Hi Mike. You do a great service to all of us who record voice overs. I started in 1980. Lots of changes just in the last few years have put some great gear on the market and your reviews help make sense of it all. I've been using a Neumann TLM 103 as my go to mic for probably 25 years. I like it. Until recently I felt it outclassed most other mics I had used and made my tracks stand a cut above. Which is why I bought one in the mid 90's. But it wasn't giving me what I wanted as I got older (I'm 60) and my voice had changed a bit. I thought I needed a new mic. But prices for a new tube Neumann are, well, shocking. So a couple of years ago I bought the UA LA-610 MKII tube preamp. Great gear that gave my TLM the tube warmth and compression I wanted and business picked up. But still. I wasn't getting what I wanted. So I pawed through boxes and found the mic that the Neumann replaced. It's a Microtech Gefell M900. I plugged it in, tuned up the pre-amp and found the sound I'd been missing. In your shootout between the the King Bee and the Lewitt what stood out to me was the "articulation" of the Lewitt. I'm not a technician, but I'll try to explain. The Lewitt capsule is fast enough in response that it picks up and sharpens the peaks for a crisper sound. In my opinion this is not a function of the electronics. It's the physical function of the membrane in the capsule. So the engineering of the Lewitt delivers clarity that picks up the "edges" and makes it sound crisp, and tight but not brittle or harsh. Try mixing that mic with tube gain. I'd bet the harmonics are wonderful. My Neumann was built after Sennheiser bought the company. My Gefell was hand built in East Germany. The point is, I don't need a brand name, I need a mic that flatters my voice. You make that point on a regular basis and it's finally coming home. Pick the mic that makes you want to go back in the booth and read the label on a mayonnaise jar. Sorry for the long rant. Glad you're here.
@World Gang Watch nah, even now, NEAT is coming out with the King Bee 2 at just $129. NEAT is still a strong company and they know what they’re doing! Since the got released from Gibson, they were at liberty to sell their microphones cheaper.
Thanks Mike, got the King Bee on Ebay and just got the lewitt --- adding to my mic locker!! but the king bee is amazing for VO work, I've won several auditions recently with it and I have very expensive mics. :) wow!!!
For your voice (and mine) I'd still get the 440. The king bee sounds like the roll off a bit at the low end while the 440 remains very open in the low end which makes it feel more "3D" for me. Kind of lowkey dig the bee design tho! Thank you for the review! It gets boring in lockdowns.
LCT440 sound a bit fuller, but I feel you could add a tiny bit of EQ to the king bee and get a similar sound. I'll play around with it since I ordered one. Too bad from amazon it won't arrive for several weeks. Look forward to working with it
I received this microphone literally 2 days ago and I love how far they went with the bee theme, although I get why some people don't like it. This microphone was such a big upgrade from my xm8500.
Hey long time no see! LCT 440 sounds fuller to me compared to King Bee and has smoother higher frequencies (cleaner). Thanks for the video and hope you’re safe at home!
I was just about to say the same thing and I just bought the Bee a few weeks ago. Gonna have to upgrade to the Lewitt when i can afford it! I wonder if there are plugins i can use to improve the sound of the bee!
There's certainly a difference. Based on the EQ curve shown in the video, the Bee actually reduces the highs (but it's nothing that can't be changed with an EQ -- even one that comes with your DAW). I actually liked the sound of the Bee better, especially for long form narration. It's not as hard on the ears vs the 440.
Hey Mike, now that you have a U87, I’d love to see a comparison between it and the TLM 103. There’s not much on TH-cam comparing the two microphones directly and it’d be a very interesting video.
I picked up a couple King Bees a while ago because I heard how they sounded and I thought that they were going out of business. Thankfully, Allen told me otherwise. Of course, the next thing I'd like to see is a head-to-head between the King Bee and your TLM103.
Anyone else want to buy every mic Mike speaks into? As good as he is, he literally makes. every mic sound incredible...to the detriment of his credibility lol! Just like a great photographer shooting great pictures with any camera.
I watched about 5-6 King Bee Comparisons along with a lot of mic comparisons in general... You did a GREAT job on the KB comparison and all your comparison vids (Love your vids/channel btw-awesome, all of your comparison vids are by far the best). I bought the KB and i have it ($99 :) Bought the Motu M2 also..still waiting for that (cv19 really messing with shipping times -and lives:( and still waiting on my Bee Line xlr cable. Soooo, I haven't been able to use the mic yet.. but very excited too. I will be using Reaper..ty. Brand new at this and I've never done vo before so watching your vids has really been helpful. Oh... I just informed the wife that i will be taking over the master closet for my vo booth..lol. Thank You Mike. Truly and Greatly appreciated.
Got my King Bee today, I love it, its my first $100+ mic and for the money, I don't think I could have picked a better voice over mic to start with (after trying a cheap USB mic for a week). I only dropped it once while setting it up haha. I have seen review after review comparing the King Bee to way more expensive mics, and that's rare to see.
My wife saw your/this video last year and has been saving to get the "King Bee". Today she finally was ready to go for it, and now it is out of stock everywhere, or maybe even discontinued 😞 such a bummer! PS.... she loves all your videos 😀👍
Great to see you back at it, Mike! I don't know if you knew, but the King Bee was originally priced at $349 when it was first released under Blue/Gibson, but when Blue was purchased by Logitech and Gibson went bankrupt, Neat branched out on their own and offered it at the current incredible price! BTW, if you're still accepting mics to review from viewers, I'd love to send you my Gefell m930 to test against your TLM 103! Warmest Regards, Sean
Amazing haircut, my friend. You look heaps younger. Got my first senn mkh 416 and a zoom h5. Looking forward to playing around with them. Keep up the great work. You're the greatest!
