The 990 Blaze LED Condenser Microphone from MXL is a cardioid condenser microphone that features a 6-micron gold-sputtered diaphragm, glowing red LED lights that automatically turns on during use, and a 30 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response. This mic can be used to capture audio for gaming, podcasting, vocal recording, instrument recording, voice over, studio recording, and live streaming applications. The 990 Blaze is equipped with an XLR output connector and is powered by 48V phantom power. It has a wide frequency response to faithfully capture a wide range of voices and is built with all-metal construction for long-lasting use. In addition, a hard mount mic stand adapter is included.
The 990 Blaze LED Condenser Microphone from MXL is a cardioid condenser microphone that features a 6-micron gold-sputtered diaphragm, glowing red LED lights that automatically turns on during use, and a 30 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response. This mic can be used to capture audio for gaming, podcasting, vocal recording, instrument recording, voice over, studio recording, and live streaming applications. The 990 Blaze is equipped with an XLR output connector and is powered by 48V phantom power. It has a wide frequency response to faithfully capture a wide range of voices and is built with all-metal construction for long-lasting use. In addition, a hard mount mic stand adapter is included.
in 2 offers
The lowest price for MXL 990 Blaze Led Large Diaphragm Cardioid Condenser Microphone right now is $234.98 at Amazon.com.au, compared across 2 retailers.
The all-time low was $110.73 on 12 Mar 2026 — today's price is 112% above the lowest ever. It has been notably cheaper before — worth setting a price alert.
Prices last updated 27 June 2026.
MXL 990 Blaze Led Large Diaphragm Cardioid Condenser Microphone
The 990 Blaze LED Condenser Microphone from MXL is a cardioid condenser microphone that features a 6-micron gold-sputtered diaphragm, glowing red LED lights that automatically turns on during use, and a 30 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response. This mic can be used to capture audio for gaming, podcasting, vocal recording, instrument recording, voice over, studio recording, and live streaming applications. The 990 Blaze is equipped with an XLR output connector and is powered by 48V phantom power. It has a wide frequency response to faithfully capture a wide range of voices and is built with all-metal construction for long-lasting use. In addition, a hard mount mic stand adapter is included.
The 990 Blaze LED Condenser Microphone from MXL is a cardioid condenser microphone that features a 6-micron gold-sputtered diaphragm, glowing red LED lights that automatically turns on during use, and a 30 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response. This mic can be used to capture audio for gaming, podcasting, vocal recording, instrument recording, voice over, studio recording, and live streaming applications. The 990 Blaze is equipped with an XLR output connector and is powered by 48V phantom power. It has a wide frequency response to faithfully capture a wide range of voices and is built with all-metal construction for long-lasting use. In addition, a hard mount mic stand adapter is included.
Last updated at 27/06/2026 09:32:22
MXL 990 Blaze LED Large Diaphragm Cardioid Condenser Microphone
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
MXL 990 Blaze LED Condenser Microphone
Delivery between Tue – Thu $20
originally posted on musiciansfriend.com
This mic has it's ticks and tocks. It has a bit of a smeared, icy top end which to me almost seems to float somewhere in space behind the fundamental tone. Although I was pleasantly surprised that I did not find the sound as thin and harsh as I had expected. It was however an odd phenomenon on an acoustic guitar track I recorded; when blended into a mix the string noise and attack seem to me to be unnaturally separated from the resonance of the guitar's body, almost like they were two different sources. On the other hand, I find this mic flatters the upper mid range of my voice which can sound a little papery and buzzy through mics with more detailed mid range response. Vocals also seem to sit in the mix pretty easily with hi pass filtering and compression. As a ... MoreThis mic has it's ticks and tocks. It has a bit of a smeared, icy top end which to me almost seems to float somewhere in space behind the fundamental tone. Although I was pleasantly surprised that I did not find the sound as thin and harsh as I had expected. It was however an odd phenomenon on an acoustic guitar track I recorded; when blended into a mix the string noise and attack seem to me to be unnaturally separated from the resonance of the guitar's body, almost like they were two different sources. On the other hand, I find this mic flatters the upper mid range of my voice which can sound a little papery and buzzy through mics with more detailed mid range response. Vocals also seem to sit in the mix pretty easily with hi pass filtering and compression. As a drum mic, placed above and in front of the kit it really accentuated the lows on the toms. Cymbals were a bit smeary and brassy but seemed to lack the annoying thinness of high frequencies that SDCs seem to sometimes reproduce. The snare lacked body and would have sounded fuller if the mic was placed directly over the drum (good luck without a really good counter balanced stand). As an ambient drum mic I got a lot of sub bass from the kick. I think this might be a good choice for someone who wants to experiment with an LDC a few feet off of the bass drum to capture more of the deep bass without being paranoid about damaging a more expensive mic. I'll have to try that myself at some point. I guess the bottom line is this mic is probably not natural, balanced or even ergonomic enough to be a great all round budget utility mic but it is usable on some sources (I plan on continuing to use it). I'd have a harder time accepting some of the tonal imbalances if the mic wasn't relatively dirt cheap (in fact this mic was given to me by someone who didn't find it useful.) My rating reflects the fact that it actually did something nice to the part of my voice which I have always disliked through some other mics.
