Just based on the sound and not considering the features or price, this is roughly my list FDUCE SL40 > K688 > SM7B > PodMic > AM8 > PD400X > K651 I think they all sound good. But if you consider other qualities of the mic then I'd say if you like a warm sounding mic pick either the SL40 or K688. If you want a more natural sounding mic go for the PodMic or AM8. Honestly, other than the SM7B (just for the price tag) you wont regret going with any of these.
AM8 and PD400X, to me sounded the best. Both mics sounded great to my ears, and since the PD400X is nearly double the price, I think I'll go with the AM8 and use the extra money towards a good boom arm and possibly a cheap mixer if I want to go XLR route.
@@ezush3893 I was literally just talking to a friend about it. Only just got around to buying it a couple months ago but I love it so far and my friends say it sounds good on their end. Bout all I can say on it as I don't stream or record anything yet to give any review on its sound quality. Fixing to get the Fifine articulating arm for it as it takes up too much space on my desk with all my gaming stuff there.
I love the fduce with your voice in particular, but I think for many people it needs to be EQ'd as the bass is really elevated. The AM8 sounds pretty neutral and I think would work for most people right out of the box, and from what I have heard the USB is actually pretty impressive on this mic making it a great entry into audio. The PD400x would probably be my pic out of these, it just sounds just slightly more clear but I think that is just looking for something to pick it. Thank you for the hard work you put into this video.
the Fifine SM8 is my absolute favorite microphone out of all of these. especially considering the sound of the mic as well as the price point and above all i actually ownone
Thanks for the review❤ I like the k688, what mic you think will work better with rap vocals? I know this may sound silly but I have bad acoustic treatment in my room😢
Honestly for the price the fduce sounds great. I’m sure with my Apollo twin quad and a bit of eq I can make it sound as full as the sm7b and even add some clarity and brightness. Awesome review
i just ordered an AM8 two days ago after exploring all possibilities even expensive mic live mv7, nt usb+ etc.. I'm happy about my choice, it'll be waaaay enough ! This AM8 sounds really great to me compared to expensive options ! I'm impatient to receive it !
November 2024 here. For anybody with decent preamps, the SM7b is a bargain on the used market right now, probably because Shure came out with the SM7db, which I think makes some good sense for anybody new to recording audio and not wanting to dig too deep into it. Meanwhile, I shopped around for awhile and found an open box 7b for about $150. So yeah, if you dont need the extra gain of the 7db to get a good sound, or are more audio-focused than cheap basic podcast focused, the SM7b is a no-brainer on the used market right now, but you need to have the pres.
PD400x all day, but right out of the Box, the FDUCE with THIS GUYS VOICE sounds great. I bet with the "DARK" (Warm, Boosted lows) setting, the Maono would outshine that mic any day cause of how good it already sounds just in general. It sounds so natural. If you watch this guys video based solely on the PD400x, it sounded mind-blowing for the price once he puts on the included EQ at the touch of a button (if using via USB connection)
i can only speak for Fifine K688 and it's great. if your like me and always have a lot of background noise your gonna want a dynamic mic. That running with Nvidia Broadcast is such a game changer. No one will be pissed at you for the background noise because Nvidia Broadcast AI cancels out the noise. Sorry if you have an AMD card your short.
I think the Podmic is probably my 1st, closely followed by K688 then Fduce (if the bass got taken out a bit I'd say Podmic>Fcude>K688). The rest I could probably take or leave, with not a massive difference between them, with Amplirocket in solid last place. The best way I can describe what I'm hearing is that Podmic and K688 are closest to what I'd consider a voice in the room and not through a mic?
I like the SL40 if I was going for a radio voice, but for accuracy I was very impressed from the K688, and am now leaning toward investing in that one.
One thing that could've been done differently is doing a blind test on each microphone; it was difficult to note the best sounding one for my ears with some bias towards certain microphones already (looking at the dual USB/XLR lol)
Totally could have. I’ve done that before also. The only microphone that was USB only was the amplirocket. The rest we’re using XLR, but several have a USB option as well. Will keep this in mind for thebfuture
The Amplirocket was the worst imo, very muffled sound. Personally, I think I'd choose between K688 and AM8, leaning towards K688 just because of the looks lol. Too bad the FDUCE sounds too boomy for my taste because I dig the MV7 look.
@@DarkenedCyrus Buying one of my dream mics, BEACN and MV7, is now basically impossible to justify with K688 being only 1/3 of the cost. Although for the type of content I do, Corsair HS80 mic is more than enough atm haha
My personal favorite is the maono pd400x and slightly below that is the fduce, so in my opinion if you want a good software and a very sleek design for a microphone, get the pd400x, but if you’re on a tighter budget and just need a good quality dynamic microphone, get the fduce. And if you really want any budget products, go to maono, great brand for budget microphones and audio interfaces, also fifine is great too. Anyways, this would be my final list, maono pd400x > fduce sl40 > fifine k688 > shure sm7b > fifine am8 > rode podmic > fifine k51/amplirocket.
In my opinion the most expensive sound the worst I dont know if anyone hear but it sound like your voice was making it jiggle a bit even though you were not moving. Or sounded like your voice was going in the mic housing and getting reverbing of the mic body. Would have been nice to hear them in usb as well but still great video especially the end when you went through a sound test between them all.
K688 just sounds so smooth, with no harsh, simbalant noise or crackle that could trigger someone's misophonia. I could see the problem with this being a poor presence in a sound mix or ability to cut through background noise if listening through speakers in a noisy environment. You could argue it's not "accurate" in terms of frequency response. However, it is pleasant on the ears, particularly when listening through headphones.
