It's Not Good - Tonor TD510 Review / Test (vs. XM8500, Q2u, AT2040USB)

[@joesquadcoptervideos2067]

It's so bizarre, you get used to how woofy that tonor gets that it makes the sm7b sound thin somehow haha

[@Podcastage]

After getting acclimated to this it makes every other mic sound like it's been high passed to death.

[@Muhluri]

I audibly said "damn!" when I heard the difference. It's hilarious 😂

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

Sounds fine for $60.

[@FunnFoto]

I like the tone and warmth better. I was thinking about getting this with the Volt 276.

[@gatsnguts]

Although negative in its conclusion, this is a great review. All too often do companies try to sell people hot garbage, especially in the beginner tier. That’s why they went for the SM7B look: to hook inexperienced people who associate it with the classic half of creators use. So it’s not only the negative features but also a predatory business practice that makes this product and it’s producer worthy of being called out. Nice work, Bandrew!

[@Podcastage]

Thank you so much for the kind words. It's never fun doing negative reviews because I don't like crapping on companies, with brands like this they also will likely discontinue it in a few months and release an update, so this video is useless in a few months making the 20-30 hours I put into this a worthless endeavor that has no evergreen life to it. But then I was reminded by some people that the negative reviews are just as important, and my goal is to help people make informed purchasing decisions, and that includes hopefully helping them avoid spending money on something that's not good...even if it is only available for a few months. Thanks again man.

[@CigLivery]

​@@Podcastagethe effect of this review would probably last longer than the mic, the update and the now informed viewer would realize that all mic aren't the same and some can be bad

[@DhruvenDulabh]

They didn’t discontinue it, in fact I was about to purchase one right now but your review helped me so much. Thank you

[@CityPlannerPlays]

What a great review! I find myself watching your videos often, even though I have my audio setup pretty well figured out at this point. This one was special for me though - when I started my channel, I was using a Tonor TC-777, which is a terrible microphone, but spending $30 made me feel like I should have excellent audio quality! The reviews were good-ish on Amazon and I didn't realize all the problems I was setting myself up with my settling for such a low end microphone. Honestly, this microphone sounds LEAPS AND BOUNDS better than that one. It's not perfect by any means, but I think I wouldn't have been as frustrated with this one as I was my first one. But in the end, part of the reason I found your content was that frustration... so all's well that ends well! Thanks for the great reviews and your guides about setting up and tuning your audio - you've influenced a few of my purchases and helped me understand audio a ton better!

[@mfkrwill]

maaan i remember doing a review on the TC777 on a different channel a number of years ago, and youre right it was terrible. Even at the lowest volume it would clip like mad

[@mfkrwill]

After rewatching the review it was more like it was way too quiet below 50%, but then above 50% it would clip like mad. either way, not a good mic

[@Podcastage]

Thanks so much for those kind words. I"m thrilled to know you've got your audio setup all sorted now. I agree that this is leaps and bounds better than Conor mics from 2015/2016; the affordable mic market has gotten a lot better. That just means that the standards are getting up there too, so they'll need to perform better at that price point because there's a lot of competition. Thanks again CityPlanner.

[@45KevinR]

@@Podcastage as a novice I feel like that's the challenge for both the buyer and the manufacturer. What's good enough (for our needs), and also does performance vary from unit to unit. Or are review units cherry picked. As I said elsewhere, other bargain mics have limitations and weaknesses but the sound quality is often appropriate for the price. I'm guessing a novice voice user would be best with a flat, even response with perhaps a boost in presence. At this price point (and USB) musical capability doesn't seem to be such a need. Given that speech target it's a shame so few (cheaper) mics are good at dodging plosives without using a huge tea cosy.

[@barry_crxnch]

@@mfkrwill Mine also sounded too quiet. Honestly the build quality seems all over the place with the TC777.

[@saikousocial]

Good lord, this thing is BOOMY.

[@mind-brainstudio927]

I like Joe's description above, "woofy." Ha! Perfect.

[@toast3333]

@@mind-brainstudio927​​⁠Yeshua Hamashiach is the only way to Heaven. Yahweh loves us so much that he sent his one and only son to die on the cross for our sins so that if we come to repentance, we can be saved. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Colossians 1:15 Christ Is Supreme 15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
 He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation John 3:16 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Romans 10:9-10 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. RUN AWAY FROM LUST! Proverbs 5:1-9 1 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: 2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. 3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: 4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. 6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them. 7 Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. 8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house: If ANYTHING/ANYONE CAUSES YOU TO SIN, CUT it/them OFF! Matthew 5:30 And if your hand-even your stronger hand-causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 9 Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people-none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Matthew 4:17 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Be filled with the Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit) to be able to understand these things that your own understanding cannot allow you to comprehend. Be baptized in fire with the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:11-12 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Be born again to live a godly life for YHWH, the most high. Acts 2:38 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. John 14:27 27 “I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. In Jesus’ Name I Pray That YHWH May Bless You Abundantly, Amen 🙏

[@toast3333]

