In the internet age, streaming has gained popularity, and telecommuting has become a necessary reality for most people. After covid, almost everything is becoming digital so that people can work from home, study at home via video conferencing, etc.
Your co-workers are likely to listen to your reports in Zoom or Teams meetings while working on something else. And most people listen to a video in the background while multitasking. And upgrading your mic is perhaps the significant improvement you can make to your video conferencing or streaming setup.
If you are a beginner, then you’ll experience that audio setups are confusing and expensive. This means you will have to connect XLR microphones to mixers, DACs, and hook everything into your PC. It can get pricey, also managing all those devices can be overwhelming. This is where the USB microphone comes in.
What the USB microphone does is pack all of the audio hardware into a single package that connects to your computer via its USB port. Let’s talk about one of the most popular USB microphones, namely the Movo UM700 USB.
Specifications
- Diaphragm: 0.55″ (14mm)
- Frequency Response: 20-20,000Hz
- Sensitivity: -45dB ± 3dB @ 1KHz
- Polar Patterns: Stereo, Cardioid, Omnidirectional, Bi-directional
- Power Consumption: 5V/150mA
- Sample Rate: 48 kHz
- Bit Depth: 16 Bit
- Headphone Amplifier Impedance: 16 ohms
- Headphone Frequency Response： 15-20,000Hz
- Connector: Micro USB (USB Cable Included)
- Dimensions (expanded): 4.4 x 3.8 x 11.6″ (11.2 x 10.8 x 29cm)
- Dimensions (collapsed): 4.4 x 3.8 x 7.9″ (11.2 x 10.8 x 20cm)
- Mounting: Desktop Swivel Stand (included) or 5/8″ Thread
- Weight: 2.3 LBS (1.04kg)
- Price: check on Amazon
Pros
- Excellent audio recording quality
- Affordable
- Versatile – condenser mic with 4 polar patterns (stereo,cardioid, omnidirectional, bi-directional)
- Onboard controls for volume, mute, gain, and polar patterns
- Plug-and-play support for Windows and macOS
Cons
- Condenser mic, not dynamic mic
- Only 48kHz/16-but quality, not 24-bit
- No XLR connector
Design of the Movo UM700 USB Microphone
The Movo UM700 USB microphone comes in black color, and it looks professional. It’s made of sturdy metal for the mic as well as its stand. The Movo places its capsule on the top of the cylindrical unit and houses all the other components below in a well-built metal body. A mute button and volume dial are placed on the front side, and on the back, they give a control dial and one more dial for selecting the mic’s pattern (cardioid, stereo, etc.).
This microphone is encased in metal and feels particularly robust in hand, as well as the mic’s grill (the mesh wire that covers the capsule of the mic) is firm, and it offers a metal stand that has a weighted and padded bottom. Also, the bottom is rubberized, which grips any surface very well. This feature helps, for example, to absorb shocks caused by typing.
The bottom of the microphone unit houses a 3.5mm headphone jack and micro USB port. The base is pre-installed in the box, but it is removable and can mount the mic via a 5/8-inch threaded hole.
The UM700 microphone will not move around on your table or desk as more miniature microphones might. It weighs 2.3 lbs (1.04 kg) and feels sturdy.
Size-wise, the microphone takes up space of 4.4 X 3.8 inches (11.2 X 10.8) on your desktop. The maximum height of the microphone is 11.6 inches (29 cm). Also, that can be adjusted down.
Features of the Movo UM700 USB Microphone
Adjustable Patterns
The mic has four polar patterns, so with this mic, you can record almost any situation.
- Stereo (for capturing a realistic sound image);
- Cardioid (isolated pickup from the front);
- Omnidirectional (captures from all directions);
- Bi-directional (for front/rear pickup)
Plug and play
It is compatible with Mac & Windows via USB, so you can instantly start gaming, podcasting or live streaming and more, right out of the box.
High Fidelity Audio
48kHz/16-bit broadcast quality sound resolution, without latency and a robust frequency response of 20Hz – 20kHz.
Controls
Solid metal builds, the body is designed with onboard controls for instant mute, headphone monitoring, headphone volume control, gain control desktop swivel stand has a 5/8″ thread for mounting.
Audio Quality
The Movo UM700 offers excellent voice quality like other high-end USB microphones. The voices sound warm, and vocals are clear & crisp. This microphone is not tuned for instrument recordings, but it does the job very well.
This microphone’s primary issue is the inability to cancel out unwanted background noise. Users can gain down the mic via the dial on the back, but the background noises are still audible in recordings.
If you do voice recording or teleconferencing, then the UM700 is recommended in a private office or studio with a door.
Should you buy it?
The Movo UM700 microphone is the best entry-level microphone for those who want to get into the content creation world. This is a budget-friendly microphone with unique features, and it is easy to use so that beginners can easily set it up and start recording.
You should buy this if…
- If you are a streamer, podcaster, or other content creator looking to elevate your content.
- If you want a great audio mic without investing in any expensive equipment.
You shouldn’t buy this if…
• If you want the absolute best sound recording quality.
Conclusion
So we saw an overview of the Movo UM700 USB Microphone.
If you need a comparison and know the list of the best USB microphones, please read this article.
Have a good time!
Dr Walnut
