BM700 Condenser Mic Review - Strapped for cash yet you need a professional mic? Seriously, you won't believe the price of this one. And how does it sound?
I'm Glad I watched your video. I feel really good that I ordered this now. I'm a firm believer that everything can be fixed in the mix, and that you don't have to have over expensive equipment. Been there and done that.
Elco, a condenser mic such as this usually sounds fantastic for acoustic instruments. Be aware that the room should be acoustically quiet, as condenser mics tend to pick up a lot of sound - even quiet ones in the background. Guitar strings and body sound should be wonderful through this mic.
+RealThaMaskRapper The side that sounds best. Probably the side with the printed model number. I bought a few more that do have the model number printed on them, ax ND it is that side.
Well, that's the idea, but I have not tried it, and I have little faith that it will work optimally or at all. PC mic jacks are supposed to provide "phantom power" for condenser mics, but the circuitry inside the PC to make this happen costs about 12 cents. I don't have faith that any given PC will give a proper condenser mic the "support" it needs. Also, consider that most PC's mic inputs have just gawd-awful mic pre-amps. If you're going to make a Google Voice call, that's one thing. But if you're going to record some actual, professional audio (which is why you'd buy a good mic) then you really need to use an external mic pre-amp that converts to USB. A Focusrite Scarlett Solo is a good choice, for example.
i have focusrite scarlett solo. i think it would be a great mic for me. i am considering buying this one as my first condenser mic. thank you sir for the review.
Brother93.. It's easiest to determine the correct side of the mic simply by listening. One side will sound full and wonderful. Other will sound "distant". 5 seconds to determine. Listen to headphones connected to the mic pre-amp.
Hi, I bought this mic but I'm having mixed feelings about it. I have it setup like this: Mic -> XLR -> Phantom Power (Neewer NW100) -> XLR to 3.5mm. Is there a way to improve the quality? There's a lot of static.
I have the same mic and just wanted to know if the mic needs a audio interface and if it does which one should I get, but if not can you please tell me the settings of this mic? and I have a budget please reply
Please do tell me which side is the actual talking side (you can see it on a light spot) is it the side with the wires on the membrane or the other side? I have the same microphone and apparently the same problem :/
Does this mic need phantom power? I just got one and I plugged it into my amplifier with a 3.5 mm to 1/4" adapter and it doesn't work. No sound at all. If it needs Phantom power, how much power? Does it need the usual 48v phantom power?
ok i have this mic .... and in Audacity it sounds very wet ..not reverb wet put almost phser like...no real bass...it sounded perfect when i first tested it and now its sounding wet...and the noise canceling isnt really working in audacity..i havent had it for a full day yet...can you help
I THINK THIS IS THE BEST VIDEO SPEAKING ABOUT THIS CLASS OF GOOD AND CHEAP MICROPHONES, DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION ABOUT THE BM8000 AND THE BM 800? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HIS OPINION, SOMETHING VERY WELL, I HAVE SOME NT2A RODE CLEAR ARE PROFECIONAL, BUT THE SOUND OF THAT 700 IS ENOUGHLY ACCEPTABLE GREETINGS FROM SPAIN
The BM-700 and BM-800 USED to have the same internals, and the BM-8000 was 95% identical to the BM700/800, the difference was the value of the zener diode, besides that the 3 microphones are the same, but the capsule shape MATTERS, the BM-700 and BM-800 have a better capsule shape, that makes them better than the BM-8000, and remember my capital letters at the beginning? USED, well now days you can find the BM-700 and BM-800 with the same internals than the BM-8000, in other words get any of them and you will love it, but the best bang for buck is the BM-700 due lower price and better capsule shape.
I need help. I got this microphone and I also bought 42v phantom power (Neewer NW-100). But it still sounds like crap. There's a loud buzzing noise that takes over my voice so I can barely hear it and no one else seems to have this problem!
ToddlerKicker Gaming What sort of mic Pre-amp are you using? What kind of audio connector does it have? What’s really best is a pre-amp with an XLR connector and use mic cable with XLR connectors.
