That's because companies haphazardly slap "gaming" on various items at inflated prices, and ignorant "gamers" buy into the marketing, expecting these products to be somehow superior.
No joke, recorded several demos with my band using that mic running direct into my Compaq Presario edited in Cool Edit in the late 90s. Seriously sounded half decent in this video
I honestly thought you must have had a lav mic on or something at first because it actually sounded so much better than I anticipated, but when it was clear that it was the actual mic, I was impressed. It also brought back a whole rush of nostalgia. That plastic has "soon to be stained yellow from time and all of your dad's cigarette smoke" look that the 90's really nailed.
In fact, the difference is only in the design of the case. This microphone has approximately the same electret capsule as in a lavalier or, as well as in a cheap cassette recorder. With a good sound card (or whatever it's plugged into) it might sound good. Quite enough for voiceovers.
Not QUITE how I remember it sounding for me back in the 90s. Genuinely thought you were using a different mic at first and pretending to be capturing your audio with this thing! Going to give my 11 year old self a call later and let them know the true potential of this obviously rather legendary microphone.
I know it's an April Fools thing, but I'm really glad you did this. Looking back at a mic that even people who didn't grow up while it was ubiquitous can recognize. There are still millions of them (and the even cheaper copies) out there, and I still see them pop up in zoom meetings. Pretty sure I've got one in my office somewhere. And you know what? Used properly, it doesn't sound bad at all. It's not studio grade, but spoken word is fine, and I quite liked the music test!
This sounds WAY better than it did plugged into my pci sound blaster sound card in the 90s. Would definitely buy it over the Neuman (sp?)... Because I don't have 3k to blow on a mic.
Can we talk about how double sided sticky foam tape was an acceptable commercial mounting solution in the 90s for things that mounted to your CRT monitor?
Bandrew, thank you for committing to a thorough test of this, to put to rest once and for all any foolish claims that you don't need more mic than this for serious recording. That said, this thing sounded far better than I expected. That may have to do with the XLR adapter/Focusrite setup you were using it with.
I thnk it absolutely has to do with that. Most people connect these direct to a motherboard mic input which is the way to gget the worst sound of the mic. But it was surprisingly useable.
It's an OEM model. It's not discontinued, it's been and it is still being reviewed nowadays in youtube from time to time. Because it is still being sold under a dozen of different brands. You can find it under the name of Trust Primo, NGS MS102, Ewent EW3550, etc.
Holy shit you just unlocked a memory from my childhood. I had this mic when I was a kid. Got it for $1 at the Flea Market and used it as my main mic to talk shit in CS1.6 for years. I completely forgot this existed!
For a while, you had me. I was going to rummage through all the vintage garbage I have in my garage to see if I still have my old Creative Labs microphone which was bundled with some Sound Blaster card, see if it's a rebranded Labtec and add it to my collection of microphones I seldom use. You stimulated a nostalgic Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Nice video.
This saved my Friday. Thank you. What makes this perfect... when I took my present job 4 years ago, I asked IT to set me up with ability to do zoom calls on my desktop.. they brought me this microphone and the matching set of speakers..
This mic has perfect audio recreation, it is the best Mic ever reviewed on this channel. The Electric guitar did not make my ears bleed at all. The noise rejection didn't sound like I was living in a tumble dryer. Why did they ever stop making this mic 😪
Loved everything about this, including the mic. I had one of these 20+ years ago. Eventually it broke and I taped it inside of an acoustic guitar and made some really neat recordings. Might need to find one of these again now.
That's for the exceptional review. I've been considering picking one of these microphones up for a really long time, and thanks to you I've finally got the confidence to make a decision!
This whole bit is great. Look forward to more like this. Background pics nailed it. They brought back lots of memories for those of us old enough to remember the complexity of the world then. No joke! Seriously - that mic could help a lot people now days sound better on ZOOM.
One of my college roommates had this mic. He recorded music parodies, answering machine messages, etc., but where it really shined was when we recorded replacement dialog and effects for Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2 with our friends. Good times!
Just looking at the thumbnail i knew it was an april fools joke, still looked at the video, and was not disappointed. You might have gave me the best laugh in weeks. Even if it was an april fool, the content was great. Thanks for your dedication on testing these mics!