This was a great video because after reading through some comments, I got to actually hear what the LISTENERS prefer... and that's who my audience will be! Thank you for putting in the work to make this video, it helped me narrow down my entry-level choice :)
great video & instantly subbed. i use an old razer mic serien x but it's really old now and i'm sick of hearing my breath & egery noise in the room while editing, i think i should go for a dynamic mic i cant afford sm7b and with xlr so need something that's gonna cost around 150-200 in total
Love this! Really Budget? Go FIFINE AM8 for $50. Want XLR and need budget? go FIFINE AM8 and FIFINE SC3 mixer for $100. Want more flexibility on sound? Go Wave XLR and FIFINE AM8. Don't like the AM8? Sub that out for the K688 or any of the other mics
thanks for the reply !! so you think it's better to go for like Wave XLR & AM8 than buying a usb mic like rode nt usb plus for the same price ? @@DarkenedCyrus
Hello! Bought and sold the AM8 recently because I always wanted the k688. Although it was good I was wondering if the k688 sounds better for singing or music production?
Seeing as both are very similar with what I feel is the exact same sensor, I don’t think you will gain anything that is noticeable if you switch. Just my thoughts here
Hey please help i am stuck between k688 and Am8 i like the design of k688 but from review there is mention tha am8 has better sound so which one should i get without thinking of price
You’re right! Ended up repurchasing the AM8 after finding out it suits my voice a little bit better and that it’s just better out the box in general. Thanks for the response, still coming back and watching your videos when I need information on mics!
Brother which software do you use to edit voiceover and video it's amazing.I need a deep bass voice for my podcast videos what should I do ? And what are good quality boom arms should I invest fro long run Thanks
i don't know why but the rode , for me, made a better impression than the others. The sound is clear and without any noise. All the comments that i've read are the opposite of mine. what i'm not considering in my evaluation? i hear a lot of imperfection on the others or these are more strong. Maybe i don't have the best setup, maybe i don't have experiece, i hope someone could answer my questions. ( i'm not considering the cost, only based on the sound)
With dynamic mic's, you are striking a balance between pickup and suppression. Similar to how bose speakers are bright, the Rode was picking up a nice wide range, but it also had a tinny sound to the highs. Personally I hate that tinny sound, so I'd rather lose/muddy just a tiny bit to stay away from that. Having been a church and dance scene audio guy, that's really hard to just fix. On the fly, all I could do was cut the highs a lot - and there went your definition, _but it still usually keeps some of that tinny quality._ The Maono pd400x struck a nice balance for me. It had nice smooth mids and lows and lacked the tinny highs. It sounded like I could boost the highs a bit if needed without going tinny. The k651 sounded way too muddied. There's no way to boost or drop frequencies to fix that. I'm guessing people who liked that are so very tired of tinny poppy bright mics that they don't want any highs or any definition to the sound. I'd definitely take your pick over the k651's, because I could at least minimize the tinny sounds and take advantage of low and mid range definition. *If you want a better feel* for what I'm talking about with the tinny sounds being harsh, try listening to "big band era" music with lots of brass instruments. It's great dance music, but a lot of the recordings are really bad, and if you lack a good sound system, both things cause the brass to screech badly (harsh/shrill to the ears). I'm not a sound engineer, so I'm not editing the waves. All I can really do is drop the highs enough to reduce the ear sore. If a mic is doing that to your voice, you either need sound engineer skills or similar. You might have to make the highs you liked sound dull. PS final tip from worship music soundboard experience: everyone's voice has a few characteristic tones that sound very them. Default tuning for me was to drop the highs (even for female singers), then use an overboosted sweep to find their nice tones. drop them to a more reasonable boost in that. If you have several people (or similar instruments) keep them distinct, so choose the further apart tones or even push slightly to the edges to make a little space between singers. Typically, I found a minor boost in mids helps a lot too, but the sweep-picked tone matters far more and keeps the whole thing away from tinny and feeling more true to their voice.
favorite based on the mic that sounds the most "broadcast" that is the fduce sl40........ the least favorite would be the Rode Podmic, it just really is hurting for some bottom end.... however if we were judging the microphone best suited to bludgeon someone then the Rode Podmic would win....
Hello There , I Think The Best Sounding Mics Are Am8 and the PD400X But i Cant Hear A Noticeable Difference Between Them. It Could Be Because of My Poor Speaker Quality. I Just Want To Know Which Sounds Better. Thankyou
CXoming back to this video, I've taken an interest in the Podmic since I now have the Scarlett Solo interface. I know that using the scarlett the podmic is going to be a good combo, but it seems that it also needs a cloudlifter. Would it be better to stick with my Fifine am8 + scarlett or upgrade to the podmic + scarlett, without a cloudlifter for the podmic? And also, what budget cloudlifter/booster would you recommend for the podmic?
Go for the Tonor preamp. Looks just like the cloudlifter and I use it myself. Works great. Also, just stick with the AM8 unless you just want to get a different mic. I think the AM8 sounds better out of box
@@DarkenedCyrus Awesome. So the setup would be Mic > Preamp > Interface > PC? And the purpose of the preamp is to add gain to the interface so that the gain on the interface can be turned down?
I will just start with... The worst sounding here was SM7B. And i know its a reason for it, its a mic thats need good amount power. But i also hear røde pod mic sound that good in this test, so i dont know what to say, if you go budget, go a cheap preamp and a cheap mic mby? I have rødecaster duo and røde pod mic now, and its working hella good. worked good with goxlr mini and regular aswell, had shure sm7b with cloudlifter on xlr mini, and you dont get what the mic can give with right power. So mby now take the test again with røde caster 2/duo or something that can make it fair to all the mic's? good video tho, its always fun to see tests like this :)
Maybe so, but I did push a good amount of gain through the mic for an appropriate level on my end. Cloud lifter also isn’t required if the preamp has enough gain that it can provide (most of my interfaces can push 75db of gain, and honestly I never go over 60 or so as I use proximity as my benefit for daily use.
how do you setup your mic gain? recently I got the fifine am8 and even at max gain on the mic, the sound wasn't as loud as you sound here. I was using the provided usb cable.