⁠Yeshua Hamashiach is the only way to Heaven. Yahweh loves us so much that he sent his one and only son to die on the cross for our sins so that if we come to repentance, we can be saved. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Colossians 1:15 Christ Is Supreme 15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
 He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation John 3:16 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Romans 10:9-10 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. RUN AWAY FROM LUST! Proverbs 5:1-9 1 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: 2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. 3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: 4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. 6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them. 7 Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. 8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house: If ANYTHING/ANYONE CAUSES YOU TO SIN, CUT it/them OFF! Matthew 5:30 And if your hand-even your stronger hand-causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 9 Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people-none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Matthew 4:17 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Be filled with the Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit) to be able to understand these things that your own understanding cannot allow you to comprehend. Be baptized in fire with the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:11-12 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Be born again to live a godly life for YHWH, the most high. Acts 2:38 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. John 14:27 27 “I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. In Jesus’ Name I Pray That YHWH May Bless You Abundantly, Amen 🙏

[@baldmandoom]

It's really good value if you think of it as a $60 100Hz tone generator

[@Podcastage]

I feel like a fool! I just spent $100 on a sweepable sin wave generator. I could have just used this.

[@ProbeRoket]

@@Podcastage or a keyboard

[@tjzuppe]

“Now I’m on top of the microphone to exaggerate the proximity …” *house shakes loose from foundation, pictures fall off the wall*

[@SunriseWaterMedia]

😂

[@Podcastage]

My evil plan to take over the world is underway!!!! MUWAHAHAHAHAHA!

[@Oddzey]

I typically like how proximity effect sounds on microphones, so I didn't understand what the problem was until you actually engaged the proximity effect...

[@Podcastage]

Maybe they're trying to create a black hole through frequency density or something?

[@Oddzey]

@@Podcastage get too close to that bitch you move through the event horizon... 😔

[@Podcastage]

Where we're going you don't need eyes.

[@45KevinR]

For those few secondsI thought they were casting a remake of Midnight Caller.

[@wizemanlabs]

Thank you for taking your time making the video. In the previous video I commented that I liked the sound of this microphone but now I knew that I don't have the ability to discern a good sounding microphone. 👍

[@Podcastage]

I'm not here to tell anyone what to like. If you like the sound, you like the sound. That's fine.

[@Muhluri]

Sounds like this mic will be a great hit with the noobs (just like how people like how bass heavy Beats products are). Is that a bad thing? I don't think so. This is probably their first mic so it's 10x better than what they were previously using (usually a phone mic)

[@theglobalzrecordingproject]

Much of if you like a mic is highly subjective and over time your preferences may change. Even for professional audio engineers, a 'good mic' can be subjective and depend on how the mic will be used. To top it off, I would describe this as a low-end heavy sounding mic (USB). I may have a need for a low heavy mic (although right now nothing springs to mind), in which case the Tonor could be useful. An excellent example of using mics in unusual ways can be found in a song called, "Cannonball," by The Breeders. The lead vocalist wanted to incorporate a distorted vocal effect and over the years achieved this several ways. In the studio, she sang into a harmonica microphone, but live she sang through a polystyrene cup placed over a vocal mic. Check out the song if you are not familiar with it - the result is pretty cool. Anyway, bottom line is as Bandrew said, if you like it, good for you! But, if you are new to audio engineering, it can take years to develop your ears and each set of ears may hear sound differently!

[@LOOng.Talk_2333]

Thank you for your objective evaluation on our TD510. and our team is now improving the sound to make it not that boxy and more natrual.

[@Podcastage]

Look forward to hearing that improvement when it's released.

[@LOOng.Talk_2333]

@@Podcastage Sure!Thank you for the advice!

[@shakebraza196]

​@@Podcastage sir is Samson Q2U still good option.?

[@robertocalderonabogado1427]

Microphone is fine the way it is. Why would you want to sound like 100 other mics, when this one is bassy without using any EQ.

[@davidtraylor3062]

I honestly think it sounds better with the mute button enabled.

[@Podcastage]

Haha. Yeah you may be right. The inclusion of the mute button is an even bigger pro.

[@jdsutter]

Yeah. Gotta love that clackety sound when it is engaged. 😆 To be fair, most mute buttons do the same, but this one was particularly loud. Which I never understood. You'd think a mute that could be activated discreetly would be a no-brainer. But what do I know? 🤷

[@alococuccoyo6103]

We need the negative reviews. The unscripted reactions help in determining whether or not a product is worth purchasing or not. This was fantastic despite your stifled disappointment. 😁

[@Podcastage]

Thank you kindly. I understand that negative reviews are necessary, and I'm going to continue doing them. I just hate spending 20-30 hours making a video about something I know I dislike. But it helps save people money, so I'll continue to do them when they come up.

[@christopherandrade7785]

Idk much about audio but honestly this mic sounds as good as all but the last one

[@robertocalderonabogado1427]

I disagree with the conclusion. The Tonor mic sounds way better than the Shure Sm 7B on this video.

