Hi friend and Welcome!
Stu-pendous here, Today I’m gonna be charging hard at you with the MXL V63M Condenser Studio Microphone Review!
So grab a snack, sit back and relax because…
You’ve come to the right place!
What I will bring you in this review
- Ratings/Price
- Specifications
- Summary
- Pros
- Cons
- Who this mic benefits?
- What you will need?
- Consensus/Conclusion
- Final Word
Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!
MXL V63M
Ratings/Price
Specifications
- Analog or digital: Analog
- Frequency response: 30Hz to 20kHz
- Max SPL: 130 dB. What is SPL?
- Connectivity: XLR. What is XLR?
- Capsule: Condenser
- Polar pattern: Cardioid. What is a cardioid capsule?
- Type: Mounted
- Applications: Studio
- Diaphragm size: Large. Large diaphragm vs. Small diaphragm.
- Switches: No
- Phantom power required: Yes
- Width: 1.85″
- Height: 7.48″
- Weight: 1 lb.
- Case: No
- Clip: Yes
- Shockmount: No
- Power supply: No
- Cable: No
- Stand: No
Summary
The V63m is a good all-around option for someone just starting out. It’s got a nice sound for a variety of studio applications such as vocals, instruments, podcasting, and voice-over work in general. There are a lot of folks out there saying you could put this up next to a much more expensive microphone and not hear a difference. It also is said to be a great option for a range of different instruments, because of the clarity.
Pros
- Great clarity. Responsive and crisp, with nice lows.
- Very Durable. A reviewer on Musicians friend said he dropped it from a pretty decent height and it survived admirably 😛
- Versatile. Great for vocals and instruments.
- Good shock-mount.
- Great for podcasts, as the mic takes an ordinary voice and sort of makes it way more masculine and bold.
Cons
- Vocal applications may need a bit of EQ’ing to get the desired result.
- *Maybe a bit tinny and bright/sibilant. Somewhat unnatural. What does Sibilant mean?
- Not too great with heavily distorted guitars.
- One reviewer complained of a humming noise.
- No case and shock-mount.
- Limited functions.
Who this mic benefits?
It excels with:
- Pod-casters
- Vocalists
- Instrumentation
- Voice over work in general
- Acoustic Guitar
- Miking drums
What you will need?
- This is a large-diaphragm condenser microphone. It is very sensitive to sound, so a treated room is ideal. If you’re wondering what a “treated” entails, you can pretty much just Jerry-rig your own and it will be adequate. Check out my article on Acoustic Sound Treatment!
- To ensure the best possible recording, set up your space in a quiet area if possible, away from ambient noise, fans, high traffic areas, windows, etc. Use a small space such as a closet, and line the walls with Acoustic Studio Foam, or even an old comforter. Anything that will block outside noise from coming in. If you’re really on a budget, you could even drape a comforter over your melon and record underneath it. It sounds ridiculous, but it actually works!
- This microphone requires 48v phantom power via audio interface and an XLR cable. What does an audio interface do? Check out my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 review!
- This microphone (and many condensers, if not all) benefit greatly from a pop filter.
Learn more about Your audio interface!
Consensus/Conclusion
Great results at an affordable price. Be for-warned though, this may not be the mic for you long term. It is great to start out with, but I did see some complaints along the way: Here are some, and they are all different incidents from different people:
- Humming noises.
- Muffled recording after a year and a half.
- After a couple of months, one user had to crank up the gain on his interface to get it loud enough.
Final Word
The MXL V63M is a pretty decent mic, but if I was in the market for a mic in this price range or below, I wouldn’t buy it. It’s not really worth the price. It just seems a little bit too unreliable for the long term, and I can’t get over some of the complaints I read. Add to that the fact that I can’t find a decent video review for it, and it becomes somewhat of a risky buy.
So instead I’m going to recommend the Audio Technica AT2035! It’s an all-around fabulous mic and excels in a variety of different studio applications, and gets pretty rave reviews around the net.
CHECK OUT MY AUDIO TECHNICA AT2035 REVIEW!!
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! Hope you enjoyed my MXL V63M Condenser Studio Microphone review, and now have some more information about why it may not be the best long-term investment.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I leave something out or get something wrong? Let me know below or contact me!!
What do you think about the AT2035? Let me know as well, I would love to hear from you…
Until then.. all the best and God bless,
-Stu
Be sure to check out my Reviews and Resources page for more helpful and informative articles!
MXL V63M
Pros
- Versatile
- Durable
- Clean sound overall
Cons
- Tinny/Bright/Harsh in the treble
- Humming noise
- Limited functions
- A lot of EQ required
2 comments
Hey Stu,
Great article and very useful info.
Keep up the good work.
Ilina
Thank you for the visit!
-Stu