Patrick C
Small But Powerful
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
-Sony Microphone
-Receiver
-Stand
-Paper Work and “Instructions”
PRODUCT/THOUGHTS:
There are no real instructions that come with this. Instead, there is a QR Code where you must go get the manual in the language you need.
NEGATIVES:
-One of the main issues I have right off the bat with this mic is its screw thread. It has a ¼ inch for tripod connections, but not for mic stands as your normal mic stands use ⅜ or ⅝ inch connections. This means that if you want to use this with your own stand, you’ll need to get an adapter or another stand that uses ¼ inch.
-The included stand that this mic comes with is VERY Small. It makes it sit very low to the table and just isn’t that usable. You’ll probably need to prop it up on something.
-Sensitivity is an issue depending on what you are doing. This mic is made to pick up more than one voice, which is why you can change the cardioid pattern. Regardless of that, I found it very sensitive to picking up sound around you, even if you have the noise cut filter turned on. This might not be that big of a deal depending on how you have this setup. But if you are someone who is just recording yourself for a single-person podcast, or voicing over a video, then you’ll probably need to be careful with your hand movements, typing, mouse clicks..etc. You can mitigate this by putting this on a boom arm that has good anti-shock vibration.
-The included pop filter does kind of “click” on the mic but not very well. I would have preferred it had a different mount or was magnetic.
-The construction is also just Okay. It's a full plastic design and for a mic in this cost range, I would expect it to be made ALOT better than it is. It’s alright, but it should have been mostly metal. I’ve tested many mics that are less than the half cost of this, with better construction (Including the little stand it comes with). The stand does have some kind of metal parts that magnetically attach and click into place. Thats what they should have done with the pop filter.
ONTO EVERYTHING ELSE INCLUDING THE POSITIVES:
This mic has several features that you don’t get in a lot of others
-Having 3 Cardioid pattern adjustments is really cool. That isn’t something I see very often. You can change to one that suits better to just you talking or perhaps others around you. Although you don’t get nearly the same quality as you would just having multiple mics.
-There are 2 Noise reduction Filters you can choose from (As well as off). NC and LC.
NC = Noise Cut
LC = Low Cut. This one is supposed to be good for things like wind, air conditioning, vibration noises
For me, it actually worked backward and I had the best results by using the NC option. I was also running 2 portable Evaporative coolers in the room at the time, and the NC option cut down that noise much better than LC. LC also changed the pitch of my voice a bit and I wasn’t happy with how it sounded.
I also tested with the filter off completely and there was a noticeable difference with having it on. So if you have ambient noise in your studio, then I recommend you test out all 3 options and see what works for you.
-Also this Mic is wireless If you are not connecting this directly to the mic to your computer. It comes with a Wireless receiver that you can use on a Camera, including certain Sony cameras which give you a direct connection in ways that you won’t get on other branded cameras. This makes the mic very portable if you are out in the field and depending on your setup. (you need to make sure you link up the receiver to your mic).
END:
I know this might be a bit long but I wanted to cover all the important things about this. Does the mic work well? YES. The audio quality is very good and it should work great for most people. I do agree with others who think this should have some kind of Local storage for On-The-Go recording since it's made to have it out in the field. But you do have the ability to connect the receiver to your camera and technically that's what will be recording the audio file. Since it has a 3.5mm port on the receiver, I would imagine you probably could use other recording devices as well in the field.
You have to keep in mind that this is a very sensitive mic and will pick up alot of sounds around you. I recommend you test with both Sound filters and see what works best where you are recording it. It might be a problem if you are someone who has to type or mouse click during your recordings unless you take extra measures to mitigate that. (Use a shock mount. Because of the kind of Mic this is, you can’t use it with a standard Shock Mount. So I’m not sure what the solutions are for this. My opinion is to shop around when it comes to this mic. It’s GOOD, but there are some tight contenders in this price range that have an established reputation already for certain models. But You won’t be sad about this mic if you get it because the audio is good. I think the main draw of this particular mic is the things I mentioned above, like the wireless receiver, being rechargeable and portable, and multiple cardioid patterns..etc So do your research and have fun.