The King Bee honestly sounds less present in my opinion. Also, it almost makes you sound kind of... more nasal? Something about the upper mid area sounds a bit strange to me. Either that or it's something in the bass that's throwing it off. Thought I would comment mostly to let you know that you, sir, have the absolute best channel related to audio and voice over that I've ever found on TH-cam. I bought my RODE NTG2 based on what you said about it relative to it's price and how it sounded in your video. It sounds distinctive, but it sure ain't bad. I'm building up my entire voice over business pretty nicely now, and you were by far my biggest resource when I was studying and researching how to get started. You're a fantastic guy, Mike. You're helping real people in real ways, since you're the only person I've seen explain things like EQ, compression and other basic stuff in a way newcomers will actually understand. Booth Junkie is one of my favourite ever TH-cam channels for a lot of reasons, but helping me break into a career path I can realistically see myself in for the rest of my life might be the biggest one. Thank you.
100% agree. The Lewitt isn't just "higher treble" - if you EQ them the same, the Lewitt has better detail retrieval, with more natural sound. The Bee is quite wooly in the bass, nasally with "buzzy" treble (ironically... It's a buzzy bee)
Mike so good to see you back! So, I went and bought a King Bee based on this video. No I didn't go out, I managed to get one delivered. Got it for a crazy £89 on amazon UK. What they've changed to get it to that price is the boxing it's now in a cardboard box rather than the plastic. But we're buying it for the mic not the boxing, right? Oh and the toy of course! I've been playing with it for a couple of days, and done two voice track shows with it. I'm using a Focusrite solo gen3 as the interface. All i can say is I love it! The tone is great, the noise floor is amazing. I've even managed to get it into my Sub-zero Isoball, as i don't have a full booth, which improves the sound even more. It's really is a insane mic for the price I love it. Thanks Mike, absolutely spot on review!
Hi! Maybe you could help me... To record a podcast (mezzosoprano voice), some vocals and acoustic guitar which one would you recommend? Thank you so much!
¡Thanks Mike! You provided great help for choosing my beginner setup, I learned a ton of things with your videos. About this mic (king bee) at the beginning, the brand identity was quite loud for my liking but by testing it I grew fond of it really quickly. Truly, a great bang for the buck with excellent quality. I agree with you that there's something strange going on in the price tag. Honestly, I hope Neat stays in business for a long time. Cheers! You have one more fan.
I love that you did a video for this. I actually got neat mic for my first mic a while back. I watched so many videos trying to find the best mic for the price point. I’m so happy you agree!
The King Bee was $300 when it first came out, then Neat was bought by Gibson, and now Neat is independent again. As for the XLR cable, one of the reasons it's so big is because it's a star quad cable so it has twice as much wiring, which helps to reduce interference and noise even more than a regular microphone cable.
Honestly for $130 it's a pretty good deal especially with what comes in the box. Sounds better than those blue mics to me which can be more expensive. This vs the Lewitt, the King Bee sounds better to me for deeper voices and the Lewitt emphasizes the highs a bit more. My headphones aren't top tier though so I could be wrong :P. BTW welcome back Mike! Stay safe out there brotha.
I think what has you confused with the King Bee can be summed up in three letters. It's F U N. It's also, for the (current) money, one of the best bang-for-the-buck mics in my mic closet. Neat was originally a part of the Gibson guitar family. Gibson financed the R&D and tooling up for the company, then promptly went bankrupt. The guys who started the company with Gibson were able to buy the company at a hugely devalued price, which is perhaps why they can offer these prices. The Worker Bee, with a slightly smaller diaphragm (and accompanying slightly smaller PRICE) is also a helluva deal... a little less proximity effect, but still smooth and quiet. In 30+ years of broadcasting, production, and voiceover for some of the biggest companies on the planet, using everything from U87's and TLM103's to SM7b's and RE20's, these NEAT mics are some of the best values I have EVER seen... and perhaps the first "budget" microphones that I would call useable in a professional environment! Great channel... keep up the fine content.
Hi! I was wondering, perhaps you could help me... I would want to buy a microphone to start a podcast and record some vocals and guitar. I am a mezzosoprano. Would you recommend the King Bee or the worker bee? Thanks a lot!
I've really been debating on picking up the king bee since I need a solid condenser mic. I have the yeti pro but it's been lent out to a buddy. I think I'm going to pick it up along with a drum mic kit and a new interface when I pay my sweetwater card off.
I love the series and I love all the comparisons. It helped me pick my own recording microphone (A Rode NT1). I do think a really nice addition here would be perhaps a video series on things to look out for or common mistakes that beginning voice actors run into trying to find voice acting work! I may have a microphone, I can record and edit fairly well, but I can't find any place that isn't shady, or doesn't expect you to pay hundreds of dollars just to get started. What kinds of tips and tricks in finding work an established VA would have to offer, certainly interests me!
As an owner of both the Worker Bee and the King Bee I can attest to their quality. The King Bee unusually has a transformer output stage, something I haven't seen in any other mic in this pricing tier, the self noise is almost non-existent, on the down side, this is a very heavy mic and you need a robust stand if you want to avoid sagging. The Worker Bee is much lighter, dispenses with the transformer, but is capable of handling highly energetic noise sources and as such is great for use on cabs, brass, drums etc, as well as being a pretty decent instrument mic. For voice work the King Bee is a much better choice than the Worker Bee as it has a larger more sensitive capsule (34mm vs 24mm) and more detailed pickup.
