MXLMCA-SP1 Affordable Studio Condenser Microhpone.

You're going to see people say these words a lot on this website; especially concerning musical instruments and microphones:"Wow, sounds like it costs 3 or 4 times more."Okay; well we all know that that's not always true...I just got this microphone in today. This microphone is worth 10 times what I paid - literally.IT takes about 100 hours of pure research to come to any real educated understanding about anything. That's exactly what I did for many long nights...I was drained. I knew I did not have much money to spend, but what is the point in getting a microphone that is not useful? So in the middle of browsing around on eBay, I literally prayed to God, "Please, just guide me right to the microphone that I should pick." yeah. I know. There are people suffering in the world, so it is hard to believe that He would answer that prayer.Well, the proof is in the pudding. Those that are suffering really need to pray to Him more because if He was willing to guide me to this product - what a tiny little action - imagine what He is really willing to do.This microphone popped up on ebay the moment my prayer was over. LITERALLY. That very moment.$58 with shipping for this condenser microphone simply ends all of your research. It's over; for those of you on a budget. And even for those not on a budget - pick this up and prove me wrong.It's ridiculous how happy you will be with this microphone. Make sure that you also get a decent cord, 3-pin XLR male and female - and make sure that you have a device that provides "Phantom power". If your DAW has a spot to plug in a 3-pin XLR, then it might have phantom power also - look on the back for a switch that says, "+48v".If you experience hissing or fuzz when you first try the microphone, judge your cord first. Replace the cord first. If that does not fix the problem, then lean towards your computer/Digital audio workstation - if you still haven't found the problem, then start to worry about the microphone.But this microphone is so crisp and clean. I turned up the trim and gain at maximum and got NO HISS OR FUZZ. But I did hear my cat licking herself in the next room.My voice sounds good low and high. No frequencies seem to be cancelling out. Nothing seems to be lost. I played my new acoustic guitar while singing with the microphone set back a little ways with my headphones on. NO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE. Each and every individual sound rang clear and proud all throughout.You don't understand how impressed you are going to be with this product; especially for the price.Get it noooo[...]

To clarify... this is not a 5 star mic. I gave it 5 stars because according to Amazon it means you love the item, which I do. But don't confuse this with the same star system hotes use! The mics look larger in the photos. They are about the length of an adult male's hand. The packaging is really cheap looking, almost like something you'd find at CVS when you buy a shaver or something. The mic clip is useable at best. I will probaby seek out a new bolt and screw for tightening the angle, as this one is chinsy. There is no shock mount included. The build quality is pretty decent. But the part I love the most is the sound. I used 2 of them for overheads on a drum set. They really sounded clear. They do color the sound slightly, but that could also be my room that I'm hearing. Overall, they are perfect for the home studio enthusiast. I won't deny, I think they add a nice visual quality too when they're hanging up there above the kit. If you do more research on the net you'll see that I'm not in the minority when it comes to loving these things.

The mic is good but I bought two and both packages were open when I received them. I doubt they were unused and that's disrespectful towards the customer.

This is a fantastic and versatile mic. With a decent pre-amp, you will love what you hear recorded with it. I've thrown it in front of saxophone, guitar amp, and yes, vocalists, and it all sounds quite excellent through this mic. It is crisp, clear, and clean. At this price, I don't think it can be beat for a small diaphragm condenser. I also bought an inexpensive shock-mount (the Nady SSM-3 Shock Mount fits it) and a double filter windscreen, and I am very satisfied with it for an entry level recording set-up.

This is a good mic to modify. Not great stock but put a mic-parts capsule in it and it really sounds good.Good music to you!

I'm an independent recording artist on a VERY LOW budget. I research everything before I buy so I can make sure I'm not buying a dud. Well, I bought a dud mic when I purchased the MCA SP-2. I figured "how bad could it be?" It's bad. I didn't know how bad until I started comparing it's sound to some of my other mics. The SP-2 leaves a lot to be desired. It's muddy and muffled.So, I began my search for a replacement, in the same price range of course, well under $100. I found an expert review of the MCA SP-1 at RecordingHacks.com, and after kicking myself in the butt for not buying it the first time around I went looking. Apparently there aren't many left out there, but I found one through Amazon and snagged it. The sound quality is heads and tails above the SP-2, lesson learned.I do not work for RecordingHacks, but they provide a lot of info and peace of mind for low-budget home recording engineers out there looking for decent, affordable mics. Go read the review of the SP-1 and then hightail it back here and buy one, if there are any left.

So I bought the mca sp1 and It came quickly. I plugged my XLR to XLR into my phantom power supply, then ran the output(XLR to USB) into my PC. When I tried to test it, notthing came out. I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong, but if so, then I'm down $55!!