[@Podcastage]

That's why I include all the samples, so you can listen to them and make up your mind on what YOU like the sound of. Glad you were able to do that. Happy recording Roberto.

[@CezaryKosko]

it's a mic for which the price diff between itself and the 87AI is 100% reflected in the sound diff!!! 🎉🎉🎉

[@Podcastage]

Haha. It definitely makes you appreciate the sound of the U87 a lot more.

[@OnixMint]

Great review! I usually dont comment in these kinds of vidoes but I wanted to now to let you know that I found your mutiple tests very helpful!

[@korg47237]

Sounds like a budget mic for people who like the low bass vocal tone, but do not want to do any post-processing/EQ or simply getting close to the mic to achieve that.

[@Podcastage]

Yeah if someone is all about that, it offers it.

[@bigtb1717]

The instant you started talking I thought this mic sounded what I call "boxy." More than just about any other mic I've ever heard. My definition of "boxy" is that it literally sounds like you have your head in a cardboard box, along with the mic. So you get this woofy, almost reverberant bass boost.

[@Podcastage]

That's exactly what Boxy would be. It's so far beyond that, I have no idea how to even classify it though. It's not just like sticking a head in a box, it is like you become the box.

[@Appollochan]

This was a really in depth review :D as a beginner it really helped clarify what i should be looking for! Thanks I'm gonna check out some of your other reviews~

[@Podcastage]

You’re welcome. I’m really glad the video helped. Happy recording.

[@Armbrust210]

This microphone is actually incredible. I've started this video on my phone and i'm beyond impressed that my phone's speaker is even capable of audibly producing such basey tones

[@Podcastage]

TD-510, producing sounds out of phone speakers which were never thought possible since 2023.

[@gokhanbarlas]

When using the USB connection, there is a white noise in the background, but not when using the XLR connection. It looked like there was constant background noise from the microphone since you were using the USB connection for the entire video. Considering its XLR connection, it is a very usable microphone for its price.

[@Podcastage]

Yes the USB preamp is pretty noisy. Over XLR, sure it's tolerable, but For $25 you can get the XM8500, for $50-$60 the Q2u, for $60-$70 the Fifine, for $70-$80 the ATR2100. I just think there are many better sounding options at the same price or lower. If someone has it, I'm not intending to denigrate them, I just don't like the mic, and I don't think it's a particularly good value proposition. I'm sure there are plenty of people who will still make fantastic content with this mic.

[@theoutsiderjess1869]

You have to lower the input sound on your computer because when i did that the white noise disappeared

[@theoutsiderjess1869]

​@@PodcastageI just bought the mic I personally love it but I intend to use it while gaming or livestreaming from the ps4

[@Podcastage]

I found the exact opposite as you Jess. First off with the gain on the mic set at 100%, and my computer level set at 100%, I'm hitting around -12dB which is about right for me. The level setting on the computer seems to function as a fader, so when I decrease that, the ratio of my voice to the preamp hiss should remain the same. Just to make sure that I wasn't completely mistaken in my thoughts, I just did a quick test, recording with the mic gain identical, but recorded with computer level at 100% and then computer level at 50% and the white noise was the same on both recordings, it not slightly worse on the one with the computer level set at 50%.

[@Podcastage]

That's great that it's working well for you. I hope you get many years of use out of it for streaming and gaming. Happy recording.

[@ChrisCebelenski]

Wow, right from the opening I didn't like the sound. That doesn't happen too often. My first snap impression was "Fatiguing"

[@Podcastage]

Yeah. I don't think it's a particularly ideal sound for many people. With a bit of EQ it could be improved though. That's just going to be a little bit of an ask for a beginner.

[@moralessanchezoscarelias6412]

Thank you, members! It seems to me that there is an increase in products aimed at the entry level USB/XLR

[@Podcastage]

Yeah there has been a lot of entry level microphones coming out over the last few years. I took quite a break from them but grabbed a bunch over the last year to cover. I hope it's interesting.

[@moralessanchezoscarelias6412]

@@Podcastage Yes, it is! Thank you! The Samson Q2U was released in 2004! There’s gotta be better options.

[@fgabrieltomas]

I think i need new ears. Honestly they sound the same to me $20 or $2000 mic😅

[@Podcastage]

If you don't hear a difference then there's no need to buy a mic over $20. Save your dollars and treat your room if you can, and then spend the rest on some pizzas and popcorn and movies!

[@AmericanIndianGames]

Man I'll say this every time, the music part is amazing!!! Great content as always ❤

[@Podcastage]

That really means a lot. I have a ton of fun with the music even if it may be goofy.

[@Lyvvie]

It nails that old skool AM Talk Radio sound.

[@Podcastage]

I never really listened to AM radio, but I thought AM radio was all mids, rolled off top end and maybee a little bit of bass.

[@bigtb1717]

@@Podcastage I use to listen to AM talk radio (haven't for years), and I was amazed at the differences you sometimes got from station to station, even when listening to the same show. I used to drive a LOT for work, and there were times when I'd pass out of range of one station and I'd sometimes find the same show being broadcast on another station. It was shocking how much bassier some stations were than others. Some stations just had ALL the bass.

