Excellent video, thoughtful review and definitely well presented. I appreciated that you talked not only about the microphone but detailed the differences between condenser and dynamics. If I was looking for a microphone I may be inclined to pick one of these up, the design, build quality and output versus cost seems in inline.
Thankyou, thankyou R! 🙏🏾😁 There was a whole lot I actually pulled from this video about types of mics and interfaces and the fact my original interface packed up. Not sure anyone would have been interested in that, so removed it! I've seen this mic going super cheap and I think it's a bit of a sleeper. I think it's good! Very good! We'll see how it holds up over time. Oh and during the unboxing section, guess what mic I was using? 🤔😁
I’m curious if you have used any of their other products. They have a microphone boom arm that’s had mixed reviews as do all reviews. Great video Sir Norf.
Thankyou, thankyou!! 🙏🏾😁 And great question, TMT! I was using their Caster Boom Arm for this video which worked well, however I've not really used it in anger. I'll post a review on it in a few weeks. I wasn't a fan of the MDrill One Pro. Much preferred the Fifine K678 it was up against.
Great review, that was top. Would love your advice on this mic if you have a chance! I’m currently trying to find the right mic for my own home voice-over recording set-up. I’ve acoustically treated an area in my house however the far side of that same room has a window to a busy road. The crappy mic I currently have picks up a lot of bleed really so I need to do a lot of post with takes. How do you think the Mdrill mic would fare in picking up/focusing on my voice while filtering out low background noise?
Hey John! First, thankyou for the feedback on the video! Much appreciated! 🙏🏾😁 I assume your setup already includes an audio interface, so you're after an XLR mic? If so, have you considered a shotgun mic for your voiceovers given the busy road issue? I have seen the MDrill Zone XLR online as low as £40 GBP at the time of this comment. It **could** be worth picking up to try out as an upgrade to your current mic? I'd also recommend looking at the Deity lineup. For my videos, you may recall I use the Deity V-Mic D3 Pro. I recently picked up the S-Mic 2 and am currently putting it through its paces. I've been **VERY** impressed with its performance so far! Its a bit of an investment but not as much as a Sennheiser 416! And yes, I have a video planned for ther S-Mic 2 as well! LOL! Please let me know how you get on!!
@@TrueNorf Thanks for the timely response, I had to subscribe after that! And I'm more or less settled on the MDrill Zone at this stage. It's packaged with a fairly robust stand/arm so if I need to turn down the gain, I can get a little more upfront to the mic itself. If that doesn't filter out noise bleed, I'll start looking at directional or shotgun pieces. I need an upgrade from my dinky Neewar, and the MDrill Zone seems to thrive in most environments. Does it need much EQ after the fact for you? Seems like every reviewer gets a really solid raw sound that only needs a little touching up.
@@johnkelly3549 Thankyou, thankyou for the sub, John! Much appreciated! Thankyou! 🙏🏾😁 You’re right. The raw output is good assuming you don’t been it for broadcast! LOL! I like how the MDrill Zone reproduces my voice very much. I also have created an EQ preset I use for my videos that compresses a tad and normalises. Keep me posted on how you get on with the MDrill Zone. What interface are you using?
@@TrueNorf hello again! Right so I ordered this very mic and it arrived a few days ago. Would love your sage input on this; I’m struggling with the self-noise on this thing. It’s audible when I listen back to untreated voice tracks but if any compression, normalisation is added, the hiss goes through the roof. I’d seen a mention of self-noise on one other review of this Mdril Zone, and it was flagged that it has an equivalent noise level of 20db. You didn’t seem to have much trouble with it self noise in this review though so I’m wondering if it’s solely the mic. I’m using a little Presonus Audiobox USB interface to line the mic into my laptop (2 ports; mic and instrument). I’d only really been using audacity before I break the Mdrill in proper. Any thoughts of what it could be?
@johnkelly3549 Hey John! First, sorry to hear that! Candidly, I do not recall any issues with self noise of the unit I have. Assuming you've got half decent cables and they're all good? Also, your set up seems 'clean'. Eg. Mic, XLR, interface, computer. Nothing else in the way to confuse matters. Could you borrow and try a different mic? Like the AT2020 for example? I'm no tech support engineer, but by the process of elimination, the mic could be at fault. Keep me posted on your findings!
@@TrueNorf i think your review is pretty good. Actually I’m eyeballing the Maono AU-A03 as it has a 3.5mm jack instead of xlr, so I can plug it into my laptop or a sound card if needed.
@@TrueNorf I’ve seen very good reviews on both Thronmax and Maono. Actually usb to 3.5mm“converter is just another term of DAC (digital-analog converter or sound card), so Im leaning towards a xlr/3.5mm mic to pair with my DAC for better sound.
@@TrueNorf can you use a XLR to 3.5mm cable to use this mic with a soundcard? Or you absolutely need a phantom power for it to operate? Thank you in advance.
Excellent video, thoughtful review and definitely well presented. I appreciated that you talked not only about the microphone but detailed the differences between condenser and dynamics. If I was looking for a microphone I may be inclined to pick one of these up, the design, build quality and output versus cost seems in inline.
