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MXL 990 Large-Diaphragm Cardioid Condenser Microphone (Surf Green)

BH #MXL990SURF • MFR #MXL990SURF
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MXL 990 Large-Diaphragm Cardioid Condenser Microphone (Surf Green)
Key Features
  • For Voice, Acoustic Instruments & Cabs
  • XLR Output for Hookup to Mic Preamp
  • 48V Phantom Powered
  • Shockmount and Stand Adapter
Styled in a surf green finish, this California Edition of the MXL 990 is a large-diaphragm condenser mic made to give home-based producers, musicians, and vocalists a cool, vintage-looking mic that sounds good and sits comfortably below the triple-digit price point. It includes a vibration-absorbing shockmount and a space-saving stand adapter, allowing professional and flexible mic placement. Plus, the supplied carrying case is perfect for safely transporting the mic and its accessories to a different recording location.
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MXL 990 Overview

Styled in a surf green finish, this California Edition of the MXL 990 is a large-diaphragm condenser mic made to give home-based producers, musicians, and vocalists a cool, vintage-looking mic that sounds good and sits comfortably below the triple-digit price point. It includes a vibration-absorbing shockmount and a space-saving stand adapter, allowing professional and flexible mic placement. Plus, the supplied carrying case is perfect for safely transporting the mic and its accessories to a different recording location.

Inside the vintage-style body are quality components—a 6-micron, gold-sputtered diaphragm and an FET preamp with a balanced output. These allow the MXL 990 to impart tight lows and mids along with sweet highs. The mic's directional response helps reduce the background noise that plagues many home recordings. Unlike battery-powered miniature mics, the MXL 990 needs to be plugged into the XLR mic input of any audio interface, mixing board, or microphone preamp that can supply 48V phantom power.

For Singers and Working Musicians
With silky highs and solid lows and midrange, the MXL 990 offers the tonal performance needed to meet the standards of analog and digital recording systems. Equally capable for vocals and instruments like piano and acoustic guitar, the MXL 990 produces full-bandwidth tone and a healthy output level that requires less gain than typical dynamic microphones.
High Quality for Home Studios
Many home recording setups don't have the acoustic treatment that professional studios utilize to absorb and disperse sound evenly. As a result, room ambience and background noise are problems commonly experienced at home. The MXL 990 has a cardioid polar pattern, which picks up very little sound behind the mic. This enables it to capture more of the sound in front of it and less of everything else.
Phantom Powered
As a condenser mic with a FET preamp, the MXL 990 requires phantom power to operate in any environment. So, it should be connected via an XLR cable (available separately) to a mixing board, a microphone preamp, or an audio interface that can send +48V phantom power.
Shockmount and Stand Adapter
Two mounting options are included with the MXL 990. For the cleanest recordings, use the shockmount, which absorbs vibration noise. Switch to the mic stand adapter if you're positioning the mic in an extremely tight space where the shockmount wouldn't fit.
Features at a Glance
  • Side-address design with vintage body style
  • Condenser capsule with a 6-micron, gold-sputtered diaphragm
  • Cardioid polar pattern attenuates ambience and background noise
  • High sensitivity and full frequency response (30 Hz to 20 kHz)
  • FET preamp with balanced output
  • Internally wired with Mogami
  • XLR output connector
  • Requires 48V phantom power
  • Includes custom shockmount, mic stand adapter, and carrying case

MXL 990 Specs

Key Specs
Microphone Type
Large Diaphragm /
Element Type
1x Condenser
Polar Pattern
Cardioid
Microphone
Microphone Type
Large Diaphragm /
Sound Field
Mono
Operating Principle
Pressure Gradient
Element Type
1x Condenser
Polar Pattern
Cardioid
Pad
No
High-Pass Filter
No
Tone Adjustment
No
Gain Adjustment
No
Indicators
No
On-Board Controls
No
Windscreen
No
Performance
Frequency Range
30 Hz to 20 kHz
Maximum SPL
130 dB SPL (.5% THD)
Sensitivity
15 mV/Pa
Signal-to-Noise Ratio
80 dB A-Weighted
Connectivity
Headphone Connector
No
Power
Bus Power
No
Operating Voltage
to (Phantom Power)
Operating Current Consumption
3 mA
Physical
Included Filters
No
Packaging Info
Package Weight
2.685 lb
Box Dimensions (LxWxH)
11.8 x 7.4 x 3.7"

MXL 990 Reviews

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