Due to the ongoing pandemic, the amount of calls made through my computer via MS Teams, Zoom, and Skype has drastically increased over the past few months. I had been relying on my webcam's built-in microphone, but I know that such microphones are quite limited in their quality and features. So I was excited to try out the JLab Talk Pro microphone to see if it would help make a better impression during online business calls. Needless to say, the Talk Pro is a massive improvement over virtually any webcam microphone, but might get lost in the mix of other "pro"-oriented consumer microphones.
PROS:
- This is a pretty cool looking microphone with its black and blue design. It will look great on any desk and, if you're a streamer or YouTuber, should look sleek and modern on camera.
- The microphone comes with a nice braided USB-C cable which is plenty long (3 meters). There is practically no set up required - just screw on the tripod, plug in the cable to the microphone and your computer, and you're good to go.
- The Talk Pro records audio at 192 kHz and 24-bit resolution, giving it a very dynamic range. This is great if you intend to record music or other events with audio coming from multiple sources. But for the average audio call, Twitch stream, or podcast, this kind of range is probably not needed. Regardless, it's nice to have.
- The Talk Pro does an excellent job at filtering out background noise. In my apartment, I usually have a tower fan running right next to me while the air conditioning is also on. Also, during gaming sessions, my CPU and GPU fans usually kick up to a very audible range. During all of my test recordings and calls with the Talk Pro, none of this background noise could be heard.
- There are four directional pattern modes that can be selected from the front of the microphone -- cardioid, stereo, omni, and bidirectional -- which makes this incredibly versatile for a microphone in this price range. The omni mode especially is great for business calls around a conference table or a band recording music.
- My voice recordings and calls appeared to be plenty loud without having to increase the gain of the microphone very much, so there's no need to raise your voice or increase the gain to its highest setting.
- There is an LED screen on the front of the microphone to show you the exact volume and gain levels as you adjust the knobs on the back.
CONS:
- Compared to one of its biggest rivals -- the Blue Yeti -- the JLab Talk Pro appears to be lacking just a bit in build quality. The mesh grill around the microphone is either a thin metal or plastic, but appears to bend just a little when you rub your fingers against it. The tripod is functional if not a little flimsy: I sometimes struggle to get it to stand perfectly vertical.
- There is a neat LED ring at the bottom of the microphone, but it really serves no purpose. Unless your desk is a mirror, or if you're in a completely dark room, you'll probably never see the LED ring.
- I wish the gain and volume knobs were on the front of the microphone rather than the back. I sometimes end up turning the wrong knob because I forget which one is where.
OVERALL:
This is my first dedicated microphone, so I don't have much to compare it to. It is a night-and-day difference compared to any webcam microphone or built-in laptop microphone. Audio quality is excellent, especially for the price, but my sense is that dedicated professionals and audiophiles will probably stick with brands that they already know and love. But for everyone else -- those working from home, streamers, part-time podcasters, etc. -- JLab has introduced a great lineup of microphones that deserve a look. Recommended!