For me as physicist the name Labtec AM-242 sounded very expensive so I tried to check the price if this is affordable before viewing the video ... no link in your description: Strange ... Really funny how you tested this mic against a slightly more expensive Neumann ... and this old plasticky thing is really not bad, your words are clearly transmitted! Have a nice weekend - Michael
This is brilliant. Definitely one of my favorites, and I can't wait to see what you have next year. The start of that smirk at 4:30 had me laughing so hard! Great stuff!
The notification for this genuinely stopped me in my tracks and caused me to lol. Also hits too close to home considering I had various models of this type of mic about 20 years ago
This was probably the first mic that I had or some variation on this. I always cite a radio shack dynamic as my first mic, but this type of mic was really the first.
I used to use one of these for recording birds. It was excellent. I tried several other mics against it that I thought would've been better, but this one was always the best.
Not going to lie, this mic still lives on my desk. It’s my go to solution for temp VO on projects as I’ve never bothered to get a proper usb mic or different 3.5mm mic since I’ve always had this just living on my desk on its low profile stand.
Totally agree, that fuzz guitar sounded pretty good and the off axis rejection was quite impressive for a stick. This honestly sounds way better than I would have imagined. Also, why did you do this instead of reviewing a real quality microphone? Because sometimes you just have to be silly. And sometimes having fun is a lot of work, but the laugh is worth it.
Amazing April Fool's video; had a good chuckle at the comparison Not gonna lie, this mic has really saved me in a spot a couple times. I had a terrible first mic when I started recording my voice for videos (2008); an absolutely hideous headset, and even worse for voice acting. My grandma had the Labtec at her house for around a decade but hardly ever used it. Always used to see it just laying around in her computer room. Around a year after I got that headset, I finally got curious enough to ask if I could have her old mic and my grandma gave me the go-ahead. Was actually blown away by how it sounded. _Much_ clearer (though I wish I had known how to do noise removal at the time because the hiss got worse over time), perfect for a teenager with no money. Used it on my family's Windows XP computer for around 5-6 years Fast-forward 8 years later, finally have a computer that's truly my own. I had (and still have) a much more decent headset, but still not ideal for voice acting. Recording from the Samsung Galaxy S4 (which itself has a microphone that sounds better than it has any right to) wasn't gonna cut it anymore, and the Labtec AM-242 once again came in clutch. A good amount of that hiss was gone, good since I was still too dumb to figure out noise removal. Perfect for a twenty-something with no money Obviously no comparison to the Samson Q2U that replaced it about half a year later, but I've always appreciated the little thing. Legit wanna put it in a display whenever I can finally get that set up. Perfect for a (almost-)thirty-something with no money
There is a reason U87s are designated as simple stage mics. They don't hold up well in a studio. The labtec is a great mic! Will be looking to get one soon.
I've owned a few of those style mini-boom mics. They were decent sounding for a cheap electret mic. I paid about $5-$25 for em. Useful as a utility mic. Great for getting in just the right spot, or taping to stuff for hard to mic areas on guitars. The biggest issue I had was the cord failing. Nearly impossible to replace. Otherwise quite tough. The freq response is suprisingly flat, with a (iirc) 4k bump likely from the design of the mic body. Talk shit all you want, but these were decent for a 90's 1/8th inch offering. Far better than a period noname dynamic in the same price-range.
I love this video. It might be just a silly April Fool's thing to most people, but to me this proves that it really doesn't matter what gear you have - You can just grab a microphone, any micropphone, and record something amazing. (5 points if you guess who I stole this quote from) Thanks Bandrew, for all the amazing information you provide. 'This may have been your silliest video, but also at the same time the most informative.
AARGH talk about a nostalgia trip- i remember these things being sold as the 'Creative Multimedia Microphone' bundled with Sound Blasters - by god they were awful - not even up to picking up audio for sound reactive VJing lol. Youre not kidding that the time before 9/11 was simpler, and we also cared about each other a lot more. We've been taught to live in metaphorical bunkers for the last 20 years.
