Today I am reviewing MXL 990 XLR Condenser Microphone. This is part 1 of 2 of the MXL 990/991 Recording Kit review series. This is the larger of the two microphones in the kit and it is designed as Vocal/Instrument Mic. It is also a condenser microphone, which means it will require phantom power to work properly, so keep that in mind when you are considering this recording kit.
If you are interested in this microphone, it will set you back $90 on Amazon
What's In the Box
- Microphone
- Microphone Mount
- Hard Shell Carrying Case
- Documentation
- 1-Year Warranty
Performance / Features
The build of this microphone feels pretty nice. It has an all metal construction and an all metal grill. It has some substantial weight to it too. It feels all around like a well built sturdy microphone. It doesn't feel like it's as high quality as an AT2035, but keep in mind that this microphone is between $50-$60 (if you buy the kit).
The frequency response of this mic is listed as 30Hz - 20kHz which is a very nice range. It sounded relatively nice on vocals and electric guitar, but when I tested it on the acoustic it sounded a little bit thin. This could have been easily remedied by altering the microphones position. Regardless of the mic positions, it does seem to lack a little bit in the low end.
The microphone also offers a cardioid polar pattern. This means it picks up audio directly in front of the microphone and picks up little to no audio around the sides or back of the mic. It seems to be a narrow pick up range, which helps eliminate a lot of the unwanted keyboard noise in the background.
Pros
- Cheap
- Nice construction
- Sturdy case
- Nice sound on voice & electric guitar
- Good at eliminating background noise
Cons
- Lacks a little in low end
Conclusion
All around I think this is a nice sounding microphone for the price. It sounded nice on the vocals and the electric guitar, but did seem to lack a little in the low end. I think this would be a great option for gamers because it does help eliminate a lot of the background noise and has a good clean sound for vocals. This would also work really well as an entry level studio mic set and will allow you to play around with multiple micing positions if you opt for the mic kit.
If you have any additional questions about this microphone, leave them in the comments on this site or on the youtube channel, and I will try to reply ASAP.
Buy the MXL990 / 991 Package
US: http://amzn.to/29ZPZBL
UK: http://amzn.to/29LBO3j
