FiFine Tank3 USB/XLR Mic Review & Test (vs Røde PodMic USB, Shure MV7, Q9U, K688, PD200X & more!)

[@AudioHotline]

***NOTE*** I messed up on the label of a lower third! 😩 At 14:54 when it is labeled “Tank3 XLR” it should be “K688 XLR” It’s when I say “that was a bit of a challenge for me, it freaked my system out a lot (giggle giggle)” I thought I incorporated more XLR for the K688, but I was doing this at like 3am and must have missed it. If you want to hear more comparisons between the K688 and the Tank3, reply here and let me know and I’ll upload a private video 😊

[@MrSkipLim]

I would also like to add the Fifane AM8 to the comparison

[@AaronOverEverything]

I really like this mic. So much I got 2! This Tank 3 is my current active mic for videos. Solid review as always bro 💪🏽

[@theoffscouring777]

You’re reviews are the best you knuckle down like nobody else Glad you’re growing brother

[@TransplantHelper]

I bought the K669D based on one of you reviews and I absolutely love it. I actually think it sounds better that the Tank3 and most others. Absolutely the fullest sound I’ve ever heard. I have so many expensive mics but this is my new favorite.

[@FreePodcastTools]

Thank you for posting the link to my review. I am just now seeing that you did that. I really appreciate it!

[@fnswrestling]

Now that I know it’s possible for the mute to work on some mics in XLR mode, it annoys me that every XLR/usb mic doesn’t have it. Tank 3 is pretty impressive. As a budget gear collector, I love Fifine.

[@FIFINE]

T(h)ank T(h)ank Bronson! What a fine fine review! It's our bad for not having the 24-bit on this model since the product development is pretty much stuck in a row. That means when a new product has been on the market, the other one as the replaced or branded out models have been in the developing phase not much can be changed. But we guarantee that the next model will have the 24-bit available! As for the DSP that is actually practical, tbh we may still be a bit far from. Please keep creating more awesome videos, definitely love to hear the audio insight that you share in the video!

[@dddux]

Lower the high pass filter threshold a bit while at it, too. 😉 12db/octave at 150Hz or even lower should sound more natural.

[@FIFINE]

@@dddux Thank you very much for the suggestion! Definitely let our engineers know!

[@MarkBennettCameraCrisis]

Fifine is a Fifine value. And you are a tank of a creator

[@AudioHotline]

☺ Thanks cutie!

[@DaleKinsey]

Bravo-Bravo, Bronson-Bronson, Great review of the Fine-Fine Tank-Tank!!!! Always enjoy the channel and the vibe! I'm a corporate trainer that conducts a lot of live online training. I've been looking for a dynamic xlr mic that I can easily mute while sharing my entire screen with the learners. This may not seem like a big deal, however, to mute your mic when in Zoom or Teams you have to stop sharing your screen/presentation to get to the mute feature. This tends to disrupt the follow of the session. So.... I picked up the CAD e90 a few days ago when it hit a rock-bottom price of $55.70 on A! Thanks for pointing out the "mute while in xlr" feature!!!! ...you rock!

[@AudioHotline]

Thank you for the kind words! I wish every XLR/USB mic had a mute button that worked in both modes!

[@Dragn33]

Man.. I purchased the Rode pod mic usb before seeing this and sorta realizing I didn’t need all of the extra capabilities. Just something to consider for anyone else shopping around. Great review btw!

[@Tay-nw9lt]

favorite part of the review was the kitty purr test 😻

[@chrissy3060]

I really like how the Rode Podmic Usb and the Shure MV7 sound. Think I will be choosing between the two.

[@edclevel402]

The K669D + SC1 dry signal actually sounds better on your voice, imo. It's a bit more mid-bass forward, sounds fuller and more neutral.

[@adrianomoreira1341]

Congratulations always on the excellent content. I always think it's important to say this: to really hear the differences in tests like this you need reference headphones. I recommend two models: Sennheiser HD560s or Hifiman He400Se.

