Review on Mackie EM-91CU: Professional USB Condenser Microphone - Unleash Your True Vocal Potential by Bob Vulpes

I bought the EM91C (XLR version) from Revain. I recently sold it after 5 months because I wanted to try another mic and it lost out compared to the used AT 2035 I bought and the Behringer XM8500 which I really consider the budget king of mics, if you want something with character. for podcasts and games. I liked the XM8500, I sold Mackie and bought a Behringer SB78A. This mic is also decent for the money, but only if you speak directly into it and de-ess/cut the high frequencies. Let's get back to Mackie. I bought Mackie after watching a video review on Podcastage and it lives up to expectations and reviews. Before you buy this mic, look at the specs and find out that this mic has low frequencies compared to other condenser mics. Because of this, you'll find that this mic works well for simple, long spoken words, but you should add a low-pass filter (aka high-pass filter) around 100Hz or it will sound muffled or muddy. In my opinion, this isn't the best choice for instruments or singers who need a big/wide sound. If you need something for music, I suggest spending a little more on the wider but neutral AT2035 (which is an improvement over the 2020 and doesn't have the slightly excessive gain of the 2020) OR spend a little more on the AT4040 (ex-used). , it's a great buy for the money) which is a studio standard. Podcastage's Bander spoke about what he likes and dislikes about this mic. If you want big sound for little money, ditch cheap condenser mics and get the Behringer XM8500. Nothing under $100 comes close. Maki excels in long-form colloquialism, especially for those with an overly sibilant voice (harsh "C" in speech). I've adjusted the bass to roll off at around 100Hz and that's not necessary, but I've also dialed it down a bit between strategic points at 250 and 500Hz. I've also increased the brightness of the 5000Hz highs by maybe 2dB, but I also feel like you don't need to do this unless you want to make it brighter. I like how he handles the hiss. With no EQ, its character borders on dull and a little overbearing at low frequencies - you might not like "close-up" until you drop below 100Hz. Once you do that, the character of the mic becomes pleasing. This is a mic that delivers a very nice, long sound for someone like me, a teacher who wants to create clear vocals for 30 minute tutorial videos while clipping those low frequencies below 100Hz to balance them out. With distant dirty low frequencies. , it picks up room noise from the mic better than my "best" mics and has a direct mid-to-low midrange sound. More on that below. Also, as a teacher, I don't have to face directly in front of this mic like with dynamic mics before they turn the volume down. I can move a little. This microphone is also a good set with shock mount and microphone. There are other cheaper mics than this that sound good but have harsh Chinese highs that are annoying or just plain out of place (Neewer). There are better mics for $30 more than this one (Blue Ember) but they don't have a shock mount and soon you invest more money in them and you're way out of Mackie's price range. The Neat Worker and King Bee mics, a bit larger but in the budget range, also sound very good but look very different, and I've seen reviewers complain about these mics picking up noise from external sources. . I did not encounter this problem with Mackie. So this mic is great value for money and very handy to use if you're EQing it quite a bit. Would I buy it again? Doubtful. I would spend less and go for a capacitor style XM8500 or more, AT2020 or 2035. Note that I have a moderately well-designed recording room with a few thick moveable blankets covering the walls and lying around. If you can't handle this type of room, avoid large condenser diaphragms and get a dynamic microphone like the Behringer xm8500, Samson Q2U, or Shure SM58. Or take a look at the Behringer SB78A, a small, portable diaphragm capacitor (it does a good job of noise reduction). That's great, but you need to get closer and add a sponge or pop filter.