Introduction
The MXL R144 is a microphone that promises quality sound and reliability for various recording needs.
Design and Build
- Vintage Appeal: The microphone exudes a classic look, reminiscent of the legendary ribbon mics.
- Sturdy Build: Its robust construction ensures durability and longevity.
- Compact Size: Portable and easy to set up in various recording environments.
Sound Quality
- Warm Sound: Delivers a rich, warm tone ideal for vocals and instruments.
- High Sensitivity: Captures delicate nuances and details in recordings.
- Low Noise: Ensures a clean audio output, minimizing unwanted background noise.
Versatility and Compatibility
- Multi-Purpose: Suitable for diverse applications like studio recording, broadcasting, and podcasting.
- Versatile Compatibility: Works well with different audio interfaces and preamps.
Pros
- Vintage design with sturdy construction
- Captures warm, detailed sound
- Versatile for various recording purposes
- Compatible with different audio equipment
Cons
- Fragile ribbon element needs careful handling
- Requires a preamp for optimal performance
Conclusion
The MXL R144 offers a vintage design and warm sound, making it a suitable choice for diverse recording needs. While it demands careful handling and a preamp for optimal performance, its overall quality and versatility make it a great addition to any recording setup.
Mark King –
I bought this microphone, it was not a review item or gift.This ribbon mic is one of the best bargains available if you have the right set-up to use with it. On it’s own you might find the microphone sounding low in output level and dull in the higher frequencies, but plug it in to a good preamp like an API 312, then into a good equalizer like the Warm Audio WA-EQP, then into a good compressor like the UA 1176 and finally into your DAW or other input…..are you still with me? This microphone provides an amazing sound that you can work with and shape into a truly stunning final output with a little signal processing.I own over 50 microphones, many are vintage AKG classics. I’ve also built my own LDC microphones using high quality components, many of my custom microphones started as MXL 2001; with mods they easily compete with or exceed Mojave microphone performance for less than 50% of the M.A.P. price.I own a Royer R-121 ribbon microphone, it’s pretty much the industry standard for ribbon instrument microphones. I often use this microphone with a Grace m-801 preamplifier set in the ribbon mode, this feeds an equalizer and compressor into an Apogee audio converter. I’m mic’ing four different Marshall 4×12 cabinets filled with Celestion speakers, driven with Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier amplifiers or vintage Marshall 100-watt clones. The speaker cabinets are contained in two different isolation rooms at the rear of our studio, this gives us an excellent perspective on the raw sound of these microphones in the control room.The new MXL R144 ribbon microphone is unmodified at this point, this is my first encounter with this particular low priced MXL model.I’ve recorded some male vocals with it and I’ve had it mounted up next to a 4×12 and I can say it has that smooth natural response, similar to the Royer R-121 in ribbon sounding character. Both of these microphones sound much better with EQ and compression.I’ve never cared for the R-121 for vocals, but with EQ and compression I like the MXL R144 as a very natural sounding vocal mic with big bass when used close up, smooth is the keyword to describe the sound. You can hit these ribbon microphones with a lot of high frequency boost and they never sound piercing.The R-121 has a slightly brighter sound from the rear when used closeup to the source, I have not really heard a similar effect from the MXL R144 but with the WA-EQP equalizer the R-144 sounds incredible, you can contour the overall frequency response to be whatever you want and it never sounds harsh, strident or piercing like all the cheap Chinese large diaphragm condenser microphones do. It is this characteristic of ribbon mics in general, that they take lots of high frequency boost really well, which makes them so popular for recording, their frequency response is smooth and un-hyped, very different from a bright dynamic microphone like an SM-57.I wanted to test this microphone out before ordering a second one to modify and customize. I need one factory stock piece to compare my modified creations to. I’m enjoying it un-modded right now, it sounds great!If I was going to complain about anything it would be the shock mount, the handles you squeeze to open the shock mount stick out a little too far and could interfere with achieving an optimum position when used up-close. On the bright side, it includes a nice shock mount, it’s not the best but it’s effective and it’s included in the $88 Prime delivered price! A nice plastic carrying case is also included, it is foamed lined and die-cut to hold the microphone and shock mount. I prefer this small case to another brief-case size carrying case taking up space in my warehouse area.I’ve had my Royer R-121 since 2007, never had to have the ribbon replaced, I’ve taken care of it. For the price I paid back then I could buy 11 of these MXL and still take my beautiful GF out to dinner at a nice place. If I’d had one of these MXL in the first place I probably would not have bought the Royer, I’d much rather put any $$ saved into more signal processing like the WA-EQP and my latest find, the WA76. These are stunningly good sounding pieces of audio equipment.For less than $100 I don’t think you can beat this MXL R-144 for a ribbon microphone. Good music to all!UPDATE: I still like this mic after a year of use. I hate describing tone with words but I’d say this mike has a bit of gravely-distortion when used close up, it’s not a bad thing. I would not describe this microphone as high-fidelity, it’s got gnarlyness and personality. When I venture outside the usual suspects this MXL ribbon is always a fun stop along the way. It’s still a bargain. I still haven’t gotten around to modding it either. I’ve got the Royer when I need a hi-fi ribbon, I kind of like the MXL being crude and a little nasty, it’s fun tool in our rock recording studio.
