MXL 990 USB Powered Condenser Microphone

Comments about MXL 990 USB Powered Condenser Microphone:

This is a decent mic, which has excellent performance for the price. (No, it does not sound like my Rode NTK.) With a high sound level survival (130 dB) I don't have to worry too much about blowing it up with very loud sound sources. However, it is a condenser mic so some care is required in handling and in use. Do follow the software installation instructions. Initially I did not follow the instructions and it did not work. After some hair pulling I decided that I did not know better and then followed the instructions to the letter. It then worked a treat. I would buy again, if that helps. The only problems encountered were cockpit errors of my own making. I installed this mic on low-end Asus "netbook" for some field recording. I had little faith this would actually work but it worked surprisingly well. This is the second such mic in-house. The first unit is used for talk-overs on video productions and performs well in that capacity. I would rate the performance as competent but not stellar. For the money though, I am very satisfied. Just remember, $500 - $1500 mics cost that much for a reason. This $99 mic will not rival a $1500 mic. However, if your expectations are calibrated to the cost, I think this mic delivers performance substantially above what the cost might suggest. If you are on a budget you will likely be very pleased. Ive used Audacity and Cool Edit Pro for captures and have seen no bizarre behavior of any description. I cannot compare to competing products because I dont own a competing product and everybody has different expectations. This mic is a bit noisier than I would like but for the money, it is still an excellent buy. From what I can see of what else is out there, youd have to spend about double the price to get a meaningful improvement in performance. I do have one complaint: The software does not show relative audio levels unless the recording program is actually in record mode and is sucking in sound. That makes it appear that the mic is not working when in fact it is. This quirk is documented, but I still find it annoying. If this mic were stolen would I buy it again? Yes, absolutely.

Comments about MXL 990 USB Powered Condenser Microphone:

well for starters I love the case and tripod, and the sound quality is acceptable. USB is pretty convienient but unfortunatly its not as plug and play as stated. On my sony VIAO the recording program and gain control does not work so i have to rely on the ancient but extemely efficient Wavelab. Its probably a conflict with my particular laptop so I still find the mic worthy of use. Did not come with software but it is feeware through the website so thats ok. Price could be a lil lower but at least it wasnt extremely overpriced :D oh and i wish they had color choices as i would have preferred white to match my laptop.

Comments about MXL 990 USB Powered Condenser Microphone:

This mic setup is a great value - excellent quality for a good price. It is important to make sure you download the preamp software from the MXL site. Take your time tweaking settings in the software and without the software until you get the cleanest, crispest sound you are satisfied with. It is best to plug the mic directly into the computer rather than into a USB hub first which then goes into to a computer USB post - the hub can induce unwanted hum or interference.