Thanks Mike, you made my day. That King Bee mic ($1627.22 on Amazon Canada) sounds great, way better than my Behringer B-5 (so much quieter, but bigger). Great video and information...
King Bee for the win...sounds like you can have better post processing for it...the Lewiit is quite bright and i think maybe post processing maybe an issue...my take
a couple years ago when you first posted about Lewitt mics, I didn't really like them. Now, watching this and looking back, I'm actually somewhat impressed by Lewitt!
I first started watching Booth Junkie while browsing through reviews of cheapish microphones (ended up getting the AT2020) and now just watch cause his voice is amazing and sounds like a such a nice man.
Yay! He's back. I found your channel when you were away and I love your content so much. I was really worried you had left with no intent on coming back but thats not the case :)
I got this mic because this amazing man's recommendation. It sounds amazing it like nothing I've ever encountered it was eye opening. Especially compared to my friends at2030 which I almost bought. That mic is great but much like the lower end lewit it was no compression the bee. It is a gift from the heavens!! And I think it looks amazing I would get it later down the line even if it didn't sound good as a dummy prop mic I love it so much, guys it's worth the looks especially if you're thinking of getting a yeti or an at20-- mic. I got it into my uncles studio and compared it to to his at4040 and thought he was disappointed by the lack of switches he thought it was amazing and said if he need a mic quickly for a recording he'd get the bee and at the price it was a mic he could almost use as a burner with no downsides as it had price and quality!! It didn't sound better than his at4040 but there wasn't a lot in due to demising returns
That Bee sounds really really good. I think the Lewitt has a little harshness to it. But the Bee doesnt.. I dont mind the colors, but man the King Bee is just so large for my taste..
Mike- You convinced me to buy the King Bee. My first one was purchased from a very "smokey" (Friday) studio, but it sounds great! So I bought a second one as soon as I found a great price for it. Can you do a shootout of the King Bee vs. TLM 102/103 vs. Lewitt 540 vs. (bracing) CAD E100? I really think the King Bee mic deserves to be compared above it's fire sale price.
@@CybertroninfiniteOfficial i also did.. i find it like im singin with inside a cilinder.. but... i haave to buy a real antipop, and i think i gotta put asolation to the walls. illse what happen there.. if you want i can send you these first recordings ive been doing
You know, a little bit of black gaffers tape around the body, and you've got yourself a a perfectly presentable piece of quality kit at an awesome price!
If I could get one of these with USB interface and in AZ Cardinals colors - I would be interested. It sounds like a good mic...but all I see is a Steelers Microphone. Good video!
To me, I think I like the sound of the bee more. My ears tend to be a bit sensitive to higher end sounds, and the bee doesn't sound as bright as the lewitt. Felt nicer on my ears. Maybe not as full, but for that price it's totally forgivable.
@@unpublicized Any condenser will "suffice", you don't always need to spend more. But the Lewitt does sound better to me; the Bee is quite 'wooly' with a buzzy treble, and less detail retrieval. It sounds a bit more lo-fi to me. The Lewitt is a bit sharp, but EQ'd down it'll sound far better than the Bee (imo)
Like everyone else, pleased that you have posted again. I bought the Stellar X2 and use it daily. Would it’s performance have been a good sound comparison?
Finally a new video from Mike in the booth! I think both sounds good, but that Lewith has more clarity and naturalness, maybe it is a bit "bigger" in the sound as well, it is heard both in my studio monitors but mainly with headphones. Maybe it would feel good from a pop filter as well. Can be difficult to decide and not always fair as it does not tell how it SHOULD sound, but mostly which one is preferred by just them. If you compare the price, all conditions can change. As for the packaging, I got my Heil PR40 in a wooden box which is a bit overkill. Gladest I am that you made a new video Mike and of top quality, so keep up the good job and have a really nice weekend!
Love your reviews and all the info you provide. I have narrowed down 2 mics: Sennheiser MK4 Pro and the Lewitt LCT 440 Pure. I'm ready to pull the trigger on either. I would really value your opinion on this. Thanks.
I've had the MXL 990 for about the last 12 years or so. When I replace it, this King Bee looks like a strong option. It's definitely garish, but I've been looking at the hideous MXL "champagne" or whatever color this is for over a decade. "Garish" doesn't seem so bad. : D The sound . . . on my speakers, and with my headphones and earbuds, I can't tell a difference. Listening through with my eyes closed, I can't tell when you switch feeds even with similar phonemes. Thanks, Mike.
So great to you see you back on the tube! Great review, thanks. I think the Lewitt blows away the KingBee. It sounds much more natural and your high-end comes thru much cleaner. Don't be a stranger!
I've had the King Bee for over a year now. King Bee's frequency response is identical to discontinued Blue Reactor microphone. Neat Microphone is from one of the founders of Blue mic.
Just bought a King Bee through your affiliate link to see how I like it! Thanks for all the free info you put on here, you're a resource treasure trove!
An interesting observation... 1) Many people here in comments are praising the sound of the Lewitt 440 for its richness in comparison to the "dull" and "opaque" sounding King Bee. The 440 is a bright mic (look at its frequency response - above the 10khz region); 2) Many people "condemn" the sound of the Rode NT 1-A for its "excessive" brightness and harshness (look for the Mike's video comparing the NT1-A to the NT1). The frequency response of the Rode NT1-A is quite similar to the one of the LCT 440 pure - both are "hyped" in the treble region. 3) Many people here in comments stressed on the "dull" sound coming from the King Bee. At the same time, if we look at the Mike's video comparison between the CAD e100 v CAD e100s - many people there praised the "smooth" and "mellow" sound of the vintage CAD. Even though the frequency response of that mic (e100) shows that it should be far more "dull" sounding than this King Bee. Conclusions: - it is either the frequency response of the microphones are: 1) "smoothed out"; 2) lying to us; 3) are not properly measured etc.; OR - many listeners are tone deaf; - the sound is a so subjective thing that many people prefer the "presence boosted", crisp and clear sounding modern mics while at the same time praise the "venerable richness, fullness, mellowness, smoothness" of the sound of the "vintage classic" from the XX century - even if these two sounds represent the two opposite lines of the spectrum!; - the mic is not important and any decent one (starting from 100 USD or 250 USD whatever) will do the job. P.S. Nice video, btw.