I think the Fduce was the worst sounding one personally. It gives a sort of close cozy feel, which I don't hate, but it's not the truest to real sound. I do think the Shure sounded best, but only with the stuff turned on and only by a tiinnnnnnnny bit. I have the fifine AM8 and this video confirms my personal experience that it is almost indistinguishable from the Shure SM7 despite being less than 1/4 of the price.
Between the fifine am8 and k688 which one is better. I have quiet a deep voice but I’m looking for super clean and crisp audio to make my viewers super engaged
That’s subjective based on your room, sound interface, and more. Go back and listen with good headphones and listen for the background sound. I will say the SM7B without a cloud lifter will probably be the worst
Listening with a V-MODA $300 Headset plugged into my RODE NT USB+ Condenser Mic (Amazing Condenser Mic, but I realized for my needs now, I need a Dynamic Mic cause I have a lot of AC noise in my room being in the southern part of the USA Before I put on these Headphones (FLAT EQ on the headset btw) , I loved the MAONO and Fifine AM8 the most. I would say, if you're considering the RODE POD MIC, you should just get the MAONO cause it sounds almost exactly like it but not as annoyingly bright as the POD MIC. Sound is 8/10 or 9/10 the same as Maono but has way more cooler features and a much better lowky blacked-out color. FIFINE K651 (the funny-looking small mic with the cheap LED display gimmick on the side) sounds absolutely RUBBISH. Steer clear.
Does the dual output (USB & XLR) of AM8 operate alternately or can they be used simultaneously? If they can be used simultaneously, is it possible as a backup in case one of them encounters an issue? How about K688? Can the USB & XLR be used simultaneously? I appreciate your help.
k688 website If there is such a necessary, or maybe for a special two-PC setup, you can even send the signal from the mic to two different places, like your PC and an audio interface or a PA when using it outdoor.
How do you know the exact amount of gain your audio interface is set to? Are there any digital audio interfaces/mixers or do they all just have a gain knob?
I’m torn between Fifine K688 and the Fduce SL40. I like the warm sound of the Fduce but I think the sound of the Fifine is closer to the original. However, I dislike the grey top of the Fifine. Any recommendations on the best value for money?
Hi man, many thanks for such great video. plz help me here. i live in such noisy area and the A/C alone makes lots of noise, which mic do you recommend for me the condenser one or the dynamic one?
Thank you very much, a very nice collection of budget mics, this will help me decide a lot, I'll just have to conisder the new USB Podmic but it shouldn't be very different from this Podmic you got here.
@@DarkenedCyrus If you're going to test Rode Central app could you please test if you can set it how you want and have the preset enabled the next time you plug the mic without having the app running in the background? I would love to see also how it performs from a distance especially against something like the Maono with a "far" preset.
Honestly my favorite was theAM8, i'm with an SL40 rn but didn't like it much, i'm getting a higher noise floor than on my k670, ambient noise rejection is below my expectations, and i'm having some kind of shielding problems, because i hear a low but constant 60Hz.
I would love to see you do a comparison with the fduce and the tonor td510 because I heard another youtuber who doesn't have the fduce mic anymore say they think they might have the same capsule so I'm curious to see if that is true
Please I would like your opinion on this matter. I am planning to start making videos and I really need a mic. I have decided on FIFINE 668 (79$), FIFINE AM8(71$), Razer seiren mini (51$) and Hyper X solocast (69$ nice). Can't go for Fduce (132$) as it is even more expensive than Rode PodMic (120$) where I live. For starting out I don't really need something crazy and would prefer to save as much as I can. Please, any help would be appreciated. Thank you very much.
@@theApexx No.Fifine k688 is similiar to Fifine AM8 . Today I recommend the Maono PD400X.Thats best mic I ever had! (especially with software). (Sorry for my bad english)
Hi! is there a difference in the sound of the original shure SM7B produced in China and the Mexican one released in the same year? maybe have you compared them?
I haven't heard such a bad SM7B sample since this video. Are you sure yours isn't counterfeit? There is a phaser effect in the mids. I feel like it is broken or running way too hot. Really weird. Anyway. I think AM8/K668 and PDX sound very nice.
By far the best is the sm7b in flat mode, its just so bloody pleasent and smooth to the ears. Lovely! After that I liked the fduce on you and was moderatly pleased with the fifine k688. The worst was by far the rocket.
I think that i would want to hear a few tests though; I'm sure you know what you are doing but placement, room voices variables might make a difference. my ranking sm7b, k688, pd400x (very close to k688), podmic, k651, fduce (not clear) Why not put the mv7 on here? It's about 1/2 the cost of the sm7b which seems like it 's way too expensive for casual podcasting it's more i think of a competitor to these mics. For me out of these sm7b is the one i could listen to the longest. I'm not into audio really; i use these for teams and calls and professional presentations. Id probably buy k688 or 400x (i'd need to think about this); I 've seen it for below 50 dollars. If they were all free i'd get sm7b to be honest excluding resale just to use. It's not because it's expensive, it 's the one i'd listen to the longest. I am NOT saying it's worth it. Maybe if i were huge with a big following though i would. I also suspect you could smooth out some of the others in eq if I had to guess. There is also i have a bias though i like really smooth but clear mics. i don't like too much harshness. It gets hard for me to listen to over time and i like clairity. That sound i'm used to and it really suites me. I'd love someone to just copy it exactly (indistinguishable the sound and sell it for 50 dollars. I'd buy that).