Drewid Cx You should wait and invest in an at2035 and umc204hd. The preamps on the umc204hd are much better than umc22. It'll cost you a bit over $200 but you can find used for much cheaper.
i recently bought the bm800 mic which is pretty much the same, but isn't it supposed to work directly on the PC? like XLR to 3.5mm mic in? im having troubles with it
The cable that comes with these microphones, typically female XLR to 3.5mm, is a bit of a gimmick. It might work with your PC, but probably not very well. Your PC’s mic input probably provides a slight bias voltage that’s intended to run a small, cheap condenser mic, such as found on a cheap headset. This bias voltage from the PC is likely not adequate for a larger, pro mic like the BM800. Also, even if it does work, the mic pre-amplifier in the PC is, quite frankly, terrible. They all are. You really need an external mic pre-amp with USB output for the PC connection.
@@KirkHarnack it did come with a V8 sound card and when connecting to PC via the V8 it absolutely sounds horrible, the headphone i have is way higher but with an annoying static in the background and thats why i gave a standalone mic a go. appreciate the help
I just connect mine with the phantom power unit the to my computer's sound card, which is line-in. You need the pre-amp to convert the microphone signal to a line signal, as far as I understand it, because the raw mic signal is too weak.
Thon Laurent the microphone sounds fine without a mic processor. But, the mic processor can help with room acoustic problems and make your voice more consistent.
Thon Laurent most laptop computers provide a small amount of phantom power on their microphone input. This microphone comes with a cable that is intended to plug between the microphone and a laptop computers microphone input. However I do not think it's a guarantee that this will work. It might and it might not. Also the microphone preamplifier in your laptop is probably of very minimal quality. If you are looking for Superior high quality than you really must use an external microphone preamplifier and USB converter.
Mohd. Danish , mic goes to dbx286s mic preamp and processor, then to Focusrite 2i2 analog to USB converter, then to MacBook Pro. The mic processor is not doing much,but it is riding gain somewhat.
@@TheFoxCuber At the time this video was made I was using Adobe Audition, as my employer was paying for the monthly subscription. These days I just use Audacity. For this video I was using Final Cut Pro X, and didn't use any audio editing software.
Kirk Harnack can you tell me if the BM700 has any background hissing? I'm not using anything special except for a syba sound card (I wanna order it and I'm just wondering)
All mics - even Neuman mics - have some "self-noise". I've not noticed any unusual noise from my BM700 mics. They seem as quiet as any other mics I have. The pre-amp is usually the biggest source of noise, which is why it's important to have a good pre-amp.
Everyone is reviewing these mics right now and i am just baffled by the cost. I'm a studio recording engineer, and know what good mics cost. I am currently building a pair of Nuemann U87 clones and just the PARTS alone (resistors, capacitors, diodes, etc...) were $90 per mic. I can only assume the slave labor being used to make these mics was forced to actually have to PAY to work there, instead of being paid.
JaNiTh HaRiNDa are you using a microphone preamp that is feeding phantom power to it? Remember, this is a condenser microphone and requires phantom power.
Well, I ordered one of these, but I am not as enthousiastic as you are... First of all, the import taxes and fees for the customs office were higher than the price of the microphone! Then the microphone itself: it is a pretty noisy microphone. Maybe usable if you speak to it from a close distance, but otherwise the noise is not acceptable. And the sound? It is not even close to a MKH416! (I have one here also.) The microphone contains a pretty sh*tty electret capsule that boosts high frequencies and is lacking LF. Not recommended by me!!!
I used this Mic in my Solo Album. It performed great! Just as good as my friends $200 Mic! Go check out Vivid Dream the Album, on my channel to experience the quality! It is psychedelic rock and orchestra. I made on mix craft 7. I did a lot of harmonies.
3 weeks??!! Lift up your hands to God. Here in Brazil it doesn't take 3 weeks but 3 MONTHS (3 days from China to Brazil and 87 days for the customs authorities decide the import tax amount they will charge - LOL).
This is the copy and fake chinese version of the original BM-700 which cost way more and has better sound quality and features and is not shipped from China.
Grandpa had one, when he passed. I got it so I’m ordering a focusrite solo gen2 can’t wait!
