Page 4 - Conclusion
We have seen our fair share of microphones, and I have to say the Creative Live! Mic M3 compares quite well for an affordable yet functional option. Despite the lower price, Creative has packed quite a few nice features. This starts with a pretty flexible desk mount and pop filter included out of the box. Next, we have a sturdily built body that includes many on-the-fly adjustment knobs and inputs on the exterior. The microphone monitoring solution, volume knob, and quick mute are all excellent to see. Furthermore, the ability to change polar patterns makes this microphone just that much handier for different use cases. In terms of performance, the Mic M3 delivers at this price point by capturing sound well. It was not great with reducing background noises, but the included pop filter definitely cut out the plosives without affecting the recorded sound. There are still some areas that could be improved upon to make this an even more compelling choice. For one, I would have liked to see a better mount to reduce shocks, as there were many vibrations picked up during my recordings. I also would have liked to see the microphone better capture lower sounds, as there was a slight bottoming out at the lowest frequencies. Finally, Creative should have used a USB Type-C connector, as Micro USB is inferior and outdated. However, I am still quite pleased with the overall end product. At the time of the review, the Creative Live! Mic M3 is available for $60, which is pretty reasonable for all that it offers. If you are tighter on your budget but still want a decent dedicated recording option, the Creative Live! Mic M3 should be on your list.
Creative provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
8/10 means Definitely a very good product with drawbacks that are not likely going to matter to the end user.
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 7.4/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The Creative Live! Mic M3 is a dedicated recording microphone that is priced well for its included features and versatility.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware
3. Recording Performance Tests
4. Conclusion