There are a number of factors that go into how people hear these microphones. I’ve been using the King Bee for several months. I’ve noticed that it’s very easy to add a little brightness to it, and that when one finds the sweet spot on this mic it sounds incredibly smooth. The king bee originally sold for $350, but when their parent company filed bankruptcy they bought their company from their parent company. Apparently they got such a good deal that they were able to sell their mics for $99.00. At least for a while.
For the Neat King Bee, do you use a Tascam or an Audio Interface? Also, do you use the same Mic Stand (OnStage On Stage MS7700B Tripod)? I really want to upgrade my recording set up. Please and thank you!
Great review. Been fond of the King but after hearing your voice felt the LCT did the better job and it's a small footprint. Just to be fair, feel that you gave the LCT more YT air time. Would have liked to seen more King action. At the end, I'm sold on the LCT
Great to see you again. I bought the LCT 440 Pure, still learning how to mix with it, but it’s dynamite. I can hear it’s character on your recording. I would buy it over the king bee, even at the $150 price difference.
the lct is a tad bit too bright for me. I prefer the king bee since i can eq in more top end but removing extra top end is a bit more difficult. I could see the lewitt being too much for certain singers who get loud. King bee for me, just for the sake that it's not overly bright
Soundcast Studios exactly my toughts. People always prefer brighter in direct comparison but when you add all the sauce at mixing it can gets really harsh.
When I initially seen this I was like 'God that looks awful' and honestly it's grown on me a lot! Not to mention the amazing value for quality that you get, if I was getting a condensor microphone then this is what I would get!
Damn you, Booth Junkie, you’re turning me into a Booth Junkie, JUNKIE! Okay, I’m gradually collecting equipment for when I finish my book and record my own audiobook, and now you have me looking at Lewitt!!! Have you tested the LCT 840 yet, or the tube by itself on the LCT 940? I’m curious how those would effect Voiceover, from the Booth Junkie perspective.
Striper is still going btw. I saw them a year or two ago. Also, have you tried the worker bee? You kept saying it, but I think you were referring to the king bee. I'm interested to see how they compare. Also, what is your gold standard?
I was really hoping you were going to say the lewitt was $99. It had a richer, slightly deeper sound to me. King bee still had a good sound just missing a step on the lewitt.
Hi Mike. You do a great service to all of us who record voice overs. I started in 1980. Lots of changes just in the last few years have put some great gear on the market and your reviews help make sense of it all. I've been using a Neumann TLM 103 as my go to mic for probably 25 years. I like it. Until recently I felt it outclassed most other mics I had used and made my tracks stand a cut above. Which is why I bought one in the mid 90's. But it wasn't giving me what I wanted as I got older (I'm 60) and my voice had changed a bit. I thought I needed a new mic. But prices for a new tube Neumann are, well, shocking. So a couple of years ago I bought the UA LA-610 MKII tube preamp. Great gear that gave my TLM the tube warmth and compression I wanted and business picked up. But still. I wasn't getting what I wanted. So I pawed through boxes and found the mic that the Neumann replaced. It's a Microtech Gefell M900. I plugged it in, tuned up the pre-amp and found the sound I'd been missing.
In your shootout between the the King Bee and the Lewitt what stood out to me was the "articulation" of the Lewitt. I'm not a technician, but I'll try to explain. The Lewitt capsule is fast enough in response that it picks up and sharpens the peaks for a crisper sound. In my opinion this is not a function of the electronics. It's the physical function of the membrane in the capsule. So the engineering of the Lewitt delivers clarity that picks up the "edges" and makes it sound crisp, and tight but not brittle or harsh. Try mixing that mic with tube gain. I'd bet the harmonics are wonderful.
My Neumann was built after Sennheiser bought the company. My Gefell was hand built in East Germany. The point is, I don't need a brand name, I need a mic that flatters my voice. You make that point on a regular basis and it's finally coming home. Pick the mic that makes you want to go back in the booth and read the label on a mayonnaise jar. Sorry for the long rant. Glad you're here.
It is unreal how well $100 microphones perform these days!
@World Gang Watch nah, even now, NEAT is coming out with the King Bee 2 at just $129. NEAT is still a strong company and they know what they’re doing! Since the got released from Gibson, they were at liberty to sell their microphones cheaper.
WHERE THE HECK HAVE YOU BEEN?!? Glad to see you back, bud.
Thanks Mike, got the King Bee on Ebay and just got the lewitt --- adding to my mic locker!! but the king bee is amazing for VO work, I've won several auditions recently with it and I have very expensive mics. :) wow!!!
A Booth Junkie video will help make everything feel like normal, at least for a while. ♥️
I don’t think I’ve ever just straight up thanked you for your quality content, thank you sir
For your voice (and mine) I'd still get the 440.
The king bee sounds like the roll off a bit at the low end while the 440 remains very open in the low end which makes it feel more "3D" for me.
Kind of lowkey dig the bee design tho!