I'm Glad I watched your video. I feel really good that I ordered this now. I'm a firm believer that everything can be fixed in the mix, and that you don't have to have over expensive equipment. Been there and done that.
Dj Oj Baybe Global yo can you tell me if the mic has any background hissing?
it really depends more on your preamp, or how the mic is constructed, or how good your interface is.
Thank you for this video review, it has really helped me make a decision on what mic to buy
Wooow. Your voice is badass. Like so deep and you can feel those bubbles popping on your vocal strings :OOOO
great review anyways :)
Raffy_ he has a very nice voice . i love it
I must confess you have a very great voice to be a broadcaster. Nice one
Great review.
Wonderful voice.
Best BM700 video out there! Love the price part :)
unox234 did you get one?
I got a BM800, same microphone element I believe.
Best most informative video on here in terms of this microphone. Thank you for this information!
Thank you!!! I liked your video, good production and work!
Nice Review :D
I am really enjoy it, I am going to buy that Mic :D
Elco, a condenser mic such as this usually sounds fantastic for acoustic instruments. Be aware that the room should be acoustically quiet, as condenser mics tend to pick up a lot of sound - even quiet ones in the background. Guitar strings and body sound should be wonderful through this mic.
On AliExpress its from 16,44 with FREE SHIPPING 🙀😹
+RealThaMaskRapper The side that sounds best. Probably the side with the printed model number. I bought a few more that do have the model number printed on them, ax ND it is that side.
Hey , can this mic be connected directly to my pc using the XLR to 3.5mm jack that it comes with?
Well, that's the idea, but I have not tried it, and I have little faith that it will work optimally or at all. PC mic jacks are supposed to provide "phantom power" for condenser mics, but the circuitry inside the PC to make this happen costs about 12 cents. I don't have faith that any given PC will give a proper condenser mic the "support" it needs.
Also, consider that most PC's mic inputs have just gawd-awful mic pre-amps. If you're going to make a Google Voice call, that's one thing. But if you're going to record some actual, professional audio (which is why you'd buy a good mic) then you really need to use an external mic pre-amp that converts to USB. A Focusrite Scarlett Solo is a good choice, for example.
Kirk Harnack The Page that sells the product says that it comes with a USB converter.
I love your voice.
good review sir.. :)
Great review.
Nice video, Krik, What audio interface did you use to test the mic?
ajes hidayatullah Focusrite 2i2.
i have focusrite scarlett solo. i think it would be a great mic for me. i am considering buying this one as my first condenser mic.
thank you sir for the review.
nice sounds i wil buy , but good for guitar sound accoustic ?
waiting for my bm-700 to arrived. :)
Brother93.. It's easiest to determine the correct side of the mic simply by listening. One side will sound full and wonderful. Other will sound "distant". 5 seconds to determine. Listen to headphones connected to the mic pre-amp.
Hi, I bought this mic but I'm having mixed feelings about it. I have it setup like this: Mic -> XLR -> Phantom Power (Neewer NW100) -> XLR to 3.5mm. Is there a way to improve the quality? There's a lot of static.
Darn you, Kirk! Now I'm going to have to order ANOTHER microphone! If it arrives while the wife's home, I'm toast, $14 or not!
shocking its sounds better than some of the expensive crap being advertised
I have the same mic and just wanted to know if the mic needs a audio interface and if it does which one should I get, but if not can you please tell me the settings of this mic? and I have a budget
please reply
Please do tell me which side is the actual talking side (you can see it on a light spot) is it the side with the wires on the membrane or the other side? I have the same microphone and apparently the same problem :/
your audio and visual quality is SOOOOOO GOOOD. Jealous!
lool, i enjoyed this video! I subscribed!
Does this mic need phantom power?
I just got one and I plugged it into my amplifier with a 3.5 mm to 1/4" adapter and it doesn't work.
No sound at all.
If it needs Phantom power, how much power?
Does it need the usual 48v phantom power?
ok i have this mic .... and in Audacity it sounds very wet ..not reverb wet put almost phser like...no real bass...it sounded perfect when i first tested it and now its sounding wet...and the noise canceling isnt really working in audacity..i havent had it for a full day yet...can you help
If i buy this mic and connect it to ps4 or pc will it work nicely
It's a good sounding microphone, though it sounds a bit like a ribbon mic with a bit of air at the top.