[@SoMyungJung]

a beatboxer's dream mic besides that... yeah. great content as always

[@Podcastage]

Hadn't considered a beatboxer getting benefit out of that. Interesting stuff. Thanks for the insight.

[@chennyye28]

at the first glance I thought Tamron is making some microphones...

[@Podcastage]

Gonna zoom in with that microphone.

[@NotBountyy]

Your hating on it just cause the usb didnt work on yours. sounds amazing for the price.

[@Podcastage]

I have a differing opinion on what sounds amazing. I think the XM8500, Q2u, K688, ATR2100 all sound significantly better for the same price or lower. If you disagree with me that's fine, but I am not hating on it just because the usb didn't work, I am giving it a negative review because I think it is a microphone that is outperformed in every most aspects by the competition. But at the end of the day buy what YOU want, and use what YOU like.

[@NotBountyy]

@@Podcastage Im getting a new Mic in about a Week and i'm tied between the FDUCE SL40 and the FIFINE K688 which one should I get?

[@SavoxYT]

Can Shure just come out and sue all of these companies that are blatantly copying the SM7B's design? This is becoming too much.

[@Podcastage]

I don't think they'd have the budget to afford that many lawsuits. Hahaha.

[@thespadestable]

Shure has a targeted customer base, and the clones target another. People who are willing to buy ir us willing to budget for a Shure is going to purchase a Shure.

[@mmarus]

Thanks!!! I was trying to decide between this and the Q2U, now I know, (I am a beginner, and will be doing some gaming videos, wifey gave me a 100 CAD budget, of which Q2U slightly above)... Glad to have other options though with that test. Great job, although I understood only 1/4 of what you said (LOL) it was enough

[@WestCoastChicano]

I'll be honest I don't know much about microphones, but since I bought my first microphone for my YT channel a couple of months ago microphone video reviews have been some of my favorites. I like low end sounding mics and on my LG TV speakers I thought this mic sounded fine with the spoken word. But I do agree it has too many problems. Gr8 review as usual. 🎤 🇺🇸

[@Podcastage]

Thanks so much man, that means a lot. I have found that through TV speakers and through phone/tablet speakers, most mics are passable. Once you put in headphones or listen on studio monitor then the issues become a bit more apparent. I suppose it comes down to determining how the most people consume your content and if a small percentage consumes it via headphones or studio monitors, determine if making it pleasing for them is a justifiable cost.It's all just a cost benefit analysis when it comes down to it. Thanks for watching and thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[@danielbarakat]

I understand you have a critical ear. But I like the bassy sound of the Tonor. They reached out to me to do a review on it on my KZbin channel where I cover gaming laptops and tech. I’ll probably accept it and do a review. My voice is really scratchy and high pitched and found that boomy bass helps drown out some of the annoyingness. Thanks for the great review as always though

[@the_forgotten_times]

Finally some competition for the Aston Element.

[@Podcastage]

It's one for the books.

[@UseTheSupeRsonic]

Right? The Element had stupid amounts of low end.

[@RedBeardedRabbit]

Listening to this thing on typical consumer headphones / speakers - where the low mids and upper bass are typically boosted - is multiplying the boomy audio torture. Add proximity effect to that and it's just, to quote the review, whoa 15:52

[@Podcastage]

Oh wow. I can't imagine listening on bass boosted headphones/speakers. Thet might actually lead to some heads exploding.

[@maxsimus1731]

The mic sounds not great, but your comment on the phase issue must be a joke... right?

[@Podcastage]

To quote Joe Biden, "Not a joke".

[@monkeyplusplus]

It doesn't make any sense, but flipping the phase does seem to matter! I don't understand it. Is it a collective hallucination, or is something fucky going on?

[@Podcastage]

I have no idea. I ran it by like 5 people because I was screaming "THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SESNE! WHAT THE HECK!" It's a mono sound source, how can inverting the polarity have any impact on the sound? But listening to it, it did sound better after the polarity was flipped. And the people I ran it by heard it too. Maybe we are all losing our minds. (Edit: I just realized that you have first hand experience with this, haha. Darn KZbin usernames made miss that this was Junder)

[@monkeyplusplus]

It meeeeee 😄

[@arbitermatt]

Cheap kick drum mic maybe? Perhaps im trying too hard to justify its existence...

[@Podcastage]

I don't do any drum recording so I'm not sure how it would perform there. I'd always be interested in hearing how it works in that situation though.

[@Valkirth]

much appreciate the video, for me it only sounded decent with the EQ on, far too boomy/muddy for me, personally I have the xm8500 (which you did a video on) and It's great for gaming/discord use so thank you for that as well.

[@Podcastage]

Happy to know the 8500 is still working well for you. Still one of the best deals in audio.

[@ZeepANation]

These all sound soooooo similar to me, but they're all a lot better than my current Tonor BM-700

[@DailyTechNews.mp4]

Bandrew... Your untreated room sounds better than my recently "homemade treated" treated room.... ffs xD

[@Podcastage]

I find that very hard to believe.

