MXL2003a Large Capsule Condenser Microphone

This is not my only microphone so I can't claim "If you can afford only one mic, let it be the MXL 2003A". The truth is that, now that a few weeks have elapsed with this mic in my possession, I could make the statement without stretching it. It's a really good, bullet proof mic with stunning specs. Please note before we begin: This is a condenser microphone. Like ALL condenser mics, it requires a little extra juice, called phantom power. Don't go thrusting it into your laptop or desktop thinking you can beat the system. Either plug it into a mixing board or a recording console equipped with phantom; or buy one of those Neewer 1-channel 48V Phantom Power Supplies (I'm reading two lines down!). And no, the MXL 2003A does not come with a cable. I've bought my share of Neewer mics and they came with an embarrassment of silly cables that now sit in a big basket behind me looking like so much spaghetti. Most of the budget Chinese mics come with a crazy connector combo, namely XLR (3-pin) to 3.5mm connectors. Forget all that. The MXL is a professional mic. I urge you not to start talking in terms of "great value for the money". There are people out there who don't want to know they're buying 'great value for the money'. They want to know that they struck the mother lode. For two hundred or less they've scored a mic that's fully professional from the large diaphragm down through the shockmount. They want to know that they're buying a mic for tomorrow and the next ten years, to boot. And this is such a mic. You might not get that impression immediately when you see it costs only a couple of C-notes but it is emphatically professional. If you're going to be recording acoustic drums and miking them individually, you want the MXL 2003A. As my producer/engineer friend of some three decades told me when I asked him if I should purchase the mic: "Buy this mic. I bought five of them. They sound so good on toms, seriously. By the way, YOU LOVE them; you just never noticed." (No, I guess I didn't. On a freelance session, there's little time to discuss anything but changes and lyrics and tempo. Drums are a strength of the 2003A. One reason is plainly obvious from the specs. The mic will take over 150dB SPLs. So it'll do the inside of your bass drum. I very much like it on the outside of an unported (no hole in front of the) bass drum. There's lots of detail there and lots of mics don't work that well on the outside. You don't need to put it close to the head and rely on catching the proximity effect. From 8" distant, it will capture the complexity of the drum. You might want to muffle the front a little, or, like John Bonham did, crank the tension up to eliminate the rattly, papery sound of a loose front head. This mic also does wonders with my metal (WorldMax) floor tom, which is cavernous. You put the mic 6" above the drum, turn on the 10db pad, just to go easy on your preamps and console, and the MXL 2003A gets it immediately. You don't have to fiddle around. And with a 150+ dB SPL capacity, there's no worries about distorting the diaphragm. But here is the amazing part. The self noise of this mic weighs in at 11dB. This is a quiet mic. I've used it to accommodate my fetish: harmonicas at quiet dynamic levels, all raspy and organ-like. When I mike a mouth organ with the MXL 2003A and I take a breath, all I can hear is my tinnitus. All YOU hear is nothing. This is, to repeat it, a quiet mic, "quiet" as in Neumann, upscale AKG, and that sort of thing. The dynamic range of this mic is stunning and, you know, it might very well be the only mic you need, because a little bump in the high-end (but not tarted up) will help you place vocals in the mix. Mind you, up there in Lisp Land, you need a pop filter, nothing new in the realm of condenser mics. There's more but I haven't owned the MXL 2003A long enough to have tried more. Not yet. By the way, the shockmount that accompanies this mic is quite robust, adequate, and will ensure this mic doesn't start drooping. It's a heavy mic. It's no barbell but it's got weight and solidity happening. The cost is certainly reasonable. I have to admit that when I bought it, Amazon.ca had it on sale for $119, as I recall. Even your price, a hundred bucks more, heralds it as a bargain. It's a good mic, "good" as in a mic I really like, the AT-2050. Or one of the U47 FET clones. The MXL 2003 A, as distinct from the 2003, which is a discontinued mic that was great but nowhere near what you get with the "A" model, is fully capable of anything you throw at it. I now wish I'd bought two of them and I'd employ them as overheads but it's no big deal. Mine is going to get lots of use aside a Warm Audio multi-pattern condenser or a Neat King Bee. Or a Lewitt 240 on snare and this one positioned down on floor tom or up in the skies.

I have a little bit of experience in home-studio with another condenser mic (a behringer b1) and m-audio interface. Now i start my new vocal recs with MXL2003A and a Focusrite 2i2 interface and the only thing that i say is what a clear and brilliant sound i obtain.For me, is a very best price and quality relation. Very recommendable product for begginers that need a good results in the start.

I love this microphone. I can't believe I waited so long to review it. I've had these for a couple years now and use them to record our orchestra concerts. The sound is so natural, I don't do any adjustments to the frequency response.

The MXL 2003A represents one of the best studio microphone values available anywhere, regardless of price. The 2003A uses a modified K-67 type capsule, the front is a standard 32mm design, while the rear capsule uses an alternative drilling pattern which has a positive effect on the microphones tonality. A thinner 3 micron mylar diaphram is used, instead of the typical 6 micron. The internal components and the electrolytic capacitors are of a high quality. The result is a microphone with a more balanced timbre and flatter frequency response, compared to other Chinese mics which can sound overly hyped and harsh. Many fans of this model have said that the MXL 2003A's sound is reminiscent of expensive German microphones.After testing the MXL 2003A microphone, I liked it so much, that I immediately ordered a second one. The 2003A resembles a sleek black U87Ai, and believe it or not, there are some sonic similarities. Fantastic!The 2003A is a cardioid pattern large condenser mic that ships with a sturdy shockmount. The 2003A features a bass rolloff and -10 db cut switch. This mic has garnered exceptionally high praise on various internet forums dedicated to discussing studio microphones and quality recording equipment and technique. At the price it sells for, it's a steal! I highly recommend the MXL 2003A to anyone who is looking for a great microphone for their home studio that doesn't cost a fortune.

I already use MXL's in my home recording studio and have had really good results with them. I had been using two mics to record my saxophone, an MXL 2003A on the bell and a Rode on the stack. Upon isolating the tracks and listening back I preferred the sound of the MXL better. It sounded warmer to me. So I decided to buy another MXL 2003A and use two MXLs on the saxophone. There's nothing wrong with the Rode's, they're a great studio mic. I use Rode's on the drum kit and they sound great. The price from these folks was very competitive and delivery was as promised so it's all good..