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Mojave MA-200 Review / Test (vs. C414, LM103, C100, U67)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ส.ค. 2024
- HQ Audio Of Review: podcastage.com...
Today I review a tube mic from MOJAVE, the MA-200. This is a cardioid only condenser mic and it has a sound that seems fitting for modern pop with a clear mid section and airy top end. It is very sensitive to low end rumble and it picks up a lot of the room you're recording in so you'll need to be aware of that.
Buy the Mojave MA200(Affiliate Link)
Amazon: geni.us/ma200
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RECORDING SETTINGS:
Interface: Focsurite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen
Conversion: 24-bit / 48kHz
Gain: ~2:00
Boosted in Post: +5dB
SPECS:
- Polar Pattern: Cardioid
- Freq Response : 20Hz - 20khz
- Sensitivity: -37dB
- Self Noise: 14dBA
- Max SPL: 1% = 117dB, 3% = 125dB
- Impedance: 200 Ohms
- Tube: 5840
NOTE (FULL DISCLOSURE): As an associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info check my FAQ page links below.
00:00 - Intro / Price / Disclaimer
00:22 - What’s in the Box
00:49 - Build Quality / Walkthrough
01:30 - Specifications
01:41 - Polar Pattern Test (Tone / Rotation)
01:38 - Plosive Test
02:24 - Distance Test / Proximity Effect Test
02:47 - Background Noise Test
03:03 - Untreated Room Test
03:23 - Shock Rejection Test
03:39 - Mic Resonance Tap Test
03:59 - High End Audio Interface Test
04:38 - Analog Preamp Test
05:24 - Intro to Comparison
05:53 - Mojave MA-201 Fet Comparison
06:21 - AKG C414 XLII
06:48 - Neumann TLM103 Comparison
07:16 - Sony C100 Comparison
07:50 - Soyuz SU-023 Bomblet Comparison
08:20 - Lauten Audio FC387 Atlantis Comparison
08:57 - Telefunken TF-51 Comparison
09:30 - Neumann U87 Ai Comparison
10:12 - Neumann U67 Reissue Comparison
10:54 - Music Test
12:20 - Pros & Cons
13:53 - Overall Thoughts
15:01 - Recommendation
16:26 - Outro
#Tube #Condenser #MicReview
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Beautiful results with this feature microphone. A very smooth crystal clear high end and evenly balanced across all frequencies. It has an open clean sound that I've only found in two other brands. Worth every dollar!
Open and clean is a great way to put it. Thank you kindly.
Immediate thoughts; super clear. I could definitely use some de-essing, it reminds me of the lewitt tube mics. the low end and low mids sound like they may be quite rich, but they're a bit far away.
I did really like it for the singing on the music test!
Just left a comment in the Community page requesting a comparison of this mic and the U67. So... never mind.
So far I've shot the MA 201 out with maybe a couple dozen other mics, (including a TF29, a 414, an AT 4033, the Lauten Oceanus, a Lawson L47, and Peluso P67), and I've always come back to it. I'm an audiobook narrator, and have recorded over 300 titles with it so far. Pretty much everything you've observed about it (including how much of the room it picks up), confirms what I felt like I've been hearing. Thanks for validating my choice!
PS ~ one other con - for whatever reason Mojave chose to solder the tube directly to the PCB, so, the first two times I needed to replace the tube, I had to send the microphone out to someone who knew what they were doing. I'm now learning how to solder circuit boards, so that I can do future tube swaps myself.
I bought one of the first 15 Years before and i do almost all my records with the Mojave MA200. I love it, and I had them all. Best support. Best Mics.
Just got mine ..It is a must for any professional microphone arsenal. Well worth the 1k+. price tag.
I’m on the market for a tube mic, I was looking at Lauten Audio LA 320, the Telefunken TF51 and the Warm Audio WA 8000, still leaning towards the Warm Audio but the price of the LA320 is calling me.
Sidenote* your channel is the first one I go to for Mic reviews. Thank you for the great work, I hope you realize how important your videos are 👌🏿
I have not used the LA320 or the WA8000 so I can't really comment on how they perform.
A few places still have the LA320 MK1 in stock. You might be able to find one even cheaper than a MK2. It was on my shortlist too until I tried out a WA-47jr and fell in love.
Granted though that's a very different kind of mic.
@@Mikey__R Appreciate the advice 👌🏿👌🏿
MA 200 seems to be a great value to me...liking it thanks Andrew
For many people they'll love it. It's that modern bright sound.