Thank you for the review! It gets boring in lockdowns.
Booth Junkie, teaching us what a cardioid pattern is since 2016
LCT440 sound a bit fuller, but I feel you could add a tiny bit of EQ to the king bee and get a similar sound. I'll play around with it since I ordered one. Too bad from amazon it won't arrive for several weeks. Look forward to working with it
I received this microphone literally 2 days ago and I love how far they went with the bee theme, although I get why some people don't like it. This microphone was such a big upgrade from my xm8500.
how well does it work for vocals?
Hey long time no see! LCT 440 sounds fuller to me compared to King Bee and has smoother higher frequencies (cleaner). Thanks for the video and hope you’re safe at home!
I was just about to say the same thing and I just bought the Bee a few weeks ago. Gonna have to upgrade to the Lewitt when i can afford it! I wonder if there are plugins i can use to improve the sound of the bee!
TechKnowBabble Of course just an EQ from any DAW can make the sound much more better.
TechKnowBabble The sound difference is not obvious at all after mixing.
@@jamiemusictravel Good to know, i'm still learning the vocal chaining process. Dropping a video today so we'll see how i did, thanks for the info.
There's certainly a difference. Based on the EQ curve shown in the video, the Bee actually reduces the highs (but it's nothing that can't be changed with an EQ -- even one that comes with your DAW). I actually liked the sound of the Bee better, especially for long form narration. It's not as hard on the ears vs the 440.
Hey Mike, now that you have a U87, I’d love to see a comparison between it and the TLM 103. There’s not much on TH-cam comparing the two microphones directly and it’d be a very interesting video.
Just recently acquired the Rhode NT1, thanks in part to your glowing remarks about it. Thank you, I love it!
My daily driver! You have chosen, wisely
Me, too!
I have been using my NT1 for 3 1/2 years. So far I have no reason to replace it.
I picked up a couple King Bees a while ago because I heard how they sounded and I thought that they were going out of business. Thankfully, Allen told me otherwise. Of course, the next thing I'd like to see is a head-to-head between the King Bee and your TLM103.
How lucky, would u mind gifting me and my little brother one of them perhaps?
Anyone else want to buy every mic Mike speaks into? As good as he is, he literally makes. every mic sound incredible...to the detriment of his credibility lol! Just like a great photographer shooting great pictures with any camera.
I'd like to know the thought process behind the design of the King Bee. I propose an hour-long Front Line investigative documentary on the subject.
I watched about 5-6 King Bee Comparisons along with a lot of mic comparisons in general... You did a GREAT job on the KB comparison and all your comparison vids (Love your vids/channel btw-awesome, all of your comparison vids are by far the best). I bought the KB and i have it ($99 :) Bought the Motu M2 also..still waiting for that (cv19 really messing with shipping times -and lives:( and still waiting on my Bee Line xlr cable. Soooo, I haven't been able to use the mic yet.. but very excited too. I will be using Reaper..ty.
Brand new at this and I've never done vo before so watching your vids has really been helpful. Oh... I just informed the wife that i will be taking over the master closet for my vo booth..lol.
Thank You Mike. Truly and Greatly appreciated.
Got my King Bee today, I love it, its my first $100+ mic and for the money, I don't think I could have picked a better voice over mic to start with (after trying a cheap USB mic for a week). I only dropped it once while setting it up haha. I have seen review after review comparing the King Bee to way more expensive mics, and that's rare to see.
Remember: the King Bee used to be a $300 mic and was considered worth it. It's no surprise that it's well received at the current price.
My wife saw your/this video last year and has been saving to get the "King Bee". Today she finally was ready to go for it, and now it is out of stock everywhere, or maybe even discontinued 😞 such a bummer!
PS.... she loves all your videos 😀👍
Lewitt LCT 440 Pure wins in audio quality ! I own it also, bought it last year new and i'm so happy and satisfied !
Great to see you back at it, Mike! I don't know if you knew, but the King Bee was originally priced at $349 when it was first released under Blue/Gibson, but when Blue was purchased by Logitech and Gibson went bankrupt, Neat branched out on their own and offered it at the current incredible price! BTW, if you're still accepting mics to review from viewers, I'd love to send you my Gefell m930 to test against your TLM 103! Warmest Regards, Sean
So you can't seem to get King Bee's anymore and they're going for 400-800 on Reverb and Ebay, insane. Glad I got mine in January.
Stryper indeed! The yellow and black attack!
Amazing haircut, my friend. You look heaps younger. Got my first senn mkh 416 and a zoom h5. Looking forward to playing around with them. Keep up the great work. You're the greatest!
The King Bee honestly sounds less present in my opinion. Also, it almost makes you sound kind of... more nasal? Something about the upper mid area sounds a bit strange to me. Either that or it's something in the bass that's throwing it off.
Thought I would comment mostly to let you know that you, sir, have the absolute best channel related to audio and voice over that I've ever found on TH-cam. I bought my RODE NTG2 based on what you said about it relative to it's price and how it sounded in your video. It sounds distinctive, but it sure ain't bad. I'm building up my entire voice over business pretty nicely now, and you were by far my biggest resource when I was studying and researching how to get started.
You're a fantastic guy, Mike. You're helping real people in real ways, since you're the only person I've seen explain things like EQ, compression and other basic stuff in a way newcomers will actually understand.
Booth Junkie is one of my favourite ever TH-cam channels for a lot of reasons, but helping me break into a career path I can realistically see myself in for the rest of my life might be the biggest one. Thank you.
