# What is your favorite USB mic for tuning?



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

Looking to replace my super fragile Dayton UMM6 that snapped in half. 

Go!


----------



## Truthunter (Jun 15, 2015)

MiniDSP UMIK-1

I would have bought it from cross-spectrum labs but they were on a multiple-week back-order at the time.

EDIT: I would likely look for one of the AudioFrog mics if I were in the market for one right now and I had extra cash laying around.


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

Truthunter said:


> MiniDSP UMIK-1
> 
> I would have bought it from cross-spectrum labs but they were on a multiple-week back-order at the time.
> 
> EDIT: I would likely look for one of the AudioFrog mics if I were in the market for one right now and I had extra cash laying around.


I was looking at the AudioFrog website and they seem to have put a lot of effort in the mic. The documents at the bottom of the page make a world of difference to get things right the first time.

Has anyone used the AudioFrog mic yet? Looks like a high quality product.


----------



## Firefighter9 (Sep 23, 2015)

I'm thinking about selling my Dayton mic and purchasing the Audiofrog one. It looks like a very solid piece and comes with a lot of useful accessories. I was pretty sold after watching the Soundman episode with Andy on it.


----------



## 156546 (Feb 10, 2017)

I use the Audiofrog Mic and it works well. 

LOL.


----------



## Truthunter (Jun 15, 2015)

fcarpio said:


> I was looking at the AudioFrog website and they seem to have put a lot of effort in the mic. The documents at the bottom of the page make a world of difference to get things right the first time.


Just reviewing the set-up instructions and seeing how thorough they are makes me want to buy one... again, if I had extra cash.


----------



## metanium (Feb 2, 2007)

GotFrogs said:


> I use the Audiofrog Mic and it works well.
> 
> LOL.


Looks like a decent amount of interest here on DIYMA. Any chance of a Group Buy Andy?


----------



## Weightless (May 5, 2005)

GotFrogs said:


> I use the Audiofrog Mic and it works well.
> 
> LOL.


Come on, this is a biased review. You're sleeping with the owner!

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk


----------



## miniSQ (Aug 4, 2009)

metanium said:


> Looks like a decent amount of interest here on DIYMA. Any chance of a Group Buy Andy?


I'm going to buy one the next time i see a 20% off frog coupon.


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

Firefighter9 said:


> I'm thinking about selling my Dayton mic and purchasing the Audiofrog one. It looks like a very solid piece and comes with a lot of useful accessories. I was pretty sold after watching the Soundman episode with Andy on it.


Link please.


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

metanium said:


> Looks like a decent amount of interest here on DIYMA. Any chance of a Group Buy Andy?


Now, that is a thought. I would seriously consider buying one of the price came down a bit. It would be more of an opportunity buy because my Dayton (wrapped in duct tape) still works just fine.


----------



## miniSQ (Aug 4, 2009)

fcarpio said:


> Link please.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BojYiv6ClV0 FF to 5:57


----------



## 156546 (Feb 10, 2017)

Just trying to make a living.


----------



## Firefighter9 (Sep 23, 2015)

Any plans to release the cd that comes with the package as a stand-alone item?


----------



## SQLnovice (Jul 22, 2014)

fcarpio said:


> Now, that is a thought. I would seriously consider buying one of the price came down a bit. It would be more of an opportunity buy because my Dayton (wrapped in duct tape) still works just fine.


I have a Dayton bnib, if you ever want to buy another. I don't have a laptop anymore so I will not need it. 

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk


----------



## mmiller (Mar 7, 2008)

Andy gave a pretty significant discount at Christmas... I mean it’s $200 not $2000... how much do you guys really think he’s making off it. You’re getting a helluva a lot of bang for the buck, plus Andy’s Custer Service which is as good as it gets. I’d consider $200 to be a bargain, he could charge a lot more.


----------



## Patrick Bateman (Sep 11, 2006)

I literally don't know how I managed to make speakers without the following:

MiniDSP USB mic

Arta

HolmImpulse

XSim

Dayton DATS

It just boggles my mind that for about ten years I tried to do this **** by ear. WTF was I thinking? I'd sit in my car and tweak crossover components and EQ settings, all by ear. Utter waste of time.

If you left me on a desert island with those items, a laptop, and a box of woofers and tweeters, I could keep myself occupied indefinitely.


----------



## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

fcarpio said:


> Looking to replace my super fragile Dayton UMM6 that snapped in half.
> 
> Go!


Did it snap in half at the conical-->barrel portion? If so, as long as the wires are OK, you can fix that. My omnimic broke in half a few years back when I knocked it off my workbench. I superglued it back together and then added some electrical tape for reinforcement followed by two layers of heatshrink for added, added reinforcement. 