[@DailyTechNews.mp4]

@@Podcastage Do not doubt my incompotance! :P

[@45KevinR]

I fear this is true for many of us in the amateur sphere. While I like to think Bandrew never takes his headphones off and listens to the world through an elaborate xlr amo and battery backpack. 😜🤣😎

[@Amp_Edition]

Tonor sounds muddy to me, i still use my samson q2u because there hasn't been anything to motivate me to change in its price range.

[@jacobbontrager]

Can you describe what the inverted audio problem sounds like? I know your ears are much more dialed in than mine, but I am not hearing the inverted audio issue. Did the problem come up when listening to the USB and XLR audio at the same time?

[@Podcastage]

I heard it as kind of congested, it was really weird sounding. To make sure I wasn't losing my mind, I sent clips to a few people to verify and they heard it too. It's possible we're all losing our minds, but when the phase was inverted it seemed to open up. I don't know any of the physics behind it or anything, I'm too dumb for that, I just know that listening to it, it sounded messed up, and once it the polarity was corrected it sounded correct.

[@jacobbontrager]

@@Podcastage Thanks for the response. Good review of the mic.

[@burnedglade]

This mic makes me giggle. Even through my phone speakers I can hear how it makes every compared mic seem high pitched 😂

[@Podcastage]

Yeah. Every other mic sounds high thin in the low-end and overly focussed in the high end after getting used to the sound of this.

[@ApexLodestar]

It's a shame this mic is *that* dark/muddy considering the price and build. I had to do the same thing with mine in order for it to sound "usable." I'm replacing it with a Fifine AM8 USB/XLR microphone. Should be vastly better.

[@Podcastage]

Best of luck with the new mic. Let us all know how it turns out.

[@ApexLodestar]

@@Podcastage Thanks for the review because honestly it lets us know to avoid this mic. I'm a streamer and I'm always in search of a good sounding mic. My favorite is a condenser USB mic known as the NZXT Capsule Mini. It sounds great out of the box. Didn't need to tune it at all. That's a $69 mic and it's not perfect but it gets the most important thing right and that's the out of the box audio quality.

[@MarlonGaldamez]

Nice throw... that was a perfect spiral!!!🙆🏻‍♂️

[@Podcastage]

Do I have a future in the NFL?

[@MarlonGaldamez]

@@Podcastage 😶😑🤔😑yes!

[@SunriseWaterMedia]

12:56 question: how can inverting the phase change the sound of a single sound source, when not combined with another? I was under the impression that polarity only matters if another sound is combined, which causes loss of low end, generally.

[@Podcastage]

That was what I thought, but due to some kind of anomaly experienced with asymmetrical wave forms, inverting the phase of a mono source can actually impact the sound. That's my very basic and uneducated understanding.

[@SunriseWaterMedia]

@@Podcastage Before I scrape my jaw off the floor and question reality, would removing DC offset instead of inverting the polarity make a difference?

[@Podcastage]

I tried removing the DC offset and didn't notice any improvement of the sound.

[@SunriseWaterMedia]

@@Podcastage Ok, this earthling will question reality now. Thanks, Bandrew! 😮

[@d2rhqgamingelite168]

To be honest, not a single microphone in the same price segment that has been tested sounds better... A bit muddy but the bass still makes it pleasant to listen

[@Podcastage]

That's exactly why I include all the sound samples and comparisons. I want YOU to be able to determine your thoughts on the mic and buy a mic that YOU like. I want you to be able to make up your own opinion regardless of my thoughts on it. You've done that and I applaud you. Thanks for watching.

[@d2rhqgamingelite168]

@@Podcastage I didn't perceive it any differently but the headline suggests otherwise (its not good) - just wanted to express my opinion on it. I still decided on a different microphone (tbone BC 500) but I enjoyed hearing the tonor here. thanks for the review

[@RudolfWolph]

Wow, I never thought I'd find another microphone that sounded exactly like my $12 discontinued Monoprice!

[@Podcastage]

So you're telling me that I have a special edition reissue of a classic mic? They missed a massive marketing opportunity.

[@IAmAPFDiamond]

bro mine sounds so bad and idk why. i can hear myself and it sounds good but in my rec it sounds HORABLE

[@johnsailor3590]

lol i got this microphone from amazon because there a lot of good reviews and honestly i still think it sounds good (this is my first mic) and seems kinda hard to understand the bad points..

[@AR-bj5et]

How does that mic have a foam windscreen that makes it sound like you're talking through 10 inches of wall insulation while rejecting plosives like single ply toilet paper?

[@Podcastage]

I think that the EQ of the mic leads to it sounding like that mainly. The windscreen doesn't do too much to make it sound more low mid heavy.

[@DustinNuttall]

Sounds eh for $60, the VeGue is better. But both, switch the windscreen with the SM7B windscreen and there you go, instant change in sound.