I THINK THIS IS THE BEST VIDEO SPEAKING ABOUT THIS CLASS OF GOOD AND CHEAP MICROPHONES, DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION ABOUT THE BM8000 AND THE BM 800? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HIS OPINION, SOMETHING VERY WELL, I HAVE SOME NT2A RODE CLEAR ARE PROFECIONAL, BUT THE SOUND OF THAT 700 IS ENOUGHLY ACCEPTABLE GREETINGS FROM SPAIN
The BM-700 and BM-800 USED to have the same internals, and the BM-8000 was 95% identical to the BM700/800, the difference was the value of the zener diode, besides that the 3 microphones are the same, but the capsule shape MATTERS, the BM-700 and BM-800 have a better capsule shape, that makes them better than the BM-8000, and remember my capital letters at the beginning? USED, well now days you can find the BM-700 and BM-800 with the same internals than the BM-8000, in other words get any of them and you will love it, but the best bang for buck is the BM-700 due lower price and better capsule shape.
i have watched this video millions of times
what website did you buy it from?
very nice
3 weeks? Man mine took 3 days and im in the us
I need help. I got this microphone and I also bought 42v phantom power (Neewer NW-100). But it still sounds like crap. There's a loud buzzing noise that takes over my voice so I can barely hear it and no one else seems to have this problem!
ToddlerKicker Gaming What sort of mic Pre-amp are you using? What kind of audio connector does it have? What’s really best is a pre-amp with an XLR connector and use mic cable with XLR connectors.
Well, at least you have a backup for your quality microphones...
can use for outdoor? i hope 😂
Should I get this mic and a umc22 interface or just go with a blue yeti on a tight budget?
Drewid Cx You should wait and invest in an at2035 and umc204hd. The preamps on the umc204hd are much better than umc22.
It'll cost you a bit over $200 but you can find used for much cheaper.
3:58 gave me chills
i recently bought the bm800 mic which is pretty much the same, but isn't it supposed to work directly on the PC? like XLR to 3.5mm mic in? im having troubles with it
The cable that comes with these microphones, typically female XLR to 3.5mm, is a bit of a gimmick. It might work with your PC, but probably not very well. Your PC’s mic input probably provides a slight bias voltage that’s intended to run a small, cheap condenser mic, such as found on a cheap headset. This bias voltage from the PC is likely not adequate for a larger, pro mic like the BM800. Also, even if it does work, the mic pre-amplifier in the PC is, quite frankly, terrible. They all are. You really need an external mic pre-amp with USB output for the PC connection.
@@KirkHarnack it did come with a V8 sound card and when connecting to PC via the V8 it absolutely sounds horrible, the headphone i have is way higher but with an annoying static in the background and thats why i gave a standalone mic a go.
appreciate the help
Did you have the de-esser on on the DBX 286s?
Ale Loy I believe the de-esser is enabled, but it’s not set to do much. IOW, the threshold is set relatively high.
@@KirkHarnack thanks very much for the reply. I asked because usually cheap condensers struggle with sibilants. Sounded really good btw 👍
i need help, can this mic connect to the pc without phantom power or any mixer ?
I just connect mine with the phantom power unit the to my computer's sound card, which is line-in. You need the pre-amp to convert the microphone signal to a line signal, as far as I understand it, because the raw mic signal is too weak.
Did you have the phantom power on to the mic?
Daini Peagram yes he did
Hello, you can recommend me a program to record the audios please? Something nice and findable for free? thank you
Haya busa Audacity. Google it. You will find versions for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
thank you
I am almost sure the mike is a Nubwo brand. They also make the M21 which is just as inexpensive with great voice capture.
if you dont have mic processor will it still sound similar?
Thon Laurent the microphone sounds fine without a mic processor. But, the mic processor can help with room acoustic problems and make your voice more consistent.
oh ok thank you very much kirk :) one last question, is it ok if i dont have phantom power? ill just plug it in my laptop directly would it be fine?