Anyone who thinks the TLM103 is harsh needs to watch this video ASAP lol. The MA-200 makes every single mic sound dull in comparison which is shocking tbh. This mic would shine for acoustic guitar and modern pop/rap/edm vocals but not much else imo.
But the tlm 103 does sound super harsh/hard/narrow in this video.
The TLM103 isn't the smoothest mic out there, but I don't think it's as bad as some people make it out to be.
@@Podcastage Yup I agree with everything you said.
MA201 FET sounds really good. Underrated.
That's why I finally got around to reviewing this thing. I saw a clip from my podcast using the M201 FET and I thought "Dang that sounds good" so I took the tube one off the shelf and started testing it.
Yes that's what I thought the moment I heard it!
I clicked on the link to hear the words "Greetings, earthlings!". Was not disappointed.
All earthlings welcome. And some non-earthlings, but my species has some grudges....err uhh I mean, I AM A HUMAN!
This is excellent! Exactly what I needed, thank you!
Get that MA-37 in here next, please :)
It's one of the most loveable mics on the market, imho.
I don't have the budget for that at this time. Thanks for the suggestion though.
Great comparisons. Thanks for including the Atlantis!
Just trying to mix things up for the comparisons so there's some interesting stuff in there. Thanks for watching Boromir.
Danke!
Thank you so much for the continued support Rainer! It truly helps continue in producing these videos.
I liked the behind the scenes version but it is better that I can see what is in the box.
I like the behind the scenes version better, but I wanted those who saw it to be special.
this is the closest sounding mic to the Vintage U67 BUT it definitely has an original sound to it. it doesn't mimic a lot of the legendary mics like a lot of other brands try to recreate. Mojave out of all brands are definitely right under Neumann and Telefunken Quality and Sonically. Moat slept on mic brand to date
You won't know if it's really worth $6k more until you go to post processing and see how it takes to plugins. You can tell the top end of the 67 just takes to EQ nicely.
Thank you so much for doing this.
That box really flew.
I think it drank some Red Bull.
All top
The end
Yoooo my boy lookin good yessirr 🔥
You're too kind. Thank you.
I agree that this mic is really nice in the acoustic guitar, but it wasn’t my favorite in basically any other application. I did find the top end to be a bit harsh to my ears.
Same, I'm way more of a fan of the 47 and 49 style mics.
I love bright mics like this one !
You're not alone, there are a lot of people who love this kind of character. Glad you were able to identify that it's a sound you like. Happy recording.
@@Podcastage You're channel really help me to get the perfect "mics park" so thank you for you're content dude. Shout out from France !
Regards from Podcastage Spain Fan Club
Thank you so much for coming by. Hope you're having an awesome day.
That is one crispy microphone!
All of my favorite mics have the opposite of Mojave MA-200’s sound. Flat, flat, flat. And a gentle rolloff above 15kHz is fine too.
@@artysanmobile Out of curiosity what are your favourite mics?.
@@WyattOShea Every DPA I’ve used ; Schoeps CMC4; U87, KM100 series, U47 tube and transistor; MD441; RE20; Beyer M88, 160, 201; AKG D224, C12a; Shure SM7, KSM32, 188, 141; Sony C38. These are all regularly used, lovingly maintained, as their golden sound is harder and harder to find.
Yeah it's a crispy mic, band of the mics that you list those are some that I love as well. I have found one of my people!!!! That's for sure.
Does the MA300 sound exactly the same but with the polar patterns? Anyone has real world experience?
I emailed Mojave because I was curious about that very question. I had been hearing differing opinions online. Here's what David Royer himself kindly wrote back to me:
"The short answer is that the MA 200 is the older design; after several years in production, we found that the microphone had a slightly strident sound if it was used with certain preamplifiers. When we developed the MA 300, we added a simple filter network to correct that issue. Since the MA 200 had been in production, for some time we decided to not change the design of that microphone, to avoid having a difference in the sound between older and newer samples of that model of microphone. This issue only crops up with certain preamplifiers and is usually quite subtle."
-Dave Royer
I've only tried the MA-300, and it's freaking awesome. Based on Royer's response, it seems like an MA-200.. but maybe a bit smoother up top?
For what it's worth, I've used this microphone for the past 4 years and it just crapped out. Has a "wind blowing" sound that slowly gets worse the longer it's in use. Loved it prior to this issue though, going to see if they will provide any help to remedy it.
Sorry it crapped out on you. I look forward to hearing how they resolve it for you.
