Marantz Pro M4U - USB Condenser Microphone with Audio Interface, Mic Cable and Desk Stand - for Podcast Projects, Streaming and Recording Instruments

Really great mic for the price

Really happy that my first ever mic purchase was this as it has been delivering amazing quality sound for more than a year now.Didn't want to get an external separate soundboard plus a mic and was looking for something simple, portable and quality and this was the perfect example for that.At the atart, it had a slight distortion when spoken really close and really loud into the mic but I guess this is expected with all microphones. I found that buying a cheap pop filter meant a gap between you and the mic whilst cutting out harsh "p" sounds along with some software sound adjustments solve the issue.I usually forget about reviews but after more than a year, I think its time that I showed the recognition it deserves.

This mic is very good sound quality and it works no problem installed onto the PC. the stand can be a bit tricky to get into the correct position but generally it is quite a good stand.

Microphone is surprisingly heavy, however pleasant to hold should you ever decide to use it that way. USB cable is about 1m long, which might turn out to be too short depending on your situation; I as I plan to tie it to the telescope arm I am likely to use an alternative, longer USB cable, or a repeater cable to connect it to my system. Telescope arm is of standard size and easy to assemble, though only in upright position since the clamp receives the arm only by sliding in without any fixture. But that is not an issue for me. The arm itself is surprisingly resistant to movement and manipulation compared to arms designed for lamps - but that again is no surprise given the weight of the microphone to hold steadfast.Connecting the microphone was a breeze on my Mac (OS X Sierra) - plug in, and select "USB MICROPHONE" and you're good to go. But what blew me away was the recording quality: Sitting in my room using the laptop, with the window open and background noise (cars, birds, wind in the foliage) and Quicktime recorded - silence. Just silence. Wow. :) The "flip side" is, however, that I need to position the microphone about 10-15 cm away from my moth, but that again is no issue for me as it makes me focus on the work at hand, so it is actually an upside for me. :)I bought it in combination with Neewer® NW (B-3) 6 Inch Studio Microphone Mic round shape wind Pop Filter Mask Shield stand clip (Black) and Neewer® Black Universal Microphone Shock Mount Holder Clip Anti Vibration Suspension High Isolation for Studio Condenser Mic, Idea for Radio Broadcasting Studio, Voice-over Sound Studio and Recording and I couldn't be happier for £65 than now. :)

Searching for a microphone to improve sound quality of my online presentations, this seemed a quality brand at a reasonable price-point.However. . . .1) The microphone produced a steady 'ticking' noise, audible on the recording, which completely ruined the sound quality. It may well be that this was simply a faulty item.2) Sound quality (apart from the noise) was disappointing and on a par with the £6.99 lapel mic I'd previously used for this purpose.Overall - it's always possible I simply got a faulty item but the sound quality was still rather disappointing. Thanks to Amazon for a quick, painless return.

Really good quality, would reccomend.

TL;DR: Does the job to upgrade a poor built-in laptop microphone, not sure it would make you sound radio/podcast-like thoughI have two computers, a personal one (Microsoft surface Pro 4) and a work one lended by my company (HP ??). I use my work laptop for frequent meetings and research interviews that use online call. The built in microphone picks up my voice but gives always a white noise and my voice sounds remote. The Marantz Umpire makes my voice much clearer and doesn't generate white noise or pick up as much on background noise. So it's a significant improvement from a poor built in microphone.I had the opportunity to try the Marantz Umpire on my personal laptop which has already a very good built-in microphone. On a call, family said they didn't notice a difference. I take it it only gets as good as good built-in microphone, but won't go as far as make your voice sound like on the radio/podcasts.

I'm converting my shed into a studio, I'm not wealthy, I am unable to work, I don't have a whole lot of money. I make music to vent & release my negativity... I've been recording on my phone for a while, The quality was surprising but it was a pain mixing my vocals all the time and hard to add backing vocals + adlibs.This microphone is perfect! It's made everything 100x easier. Recorded my first track with it last night and it couldn't of gone any better.Only issue is the sensitivity of the mic, It's a very good mic. I know it's not a professional microphone, More like semi pro. But... The sensitivity of the mic isn't what I expected, It's good but it can be a little weird or I may just not be used to it yet. To me though it seems to not always pick your voice up fully. Could just be me though.