J. Vento –
I was really excited to get a ribbon mic for this price, but a little worried about how it would perform. I did some reading up about them online, and there were lots of mentions of getting inside the mic to do some modifications when you get it. Unfortunately, I was stupid enough to do all of these mods before even trying the mic (I was a little excited…) so I can’t really comment on the vanilla sound of this.I took off the internal mesh screen (there’s one inside the outer mesh housing) because that was supposed to block some sound. It took a good bit of force to get it out, and at one point I actually opened up part of the outer housing. That worried me, but I was able to get it back in place. After that, there are two fine mesh pieces on either side of the ribbon that are supposed to protect it from the elements I guess, but I had no intention of taking this in the field or anything so I decided I’d take them out to allow for it to breathe a little bit more and open up the sound. Again, I can’t really comment on how much this changed things because I was stupid and didn’t really get an A/B test, but it didn’t make it sound like trash so…This served a double purpose, because I had heard that these can sometimes ship with a saggy ribbon. If you are so inclined, I would suggest taking apart the mic if for no other reason than checking the ribbon, so you don’t waste your time figuring out why it’s not working. It will probably be a little loose, but as long as it’s not sagging outside of the range of the magnets you are good.So, after all of that, how does it sound? It’s a very warm sounding mic, and I would say it can be difficult to work with if you have a low voice (myself included). With a bit of EQing you can fix that though. Where I really found this to shine was with higher end female vocals, it really made them sound lush. I have an AT4040 that I love, and this will definitely not be replacing that as my go-to vocal mic, but for things like background vocals this really gets the job done. I’m sure it can be used for lead too, it’s just a matter of what style you’re going for. Be ready to tail down the low end a little bit, because you can get some really boomy bass sometimes. But the recordings have always been usable, some just take more editing than others.As other reviewers have mentioned, you’ll have to boost the gain a little more than normal, but the noise isn’t that bad in this. Obviously there will be a little more than your Neumann, but again, usable. Overall, I’m happy with this. I didn’t have to go broke to play with a ribbon mic, and if something goes wrong with it (and we all know ribbons are very temperamental) it won’t be the end of the world. Definitely recommended for any studio on a budget, home or not.
Anthony silva –
Nice price decent soundMy first ribbon mic. Sounds quite nice in the centre of my Princeton and VOX.Well worth the price of admission.
Peter –
So good! Bright, clear, quiet!I bought a pair of these and I am super happy! I’ve used them on a horn section, and percussion overdubs and I am in love! I don’t have a tonne of experience with high end ribbons but these work really well for blumline. My clients love how they sound on these and of course the tight figure 8 makes rejection of multiple scourses a breeze! I actually opened Amazon specifically to write this review because I am so happy with them.A little brighter than your average ribbon but still smooth as far as I can tell. Decent ouput level too. Medium to loud sources don’t really need a cloud lifter or other inline pre amp to get enough sound to work with.The case, and shock mount are good too. Mic feels sturdy.
Brian Drought –
The answer for first time ribbon buyersThis mic has proven itself time and again. I’ve used the crud out of this mic, go ahead, call me a user. The mic is happy and so am I. Frankly this is the mic to get unless you’re looking to drop $700 or more. I’d recommend to anyone to do their research before making a purchase, but if you’re specifically looking for a ribbon mic (as I was) and you’re not looking to spend at LEAST $700, get this one. The quality is worth it, and you’re not going to find much better in a slightly higher price range and you won’t find anything as good in the same price range. Do your research, you’ll come back to this mic for sure.
Chicken Muffin –
An Absolutely Amazing ValueI am absolutely blown away by the performance of this microphone for the price. Sounds amazing for vocals, guitar, and wind instruments. The gorgeous metallic finish also looks amazing and stays clean.It comes with a nice carry case but the shock mount is of very low quality. Not a big deal though to be honest since it was basically a free add-in so I won’t let it affect the rating. That being said I’ll be upgrading this mount at some point when (not if!) it breaks.Ribbon mic tip: DO NOT use phantom power with this and always use a pop filter or you’ll be sorry!
N.a. –
Solid mic for the price.Solid mic for the price let’s the source sit nicely in the mic. Warm, as most ribbons are. But MXL is notoriously bright. So this guy’s sits very well in the “warm-ish” category. Too many ribbon mics are so warm they don’t work well on most sources. this mic is much more “one size fits all”. Good buy.