Mine did the same thing. It's likely humidity causing that sound, (keeping it in the box with the desiccant helped a lot), but it could also be the tube aging out. The second tube replacement I had done was by Mojave, and it's been performing well ever since. I record audiobooks, so the mic is on for 8-10 hours a day, 5-6 days a week; so far so good.
That's what I call a mic review
I just wish that high end was just SLIGHTLY less brash
If it was a bit less pronounced, I'd be more on board with it too.
Really wish you didn't stop and did a couple more taps up on the mic's grille as that can give some idea to the quality of a mics construction. The noise you were hearing when you were tapping on the body really sounded like tube microphonics, besides that the dampening of the mic body sounded solid.
I was really concerned about breaking it because of the sound it was making.
Great compare as usual -- The MA201 didn't have the top end air of the MA-200.
Yeah the FET is a bit tamer up top. I actually kind of prefer that.
All top the end
It would be very interesting to have a blind microphone shootout. Have a microphone from different price tiers. Start low and go high. 50, 100, 250, 500, 750, 1000 etc. You'd probably need someone else there to help out with it though.
That’s pretty much exactly what he does every day.
@@artysanmobile The blind part is a big deal, and makes it much more interesting as s shootout.
Yeah. Blind tests are the most helpful. It's super hard to do them properly. Even starting low and going high can skew the results though. It would need to be completely random in the placement to get the value of a blind test. And would there be any kind of pallet cleanser or would it just be "here are a bunch of samples one after another, compare them how you want and choose your favorite?"
@@Podcastage I don't really know 🤔
First, everything comes in a hard shell storage box
You'll of course get the microphone in a separate storage box
You'll get a shockmount which comes with a storage box
A 16 foot 5 pin XLR in a storage box
And the power supply and the power storage box
Wrong. The storage box for the microphone is in the larger hardshell storage box. So everything IS in the hardhshell storage box.
@@Podcastage You sound like you don't believe in infinite boxes.
Is it just me or the tlm 103 sounds phenomenal? I've been reading so many comments (gearspace etc.) bashing this mic and calling it essentially a harsh garbage. It sounds so full and has that sizzle/shine on top without being too ESS-ie. I ordered one to pair it up with my wa73. Was it a smart choice? 🤔
Essy* or however should it be written lol
Depends on the use case, depends on the voice or room if used as a room mic, U87 and TLM103 are the industry standard for voice work although in that application you want the cleanest mic pre available (millennia Hv-3 or grace m101 are a good option there) anything musical a 1073 style pre is the industry standard for tracking (you want to drive the preamp into saturation for it to matter).
Don't trust gearspace man. The best thing to do is try the gear out in your studio with your equipment to see if it works for you. It is a brighter mic, but it is not nearly as bright as the gearspace people make it seem. I also think it sounds great and I have no regrets. Might pick up a second one for a stereo pair. Hope your TLM103 + WA73 combo works out for you!
The problem with GearSpace is who you happen to be talking to. The 103 is a bright mic and there are people on the forum who know what they are talking about and don't like it because they have compared it to really high end vintage mics that are somewhat smoother. These people are super focused in on sound and unfortunately make it seem like the mic is truly terrible which it isn't but if you had the option of a U47 or U67 you too might exaggerate excessively about the 103 not being very good. There are also people who don't have a clue and simply repeat what they have read online or what they have read elsewhere on GearSpace. In spite of all that there is some good info on GearSpace if you can manage to read between the lines and have some idea of who you are getting your info from.
It is a great microphone. The smaller version (TLM 102) is also great.
THAT... is a good sounding mic. nothing is as silky as those Neumann's thou.
Yeah the Neumann's have their own unique sound. That's for sure.
The low end rumble is out of control... You would think that for $1100 there would be a HP filter... That little midrange boost about 1k sounds annoying after awhile... It's a little spicy too...
I don't particulary hear rumble, I can see it in the meters tho but Its a tube mic, tube have a huge phase boost or/and low end boost in the bass. It's a caracteristic of the tubes.
Oh sorry I guess you talk about the rumble of the environnement ? Yes tubes + great sensitive large capsule condenser + background noise = not good at all as he explain.
@@DarkTrapStudio I'm listening through Kali LP-6 which are not real bassy... I heard every bump on the desk and boom arm and the rhythm guitars sounded like there was an octavizer on them... Even Bandrew's voice sounded full 😆
@@DWHarper62 Yes but do you know a lot of high grade large diaphragm condenser that would not behave like that ? That are sensible to all frequency ? (because the U87 for example is not sensible to high frequency maybe sub but Im not sure)
@@DarkTrapStudio They all have HP Filters... this one does not...
