PD

Pyle PDMICR42 Review / Test

I have been so impressed with the last two Pyle mics that I tested out, that I had to test out this guy, the Pyle PDMICR42 Dynamic Microphone. This time Pyle is ripping off the Shure 55SH. This is another dynamic XLR microphone which means it will not require phantom power to work, however, I always want to note that I am connecting using a USB soundcard which is linked below. 

What's In the Box 

  1. Dynamic Microphone
  2. 5/8" to 3/8" Mic Stand Adapter
  3. XLR to 5.5mm (1/4") Cable
  4. Warranty

Performance / Features

The build quality on this thing feels terrible. It is an all plastic body, plastic mount, and plastic hinge; and this is not a sturdy feeling plastic. It feels incredibly weak. However, the microphone mount adapter is metal which is always nice, and the microphone cable seems to be good quality.

The frequency response on this thing is 30Hz - 15kHz which is a fairly standard frequency response. It performs fairly well in this area. The vocals sound nice and full and don't sound hollow or unnatural. The acoustic guitar sounded surprisingly nice with this microphone, and the electric guitar sounded pretty good too.

The microphone is also a cardioid polar pattern. The field of pick up is really nice for about 90-degrees, but continues to pick up the high end all the way to about 180-degrees. Once we get to that point, the high end drops off and we just hear low end response. This microphone also did really well at isolating my voice from the background noise from my keyboard. 

Pros

  • Nice Voice Sound
  • Decent performance with Instruments
  • Good at Isolating Sound

Cons

  • Cheap Build Quality
  • Digital hiss/noise when volume high
  • Really Bad at eliminating plosives
  • Poor Documentation

Conclusion

This is a decent sounding microphone, however I can't recommend it. It performs decently in the audio area, but not better than the PDMIC58 which is half the price. It is also really bad at eliminating plosives, and that means you would have to invest in a pop filter; since this is a non standard size, you would need a clip on pop filter which is not something you would want in a live situation (which is what these mics are made for).

I honestly, just can't think of anyone who would have any good reason to get this microphone over the Pyle PDMIC58 which sounds almost the same for a fraction of the cost. The cheaper microphone will also provide you the ability to use a standard ball pop filter, and use it in a live setting easily without worrying about breaking a cheap plastic microphone. 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. 

Pyle PDMICR42: http://amzn.to/1JGKPWw
Pyle PDMIC58: http://amzn.to/1JGKWRZ
Sabrent USB Adapter: http://amzn.to/1INAuru

Pyle-Pro PDMIC78 Review / Test

I'm starting to think that I'm making too many reviews...but that's irrelevant. Today I'm testing out the Pyle-Pro PDMIC78. This is a direct rip off of the Shure SM57 which is one of the most popular mics on the market because it so durable and reliable. So this mic has some pretty high standards to live up to, and later in the video we do a short comparison of the two microphones. And the largest selling point of this microphone is the price...it's only $10 right now on Amazon.

What's In the Box 

  1. Dynamic Microphone
  2. 15-foot XLR to 1/4" Microphone Cable
  3. Warranty / Spec Sheet

Performance / Features

The build quality of this mic feels pretty good and seems comparable to the Shure SM57. However, I'm assuming that the internal components are of lesser quality, and that's how they are able to sell it for $10 instead of the $100 that the Shure SM57 costs. This means that if you are rough with this mic, it will crap out before the shure, and you will likely have to replace it more. But if you're just using it recreationally at home and you treat it with care, it will hopefully have a nice long life.

The frequency response on this is not listed, but the unreliable graph on the specs sheet looks like it's approximately 30Hz - 10kHz. But that seems a bit too narrow, so I'm going to say that I don't know the frequency response (Because it wasn't provided). 

The polar pattern is fairly narrow. It isolates audio really well and picks up mainly what's right in front of it. That's what I was hoping for, and that's why this style mic is so popular as a live instrument mic. It doesn't pick up all the instruments that are playing around it. It just picks up what you want it to pick up.

This means that it did really well at isolating my voice from the background noise going around. However, as I backed away from the mic, the volume dropped dramatically. So you will need to make sure the mic stays close to the sound source. I'm sure you could also tell that the pops on this mic are pretty bad. That's because this is not really a vocal mic, it's more of an instrument mic. If you do use this for voice, PLEASE get a pop filter.

Pros

  • SUPER CHEAP!!!
  • Good Sound Quality
  • Good Build Quality
  • Good at Isolating Sound

Cons

  • Bad with Plosives (need to Invest in pop filter)
  • Poor Documentation

Conclusion

I had to struggle to find anything bad about this microphone. It performs really well, and it seems to be built nicely. I do have my reservations about the internal components, but that is just my paranoia caused by the $10 price tag. I would absolutely recommend this microphone to anyone looking for a super cheap microphone to record instruments. It can also be used for vocals, but you will need to invest in a pop filter because this mic does not do well with Plosives. 

Overall, I'm really impressed with this microphone and I cannot wait to test out another Pyle-Pro mic to see if it matches this mics quality. 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. 

Buy it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1RLR4e1
Pop Filter: http://amzn.to/1OQQqWm