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Technology is not just evolving; it is becoming affordable as well. The sound gear that used to be available only at high-end studios is now well within reach of every individual.
A classic example of this is the BM 800. The company, ZINGYOU, is not one of the well-known but their BM 800 surely is. In this BM 800 Condenser Microphone Review, we will let you know everything about this microphone.
BM 800 is the kind of microphone that catches your attention at first glance. And the price tag on this thing is the icing on the cake.
The BM 800 gets you as close as you can get to professional experience at an extremely high price. In fact, it is the price and value it provides that has made it Amazon’s choice on Amazon.com with more than 13,000 ratings.
However, the point is, if this microphone is really good enough for you? What are the compromises that ZINGYOU made to make this product so affordable? How well does it fare against the other products within the same price bracket?
What are the pros and cons of owning this product? You will get to know the answer to every single question in our BM 800 Condenser Microphone Review.
Key Specifications of BM 800 Microphone
Before getting into the detailed BM 800 Condenser Microphone Review, let’s take a look at the specifications of this unit.
Attribute | Details |
Construction | Metallic |
Polar Pattern | Unidirectional |
Type | Condenser |
Frequency Range | 20 Hz- 20KHz |
Connector Type | XLR |
Signal to Noise Ratio | 78dB |
Audio Sensitivity | 28 dB |
Weight | 346 grams |
Impedance | 200 ohms |
Max SPL | 132 dB |
Cable Length | 8.2ft/ 2.5m |
A Brief Overview-BM 800 Condenser Microphone Review
To get to know each and everything about BM 800 you must read the entire article. However, if you do not have the time to skim through here is what you should know before making the purchase.
The microphone is one of the best when it comes to providing the value of the money. It is sturdy and well-constructed and has a decent frequency range and sensitivity.
However, the area where it lags behind a little is the SPL which means it would have issues recording the louder sounds. Apart from that, it makes a really good studio microphone and is a great option for people who are just starting out.
These are some pros and cons that you would get with purchasing the BM 800 Condenser Microphone.
Pros
- Affordable Microphone
- Durable Unit
- Wide Frequency Range
- Excellent Quality Audio
- Comes in different colors
- Impressive sensitivity
- Long cable
- XLR connector
- Accessories are cheaper
Cons
- High SPL
- Poorly Written User Manual
- High Impedance
- Significant self-noise
Now that you know a little bit about the given microphone, let’s dive a little deeper into understanding it in the BM 800 Condenser Microphone Review.
Who is this BM 800 Condenser Microphone For? The Potential Users of BM 800 Condenser
A microphone with specifications like BM 800 condenser performs really great in recording vocals, voiceovers, and some musical instruments.
Although you would not be able to record loud instruments like electric guitars and drums, it would perform excellently for others.
Keeping all this in account, it is fair to say that this microphone is targeted toward voiceover artists, vocalists, and music composers. Furthermore, it is also a decent option for people who want to build a studio but are running a little short on their budget.
In a nutshell, for those voiceover artists, composers, and vocalists that are running short on budget. This microphone is really a great option and something that they surely give a thought to.
The Good in BM 800- BM 800 Condenser Microphone Review
So far in our BM 800 Condenser Microphone Review, we have established that this unit is surely a decent piece of electronics. However, the question is what makes this microphone so good. Let’s find out about it in this section of BM 800 Condenser Microphone Review.
1. Design and Construction
The BM 800 condenser features a typical condenser microphone design and has no bells and whistles attached to it. It is a round microphone with a wide diaphragm and a fairly large base. ZINGYOU has used Aluminum alloy to construct this microphone which is a really strong material.
The best part about Aluminum is that it imparts strength but it keeps the microphone light at the same time. The use of the alloy imparts a sort of premium touch to it and you feel it instantly the moment you hold the microphone.
Moving on, because of the sturdy construction and use of metal, this microphone becomes very durable. It becomes strong enough to withstand the minor and tear and abuse you might subject it to. Plus, it can even endure the accidental falls.
