Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone Review: One the creators will love

Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone Review: Keeping in mind the upward trend in the number of people joining the long list of video creators, podcasters and gamers, Sennheiser - a company that has been making headphones and microphones for almost seven decades - has launched plug-and-play Profile USB Microphone. It is available in two versions - the Profile Base Set which costs around Rs 10,900 and the Profile Streaming Set, which comes with a dedicated boom arm,  at Rs 15,999. We have the latter as a review unit and let's find out if its efficiency can justify the price tag.

Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone Review: Design

The Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone (the streaming set) comes with a USB microphone, a 3-metre-long USB Type-C cable, a pouch and some basic papers. The microphone is built with metal and is heavy compared to the boom arm. Both look premium in black colour. The boom arm has a sleek design and has integrated cable management which ensures that your table will not look cluttered.  

The microphone has an all-metal housing and comes with dedicated hardware dials to make it very user-friendly. On the front, you will get a mute button, gain control, mix control and volume control options. The first two have LED rings that indicate their status (something we'll discuss in detail later).

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On the back, the Sennheiser USB Profile microphone has a 3.5mm audio jack and USB Type-C port. The 3-point self-locking boom arm is quite easy to use and the only thing you need to do is change the position as per your need and it will be locked.

Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone Review: Easy access

It is very easy to use the Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone and all you need to do is connect with a device and start recording your audio or just go live. It also gives easy access to features by placing all the keys on the front. 

Also, there are LED rings that tell the operating status. When the LED ring around the gain control is green, it indicates that the mic is ready. When it blinks in yellow, it indicates that the mic is clipping and you should reduce its volume. When you will press the mute button, the LED rings around it, along with the gain control, will light up in red.

The mix control knob helps you to set the balance between your voice and the device with which it has been connected. It can be the audio of computer, laptop tablet or smartphone audio. You also have a rotating knob to control the output volume of your headphone.

Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone Review: Sound quality

This is a cardioid condenser microphone and is suitable for almost everything a creator would like to do. If you look at the numbers -- it has sampling rates of 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz and a frequency range from 20 to 18,500Hz. Simply said, the audio quality of the Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone is good and it managed to reduce the background sound to some extent. The company suggests that placing the microphone at an appropriate distance from your mouth is important to get a natural and warm sound. Sennheiser says that it should ideally be placed at a distance of 6 inches from your mouth. However, you will notice the presence of the sound of breathing in the recording when the mic is kept that close. So, one can adjust the position according to his or her requirement. I have recorded over a half-dozen videos using this and it took me some time to get the hang of it.

Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone Review: Verdict

The Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone is one of the most affordable microphones in this category and it also comes with the trust factor associated with a brand like Sennheiser. The design is simple and uncluttered. Also, it is very easy to use and that is its USP. The boom arm makes things quite easy when it comes to adjusting the position according to the need. Most importantly, the sound quality is good and getting this from something as simple as the Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone is remarkable.