FIFINE K688 USB/XLR Dynamic Microphone

In terms of functionality, the defining feature of this FIFINE K688 USB/XLR dynamic microphone is the ability to deliver perfect sound in some imperfect environments and the flexibility to balance the present need and future expansion in your audio production.

What you really need to muddle is the background sound, and the dynamic cardioid capsule does let the K688 shine through in that aspect. Normal users do not have any sort of special acoustical treatment in the rooms. A dynamic microphone will come in super helpful in this circumstance because it does not pick up much distracting background or reflected sound.

It doubles down on the noise rejection with its cardioid polar pattern. Though you have to work on top of and close to it for the clearest pickup of your voice, the result is just mind-blowing if you’re used to being a condenser mic user. Anything happening out there will not prominent anymore and you can actually experience the advantage of a cardioid microphone this time.

I/O Controls

There are also two dials at the bottom for the microphone and headphone volume. The advantage of the controls being underneath is that they will not stand in the way when you hook the mic onto a boom arm. And you can keep a clean and simple look of it in front of a camera.  

Touch-sensitive Mute

It could have been good and bad, but things changed with the LED indicator and the monitoring jack. You will not find yourself have not recorded anything yet halfway through.

Headphone Monitoring

Without a headphone amp built in, the 3.5mm port at the back can drive a pair of headphones with its impedance rated between 16 ohms and 75 ohms. Within this range you still have some headphones to choose from instead of being left with only game headsets for monitoring. Because of the combo of the latency-free feature and an input level control, you can pretty much avoid the wild fluctuations in volume by making adjustments on the fly.

Bass

The broadcast signature sound should be the first thing popping up in your head when it comes to dynamic mics. The FIFINE K688 is not exceptional. But the low-ends are not too heavy to make your voice super bassy and woolly. Another benefit is that the proximity effect is less prominent so the low-frequency noises, such as the booming generated from hitting the desk or the mic stand, will not be exaggerated.      

Mids

It is pretty flat through the 500 Hz to 1k Hz midranges to give the real-world sounding of the instruments. Because of the slight boost between 1k to 2k Hz, a bit more bites are added to the high-pitched instruments. So yes, it is a FIFINE microphone that you can use to properly record some instrument. The drawback of the uncommon articulation from a dynamic microphone is that the sibilance may be fatiguing. But thanks to a much thicker and flocked pop filter, the capsule will not be hit hard by the air-blowing, making it less of a problem to avoid sibilance. That also helps reduce the plosive noises. 

Treble

To get the cleanest audio, you just need to pay a little more attention to the off-axis placement. With the sibilance sorted out, you and your audience can put your heart and ears to enjoy the bright and airy sounding up the top and even some sparkles. Leave alone streaming and voice-over, if you are planning to record a song cover in your untreated room, it is still perfectly ideal for the price.