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.

I use this to record demos and the quality comes out great. This is my first mic and I don't regret the purchase at all. I actually compared this to a more expensive and higher quality mic by recording with both and I couldn't tell the difference at all...maybe because my ear isn't trained that much to hear the subtle differences in mics but I couldn't hear anything different honestly. This works great for recording demos. Just clean up the sound with some reverb and EQ and you're in business. Update 6/15/12 ---------------- This is an AWESOME mic for beginners, but I found that as my recording experience grew, I outgrew this mic and moved onto the Studio Projects B1 microphone and the difference is PHENOMENAL. I actually began recording a track with The MXL mic and finished it up with the Studio Projects B1 and you can hear the difference right away...now I'm having a hard time mixing the track because I have to find a way to reduce the brightness that the Studio Project mic has to match the muddiness of the MXL mic. I will keep this at five stars because this mic has been through so much with me...it's like your first pair of shoes...not the best but at the time they got you through thick and thin. If you're looking for a high quality mic for a low price then you better go to mars or something because it doesn't exist, however this is a great mic for beginners like I once was but the more you record and the more equipment you purchase the more you'll realize this mic's unfortunate flaws and will move onto something better.

I bought this microphone December 2010 and it is still going strong. I have it connected to a Digidesign MBOX and for the price of this microphone I really can't complain. With a little work you can really make this mic shine. I use it mainly to record hiphop vocals and it easily picks up all the little nuances in my voice. It is really sensitive and when it is on in my room I can hear the mic picking up my mouse clicks when it is on and I am monitoring myself. It isn't the best sounding mic on the market but for the price it does a great job. If you have been using a computer microphone for all of your projects this is going to be like a whole different world to you. The mic clip it comes with attaches easily to most mic stands and the shock mount it comes with not only looks cool but is effective in preventing vibrations on the actual mic. The case that comes with it is a good place to store your mic when it isn't in use. Overall for this price you can't say too many bad things about it. I agree with some of the other reviewers saying it sounds a little muddy but with a little work you can make it sound really nice. I was iffy buying this mic at first but ever since I got it I have never regretted it. I would recommend it to anyone who is trying to build on their studio with a tight budget. Pros: -Very low price for the quality -Very nice looking mic with a good case -Shock mount does what it's supposed to do. Cons: - A bit muddy on the sound If anyone has questions feel free to ask! I'll be happy to answer.

It is in the ear of the beholder. Is it the perfect mic for everyone? Nothing is. For my purposes of doing voice overs and being I have a rather deep voice, the "muddiness" some don't like work brilliantly for my sound. On the other end, I find that it is a bit sensitive to sibillance and requires a pop filter set back a little further than I would have thought. I admit that I move a lot of air so I cannot necessarily fault the mic. In my setup, I record directly to a TASCAM DR-70D which has high and low setting for microphones. On the low setting, the microphone would in my opinion be muddy but on the high setting, I can hear a mouse wetting cotton in the next room. Perhaps, the subjective nature of sound and the tendency of some to not like bass while others do is something to think about for your recording needs. Oranges to apples, I like the brightness of this large diaphram condenser over my Shure SM-7 but for most that is the go to mic in radio. Marshall is famous for making solid video monitors and other devices, so I feel this will be a solid choice especially for the home studio and budget concience producers. Also take note that the frequency response chart is a little different between the standard XLR version and the USB version. I am speaking to the XLR version.

Ordered this little fellow and received it two days later in the mail. The rest of the components I'll need to set up my recording studio are still on their way two days afterwards, but I borrowed some equipment to try out the mike. I've got my preamp on feedback mode and am marvelling at the quality difference between this and everything I've ever used. I'm a novice--having only owned one dirt-cheap mini-condenser and lots of conventional electret mikes before--but I can tell this is a different league. The ambient sound in the room I'm in seems to be an order of magnitude stronger than the DC noise I'm getting, and the DC noise doesn't change when I unplug the mike (meaning it's my interface) so I can only assume the device itself is nearly noiseless or at least below that threshold. Frequency response I haven't got the ear to measure, but I've looked at the graphs and it doesn't deviate by more than 6-8 decibels from normal across the entire audible spectrum. The extras are appreciated too--a nice padded plastic case (that's already been rained on twice and passed with flying colors) a shock mount and a non-shock (?) mount to get me started. Now I just need a stand! :P Anyway, all in all I'm a very happy customer. I'm going to have fun with this one.