Maybe buy the FET mic plus a valve preamp / compressor?
I have the 201 and paired with the Avalon 737 sounds incredible. I’ve been using a gefell for my daily work, but I just finished a dedicated vocal studio in my home and will be recording a neighbor tonight. Pulling out the 201 for that one for sure.
@@BUCKSHOTSTV I bet that sounds sublime! I've started experimenting with the WA-47jr into the mic preamp of my TL Audio C1. It's an old valve compressor from the 90s, actually a VCA with the valve just adding a bit of flavour, but it thickens out the sound a ton. I'm definitely not pining after the valve version of the WA-47.
It's definitely a totally different flavour to the Royer designed mics, much much less detailed and crispy, but that suits me just fine.
Wooow the full song sound sooooo good, better than most mixed songs, but on the high pitched guitar Its ear piercing
That's high praise on the instruments (excluding the high guitar part).
hi PODCASTAGE, do you enjoy a good hunk of chinese food from time to time ?
I don't know why you're asking? Yes. Chinese food is great. But I don't go to restaurants much now so I don't know when I had it last.
@@Podcastage I was just curious because when you throw them mic boxes, it reminds me of a very upset chinese cook "ooo he want hot and spicy and i make it but then he say no hot and spicy.. i go to owner and he say get back to wok!!" (something like that)
This has effectively identical self noise to the AKG P420 that you spent the entire review trashing for the self noise level (and never mentioning it isnt even claimed to be a vocal mic)
Tubes are a little noisier but I do think he trashed the P420 for no reason, a relatively smooth LDC with lots of features for the value and definitely better than the AT version...
Fair.
First the whole review was not spent trashing the self noise level.
Second, 4+ years ago I was taking what I heard some professionals say as fact. I have started to second guess and question a lot of this "common knowledge". Third, tube mics and solid state mics have different characteristics and one is typically not going to be going for a tube mic if they need dead quiet recordings. Fourth, I've tested a lot more microphones since then and encountered a lot noisier microphones as well. When you compare the noise of the P420 to something like the NT1 or LCT440 mics, it is noisy in comparison.
@@Podcastage Also fair.
Its a bit of a bugbear with me because i think you did a lot of less experienced people a disservice with that review, its one of the best value, most versatile mics on the market imo, if youre looking for a home studio instrument mic. Which is what AKG say its for.
Its definitely hyperbolic to say the entire review, given the large portion that was 420 jokes ;) i can still imagine the Austian engineers being "ve vill not zubmit to your zilly Amerkin 'me me', it is ze zecond iteration of the 400 series of the Perception LDC microphones. P420. zat is all" lmao.
I dont at all regret buying the mic despite your review, i had little time with it, and if i'd had my druthers i'd have bought a C414, but its really not something i could justify spending more on than my 24 channel interface setup for messing about with synths etc at home, and used LDCs kinda terrify me tbh. It really does a great job for what its for.
I do really think you let price tag affect your review - the noise floor was worth mentioning then, and it would have been worth mentioning in the context of this review too. In neither case should it have demolished the mic's usability case, though.
Honestly i think you owe yourself and the kids who trust you another go at that one, it may be your worst review. (i wouldnt still be subbed or bother to comment what i hope is constructive if i didnt think most of your work was vastly better)
impressive top end
Yeah it's got top end for days.
AKG 414 is the best in my opinion. but thats just ME !
414 is good. I still prefer OC818 over the 414.
@@Podcastage I understand
hello.....NEUMANN!
And Neumann thanks you for your greeting.
Is there any reason u say that?
The once uploaded and immediately privated video!
😆
Yeah why ?
You are breathing rarified air of those who have seen me reading notes without b-roll.
AKG C414 😮The OC818 is no longer in the mix?
Just mixing it up because I thought the AKG is more fitting comparison for this because it think of it as brighter.
Please review the new rode Podmic USB, I hope you do because I want to buy it but first I would like to hear your opinion. Greetings from Peru
Yup it's on the way and I will be reviewing it.
Can you also please check out and review AKG p820, the cheapest tube condenser mic from AKG?
I don't have this on my schedule right now and I can't really. afford to pick one of those at the time. Thank you very much for the recommendation though.
Please review Prodipe STC 3D MK2 LANEN
I need help from professionals to choose the best untreated arafa for voiceover 1\ mic ltm102 + focusrait solo = 760 duller 2/warm 87 r2 + focus solo = 760 duller 3/ re320+DBX286 +focusrait=550 duller What do you choose for a $700 budget?