I had at least two of these (they broke easily) in the late '90's. They didn't sound as good as the result you got, but then I was plugging them into the mic input of a Sound Blaster, not a pro mic preamp. I never realized how decent this silly thing could sound when used for its intended purpose, which was picking up a voice about a half a foot away. Inside there's nothing but an omnidirectional electret capsule, the kind that used to sell at Radio Shack for 49 cents. It's the weird venting of the case that makes it sort of half cardioid and half figure-8. I never stuck mine to the side of the monitor because if you got it that close to a CRT it picked up all kinds of buzzes and interference.
There was a time when you could find these Labtec mics in really good condition at Goodwill for about $3. Sadly, those days are gone. The vintage ones go for big bucks on ebay.
I had a knock-off of that mic with omni polar pattern. Picked up all reflections of the walls, but I still recorded a whole album of music with it... sadist
God, I want it back so bad. The simpler times. Everything felt so much different and I will say it, better. This mic hits a soft spot for me, takes me right back
Finally someone shows how an April 1st video is supposed to be done. While still offering content VALUE, jovial jocularity runs rampant. Bravo dear sir. Bravo!
OK, now I kinda want to see a sound comparison with a couple of super cheap current production mics. Like, is it better than the $8 ZRAMO branded microphone I found on Amazon? I legitimately want to know.
This is hilarious, but legit this mic still sounds better than most gaming headsets.
Better than every headset below 30 bucks.
everything sounds better than gaming headsets
@@gutsuthemasterchef 200*
That's because companies haphazardly slap "gaming" on various items at inflated prices, and ignorant "gamers" buy into the marketing, expecting these products to be somehow superior.
@@gutsuthemasterchef More like every single one except maybe the MMX300. Even the high-end sennheiser ones sound like shit.
I used to record my entire band with a mic like this into a compaq windows 95 laptop running audacity. it was awesome.
Same here, but I used windows sound recorder.
Me three! Pirated N-Track Studio.
With me it was a Sony D6
weren’t we all there at some point
No joke, recorded several demos with my band using that mic running direct into my Compaq Presario edited in Cool Edit in the late 90s. Seriously sounded half decent in this video
I honestly thought you must have had a lav mic on or something at first because it actually sounded so much better than I anticipated, but when it was clear that it was the actual mic, I was impressed. It also brought back a whole rush of nostalgia. That plastic has "soon to be stained yellow from time and all of your dad's cigarette smoke" look that the 90's really nailed.
In fact, the difference is only in the design of the case. This microphone has approximately the same electret capsule as in a lavalier or, as well as in a cheap cassette recorder. With a good sound card (or whatever it's plugged into) it might sound good. Quite enough for voiceovers.
Not QUITE how I remember it sounding for me back in the 90s. Genuinely thought you were using a different mic at first and pretending to be capturing your audio with this thing! Going to give my 11 year old self a call later and let them know the true potential of this obviously rather legendary microphone.
This was the most amazing mic review I've ever seen. Thank you.
Hello Neumann! I about fell out of my chair when I saw you talking into the top of the Neumann - classic humor! Great parody video!
I know it's an April Fools thing, but I'm really glad you did this. Looking back at a mic that even people who didn't grow up while it was ubiquitous can recognize. There are still millions of them (and the even cheaper copies) out there, and I still see them pop up in zoom meetings. Pretty sure I've got one in my office somewhere.
And you know what? Used properly, it doesn't sound bad at all. It's not studio grade, but spoken word is fine, and I quite liked the music test!
This sounds WAY better than it did plugged into my pci sound blaster sound card in the 90s. Would definitely buy it over the Neuman (sp?)... Because I don't have 3k to blow on a mic.
the first time i heard your breath in the mic i lost it, i had one of these mics and this video brought me back. now i want another one
Can we talk about how double sided sticky foam tape was an acceptable commercial mounting solution in the 90s for things that mounted to your CRT monitor?
And we didn't care to get it all off when we sold or donated the monitor when the computer died.
No we cannot, unless your LTT....
I love this so much. The comparison with the U87 is hilarious. Also, this thing didn’t even sound that bad by todays standards!
Wow content wise this is some of the best you’ve ever made
I genuinely loved this more than I probably should have. Thank you for putting in the effort to make this video.
I love you Bandrew but I think I need to bleach my eyes after seeing someone talk into the top of the U87 lol.
Thanks for the good time
Bandrew, thank you for committing to a thorough test of this, to put to rest once and for all any foolish claims that you don't need more mic than this for serious recording.