If you're savvy you can source the actual electet used in the more popular mics (such as the ECM8000) and build your own. I believe the Panasonic WM-60A or WM-61 is used in the ECM8000. I have linked the spec sheet here:
http://www.melaudia.net/zdoc/em07_wm60_a_dne.PDF

If memory serves correctly, those are NLA at Mouser/Digikey but can still be found on eBay. 

This site has good info regarding modding the ECM8000, which isn't what you're trying to do - I know - but it's useful info toward building your own. A google search will reveal quite a bit of discussion regarding "ecm8000 Panasonic electret" to accompany the knowledge there. The nice thing about building your own mic is you can make the barrel however you want it to be and just extend the wiring to a remote location. This is more useful in speaker measuring like I did (do?) where the microphone body and mounting can negatively impact the result. Not as necessary for car audio RTA-type measurements.


----------



## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

All that (^) said, personally, if I had the cash and the need I'd probably just lean toward the AudioFrog Test Kit Andy has provided considering the peripherals that accompany it. I don't own one, but I like it. Since no one has linked it yet:
https://testgear.audiofrog.com/

As for the AF kit price, don't forget when you're only comparing it to the price of a microphone alone you're not factoring in everything else. Just comparing apples to apples. If you already have cables and a USB soundcard then you don't need it, obviously, but comparing the price of a single mic vs that of the AF kit isn't a fair comparison. Let's break down price... 

The AF mic setup is $199. With that you get _everything _you need: USB soundcard that provides you measurement and an output for AUX to use when generating signals from the measurement software (i.e., REW's Pink Noise generator or MLS sweeps) and it comes with all the necessary cabling for this use. 
The equivalent Dayton/MiniDSP mic setup would cost anywhere from a minimum of about $125-165. My breakdown is: 
Mics: The mics run about $75 from PE/miniDSP/Madisound/etc. They come with a cal file. However, according to Cross-Spectrum Labs, those cal files aren't up to snuff. If you wanted a CSL calibrated UMM-6 it would be $105. 
USB Soundcard: Then add another $40-50 for a quality USB sound card. 
Cables/Stuff: $10 or so for AUX cable and adapter pieces​


So, you're at about $125+ for the 'standard' calibration version or $155+ for the CSL mic setup. Compared to $199 for Andy's test kit. Considering all of that, the price difference when factoring in the USB soundcard and cables and mic isn't as large compared to when you're looking at just the cost of the mic vs the AF kit.


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

mmiller said:


> Andy gave a pretty significant discount at Christmas... I mean it’s $200 not $2000... how much do you guys really think he’s making off it. You’re getting a helluva a lot of bang for the buck, plus Andy’s Custer Service which is as good as it gets. I’d consider $200 to be a bargain, he could charge a lot more.


Yeah $100 is not $200, you said nothing. He could charge more and I buy elsewhere, still said nothing.


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

Patrick Bateman said:


> I literally don't know how I managed to make speakers without the following:
> 
> MiniDSP USB mic
> 
> ...


fixed.


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

ErinH said:


> Did it snap in half at the conical-->barrel portion? If so, as long as the wires are OK, you can fix that. My omnimic broke in half a few years back when I knocked it off my workbench. I superglued it back together and then added some electrical tape for reinforcement followed by two layers of heatshrink for added, added reinforcement.
> 
> 
> If you're savvy you can source the actual electet used in the more popular mics (such as the ECM8000) and build your own. I believe the Panasonic WM-60A or WM-61 is used in the ECM8000. I have linked the spec sheet here:
> ...


Yes, it snapped in half with the wires intact, I have it wrapped in duct tape but I am not sure the performance is the same. I am getting some weird readings, maybe the impact of the fall affected it a bit?


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

ErinH said:


> All that (^) said, personally, if I had the cash and the need I'd probably just lean toward the AudioFrog Test Kit Andy has provided considering the peripherals that accompany it. I don't own one, but I like it. Since no one has linked it yet:
> https://testgear.audiofrog.com/
> 
> As for the AF kit price, don't forget when you're only comparing it to the price of a microphone alone you're not factoring in everything else. Just comparing apples to apples. If you already have cables and a USB soundcard then you don't need it, obviously, but comparing the price of a single mic vs that of the AF kit isn't a fair comparison. Let's break down price...
> ...


Makes sense. Thank you.


----------



## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

fcarpio said:


> Yes, it snapped in half with the wires intact, I have it wrapped in duct tape but I am not sure the performance is the same. I am getting some weird readings, maybe the impact of the fall affected it a bit?


