Labtec VERSE 534 MIC NCAT W/ MUT ( 980183-0403 ) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I sang using several mics, including CyberAcoustics, Plantronics, a Samson USB dynamic mic, and a Tascam mixer using a condensor mic. Tascam's software had major problems and I had to return this and the condensor mic.The Samson USB was superior, but it was triple the price, required a lot of voice volume, and had other difficulties.

The Labtec was the only one of the PC mics that somewhat captured my singing. The Plantronics sounded nice for voice, but not for singing.

Pluses--good price, captured my singing style well.

Weaknesses--Doesn't capture bass (but I doubt that my sound card too), doesn't capture higher treble.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Labtec VERSE 534 MIC NCAT W/ MUT ( 980183-0403 )

Product Description:

Product Name: 534 -Desk Microphone
Marketing Information:
The Desk Mic 534 is a stylish, full-featured deluxe desk microphone that"s great for voice-over-IP applications. The microphone filters out background noise for supreme voice clarity. The adjustable boom pivots and holds the ideal position, and the weighted base increases stability. It also features a mute/power switch for convenient control. Technical Information

Connectivity Technology: Cable 8 ft
Microphone

Microphone Technology: Electret
Interfaces/Ports

Interfaces: 1 x 3.5 mm Plug

Want to read more honest consumer review about Labtec VERSE 534 MIC NCAT W/ MUT ( 980183-0403 ) now ?

MX412D/S by Shure Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This mic is just plain great for meetings.I am a public official on a government board with 8 other members.Each Board Member has one of these mics which feeds the PA system.I find it very sensitive, the on-off switch reliable, and the quality is good.My opinion is "Highly Recommended"

Click Here to see more reviews about: MX412D/S by Shure

Product Description:
SUPERCARDIOD-12" Desktop Gooseneck Condenser Microphone Attached 10´ XLR Cable, Logic Functions Programmable Switch and LED Indicator, Attached Desktop Base

Get 40% OFF

Want to buy MX412D/S by Shure at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Rode Podcaster USB Dynamic Microphone Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)For recording my voice (baritone), it does a great job.For extra warmth that means close-miking, which in turn means not popping your p's, etc.If you hold it close to your mouth but don't directly face it end-on, that's easily done (or get a pop filter).[...].

The microphone electronics are extremely quiet - the audio is sampled at 18 bits.

It comes with a warranty which is easily extended to 10 years for free.

The real-time headphone monitoring is a great idea and works well.

It's a bit heavy (part of being built like a tank), and you need to think a little about how you're going to mount it, since some cheap desktop stands can barely manage it.

Some things to keep in mind are:
1) It likes close-miking (at least for male voices)
2) It is USB-only
3) It is a on the bit large and heavy side.

If those don't bother you, and the price is in your range, then you will probably like it a lot.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Rode Podcaster USB Dynamic Microphone

Product Description:
The Rode Podcaster is the easiest way to record high quality vocals or audio on your computer and upload them to the world.Seamless integration was the idea, and it was obtained by creating a studio dynamic microphone with unparalleled A/D converters, so that the microphone can be plugged into any computer with no in/out boxes, no expensive computer pre-amps, just a USB cable.The Podcaster offers an end-address configuration, the clarity of RØDE's tailored-for-voice frequency response, an ON L.E.D, a direct headphone amp, and of course very low self noise.The Podcaster opens up possibilities for anyone who records audio from podcasters, journalists and students to business people adding audio files to websites and multimedia presentations.

Get 38% OFF

Want to buy Rode Podcaster USB Dynamic Microphone at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

MXL USB007 USB Stereo Condenser Microphone Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As a music director, I bought this for its portability to record concerts in stereo.Just hook it up to a laptop computer (plugs into a USB port) and record away - anywhere!The resulting WAV file is already on the computer ready to tweak in Sound Forge.The stereo sound quality is rich and accurate. We have been very impressed.

Click Here to see more reviews about: MXL USB007 USB Stereo Condenser Microphone

Product Description:
MXL Introduces the World's First USB Large Gold Diaphragm Stereo Condenser Mic. It's like having a recording studio in a mic. No mixers, pre-amps, or expensive studio gear. No mixers, preamps or expensive studio gear. No special software or drivers, just plug in to your portable or desktop computer, set your preferences and enjoy instant studio quality recordings.

