost of this microphone may seem cheap! So in that sense, it is not expensive. The iPhone software that comes with this truly well made. In terms of sound quality, it beats the competition in the category of microphones for iPhone/Android/Macs/PCs straight out of the water.Dee F P

I brought the MV 88 + video kit to do a podcast with and to do outside research consisting of interviewing. This kit is amazing. I will be using this kit on a daily basis the video quality is excellent. It is easy to work and assemble. I would recommend this video kit to everybody. If you enjoy filming you have to have this product it saves you time. It is lightweight you can carry it everywhere you are planning to film. You can film a YouTube video with this kit the question is what can't you use this kit for. If you are a filmmaker you need the MV88+video kit you won't regret buying it now.Faith Y.

I own one of these already, and wanted to add more reinforcement of these microphones to my collection. Using the microphone I already own as a Internet Radio DJ microphone, adding on a desktop boom stand, and a professional dual-mesh pop filter. I purchased two additional AT2035 microphones to allow guests on the radio programme. The unit comes with a compact, well designed shock mount, and a convenient carry pouch. The shock mount attaches easily with some force, but the pouch is useless if you want to keep the shock mount attached to the microphone and travel with it. The pouch would better be useful if it were a protective satchel or bag. It feels like the included protective pouch was designed to just protect the microphone, before the inclusion of the shock mount. In either case, the microphone and shock mount are a good combination, and has nice warm sound. Using it mostly for vocal speech DJ hosting work, can't say much for the singing. My original AT2035 microphone has been in service, doing weekly radio programmes for more than a couple of years now, without fail. So the unit is well designed, robust, and even though I marked "Heavy/Bulky" under "Cons", it is ACTUALLY a PRO. This microphone is not intended to be hand-held, and should always be mounted on a boom, or microphone stand, along with some form of shock mount, and therefor, the heaviness and bulkiness of the unit is a POSITIVE thing. This quality not only adds to the sturdiness of the unit, but its stability in its use. Metal construction on the outside, and thick metal wire mesh to protect the internal cardioid capsule, the microphone can not be picked up without feeling that the unit is built with some degree of durability. This quality comes across as a sense of ruggedness for the touring or concert performance arena.LadyCuddles

This microphone brings out all the subtle details of an acoustic instrument or voice. Although it has a cardioid pickup pattern, it picks up two voices very nicely on a video call, better than with a typical dynamic mic. If you want to be kind to your audience don't rely on the microphones built into laptops or video cameras. My Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 provides phantom power, monitoring and a digital interface with my laptop. I prefer a single audio interface with quality preamps over a mic with USB interface. The shock mount works beautifully. A pop filter is a useful accessory but not always necessary.Peter

It's basically an upgraded at2020, and very much worth the money for the mic. It sounds just as good if not better then more expensive options, within reasonable expectations. It's not going to compete with an vintage mic, nor is it going to compete with a much more expensive mic with a specific sound signature. But for a flat, basic microphone, it is one of the best within it's price range. It picks up vocals where it is supposed to and drastically reduces sound from things like speakers positioned behind it. It is probably the best microphone you can get for video calls, streaming, and other activities where sound cancelation is important. Paired with a basic XLR interface with phantom power and it is the most clear you can get for your coworkers or friends for a very reasonable price. As someone that does work remote and as someone that hangs out with friends having a good mic is very important. My at2020 usb started having issues so it was only a natural progression to get the next tier up and an inherently better usb interface for it. I love this mic and your coworkers will thank you, if they are anything like me.Jonathan