Review on Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB Cardioid Dynamic Microphone: Unleashing Professional Sound Quality (ATR Series) by Scott Larson

update 8-14. I mentioned earlier that there is a small piece of wire sticking out of my microphone shield. This caused some funny grounding problems. Finally, I took the mic apart (voted for the warranty!) and found it wasn't connected to anything, so I cut it off. This solved the problem, but not completely. When I touch the body of the microphone, the buzz comes back. What I found was that my computer case grounding worked better. So I was able to solve this problem myself. The quality issue is a little annoying, but something happened and it was easy to fix. Because of this I have updated my review. If you have the same problem, you can test it simply by touching a metal part of your computer case and writing it down. If the hum is gone, it's a ground problem. Literally just attach the wire to the case and any metal. --- I'll be brief as many reviews address the pros and cons of this mic. I haven't had any issues with the included mic stand, mainly because I don't use one. I immediately used the mic stand adapter and installed it on my desktop stand, which works well. I had some serious audio issues right out of the box and it took me a while to figure it out. I believe it was just a defect in the specific model I received but wanted to post what I used to find the problem and how I fixed it in case anyone else has the same problem. low hum. I figured something on my desk might be causing it so I used styrofoam on the mic stand and under my computer which is also on the desk but that didn't fix the problem. I also tried different cables and it was still there. As I grabbed and moved the mic, I found that the hum either increased or improved. Ultimately, I found that the problem was on the back of the mic, a tiny piece of metal wire that looks like it's part of the mic grille sticking out. If I moved it with my finger, the rumble would either become horrible or go away altogether. Eventually I pushed it all the way in and the hum was completely gone. Not sure if this was the cause of a ground or short circuit issue, but I included a picture in this review. If you have bought this model and are having the same problems, please try. I downgraded my rating to 4 stars due to this issue, but now that it's working I can say the quality of this mic is excellent. But Audio-Technica needs better control over the quality of its material. If the hum comes back I'll see if I can get a replacement.