The mic uses dual gold diaphragm capsules in a XY pattern together with low noise electronics and the latest in enhanced digital conversion techniques for pristine audio quality.
In a demonstration CD a vintage acoustic guitar was recorded with a famous studio mic going thru high quality studio gear to a hard disk recorder and then was compared to the MXL USB.007 recorded direct to a standard computer. The results were nothing short of amazing; the MXL USB.007 sounded like a pristine direct to disc recording while the studio mic sounded nice but lacked punch or detail of the USB mic.

Because of its high quality and ease of use the new mic opens up new possibilities for direct stereo recording with a standard computer such as live performances in the professional, school and home environment. It's also a very exciting tool for podcasts, multimedia, news and broadcast applications using portable computers for remote stereo recording of concerts, lectures, or even documenting outdoor sounds in stereo for film and and sharing with friends and TV backgrounds.

Imagine the fun of recording performances and sound effects from anywhere in the world on a portable computer in full stereo and sharing with friends and associates.
The MXL USB .007 comes with a carry bag, a desktop mic stand, mic stand adapter, a 10-foot USB cable, wind screen, owners manual and an applications guide. The new MXL USB mics usher in a new era of high quality recording never before achieved without a studio. It completely redefines what users can do on their computers opening up a new world for the audio, computer and broadcast industries.
All New MXL Microphones are Designed in Our HDTV Design Center inLos Angeles, CAand are wired with MOGAMI.

Get 43% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about MXL USB007 USB Stereo Condenser Microphone now ?

MXL 24BIT/96KHZ USB Condenser Mic Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)For years I've been working with traditional XLR cardioid condenser mics (love my Neumann TLM) but I've had to travel a lot lately, and humping the XLR cables, pre-amp, and heavy mics through airports and hotels has gotten to be a real bother, so I started The Hunt for a Great USB Mic.

Now, there are good USB mics out there for under $100, and Blue's Snowball is adequate. At ~$70 you get what you pay for. It is ok for podcasting, if you aren't too picky about sound quality. I had one shipped to me, didn't like that background hum, sent it back thinking it was a problem with the mic, and got another one that sounded exactly the same. (And yes, I read all the instructions and advice and made all the adjustments. I even tried it on Mac, Laptop, and PC--so spare me the "oh did you try this, and you're an idiot because you didn't try that" Snowball fanboy snarkiness ;).

So, when I returned the Snowball, I considered getting Blue's Yeti, but it's sheer size disqualified it -- the mic is way too big and heavy to be considered remotely portable, and since I like to record standing-up instead of sitting down, I worried that it would be too heavy for my boom.

Having eliminated Blue's mics, I tried the Samson G Track at ~$120 and the AudioTechnica AT2020 at ~$110. I like that the Samson has the headphone output and the gain controls (which the AT does not) and better recording quality versus the AT2020 at 48kHz versus 44.1kHz. However, the Sampson weighs a half-pound more. For both mics the sound quality is great for podcasting, and while vastly superior to the Blue Snowball, and certainly adequate for most vocals that will be supported with background music, neither mic produces recordings clean enough and of high enough quality (limited to 16bit) for pure narration (IMHO).

So I upped my price-point again. And found THE perfect USB mic for voice-overs at ~$275. The MXL USB.009. It records at 24Bit/96kHz -- a huge improvement over the 16Bit/44.1kHz of all the other mics. It has the benefits of a mic jack and knobs for gain control like the Samson G Track, and is Plug and Play. I don't have to tweak anything on my Mac or my PC. It is lightweight, so I'm not worried about my boom tipping, and there is no background hum. I like the steel carrying case -- it weighs about 6 pounds with the mic and USB cable -- and makes it easy to carry through airport security.

Yes, the MXL USB.009 is 4x the cost of the Blue Snowball and 2.5x the cost of the Samson G Track and the AT2020, but for me, it is worth it. I not only do podcasting, but I do professional voice-over work, and I need something that will give me the convenience of direct USB recording with near-studio quality.

Click Here to see more reviews about: MXL 24BIT/96KHZ USB Condenser Mic

Product Description:
Producing a 24-bit/96 kHz feature-rich USB microphone for the professional broadcast and music industry meant no compromises on quality. The MXL® USB.009 features a large diaphragm, 32mm capsule, similar to what's found on the world's best analog microphones. With zero latency monitoring, hand selected components and analog rotary knobs to dial in the perfect mix, the MXL® USB.009 replaces an entire studio. When it's time to listen back to the tracks you've recorded, it will impress with its amazing detail and punch.
The MXL® USB.009 is a simple, feature-rich, elegantall-in-one recording solution that is nothing short of professional!

