MXL 990 Condenser Microphone for Podcasting, Singing, Home Studio Recording, Gaming & Streaming | Detailed Sound | XLR | Large Diaphragm (Champagne)

This mic is definitely sufficient for normal recording, especially if you run it through a vocal effects processor. I plan to get the TC-Helicon VoiceLive 2 here at Amazon eventually (I really love the gender conversion that makes you sound like a good female voice) but right now I have the KORG EMX and ESX as well as the KORG Kaoscullator Pro, and this mic works great when connected to any of those (but of course connected to a phantom power source first, the patched to the Korg devices). The fact it comes in a nice durable case with foam padding impressed me right from he start. Then I hooked it up to the included shock mount and added a pop mic filter (VERY important you use a pop filter because condenser mics are sensitive to moisture from your mouth).The sound quality is far beyond anything I'm used to, but I must confess that I was one of those poor fools who didn't even know what XLR and "phantom power" was -- I only used mics with a USB connection or the 1/8" stereo plug, and they all sound terrible compared to an XLR microphone with 48v phantom power.And even the XLR cables themselves are a dream come true! -- I was always getting so angry with the normal 1/8" cables messing up and then you have to lick them and plug 'em back in, then spin them around to get the sound to work right. (Nobody told me there was another option!)But XLR cables make it impossible for any humming or hissing sounds or disconnections of any kind since they lock in place and never need any toying with. Now I use XLR cables for all my speakers too, and for all the patch connections between my mixers, amps, and musical devices, and it has made creating music so much more enjoyable! Now I don't have to fidget with those crappy 1/8" cables anymore, and there's never any hissing or annoying humming sounds to worry about. And of course I also realized that you can't just plug your music output right in to your computer's sound card and expect to get professional recording that way -- you have to use a box that converts the music to digital and sends it via USB port to the software, and the box should have XLR inputs for mics and 1/4" inputs as well. Only problem is Amazon has so many of those boxes, I can't decide which one to buy. I want the Lexicon since they are masters of high quality sound recording, but some of the bad reviews make me worry. With musical devices, sometimes you just end up with a unit that has manufacturing defects, and unfortunately those people post bad ratings and make it seem like the product itself is to blame.

I bought this mic for a school project because I needed to make a CD and needed a mic for vocals. This works great for that (just make sure to use a wind screen). Im also the sound tech for my choir class and in the past we have used individual Audix handheld microphones for each singer. However this year we are taking a different approach to mic the singers. We just had an all day gig to sing Christmas songs at all the elementary schools in my town. Ive had some bad luck in the past with using condenser mics for choirs and live sound mainly because of feedback being so easy to get. When setting up for the gig at the schools, I forgot to grab cables to run my EQ so I knew that it was just going to be a wreck. But I decided to give it a try anyway. All of our gigs for that day were in school gyms so that defiantly wasnt going to help with my feedback issues of the past. I used 3 of these mics for a choir of about 25 kids. Ran them into a 6 channel Peavey Mixing board and directly out to 2 QSC K10 active speakers that were used for mains. No EQ except for the 80Hz Cutoff option on the board. I placed the speakers about 10 feet in front of the mics and gave it a shot. To my surprise they didnt feedback AT ALL. Even with the terrible acoustics in the gyms. I was easily able to project the sound of the choir without feedback issues. I was even told by one of the school administrators to turn the volume down at one point. So basically what Im saying is that for the money, these mics are great for many different uses. Whether it is recording at home or micing a choir for a live gig. These mics sound great. We will be buying about 6 more for our spring show in our performing arts center just because they are so cheap.

This microphone is simply the best for anyone looking to get started with audio recording. The price is right and it's durable enough to put up with improper handling such as small drops or rough plugging/unplugging. The sound quality is fantastic and can stand up to professional recordings. It is also very versatile and will record anything you want to record elegantly.The case itself is nice and sturdy and the shock mount is really cool looking, not to mention functional.Personally, I find myself having to turn the gain up all the way to properly record with it but that might have something to do with me damaging it rather than a factory defect.

I've purchased this microphone ten years ago, going on eleven years. I've used this through thick and thin. Incredible microphone to begin with when I first began my career in audio production. Quality is not bad at all but only how the recording is edited and mixed.I've been recording from my college days when I turned my closet into a vocal booth. I didn't soundproof it but it was quite "soundproof" without the panels, foam and/or curtains. All I used was my clothes. It was enough and the quality was fine.Ten years and 11 months later, I am still using it and I have no problem. I highly recommend this microphone for beginners. Go for it. It's a great mic at a reasonable price, it changed my life in the music/film industry!

I bought this mic for recording vocals for my band along with recording my podcast/youtube commentaries. Honestly, i love this mic, it sounds just as good as many of the other studio mics that i have used in actual studios. It is extremely sensitive however, when i have it hooked up in my room on the second floor and wearing headphones to monitor the audio i can hear cars driving by outside or i can even hear people talking outside. No doubt its sensitive, but its also an amazing mic and deal, dont think just buy! Also, the stand is nice too, however the only problem i have with it is that the little knob that you tighten to lock in the angle of the mic is weak and at times the mic will slide down a little, but its not a big deal at all.

After 5 years, still my favorite mic! I use it for streaming/singing