I stumbled upon this product after seeing the SiGi MC150 featured on several YouTube videos as an ultra-low budget option in comparison to the Takstar SGC-598. I had some issues with the "tinny-ness" of the MC150, however it handled mid and low tones well. I liked that aspect a lot, actually. But there seemed to be a gap in the mid-high ranges that only exemplified an already high level of sibilance when the subject was sitting lcose to the mic.
Luckily there were a handful of test videos out there featuring the 150. The 150 seemed to not have the mid-high gap. It’s still pretty sibilant with close subjects, but nothing that can’t be edited in post. I decided to give it a try.
For its first voyage, I mounted it on a Panasonic HCV-770 and put it to work without a lot of prep. It was an emergency replacement for a Comica CVM-V30 (avoid that product), so this scenario was a run-and-gun. Conditions were submoptimal, with a fair amount of background hums and low-flying airplanes headed for the airport fifteen miles away. While setting up I very much appreciated the peaking light. Next to the power light there is a red bulb that flashes when things get too loud. With a flip of the switch I lowered the gain and listened through my headphones to confirm the needed volume change. So far so good.
Regarding background noise, there was an AC switching on and off throughout the evening, as well as the occasional airplane flying overhead. I made the decision to not use the built-in pass filter given that the AC wouldn't be running all the time and would be fairly easy to suppress in post with a secondary recording and some modest edits. Can't remove mic bumps and switch clicks, though! If I didn't have a secondary recorder to mix with, using a pass filter would have been a fine option.
Of note is that the MC150 barely registered planes approaching the airport. The effectiveness of the polar pattern really came through on this issue. I was also able to position in such a way that the source of the AC hum was also behind the mic, so that helped with buzz management, too.
...and then I moved the recording to the software. In the few moments of actual silence, there wasn't much hiss at all. Some users have noted that if the host camera is connected to the AC adapter, it can generate some serious interference. I can neither confirm nor refute this claim, as I was tethering from a power bank. I will try native battery and AC wall plug-in and report back the results at a later time.
I was overall pleasantly surprised. Given the situation and recording conditions, this turned out far better than I had expected. What the mic captured was quite accurate to what I was hearing in-person. The first two speakers were working from a podium which didn't have especially high gain. They were about 25 feet from the mic.The mic caught their voices very well, especially the person with the higher voice. Perhaps receiving higher voices/tones at a distance is a strength with the mic, and is worth investigating further.
The event then moved on to a panel. The four subjects were seated between 15 and 20ish feet in front of the microphone, and there were a couple of speakers in the room. Those mics had higher gain, were a bit fuzzier, and lost the high tones in people's voices. The contrast is plainly obvious is the recording, but again given the circumstances the capture was accurate to the sound of the environment. I had an easy time recording with this mic, and the resulting files were easy to work with despite less than optimal conditions. I think this may also be a testament to the preamp in the Panasonic HCV-770 being pretty decent as well. An appropriate next step will be linking the MC150 to a recording device under better condition
To recap… things I like
-Switches of pass filters and gain control
-Battery-powered
-Good mid and high range tone capture at distance
-Comes with a foam screen, a fuzzy windscreen, and an extension cable
I suppose I didn’t talk about what I don’t like
-The foam screen slides off easily, so just be aware of that
-This thing is ugly. Like… really ugly.
-I’m concerned about the longevity of the cable
The cable is built-in, so if it fails the whole unit is gone. It seems to be more robustly built than my previous Comica mic, but this is the one thing that really worries me about its long-term survival.
And one debate… Some reviewers have indicated that the mic is quiet. You’ll hear why if you watch comparison videos. With the built-in +10db gain switch, you’ll have to find the setting that works best for you and your camera. I actually had to turn down the gain to -10db at the panel, and there was only one speaker that needed to have their volume boosted in post. The audio quality was still as expected following that minor edit. I wouldn’t write off this mic for something that can be managed with gain switches or adjusting levels within your camera.
It’s hard to figure out which mic to buy. If you can’t justify investing in professional gear, you’re stuck experimenting with so many manufacturers. There are a lot out there that are trying to take advantage of consumer confusion. I don’t think that’s the case with the SiGi MC150. Its performance is adequate for the price point. It comes with accessories included. Embracing good fundamentals like positioning your mic away from noise sources is especially important when using these lower-end consumer products. I look forward to exploring other recording conditions, good and bad, with a little more experience and prep time. Good stuff so far.
