I am back with another review of one of the mass produced Chinese microphones that are insanely cheap. This time, it is the Excelvan BM-8000.
If you are interested in this microphone, it will set you back $29 on Amazon.
WARNING: This microphone will require phantom power to function. So if you plan on purchasing this, make sure to purchase a phantom power supply, or make sure your audio interface is capable of providing sufficient voltage.
What's In the Box
- Microphone
- Metal Pop Filter
- XLR to 3.5mm Cable
- Shock Mount (5/8" to 3/8" Stand Adapter NOT Included)
- USB Soundcard
- Documentation
Performance / Features
The build quality on this microphone is relatively nice. It is an all metal body, and metal grill, but it still feels relatively cheap. With the form factor of this microphone, the neck seems like a weak structural point, so I would be careful. The mic cable seems decent enough, the shock mount does it's job, and the USB Soundcard is a piece of junk (only providing 2.43v to the microphone.
The specifications sheet lists the frequency response as 20Hz - 20kHz, which is great. When doing the music test, it seems like the low end is boosted quite a bit. This makes the acoustic guitar sound a bit boomy, but the vocals sound nice.
The polar pattern is listed as "Uni-Directional" but it does tend to pick up audio all the way around the microphone. As you move around the back of the mic, the high end drops off exponentially. The mic did perform well at eliminating background noise when we did the keyboard test.
I should note that this microphone will not perform at it's best if it receiving subpar voltage. It requires a minimum of 4.5 volts to sound decent. So keep that in mind. If you are only utilizing the provided soundcard, you will lose performance in terms of frequency response, noise, and over all fidelity.
Pros
- Cheap
- Good vocal sound
- Good shock mount
- Full frequency response (with Phantom Power)
Cons
- Boomy low end with acoustic
- Soundcard lacks sufficient power
- Incorrect documentation?
Conclusion
This is a pretty good deal for $30. The audio quality sounds pretty good if you plan on doing voice work. It will pick up a bit of background noise, but other than that, it's a good option. If you do plan on purchasing this microphone, I implore you to pick up a phantom power supply & a boom arm. With that set up, you should be good to go.
If you have any additional questions about this headset, leave them in the comments on this site or on the youtube channel, and I will try to reply ASAP.
Excelvan BM-8000: http://amzn.to/1RVRlLg
Phantom Power: http://amzn.to/1QASfYc
Boom Arm: http://amzn.to/21kRVrR