Thankyou, thankyou R! 🙏🏾😁 There was a whole lot I actually pulled from this video about types of mics and interfaces and the fact my original interface packed up. Not sure anyone would have been interested in that, so removed it! I've seen this mic going super cheap and I think it's a bit of a sleeper. I think it's good! Very good! We'll see how it holds up over time. Oh and during the unboxing section, guess what mic I was using? 🤔😁
@@TrueNorf I’m going to guess you were using this microphone during the unboxing portion. Am I correct?
@@LiftGammaGainKC 💯% R! Great guess! 👍🏾 😆
@@TrueNorf I’ve been known to do the same thing.
@@LiftGammaGainKC Well, would you look at that!! 😆
good work Norf, as always!
Cheers Matt! 🙏🏾😁 Really appreciate the comment!
I’m curious if you have used any of their other products. They have a microphone boom arm that’s had mixed reviews as do all reviews. Great video Sir Norf.
Thankyou, thankyou!! 🙏🏾😁 And great question, TMT! I was using their Caster Boom Arm for this video which worked well, however I've not really used it in anger. I'll post a review on it in a few weeks. I wasn't a fan of the MDrill One Pro. Much preferred the Fifine K678 it was up against.
@@TrueNorf I plan to check them both out at some point. Thank you and see you next video.
@@continuousfocuskc Thankyou! See you then! 🙏🏾😁
Great review, that was top. Would love your advice on this mic if you have a chance!
I’m currently trying to find the right mic for my own home voice-over recording set-up. I’ve acoustically treated an area in my house however the far side of that same room has a window to a busy road. The crappy mic I currently have picks up a lot of bleed really so I need to do a lot of post with takes.
How do you think the Mdrill mic would fare in picking up/focusing on my voice while filtering out low background noise?
Hey John! First, thankyou for the feedback on the video! Much appreciated! 🙏🏾😁 I assume your setup already includes an audio interface, so you're after an XLR mic? If so, have you considered a shotgun mic for your voiceovers given the busy road issue? I have seen the MDrill Zone XLR online as low as £40 GBP at the time of this comment. It **could** be worth picking up to try out as an upgrade to your current mic? I'd also recommend looking at the Deity lineup. For my videos, you may recall I use the Deity V-Mic D3 Pro. I recently picked up the S-Mic 2 and am currently putting it through its paces. I've been **VERY** impressed with its performance so far! Its a bit of an investment but not as much as a Sennheiser 416! And yes, I have a video planned for ther S-Mic 2 as well! LOL! Please let me know how you get on!!
@@TrueNorf Thanks for the timely response, I had to subscribe after that! And I'm more or less settled on the MDrill Zone at this stage. It's packaged with a fairly robust stand/arm so if I need to turn down the gain, I can get a little more upfront to the mic itself. If that doesn't filter out noise bleed, I'll start looking at directional or shotgun pieces. I need an upgrade from my dinky Neewar, and the MDrill Zone seems to thrive in most environments. Does it need much EQ after the fact for you? Seems like every reviewer gets a really solid raw sound that only needs a little touching up.
@@johnkelly3549 Thankyou, thankyou for the sub, John! Much appreciated! Thankyou! 🙏🏾😁 You’re right. The raw output is good assuming you don’t been it for broadcast! LOL! I like how the MDrill Zone reproduces my voice very much. I also have created an EQ preset I use for my videos that compresses a tad and normalises. Keep me posted on how you get on with the MDrill Zone. What interface are you using?
@@TrueNorf hello again! Right so I ordered this very mic and it arrived a few days ago. Would love your sage input on this; I’m struggling with the self-noise on this thing. It’s audible when I listen back to untreated voice tracks but if any compression, normalisation is added, the hiss goes through the roof. I’d seen a mention of self-noise on one other review of this Mdril Zone, and it was flagged that it has an equivalent noise level of 20db.
You didn’t seem to have much trouble with it self noise in this review though so I’m wondering if it’s solely the mic.
I’m using a little Presonus Audiobox USB interface to line the mic into my laptop (2 ports; mic and instrument). I’d only really been using audacity before I break the Mdrill in proper.
Any thoughts of what it could be?
@johnkelly3549 Hey John! First, sorry to hear that! Candidly, I do not recall any issues with self noise of the unit I have. Assuming you've got half decent cables and they're all good? Also, your set up seems 'clean'. Eg. Mic, XLR, interface, computer. Nothing else in the way to confuse matters. Could you borrow and try a different mic? Like the AT2020 for example? I'm no tech support engineer, but by the process of elimination, the mic could be at fault. Keep me posted on your findings!
Came for the review. Stayed for the voice.
Thankyou, thankyou for your lovely comment! 🙏🏾😍 Do you think you'll pick up this microphone and what are your thoughts about it from this review?
@@TrueNorf i think your review is pretty good. Actually I’m eyeballing the Maono AU-A03 as it has a 3.5mm jack instead of xlr, so I can plug it into my laptop or a sound card if needed.
@@jinsk8r I have not had much experience with Maono as a brand. Have you considered a USB mic and getting USB to 3.5mm converter?
@@TrueNorf I’ve seen very good reviews on both Thronmax and Maono. Actually usb to 3.5mm“converter is just another term of DAC (digital-analog converter or sound card), so Im leaning towards a xlr/3.5mm mic to pair with my DAC for better sound.
@@TrueNorf can you use a XLR to 3.5mm cable to use this mic with a soundcard? Or you absolutely need a phantom power for it to operate? Thank you in advance.