Best Microphone Under $100 USB & XLR Condenser Mics 2023

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Cons

Sounds sibilant and too airy – not great for distorted guitars
Does not come with a shockmount or pop filter

Pros

Rich, low frequency presence that’s not bloated in any way
Vintage sounding, relaxed upper midrange usually found in higher end condenser microphones of German and Austrian origin
Adds body and harmonic richness to lighter female vocals without sounding brittle

My experience with the MXL V67G comes from my need for an affordable XLR Condenser mic to use for deeper voices. Being a baritone myself, I found that the mic I was using at the time, an Audio Technica AT2020 felt like it was thinning out my voice too much.

Budget constraints were a big concern for me. I needed a mic that did not take away from the depth of my voice while still being able to present higher frequencies naturally.

The V67G is a vintage sounding microphone. Its sound quality can be described as warm and smooth low frequencies with a relaxed upper midrange. This type of sound signature is usually seen in higher end condenser microphones of German and Austrian origin.

I’ve been a big fan of mics inspired by the U87 so when I read that the circuitry was partly influenced by that mic, I knew I had to try it out.

The V67G has a rich, low frequency presence that’s not bloated in any way. To offset this, there is a slight dip at the midrange which is a good thing in this case as it prevents excess nasality in my tone. Even with the midrange pulled back, it was harmonically rich enough not to sound hollow or brittle as is the case with other cheaper condenser mics. I have used this microphone to record other vocal types as well. It does a good job of adding body and richness to lighter female vocals.

The cardioid pattern helps with focusing the pickup point in front of the mic. This also has added proximity effect which makes voices sound deeper as you get closer to the mic. On some mics, it sounds muddy but on the V67g, the effect has a pleasing “voice of god” radio effect.

MXL V67G in Raphael Pulgar's studio

Photo of the actual mic in my studio

For other instruments, the only thing I would record with it are acoustic guitars. For other types, I will discuss them below…

One common problem I encountered is excess sibilance. While the mic itself isn’t brittle sounding, I often find the sound quality to be too airy. This also means that distorted electric guitars have too much sizzle on the top end. This conflicts with the range of the cymbals and other high frequency rich elements in the mix.

It’s a bit slim on the upper midrange but it helps give it a clear sounding capture of voices. It’s best paired with warm preamps so for those with Third Generation Focusrite interfaces, this mic sounds best with the “Air” feature off.

It also does not come with a shockmount or pop filter. MXL does offer a version of this mic called the Heritage Edition (link to Amazon) that comes with accessories and a case but for an added premium.

The V67G is one of the best condenser mics to start out with. It gives your vocal tracks a vintage tonality and provides polish straight from the raw tracks. This is a quality often associated with higher end mics like the AKG C414 XLS or Neumann TLM series (though not as refined and perfected). At this price, it’s tough to beat. It’s the best voice over microphone you can get at this price.

The only time I would replace this would be if I get either of the aforementioned AKG or Neumann microphones. That should say enough about how much I love this mic.