I actually like the fduce better than all of them. I was surprised how much better it sounded that the SM7B. IMO the SM7B is just way too harsh, and I've noticed it in many pods where the S sounds drive me nuts with the hissing.
So I’m wondering if I should actually go for the Fduce sl40 since I’m getting a refund for the Fifine ampligame am8 (the usb port is damaged). Looking at the mics again, I can’t really decide between the sl40 or the am8 since in this video, the sl40 sounds great but im familiar with the am8. Any thoughts?
@@DarkenedCyrus It is normally USB but I’m thinking I might get a cheap interface using xlr to test it out (the am8), for the first time. Which interface do you recommend?
I already got the am8 and it is not running well on usb used it with m audio solo it wasn't that good also so im also confused is the podcast the choice or should i get the sl40 i just need something with clear voice and sound also im thinking about the maono neo caster or something as a mixer
YIKES!!!!! The FDUCE was my Favorite. This is a mic that I want to hate because I mean really, they BOOSTED. the low frequencies on it I’m like WHY! It’s not a kick drum mic. But geees it actually sounds great!
K688 sounded the best. Am8 the same maybe, but looks like ass. The maono in second and the shure in third. My rating is stupid because it’s judged off iPhone14pro. But that’s the order off of it.
Just based on the sound and not considering the features or price, this is roughly my list
FDUCE SL40 > K688 > SM7B > PodMic > AM8 > PD400X > K651
I think they all sound good. But if you consider other qualities of the mic then I'd say if you like a warm sounding mic pick either the SL40 or K688. If you want a more natural sounding mic go for the PodMic or AM8.
Honestly, other than the SM7B (just for the price tag) you wont regret going with any of these.
Love this breakdown!
yep i put sl40 above
Hi I am looking for a mic for streaming. Which microphone will be better suited?
Fifine A8($49), AM8($64) and Maono PD200X($51)
Because of your reviews, I bought the K688. What a great microphone. Thanks for all your mic reviews.
Love this!
AM8 and PD400X, to me sounded the best. Both mics sounded great to my ears, and since the PD400X is nearly double the price, I think I'll go with the AM8 and use the extra money towards a good boom arm and possibly a cheap mixer if I want to go XLR route.
I'm thinking of buying the AM8, how is the mic hanging after 6 months?
@@ezush3893 I was literally just talking to a friend about it. Only just got around to buying it a couple months ago but I love it so far and my friends say it sounds good on their end. Bout all I can say on it as I don't stream or record anything yet to give any review on its sound quality. Fixing to get the Fifine articulating arm for it as it takes up too much space on my desk with all my gaming stuff there.
I love the fduce with your voice in particular, but I think for many people it needs to be EQ'd as the bass is really elevated. The AM8 sounds pretty neutral and I think would work for most people right out of the box, and from what I have heard the USB is actually pretty impressive on this mic making it a great entry into audio. The PD400x would probably be my pic out of these, it just sounds just slightly more clear but I think that is just looking for something to pick it. Thank you for the hard work you put into this video.
Omg, you said exactly what turns in my mind...
the Fifine SM8 is my absolute favorite microphone out of all of these. especially considering the sound of the mic as well as the price point and above all i actually ownone
Fifine SM8? u mean AM8?
My preference in order from favorite to least:
Fduce SL40
Fifine K688
Fifine AM8
Sm7b
Rode Podmic
Maono PD400X
Fifine Amplerocket
Shocking, right?
The fduce and maono sounds like the Rode Procaster. The Fifine K688 sounds like the flat SM7B. Thanks for this vlog! 🎉
Thanks for the review❤ I like the k688, what mic you think will work better with rap vocals? I know this may sound silly but I have bad acoustic treatment in my room😢
i love you for getting immediately into the review no frills just content
Thanks!
Honestly for the price the fduce sounds great. I’m sure with my Apollo twin quad and a bit of eq I can make it sound as full as the sm7b and even add some clarity and brightness. Awesome review
I was surprised myself as I didn’t think it would perform as good as it did. Thanks for the love
i just ordered an AM8 two days ago after exploring all possibilities even expensive mic live mv7, nt usb+ etc..
I'm happy about my choice, it'll be waaaay enough ! This AM8 sounds really great to me compared to expensive options ! I'm impatient to receive it !
Love this!
Hey man are you still using the am8?
@@CalmFrog No i sold it now and bought a podmic usb
why did you sold it?@@Al3xDk
@@Al3xDk why’d you sell it?
November 2024 here. For anybody with decent preamps, the SM7b is a bargain on the used market right now, probably because Shure came out with the SM7db, which I think makes some good sense for anybody new to recording audio and not wanting to dig too deep into it. Meanwhile, I shopped around for awhile and found an open box 7b for about $150. So yeah, if you dont need the extra gain of the 7db to get a good sound, or are more audio-focused than cheap basic podcast focused, the SM7b is a no-brainer on the used market right now, but you need to have the pres.
Love this insight here!
PD400x all day, but right out of the Box, the FDUCE with THIS GUYS VOICE sounds great. I bet with the "DARK" (Warm, Boosted lows) setting, the Maono would outshine that mic any day cause of how good it already sounds just in general. It sounds so natural. If you watch this guys video based solely on the PD400x, it sounded mind-blowing for the price once he puts on the included EQ at the touch of a button (if using via USB connection)
That PD400X sounds so smooth, thanks for the video it's actually really helped me in finally making a decision around a mic
Glad I could help!
why the sm7b sounds a bit like its in a can? Love the K688 and Podmic
@@thePeakyDuck it's a mic from 60s/70s. I dont think it's a good option anymore. I prefer tlm103 from neumann
i can only speak for Fifine K688 and it's great. if your like me and always have a lot of background noise your gonna want a dynamic mic. That running with Nvidia Broadcast is such a game changer. No one will be pissed at you for the background noise because Nvidia Broadcast AI cancels out the noise. Sorry if you have an AMD card your short.
