XLR has been known as a quality engineer of audio products for some time, and the new Blue ember XLR Studio Condenser Mic is no exception. The Blue Ember XLR is a perfect mic for DIY enthusiasts who need a solid all-purpose recording microphone for making music or streaming live audio. It has a 38Hz-20kHz response range, so it can pick up low rumbling bass tones and crystal clear high notes to an unparalleled degree of precision. Even with it’s low price, the Blue Ember is light years beyond speakers with built-in microphones such as the NYNE Aqua.
The Ember XLR uses Blue’s trademark hand calibrated condenser capsule for high sound fidelity along with high-quality electrical capacitors for maximum clarity and headroom. The XLR input is miles ahead of other USB input mics and transmits a clear sound without any crackling or distortion. Of course, this means that you will need an audio interface with XLR inputs to use the mic. Fortunately, most audio interfaces have XLR support built in so it should not be too much of a hassle to find something that will work.
The best part of the Ember Blue XLR is its versatility. XLR condenser mics work extremely well for almost any kind of audio input device. The open-mic design is perfect for picking up the twang of an acoustic guitar, the prickly tones of an electric guitar, the thump of a bass drum, floor tom, or snare drum, the metallic crash of cymbals, and is also a great device for recording vocals. In fact, you could use this mic for all your recording needs and it would work fine. Like most well-constructed recording mics, the Ember Blue produces a layer of “white noise” as a kind of backdrop to catch sound on. The cushion of white noise gives every sound a lot of dynamical depth.
The mic is slated to work with most audio interface programs, including GarageBand, Logic, and Pro Tools. The sleek vertical design is nondescript and the front-facing receiver end can be used in any position. The mic comes with a stand mount and adaptor but no XLR cords, so you do have to buy those first if you want to use it.
At only $99 dollars, the Blue Ember XLR mic is one of the best mics you can get for the price and gives you professional-level sounds quality for about the prices of a week of groceries. It is a good choice for those who want a versatile mic that can be used in a bunch of different contexts.