100% agree. The Lewitt isn't just "higher treble" - if you EQ them the same, the Lewitt has better detail retrieval, with more natural sound. The Bee is quite wooly in the bass, nasally with "buzzy" treble (ironically... It's a buzzy bee)
The man has audio in his last name. He was literally born to do this.
I remember watching many of your videos way back in 2017 or so when I was very new to microphones. Nice to see you're still active, keep it up!
Mike so good to see you back!
So, I went and bought a King Bee based on this video. No I didn't go out, I managed to get one delivered. Got it for a crazy £89 on amazon UK.
What they've changed to get it to that price is the boxing it's now in a cardboard box rather than the plastic. But we're buying it for the mic not the boxing, right? Oh and the toy of course!
I've been playing with it for a couple of days, and done two voice track shows with it.
I'm using a Focusrite solo gen3 as the interface.
All i can say is I love it! The tone is great, the noise floor is amazing. I've even managed to get it into my Sub-zero Isoball, as i don't have a full booth, which improves the sound even more. It's really is a insane mic for the price I love it.
Thanks Mike, absolutely spot on review!
Mike: It comes with a toy
Me: I'm sold
He's back! I was just watching some old videos the other day 👍
It’s always good to see and hear you again, Mike. You’ve been a huge encouragement for me as I pursue my voiceovers.
Thanks for this review! I purchased the King Bee in Canada using your link. Keep up the good work - I've been enjoying your videos.
The King Bee and Worker Bee are both amazing values! I love both of mine.
Hi! Maybe you could help me... To record a podcast (mezzosoprano voice), some vocals and acoustic guitar which one would you recommend? Thank you so much!
¡Thanks Mike! You provided great help for choosing my beginner setup, I learned a ton of things with your videos.
About this mic (king bee) at the beginning, the brand identity was quite loud for my liking but by testing it I grew fond of it really quickly. Truly, a great bang for the buck with excellent quality. I agree with you that there's something strange going on in the price tag. Honestly, I hope Neat stays in business for a long time. Cheers! You have one more fan.
I love that you did a video for this. I actually got neat mic for my first mic a while back. I watched so many videos trying to find the best mic for the price point.
I’m so happy you agree!
Hope all OK with you and your family & friends, Mike, it's good to see you again!
The King Bee was $300 when it first came out, then Neat was bought by Gibson, and now Neat is independent again. As for the XLR cable, one of the reasons it's so big is because it's a star quad cable so it has twice as much wiring, which helps to reduce interference and noise even more than a regular microphone cable.
Honestly for $130 it's a pretty good deal especially with what comes in the box. Sounds better than those blue mics to me which can be more expensive. This vs the Lewitt, the King Bee sounds better to me for deeper voices and the Lewitt emphasizes the highs a bit more. My headphones aren't top tier though so I could be wrong :P. BTW welcome back Mike! Stay safe out there brotha.
I think what has you confused with the King Bee can be summed up in three letters. It's F U N. It's also, for the (current) money, one of the best bang-for-the-buck mics in my mic closet. Neat was originally a part of the Gibson guitar family. Gibson financed the R&D and tooling up for the company, then promptly went bankrupt. The guys who started the company with Gibson were able to buy the company at a hugely devalued price, which is perhaps why they can offer these prices. The Worker Bee, with a slightly smaller diaphragm (and accompanying slightly smaller PRICE) is also a helluva deal... a little less proximity effect, but still smooth and quiet. In 30+ years of broadcasting, production, and voiceover for some of the biggest companies on the planet, using everything from U87's and TLM103's to SM7b's and RE20's, these NEAT mics are some of the best values I have EVER seen... and perhaps the first "budget" microphones that I would call useable in a professional environment! Great channel... keep up the fine content.
Hi! I was wondering, perhaps you could help me... I would want to buy a microphone to start a podcast and record some vocals and guitar. I am a mezzosoprano. Would you recommend the King Bee or the worker bee? Thanks a lot!
Great to have you back!! Thank you.
I've really been debating on picking up the king bee since I need a solid condenser mic. I have the yeti pro but it's been lent out to a buddy. I think I'm going to pick it up along with a drum mic kit and a new interface when I pay my sweetwater card off.
I love the series and I love all the comparisons. It helped me pick my own recording microphone (A Rode NT1). I do think a really nice addition here would be perhaps a video series on things to look out for or common mistakes that beginning voice actors run into trying to find voice acting work! I may have a microphone, I can record and edit fairly well, but I can't find any place that isn't shady, or doesn't expect you to pay hundreds of dollars just to get started. What kinds of tips and tricks in finding work an established VA would have to offer, certainly interests me!
I just saw the King Bee recently, not realizing you made a video months prior. Damn...good job.
As an owner of both the Worker Bee and the King Bee I can attest to their quality. The King Bee unusually has a transformer output stage, something I haven't seen in any other mic in this pricing tier, the self noise is almost non-existent, on the down side, this is a very heavy mic and you need a robust stand if you want to avoid sagging. The Worker Bee is much lighter, dispenses with the transformer, but is capable of handling highly energetic noise sources and as such is great for use on cabs, brass, drums etc, as well as being a pretty decent instrument mic. For voice work the King Bee is a much better choice than the Worker Bee as it has a larger more sensitive capsule (34mm vs 24mm) and more detailed pickup.
*Me at 10:* "There was a toy in the cereal box, YAY!"
*Me at 20:* "There was a toy in my new microphone, YAY!"
We never grow up do we?
Yy researchers yyyyyyy yyyy
The base for the toy has the mic serial no on it
Been waiting for a Junkie review of the King Bee. 😄👏👏
Great to see your back! Still loving my re20 that you reviewed.