I think the Podmic is probably my 1st, closely followed by K688 then Fduce (if the bass got taken out a bit I'd say Podmic>Fcude>K688). The rest I could probably take or leave, with not a massive difference between them, with Amplirocket in solid last place. The best way I can describe what I'm hearing is that Podmic and K688 are closest to what I'd consider a voice in the room and not through a mic?
I like the SL40 if I was going for a radio voice, but for accuracy I was very impressed from the K688, and am now leaning toward investing in that one.
Love it and both are great options for the price. Definitely go with what you feel is most versatile for what you are needing
I hear an echo on the Shure SM78, personally I think the Maono PD400x or the AM8 sounds best default
Love this feedback
Hello. Please advise which of the microphones in your opinion worked better on usb maono pd400x or fifine k688?
What I really wanted to know was the db but I didn't expect it to be included. Very happy with how you put this together!
Love this!!!
One thing that could've been done differently is doing a blind test on each microphone; it was difficult to note the best sounding one for my ears with some bias towards certain microphones already (looking at the dual USB/XLR lol)
Totally could have. I’ve done that before also. The only microphone that was USB only was the amplirocket. The rest we’re using XLR, but several have a USB option as well. Will keep this in mind for thebfuture
@@DarkenedCyrus tbh this would be the test to rule them all
Thank you for the insight. I’ve done blind tests before and know this would have been a great opportunity to do it again
The Amplirocket was the worst imo, very muffled sound. Personally, I think I'd choose between K688 and AM8, leaning towards K688 just because of the looks lol. Too bad the FDUCE sounds too boomy for my taste because I dig the MV7 look.
Love this description. I agree the amplirocket is the worst sounding of the group. The K688 is a great choice!
@@DarkenedCyrus Buying one of my dream mics, BEACN and MV7, is now basically impossible to justify with K688 being only 1/3 of the cost. Although for the type of content I do, Corsair HS80 mic is more than enough atm haha
Then stick with what works for you now. When you notice the need, upgrade then!
My personal favorite is the maono pd400x and slightly below that is the fduce, so in my opinion if you want a good software and a very sleek design for a microphone, get the pd400x, but if you’re on a tighter budget and just need a good quality dynamic microphone, get the fduce. And if you really want any budget products, go to maono, great brand for budget microphones and audio interfaces, also fifine is great too. Anyways, this would be my final list, maono pd400x > fduce sl40 > fifine k688 > shure sm7b > fifine am8 > rode podmic > fifine k51/amplirocket.
Why u think pd400x is better than rode podmic?
@@LateefHussain-tk6es personal preference. Oh and, I have a shure sm7b now so no worries about choosing anything anymore
In my opinion the most expensive sound the worst I dont know if anyone hear but it sound like your voice was making it jiggle a bit even though you were not moving. Or sounded like your voice was going in the mic housing and getting reverbing of the mic body. Would have been nice to hear them in usb as well but still great video especially the end when you went through a sound test between them all.
Thanks for this test without complicated words et technical specification. Directly to what we want.
For me 1= FDUCE SL40 ; 2= Fifine AM68
K688 just sounds so smooth, with no harsh, simbalant noise or crackle that could trigger someone's misophonia. I could see the problem with this being a poor presence in a sound mix or ability to cut through background noise if listening through speakers in a noisy environment. You could argue it's not "accurate" in terms of frequency response. However, it is pleasant on the ears, particularly when listening through headphones.
Fifine K688 sounds so nice. thanks for the review
Definitely FEDUCE SL40 best on price and sound !!!
Dang! I also thought it had a great sound
@@DarkenedCyrus i check like 20 or 30 reviews of mics and this was for me the best one so i decide to buy it now i have it !!! thanks for your reviews
@@RafuchoGaming after 4 months i wanna are u happy with it?
I'm about to buy it
It's too boomy
@@RafuchoGaming are you happy wirh it? it is really good?
Thank you for the review. I know i sound kinda meh, but I wish you could also add xm8500, sm58 and RE20 to the comparison.
Solid mics for sure. Need to get my hands on them!
I love the sound of dynamic mics. That Maono sounds great imo.
I actually bought the fduce sl40. Great mic!
Good choice!
This was a great video because after reading through some comments, I got to actually hear what the LISTENERS prefer... and that's who my audience will be! Thank you for putting in the work to make this video, it helped me narrow down my entry-level choice :)
Love this comment!!!!!
great video & instantly subbed. i use an old razer mic serien x but it's really old now and i'm sick of hearing my breath & egery noise in the room while editing, i think i should go for a dynamic mic i cant afford sm7b and with xlr so need something that's gonna cost around 150-200 in total
Love this! Really Budget? Go FIFINE AM8 for $50. Want XLR and need budget? go FIFINE AM8 and FIFINE SC3 mixer for $100. Want more flexibility on sound? Go Wave XLR and FIFINE AM8.
Don't like the AM8? Sub that out for the K688 or any of the other mics
thanks for the reply !! so you think it's better to go for like Wave XLR & AM8 than buying a usb mic like rode nt usb plus for the same price ? @@DarkenedCyrus
@frostfearen 100%
@frostfearen that being said, the AM8 does USB and XLR, so you could just get the mic and be done
uuu that sounds better, thank you for all the replies!! @@DarkenedCyrus
FDUCE SL40 and the Rode PodMic were my favs
Hello! Bought and sold the AM8 recently because I always wanted the k688. Although it was good I was wondering if the k688 sounds better for singing or music production?
