MXL produces a range of cost-effective microphones. The MXL 990 is one of their most innovative creations, pairing high-quality sound with an unbeatable price.
About MXL
MXL Microphones is the pro audio sector of Marshall Electronics (not to be confused with Marshall Amplification). Leonard Marshall founded the company in 1980 and still owns and operates it today. His particular fascination with microphones was the catalyst to start MXL.
As an electrical engineer in the early ’80s, Marshall discovered A/V cables made by the Japanese brand Mogami. Known for being some of the best cables in the industry, Mogami’s head scientist developed the audio cable at a Japanese university to demonstrate how cable structure could improve overall sound quality. Marshall brought these samples back to the United States and the clean sound of Mogami cabling became the industry standard for professional recording applications. Marshall developed a close working relationship with Mogami and still uses their components in his microphones today.
In 1998, the first MXL microphone launched. The driving force at MXL has always been to produce the best sounding microphones possible at a price virtually anyone can afford. The MXL 2001 microphone was their first entry in 1998, followed by the 2003 microphone in 1999. The MXL 990 came later, in the mid 2000s. According to Amazon, the 990 ranks #104 in the condenser microphone sales category and can be had for just $99.
A big part of what makes MXL mics stand out amongst competitors is that they’re wired with Mogami cable. The affordable condenser market is saturated, and the top-notch cabling helps the MXL 990 be a slight cut above the rest.
MXL 990 Review
Generally speaking, engineers favor condenser mics for their detailed and nuanced capture of a sound source. They’re the standard for vocals, acoustic instruments, drum overheads, room mics, or anything you’d like!
The MXL 990 is an ultra-affordable large-diaphragm FET condenser. It’s traditional in appearance, with looks seemingly inspired by legendary German designs of the past and present. It features a fixed cardioid polar pattern and a frequency response of 30 Hz to 20 kHz.
Full Specs:
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Type:
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Pressure gradient condenser microphone |
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Diaphragm:
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6 micron gold-sputtered |
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Frequency Response:
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30 Hz – 20 kHz |
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Polar Pattern:
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Cardioid |
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Sensitivity:
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15mV/Pa |
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Impedance:
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200 ohms |
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Equivalent Noise Level:
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20 dB (A-weighted IEC 268-4) |
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S/N Ratio:
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80 dB (Ref. 1Pa A-weighted) |
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Max SPL for .5% THD:
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130 dB |
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Power Requirements:
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Phantom Power 48V (+- 4V) |
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Current Consumption :
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<3.0mA |
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Size:
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60mm x 130mm / 2.36 in. x 5.11 in. |
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Weight:
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1.2 lbs / 544.3g |
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Metal Finish :
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Champagne |
The first thing you’ll notice about the MXL 990 is that the construction is what you’d expect of a $99 Chinese-manufactured condenser microphone. That isn’t to say it’s ‘cheap,’ however, and the champagne finish is actually quite nice. Included in the bundle is a shockmount as well as a plastic case lined with foam—nice additions for the cost.
In terms of performance, condensers like these are typically designed and marketed as vocal microphones. The overall frequency response is somewhat flat across the board, with a large presence boost centering around 8 kHz. Sometimes budget condensers are too hyped in the top-end, and even harsh, though the 990’s high-end peak sort of balances out with any proximity effect that may occur. There’s also a minimal low-end boost centered approximately around 150 Hz to add some fullness to the signal.
20 dBA of self-noise is not particularly low, at least not when compared to other industry standard budget condensers. However, it’s low enough that it shouldn’t be a concern on most voices and instruments. Overall, the MXL 990 stacks up against other microphones in the price range; most users shopping in this bracket would be very happy with the quality of sound the mic captures.
Conclusion
The MXL 990 is a fine balance of quality and affordability. It receives generally favorable reviews from professional and hobbyist users alike, and in no way sounds worse than any similarly-priced mics in its range.
It may take a bit of work positioning this microphone correctly, in order to reject the most ambient noise for the cleanest recording. MXL themselves strongly recommend experimenting with placement, understanding the 990 to be a particularly sensitive mic.
With that said, the MXL 990 is a bargain at $99, complete with shockmount and padded hard case. You’d be hard pressed to find that same combination of accessories, quality, and budget-friendliness than in the MXL 990 condenser.