I got to test this at the recent Podcast Movement show in Denver, and like you say it's a solid mic. It is a wee bit more expensive than others, but when you add the kit that comes with it (especially for newer podcasters who may not have spare cables or mic stands), it becomes a far more attractive proposition.
I think you nailed it on the price. I think it kicks butt among the $100 broadcast mics. But if I had one of those, am I spending to upgrade from them? Ehhh. And where it’s at, I’d probably spend a little extra to get a proven sound like Shure or SE, even tho I think the MV7 sounds like doodoo in XLR mode. Id think $120 would be the sweet spot here.
Hm, I dunno, the market is saturated but Mackie made a good choice coming out with this. Fotget the quality judgement, I believe they're aiming at their current and new users. The first group being already biased so they'd just get it to complement the existing Mackie setups, the other cause they're maybe shopping for a great mixer (I've got two..) and they're on the website and just throw in a mic into the cart 'cause it's there in front of their eyes. The subtle nuances in audio can easily be adjusted on a RodeCaster ProII no matter which of the mics in the price range of some $100-250 we're using, so there wouldn't be any point in saying that the MV7 sounded a bit muffled when you just switched, but then opened up when you changed the foam, a clearer audio right away. I do think the inclusion of a stand and cable are justifying the slightly higher price in comparison to other mics, it's a good combo. Great video!
Hi. My friend and I are planning to start recording podcasts together, but we can't agree on whether the quality difference between expensive and affordable microphones is really necessary. I suggest buying at least an RE20 or an SM7B, while my friend prefers microphones in the Podmic price range. Do you think the difference between these two microphones would be noticeable for listeners? Do you think we should go all out and choose established, high-end products, or would more budget-friendly microphones suffice? Thank you for your recommendations. Please help me, I've been sleepless for four days, researching only this topic. I admit that I am overly obsessed, but I want to do my job properly and cleanly. I am very talkative and warm-hearted, never hesitant to laugh, and I usually laugh a lot. I used to do Twitch streaming before, so I have knowledge about how to gain viewers. Now, I want to sleep, please tell me which microphone and sound card I should get.
If you are just about to start your first podcast, I’d suggest to indeed go with something that’s more multi-purpose and less of an investment (but that of course depends on your budget and willingness to spend as well). Let me give you some options: - For those who are just about to start a podcast, and are not sure if they’ll continue doing it on the long run, I tend to recommend mics that work with the Rode Connect or RødeX’s Unify softwares, because with them it is the easiest and cheapest to record in multitrack and with up to 2 remote guests from a single computer. So for a budget of 100$/mic, I’d go with the Røde VideoMic Go II. (Versatile, good sounding, works with Røde Connect, also works on camera, on a boom arm, but also close talking as a USB-mic) Until you know that you’ll really lean into podcast production, this will be a very good mic to test the waters. Check my video comparing it to the NT-USB mini. - For 200$/mic, I’d go with the freshly announced Røde Podmic USB, which is the USB/XLR version of the original Podmic. Most importantly because it now works with both Røde Connect and Unify and it is future-proof having an XLR port as well, should you want to upgrade your setup later. - For up to 300$/mic I’d recommend the SE Dynacaster DCM8. It’s XLR only, but it works with any audio interface on the market as it has a 30db mic booster built in - so if the interface has 48V phantom power, you can record with very low gain - but if not, it also works as a standard dynamic mic. Also it has built-in EQ, through wich you can make it sound like the RE320 (not like the RE20) or similar to the SM7B. I also have a video about that. - if you are sure you want to keep on creating the podcast on the long run, and have the financial possibility to invest, sure, go with the SM7B or the RE20. Count in that you will need a fairly good interface for them, that has some decent gain (which does not have to be expensive, ie the Zoom Podtrak P4 is a great starting point to consider). To answer your original question: as long as you are setting the gain right, pay attention to the mic’s polar pattern and your distance to it and not clip (distort) the recording, your audience will not notice/could not care less what mic you’ve recorded the podcast with. The content and the style is more important as long as the audio is not garbage - but all of these mics will give you great audio if you treat them right. Hope this helps you sleep better. :)
I got to test this at the recent Podcast Movement show in Denver, and like you say it's a solid mic. It is a wee bit more expensive than others, but when you add the kit that comes with it (especially for newer podcasters who may not have spare cables or mic stands), it becomes a far more attractive proposition.