That said, this thing sounded far better than I expected. That may have to do with the XLR adapter/Focusrite setup you were using it with.
I thnk it absolutely has to do with that. Most people connect these direct to a motherboard mic input which is the way to gget the worst sound of the mic. But it was surprisingly useable.
It's an OEM model. It's not discontinued, it's been and it is still being reviewed nowadays in youtube from time to time. Because it is still being sold under a dozen of different brands. You can find it under the name of Trust Primo, NGS MS102, Ewent EW3550, etc.
Nice, might order a few. I genuinely liked these for recording in confined spaces liek inside guitars and cellos.
Holy shit you just unlocked a memory from my childhood. I had this mic when I was a kid. Got it for $1 at the Flea Market and used it as my main mic to talk shit in CS1.6 for years. I completely forgot this existed!
Lol same!
Sold my u87 to buy 180 of these . Thanks for a perfect review 🤣🤣 too funny man I thoroughly enjoyed and I’m pretty sure I use to have this mic
For a while, you had me. I was going to rummage through all the vintage garbage I have in my garage to see if I still have my old Creative Labs microphone which was bundled with some Sound Blaster card, see if it's a rebranded Labtec and add it to my collection of microphones I seldom use. You stimulated a nostalgic Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Nice video.
This saved my Friday. Thank you. What makes this perfect... when I took my present job 4 years ago, I asked IT to set me up with ability to do zoom calls on my desktop.. they brought me this microphone and the matching set of speakers..
I'm not sure if this is a serious comment or not. it could go Either way depending on the IT department and date.
This mic has perfect audio recreation, it is the best Mic ever reviewed on this channel. The Electric guitar did not make my ears bleed at all. The noise rejection didn't sound like I was living in a tumble dryer. Why did they ever stop making this mic 😪
Loved everything about this, including the mic. I had one of these 20+ years ago. Eventually it broke and I taped it inside of an acoustic guitar and made some really neat recordings. Might need to find one of these again now.
I’m still trying to get a hold of the tube version
Oh my this is the best april fools I have seen today XD
That microphone is really good though I will be getting one based on this positive review
I too miss the pre-social media days. Your best video. Thanks for the laughs!
I still got one of these. bought in the 90s and it was abused a lot and still works. I keep it for nostalgia. And sometimes, it is used by my kids.
That's for the exceptional review. I've been considering picking one of these microphones up for a really long time, and thanks to you I've finally got the confidence to make a decision!
Using the U87 as an end-address mic....nice.
"Now let's talk about what comes in the box" with a picture of Bill and Monica....Amazing joke 🤣
No one is talking about it because everyone is too afraid to challange such high quality!
(seriously, I loved this video!!!)
Genious. Never heard a better mic on the proximity effect. And it sounded awesome on the electric guitar.
Unironically though, it sounded kinda cool on rhythm, very sludgy
Busted out laughing when I saw how you were holding the U87 hahaha
My favorite video by far, and I'm addicted to your channel. Keep it up
The comparison with the U87 was 👌
This whole bit is great. Look forward to more like this. Background pics nailed it. They brought back lots of memories for those of us old enough to remember the complexity of the world then. No joke! Seriously - that mic could help a lot people now days sound better on ZOOM.
the effort that went into this video is astonishing.
Super valuable information, Bandrew! Thanks for finally doing the review I've been waiting for!
One of my college roommates had this mic. He recorded music parodies, answering machine messages, etc., but where it really shined was when we recorded replacement dialog and effects for Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2 with our friends. Good times!
Thanks
Thank you very much Christopher. You are too kind.
I was a DJ for an internet radio show using that mic. Brought back some great memories.
Just looking at the thumbnail i knew it was an april fools joke, still looked at the video, and was not disappointed. You might have gave me the best laugh in weeks. Even if it was an april fool, the content was great. Thanks for your dedication on testing these mics!
I did the exact opposite looking at the thumbnail going I absolutely want to see this oh it's an April fools joke.
OK I shouldn't have spent any time listening to this but it was worth it when you got to the electric guitar, I had tears in my eyes. Thanks Bandrew.
