We tested out the new Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone to see how such a great company, known for its incredible live and studio microphones, fared in the USB streaming game.
As podcasting and streaming continue to gain popularity, the demand for top-notch microphones has never been greater. However, sometimes it can be difficult to find a good option without having to purchase additional accessories, leading many to give up or rely on their DIY skills to hold the mic up.
Trusted audio company Sennheiser has you covered from all angles with their latest release, the Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone Streaming set. Not only does it come in under $350 AUD, but it’s also USB-C powered and comes with a desktop boom arm. We were excited to put it to the test and see if it lived up to Sennheiser’s reputation for excellence.
If you’re a musician or music producer, you may be wondering why we’re discussing USB microphones. Well, it’s because Sennheiser, one of the top brands in pro audio, has created an outstanding version of something that’s often overlooked.
The Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone is a plug-and-play device featuring a cardioid condenser capsule and all the controls you need right on the unit itself. The controls are neatly arranged and easy to understand, including Mute (Green when active, Red when muted), Gain, Mix (which blends monitoring directly from the microphone or from your computer), and Headphone level.
It comes with a super long 3m USB-C cable that plugs into the back, where you can also plug in your headphones. Sennheiser offers a wide range of headphones, including the industry standard HD 280 pros.
Compared to other USB microphones, this one feels incredibly sturdy, and it even has a tilting function in case you prefer to use it on a desk stand instead of the boom arm. The build quality of everything is impressive, especially considering its affordable price.
Sound-wise, this USB microphone is clear and balanced, exactly what you need for its intended purpose. Its frequency range is from 20Hz to 20kHz, and it presented excellent off-axis rejection, just as they promised when we tested it with someone talking behind it.
The sampling rates are a little lower than other microphones (maybe this is where the cost is saved?) with options of 44.1 or 48 kHz and
16 or 24 bit sampling resolution, but I’m not complaining here because if you are recording your podcast any higher than 48 kHz you might just be wasting your computer processing power and also hard drive space!
Using our Sennheiser HD 300 Pro headphones plugged directly into the microphone, the level was adequate, and there were no unnecessary sounds when muting or using the controls. This is worth noting since we’ve experienced this issue before.
Overall, the Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone is an outstanding option. The Profile Streaming Set comes in at $349 AUD and on its own, the Profile USB Microphone comes in at $239 AUD. For more info head over to Sennheiser.com