[@dddux]

Or Sennheiser 280, 380, BeyerDynamic DT 660, 770, 150. Old school, great studio sound. ;)

[@helmanfrow]

I was wondering why this mic sounded like it had all the bass rolled off until I heard the other mics. Now I know it's your voice.

[@Leyo.]

Absolutely wonderful review. No one does it like you! Would you recommend this mic over the Fifine K688? I have a deep voice and I only plan on using it for discord with friends

[@AudioHotline]

Thank you! I think either mic would work well! If you like one sound over the other, just go with that. The main thing I have noticed is more of a bump in the low-mids with the k688 that the tank3 doesn’t have. If you have a deep voice though, then the tank3 could be more ideal, but you’d be good with either!

[@GuilDormeus]

this is a beautiful mic! Love the sound

[@MrSkipLim]

Do you think the Tank3 needs extra windproofing? Is it worth purchasing separately?

[@FIFINE]

Not necessary, though it's quite better than what you expect from the cardioid dynamic mics, but it's all down to whether the plosives are acceptable to you.

[@jeremyhubbell]

Definitely noticed noise on the acoustic guitar sample when recording via USB but other than that, it sounds pretty solid--certainly good enough for podcasts.

[@AudioHotline]

Absolutely!! Definitely agree. Thanks for commenting!

[@fantaz_official]

Wow thats an upgrade from the K688! To me, the Tank3 sounds about the same on USB or XLR, only the low has a bit more presence... Im just disapointed that you only compared the USB output from the K688, the XLR output sounds so much better... Now I cant really tell if its that much better :')

[@AudioHotline]

😩😩😩 I messed up on the lower third. At 14:54 when it is labeled Tank3 XLR it is actually K688 XLR. It’s when I say “ that was a bit of a challenge for me, it freaked my system out a lot (giggle giggle)” I thought I incorporated more XLR, but I was doing this at like 3am and must have missed it.

[@meistudiony]

That was solid! I dont get why companies compete with themselves. If youre gonna put out something thats 90% the same as another product you have, how is it worth it to tool up for that?! Put those resources towards something you dont already have out or even better yet… something your competition doesnt have yet.

[@FIFINE]

We know that it's unreasonable from the point of view of enthusiasts, our engineers are thinking about the exact same thing. But you're also up to some points, all these are because of competition, it's so harsh nowadays even for brands like us who are aiming at a niche market - budget home studio audio gear. You really can't afford the cost of losing customers, or someone who hasn't been your customer but is undecided about what brand to go for, and one of them is just your competitors. When the company gets less traffic, it may get fewer profits (of course there are quite a lot more things to factor in when saying whether a company can make profits). Thus less budget for development and fewer products that can stand out from the rest. And back to the question of why there're so many similar products, some buyers may not like the plastic model and some may be in favor of the brighter tone than the warm one, so we offer them options that could look similar at the first glance but actually come with different characteristics. Then we can make some different, like the K658 USB dynamic mics, we're far from the first company to make a USB dynamic mic, but 2 or 3 years back then, the budget market was fraught with all kinds of USB condenser mics (without lighting), and we released a dynamic mic in USB connection (not many attempts before because dynamic is known for hard to drive, it's not realistic for small firm develop a model that uses just a sound card built into the mic itself to drive it). Anyway, thanks for helping us to confirm our belief! We always think that it's always the innovation to help earn more customers rather than anything else. So please keep creating more content, we really love to get the insight that you and Bronson shared on not just our but all the other audio-related equipment!

[@BacktotheRetroReview]

Love the tank 3... it's a daily driver of mine.

[@artmaltman]

Does the Tank3 sound a bit lightweight to you? Either lacking in bass, or, lacking in lower midrange / upper bass boost? Maybe it's just neutral whereas other microphones boost the lower mids & upper bass to get a "radio" sound?

[@chronicmayhem]

Please review the presonus revelator dynamic

[@BacktotheRetroReview]

Can -. suggest a budget company? LO core. They are new to usa, originally from India. have a couple reviews of them and l'm super impressed. And i do know they are looking for influencers.

[@Dracomies]

On your voice the K688 beats out the Fifine Tank 3. The Fifine Tank 3 has that typical USB sound (not good) but that K688 sounds a step above.

