Today I am testing out the Neewer NW-800. This is another cheap mass produced microphone that companies buy and just slap there name on. For comparison, this mic is incredibly similar to the BM-800 with just a few small differences. Also, if you do like this microphone and are considering picking it up, it will cost you approximately $24 on Amazon.
It's important to note that this is a CONDENSER microphone and therefore requires voltage to function. I use a USB adapter that provides 4.5v to the microphone. You can also use a phantom power supply with this microphone.
What's In the Box
- Condenser Microphone
- Pop Filter
- Shock Mount
- 5/8" to 3/8" Mic Stand Adapter
- XLR to 3.5mm Cable
- Documentation
Performance / Features
This microphone feels as though it is decently built, but I would not beat it up to test that theory out because the internal components seem fairly delicate. The body and the grill are both metal, and the grill has a much finer mesh, which I believe will eliminate pops better than this microphones predecessors. The shock mount does it's job well, and the cable will most likely suffice.
The frequency response of this microphone is 20Hz - 16kHz which is pretty nice. It does seem to still have a rather bright tone and the bass end is not overly boomy. All around, I like the performance in this area. The frequency response sounds very similar to the BM-800 when compared, but the BM-800 has a more bass heavy sound.
The microphone does pick up audio all around it although the majority of audio picked up on the backside of the microphone is dull sounding and unusable. It did a decent job at avoiding my keyboards noise during that test, which is good for gamers. It also did very well at the distance test.
Pros
- Good Sound Quality
- Functions on 4.5v
- Decent Build Quality
- Performs Decently at Distances
- Good at Isolating Sound
- Has almost Everything You Need!
Cons
- Lacks Some Frequencies
- Poor Documentation
- Still Picks Up Some Room Noise
Conclusion
I think that this will be a good microphone for gamers. It has a nice professional sound (when connected properly and with sufficient power) and it has a nice enough pickup range so you will not have to focus on microphone technique while you are gaming.
For musicians, this microphone will work well for cover videos on youtube, but I think it lacks in performance when compared to professional studio microphones. This will not provide sound quality similar to $500 microphones, but for youtube covers, pre-production, or demos, this will be a great addition to your studio.
If you're a podcaster, this microphone can get you started, but I would recommend you get a dynamic microphone like the Pyle PDMIC58, Shure SM48, or Shure SM58. Dynamic microphones are much better at cancelling out background noise and room noise, and since you are only focussing on talking you can worry more about microphone technique.
This microphone sounds good. Just like all the NW-700, BM-700, BM-800, and NW-1500, this microphone will be great for a beginner. All you need is a microphone stand, a USB Interface, and maybe some phantom power and you will 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.
Neewer NW-800: http://amzn.to/1SB0acW
Sabrent USB Adapter: http://amzn.to/1INAuru
