Current best microphone USB or not?

[Kerry F]

Okay, I need some recommendations.  I have used primarily the $150 little Martel Electronics mic that Stenograph also sells for years.  What other comparable mics are there for under $200 other than the USB mics.  I'm not crazy about the USB mic sound quality, even the ones sole by

Sound Professionals, unless there's something new.  I'd just rather not rely on a USB port to be working properly.  Rather plug a mic into the mic jack on the computer.

 

Thansk

[Kim Schroeder]

Yes, I'd like to know too!  The 200 USB one from Sound Professionals sounds awful, like a tin can!  I've even had them walk me through adjusting all the settings, and it sounds just as crappy!  Real waste of money.  My original one from Sound Professionals, 50 bucks, was great.  Unfortunately, I had it all duct taped as it was falling apart.  Inclined to pull it out again. 

[Kerry F]

Kim,

Your Sound Professionals is the $200 or $300 USB from them? 

I decided to just buy the a new Martel $150 mic.  Stenograph used to sell that mic, but don't anymore and I don't think the similar mic Stenograph sells is as good as the Martel.

[Janiece Young]

Hi, Kerry, 

I had the mic that Stenograph sells that they try to pass off as the Martel mic.  I did NOT find the quality of that mic to be as good as the Martel mic.

[Kathy Langstaff]

Hey, my Sound Professionals mic is duct taped too, but works great!  I do have a backup, tho, cuz I bought it on a two-for-one deal.  I haven't tried hooking up an extension mic, though.  Might try it for jury selection sometime.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Well, I bought the Sound Professionals microphone and cannot get the sound to work worth a damn.  What are your compression settings, may I ask?  I use SPEEX and am having a hell of a time.

[Kerry F]

Kelli,

They've got a geek/tech guy there at Sound Professionals who is really good over the phone with settings.  Call them.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I did call them.  They said it's the compression settings.  Don't know which is correct, though.  He says to use PCM and I use SPEEX because I send sections of the audio through the internet on Version 5 of Eclipse and you need a very compressed audio.  Can't use anything else.  I'm thinking maybe this won't work for me.  What a waste of 350.00 (again.)

Janet was nice enough to tell me about another microphone, though, that I bought on eBay.  Haven't gotten it yet, though.  Can't wait to try it out!!

[Kerry F]

What about that new Depo Book mic that's about $60?

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I will NEVER buy anything form Martel again.  They burned me on a $350 microphone that never worked and they would not give me my money back.  Had to just throw it away.  They will never get my business again and I hope they read this too.

[Kerry F]

You know, in the future, if charged it on a credit card, you can dispute it back to a vendor that provides faulty product.  I've done it and prevailed.  I had an issue the Martel once before, too, but can't find that mic they sell anywhere else.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Problem is I used my ATM card.  That will teach me.

[Anne Torreano]

Hi Kerry

I just purchased the SP-USB-HG mic from Sound Professionals.  I previously was using the Martel mic as well.  I am using it on a new laptop whose sound card is not as great as the previous netbook I was using, and it's a big improvement.  My understanding is it has a built-in sound card of its own that takes over the computer's default card.  It's a big investment but well worth it.  I like its tiny size as well.  Sound Professionals has really great customer service as well.