Yea, you could have broken the electret. I was in the middle of testing a speaker when it happened so I had something to directly compare to at that very moment and was able to verify mine was still OK. If you question the accuracy then I agree... I would shop for a new one.


----------



## 156546 (Feb 10, 2017)

I'm waiting for some parts to arrive. When they do I'll past a coupon code good for a week. Parts should be here next week.


----------



## Patrick Bateman (Sep 11, 2006)

ErinH said:


> Yea, you could have broken the electret. I was in the middle of testing a speaker when it happened so I had something to directly compare to at that very moment and was able to verify mine was still OK. If you question the accuracy then I agree... I would shop for a new one.


That's the reason I have two mics and two measurement programs. I run into this all the time; get a crummy measurement and waste a bunch of time trying to figure out if it's:

5) the software
4) stupid Windows 10
3) stupid bloatware crap that manufacturers install
2) Did I break my mic?
1) Does my speaker suck?


For instance, I bought a new laptop and the stereo in my office sounded like crap. After wasting HOURS tinkering with soundcard settings, I found out that the manufacturer installed some Dolby ******** that includes a preposterous amount of processing. We're talking bass boost, an echo, just a bunch of stupid ****.

So I went in there and uninstalled it.

Lo and behold, it's still there. I can easily verify by simply swapping in another laptop, all the bass boost crap disappears.

At this point, my only recourse is probably to reinstall the operating system. Which is a complete waste of a $100 Windows license. (Can't use the license that came with the laptop because it only works with their stupid bloatware hacked version of Windows 10.)

BTW, if anyone's curious, the manufacturer is Acer.


----------



## mmiller (Mar 7, 2008)

fcarpio said:


> Yeah $100 is not $200, you said nothing. He could charge more and I buy elsewhere, still said nothing.


I said nothing??? I was referring to someone wanting a group buy on a $200 piece, make sense now? Still confused?? I hope not.


----------



## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

GotFrogs said:


> I'm waiting for some parts to arrive. When they do I'll past a coupon code good for a week. Parts should be here next week.


Thats awesome and we have just talked about this over FB  cant wait for the code Andy, and how much will it be with the code?


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

Is this the correct AudioFrog FB page?

https://www.facebook.com/audiofrogInc/

I hope I can find out here if there is a group buy or deals.


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

mmiller said:


> I said nothing??? I was referring to someone wanting a group buy on a $200 piece, make sense now? Still confused?? I hope not.


What you said was out of context, so I had no idea what you were talking about. People have different budgets for audio stuff, I would still like a group buy on a $200 piece.


----------



## 156546 (Feb 10, 2017)

Fcarpio, once parts arrive, I'll post a coupon code.


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

GotFrogs said:


> Fcarpio, once parts arrive, I'll post a coupon code.


Awesome, thanks. Will you post in facebook or here?


----------



## Bnlcmbcar (Aug 23, 2016)

Is there any way to buy the CD of test tracks alone that comes with the Audiofrog test gear mic kit?

Has anyone used the Studio Six Digital iTestMic2? Looks similar to the audiocontrol iOS mic but better? Aside from SPL, RTA, and FFT analyzer it is also capable of being used with Audio Tools, LARSA, and SMAART tools.

Studio Six Digital iTestMic2 - FRONT of HOUSE

iTestMic2 | Studio Six Digital


----------



## Fast Hot Rod (Apr 19, 2007)

I already have a USB mic from Parts Express, but I just saw that Audiofrog's test gear website was back up and running and that there is a discount code listed on their Facebook page (nice discount) so I ordered the kit. 

Andy has been one of the most helpful, honest, and knowledgeable people on this forum... I've bought a lot of gear just on his word alone. It feels good to buy directly from him, knowing that he can cut out the middle man and deliver a great product that meets the needs of the tuner/enthusiast/hobbyist. 

...if only I could buy some AF drivers that way. Oh well. 

Good luck with whatever you decide to buy... 

Mark


----------



## Iamsecond (Jan 3, 2017)

Cross spectrum umik 1. Does a great job. Would buy it again. I’m sure the af setup is nice as well. Looks like this is the new latest greatest around here.


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

Fast Hot Rod said:


> I already have a USB mic from Parts Express, but I just saw that Audiofrog's test gear website was back up and running and that there is a discount code listed on their Facebook page (nice discount) so I ordered the kit.
> 
> Andy has been one of the most helpful, honest, and knowledgeable people on this forum... I've bought a lot of gear just on his word alone. It feels good to buy directly from him, knowing that he can cut out the middle man and deliver a great product that meets the needs of the tuner/enthusiast/hobbyist.
> 
> ...


