A few years ago we reviewed ModMic’s first foray into their idea of allowing you to attach a premium grade microphone to whatever set of headphones you wanted. The result, which was repeated a couple more years down the line with their amazing wireless version, was nothing short of spectacular. Bringing levels of quality into a tiny headset microphone that outshone the vast majority of built in mics was very impressive, but there was still a slight disparity between these and full sized desktop mics, as you would probably expect.
But those expectations might need to change now, because Antlion have now released the ModMic 2, with two different models – the USB model, which you’ll be surprised to hear connects via USB, and the Uni model which uses a 3.5mm jack, handy for connecting it into console controllers and the like. So what’s new?
Well, some impressive wizardry has cranked up the quality of these microphones to a whole new level. The idea is still very much the same – take your favourite set of headphones, whether they’ve got a mic or not (you’ll want to remove it if there’s one there), and stick the mounting pad onto one of the headphone cups in a place that suits you. Prefer to have your microphones in front of your mouth but at a distance? Maybe you like it more to the side of your mouth to avoid excessive air pops? Well, you can position the mic exactly where you want it, and for those times when you don’t need it at all, the magnetic clasp will just let you pull the microphone off completely. The arm of the mic is also designed to be moved and bent into position and does a good job of staying where you want it, something that can often be annoying on the mics that come attached to a gaming headset.
But the beauty of this is that you don’t need a gaming headset – if you’ve got a trusty pair of headphones that you game with, but weren’t designed for such things so don’t have a microphone, you can turn them into that exact device. But let’s get to the real crux of what we’re doing here – the ModMic 2 will be replacement your headset microphone whatever you’ve got going on. You might think your lovely expensive headset has been created in such a way that every element of it is unbeatable, and if you’ve spent hundreds then you might be right, but anything sitting within a reasonable price window will most likely be seriously lacking in the microphone department. Ever wondered why your gaming friends sound thin and lacking bass, as if they’re talking via an empty tin of beans? Ever wondered why when they get annoyed all you hear is pops and puffs of air coming your way? Gaming headsets are notorious for low quality microphones. It’s why most streamers use larger desktop microphones by someone like Shure, HyperX or Audio Technica.
However… the line between desktop and headsets mic has just become considerably more blurred than it was before. I’m not going to pretend that the ModMic 2 quite gets up to the exact same standard as my desktop mics, but I don’t think you could get any closer without being unable to tell the difference. The depth in sound on these new versions is unreal, and it’s the range in tones that really sets this apart from anything else you’ll probably get your hands on. The accuracy of the sound representation is easily better than any other headset microphone I’ve heard, with some seriously impressive noise cancellation blocking out my annoyingly audible PC fans and really focussing on what’s meant to be coming through the microphone. Pickup volumes are good as well, and for someone like myself who often talks quietly while gaming or recording because of others in the house being asleep it’s great that I don’t have to shove the microphone right against my mouth to be picked up clearly.
Simplicity is a key here as well – there’s no complex control box, pretty much every device nowadays lets you adjust the mic volume quickly and easily, so all we’ve got is all we need: a mute button. It’s a nice mute experience too, with no obvious pops, crackles or interference – unless there’s some background noise beyond the capabilities of the noise cancellation, it’s unlikely most people will know you’ve switched your mic off.
So there’s a few questions to think about before you drop your money on one of the new ModMic offerings. Do you have an existing, previous ModMic? Do you think your standard headset mic is doing a good job? Do you have a favourite set of headphones you’d love to use but can’t because it doesn’t even have a mic to begin with? If the answer to any of these questions is”yes”, then you need to seriously consider a MicMic 2. It’s improved over the already impressive earlier models, and will leave your standard headset mic in the dust. The only reason you might not need this is if you’re already using a decent quality desktop microphone, and don’t need anything more flexible. In that instance, you probably won’t benefit, but I’m not exaggerating when I say this will make you wonder why you put up with a lesser option for any amount of time. Yeah they’re not cheap – the USB version is £90 and the Uni a little less – but if you want that clarity and accuracy in your communications, this is a fantastic upgrade to pretty much anything.