I think I've found my "FOREVER Microphone" :: Earthworks ICON Pro Review

[@EarthworksAudio]

You just made our entire team's day... thank you for this INCREDIBLE review!!

[@videogameiacs]

Can we get this in the UK?

[@GamePassDad]

Thank you for making such an amazing mic for content creators. It has been in my sights for a while and I am glad to see this take on it!

[@ishaaq7824]

make it in black pls

[@EarthworksAudio]

@@videogameiacs Of course! We list our distributors on the Where to Buy page of our website, and from there you can connect with one of our UK partners. Let me know if you have any other questions!

[@videogameiacs]

@@EarthworksAudio oh great! on the product page it says no shipping to the United Kingdom.. so you might want to change that wording as it may be putting many people off

[@AvalancheReviews]

I love my SM7B, but this thing is mega attractive.

[@BellCircuit]

really?!?!? interesting

[@TheMeltedJedi]

Ill buy the SM7b!

[@P_Mann]

Love the idea of designating “forever gear” instead of assuming everything good is just provisional and meant for upgrade next season. 👍

[@ozonelayerliv]

This. ^

[@ThisIsTechToday]

A desk version of the MKH416 has my attention 👀

[@jays0n57]

I swear I see you in the comment sections of every tech video I watch 😂

[@ThisIsTechToday]

@@jays0n57 I watch too much youtube. It's not great, lol.

[@jays0n57]

@@ThisIsTechToday All good. I'm right there with you apparently lol

[@TechnicalGamingChannel]

Digital products becoming obsolete in years or even months has really made some people forget the value of being able to buy a premium product that lasts a lifetime.

[@negafulobooks]

Not the smoothest, most succinct promo video I've ever seen. (On purpose I bet.) But gets the point across.

[@JaytheP]

Earthworks mic on YT, never thought I’d see the day. Of course the Stream Professor covers a great company like Earthworks EDIT: holy moly it’s on another level in clarity, openness and just natural breath

[@EposVox]

Right?!

[@JaytheP]

@@EposVox it’s ridiculous, I love earthworks for their measurement mics ( I design speakers) but the Icon Pro is so open and fun to listen to as a viewer. Maybe their ICON USB is something to test as a comparison in the future?

[@jaydensydes3478]

Not only is it fantastic for dialogue and comms, i tried it out on an acoustic guitar recently and it was just as good as any other earthworks mic for music if not better. Measurement mics are top notch too of course.

[@JaytheP]

@@jaydensydes3478 yeah, I’m gonna pick up the ICON USB for my current setup, probably the Pro too once I finish moving.

[@tombuck]

“My Forever Microphone” - dangerous last words 😁 This really looks awesome though, great to see/hear so,etching different!

[@KeithoHD_]

Love your work , both legendary content creators

[@langgaspeaks]

Curtis and Bandrew did a very good review on this a long time back which is good as well since they compared it very thoroughly with other mics and scenarios

[@TheSchwartzIsWithYouToday]

I'm wondering how it compares with an SR-40.

[@redvoltaire11]

Forever gear sounds so frugal and not at all wasteful, I love it. BTW, I love that you're geeking out over your favourite mics and stuff. People who are so into what they do always keep me feeling hopeful!

[@MealWars]

Thank you for this video. The Earthworks does sound good, but this review really confirmed my decision to go with the RE20. IMHO, at least for what I'm looking for, the RE20 destroyed the others in that comparison. It picked up a LOT less background noise and I really liked the deepness of the voice when compared to the Earthworks. Your forever microphone may differ from mine, but you helped me confirm that and I do appreciate it.

[@TheSchwartzIsWithYouToday]

You can get more lows from any mic by getting closer to it. It's called the "proximity effect". It's particularly noticeable with dynamic mics like the RE20 and SM7. Personally, I really hate watching videos where the speaker has a large mic sitting right in front of their face or slightly off-angle and they have a big pop filter and seem to take pride in having this huge distraction in their frame. I don't want to SEE the mic, but I DO want to HEAR THEIR VOICE -- LOUD AND CLEAR. Not like Micky Mouse or Alvin the Chipmunk with a bunch of background noise.

[@steray8112]

@@TheSchwartzIsWithYouToday right.

[@umokayig]

I found this beauty earlier this year and used my entire last paycheck at my old job on it and it was 100% worth it. I watched a ton of videos before I decided to buy it and I'm glad I did.