Seeing as both are very similar with what I feel is the exact same sensor, I don’t think you will gain anything that is noticeable if you switch. Just my thoughts here
Hey please help i am stuck between k688 and Am8 i like the design of k688 but from review there is mention tha am8 has better sound so which one should i get without thinking of price
You’re right! Ended up repurchasing the AM8 after finding out it suits my voice a little bit better and that it’s just better out the box in general. Thanks for the response, still coming back and watching your videos when I need information on mics!
Brother which software do you use to edit voiceover and video it's amazing.I need a deep bass voice for my podcast videos what should I do ?
And what are good quality boom arms should I invest fro long run
Thanks
Which one of these would you recommend?
I definitely have my opinion, but would ask what sound did you like the most? Take cost out of the equation
hey!, quick question, do you prefer the am8 or sl40?
Am8
i don't know why but the rode , for me, made a better impression than the others. The sound is clear and without any noise. All the comments that i've read are the opposite of mine. what i'm not considering in my evaluation? i hear a lot of imperfection on the others or these are more strong. Maybe i don't have the best setup, maybe i don't have experiece, i hope someone could answer my questions. ( i'm not considering the cost, only based on the sound)
With dynamic mic's, you are striking a balance between pickup and suppression.
Similar to how bose speakers are bright, the Rode was picking up a nice wide range, but it also had a tinny sound to the highs. Personally I hate that tinny sound, so I'd rather lose/muddy just a tiny bit to stay away from that. Having been a church and dance scene audio guy, that's really hard to just fix. On the fly, all I could do was cut the highs a lot - and there went your definition, _but it still usually keeps some of that tinny quality._
The Maono pd400x struck a nice balance for me. It had nice smooth mids and lows and lacked the tinny highs. It sounded like I could boost the highs a bit if needed without going tinny.
The k651 sounded way too muddied. There's no way to boost or drop frequencies to fix that. I'm guessing people who liked that are so very tired of tinny poppy bright mics that they don't want any highs or any definition to the sound.
I'd definitely take your pick over the k651's, because I could at least minimize the tinny sounds and take advantage of low and mid range definition.
*If you want a better feel* for what I'm talking about with the tinny sounds being harsh, try listening to "big band era" music with lots of brass instruments.
It's great dance music, but a lot of the recordings are really bad, and if you lack a good sound system, both things cause the brass to screech badly (harsh/shrill to the ears).
I'm not a sound engineer, so I'm not editing the waves. All I can really do is drop the highs enough to reduce the ear sore.
If a mic is doing that to your voice, you either need sound engineer skills or similar. You might have to make the highs you liked sound dull.
PS final tip from worship music soundboard experience: everyone's voice has a few characteristic tones that sound very them. Default tuning for me was to drop the highs (even for female singers), then use an overboosted sweep to find their nice tones. drop them to a more reasonable boost in that. If you have several people (or similar instruments) keep them distinct, so choose the further apart tones or even push slightly to the edges to make a little space between singers. Typically, I found a minor boost in mids helps a lot too, but the sweep-picked tone matters far more and keeps the whole thing away from tinny and feeling more true to their voice.
FDUCE SL40 really impressed me!
Me too!
favorite based on the mic that sounds the most "broadcast" that is the fduce sl40........ the least favorite would be the Rode Podmic, it just really is hurting for some bottom end.... however if we were judging the microphone best suited to bludgeon someone then the Rode Podmic would win....
It is definitely the mic I’d throw at an intruder.
I don't know why but the Fifine K688 and the Fifine AM8 sound almost identical to me.
I think they have the same capsule. Literally recording a comparison video today on this
Hello There ,
I Think The Best Sounding Mics Are Am8 and the PD400X
But i Cant Hear A Noticeable Difference Between Them.
It Could Be Because of My Poor Speaker Quality.
I Just Want To Know Which Sounds Better. Thankyou
Are any of those good for singing?
Does the k688 pick up more breathing sounds ?
CXoming back to this video, I've taken an interest in the Podmic since I now have the Scarlett Solo interface. I know that using the scarlett the podmic is going to be a good combo, but it seems that it also needs a cloudlifter. Would it be better to stick with my Fifine am8 + scarlett or upgrade to the podmic + scarlett, without a cloudlifter for the podmic? And also, what budget cloudlifter/booster would you recommend for the podmic?
Go for the Tonor preamp. Looks just like the cloudlifter and I use it myself. Works great.
Also, just stick with the AM8 unless you just want to get a different mic. I think the AM8 sounds better out of box
@@DarkenedCyrus Awesome. So the setup would be Mic > Preamp > Interface > PC? And the purpose of the preamp is to add gain to the interface so that the gain on the interface can be turned down?
It was very helpful to compare the sound quality of various microphones that I was interested in. thank you
I will just start with... The worst sounding here was SM7B. And i know its a reason for it, its a mic thats need good amount power.
But i also hear røde pod mic sound that good in this test, so i dont know what to say, if you go budget, go a cheap preamp and a cheap mic mby?
I have rødecaster duo and røde pod mic now, and its working hella good.
worked good with goxlr mini and regular aswell, had shure sm7b with cloudlifter on xlr mini, and you dont get what the mic can give with right power.
So mby now take the test again with røde caster 2/duo or something that can make it fair to all the mic's?
good video tho, its always fun to see tests like this :)
Maybe so, but I did push a good amount of gain through the mic for an appropriate level on my end. Cloud lifter also isn’t required if the preamp has enough gain that it can provide (most of my interfaces can push 75db of gain, and honestly I never go over 60 or so as I use proximity as my benefit for daily use.