[@HardbrasH1]

Help me out, first time saw this video on my phone with cheap 30$ bt headphones, and didn't recognise any significant difference between the mics, they all sounded great. I thought: wow, bt headphones can really equalize everything... Than I got to my pc and listened through it with my dt990 properly amped. And... I didn't notice SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE once again! May be a little bothering mids. Feel myself deaf.

[@Podcastage]

If you don't hear any difference, then save yourself the money and get the most affordable mic that sounds the same and that has the features you need.

[@artysanmobile]

Have you tried it on a bass amp? Be careful.

[@Podcastage]

I don't have a bass amp to try it on but that would likely be hilarious.

[@IcecalGamer]

I think, you might disagree with me Bandrew , that for a professional, considering the Price (cheep), it could be a Great Gimick addition to the collection. Rev Phase + ALL the LOW mids 👍 It's genuinely rare the find something this bad, that wants to be good so badly. For a greenhorn, God NO!

[@the_forgotten_times]

I'm with you 100%!

[@Podcastage]

I have actually encountered a few pros and enthusiasts who have a penchant for mics this bad. So I think they're going to (or already have) ordered them. HAHAHA!

[@RusAD-gb9jk]

my ears got tired of the boominess by around 1:30 mark. At the 1ft mark it sounded pretty decent tho imo. Also XLR sounds better than USB. Sounds to me like the mids are louder through USB making it more balanced. But I feel like my ears are not trustworthy atm...

[@jeffrey.a.hanson]

I rock the SM58a. Hate the look, but gives a nice vintage sound and my compressor adds clarity. Maybe I’ll dress it up to look like an SM7b lol. I may try my Blue Spark SL I use on music tracks in my new place when I’m done treating the walls.

[@Lyander25]

WTF on voice, but i kinda enjoyed how it sounded on the electric guitar! Chuckled when you went to the acoustic though, the Tonor made it sound like a toy!

[@Podcastage]

Just bass boost everything bro! It'll be great! Hahahaha.

[@record216cleveland]

“If you’re a professional, why?”😂

[@Podcastage]

Well I know a few pros who love getting mics like this because they're fun to mess around with. So that's why. But outside of buying it as a "meme", I don't know of any reason a pro would buy it.

[@record216cleveland]

@@Podcastage as a self proclaimed pro - I like the idea of this low cost mic. And I know you like the idea of this mic that’s why you were kind of frustrated with how terrible it is. I remember some years ago I used to go to a friends house to record rap music and I like the Samson clip on microphone because it was so tiny but it was a USB mic with headphone monitoring, so it was quick to set up. Ultimately, I abandoned using this microphone because having a legit XLR microphone with a quality interface, just made my life easier in post production. So I understand.

[@mr-waffle341]

Nice video❤ I always enjoy your content

[@Podcastage]

Thanks for the kind words Mr Waffle.

[@DaWeaveGaming]

@Podcastage Could you review the Audio Technica 2040 USB? There are no reviews out for it and you are the only one to even show it in a video

[@Podcastage]

Stay tuned because you may or may not be seeing this very soon.

[@BishopNwachinemere]

Thank you for the negative review, it made me buy the mic. A great addition it is, especially considering that it is sold £50

[@Anb-hi7rm]

Basically Fduce SL40 in different casing because those buttons are somehow familiar.

[@Podcastage]

Interesting. I have not tried any FDuce mics so I can't say for sure if it's the same. I wouldn't be surprised though.

[@Thinwhiteduke1185]

"Next I want to see if the mute button makes sound when you press it." *loudest noise possible comes from mute button*

[@dancurran8977]

Strong box throw today!

[@Podcastage]

Thank you. I've been down at the football court field thing practicing.

[@andrew_golubev]

Such a great review

[@Clay_C]

No Peluso mic reviews? I'd love to see a review on the Peluso P-12 which I own.

[@Podcastage]

I have a peluso 414 somewhere which I will eventually review.

[@Clay_C]

@@Podcastage Thank you so much! If you do a quick search you'll see that (surprisingly) there are not many reviews of Peluso Mics on KZbin - a true American manufacturer of professional level mics... and the P-12 is simply magnificent (although I know you will disagree because of its colorful top end)! 🫣😋 And since I'm here: thank you so much for your great contributions to our community! I'm a big fan of your great, insightful, funny, helpful and definitely much needed technical reviews! Thank you so much, Bandrew!

[@binnn508]

Im buying it it sounds amazing and the Price is very good its the same AS the fifine K688 but just cheaper i dont see where the problem is?

[@Podcastage]

If you like the sound, go for it. I include all of the audio samples so that YOU can determine what you think sounds good and bad and if something is going to be a good fit for you. So if you think it sounds good, more power to ya. Rock and roll and happy recording.

[@nadinekassie3474]

Wouldn't you recommend if i just want to put a shure sticker on it ?

[@Podcastage]

I'd rather buy a Behringer to slap the Shure sticker on.

