Sennheiser’s new mic offers plug-and-play performance with studio-quality sound.
Sennheiser has announced the new Profile USB Microphone, a cardioid condenser microphone designed for live streaming and podcasting. The microphone combines professional sound quality with a simple user interface and an optional compact table stand so content creators can focus on creating content, rather than setting up their gear.
“When you are recording your podcast or doing a live stream, you already have to worry about the content, perhaps room treatment, the camera set-up, interaction with your audience – the last thing you need in this situation is a complex audio set-up”, explains Sennheiser product manager Benny Franke. “So we tried to create tech that gets out of the way of your creative process.”
The Profile USB is plug-and-play, using a standard USB-C port to connect to a computer, tablet, or mobile device. There’s no need for any additional software or setup to keep it open while recording. Just hit record on your device’s recording app and you’re ready to roll.
But let’s get into the nitty-gritty of what the Profile USB offers to filmmakers and content creators like you.
Simple Design Interface
The Profile’s simple three-knob design comes with gain control, a mix control for balance, and a headphone volume control. An LED ring light is wrapped around the gain control knob to advise of the status of the microphone’s operation.
If the light shows green, the mic is ready to record. When it turns yellow, the sound may be clipping and needs to be adjusted. If the mic is muted, then the ring turns red. At the top is a soft touch no-noise mute button for disabling the mic stream when needing to cough or whisper aside without the recording picking up the ambient noise.
Award Winning Sound Design
The Profile USB relies on Sennheiser’s award-winning KE 10 condenser capsule, which offers a standard cardioid pickup pattern that can pick up sound from all around the room, while still keeping the subject’s voice as its focus. The frequency range of the Profile USB Microphone is 20-20,000 Hz with sampling rates of 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz, and sampling resolutions of 16 and 24 bits.
The max gain sensitivity is measured at -10 dBFS at 80 dB SPL, while the minimum gain sensitivity is measured at -50 dBFS at 80 dB SPL.
Mounting Options
The mic can be tilted for optimal positioning and a self-locking joint will keep the mic at the designed angle. To mount the Profile USB Microphone, users can employ the compact table stand or opt for Sennheiser’s Profile Streaming Set, which comes with a 3-point self-locking boom arm and integrated cable management.
The mic can also be used with third-party stands and arms and supports attachment with 3/8 inch and 5/8 inch connectors at the bottom of the mic. Users should note that the mic only comes with a stand or for use with an arm, they are not interchangeable.
Pricing and Availability
The side-address model of the Sennheiser Profile USB is available for $129 (USD), that comes with a tablet stand and USB-C cable. The Profile Streaming set adds the 3-point self-locking boom arm with the microphone for $199 (USD). Both models are shipping now. For more info, check out our chat with the Sennheiser team during NAB 2023.
For content creators looking to use a high-quality, studio-grade microphone that is easy to use and vastly affordable, the Sennheiser Profile USB looks to be an excellent option to consider. Easy to set up, and operate, users will know where the quality of their audio is at any given moment, and right out of the box.