[@JSGilbert]

I have microphones from Neumann, Telefunken and Sennheiser, among others. And I can tell you that $499 is a medium priced microphone and not expensive. The problem is that the DIY mentality of “getting into business” for pennies, tends to be fairly prevalent. The $499 price tag of this microphone is incredible. Earthworks is a premium manufacturer of microphones. Many professional studios have $3,000+ Earthworks microphones for things like micing pianos.

[@steray8112]

So, what are you saying? I am fooling myself about developing a decent daily podcast for under $1000? Do I need a preamp, condenser, equalizer, and software to sound professional? Would this mic really make a difference?

[@steray8112]

In addition, I have heard some sound engineers say that there is no substitute for a Neuman, just bite the bullet and get one - the one for $1000, I think. 107?

[@Burssty]

I've heard audio from this mic before. I really love the way it sounds, and the design is really unique.

[@DoubleDropkickPodcast]

You really missed out on showing the quality and craftsmanship that went into making this mic and showing off the inside of the microphone. Not only does it perform phenomenally but the craftsmanship is some thing I’ve never seen before from a microphone.5 stars in quality and performance.

[@DoubleDropkickPodcast]

I have had mine for 5 months AND LOVE IT!!

[@mirzaangon]

I wouldn't even put such a microphone out of frame. It looks so good!

[@annekedebruyn7797]

It's funny how great this thing sounds. Usually, when companies promote is as a streaming and podcat mic. I become a bit suspicious as usually, those are expensive cheaply made microphones. But damn Earthworks, you knocked this one out of the park. Not ONE person sounds bad on all the reviews.

[@REMIXBERTO]

Someone finally compared the Icon pro to the RE 20! Thank you. Got the Icon Pro when it came out. It really is my forever mic

[@MadRC]

O M G. Damn that literally the best mic I have heard. It sounds phenomenal on my iPhone too. Most content is viewed on mobile now and it just sounds great. Fantastic review as always. Only one thing I would love to know how it sounds if you moved it a little further back and out of view. It seems it would still be viable for this.

[@davidallenhammond2777]

Great demo and sounds wonderful. Thanks.

[@paddychaware]

To own ‘Forever gear’ is an important feeling. I really appreciate this transition from forever fear of replacing / purchasing a new gear due to some random damage to moving to forever gear. It feels good after the amount of investment that goes in any sort of audio setup. Superb review.

[@fluphybunny930]

Love the ball head mount. Having owned ball head camera mounts for many years I did wonder why microphones didn't come with them as standard.

[@willburley]

This mic sure is a beacon of hope for those seeking something new in the streaming space.

[@NovaDoll]

Yes!! I’m so excited for this!

[@MrSujano]

WOW this mic sounds good!!

[@NicholasAshbaugh]

If you're not an audio wiz, is the USB version of the ICON significantly and/or noticeably worse than the XLR? I've never dealt with an XLR, interface and pre-amp, and it all seems a bit confusing.

[@charkphoenix]

Honestly for the ROI I feel like this is the mic that the "Live only" creators should be spending their money spending on, instead of dropping similar cash on the SM7B. I'm definitely in the camp of "they're over investing" when creators that don't do voiceovers or podcasts buy the SM7B just to live stream, and then have to compensate for the way the equipment operates with their setup and post. When i decide to upgrade my MXL 990 on my live setup this is at the top of my list.

[@Nicc93]

That stainless is clean af :) probably wont be my first purchase but i can admire the build quality for now

[@awesomearizona-dino]

I am really enjoying your new background stuff. Looks great.

[@SuperDevenMadness]

I just bought this mic after watching this video but I'm having a bit of an issue. For some reason it peak/muffles my audio like crazy without EVER going above -5db even when I YELL directly into it. That shouldn't happen should it? No matter what I do I can't make it go into the red unless I blast a TON of air into it. For more info, I have it plugged into my Audient id4 and gain set halfway between 9-10.

[@ScottFitton]

That mic looks and sounds amazing. Won't be replacing my RE320 with it, but that thing is definitely pedestal worthy.

[@theawsomekicker]

I seem to be going in the opposite direction.

[@RetroTechUSA]

Wow this looks incredible and sounds amazing too. I may need to swap a PVM for one.

[@TradesWithWill]

aye watching smallant on the tv. respect yall both legends

[@gabrielchavarria22]

Sounds good buddy! If you like this one and you haven't, try out the Earthworks SV-33. It's my forever mic and it's eargasmic.