[@nadinekassie3474]

@@Podcastage 😄😄

[@meistudiony]

Bottom end beast! That maono 300 always surprises me. Gain needing to be maxed is kinda rough. Wonder how that mic would do as a kick drum mic or on bass cab. Lol

[@Podcastage]

yeah everything on this was just maxed out. Gain on the mic. Level on the computer. And then I still had to boost in post. Haha. If you ever want to open a portal to hell through a black hole like your name is Sam Neill, then this may be the mic for you.

[@meistudiony]

@@Podcastage in all seriousness, that might work as a kick mic.

[@drewleclair1281]

Ha, man I love your channel. Lots of good information here, but is the "doodleydoo" reference from CuriousMarc? Just trying to discern influences here.

[@Podcastage]

Nope. Never heard of curiousmarc. It's something I picked up from VlogBrothers when I used to watch them in the 00"s and early 10's. I then discovered that it was pulled from WheezyWaiter.

[@DjBurnzProducedThis]

You sent that box into another dimension You also have the greatest mic reviews ever. You need to review the UTTwin87. Greatest mic of all time

[@DjBurnzProducedThis]

On Another note, I literally have a headache with the resonant rumble the tonor has. There should be a warning label on the box that warns of physical harm lol

[@Podcastage]

That really means a lot. There are some other fantastic mic reviewers out there as well that do an incredible job. Very kind of you to say that though. I remember hearing about the UT87, but never picked one up.

[@DjBurnzProducedThis]

@@Podcastage I use one. Absolute staple. There are some fantastic reviewers out there. But no one is you tho. Soooo, I suppose you gotta look into it

[@dave-is9sw]

I need a review of the 35mm Bai Fei Li / ProAr C414, need your opinion before purchasing it, it has a lot of hype rn!

[@theoutsiderjess1869]

I just got the tonor td510 I absolutely love it but i did have to replace the knob with rhe blue yeti one and i will not use that xlr cable

[@Podcastage]

It's all about using the gear that YOU like and that serves your purposes. I hope it continues to work well for you and you make tons of great content. Happy recording.

[@theoutsiderjess1869]

​@@Podcastagethank you

[@Xerpocalypse_]

I randomly ran across a couple videos claiming this mic was a budget SM7B alternative. The SM7B may be dark, but comparing a mic this boomy to it is more than a bit generous. 😂

[@Podcastage]

I mean, technically it is an alternative to the SM7b because you can buy this instead of the 7b. But is it a good alternative? Not in my opinion. Does it get you close the SM7b? I don't think so. But hey, to each their own. People can share their opinions and we can disagree with them. That's fine.

[@Graecus_]

Sounds like they just super bass boosted the ~300hz (?) region. It gets more unpleasant the more you listen to it.

[@Podcastage]

Yeah, I found it kind of painful.

[@BigPodcast1]

Thanks for the info on this! I had never heard of this brand, but am now seeing they also have a preamp/cloudlifter as well.

[@Podcastage]

Oh wow, I had no idea they made inline preamps as well. I certainly have no desire to try those out.

[@Kragatar]

2:17 lol Sounds like having a whole pillow stuffed in your ears.

[@Podcastage]

Your ear holes will never sleep so well.

[@jttech44]

"the bose sound, now in a mic" -Tonor probably. Didn't hate it on acoustic though, might be usable, as long as you keep it away from your mouth.

[@Podcastage]

Gotta keep it a few feet away to limit the proximity effect on the voice.

[@kultomangk]

I smashed that Subscribe and Like button! Music Test made me do it!!!

[@KnTElixar]

DON'T Buy the Tonor TD510 (Affiliate Link) in the description made me LAUGH

[@Podcastage]

I aim to please. Glad it could make you laugh

[@Ransomwave]

What is the difference between phase inverted vs phase not inverted? I hear no difference 😭

[@By_Rant_Or_Ruin]

Did the usb cable feel fine? That was a credible box throw. Reminds me a bit of the Scottish log throw just with malice.

[@Podcastage]

Yeah the USB cable feels fine. Better than the XLR cable which I refused to use on any mics that I care about because I was scared of the connectors.

[@Binkie-vw4fe]

this dude rlly know what he talm bout fr good vid bro

[@jaustinnn]

What mic do you recommend that is budget friendly? $100 or less

[@stevenhammerle]

I think it sounds decent on small phone speakers, but definitely very bass heavy and not ideal for most things

[@Podcastage]

Yeah. If someone is just listening on phone speakers, most microphones ar more than sufficient.

[@beav15]

I actually thought the same thing: it sounds surprisingly good for spoken word through my phone, better than the sm7b even? But put on headphones and the truth is revealed.

[@luchalegend2185]

Dang. I kind of wanted to buy this mic. I appreciate your review though. If it wasn’t for you mate, i wouldn’t have found the neat worker bee. My favorite condenser microphone. Would you consider doing a review on the fifine ac3 mixer and fifine k669d sometime in the future? I’m curious on what you think of them. Despite being a cheap combo, i have heard good things about them. I understand they have already been done quite a bit, but i would like to know your opinion

[@Podcastage]

Glad you found the worker bee and you're liking it. You may like my video that's coming outTuesday because it's one of those mics, but I have no plans to review the other.