For me as physicist the name Labtec AM-242 sounded very expensive so I tried to check the price if this is affordable before viewing the video ... no link in your description: Strange ...
Really funny how you tested this mic against a slightly more expensive Neumann ... and this old plasticky thing is really not bad, your words are clearly transmitted!
Have a nice weekend - Michael
This is brilliant. Definitely one of my favorites, and I can't wait to see what you have next year. The start of that smirk at 4:30 had me laughing so hard! Great stuff!
I'm equal parts crying with laughter and genuinely impressed with the mic
I 100% needed this today!! Thank u Bandrew!!
The notification for this genuinely stopped me in my tracks and caused me to lol. Also hits too close to home considering I had various models of this type of mic about 20 years ago
This was probably the first mic that I had or some variation on this. I always cite a radio shack dynamic as my first mic, but this type of mic was really the first.
@@Podcastage oh man. I remember playing with some kind of mono 3.5mm dynamic mics, each going into a channel of a casette deck. Those were the days
My favorite was OJ. He looks so evil in that picture!
you had me at the disclaimer
I used to use one of these for recording birds. It was excellent. I tried several other mics against it that I thought would've been better, but this one was always the best.
The rear sounded better. Makes me wonder if they put all of the capsules in backwards 30 years ago.
Worth every bit of my time to watch! Thank you
My god this made my day. And WTF IT SOUNDS SHOCKINGLY GOOD. If only I had a real preamp to run it through when I had it in the 90s...
Probably the most Authentic 90's mic review on the internet.
Amazing episode - totally need to see more of these!
Loved this vid! Actually laughed out loud! I was surprised how good you got it to sound.
Not going to lie, this mic still lives on my desk. It’s my go to solution for temp VO on projects as I’ve never bothered to get a proper usb mic or different 3.5mm mic since I’ve always had this just living on my desk on its low profile stand.
I recorded for years using a microphone like that. The brand was Genius. It had a crazy high sensitivity and range between mids and highs.
Simply Fantastic!!!
Your electric guitar sounds have never sounded better.
Totally agree, that fuzz guitar sounded pretty good and the off axis rejection was quite impressive for a stick. This honestly sounds way better than I would have imagined.
Also, why did you do this instead of reviewing a real quality microphone? Because sometimes you just have to be silly. And sometimes having fun is a lot of work, but the laugh is worth it.
It's sounds pretty good! I'm impressed. Thanks!!Awesome review!
Amazing April Fool's video; had a good chuckle at the comparison
Not gonna lie, this mic has really saved me in a spot a couple times. I had a terrible first mic when I started recording my voice for videos (2008); an absolutely hideous headset, and even worse for voice acting. My grandma had the Labtec at her house for around a decade but hardly ever used it. Always used to see it just laying around in her computer room. Around a year after I got that headset, I finally got curious enough to ask if I could have her old mic and my grandma gave me the go-ahead. Was actually blown away by how it sounded. _Much_ clearer (though I wish I had known how to do noise removal at the time because the hiss got worse over time), perfect for a teenager with no money. Used it on my family's Windows XP computer for around 5-6 years
Fast-forward 8 years later, finally have a computer that's truly my own. I had (and still have) a much more decent headset, but still not ideal for voice acting. Recording from the Samsung Galaxy S4 (which itself has a microphone that sounds better than it has any right to) wasn't gonna cut it anymore, and the Labtec AM-242 once again came in clutch. A good amount of that hiss was gone, good since I was still too dumb to figure out noise removal. Perfect for a twenty-something with no money
Obviously no comparison to the Samson Q2U that replaced it about half a year later, but I've always appreciated the little thing. Legit wanna put it in a display whenever I can finally get that set up. Perfect for a (almost-)thirty-something with no money
I was just thinking of this mic the other day. Thanks for taking the time to make this goofy video for us.
There is a reason U87s are designated as simple stage mics. They don't hold up well in a studio. The labtec is a great mic! Will be looking to get one soon.
Can we eventually get some vids on mixing in garbage mics to drum setups and other novel uses for these guys
I've owned a few of those style mini-boom mics. They were decent sounding for a cheap electret mic.
I paid about $5-$25 for em. Useful as a utility mic. Great for getting in just the right spot, or taping to stuff for hard to mic areas on guitars.