[@njigyfd]

Sounds good to me. I like the mount, the ball mount.

[@Vespene]

Just wanted to say thanks for this vid. I almost immediately bought an Icon Pro afterwards. It took awhile to get to NZ though, but I really like it so far. I'll never be able to sell my SM7B though.

[@erichausmann]

Looks very nice. I love that it's not huge...stays out of the way, easy to maneuver. 👍

[@Venoxium]

13:15 Love the SmallAnt1 stream in the background.

[@BenjiDWJ]

An awesome review and video as per usual, Adam! 😁👍👍 As ever, I appreciate you for taking the time to go into such a high level of comparative detail and thoroughness. 🙂👌 This microphone is most definitely going on my gear wish list.🎙⚙️📝 Cheers to you, my man! 🍻 P.S. I love the 👕 your wearing by the way.

[@HowardOlsen]

Agreed that the Icon Pro and MKH 416 sound quite similar. I love the sound and the look of the Icon Pro - but from what I just watched the RE320, to me, has the best background rejection which is really important to me in my untreated environment. I've got neighbors who love their lawn mowers, leaf blowers and air compressors and that really is my only hesitation with any condenser..... Yet, I'm tempted! I'm going to wrestle with this one. I may, just may get the 320 based on this review and my environment even though I WANT the Icon Pro. Thanks for the vid.

[@RhubarbSenpai]

At first I just thought the treble on the Icon Pro was just too hot, but I can DEFINITELY hear a faint ringing near 18-19k hertz during the Icon Pro tests. I can't tell if that's due to equipment / CRT on in the background, or if it's coming from the microphone itself, but it doesn't happen during any of the other microphones, even the condenser shotgun, so I'm assuming it's not just the spot he recorded the comparison in.

[@EposVox]

It’s probably CRT fly back. I forgot to notch it. Scary good ears there

[@nerkedwards]

I heard the same thing. It may just be my headphones, but I sorta thought it was even painful to my ears. Other than that it sounds really clear though.

[@spustatu]

Thank you for doing this. I was thinking about the Icon Pro, but that typing test... I was astonished by how little typing I could hear on the RE20. I thought, given the RE20's extra clarity in higher frequencies, that typing click clacks would be pretty audible. I need that kind of off-axis rejection, so it's probably RE20 for me. That being said, the Icon Pro has a great sound.

[@GamePassDad]

You just sold me on this thing finally. Been eyeing this instead of an SM7B for a long time. As soon as I am ready this mic will be mine!

[@designgears]

I've been eyeballing this mic recently! I'm sold now!

[@dionzammit6507]

Great sounding mic, I’d love to own one!

[@Silverdraconicarcher]

I have an Earthworks SR314 and I love it. Earthworks make some amazing mics.

[@tomherdt6649]

You just can't beat Earthworks! Measurement quality response for everyday applications!

[@Ryvaeus]

4:20 - "We're gonna have some microphone handling noise" 4:36 - *handles mic* WHAT NOISE??? Watch Adam totally manhandle that mic WHILE speaking into it, and all we hear us a faint knock at best. THAT is a well encapsulated capsule.

[@moritz-zee]

Looking closely, its stock footage... not even connected via XLR... so video and sound (voice-over) are not connected in this scene.

[@Ryvaeus]

@@moritz-zee Check out my timestamps, the mic is clearly plugged in. Also I'm pretty sure Adam would've corrected me instead of hearted if I was mistaken.

[@EposVox]

Mic was definitely still plugged in. It was all one take.

[@KingDanGaming]

For my stream I like how the Electrovoice mics perform. Especially with the white test you did.

[@daleivarie7801]

Awesome, love the review

[@FuPlaayz]

There is a noise in the backgground? I don't know if it's the mike or the pre amp noise, but there is one.

[@pyrochemist]

YES! More forever gear!

[@IRyzoI]

Never been a fan of the RE20/RE320 on your voice. Think the MKH416 suits you the most but it's awkwardly big in shot. The ICON definitely looks better and sounds 2nd best to my ears so a good choice.

[@piroskab9534]

Thanks for the great review.

[@tristengrant]

That Tristen guy asked the right question. (; I love this mic!

[@ferdinandbardamu3945]

Gets top microphone. Still sounds like he's speaking through an old transistor radio. :) I'm sure the microphone is great though, you can hear the high frequency refinement and his voice is less scratchy than it used to be.

