Equipment review: Creative SB Live! Microphone
As promised, here is my review of the free Creative Labs microphone that came with my sound blaster live platinum pack, purchased roughly 4 years ago.
Product description:
There is no model number on this mic, so if you want to buy one on your own, you'll need to do some searching. I could look it up in the manual, but that would require me to get out of my chair.
The mic assembly is roughly 12 inches long with a bend about 8 inches into the casing. It resembles a pipe cleaner with a small microphone at the end, or some sort of probing medical device. Creative labs was kind enough to include a desktop mic stand for it. I do not believe it has any shock-absorbing qualities, though.
Since I don't have the appropriate adapters to run the 1/8" plug into a normal mic preamp, I'm going direct into the microphone in jack on
my abit nf7-s motherboard.
The sound:
Firstly, I was required to boost the gain on the sound control panel to maximum to get a usable signal. From a comfortable distance of 12 inches, I was able to get a level that reminded my of someone talking into the phone while they were facing the wrong way. After checking the 'Boost' box on the Nvidia audio control panel and moving closer, I discovered the sweet spot appeared to be 0 to 1 inches from the microphone itself.
However, at this distance, a lot of popping was noted as I spoke into the mic. This could be reduced with the addition of a pop filter, but mounting one to the stand would cause the mic to fall over. Another possible solution would be to hold an old T-shirt in front of the microphone, but again, that would require me getting out of my chair. That test will just have to wait for another day.
The microphone began to distort on most any signal. This could be a useful effect depending on certain applications (see below). Another possible drawback is that the slots cut into the side of the microphone picked up my exhaling since I was 1/2 inch away from it. Breating should definately be avoided when using this microphone.
To test the results on male voice, I sang a few david lee roth inspired 'zappa do boppity dooby de wop' type verses into the mic. Getting into the groove, I also made up a few lyrics on the spot about body parts and bodily functions.
On the whole, the microphone didn't seem to shine in any area, but that just makes it all the more versatile (no one trick pony here!) Boosting the gain on the mic input did result in a good deal of noise being picked up, but a noise gate should be able to solve that. I must say I did enjoy reviewing the microphone, since I didn't have to get out of my chair the whole time.
Summary:
Pros:
- Free with purchase
- Includes free mic stand
- No need for phantom power
- Was sitting in my closet unused for years
Cons:
- Small sweet spot
- Would require several adapters to use with a normal mic preamp
- Sounds like ass
Conclusion:
While the mic has its share of drawbacks, the cost of the microphone (free) puts it in the running with microphones I'd actually have to pay for. While I wouldn't use it for vocals, guitars (electric or acoustic), drums, or other instruments, I'm sure it will be a useful addition to my microphone locker should the need arise to sound like I'm announcing trains at a subway station.