The biggest issue I had was the cord failing. Nearly impossible to replace. Otherwise quite tough.
The freq response is suprisingly flat, with a (iirc) 4k bump likely from the design of the mic body.
Talk shit all you want, but these were decent for a 90's 1/8th inch offering. Far better than a period noname dynamic in the same price-range.
Legend and it sounded great on the electromatic geetar. The amazing plosive collection feature is also unlike anything I have ever heard.
Best video on youtube. Great review!
I love this video.
It might be just a silly April Fool's thing to most people, but to me this proves that it really doesn't matter what gear you have - You can just grab a microphone, any micropphone, and record something amazing. (5 points if you guess who I stole this quote from)
Thanks Bandrew, for all the amazing information you provide.
'This may have been your silliest video, but also at the same time the most informative.
I think this cheap looking microphone is just inordinately good. There's lots of really terrible microphones around. I've been on discord.
Best April fools video I have seen so far. Good work!
this mic (trying to improve it) made me enter to the mic world and eventually this channel. now the circle is completed.
AARGH talk about a nostalgia trip- i remember these things being sold as the 'Creative Multimedia Microphone' bundled with Sound Blasters - by god they were awful - not even up to picking up audio for sound reactive VJing lol.
Youre not kidding that the time before 9/11 was simpler, and we also cared about each other a lot more. We've been taught to live in metaphorical bunkers for the last 20 years.
The number of songs recorded on that! Literally brought back memories for me!!! :P
It's funny on my phone it sounds okay.
Honestly someone could stream with this and I wouldn't mind.
The best review ever! But now I'm feeling nostalgic for the early days of YT when I used that mic.
Back in the '90 there was no UA-cam
Dude!
This is unique and great video.
So, how much pain were you in while addressing the U87 from the top?
I am in tears right now. The proximity effect demo took me out.
Amazing review immediately bought one.
Ngl, one of my favorite videos from you
This vid is legendary! Loved it. Oh and btw quite an awesome loFi-sound on the electric imho.
I had at least two of these (they broke easily) in the late '90's. They didn't sound as good as the result you got, but then I was plugging them into the mic input of a Sound Blaster, not a pro mic preamp. I never realized how decent this silly thing could sound when used for its intended purpose, which was picking up a voice about a half a foot away. Inside there's nothing but an omnidirectional electret capsule, the kind that used to sell at Radio Shack for 49 cents. It's the weird venting of the case that makes it sort of half cardioid and half figure-8. I never stuck mine to the side of the monitor because if you got it that close to a CRT it picked up all kinds of buzzes and interference.
Bandrew, I loved this. LOLing and and missing the 90s. Thank you
There was a time when you could find these Labtec mics in really good condition at Goodwill for about $3. Sadly, those days are gone. The vintage ones go for big bucks on ebay.
Outstanding proximity effect.
I always appreciate your thorough testing. Where else could I find this a review of this quality? Nowhere!!!
You sir, are a legend and a patriot. Please don't change.
Now that some serious flashback! I've used a couple of those many years ago back in the early nineties. Don't hate. Just participate and enjoy it.
I had a knock-off of that mic with omni polar pattern. Picked up all reflections of the walls, but I still recorded a whole album of music with it... sadist
My grandparents had this exact mic with their Windows 95 PC. Very nostalgic.
Superb! Thanks for this Mr B :)
God, I want it back so bad. The simpler times. Everything felt so much different and I will say it, better. This mic hits a soft spot for me, takes me right back
That was the funniest!! I had such a true belly chuckle. Thanks for that. ☺️
listened to this on my phone. The Neumann sounded exactly the same as the other mic :P
Blows the u87 end address microphone out of the water!!
Finally someone shows how an April 1st video is supposed to be done. While still offering content VALUE, jovial jocularity runs rampant. Bravo dear sir. Bravo!
Y'know I'd unironically love the occasional use of green screen for your future reviews from time to time haha
Thank for this top quality review, I think I enjoyed it as much as you clearly did, especially the fuzz guitar🙂
lost it at the branch davidian compound pic. lol. great stuff.
OK, now I kinda want to see a sound comparison with a couple of super cheap current production mics. Like, is it better than the $8 ZRAMO branded microphone I found on Amazon? I legitimately want to know.