This is a very good product.

I bought one of these over a year ago, and it's been in regular almost daily use since. Easily one of my favorite mics for recording voice and acoustic instruments. I have had absolutely no problems with it, it's solid and reliable. The sound is perhaps slightly warm for close-up vocal work, so for that you might want to roll back the lows on your eq just a tiny bit. But I find that bit of warmth very pleasant for recording acoustic guitar, dulcimer, flute, etc. If you're miking an acoustic instrument from 3 ft or further away, then the sound is crisp and has enough low end to just be pleasant. I have microphones that cost more, but for recording this one would be my favorite. Amazingly good sound for the price.

good price, decent build quality

Great mic, but wing bolt for tightening shock mount broke right away. Shock mount is now useless. Looks like bad quality bubbly bolt on the inside now that is broken( cast iron)? And was rearranging studio when item arrived, so past return window before i set it up and broke it. ( don't even want to return i like the mic.., but will have to buy a shock mount now:( ) Edit( replaced wing bolt with a 10cent socket head cap screw. Use an allen key to tighten now, not worth returning mic for a broken 10 cent bolt) good mic, cheapish shock mount

I'm really impressed with the MXL 990 condenser microphone. The sound quality is clear, warm, and detailed, making it an excellent choice for recording vocals, podcasts, voice-overs, and even acoustic instruments. The microphone feels solid and well made, and the included shock mount is a great addition that helps reduce unwanted vibrations during recording. It captures my voice naturally with very little background noise when used in a suitable recording space. For the price, the audio quality is outstanding and easily exceeds my expectations. Whether you're just starting out or looking for an affordable upgrade to your home studio, the MXL 990 offers fantastic value for money. I would definitely recommend it.

Das MXL 990 hat es in sich! Für ein Kondensatormikrofon dieser Preisklasse erwartet man in der Regel absolut keine professionellen Qualitätsansprüche. Wer mit der Erwartung „für unter 90€ kann man hier nichts verkehrt machen“ das 990er bestellt, macht damit absolut nichts falsch. Auf dieses Teil gekommen bin ich durch niemand geringeres als Sylvia Massey, die jnter anderen Mit Prince, Tool und einigen anderen wirklich genialen Bands gearbeitet hat, schon mal in einem Kühlturm ekn Schlagzeug aufnimmt oder eine Gitarre hinter nem Auto herzieht und das Ergebnis im fahrenden Auto recorded. Kurz: einer der schrägsten und besten Köpfe in der Recording - Branche. Das Mikrofon hat einen sehr! neutralen, fast schon zu transparenten Klang , der aber eine gute Basis ist und gerade für Sprache und akustische Instrumente punkten kann. Einsatz vor meinem Boss - Looper? Klingt gut. Aufnahmen direkt „in the Box“? Ja, super. Mit den EQ Plugins und eventuell ein wenig echter Röhre (Einschleifweg, vor dem Interface oder emuliert) kann man dann noch ein wenig die Präsenz „bändigen“. Sibilants klingen etwas schärfer, Plosiva nimmt es auch gern eher krumm, aber dafür hat man einen Popfilter und nen Deesser, ansonsten: absolute Empfehlung!

الميكروفون MXL 990 جميل جدا وسعرة جدا مناسب حبيته وجودة الصوت حلوة مررة بس اهم شيء لازم يكون مع المايكروفون كرت صوت خارجي عشان تصير جودت صوتك جميلة (