Thanks for mentioning the discount, I totally missed it on Facebook. I just got my mic, looking forward to getting it and start tuning again. I hear you about the AudioFrog drivers. I have Illusion Audio carbon all around, don't know if it is worth selling them in favor of the AF, maybe someone would like to trade. 

Andy, thanks for the discount. I really appreciate it.


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

FYI, I tried to contact AudioFrog about my order and this is what I got using the contact form:










Someone please let Andy know that his contact form is not working.


----------



## miniSQ (Aug 4, 2009)

fcarpio said:


> FYI, I tried to contact AudioFrog about my order and this is what I got using the contact form:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


you can message him on facebook.

BTW i got a tracking number for mine tonight.


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

miniSQ said:


> you can message him on facebook.
> 
> BTW i got a tracking number for mine tonight.


Me too, I am so stoked.


----------



## Firefighter9 (Sep 23, 2015)

How does everyone like the Audiofrog mic? I have the dayton mic but I have been thinking about upgrading to the Audiofrog one. Did you find the test disc to be helpful? Thanks.


----------



## fcarpio (Apr 29, 2008)

Firefighter9 said:


> How does everyone like the Audiofrog mic? I have the dayton mic but I have been thinking about upgrading to the Audiofrog one. Did you find the test disc to be helpful? Thanks.


As far as build quality goes I cannot compare, the Dayton and AF are very different mics and my knowledge of microphones is very limited. The AudioFrog mic is very different from the others (like the Dayton) as it comes with its own audio card. A wild guess is that the included USB audio card is designed to eliminate pre/post processing that you get from many built in notebook cards, that way you get a more accurate reading. The mic itself is very tiny, most of what you see in the pics is the stand. It is definitely built like a bullet (I would say built like a tank but it is too small for that). Look at the AF pictures again and you will notice that the mic is only the tip and it is attached to the stand via 1/8" jack. The readings I get between my Dayton mic and my AF mic are different, but again, I attribute that to the likely processing from my built in card. After one tuning session I am getting results that make me not regret buying the AF mic.

https://testgear.audiofrog.com/










By the way, I would recommend a short USB extension cord to have the audio card dangling a little to avoid breaking it if you hit it by mistake.


----------



## Elektra (Feb 4, 2013)

fcarpio said:


> As far as build quality goes I cannot compare, the Dayton and AF are very different mics and my knowledge of microphones is very limited. The AudioFrog mic is very different from the others (like the Dayton) as it comes with its own audio card. A wild guess is that the included USB audio card is designed to eliminate pre/post processing that you get from many built in notebook cards, that way you get a more accurate reading. The mic itself is very tiny, most of what you see in the pics is the stand. It is definitely built like a bullet (I would say built like a tank but it is too small for that). Look at the AF pictures again and you will notice that the mic is only the tip and it is attached to the stand via 1/8" jack. The readings I get between my Dayton mic and my AF mic are different, but again, I attribute that to the likely processing from my built in card. After one tuning session I am getting results that make me not regret buying the AF mic.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Can you use the AF mic with REW? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## 156546 (Feb 10, 2017)

Elektra said:


> Can you use the AF mic with REW?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yes, and there are complete screen by screen instructions for setting it up.


----------



## Elektra (Feb 4, 2013)

GotFrogs said:


> Yes, and there are complete screen by screen instructions for setting it up.




It’s a different mic to the normal ones right? It’s a Omni directional mic isn’t it? 

Is it more accurate than the normal ones?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## 156546 (Feb 10, 2017)

I assemble the microphone here and test every one myself. The microphone capsule is the best small electret I could find that's based on the old Panasonic WM-61. The one I use is really expensive, but they are super consistent and much flatter than any other one I tested.


----------



## DPGstereo (Jan 16, 2013)

Just ordered AF kit. Like compact size, with laptop. 
Will be interesting to compare results to my older Audio Control rta.
$200 seems like a bargain to me.


----------



## Redliner99 (Mar 26, 2018)

Everyone still liking the AF mic?


----------



## Elektra (Feb 4, 2013)

I had some issues with mine but Andy shipped me another one (thanks Andy) 

Works great! I had the AC RTA before this is much more detailed especially in REW 

Must say my car sounds great! Although I did go another path to what Andy suggests on the graph...

Must say it’s great! I would recommend it to anyone thinking of getting a Mic for there car...

I really can’t see how anyone can tune there car without one really...

You just need a reference to work with...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------

