MXL AC-404 Black USB Connector USB-Powered Microphone

Pros: I use this primarily for use in Mumble/Skype while gaming. It's a bit much for what I use it for, but it's high quality and gets the job done nicely. After throwing away my 3rd "high-quality" headset I decided to get a standalone microphone that emphasized build-quality.

Well, this thing is built like a brick. It's bigger than the picture would lead you to believe, but I'm very happy with it. It doesn't slide around and Windows has no issues detecting it. You'll see it labeled generically as a USB audio device.

Long, detachable cord and a leather carrying case if that's your thing.

Cons: None.

Overall Review: This thing picks up everything. For my intended purpose (gaming) I should probably exhibited more restraint when buying a microphone intended for conference calls. If you are getting this for home use, be warned that it will pick up everything going on within 2 rooms.

Pros: I use the microphone to make VOIP calls from my PC. The audio quality is great and people have told me its better than my land line.

Cons: Besides picking up my voice great, this also picks up my typing really well! This is definitely something to consider before buying a PZM style microphone for your desk.

I ended up using autohotkey to map my right windows key to mute the microphone. This makes it as easy as muting my deskphone, so the sensitivity no longer bothers me.

Overall Review: None