[@TheSchwartzIsWithYouToday]

Are you sure it's not your speakers? For me, this sounds quite boomy with a lot of presence.

[@calebfortune]

I’m SO thankful you called out the location. I usually am not rgb crazy, but I love the ef out of how the lighting actually builds depth and adds to the chaos of your studio 🤌

[@langgaspeaks]

Wohoooo!!! I'm still eyeing this!

[@Eddy04tv]

Awesome. Btw, Vox, how do you add the old recording style in your video?

[@javacat]

This is a fantastic mic...one that I'd use with my CEntrance Portcaster. I love how it sounds...and I really love the mic stand...how easy it is to adjust!

[@ac1320]

So it's a pencil shotgun broadcast end address condenser mic. Sweet! All hail the broadshotpen!

[@coreysanders6709]

My current "Forever Mic" is an AT2035, but man does this thing have me jonesing for some Earthworks goodness. A smidge out of my price range for now, but I'll be adding one to the collection after some saving.

[@BlamBan]

Had this for about a week. Its funny how my first reaction was about how small it was. Its great.

[@OldRasputin]

Great review! For reference, the ball-head it comes with can be purchased separately and its called the Triad-Orbit M2-R. Its a $40 piece by itself, but well worth it for any boom arm.

[@DVZNMedia]

mic sounds amazing fam

[@DonDelRay]

The white noise test is amazing.

[@classicaxe1]

Earthworks produce great mics that sound amazing !

[@HomesickMac]

Great mic, but hey, but any microphone would sound good with you voice haha. I'm really hooked on this one because I need a mic that's on a bit higher proximity threshold before "loosing it" like my MV7 does. I I'm using the VideoMic NTG as an overhead mic while livestreaming and the boost I need to give it is audible hiss in the live sound. It also feels like I'd be buying an "all in one" axe because in a well treated room t can be an amazing voiceover mic. Thanks for the great presentation, will also need to check if Tom Buck have reviewed it as well....

[@noahreid8292]

Sounds really good, would love to get my hands on one!

[@coachjsu]

I just got the RE-20, coming from a cheap condenser microphone and my biggest issue with it is actually just learning where I need to sit properly while I'm streaming... it kind of takes up a bunch of my mental space just thinking about my positioning just so the audio can sound clean. I'm still getting used to it; but after watching this video I'm thinking maybe to return it and get this beastly condenser mic.

[@dxsaigon]

Noise rejection on the RE-20 is the clear winner. Like the sound of the Icon but how do you think it will do in a multi-person podcast setup?

[@komputer_os]

i don't know if you can hear it or if it got past the edit, but there is a really high frequency that's in the talking head sections (the one with the PS logo in the back) and its a pain in the ear. It should've been EQed out. But nice vid overall

[@MichaelW.1980]

EposVox: I think I’ve found my forever-mic. Earthworks: Hold my beer.

[@FTGTapGod]

Looks like an awesome option! I actually rock that MKH416 on the desk (because it's what I have) and it actually works great for my setup.

[@Teknickel_ftw]

That mic is works so well for your voice.

[@SonosLibra]

Love the sound of Icon Pro

[@TerryWindell]

Love it seeing you getting jazzed over stuff!!! This is an AMAZING mic no doubt. Not cheap but it's not meant to be. This thing appears to be getting pretty close to the legendary Neumann range. Thanks for the info!

[@EposVox]

If you mean the 103, it’s still half the price lol. Same with the MKH-416. $500 is expensive, but it’s not $1000. You could kit out two setups still for the price of one.

[@TerryWindell]

@@EposVox LOL! You are definitely right on that! Also share your fondness for the RE20. Those things just work. Definitely need a little more muscle from a gain boost but again, they just work. Do love the characteristics of this new guy though. Being able to not be so hot on the mic and having it a little farther away is a welcomed change. And yes, the ball head is definitely cool! Will have to keep an eye on this shiney fellow for when the time comes to move up on studio mics. Love the presence and tone.