I think you nailed it on the price. I think it kicks butt among the $100 broadcast mics. But if I had one of those, am I spending to upgrade from them? Ehhh. And where it’s at, I’d probably spend a little extra to get a proven sound like Shure or SE, even tho I think the MV7 sounds like doodoo in XLR mode. Id think $120 would be the sweet spot here.
Hm, I dunno, the market is saturated but Mackie made a good choice coming out with this. Fotget the quality judgement, I believe they're aiming at their current and new users. The first group being already biased so they'd just get it to complement the existing Mackie setups, the other cause they're maybe shopping for a great mixer (I've got two..) and they're on the website and just throw in a mic into the cart 'cause it's there in front of their eyes. The subtle nuances in audio can easily be adjusted on a RodeCaster ProII no matter which of the mics in the price range of some $100-250 we're using, so there wouldn't be any point in saying that the MV7 sounded a bit muffled when you just switched, but then opened up when you changed the foam, a clearer audio right away.
I do think the inclusion of a stand and cable are justifying the slightly higher price in comparison to other mics, it's a good combo.
Great video!
Hi. My friend and I are planning to start recording podcasts together, but we can't agree on whether the quality difference between expensive and affordable microphones is really necessary. I suggest buying at least an RE20 or an SM7B, while my friend prefers microphones in the Podmic price range. Do you think the difference between these two microphones would be noticeable for listeners? Do you think we should go all out and choose established, high-end products, or would more budget-friendly microphones suffice? Thank you for your recommendations. Please help me, I've been sleepless for four days, researching only this topic. I admit that I am overly obsessed, but I want to do my job properly and cleanly. I am very talkative and warm-hearted, never hesitant to laugh, and I usually laugh a lot. I used to do Twitch streaming before, so I have knowledge about how to gain viewers. Now, I want to sleep, please tell me which microphone and sound card I should get.
If you are just about to start your first podcast, I’d suggest to indeed go with something that’s more multi-purpose and less of an investment (but that of course depends on your budget and willingness to spend as well). Let me give you some options:
- For those who are just about to start a podcast, and are not sure if they’ll continue doing it on the long run, I tend to recommend mics that work with the Rode Connect or RødeX’s Unify softwares, because with them it is the easiest and cheapest to record in multitrack and with up to 2 remote guests from a single computer. So for a budget of 100$/mic, I’d go with the Røde VideoMic Go II. (Versatile, good sounding, works with Røde Connect, also works on camera, on a boom arm, but also close talking as a USB-mic) Until you know that you’ll really lean into podcast production, this will be a very good mic to test the waters. Check my video comparing it to the NT-USB mini.
- For 200$/mic, I’d go with the freshly announced Røde Podmic USB, which is the USB/XLR version of the original Podmic. Most importantly because it now works with both Røde Connect and Unify and it is future-proof having an XLR port as well, should you want to upgrade your setup later.
- For up to 300$/mic I’d recommend the SE Dynacaster DCM8. It’s XLR only, but it works with any audio interface on the market as it has a 30db mic booster built in - so if the interface has 48V phantom power, you can record with very low gain - but if not, it also works as a standard dynamic mic. Also it has built-in EQ, through wich you can make it sound like the RE320 (not like the RE20) or similar to the SM7B. I also have a video about that.
- if you are sure you want to keep on creating the podcast on the long run, and have the financial possibility to invest, sure, go with the SM7B or the RE20. Count in that you will need a fairly good interface for them, that has some decent gain (which does not have to be expensive, ie the Zoom Podtrak P4 is a great starting point to consider).
To answer your original question: as long as you are setting the gain right, pay attention to the mic’s polar pattern and your distance to it and not clip (distort) the recording, your audience will not notice/could not care less what mic you’ve recorded the podcast with. The content and the style is more important as long as the audio is not garbage - but all of these mics will give you great audio if you treat them right.
Hope this helps you sleep better. :)