The point is, it is one of the most durable products that you can find in this price range. It comes cheap but it does not feel cheap.
2. Wide Frequency Range
The BM 800 has a really wide frequency range which is surprising given the price tag it comes with. As you might have noticed above in the BM 800 Condenser Microphone Review, it has a frequency range of 20 Hz – 20KHz.
What it essentially means is that this microphone can capture all sorts of sounds ranging from whispers to loud instruments.
It is this wide frequency that makes this microphone so versatile and worthy of your studio. The response to frequency is usually flat but there are certain areas where you might encounter fluctuation.
However, these fluctuations are usually a measure to counteract the excessive boost when it is brought to closer proximity.
3. Polar Pattern
The polar pattern on the BM 800 Condenser is unidirectional or cardioid. The microphones with these polar patterns can only catch the sound from the direction.
Thus, all the noise from the surroundings cannot make it into the recording. This keeps the audio free of interference and distortion.
Because of this polar pattern, this microphone becomes a handy tool to record the vocals and the voiceovers. Furthermore, when you want to record each instrument separately this would also be of great help.
Moving on, the microphones that come within this price bracket usually do not have a strict polar pattern. However, it is not the case with this microphone, it is as strict as you would find in some of the high-end microphones. No other part of the diaphragm, apart from the designated area, would capture the sound.
4. Sensitivity
As mentioned earlier in BM Condenser Microphone Review, it has a sensitivity of about 28dB. The human whisper is at about 30 dB. This just goes on to show how sensitive the microphone really is.
Because of this high sensitivity, you can record all sorts of sounds. It will be of great benefit to the vocalists and the voiceovers when they experiment with their vocal cords.
Furthermore, because of the sensitivity, the artists do not necessarily have to speak too closely on the mic. It is sensitive enough to capture the sound from a distance without distorting it.
The sensitivity of the microphone would also play a key role in recording the instruments like acoustic guitars accurately. Usually, the microphone in this price range does not perform really great when it comes to recording low notice.
However, it is not the case with this one. And that is why we have mentioned earlier in BM 800 Condenser Microphone Review, that it is a great microphone for instrument recording.
5. Condenser
As the name in the BM 800 Condenser Microphone Review implies it is a condenser microphone. And this type of circuitry performs really great when the task at hand is to reduce the ambient noise.
The condenser of the BM 800 performs a really great job of dampening the ambient noise and keeping the audio clear of interference and noise.
It is because of this condenser and unidirectional polar pattern that you would get very clear and natural audio as a result.
6. Connectivity
Connectivity is one of the key features to look for while purchasing the microphone for the studio. Fortunately, you would not have any issues with the connectivity of the BM 800 condenser microphone. However, it is a little bit more complex than some of the other microphones but you would get a hold of it in no time.
The microphone uses an XLR connector to connect with other devices in the studio. It is really great as XLR is the standard connector in studio settings. But the thing is, it comes with an XLR to IEC cable which goes into the 3.5mm jack. This is where it gets a little tricky.
Since the microphone is Phantom Powered, it needs a power source to perform to its full capacity. And using the 3.5mm jack of ordinary smartphones or laptops would not be able to power it. Therefore, you would have to use the USB sound card which fortunately comes with it.
Thus, the point is, it is somewhat tricky to get hold of but you are getting all the required accessories with it. Therefore, it should not be an issue to connect the microphone to other devices in the studio.
7. Price
Time for the truth, the thing that has been mentioned over and over in the BM 800 condenser microphone review is finally here. The price is the biggest selling point of this microphone that there is.
Well, all the time, when we talked about its price, was no exaggeration, it really is one of the cheapest microphones that you can get.
The price of a microphone is just about 23 USD and if you combine it with accessories it becomes around 35 USD. Surprised? We were too. For a microphone that comes in this price range to provide all these features is simply mind-boggling.
A quality microphone does not get cheaper than this. Thus, as we have mentioned over and again in BM 800 Condenser Microphone Review, this is the ideal unit for people running low on a budget who want to build a studio.
