The FiFine K688 microphone enters the world of budget-to-mid-range microphones able to each XLR and USB output and it makes a reasonably nice case for itself. It might essentially not blow anybody away with its vastly superior audio high quality, however in case you are in search of a secondary backup mic for podcasting, and even for making music, then you would do rather a lot worse than the FiFine K688.
The FiFine K688 microphone is out there to buy now by way of the FiFine web site.
What’s within the field?
The Fifine K688 is available in a field that really appears to be like fairly premium, given the worth level of the product. Inside the stylish container, you can see the mic tightly nestled inside some packaged, guaranteeing that the machine gained’t arrive at your door in a broken state resulting from some careless supply driver. Together with the Fifine K688 microphone itself, the field accommodates a shock mount, a 5/8″ to three/8″ adapter, and a 2.5m USB to USB-C cable.
Nevertheless, the field annoyingly doesn’t comprise an XLR cable, that means that customers must buy one individually in the event that they intend to push the mic to the boundaries of its audio capturing functionality, or need to use it with an XLR interface, as I did. Additionally lacking from the field is any kind of desk stand, I suppose that is the place the associated fee was reduce.
FiFine was variety sufficient to ship me out a BM88 low profile microphone arm together with the microphone, subsequently I did have one thing to mount the mic on at the very least. Nevertheless, these merchandise are bought individually by FiFine, so in case you are contemplating buying this product, you must bear this in thoughts. The BM88 growth arm is straightforward sufficient to mount and function, and it even accommodates an inbuilt cable channel with the intention to cover your connection cable.
Sadly, although they’re fairly chunky, these channels are nonetheless too slim to feed an XLR lead by means of, that means that you just’ll have to interrupt out the Velcro straps for cable administration if you wish to go the XLR route. This issue, together with the truth that there isn’t a XLR cable included within the field, kind of means that FiFine desires you to make use of this as a USB mic, however then if that’s the case, why even embody and XLR port on the underside of the mic?
Regardless, the underside of the mic sports activities an XLR port, a USB-C port, a headphone jack, and two quantity knobs. Considered one of these controls the amount of the audio enter being captured on the microphone, and the opposite controls the audio being output to the monitoring headphones linked to the three.5mm jack. I do get pleasure from how tactile these controls are, with the ability to immediately attain out and modify quantity ranges as required on the fly may be very useful.
The construct high quality of the Fifine K688 is spectacular
When it comes to the design aesthetics of the Fifine K688 is a reasonably clean-looking machine. It has clearly borrowed a few of its visible identification from different extra “professional-grade” microphones, such because the Shure SM7B. That mentioned, the SM7B is a fine-looking machine, so there are definitely worse place that Fifine might have borrowed from right here.
The included steel shock mount comes preinstalled and securely cradles the microphone, that means that it is able to be mounted onto a growth arm proper out of the field. A gray pop filter can be included and is preinstalled out of the field, nevertheless this may simply be eliminated with the intention to expose the silver steel cage beneath, which homes the microphone’s diaphragm. Additionally discovered on the physique of the mic, is a mute button which conveniently permits customers to mute themselves on the fly.
The construct high quality additionally feels fairly premium, with the mics physique being constructed from steel that feels strong and under no circumstances hole, flimsy or low cost. The brushed steel texture that coats the outside of the mic’s physique permits for a chic look that can be good for holding fingerprints away. Though it feels as if there’s numerous strong steel concerned within the building of the machine, it’s fortunately nonetheless light-weight, making it straightforward to reposition at will.
What does it sound like?
As nice because the Fifine K688 appears to be like and feels, what actually issues is the machine’s audio efficiency. Fortunately it delivers in that enviornment too, for essentially the most half anyway. The frequency response vary of the mic is 70Hz to 15kHz. Which means that it could actually seize vocals sufficiently, whether or not that could be a spoken vocal, or a sung vocal. Though, it’ll wrestle to choose up devices resembling cellos, pianos, or the double bass, resulting from it not with the ability to decide up sub-bass frequencies.
Additionally, not like most different microphones that information at a depth of 24-bit, the Fifine K688 is just able to a 16-bit recording depth, and its signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) can be fairly sub-par. That mentioned although, the Fifine K688 is suitable with all main working techniques, together with Home windows, Linux, and the PlayStation 5 OS.
Even bearing these shortcomings in thoughts, it’s onerous to fault a microphone that gives the flexibility of each USB and XLR help at this worth level. It’s a bit irritating that primary features such because the mute button and the headphone output are nullified by the XLR connection, particularly contemplating the truth that XLR connection tends to be thought of because the superior connection technique over USB. Once more, it kind of appears like FiFine would like you to make use of this purely as a USB mic.
The Fifine K688 does do an honest job of selecting up sound although. It contains a cardioid pickup sample, that means that it primarily captures sound from the entrance with partial audio being picked up by the edges, whereas sound is rejected from the rear. This directional sensitivity turns out to be useful in the case of negating background noise from noisy PC followers and the clacking of a mechanical keyboard.
In abstract, it’s actually going to be as much as the indivdual when it comes to how a lot you may forgive the Fifine K688 for its missing options. Issues just like the absence of an XLR cable and desktop stand, the truth that the mute button and headphone jack are rendered ineffective when an XLR cable is plugged in, and the shortcoming to seize sub-bass frequencies could also be sufficient to place you off, and that will be utterly comprehensible.
Nevertheless, I personally really feel that these tradeoffs are value it, to ensure that FiFine to ship a microphone providing the flexibility of XLR/USB-C connection at this worth level. Maybe it’s straightforward for me to say this, as my most important use for this mic has been podcasting, and I’ve designated it to be my visitor mic, whereas I take advantage of a superior machine to seize my very own vocal observe. In case you are a musician, your relationship with the Fifine K688 might differ from my very own, and even on the $79.99 worth level, it will not be value your funding.
Fifine K688 Microphone – 7/10
The Fifine K688 was offered to FandomWire for evaluation by FiFine.
