MPM-1000U USB Condenser Microphone

Was the first mic I bought when I started casting, and despite buying a bunch of XLR mics and mixers, I keep returning to it because of the crispness of the sound, and - depending on where it's situated - the lack of noise. Whilst it's frustrating not to have the same mixing options for USB mics as XLR's without insane money on a USB mic mixer, it's a powerful mic with excellent pickup (I have a nursery behind my house and when the kids are out, the people I'm talking to think I have a kids party in my back garden). The USB cable is long and flexible (it's the same as a printer USB cable) which is of massive benefit as one of the few issues is if space is limited, the microphone can pick up residual buzz from proximity to a PC itself, so try to keep it away from that as best you can. I don't recommend any desk stand being a foot stand, they are prone to toppling because, unlike XLR's, it's a heavy bit of kit, so you'll spend some time working on the positioning. It may be worth investing in a desk stand with a ring base. or a floor or g-clamp stand. None of this is a criticism of the mic itself which is excellent value for money and a great quality mic for new casters/streamers.

I picked up this mic in a sale for around £30 to replace an 8 year old blue yeti that had broken. It was easy to set up, just had to plug it in and windows takes care of the rest. It was a little on the quite side, so upped the gain in windows to 100%. I was really surprised by the sound quality, it was barely any different to my blue yeti and was 1/4 of the price. So if you're looking for a great quality microphone for a good price, then this is probably one of the best options.

For the £49 I paid for the basic no-accessories supplied version, I really can't fault this. It is a very nicely made, sturdy microphone with excellent sensitivity and being USB it is plug and play with laptops and desktop computers. I did buy a small £9-99 tripod and spent a similar amount on a cheap pop shield because I use this to record voice overs and online lectures. Still the total outlay came to less money than the equivalent Rode microphone. I have found the microphone to be great for my intended use - YouTube videos, audio voice overs and recording lectures. Crystal clear. I've knocked off just one star because I have found the recordings to be just a little bit bass-heavy and it does not come with any kind of audio mixer/recording app so if I wanted to adjust the frequency response and am using Win 10 I would have to buy an audio recording mixer app. I can compare this to the Rode NT USB, as I have one of those at work. I would say the Rode is better in terms of what it is supplied with, and the recordings are a little better in terms of sensitivity and neutrality/frequency response. The Rode recordings are a bit 'colder' whereas the Marantz records voice with a bit more warmth - not necessarily a bad thing. Overall, super value and I was really pleasantly surprised by both build quality and performance. Just remember, if, like me, you go for the cheapest £49 package without accessories, go for a tripod and pop shield if you intend to use this on a table/desk for voice work.

I chose this over a dynamic mic primarily due to the fact I have the means to remove any noise in post and generally when doing voice chatting I use 'push to talk'. Also whilst dynamic mics will most certainly provide a better audio quality for voice, I also need the mic for other types of recording and for my PC I needed a simple setup rather than a more convoluted non-usb cable driven system with pre-amp. The reviewers of this mic are correct that it is slightly more 'tinny' for voice due to it being a compressor mic with higher frequency pickup, but it's still infinitely better for voice than a standard 3.5mm jack. The build quality is fantastic, with a pop filter it's sublime and the installation is instantaneous. Plug it in, 5 seconds later.... done. That's it. It comes with an appropriate holder for any mic stand you might want to use. It is not a dynamic mic so isn't a totally robust unit. You'll want to use it from a fixed location so won't really be suitable for taking around the room to switch between computers etc. Equally you're not going to need a mortgage to replace it if you drop it. It will pick up EVERYTHING in the room, but the volume is relative so don't think the mice in the walls are going to drown you out on Discord. If you like your privacy though on voice chat, you can use push to talk.

I bought this microphone with the Blue Snowball USB Mic as a competitor. I preferred the design of this microphone over the less traditional ball design the Snowball has, and also wanted to add a mic mounted pop filter. In hindsight, I am so glad I chose the 1000U over the Snowball. Not only does it look great, it is solidly built with full metal housing with a lovely matte finish. The sound quality is also really impressive. I didn't expect such a low end pickup, and was worried about this as my voice is fairly deep, but after doing a recording with Audacity to test I was blown away, and not a hiss or a hum to be heard, which is a big problem on mics such as the Rode NTG-1 and Razer USB Mics. For this sort of quality I would have presumed an XLR mic and Audio interface would have been necessary, but apparently not. Delivery with Prime was on time the next day, and the mic came well packaged with a USB cable and stand mount. I have purchased an extra desk clamp stand and shock mount, as well as a mic mounted pop filter, which not only looks professional and good, but also sounds the part too, which is the most important thing!

I almost cancelled the order as I did ask myself why I wanted a cheap usb microphone as I already have a Rode NT usb which is nice, but as I’m in Isolation away from my studio and the rode picks up any room tone meaning a lot of time spent on eq, which as a lowly paid audiobook narrator means losing money. The Marantz is fantastic. I’ve just this minute set it up, it’s not as sensitive as the Rode but the tone is warm and smooth, it’s hiding room reverb - in fact I had the window open and with the mic inside my isoball, i hadn’t realised. For me it is a bargain - the best value audiobook mic I’ve found.

It is a good microphone but it seems hard to find accessories to go with it. Pictures are deceiving - I thought it came with a stand. Was disappointed when it didn’t. Sound is good, but could be a bit clearer. I am using it for remote radio shows and podcasts.

Very impressed for the price. I have added a video example.