How We Test

Our goal is simple: help you predict how a microphone will sound with your voice in your room—before you buy. To do that, we run standardized, zero‑post tests across multiple voices and both untreated and treated spaces, then translate the results into a Voice + Room Match score and clear upgrade paths.

Environments and Setup

We test in three common conditions:

Untreated home office (reflective surfaces, typical desk noise).
Living room (larger space, moderate ambient noise).
Treated booth/panels (controlled reflections).

All recordings are 24‑bit/48 kHz WAV with high‑pass filters, EQ, gates, de‑essers, and compressors disabled. We target peaks around −12 dBFS with consistent mouth‑to‑capsule distances (5–6 inches close, 10–12 inches conversational) using an adjustable boom. A calibrated SPL meter verifies spoken level at the mic position. For low‑output dynamics, we document required gain and when an inline preamp is used.

Voices and Scripts

We record with diverse voice archetypes: bright/lean, neutral, dark/warm, sibilant-prone, plosive-prone, and fast articulators. Each voice reads a standardized script including:

Plosive lines (e.g., “Peter Piper... podcasts”).
Sibilance lines (“She sells seashells...”).
Proximity passages at near and far distances.
Off‑axis capture while turning 30°, 60°, and 90° from the mic. We publish raw clips per voice and room so you can A/B against your own samples.

Measurements and Listening

Noise floor and self‑noise (room‑aware, with HVAC baseline noted).
Off‑axis rejection and spill from keyboard/mouse typing and a side speaker at 60°.
Plosive resistance with and without a pop filter, plus windscreen effectiveness.
Proximity effect behavior and low‑end buildup vs. distance.
Sibilance emphasis and de‑ess susceptibility.
Required gain and headroom; hiss risk with common interfaces.
Handling and mount resonance; visual footprint and camera framing considerations. We combine instrumented measurements with blind listening panels that rank clarity, warmth, intelligibility, and distraction (room tone, mouth noises).

Voice + Room Match Score

We model how a mic’s polar pattern, sensitivity, frequency tilt, and rejection interact with voice timbre and room conditions. The output is a simple label: Great Match, Good, Conditional (with notes like “needs pop filter” or “use 60° angle”), or Not Recommended for a given voice/room combo. Guidance includes: suggested distance and angle, ideal gain range, when to add an inline preamp, and how to position co‑hosts to reduce spill.

USB to XLR Step‑Up Paths

We prioritize kits that reuse accessories. Example: start with a quality USB dynamic plus boom and pop filter; step up to the XLR version of the same mic, add an interface with sufficient clean gain, and keep your existing stand and treatment. We note trade‑offs in loudness normalization, monitoring latency, and multi‑host expandability.

What We Don’t Do

We don’t apply sweetening or denoise to review samples, and we don’t accept payment for placement. If a manufacturer supplies a loaner, it gets the same process—and often additional cross‑checks.

If you have a voice type or room we haven’t represented, email us at [email protected] with a short sample—we’ll add it to our library when possible.