originally posted on musiciansfriend.com
I use this mic for my radio's. I'm a ham operator and soooo many use Heil Mic's. They are way more expensive than these MXL's. Everybody on the air say's stay with this rather than the mic that came with the radio.I use an Icom 7300..All Icom's use condenser mic's. This is much better than the factory mic.
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
The MXL 990 Blaze is yet another outstanding microphone by the MXL folks. It has excellent audio qualities at a very affordable price. To send it over the top, it has red LED's, 4 of them, to set the mood in your studio, or pod casting area. In my case, I use it for 2 way communications in my radio room. The audio quality from this mic rivals the more expensive brands & models out there that are designed for the human voice. I have several different mics available, but this one is my go-to mic of choice! The price won't break the bank, but the quality audio says it's right up there with the high end mics. The red LED's set it apart, and really catch your eye.Overall, it is a genuine pleasure to own and use this mic.
MXL 990 Blaze LED Large Diaphragm Cardioid Condenser Microphone
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
MXL 990 Blaze LED Condenser Microphone
Delivery between Tue – Thu $20
This mic has it's ticks and tocks. It has a bit of a smeared, icy top end which to me almost seems to float somewhere in space behind the fundamental tone. Although I was pleasantly surprised that I did not find the sound as thin and harsh as I had expected. It was however an odd phenomenon on an acoustic guitar track I recorded; when blended into a mix the string noise and attack seem to me to be unnaturally separated from the resonance of the guitar's body, almost like they were two different sources. On the other hand, I find this mic flatters the upper mid range of my voice which can sound a little papery and buzzy through mics with more detailed mid range response. Vocals also seem to sit in the mix pretty easily with hi pass filtering and compression. As a ... MoreThis mic has it's ticks and tocks. It has a bit of a smeared, icy top end which to me almost seems to float somewhere in space behind the fundamental tone. Although I was pleasantly surprised that I did not find the sound as thin and harsh as I had expected. It was however an odd phenomenon on an acoustic guitar track I recorded; when blended into a mix the string noise and attack seem to me to be unnaturally separated from the resonance of the guitar's body, almost like they were two different sources. On the other hand, I find this mic flatters the upper mid range of my voice which can sound a little papery and buzzy through mics with more detailed mid range response. Vocals also seem to sit in the mix pretty easily with hi pass filtering and compression. As a drum mic, placed above and in front of the kit it really accentuated the lows on the toms. Cymbals were a bit smeary and brassy but seemed to lack the annoying thinness of high frequencies that SDCs seem to sometimes reproduce. The snare lacked body and would have sounded fuller if the mic was placed directly over the drum (good luck without a really good counter balanced stand). As an ambient drum mic I got a lot of sub bass from the kick. I think this might be a good choice for someone who wants to experiment with an LDC a few feet off of the bass drum to capture more of the deep bass without being paranoid about damaging a more expensive mic. I'll have to try that myself at some point. I guess the bottom line is this mic is probably not natural, balanced or even ergonomic enough to be a great all round budget utility mic but it is usable on some sources (I plan on continuing to use it). I'd have a harder time accepting some of the tonal imbalances if the mic wasn't relatively dirt cheap (in fact this mic was given to me by someone who didn't find it useful.) My rating reflects the fact that it actually did something nice to the part of my voice which I have always disliked through some other mics.