For me it is the sm7b. It is really easy to listen too, no peaks, no overbearing mids or bass, just smooth audio. The k688 gets very close
Maono just sounds so good!!
how do you setup your mic gain? recently I got the fifine am8 and even at max gain on the mic, the sound wasn't as loud as you sound here. I was using the provided usb cable.
Make sure to go into windows sound settings and turn up the volume there first
FDUCE SL40 sounds the best i use the SL40x btw so the version without USB so XLR only .
With mic should I buy for streaming games?
You are amazing thank you so much its so fucking annoying the fact that no other ytbers are covering budget dynamic mics u the goat fr
Thanks bro!
I think the Fduce was the worst sounding one personally. It gives a sort of close cozy feel, which I don't hate, but it's not the truest to real sound. I do think the Shure sounded best, but only with the stuff turned on and only by a tiinnnnnnnny bit. I have the fifine AM8 and this video confirms my personal experience that it is almost indistinguishable from the Shure SM7 despite being less than 1/4 of the price.
Between the fifine am8 and k688 which one is better. I have quiet a deep voice but I’m looking for super clean and crisp audio to make my viewers super engaged
Both will be great. I prefer the clean look of the K688
@@DarkenedCyrus Thanks. I went ahead and ordered the K688 for a professional look. I don't like the RGB
Which of these budget dynamic mics handles background noise rejection the best?
That’s subjective based on your room, sound interface, and more. Go back and listen with good headphones and listen for the background sound. I will say the SM7B without a cloud lifter will probably be the worst
The Rode PodMic had a very crisp, clear sound. I think this was a great comparison.
Just had to make me a liar this morning 😂😂😂... Love it! Keep up the great vids!
lol, thanks!
Listening with a V-MODA $300 Headset plugged into my RODE NT USB+ Condenser Mic (Amazing Condenser Mic, but I realized for my needs now, I need a Dynamic Mic cause I have a lot of AC noise in my room being in the southern part of the USA
Before I put on these Headphones (FLAT EQ on the headset btw) , I loved the MAONO and Fifine AM8 the most.
I would say, if you're considering the RODE POD MIC, you should just get the MAONO cause it sounds almost exactly like it but not as annoyingly bright as the POD MIC. Sound is 8/10 or 9/10 the same as Maono but has way more cooler features and a much better lowky blacked-out color.
FIFINE K651 (the funny-looking small mic with the cheap LED display gimmick on the side) sounds absolutely RUBBISH. Steer clear.
Does the dual output (USB & XLR) of AM8 operate alternately or can they be used simultaneously? If they can be used simultaneously, is it possible as a backup in case one of them encounters an issue? How about K688? Can the USB & XLR be used simultaneously? I appreciate your help.
k688 website
If there is such a necessary, or maybe for a special two-PC setup, you can even send the signal from the mic to two different places, like your PC and an audio interface or a PA when using it outdoor.
I have to wonder which of these would be best for harsh/screamed vocals tbh. I really dont even know what i should look for
I am here for the same thing lol been looking for a good to do some metal/grunge vocals
Thank you for showing us how these microphones sound!
How do you know the exact amount of gain your audio interface is set to? Are there any digital audio interfaces/mixers or do they all just have a gain knob?
The interface tells me the exact number in their software. Most with an accompanying software will tell you the gain numbers
@@DarkenedCyrus That's interesting because the only thing in my Focusrite solo software is to enable Air mode or change my sample rate.
I’m torn between Fifine K688 and the Fduce SL40. I like the warm sound of the Fduce but I think the sound of the Fifine is closer to the original. However, I dislike the grey top of the Fifine. Any recommendations on the best value for money?
What did you get?
Hi man, many thanks for such great video. plz help me here. i live in such noisy area and the A/C alone makes lots of noise, which mic do you recommend for me the condenser one or the dynamic one?
I would go dynamic, but you need to get that mic close to you so you don’t have to crank the gain
Thank you very much, a very nice collection of budget mics, this will help me decide a lot, I'll just have to conisder the new USB Podmic but it shouldn't be very different from this Podmic you got here.
Just got the PodMic USB in for review. Video up later this week on it
@@DarkenedCyrus glad to here, I'll be waiting for your review.
@@DarkenedCyrus If you're going to test Rode Central app could you please test if you can set it how you want and have the preset enabled the next time you plug the mic without having the app running in the background? I would love to see also how it performs from a distance especially against something like the Maono with a "far" preset.
Honestly my favorite was theAM8, i'm with an SL40 rn but didn't like it much, i'm getting a higher noise floor than on my k670, ambient noise rejection is below my expectations, and i'm having some kind of shielding problems, because i hear a low but constant 60Hz.
HI I NEED HELP, which mic is the best out of Fifine am8, fifine a8, fifine t683 and maono pd400x
maono pd400x
I would love to see you do a comparison with the fduce and the tonor td510 because I heard another youtuber who doesn't have the fduce mic anymore say they think they might have the same capsule so I'm curious to see if that is true
IMO worst is the Rode, and tied for first because of the two different sound styles are the FDUCE and the Maono.
Please I would like your opinion on this matter. I am planning to start making videos and I really need a mic. I have decided on FIFINE 668 (79$), FIFINE AM8(71$), Razer seiren mini (51$) and Hyper X solocast (69$ nice). Can't go for Fduce (132$) as it is even more expensive than Rode PodMic (120$) where I live. For starting out I don't really need something crazy and would prefer to save as much as I can. Please, any help would be appreciated. Thank you very much.