The question has to be which one YOU like the sound of the best because you're recording your voice. For an untreated space the RE320 would do the best in terms of rejection but it sounds a bit artificial. For professional voice over most artists use condenser microphones but you'd need treatment. I have not used the WARM 87 Rev 2 so I can't speak to that.
Why not go for NT1 5th Gen, Lewitt LCT440, or Neat King Bee V2. Get the audio interface. Get a pop filter. And then invest in some sound treatment for the room to get some drier and cleaner recordings. That's what I'd recommend.
@@Podcastage I am pleased with you
ID 14 mkii audio interface+ SM7b.
Treat your room and get quality monitoring before you begin to consider that spending more than a couple hundred on a mic is a good idea.
The longer you wait on those two, the harder you'll kick yourself for not having it already done before yesterday.
The acoustic guitar was so detailed and open or wide or airy. Insert more useless descriptors here. I prefer the sound of the Lauten audio.
All the descriptors.
Those Rode headphones new? Or have I just not noticed them
Been using them for a few months at this point.
U67 superior. ( and a ton more bread) Lauten good. U87ai - total fail for the money. The Mojave is good- but I felt unremarkable. However at that price point - I can’t come up with anything better - just different.
Thanks so much for sharing your input here. The U67 is one of my all time favorites for sure. Glad I'm not alone there.
“ALL TOP, THE END”
the end is nigh
How are you liking the RØDE headphones? I’ve been using the Sony MDR-7506s for a while like you have, but those RØDE ones are tempting!
They're fine. I don't use them for critical listening, I just find them comfortable.
Isn't this the same microphone, that the radio jockey lady uses in John Wick: Chapter 4?
I haven't seen JW4 so I'm not sure.
@@Podcastage lol Next, you're gonna say that you didn't watch "The Peripheral" either...
The U67 does sound $6000 more than the rest! Other than that: Sony C100!
:wipes sweat off forehead: thank goodness!!!
Could you do a review with the shure ksm27 vs the rode nt1
Maybe I'll have to check it out but it's discontinued I think.
@@Podcastage your right it is guitar center has a few for like $120
ouch...tap test...do not tap...sending love and peace to everyone...
this is better from telefunken tf51 in the mids?
Sounded louder in the untreated room.
I do my absolute best to level match them, but may not have gotten it exactly right.
@@Podcastage, wasn’t a critique. I was just wondering if that had been a result OF the room being untreated. No worries.
no, I do not use a pop filter...no matter the cost of the mic; wise guy, eh! absolutely...
Living dangerously.
@@Podcastage - living life and lovin it...sometimes need a big shovel...hehehe
Why do you hate boxes...
I love them. I'm just scared of my love for them.
Dont know why SOYUZ mics are so expensive, they sound ike theres a blanket over them
I am here so early
Notification squad hype!
What's the thing with this 'Hello, Neumann'? Where does it come from?
I think just him maybe
Oh Its maybe because he want Neumann to sponsor him
Seinfeld
@@mycosys Oh thanks never seen this show I would never have known
@@DarkTrapStudio "Hello Newman" (said with loathing) is a running gag
The 'esses' drive me batty.
There certainly is a lot of top end and that can be hard.
👍
👍
What happened to the video that was private ?
The b-roll shot of what's in the box and the build quality walkthrough was missing so I had to re-render and re-uload.
@@Podcastage Oh ok, thanks ever for your great reviews as always !
power supply for mic 😨😨
Yeah. Tube mics require an external power supply. 48v is not enough for them.
Review Telefunken tf 29 !!!!!!
I don't own one, and haven't ordered one, and times are a bit tight so I probably won't be able to review it any time soon. I'm working through a backlog of mics I bought over the last 3 years. If telefunken sent it out, I could review it, but without that, I can't really afford to.
@@Podcastage i understand You My friend, thanks you so much!
It is, not surprisingly, made in China.
Most things are nowadays aren't they.
please break mic pronto
If I keep tapping on it and putting plosives into it, I just might.
it seems you've listened alot to Green Day music. Get an ear cleanser like Led Zeppelin lol
Yes I listened to a lot of greenday as well as other pop punk bands. I also grew up listening to Beach Boys, and Mozart, and Ace of Base, and At the Gates, and Cradle of Filth.
@@Podcastage then I can't explain why you end all your songs on that 3rd and then go down to the root lol. Anyway, thats not a problem. Keep creating excellent content. Cheers from Portugal. Big fan here.
I dont like vocal texture of 200.
Yeah. It's got a texture to it.
I think MA 201 fet sounds better than MA 200.
Ssssssibilant
All the top end.