24-bit A/D and D/A 96 kHzrecording
114 dB dynamic range
Large gold sputtered diaphragm
USB 1.1 and 2.0 compatible
Zero latency monitoring
Analog gain control before A/D
Hand selected components
USB powered - no externalpower needed
Plug and play with no preamps, mixers or any other externaldevices required

Includes:
• Mic
• Aluminum flight case
• Desktop Stand
• Mic stand adapter
• 10' USB cable
• Cleaning cloth
• Manual

Want to read more honest consumer review about MXL 24BIT/96KHZ USB Condenser Mic now ?

Logitech H165 Notebook Headset Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is the first headset I've used with earbuds and an inline mic.I usually wear earbud headphones while working at my desk, and I thought these would make sense for regularly listening to music plus occasionally making Skype calls.In a pinch, they will certainly do that, but the design is flawed enough that I wouldn't really recommend them to others.

The in-ear canal-design is weird and not my first choice. I switched to the smallest sized ear plug included in the box, so I'm glad Logitech gave me a choice.But I feel like my ear canals must be slightly different sizes as one fits well and the other falls out often.But I knew that was the design ahead of time, so I can't fault Logitech for my choosing them.

It's the inline mic that works poorly.The microphone hole is on one side of the inline housing, and the cord seems to always want to rotate the mic side away from my face, making the volume of my voice quite low when compared to some other headsets with regular boom mics.Logitech should have put the mic on the top, so it would always point toward the person's face no matter which direction the cord rotated.

The other annoying part is that the mute switch is in the same housing right next to the microphone, and it makes a loud click when used, so it's very obvious to the people on the call that the mute switch is being flipped.This also puts the mute switch right at mouth level where the mic is fixed, about 3 inches down the cord below the right earbud, which is impossible to see without squashing your chin down into your chest and/or pulling the cord out in front of your face.This means you can't easily check whether it's muted, and if you want to mute without looking away you end up fumbling your fingers around on the microphone, which produces annoying sounds on the call. Logitech should separate the mic from the mute switch so both can be placed at their own optimal positions, and the mic can be muted without an audible click on the audio.

There is a lapel clip included which may have been intended to help mitigate the mic rotation problem, but the clip itself is weird because it doesn't hold the cord securely and so it all just slides around.The clip does marginally help stop the earbud from being pulled out of your ear if the cable is tugged.There is also a barrel shaped bit of plastic fixed on the cord near the jacks, which the manual states is a place to stick the plug when not in use.But it only has room for one plug, not both, which leaves the other jack hanging and thus seems to kind of defeat the purpose. Maybe I'm missing the point?

In conclusion, if you actually want a headset to actually use with Skype, I think you just have to bite the bullet and use a headset with a regular boom mic, even though it might be dorky looking.

Last note: this headset is not compatible with Mac hardware, and neither are any others that use stereo jacks.Macs don't have microphone jacks as many other PCs do, they only have line-in jacks which don't supply the right amount of power.I found out the hard way and had to order a USB adapter to make it work on my 2009 iMac.Believe me Mac users, don't waste your time, you have no choice but to use a headset with a USB plug, or else a USB sound card as an adapter.The box states "Works with Windows" only, although Amazon doesn't make any mention one way or the other.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Logitech H165 Notebook Headset

Product Description:
Make Internet calls and enjoy music and movies while on the go with the Logitech Notebook Headset H165.The portable design makes them easy to slip into a bag to take with you. The headset works with notebook and desktop PCs as well as music and DVD players (phones not supported) and includes a travel case, a noise filtering in-line microphone, and interchangeable silicon tips.

Want to read more honest consumer review about Logitech H165 Notebook Headset now ?

Sony ECMMS907 Digital Recording Microphone Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have used the ECMMS907 to fill about 150 mini discs since I bought it three years ago. It runs lovingly on one AA battery (unlike it's watch-battery-dependent predecessor) and allows for two polor patterns 180 and 90 degrees. The casing of the unit is rugged. It includes wind screen,travel pouch, stand clip, and four foot cloth encased cable. I have been able to record everything from street musicians to Dave Bruebeck concerts.