[@RenaldoQuestelles]

This really sounds magnificent

[@TheNerd]

I don't know but "Talking while typing" was kinda funny xD

[@ericfernando4296]

i think for budget option there is Se electronics v7, it doesn't look like a broadcast mic, but it also has extended frequency range. Also since it is a dynamic mic, it rejects sounds pretty well

[@PhilGDUK]

WOW the sound on this

[@shanksisnoteventhatstrongbruh]

I never expected to see/hear you reviewing Earthworks Mics these are truly next lvl (supposedly, too poor to own one LOL) Will you also test their SV33 and SR314? Those also look incredibly good.

[@GordianZ]

You may wanna check your sound setup at the desk, it has a high pitch noise compare to the other angle.

[@EposVox]

Both angles have a CRT fly back whine

[@hitmanbluesband]

Interesting, especially how you can be so far away and still get a great sound!

[@scrubs650]

Sounds great! Still love the RE20, but might have to pick this one up.

[@jaydensydes3478]

Ay i've been using this thing since it came out and my recording studio has all earthworks mics, i highly doubt i'll ever go to anything else ever again. So resolute and life-like, none of the awful qualities of dynamics but still fantastic rejection.

[@spencerblacksmith5462]

Hey! I've been killing myself over these microphones the past few weeks and am basically upgrading from my at2020usb+ to what would hopefully be this mic or the re20 as the rest of the audio world has convinced. My question is what do you suggest to run this? I haven't seen a lot of the reviews for this mic in the first place but the ones that do don't exactly recommend a setup or buying advice for what it will take to run it. Would love your take on it, thank you!

[@Arctix]

This mic is amazing! Still gotta try the King Bee / King Bee 2 by Neat Mics!

[@lexecomplexe4083]

Best XLR mic we've ever heard

[@Zidakuh]

Oh by the way, you forgot to mention that the USB-C version is 30-40% cheaper. Might come in handy for the people into USB mics.

[@CedricLathan]

The RE20 was better at off axis noise rejection. The trade off is that you have to be right up on it.

[@lavestehaves]

Excellent, thank you.

[@luciant.1028]

nicely done gj!

[@АлександрФилатов-у6ю]

Good luck!

[@yinYangMountain]

EposVox, you’ve compared it with the RE20. Please, how does the noise floor / self-noise compare between the two? Thanks.

[@wholelottagaang]

Great review

[@murk_yo]

I don't think it looks gaudy at all. Looking pretty sleek and minimalist-looking tbh. Just stainless steel/aluminium(?) The clickety-clackity test kinda worries me a bit though. Sitting on a five year old Blue Yeti that I've never been able to get to NOT pick up a mosquito sneezing on the other side of the street. My friends don't like that I have to use push-to-talk on discord lol. Compared to most of the other ones you sound-tested, it seemed to pick up the most clicks? Voice sounds amazing though, build quality looks stellar, and it looks small and nimble... :/

[@simonswiss]

I thought so too, but it's worth noting that the Icon Pro was also closer to the keyboard compared to the other mics tested, where the capsule was much closer to Adam's mouth and further away from the keyboard. Receiving mine tomorrow, so I'll come here and comment/compare how it rejects noise vs my other mics. I had a Blue Yeti too, and I have a Rode Procaster + Podmic. I imagine the noise rejection will be in between those extremes, but I've read a few comments from folks who were surprised how good it rejected noise for a condenser mic.

[@simonswiss]

Ok, so I received my Icon Pro today. It works amazingly well with my voice, with zero EQ/processing. I am honestly not convinced it picks up more background noise than the classic dynamic mics. I am sure it does, but at the same time, the gain can be set quite lower for the same volume on my voice. If you get it really close to your face and lower the gain, you'll get similar results than you would with an SM7B in terms of noise rejection, in my experience. I work from home with kids, doing KZbin screencasts professionally. I was very worried about this background noise rejection situation, but after weeks of research, I decided to give it a shot. I can already confidently say this mic will be my "forever mic" as well, unless I want to a shotgun / lavalier mic for a specific video. For on-camera scenes, this is my go-to mic for sure. It sounds superb!

[@Astronomater]

excellent review. done the way they should be done!

[@lexisnothere]

Just bought it thanks to this review. I used you b&h link hope you get something for that

[@EposVox]

Thanks!

[@starkcontrast8480]

Bro, why is KZbin blowing up my notification recommending this video 8 times one after another? I love your vids but damn KZbin being extra pushy today 😂😂😂😂

[@EposVox]

Hahaha wow no idea - especially since it didn’t even release today 😂

[@Totallyquantumofficial]

I’m actually getting sick of my mics now haha! Thanks for the find and well presented review!