Pyle

Pyle PDMICUSB6 USB Microphone Review / Test

Today we are looking at a budget USB Microphone by Pyle: The Pyle PDMICUSB6. This microphone is plug and play and is listed as compatible with windows and mac computer.

If you are interested in this microphone, it will set you back $25 on Amazon

What's In the Box

  1. Microphone
  2. Microphone Mount (No Stand Adapter)
  3. 6.5-foot USB Cable
  4. Desktop Mic Stand
  5. Documentation

Performance / Features

The construction on this mic feels pretty nice. It has an all metal construction as well as some nice weight to it. The only feature on this microphone is an on/off switch to mute the microphone. However, during the review when I switched the mic to "off", a loud static became audible. The mic clip/mount is plastic and doesn't feel like it's good quality and the desktop mic stand feels of the same caliber while providing no shock absorption.

The frequency response is listed as 50Hz - 14kHz which is fine for a dynamic microphone similar to the Pyle PDMIC58. It did not sound particularly good on electric or acoustic guitar, but sounded fine on voice. 

The polar pattern is listed as cardioid and it does a very nice job of eliminating background noises like keyboards or outside noise. The sample rate is listed as 16-bit / 48kHz and the mic sensitivity is listed as 53dB.

It's fairly obvious that the built in interface is noisy. Once you get to approximately 30-40% input gain, a loud digital noise becomes apparent and essentially ruins the audio.

Pros

  • Decent construction
  • Affordable
  • Good at eliminating background noise.

Cons

  • DIGITAL NOISE IN BACKGROUND
  • Not best sound on guitars
  • When switched off generates hiss.

Conclusion

I can't recommend this microphone because of the incredibly loud digital interference once you hit 30% gain, as well as hiss generated when switching the mic off. The only use case I would recommend this microphone for is if you are on an incredibly tight budget, and only want a usb microphone. You can talk to people on Skype or in-game, but if you plan on recording any audio for a video or song, I would recommend you look elsewhere.

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 it on Amazon
US: http://amzn.to/2bqRCqB
UK: http://amzn.to/2bcBnPc

Pyle-Pro PDMIK1 Dynamic Mic Review/Test

Today I am testing out the Pyle-Pro PDMIK1 Dynamic Mic. The first thing to note about this microphone is that it costs about $4 on amazon.

What's In the Box 

  1. Dynamic Uni-directional Microphone
  2. 6.5-foot XLR to 1/4" Microphone Cable

Performance / Features

The build quality is what you would expect from a cheap microphone, but I do think that feels slightly better than the SF920, 930, & 940. There is also an on/off switch which feels better than most other switches I've come across. But when it comes down to it, it is a $4 microphone and it's built like it. I would not test this mics durability and expect it to still work.

The frequency response is listed as 50Hz - 15kHz which is pretty nice for such a cheap microphone. However, I feel like it was lacking a bit of presence when I tested out the acoustic guitar. For electric guitar I think it sounded fine, and for voice it sounds decent as well. I do HIGHLY recommend getting a pop filter though as there is little to no built in filter to keep the mic from picking up every plosive.

It is a uni directional polar pattern which is what you would expect from a dynamic microphone. It does great with this and picks up very little room noise. You could hardly hear the keyboard over my voice, and when I stopped talking, there was still very little keyboard noise. Also, as we got farther away from the microphone the amount of sound the microphone picked up dropped significantly.

Pros

  • SUPER CHEAP
  • Decent sound
  • SERIOUSLY! IT'S ONLY $4!
  • Great at Isolating Sound Source / Doesn't Pick up Background Noise

Cons

  • Plastic build quality
  • Picks up lots of plosives
  • Lacks presence with acoustic instruments

Conclusion

Honestly, I think this is a great starter microphone, or if you are on an extremely tight budget. That's who I recommend it to: beginners or people who don't have much disposable income. Just keep in mind what you are buying; a $4 microphone. You will need to invest in a pop filter and stand, and if you have a designated microphone input on your computer, it may work since this is a Dynamic microphone and does not require any voltage to function. Also, chances are it will not be very durable, so be careful with it.

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-Pro PDMIK1: http://amzn.to/1ZId8ew
XLR to 3.5mm Cable: http://amzn.to/1ZIdfXx
1/4" to 3.5mm Adapter: http://amzn.to/1ZIdrpL

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 PDMIC58 Dynamic Mic Review / Test

After testing out the PDMIC78, I couldn't wait to test out this microphone, the PYLE PDMIC58. This mic is nothing more than Pyle's response to the Shure SM58; a Dynamic XLR microphone that feels sturdy. The main difference between this and the Shure SM58 is the price. This microphone is $13, and the Shure is $100+. So, keep that in mind throughout this review.

It's also important to know that this is a dynamic microphone, so it shouldn't require any voltage to function, however I am plugging it into my Sabrent USB Adapter. 

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 on this microphone feels pretty good and it feels very similar to the Shure SM58. It is an all metal body and a metal grill just like the SM58, however, it is about half the weight. This means that either their are fewer components inside, the body is not all metal, or the metal is a lighter metal. I can't fault Pyle for the minor differences in build quality due to the mic being ~$90 cheaper. 

The frequency response is 50Hz - 15kHz which is actually the same as the Shure. They did not include a diagram showing the actual frequency response of the microphone but when comparing the audio it seems like there are a lot more highs on the Pyle. All around it performed well in this regards. (in the video, the electric guitar example provides the most notable difference between the microphones EQ)

The impedance of this microphone is 600-Ohms compared to the 300-Ohms of the Shure. Basically what this means is that the Pyle will not perform as well if it is running through a long cable; it will lose some of the high frequencies. This isn't the biggest deal if you are just using the microphone in a home studio, but once you start throwing long cables on this microphone, you may start to notice a bigger impact.

The microphone is also uni-directional. That means that it only picks up audio directly in front of the microphone. As soon as you get off axis, the sound decreases quite a bit. That's why this kind of microphone is used in concert settings. It isolates the sound source really well, while eliminating surrounding noise.

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

All around this mic sounds great for the price. It's $13 and it performed pretty closely to the $100 microphone in a controlled setting. The real test would be to take this thing out back and beat the hell out of it because that's what's amazing about the Shure SM58; it's indestructible. I'm thinking that this microphone won't survive as much as the SM58, but it's a great starter for the price.

I think that the folks that would really benefit from this mic would be beginning podcasters. This microphone (with a ball pop filter on top) will sound great for a solo podcast, but you can also have multiple people in the same room, each with their own microphone, and you will have minimal bleed between the microphone.

For gamers, I'm not sure if this is the best microphone since you will need to stay right on top of the microphone to get the best audio, but it will be great at cancelling out the background noise. You will need to decide if you're willing to buy a boom arm and keep the mic close to your mouth the entire time your gaming. If you're willing to do that, this is a great mic.

For music, I think this did really well with the electric guitar and voice, but for an acoustic instrument, I think you'd be better off with a condenser microphone to pick up more of the ambience of the instrument. 

Overall, I'm really impressed with this microphone and I recommend this to most people. 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 PDMIC58: http://amzn.to/1mx01eM
Ball Pop Filter: http://amzn.to/1JUlWkL

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