Imagine this: you’re at a local house show, and the band just finished their set. As they turn off their instruments, the crowd cheers. You talk to the lead singer of the band and ask if you can interview them for your podcast. She tells you that they will only be in town until tomorrow morning. Even though you don’t have a studio nearby, all is not lost. You always have your JLab Talk GO USB Microphone with you because it’s so small and light. Time for the interview.
The JLab Talk was made to be easy for anyone to use. Connect the USB cable to the USB-C port on the bottom of the mic, and then plug the other end into your PC or laptop. It will work right away. You don’t have to spend a lot of time installing drivers or proprietary software, and unlike the similarly priced Rode PodMic, you don’t need an XLR input or signal adapter.
Specifications
- Connection: USB
- Ports: USB-C, 3.5mm aux out
- Condensers: 3
- Directional patterns: Cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional, stereo
- Size: 9.9 x 7.6 x 7.6 inches (with tripod extended)
- Weight: 14.6 ounces
Where to get JLab Talk USB Microphone?
The controls for the JLab Talk are also easy to use. The big main dial on the front snaps firmly between the four directional pattern modes—cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional, and stereo—and can be pressed in to instantly mute.
Under that is a smaller secondary dial. This controls both the gain of the microphone and the volume of the output if headphones are plugged into the 3.5mm jack on the board. When you press the dial, you can switch between the two levels, which are shown by a ring of lights around the main dial.
Everything is nice and simple, and both dials have a sturdy, well-made look that the dial on the Blue Yeti Nano doesn’t have. The Nano, on the other hand, is made mostly of metal, while the Talk is mostly made of plastic. The stand, on the other hand, is made of stronger materials, so the Talk doesn’t wobble or show any other signs of being poorly made.
The audio on the JLab Talk is clear, detailed, and warm because the low and mid-tones are mixed together in a good way. The high tones are also clean, but they can sound tinny if you move away from the mic, which you probably won’t do during a recording session. I was impressed by how much nuance the JLab Talk picked up, whether it was in the vocals or a guitar lick. Everything sounds just fine.