His microphone is less expensive than some of its near competitors, as we’ve already mentioned. This pricing range doesn’t sound too awful for a microphone that promises having three “studio-quality condensers” plus the convenience of being a plug-and-play USB Microphone. But whether the standard is maintained or not is what matters most. We have been very impressed with this microphone thus far. Although we are generally a little wary of both USB Mics and Condensers, the speech that was recorded was undoubtedly of the highest caliber. It was unexpected that no drivers were needed, which effectively turns this microphone into a plug-and-play device. also you will learn our article on JLab Talk review.
JLab Talk review: Design
The JLab Talk is a short-lived knockoff of the JLab Talk Pro that we previously examined. With a partially metal, partially plastic construction, and a distinctive metal grill, the item is identical in every manner. Like the Pro, the plastic doesn’t feel flimsy or breakable, and I began to doubt its plastic composition. The device is cylindrical in shape and has a neon-blue accent circle above the grill. There is a sizable knob that is enclosed in an indication ring light on the mic’s center. When the smaller knob below is turned to select polar patterns or increase the volume, the light glows blue instead of red when depressed and muted. By depressing the smaller knob, you can change the gain of the microphone. This will cause the ring light to become green. Although the controls are awkward and require some getting accustomed to, overall, the user experience is comparable to that of the Talk Pro. The JLab Talk weighs 0.4 pounds without the stand and slightly less than a pound when it is. In comparison to the Blue Yeti Nano, which weighs 1.3 pounds and has dimensions of 4.3 x 3.7 x 8.3 inches, it is smaller and lighter, measuring 9.5 x 6.6 x 4.2 inches. Due to the partial plastic construction of the Talk Pro, there is a weight difference. A braided USB-C to USB-A cable measuring 9 feet is included with the JLab Talk Pro.
Easy to use
It’s simple to use the Talk. It is compatible with both Windows and Mac, so you can simply plug it in and start using it. The top-of-the-line Blue Yeti X, which includes VO!CE, a program that lets you fine-tune the low, middle, and high frequencies, comes with dedicated software, but the mic doesn’t. It’s not a deal-breaker, especially if you already use programs like Audacity or Reaper that are free or inexpensive. See our list of free software recommendations if you want to start streaming on Twitch. A few controls are available directly on the Talk itself. The huge dial on the front can be used to adjust the recording mode. Omnidirectional, Bidirectional, Cardioid, and Stereo are your options. The microphone is muted by pressing the dial. Switching between “Volume” and “Gain” settings requires pressing the smaller dial located below the main dial. Gain is the level at which you record, whereas volume is what you hear on your monitor mix. The large dial has a blue and green LED ring around it that changes color to show which of the two levels you are adjusting. Blue denotes volume and green denotes gain. Although the dials are labeled, the labels are not very visible. You’ll need to commit the dial locations to muscle memory if you live stream games in poor light, which might be a problem. While the LED light makes it simple to remember the difference between gain and volume, you’ll need to pay close attention to the labels for the four recording modes. Here, an LED indicator system would have been more practical. Before you begin recording, it is important to make sure you are in the proper environment. you can read our article on JLab Talk review.
JLab Talk review: Sound quality
You run the danger of getting a USB microphone for less money, which would defeat the purpose of having a specialized mic in the first place. With the JLab Talk, this is not the case: With the proper pattern and gain settings, it can sound excellently, and not just for its price. Let’s examine each of the four recording settings. The first type is cardioid, which is best for recording a single speaker since it mostly captures sound coming from in front of the microphone. With this pattern, we were audible and clear, and the Talk did a little better job of capturing the bass in our voice than the Blue Yeti Nano. There was no annoying reverb or echo at all, which is quite the accomplishment in our wood-floored apartment. The omnidirectional pattern, a 360-degree recording mode designed for group podcasts, is the following option. Although this is to be expected when recording speech from a greater distance, there is an immediate decrease in warmth and an increase in reverb. The three-condenser array really performs admirably under more difficult circumstances, maintaining tone consistency when recording from any angle. Before we sounded “too” far away, we could move up to 60 inches away. The Talk isn’t a terrible first choice if you want to start a group podcast but can’t afford mics for everyone. A bidirectional mode is also available, however it only records what is directly in front of and behind the Talk. Although we’d prefer to recommend the omnidirectional pattern for this, this mode is obviously intended for capturing face-to-face interactions between two individuals. Strangely, the person speaking into the back of the microphone sounds hollower and flatter than the person speaking into the front. It’s difficult to explain because the Talk can record consistently in multiple directions when in omnidirectional mode, but at least you now have a good backup option for podcasts.
JLab Talk review: Software
The Talk is simply plug-and-play and works with Mac and Windows 10 computers, much as the JLab Talk Pro. Simply plug it into the USB port on your laptop after mounting it to your desk or attaching it to a boom arm. You can then start recording by going to settings and choosing the unit in your audio and locations. The JLab Pro is compatible with any audio recording app you own and does not require any proprietary software.
Performance
Once the Talk was configured properly, we tested it and started using it frequently in our business-related video and audio talks. We changed the Talk to a telescopic mike stand that attaches to our desk for improved usability. It was simple to connect thanks to the Talk swivel’s universal 5/8″ mount. The amount of space under the swivel stand for our headphone plug was still an issue for us, but keeping the Talk at an angle largely resolved the issue. The Stereo directional pattern produced the highest-quality sound during all of my testing. However, in order to produce a consistently nice sound, we must keep the gain almost all the way up. Although the quick mute button on the Talk occasionally comes in handy, we don’t find ourselves switching the dials very frequently. Even with the gain turned all the way up, the quality of the Talk’s microphone is still superior to that of our laptop and our office headset. Three audio samples from the Talk are provided; one in stereo at 50% gain, one in stereo at 75% gain, and one in stereo at 100% gain. When we tried using the Talk to record some simple audio music tracks, the quality was quite bad due to the gain problem. The quality is decent for podcasting, video and audio chat, especially for an intermediate mic at this price point.
Price and availability
The cost of the JLab Talk is among its most alluring features. Its MSRP of $99 puts it on par with the smaller Blue Yeti Nano and less expensive than the flagship Blue Yeti microphone, which costs $130. In comparison to the $199 EPOS B20, another desktop USB microphone, it is even more affordable. The Talk is actually even more affordable if you purchase it from Walmart, where it is currently available for $80. However, since this is a launch sale, the price won’t last indefinitely. It is also available directly from JLab. also you can check our article on JLab Talk review.
Conclusion
Any home office or podcasting setup will benefit greatly from the inclusion of the JLab Audio Talk USB Microphone. Given the high quality of the microphone, the supplied tripod, and the braided cable, the cost is really reasonable. We were a little let down by the mic’s low gain and had to keep the volume very high to use it properly. Despite its flaws, the $99 Talk perfectly fulfills its purpose of replacing my laptop’s microphone for video chats and podcasting. However, because of the lower audio quality, we won’t be able to use Talk for any music applications.