8. Accessories
If you decide to buy the package with the accessories you would get pretty much everything that you need to get it up and running. However, the most important of these accessories is the shock mount.
It is the device that imparts stability to the microphone and prevents vibrations from making it into the microphone. Thus, in the presence of instruments like guitars, you should not worry about the extra bass to make into the microphone.
Furthermore, it also comes with a windshield that prevents the sounds of breath from going into the microphone. The farmstand is also well-thought-out as it features padding underneath. Thus, the users can freely move the microphone on the table without damaging or scratching it.
The Bad in BM 800- BM 800 Condenser Microphone Review
So far in our BM 800 condenser microphone review, we have enlisted the benefits you would get by purchasing a BM 800 microphone.
However, it is not all fairy tales and some compromises were to be made in order to make this device so affordable. Let’s find out if these compromises really overshadow the good in this section of the BM 800 condenser mic review.
1. Low SPL
SPL is the measure of how loud a microphone can record and as we mentioned earlier in the BM 800 condenser mic review, it is not much. At 132 dB, the microphone would record the loud sound sources but there would be a lot of distortion and interference in it.
This is why you would not be able to record loud instruments like drums and electric guitars with this microphone. So, if these are the instruments that you mostly work with, we are afraid that the BM 800 microphone is not the right one for you.
However, for people who usually use light instruments like acoustic guitars, pianos, and violins, this would not produce any problems.
2. High Self Noise
The self-noise is the sound that the microphone produces in the absence of any sound source in the area. And this is the area where affordable microphones always take the beating. The case with this microphone is not much different either.
You may not notice the noise in general but when you use it in quieter spaces it would begin to show its presence. So, is this a deal-breaker? No. it I not as this is something that you would experience in pretty much every microphone in this price range. Plus, it is not something that cannot be worked around.
You can simply bring the microphone closer to the sound source to minimize and sometimes almost eliminate this noise.
3. High Impedance
Impedance is the resistance that a microphone provides to the circuit it is attached to. Usually, it is not of much significance but when you decide to change the cables, the case becomes quite the opposite.
The high impedance does not allow you to use long cables with this microphone. The use of long cables would yield distorted sound with interference.
Thus, while purchasing the new cables one must keep in mind and try to get as short a cable as it is possible. It is not a deal-breaker but it is something that must be taken into account while purchasing the cables to avoid regretting later.
4. User Manual
The user manual of the BM 800 is very poorly written which is not a big deal but we decided to include it in the BM 800 microphone review for the heads up. The manual is neither comprehensive nor precise, it describes each and everything pretty vaguely.
However, one should not grill the company in BM 800 microphone review merely because of it. The company is fairly new and usually, such companies do not pay much attention to these trivial details.
Conclusion- BM 800 Condenser Microphone Review
In our BM 800 mic review, we have enlisted each and everything there is to know about the BM 800 microphone. As mentioned earlier in BM 800 mic review, it is designed for vocalists, voice-over artists, and music composers. However, it is not for the people who are into recording heavy instruments.
Furthermore, in our BM 800 review, we have described how well it performs especially when we take the price tag of the microphone into an account. We hope that this BM 800 review has helped you in finding what you were looking for.
This is all we had on the BM 800 Condenser Microphone Review, if there is anything that you would like to ask or add, let us know in the given section. We would love to respond. Here are some FAQs about this microphone.
FAQs | BM 800 Condenser Microphone Review
What is this BM 800 Microphone for?
This is a pretty nice quality condenser microphone. So it’s recommended for Studio recording, Vocals, Singing or YouTubers, etc…
Is XLR Better than USB?
You can connect USB directly to the USB port of your computer. But XLR requires an external recording interface. So you’ll need a separate audio interface if you’re going with XLR. XLR is more powerful than a USB and is recommended for high-quality studio works.
Does phantom power improve your condenser mics audio?
Phantom power provides more power to your contender microphone, but it does not boost the volume or anything.