AS A RULE OF THUMB, taking the leap from
your headset mic to a dedicated desktop
microphone always sounds noticeably
better. With larger diaphragms and
sturdier outer casing, dedicated mics
can capture low-end frequencies, in
particular, much more accurately than
the tinny old electret condenser through
which you’ve been shouting at campers
and breathing Cheeto dust for your
gaming headset’s lifespan.
But not all desktop microphones are
born equal. In fact, this is something of
a growth sector for gaming peripheral
manufacturers and established pro
audio brands alike—until a few years
ago, we were all pretty much satisfied
with sounding like a taxicab dispatcher
on voice chat, but Twitch changed
the landscape. Now, not only are
microphones such as the venerable
Blue Yeti capable of incredible spoken-
word fidelity levels, but they’re getting
competition from the likes of Audio-
Technica and Beyerdynamic, too, who
bring decades of studio expertise to the
party. And hoo boy, is that ever apparent
with this excellent Fox USB mic.SOUND BITES
Starting with the basics, the Fox is a
cardioid condenser and doesn’t feature
any other polar patterns, unlike a lot of
its rivals on the market. Available now
for $150, it includes a very sturdy pop
shield, a bright orange braided 1m USB
cable, a 1/4-inch to 5/8-inch adapter, and
a reassuringly heavy desktop mount.
As with any microphone you intend to
use while you’re sitting at a computer,
it’s best deployed using a boom arm,
to keep it high up and away from your
noisy keyboard and all the accidental
knocks it’s sure to pick up when sitting
on your desktop. The adapter’s definitely
welcome, then, but it’s worth noting that
as desktop mounts go, this one’s pretty
serviceable. You can adjust the angle to
point the front of the mic up toward your
mouth, without fear of it tipping over or
changing position mid-stream, and
we found it blocked out the sounds
of our banging into the desk quite
well. If it’s placed nearer to yourA USB desktop mic to rival its
contemporaries in the studio
Beyerdynamic Fox
9
VERDICT Beyerdynamic FoxFANTASTIC MR. FOX Solidly
built; sounds like a studio mic;
suitable for instrument recording.
FARMER BOGGIS Short USB cable.
$150, https://global.beyerdynamic.comSPECIFICATIONSFrequency Response 20Hz–20KHzSample/Bitrate 24-bit/96KHzCable Length 1 metrePolar Pattern CardioidElement CondenserPower Consumption 0.5mA maxkeyboard than your mouth, though, it’s
always going to pick up some of that
mechanical switch chatter.
The mic unit itself is built to a very
high standard and features an all-metal
construction around the shell—it really
wouldn’t look out of place in a recording
studio, next to units ten times the price.
The controls on the front are a less
impressive plastic, and they do wobble
just a little when you use them, but not
so much that it becomes a problem.
A mic mute, direct monitoring/PC audio
mix, headphone monitoring volume, and
headphone input make up the front, whilea lone USB-C cable input can be found
at the back.
The sound is magnificent—warm,
well rounded, and with a slight dip in the
higher frequencies (6–10K), which really
smooths out vocals. While this array is
obviously intended for straightforward
vocal capture in a streaming setting, the
Fox has the chops for much more. It can
record 24-bit, 96KHz audio—better than
CD-quality, for the audiophile casuals—
and the overall shape of the sound is
just as suited to mic-ing up a guitar
cabinet, acoustic guitar, or melodic vocal
performance as a Twitch broadcast. And
for $150, that’s really saying something.
There are practical limitations here,
though, if you do decide to go Quincy
Jones on the Fox, principally the 1m USB
cable. Being tethered within a one-meter
radius of your PC is tricky, and really
you’d need to buy a longer cable to make
a musical recording situation happen.
The fact we’re even talking about it like
it’s a possibility says so much about how
far USB desktop mics have come. And it
says a lot in particular about this debut
USB mic from Beyerdynamic—with a
little more investment in a boom arm
and a longer cable, it’s all your recording
desires in one mic. –PHIL IWANIUKin the lab
86 MAXIMUMPC MAR 2020 maximumpc.com