[@luchalegend2185]

@@Podcastage okie dokie. I’m excited

[@SunriseWaterMedia]

0:20 the description AND the doobleedoo! Wow! 😂

[@Podcastage]

I aim to please by providing information in all the places.

[@sleepybear9953]

can you give a recomendation for a mic around the same price range

[@Slipsch]

I think among all the cheap microphones the Bai Fei Li is the best. You should check it out

[@Podcastage]

Never heard of them, but I'll have to look into it.

[@Slipsch]

@@Podcastage They are some chinese brands that make mics that look like some mics we are familiar with, but what's impressive is for their price, they sound really really good. They don't sound the same but they really really sound good.

[@tricogustrico]

Sounds to me like all the cheap mics have the same microphone capsule. They sound bad.

[@Podcastage]

I heard quite a difference between the affordable mics. Maybe they use a similar capsule though.

[@KayAvier]

Best review I’ve ever seen

[@Podcastage]

That is an incredibly kind thing of you to say. Thank you so much.

[@45KevinR]

One of the earlier reviews thought this was literally a Fduce SL40 in a different (better) housing. Your example seems to be far worse than that. The Ffine K688 got "your sounds good for the price, just don't touch anything" conclusion. Which in effect cripples use of its monitor socket & controls. *But* it was only that resonance and overly coupled capsule that really showed up it's cheapness. We suffer in the UK as we don't seem to get the price drops or easy availability the USA does. So the q9u is full price or worse, the maono aren't on big-A, etc etc. I've decided to mostly wait and see if prime day throws up any discounts on mics and cameras. But I've grabbed a good discount today on the cheapest Sennheiser lavalier kit (for smartphone) XS Lav USB-c kit. So hopefully I get better than phone mic sound plus a useable phone tripod for £50. So I can finally record something and see if I hate seeing & hearing myself! Based on a lot of videos I've been watching it appears that to be noticed on youtube I really need an impressive quiff and/or a hat! So I need to save up for a wig or a hat. 🧙‍♂️🤞

[@Podcastage]

I hope the gear you got is sufficient in getting you the sound you want and that you can make some great content. Happy recording.

[@45KevinR]

@@Podcastage thanks. I suspect this one is just to bootstrap me. Or I'll find I've nothing useful to share. But at half price for a branded starter lav mic, a good phone clamp and a manfroto mini tripod it seemed like a handy start. Good value for video calls at least. 👍🧙

[@JakeNeher-u8i]

I must be nuts. I was thinking, wow, this mic is hot garbage -- muddy as all get out -- but at least the USB and XLR sound pretty similar. Maybe I need to get my ears cleaned. But I completely agree with everything else here. Great review!

[@Podcastage]

Maybe myself and everyone else I ran it by are having a shared delusion. it's possible, but we could all swear that something completely messed up was going on. Bottom line, it's not a great mic and there are much better alternatives.

[@arvidthemusictv]

One of the more jarring mics as soon as you started talking imo. Simply not very pretty sounding

[@Podcastage]

Jarring is a great way to put it.

[@FudaFilms]

I'd love to see the Maono AU-PM422

[@Podcastage]

I don't have any other maono mics in the queue, but after a few months I may have to check out the offerings from these companies again.

[@45KevinR]

I think that's one of their super cheap all in kits? I'd love to hear the Bandrew analysis of Maono's PD400x.

[@Taijifufu]

I will now always ask "But does it enhance the audio space???"

[@Podcastage]

It reminds me of a scene from Super Troopers: Enhance. Enhance. Enhance. Enhance.

[@edwardhalterman9371]

Man, the mic was horrible but this is my favorite music test you've composed. 10/10

[@Podcastage]

Thanks so much for the kind words, it really means a lot.

[@Gadgets-N-Gear]

What software do you use to edit audio? I use Davinci Resolve for my video editing, and it can do audio. I do have audacity...but I don't use it. What free program would you recommend? is Davinci Resolve good for audio filtering?

[@worldofjoseup]

I hate how the AT2040 USB is way too similar to the Tonor. Wtf Audio Technica?

[@Podcastage]

Interesting to draw a comparison between those two. I think they sound quite different. The 2040 at least doesn't have that massive low mid issue that the Tonor has.

[@worldofjoseup]

@@Podcastage I listened back and you’re right. Something abt the AT2040 does sound off though.

[@JoshColletta]

How bass-heavy IS this thing, one might ask? Well, I'm listening on my bedroom system (a Fosi Audio BT20A Pro into Realistic Minimus 25s) with the treble all the way up and the bass all the way down, and the Tonor's low frequencies came across how an average large diaphragm condenser would sound with flat EQ on both ends (and I know that sound on these speakers from years of experience). It's no wonder we didn't see a frequency response curve in the specs... anyone who sees it would balk.

[@Podcastage]

I agree it's incredibly bass heavy. I need to push back though because you're making a big assumption that the Frequency Response graph that they put in the manual would even be accurate. They could just lie. Hahaha.

[@JoshColletta]

@@Podcastage 😆 Totally fair point!