"Great to see YOU'RE back!" ... "Great to see your back" is a little creepy as it sounds like you've snuck up behind him.... ;-)
Thanks Mike, you made my day. That King Bee mic ($1627.22 on Amazon Canada) sounds great, way better than my Behringer B-5 (so much quieter, but bigger). Great video and information...
King Bee for the win...sounds like you can have better post processing for it...the Lewiit is quite bright and i think maybe post processing maybe an issue...my take
each of them looks good and sounds good. nice to have them
That cable is going to be easy to find. Stryper, yeah I listened to them back then...they had a bee-ish sound.
Compare the TLM 103 vr LCT440 PURE
a couple years ago when you first posted about Lewitt mics, I didn't really like them. Now, watching this and looking back, I'm actually somewhat impressed by Lewitt!
I first started watching Booth Junkie while browsing through reviews of cheapish microphones (ended up getting the AT2020) and now just watch cause his voice is amazing and sounds like a such a nice man.
It has been a while. Glad you are back.
Yay! He's back. I found your channel when you were away and I love your content so much. I was really worried you had left with no intent on coming back but thats not the case :)
I got this mic because this amazing man's recommendation. It sounds amazing it like nothing I've ever encountered it was eye opening. Especially compared to my friends at2030 which I almost bought. That mic is great but much like the lower end lewit it was no compression the bee. It is a gift from the heavens!! And I think it looks amazing I would get it later down the line even if it didn't sound good as a dummy prop mic I love it so much, guys it's worth the looks especially if you're thinking of getting a yeti or an at20-- mic.
I got it into my uncles studio and compared it to to his at4040 and thought he was disappointed by the lack of switches he thought it was amazing and said if he need a mic quickly for a recording he'd get the bee and at the price it was a mic he could almost use as a burner with no downsides as it had price and quality!! It didn't sound better than his at4040 but there wasn't a lot in due to demising returns
That Bee sounds really really good. I think the Lewitt has a little harshness to it. But the Bee doesnt.. I dont mind the colors, but man the King Bee is just so large for my taste..
funny, i hear the opposite
Mike-
You convinced me to buy the King Bee. My first one was purchased from a very "smokey" (Friday) studio, but it sounds great! So I bought a second one as soon as I found a great price for it.
Can you do a shootout of the King Bee vs. TLM 102/103 vs. Lewitt 540 vs. (bracing) CAD E100? I really think the King Bee mic deserves to be compared above it's fire sale price.
I literally just received my King Bee today.
how is it
@@CybertroninfiniteOfficial i also did.. i find it like im singin with inside a cilinder.. but... i haave to buy a real antipop, and i think i gotta put asolation to the walls. illse what happen there.. if you want i can send you these first recordings ive been doing
@@jkingraptores sure
JoaLB can you please send them to my email!!!!!! I’m considering get it. th3crownmw@gmail.com
You know, a little bit of black gaffers tape around the body, and you've got yourself a a perfectly presentable piece of quality kit at an awesome price!
If I could get one of these with USB interface and in AZ Cardinals colors - I would be interested. It sounds like a good mic...but all I see is a Steelers Microphone. Good video!
They both sound great IMO, really can’t go wrong!
Excellent review.. your voice makes the Lewitt sound full and it suits your voice. 👍
thank you kind sir, i might get the 440 pure
So glad to see another video, I love watching them they're super educational!
Cool camera angle.
LCT 440 is sibilant (pay close attention to his esses) and harsh (nasal frequencies). King Bee is warmer, and more even sounding with less edges.
Great thanks for the new Video! I was curious that u didn’t upload so long!
I've been deciding between these two. Thank you.
I can't believe the price point. Is it a reflection of the 'garish' design choice? That noise floor is really impressive.
To me, I think I like the sound of the bee more. My ears tend to be a bit sensitive to higher end sounds, and the bee doesn't sound as bright as the lewitt. Felt nicer on my ears. Maybe not as full, but for that price it's totally forgivable.
Same here, especially for longer form narration/dialogue.
That's surprising I preferred the sibilant notes of the lewitt and the bee sounded coarse and scratchy to me. Interesting!
@@danielgaudet6114 what about for singing/rap vocals and voice overs do you think the lewitt is worth the extra $140? Or would the king bee suffice
@@unpublicized Any condenser will "suffice", you don't always need to spend more. But the Lewitt does sound better to me; the Bee is quite 'wooly' with a buzzy treble, and less detail retrieval. It sounds a bit more lo-fi to me. The Lewitt is a bit sharp, but EQ'd down it'll sound far better than the Bee (imo)
Like everyone else, pleased that you have posted again. I bought the Stellar X2 and use it daily. Would it’s performance have been a good sound comparison?
Finally a new video from Mike in the booth!
I think both sounds good, but that Lewith has more clarity and naturalness, maybe it is a bit "bigger" in the sound as well, it is heard both in my studio monitors but mainly with headphones.
Maybe it would feel good from a pop filter as well.
Can be difficult to decide and not always fair as it does not tell how it SHOULD sound, but mostly which one is preferred by just them.
If you compare the price, all conditions can change.
As for the packaging, I got my Heil PR40 in a wooden box which is a bit overkill.
Gladest I am that you made a new video Mike and of top quality, so keep up the good job and have a really nice weekend!
I bought this after this, didn’t use it until yesterday. I likey
Love your reviews and all the info you provide. I have narrowed down 2 mics: Sennheiser MK4 Pro and the Lewitt LCT 440 Pure. I'm ready to pull the trigger on either. I would really value your opinion on this. Thanks.
I've had the MXL 990 for about the last 12 years or so. When I replace it, this King Bee looks like a strong option.