I use this mic for my radio's. I'm a ham operator and soooo many use Heil Mic's. They are way more expensive than these MXL's. Everybody on the air say's stay with this rather than the mic that came with the radio.I use an Icom 7300..All Icom's use condenser mic's. This is much better than the factory mic.
The MXL 990 Blaze is yet another outstanding microphone by the MXL folks. It has excellent audio qualities at a very affordable price. To send it over the top, it has red LED's, 4 of them, to set the mood in your studio, or pod casting area. In my case, I use it for 2 way communications in my radio room. The audio quality from this mic rivals the more expensive brands & models out there that are designed for the human voice. I have several different mics available, but this one is my go-to mic of choice! The price won't break the bank, but the quality audio says it's right up there with the high end mics. The red LED's set it apart, and really catch your eye.Overall, it is a genuine pleasure to own and use this mic.
So far I'm happy with the sound quality of the recording. I've used it for violin and after some tweaking with gain and placement it's working well.However, after almost no use, within 1 day, the screw to the shock mount broke. When you look at the broken ends you can see the utterly terrible quality of the metal, and it makes sense because the whole frame of the shock mount just feels cheap and breakable, barely qualifies as metal. I remounted on the simple mic mount for now, and if I want to use the shock mount I can use the screw from the static mount, but still, it's a pretty annoying corner-cutting to mess up a screw that badly.I know it was really cheap and high value to cost ratio, but these little errors bother me. I don't like having to mess around with ... MoreSo far I'm happy with the sound quality of the recording. I've used it for violin and after some tweaking with gain and placement it's working well.However, after almost no use, within 1 day, the screw to the shock mount broke. When you look at the broken ends you can see the utterly terrible quality of the metal, and it makes sense because the whole frame of the shock mount just feels cheap and breakable, barely qualifies as metal. I remounted on the simple mic mount for now, and if I want to use the shock mount I can use the screw from the static mount, but still, it's a pretty annoying corner-cutting to mess up a screw that badly.I know it was really cheap and high value to cost ratio, but these little errors bother me. I don't like having to mess around with stuff anymore, I just want it to work.
I've used this mic to record acoustic guitar, mandolin and vocals. I got this in a bundle with MXL's pencil condenser for right around the $100ish mark, figuring it should be okay for a starter kit and I'll get a "real" mic in a year or two.Boy was I wrong. This MXL 990 is WAY more than "okay". It has performed well beyond expectations, so much so that...here we are the better part of a decade later and it's still my go-to for home recording. On vocals, it's decidedly perfectly neutral; not overly warm, just..."real". When I listen to a voice recorded on this mic, it sounds exactly as that person sounds standing three feet in front of me.Feed it 48V and start smiling.
Like many, I bought this Mike on stupid deal of the day, and have not been disappointed. It just works. Yes, it needs some tweaking but so does every Mic based on the singer. This thing used with a tube preamp sounds excellent. I'm also used a compressor/ gate to really dial it in. It's easy to use and the shock mount is a bonus.. last
TLDR: mic sounds good, but be ready for build quality problems.I'll start off by saying it's a decent mic for the price. It sounds nice and clear. That is, when it works. If you're a patient person and buying a mic for hobby use and/or are on a tight budget - this one is worth giving a shot for vocals and such.The mic has always had a slight 60Hz hum to it, which I assumed was due to nearby devices like lamps and whatnot. Whatever, I'll just EQ it and turn off the mic when not in use. I've done this for 18 months and was content.However, recently two things happened. One of the shock mount rubber bands started to slowly breakdown and sag, preventing the mount from actually absorbing vibration. Annoying, but again, an easy fix.The other thing was worse, ... MoreTLDR: mic sounds good, but be ready for build quality problems.I'll start off by saying it's a decent mic for the price. It sounds nice and clear. That is, when it works. If you're a patient person and buying a mic for hobby use and/or are on a tight budget - this one is worth giving a shot for vocals and such.The mic has always had a slight 60Hz hum to it, which I assumed was due to nearby devices like lamps and whatnot. Whatever, I'll just EQ it and turn off the mic when not in use. I've done this for 18 months and was content.However, recently two things happened. One of the shock mount rubber bands started to slowly breakdown and sag, preventing the mount from actually absorbing vibration. Annoying, but again, an easy fix.The other thing was worse, though. Out of nowhere, the 60-cycle hum got much worse to the point where it's clearly *seen* in my DAW. Some investigation revealed the following: a) hum is due to microphone's grounding/shielding issues and *sometimes* goes away when you touch the chassis b) the "tactile fix" works inconsistently and c) after confirming there're no obvious soldering defects, I was able to twist and rock the microphone chassis in such a way that *all* the hum went away, making it better than it ever was!However, if I touch or look at it wrong, it begins humming again. So I can't rely on the microphone anymore due to its inconsistent behavior. I guess it's been a good ride, but I'll be buying a better built microphone now...