In pro audio it isn't considerd cool to like Sony gear as it often uses digital tricks to achieve a bogus sense of higher fidelity,but Sony electronics are bulletproof and work exactly as designed until you lose them or back them over with your car.That said...

Lots of people I have spoken with purchased this microphone thinking they could jack into the 1/8" input on thier laptop computer and get desirable results.This might work if your microphone is inches away from a blaring guitar amp, but won't do well with amient recordings or speaking as the output gain is far too low. Most people are not happy in this situation.

Overall, worth every penny.Perhaps there is a modification out there to improve the output gain.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony ECMMS907 Digital Recording Microphone

Product Description:
The ECM-MS907 one-point stereo microphone was created for the advanced amateur to make instrumental recordings. Ideal for usage with MiniDisc Walkman and DAT portables, or any number of recorders on the market, the ECM-MS907 features a one-point stereo design, mid/side (MS) capsules with a switchable pickup angle, an Oxygen-free Copper (OFC) mic cable and a gold-plated stereo miniplug.


Created for the advanced amateur to make instrumental recordings.
One-Point Stereo Design
Enjoy full stereo recording with one small electret condenser mic. Perfect for live shows, single instruments, field recording, and anything else you want to point a mic at.
Mid/Side (MS) Switch
This allows you to select the pickup angle between left and right channel--choose 90 degrees for a single voice or instrument, or 120 degrees to pick up many voices and instruments, arranged across the stage
OFC Cable and Gold-Plated Plug
Both the Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) cable and the gold-plated plug provide maximum performance and minimum noise.
Ideal for Portable Digital Recorders
With a wide dynamic range to complement digital recording systems, the ECM-MS907 is ideal for modern flash, DAT, MD, and other recording devices. It's L-shaped stereo mini-plug is standard on most.
Low-Profile Design
The ECM-MS907 features an inconspicuous, compact design for easy portability, with a triangular shape that fits comfortably in the hand.
Mid/Side (MS) capsules
The ECM-MS907 features mid/side capsules for natural stereo panorama. The Mid capsule picks up monophonic sound while the Side capsule picks up left/right difference sound--subtracting and adding the two capsule signals yields separate left and right channels (this permits electronic adjustment of pickup angle).
What's in the Box
ECM-MS907 Microphone, Stand/Holder, Windscreen, Carrying Case

Get 35% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Sony ECMMS907 Digital Recording Microphone now ?

Mini 3.5mm Flexible Microphone for PC/Laptop/Skype Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This mini microphone is small, light & easy to bring anyway. It's perfect for my laptop during Skype & Yahoo Messenger calls. Surprisingly the voice quality is quite good. With the the flexible neck, I can turn it facing my mouth direction, hence I can sit back & relax while talking without leaning toward my laptop screen (where the built-in microphone located). I'm really satisfied with this product. It's a small price to pay for such convenient product. Highly recommended!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Mini 3.5mm Flexible Microphone for PC/Laptop/Skype

Product Description:
You can take it with you! This slim 6.7 inch mic will slip easily into a laptop case (unless it's a form-fitter), and features a flexible cable for easy positioning. Installation is as simple as Plug & Play - no drivers or software are necessary. Use it with Skype, for VOIP applications, or chat programs. Adjust the microphone's settings from your PC's audio control panel. Does not require an external power supply. (Note for Mac users: Apple Mac computer hardware requires a mic with its own power supply. This mic may not be suitable for use with Apple/Mac computers. Check with Apple for your particular model if you are unsure.

Get 100% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Mini 3.5mm Flexible Microphone for PC/Laptop/Skype now ?

Connectland CL-ME-606 Goose Neck Desktop Microphone Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It's good if you don't talk long. Every time you have to hold the button when you speak. My finger was tired to hold the button when speaking long. But the price and quality are good deal.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Connectland CL-ME-606 Goose Neck Desktop Microphone

Product Description:
Cute Design for Goose Neck Desktop Microphone. 3.5 mm stereo Jack plug. Directivity omni direction. Impedance: 2200 Ohm. Sensitivity: -38 dB +/- 2 dB. S/N ratio > 60 dB. Frequency range: 100 Hz - 16000 Hz

Want to read more honest consumer review about Connectland CL-ME-606 Goose Neck Desktop Microphone now ?