Thon Laurent most laptop computers provide a small amount of phantom power on their microphone input. This microphone comes with a cable that is intended to plug between the microphone and a laptop computers microphone input. However I do not think it's a guarantee that this will work. It might and it might not. Also the microphone preamplifier in your laptop is probably of very minimal quality. If you are looking for Superior high quality than you really must use an external microphone preamplifier and USB converter.
Kirk Harnack thank you so much 😊😊
are you speaking without any mixer is just microphone speaking...? please reply
Mohd. Danish , mic goes to dbx286s mic preamp and processor, then to Focusrite 2i2 analog to USB converter, then to MacBook Pro. The mic processor is not doing much,but it is riding gain somewhat.
thnx man appreciate that
You can plug this mic to the cheapest audio interface on the market, the Behringer UM2 ($40) and it will sound amazing.
Oscar E Morales P ok man I'll try thanx for telling me
Oscar E Morales P i think the blue icicle is cheaper , isn't it ?
What software do you use
TheFoxCuber Hi! Well, can you be more specific? What software do I use ... for what purpose? :-)
@@KirkHarnack audio editing please
@@TheFoxCuber At the time this video was made I was using Adobe Audition, as my employer was paying for the monthly subscription. These days I just use Audacity.
For this video I was using Final Cut Pro X, and didn't use any audio editing software.
@@KirkHarnack thank you so much . Btw can you do a video about the levels and gains u should use and the mic recording volume and stuffs like that .
this is so weird its so cheap and good i never find anything that good and cheap
or wish.com reliable?
I have a sennheiser mk4 and the bm-700, many of my rap vocal friends like the bm-700 more than the mk4. It makes me kind of sad.
buy a proper preamp for your mk4
Radan, it's a condenser mic. It must have phantom power to work.
sir can you give me the link to buy it fron chaina?
MJ Productions See wish.com or geek.com Many companies is are selling these. Google for BM700 mic.
+Kirk Harnack Thanks You Sir
Kirk Harnack can you tell me if the BM700 has any background hissing? I'm not using anything special except for a syba sound card (I wanna order it and I'm just wondering)
All mics - even Neuman mics - have some "self-noise". I've not noticed any unusual noise from my BM700 mics. They seem as quiet as any other mics I have. The pre-amp is usually the biggest source of noise, which is why it's important to have a good pre-amp.
Everyone is reviewing these mics right now and i am just baffled by the cost. I'm a studio recording engineer, and know what good mics cost. I am currently building a pair of Nuemann U87 clones and just the PARTS alone (resistors, capacitors, diodes, etc...) were $90 per mic.
I can only assume the slave labor being used to make these mics was forced to actually have to PAY to work there, instead of being paid.
I bought a mic of this kind but its not working
JaNiTh HaRiNDa are you using a microphone preamp that is feeding phantom power to it? Remember, this is a condenser microphone and requires phantom power.
+Kirk Harnack how do I connect to panthom power?
i just connected to Fl Studio 12 by using that cable you are showing on this video
Is it from AliExpress??
Oh, wish haha ok
loooooool
Well, I ordered one of these, but I am not as enthousiastic as you are...
First of all, the import taxes and fees for the customs office were higher than the price of the microphone!
Then the microphone itself: it is a pretty noisy microphone.
Maybe usable if you speak to it from a close distance, but otherwise the noise is not acceptable.
And the sound? It is not even close to a MKH416! (I have one here also.)
The microphone contains a pretty sh*tty electret capsule that boosts high frequencies and is lacking LF.
Not recommended by me!!!
I used this Mic in my Solo Album. It performed great! Just as good as my friends $200 Mic!
Go check out Vivid Dream the Album, on my channel to experience the quality! It is psychedelic rock and orchestra. I made on mix craft 7. I did a lot of harmonies.
4:18
3 weeks??!!
Lift up your hands to God.
Here in Brazil it doesn't take 3 weeks but 3 MONTHS (3 days from China to Brazil and 87 days for the customs authorities decide the import tax amount they will charge - LOL).
Odair Fernandes same here in Palestine
i've ordered a mouse bunjee for 7$ only
and it took +2 months
This is the copy and fake chinese version of the original BM-700 which cost way more and has better sound quality and features and is not shipped from China.