It's definitely garish, but I've been looking at the hideous MXL "champagne" or whatever color this is for over a decade. "Garish" doesn't seem so bad. : D
The sound . . . on my speakers, and with my headphones and earbuds, I can't tell a difference. Listening through with my eyes closed, I can't tell when you switch feeds even with similar phonemes.
Thanks, Mike.
So great to you see you back on the tube! Great review, thanks. I think the Lewitt blows away the KingBee. It sounds much more natural and your high-end comes thru much cleaner. Don't be a stranger!
I've had the King Bee for over a year now. King Bee's frequency response is identical to discontinued Blue Reactor microphone. Neat Microphone is from one of the founders of Blue mic.
Just bought a King Bee through your affiliate link to see how I like it! Thanks for all the free info you put on here, you're a resource treasure trove!
Mike reporting live from an actual quarantined booth. Nice.
oo swet haircut Mike! Hope youre staying safe in these times
Now... as a voice over artist, if you compare the Neat King Bee sound with the TZ Stellar X2's... what would be your choice and why?
This is the review they needed to finally up the pricing.
People were definitely scared off by the looks.
An interesting observation...
1) Many people here in comments are praising the sound of the Lewitt 440 for its richness in comparison to the "dull" and "opaque" sounding King Bee. The 440 is a bright mic (look at its frequency response - above the 10khz region);
2) Many people "condemn" the sound of the Rode NT 1-A for its "excessive" brightness and harshness (look for the Mike's video comparing the NT1-A to the NT1). The frequency response of the Rode NT1-A is quite similar to the one of the LCT 440 pure - both are "hyped" in the treble region.
3) Many people here in comments stressed on the "dull" sound coming from the King Bee. At the same time, if we look at the Mike's video comparison between the CAD e100 v CAD e100s - many people there praised the "smooth" and "mellow" sound of the vintage CAD. Even though the frequency response of that mic (e100) shows that it should be far more "dull" sounding than this King Bee.
Conclusions:
- it is either the frequency response of the microphones are: 1) "smoothed out"; 2) lying to us; 3) are not properly measured etc.; OR
- many listeners are tone deaf;
- the sound is a so subjective thing that many people prefer the "presence boosted", crisp and clear sounding modern mics while at the same time praise the "venerable richness, fullness, mellowness, smoothness" of the sound of the "vintage classic" from the XX century - even if these two sounds represent the two opposite lines of the spectrum!;
- the mic is not important and any decent one (starting from 100 USD or 250 USD whatever) will do the job.
P.S. Nice video, btw.
There are a number of factors that go into how people hear these microphones.
I’ve been using the King Bee for several months. I’ve noticed that it’s very easy to add a little brightness to it, and that when one finds the sweet spot on this mic it sounds incredibly smooth.
The king bee originally sold for $350, but when their parent company filed bankruptcy they bought their company from their parent company. Apparently they got such a good deal that they were able to sell their mics for $99.00. At least for a while.
For the Neat King Bee, do you use a Tascam or an Audio Interface? Also, do you use the same Mic Stand (OnStage On Stage MS7700B Tripod)? I really want to upgrade my recording set up.
Please and thank you!
Always great reviews! The Amazon link is not working. Also, would love to listen to you review the Rode NT-USB Mini USB
Great review. Been fond of the King but after hearing your voice felt the LCT did the better job and it's a small footprint. Just to be fair, feel that you gave the LCT more YT air time. Would have liked to seen more King action. At the end, I'm sold on the LCT
Great to see you again. I bought the LCT 440 Pure, still learning how to mix with it, but it’s dynamite. I can hear it’s character on your recording. I would buy it over the king bee, even at the $150 price difference.
Stock King Bee popfilter makes its sound much muddier. It's good to detach it and/or replace it by your own.
the lct is a tad bit too bright for me. I prefer the king bee since i can eq in more top end but removing extra top end is a bit more difficult. I could see the lewitt being too much for certain singers who get loud. King bee for me, just for the sake that it's not overly bright
Soundcast Studios exactly my toughts. People always prefer brighter in direct comparison but when you add all the sauce at mixing it can gets really harsh.
When I initially seen this I was like 'God that looks awful' and honestly it's grown on me a lot! Not to mention the amazing value for quality that you get, if I was getting a condensor microphone then this is what I would get!
Awesome stuff !!!
Damn you, Booth Junkie, you’re turning me into a Booth Junkie, JUNKIE!
Okay, I’m gradually collecting equipment for when I finish my book and record my own audiobook, and now you have me looking at Lewitt!!!
Have you tested the LCT 840 yet, or the tube by itself on the LCT 940?
I’m curious how those would effect Voiceover, from the Booth Junkie perspective.
The LCT Has a better High-End. Would be great for recording an Orchestra, Particularly Strings & Wind instruments.
Right! I use it as a room mic for my drums, fantastic microphone
They gave you a bee toy, no brainer for me, thanks for the review Mike!!!
The Bee mic case is most likely supposed to be a bee hive.
Yes. The question is... why? Aside from giving it to your kids to play with, there's not much purpose to it.
Too bad they don't fill it with honey.
@@Kragatar Theme of it
Mike!!! Why you gotta stay away so long my man?!?! We miss you, keep the vids coming!!
Striper is still going btw. I saw them a year or two ago. Also, have you tried the worker bee? You kept saying it, but I think you were referring to the king bee. I'm interested to see how they compare. Also, what is your gold standard?
I was really hoping you were going to say the lewitt was $99. It had a richer, slightly deeper sound to me. King bee still had a good sound just missing a step on the lewitt.