Pyle PDMICR42 Review / Test
I have been so impressed with the last two Pyle mics that I tested out, that I had to test out this guy, the Pyle PDMICR42 Dynamic Microphone. This time Pyle is ripping off the Shure 55SH. This is another dynamic XLR microphone which means it will not require phantom power to work, however, I always want to note that I am connecting using a USB soundcard which is linked below.
What's In the Box
Dynamic Microphone
5/8" to 3/8" Mic Stand Adapter
XLR to 5.5mm (1/4") Cable
Warranty
Performance / Features
The build quality on this thing feels terrible. It is an all plastic body, plastic mount, and plastic hinge; and this is not a sturdy feeling plastic. It feels incredibly weak. However, the microphone mount adapter is metal which is always nice, and the microphone cable seems to be good quality.
The frequency response on this thing is 30Hz - 15kHz which is a fairly standard frequency response. It performs fairly well in this area. The vocals sound nice and full and don't sound hollow or unnatural. The acoustic guitar sounded surprisingly nice with this microphone, and the electric guitar sounded pretty good too.
The microphone is also a cardioid polar pattern. The field of pick up is really nice for about 90-degrees, but continues to pick up the high end all the way to about 180-degrees. Once we get to that point, the high end drops off and we just hear low end response. This microphone also did really well at isolating my voice from the background noise from my keyboard.
Pros
Nice Voice Sound
Decent performance with Instruments
Good at Isolating Sound
Cons
Cheap Build Quality
Digital hiss/noise when volume high
Really Bad at eliminating plosives
Poor Documentation
Conclusion
This is a decent sounding microphone, however I can't recommend it. It performs decently in the audio area, but not better than the PDMIC58 which is half the price. It is also really bad at eliminating plosives, and that means you would have to invest in a pop filter; since this is a non standard size, you would need a clip on pop filter which is not something you would want in a live situation (which is what these mics are made for).
I honestly, just can't think of anyone who would have any good reason to get this microphone over the Pyle PDMIC58 which sounds almost the same for a fraction of the cost. The cheaper microphone will also provide you the ability to use a standard ball pop filter, and use it in a live setting easily without worrying about breaking a cheap plastic microphone. If you have any additional questions about this headset, leave them in the comments on this site or on the youtube channel, and I will try to reply ASAP.
Buy the PDMIC R42 (Affiliate Link)
Global: https://geni.us/pdmicr42