[@FIFINE]

It could be about the tone. The bassier K688 can muddle up some of the artificial sounds like the one you may hear from the Tank3. But if users' voice is more towards the low-end even in USB mode, the Tank3 may perform better.

[@TheRealistYJ]

Hey can you do a comparison of the tank 3, k688, am8, PD400x and the Q2u

[@Wog68]

RØDE NT-USB mini is $99 and it has DSP, and compatible with windows PC & Mac OS (but not smartphone OS). RØDE NY-USB+ is $169 & also has DSP and it is compatible with Windows PC, MAC OS, IOS, iPad OS and Android smart devices. I think that way these USB microphones beat completion in price and feature comparisons overall. Also don’t forget Zoom M3 MicTrak which is standard battery powered (as well as USB C), record on SD card up-to 1TB, 12 HR battery life, record in 32 bit and has post production ability to adjust to 32 bit audio and convert to Mono or Stereo. Recent price in market is $169.

[@enriquekahn9405]

Dang, no Q2u comparison? That's like THE USB/XLR mic.

[@AudioHotline]

It crossed my mind... it was between the Q2U and the Q9U. I just ended up going with the more "broadcast" style mics. I figured the people that were looking at this mic were interested in this body style. People just love that look. Also, I have been trying to limit my comparisons a little more 🤣 they were just getting too massive there for a little bit.

[@enriquekahn9405]

@@AudioHotline makes sense

[@ahmed87772]

FDUCE SL40+ Or FiFine Tank3? thanks in advance

[@JulientNightwalker]

Will you do the Fifine Am8

[@helmanfrow]

So there's no way to adjust the blend between mic level and playback level in the headphones?

[@AudioHotline]

If you have a lower voice, check out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWqWi56vh6Z2p6ssi=cwfDENdsGJRcwNc3

[@moonyman89]

18:49 The Cat: Did you fart? 😂

[@shiranmallikarachchi7820]

What is the mic stand ur using

[@gardenatv]

First COMMENT boss from JEDDAH KSA

[@dddux]

My opinion? Shure SM58! :) It sounds almost as good as SM7B for only 100 Squid or less. There is simply no better sounding "castmic" or vocal mic in general for that kinda dosh. But yeah - it has no USB so... I do kinda like the sound of Rode Podmic, though. Nice for streaming games and yt videos. But its price is higher than SM58's... It's really hard to find a mic in this price range that has a bit of that natural bass and Podmic has it.

[@IvanDiaz-vz3zm]

Hi, Fifine tank 3 or Fduce SL40?

[@FIFINE]

We're afraid that they're two different USB/XLR dynamic mics. But to sum up directly, if you prefer the clarity out of dynamic mic, the Tank3 should be a choice over the SL40. If your use environment and your voice is a bit harsh, the SL40 should be able to smooth your voice better than the Tank3.

[@brymilesofficial]

i aint going to lie but i have the fifine k688 and it doesn't sound like that it sounds more on the clear and high instead of the low

[@AudioHotline]

Hmmmm I wonder if this is a voice difference… I am curious what you sound like!

[@brymilesofficial]

@@AudioHotline my voice is not on the low end but not on the high end i have gaming videos but i use xbox game bar so the mic doesnt sound as it does but my voice on it is decent and yes it might be a voice difference.

[@artmaltman]

Tank3 USB sounds more clear vs K688 USB which sounds warmer and richer. And, Tank3 XLR sounds way better to me than it's USB. Sigh.

[@PlayKuGaStudio]

Nice

[@ObscureMics]

ARJBA....let's make that stick

[@chipmanggs9765]

Shit i just buy pd 200x 😢

[@AudioHotline]

There are advantages to the PD200X! Higher resolution recording, software compatibility where you can change the gain, use the limiter or use the EQ options. The tank3 definitely beats the PD200X in build quality but honestly It just comes down to what sound you like most! Both are very solid.

[@chipmanggs9765]

@@AudioHotline thanks for the input, my pd200x hasn't arrived home yet, I hope I don't regret it

[@FifineZier]

Impressive! Thanks for the review video, my friend