I have AM8 and K688 and they are both very good in my opinion (Sorry for my bad english)
I have the AM8 but I feel I need to talk too close to get the sound I want. Is the K688 at least slightly better?
@@theApexx No.Fifine k688 is similiar to Fifine AM8 . Today I recommend the Maono PD400X.Thats best mic I ever had! (especially with software). (Sorry for my bad english)
Hi! is there a difference in the sound of the original shure SM7B produced in China and the Mexican one released in the same year? maybe have you compared them?
I haven’t compared them nor did I know that was a thing. I’ll look into it. The mic I have is a genuine Shure and not a knockoff though
Can you review the Elgato Wave DX and compare it to the Fifine K688?
I've had people ask for this comparison so many times now. Seems I need to pick one up!
@@DarkenedCyrus Oh yeah thanks that will be awesome!
I haven't heard such a bad SM7B sample since this video. Are you sure yours isn't counterfeit? There is a phaser effect in the mids. I feel like it is broken or running way too hot. Really weird. Anyway. I think AM8/K668 and PDX sound very nice.
Totally a real one and not broken! This is a raw sample, not EQ'd and adjusted as many do.
Great job man. Don't you think the FDUCE ended up a bit louder than the other mics? I was impressed by the Rode Podmic.
By far the best is the sm7b in flat mode, its just so bloody pleasent and smooth to the ears. Lovely! After that I liked the fduce on you and was moderatly pleased with the fifine k688. The worst was by far the rocket.
I must be a complete noob. I didn’t like the FDUCE as much as everyone else. My top three are Maono, Rode, and Fifine Amp8. Shure right there though.
what is the microphone you are holding in your hand?
Rode Wireless Go 2 on the interview handle
I think that i would want to hear a few tests though; I'm sure you know what you are doing but placement, room voices variables might make a difference.
my ranking
sm7b, k688, pd400x (very close to k688), podmic, k651, fduce (not clear)
Why not put the mv7 on here? It's about 1/2 the cost of the sm7b which seems like it 's way too expensive for casual podcasting it's more i think of a competitor to these mics. For me out of these sm7b is the one i could listen to the longest.
I'm not into audio really; i use these for teams and calls and professional presentations. Id probably buy k688 or 400x (i'd need to think about this); I 've seen it for below 50 dollars. If they were all free i'd get sm7b to be honest excluding resale just to use. It's not because it's expensive, it 's the one i'd listen to the longest. I am NOT saying it's worth it. Maybe if i were huge with a big following though i would. I also suspect you could smooth out some of the others in eq if I had to guess. There is also
i have a bias though i like really smooth but clear mics. i don't like too much harshness. It gets hard for me to listen to over time and i like clairity. That sound i'm used to and it really suites me. I'd love someone to just copy it exactly (indistinguishable the sound and sell it for 50 dollars. I'd buy that).
I actually like the fduce better than all of them. I was surprised how much better it sounded that the SM7B. IMO the SM7B is just way too harsh, and I've noticed it in many pods where the S sounds drive me nuts with the hissing.
So I’m wondering if I should actually go for the Fduce sl40 since I’m getting a refund for the Fifine ampligame am8 (the usb port is damaged). Looking at the mics again, I can’t really decide between the sl40 or the am8 since in this video, the sl40 sounds great but im familiar with the am8. Any thoughts?
If going USB, go AM8
@@DarkenedCyrus It is normally USB but I’m thinking I might get a cheap interface using xlr to test it out (the am8), for the first time. Which interface do you recommend?
I already got the am8 and it is not running well on usb used it with m audio solo it wasn't that good also so im also confused is the podcast the choice or should i get the sl40 i just need something with clear voice and sound also im thinking about the maono neo caster or something as a mixer
@saudfaleh6436 how far away are you running the mic? It’s designed as a dynamic mic to be closer to the source
Fifine Am8 and K688 sound amazing
Agreed!
YIKES!!!!! The FDUCE was my Favorite. This is a mic that I want to hate because I mean really, they BOOSTED. the low frequencies on it I’m like WHY! It’s not a kick drum mic. But geees it actually sounds great!
Bro I Wanna Sold My Rode Pod Mic Usb I Don't Khow How To Use It So IF Someone Need I Have😇❤️
Are any of those noise cancellations mic 🎙️??
You forgot a good one that beats Fifine. VeGue VM70. Replace the windscreen with SM7B windscreen and it's 10x better.
Didn’t forget it, just don’t own it to test. Will have to check it out
i love the fifine k688 the best
K688 sounded the best. Am8 the same maybe, but looks like ass. The maono in second and the shure in third. My rating is stupid because it’s judged off iPhone14pro. But that’s the order off of it.
Should try the XM8500 so much value although they are like $20, there is the SM58 (same capsule to SM7B) with the SM7B 3D printed housing.
The K688 is a very good mic. No brittleness, just a warm round sound without being boomy. I like it.
Got the k688 fifine after watching this. But mine sounds like a dog idk why even on phantom power xlr
It doesn’t need phantom power!
@@DarkenedCyrus but if I have it on it shouldn’t matter right ?
Mine just doesn’t sound as good. Is there any driver installation needed ?
What boom arm can work with the Fifine AM8?
I got the fifine boom arm , very good
@@Makavelii-yf3sg Okay, Thanks! 👌
I can see you have wave xlr. Have you tried wave dx by any chance? how does it compare to am8?
Would love to get my hands on one of these mics to test honestly
Maono PD400X is a clear winner if you have extra cash laying around, if not, FDUCE SL40 is the best choice here.
FDUCE SL40 (the one i like) did sound so close to the SM7B
K688 or Feduce sl40
the maono pd400x or the fifine k688 are the best budget option in my opinion, but if you had a higher budget, definitely go for the Shure SM7B