I own several microphones of which, include Dynamics, Ribbons, and Condensers. For me the MXL 990 was a pleasant surprise for the price paid. This mic is featured in several youtube videos from both professionals and amateur users. obviously not everyone was pleased with the MXL 990 performance but, that's kind of expected. I am a pro musician, Broadcast engineer and, an old school electronics guy. I connected the MXL 990 to my Soundcraft mixer board, set-up the mixer channel for the mic and what a surprise..it sounded really good. Very quite noise floor and plenty of response for my use. The mic is excellent but you can't use it everywhere or to mic anything as it does have it's limitations. A pop filter is a must for close vocal work. If you are considering this ... MoreI own several microphones of which, include Dynamics, Ribbons, and Condensers. For me the MXL 990 was a pleasant surprise for the price paid. This mic is featured in several youtube videos from both professionals and amateur users. obviously not everyone was pleased with the MXL 990 performance but, that's kind of expected. I am a pro musician, Broadcast engineer and, an old school electronics guy. I connected the MXL 990 to my Soundcraft mixer board, set-up the mixer channel for the mic and what a surprise..it sounded really good. Very quite noise floor and plenty of response for my use. The mic is excellent but you can't use it everywhere or to mic anything as it does have it's limitations. A pop filter is a must for close vocal work. If you are considering this mic, check out the videos on youtube first-that will help you a lot and of course reading reviews from users of the MXL 990. Enjoy your journey.
......donor mics for serious upgradeage. This one will be my fourth build, again with the help of MicParts.com and their killer circuit kits paired with a true large diaphragm capsule in the classic Neumann/Telefunken lineage. The MXL bodies and chassis are first-rate; the circuit(s), notsomush. And Special THANX! to MF for the GREAT price on this one!
I've owned this microphone for several years now, and for a long time had a sort of "I'll just use a dynamic mic for recording because this thing is too much work" and I had always seemed to have serious issues with volume and having it pick up literally every little sound in the studio. That being said, that was several years ago before I knew anything about gain staging and proper recording technique and all that. For someone who is relatively experienced (I am by no means an expert) this mic is a gem for the price.Vocals and Harmonica are all I've used it for an all I've found it incredibly useful for, but it excels in recording both. It delivers are great range as far as vocals go, though it seems to drop little nuances, particularly with raspy voices. However ... MoreI've owned this microphone for several years now, and for a long time had a sort of "I'll just use a dynamic mic for recording because this thing is too much work" and I had always seemed to have serious issues with volume and having it pick up literally every little sound in the studio. That being said, that was several years ago before I knew anything about gain staging and proper recording technique and all that. For someone who is relatively experienced (I am by no means an expert) this mic is a gem for the price.Vocals and Harmonica are all I've used it for an all I've found it incredibly useful for, but it excels in recording both. It delivers are great range as far as vocals go, though it seems to drop little nuances, particularly with raspy voices. However for clear voices, this thing really does the trick. It really does well with rounded off singing, and delivers a clean sound that is easy to mix.For Harmonica its pretty crisp if you keep your distance. It definitely needs a pop filter in any circumstance (seriously, even for amplifiers if you try to mic one up) because it does clip and pop if there is a lot of air movement. Also, knowing which side is the front helps a lot too (guess who didn't read the instructions and thought it was bidirectional).Overall its a great work horse for vocals, I've recorded most of an album with it and it's great for isolated vocals and harmonica. It does pickup a lot of background noise so know that if you own pets that make a lot of noise or have any people around with you who are a bit loud. Once again, for the money, it doesn't get much better. SM57's and SM58's won't deliver the quality that this will in a home studio if it's used right. Plus the shock mount and case are really nice given it feels a little fragile.(it definitely needs to be on the shock mount because it picks up movement in the stand really bad without it). I would definitely recommend to semi-experienced people in a home studio.
