Antlion ModMic USB Review

In today’s gaming market, there are lots of typical gaming headsets, but if you are an audiophile or don’t prefer the look of the typical “gaming” headset, there haven’t been many options other than investing in a standalone desktop mic.  Antlion Audio wanted to solve that issue and made a microphone fit for audiophiles. The ModMic USB is a quick, simple, high-quality microphone that you can attach to any headphones, they are even Discord certified. Are you looking for a mic solution that outperforms gaming headsets with a smaller footprint than a full-size condenser? The ModMic USB might be the answer you’ve been waiting for.

SPECIFICATIONS
  • Cost: $ 79.95
  • Detachable Boom Microphone (Magnetic)
  • Uni-directional & Omni-directional
  • In-line mute button
  • USB-A standard connection
  • Bitrate is 16-bit / 48-kHz max
  • Cable Length is 6.5ft

PRICING

The ModMic USB is priced very well at just under $ 70, which when compared against most stand alone microphones, is great considering the portability and the ability to detach the microphone. With many audiophile headsets costing $ 90 or more, the purchase of a microphone at this price point wouldn’t be that much of an extra cost. Having it be USB also gives you options with many voice software to tune the pitch and bass of your voice. The quality is higher than budget podcast stand alone microphones, making it priced well even compared to podcast options.

IN THE BOX 
  • Carrying Case
  • ModMic USB Microphone
  • Foam Pop Filter
  • Alcohol prep wipes
  • 2x Magnetic base clasps
  • 1x Top clasp
  • 2x Adhesives
  • 10x Double Cable Clips (Gotta keep it tidy)
  • User Manual
WHAT’S NEW WITH THE MODMIC USB

I haven’t used prior ModMic versions, but in speaking to my colleagues, the quality has always been great. For the USB, Antlion has essentially reinvented the mic from the ground up to provide their best quality capture and improve the noise cancellation from previous models. It features omnidirectional and unidirectional modes for when you need to isolate your voice more from the environment. It also features a high quality condenser capsule with a high-resolution 16-bit, 48-kHz response rate, which is more than enough to accurately capture the nuances of your voice for content creation. Most importantly, the use of a USB connection allows Antlion to embed their own sound card, which ensures the mic is always isolated from electrical noise and getting the electrical resources it needs to sound its best.

EASY TO USE, GREAT SOUND

The microphone is plug and play, so there is no software required and the quality of your voice is great out of the box. Using the ModMic USB in discord, in-game voice, and in skype, I heard nothing but positive reactions, some even asking what microphone I was using compared to my gaming headset or studio mic. It really is that much better than any built-in mic I’ve used.

Setup is easy and allows you to quickly add or remove the ModMic USB from up to two pairs of headphones.  The ModMic works through a magnetic base that attaches to the side of your headphone and matches with a clasp on the microphone itself. It’s a strong magnet, so once it’s in place, you don’t need to worry about it falling off. Utilizing the alcohol prep pads, it’s easy to stick one of the base clasps onto any surface and get started using the microphone. I could only imagine the ease and reduced worry traveling with this, especially to LAN events, where there is always the concern of your microphone getting smashed because you can simply take it off and store it in the included travel case when not in use. 

The ModMic actually works very well with software and can provide a lot of depth and variation based on software settings. Utilizing Voicemeeter, I had the ModMic meet, and in some cases exceed, my studio condenser microphone in the broadcast setting. There is a real richness it’s able to provide due to Antlion’s new build, integrated sound card, and additional power from the USB connection. When compared to Steelseries or Hyperx headset microphones in discord or recording voice-overs the quality in omnidirectional mode was phenomenal, though it tends to pick up more noise from your environment, like keyboard clacks. You’re able to block much of this out and isolate your voice in unidirectional mode, but at the expense of some of that natural low-end. It was very similar to your standard gaming headset microphone in this regard, though I still feel it was overall a better quality and more natural capture because it lacked the nasally, compressed sound of your average headset mic. This “thinning out” is very common with noise-isolating microphones but it’s good to see that you can use it in a noisy setting and still be clearly heard.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you’re looking for a removable microphone that has superior sound quality to almost any “gaming” headset out there, then your quest is over. Audiophiles and gamers that just want to enjoy better sound quality than what gaming headsets provide, now have ModMic to solve their lack of a microphone. Thank you Antlion Audio for providing the ModMic USB for this review.

Summary
The ModMic USB is an excellent addition to any set of headphones that easily trumps gaming headset microphones. Use it for creating content, streaming, or just chatting with friends.
Good
  • Affordable compared to majority of options
  • Easy to use with any style of headset
  • Great quality and sound
Bad
  • Not a braided cord, but makes the double clips easier to use

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