Modmic 4 vs Modmic 5? Is the 5 worth the price difference?

[Casimiro4366]

I was looking to get a microphone for online gaming and possibly making YouTube videos, and I am nearly out of space on my desk, so a Modmic would be a great option for me (I already have a pair of Bose QC 15s). However, the Modmic 4 is only $40-50, and the 5 is around $70. Is the modmic 5 really worth the extra cable management options, slightly better sound quality, etc., or should I get the cheaper Modmic 4? 

 

Thanks!

[79wjd]

modmic 4

[Enderman]

Never tried the 5, but the 4 has really low gain and needs to be boosted a lot to be audible, so if you don't have an external mic input or sound card you will likely get a lot of static.

[Casimiro4366]

3 minutes ago, Enderman said:

Never tried the 5, but the 4 has really low gain and needs to be boosted a lot to be audible, so if you don't have an external mic input or sound card you will likely get a lot of static.

I heard something about that with the unidirectional mic. Is it the same with the omnidirectional, or is the static lower/better?

[Enderman]

3 minutes ago, Casimiro4366 said:

I heard something about that with the unidirectional mic. Is it the same with the omnidirectional, or is the static lower/better?

I have no idea...

Maybe someone with the omnidirectional version can give some input?

[Festive]

@AAJoe

[79wjd]

17 minutes ago, Enderman said:

Never tried the 5, but the 4 has really low gain and needs to be boosted a lot to be audible, so if you don't have an external mic input or sound card you will likely get a lot of static.

I have the ModMic 4 and I haven't noticed any issues with it. It sounds very clear (for a $40 mic anyway) and I tend to speak at a normal conversation volume (maybe a bit quieter).

[njmyers3]

I have a modmic 4 omnidirectional and love it, but when it was connected directly to my motherboard, there was a high pitch hiss i the background. My friend gave me a cheap USB DAC just for the mic and it works really well now. I would really recommend it. Here's the DAC. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Adapter-Windows-AU-MMSA/dp/B00IRVQ0F8/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1485216047&sr=8-7&keywords=usb+dac

[AAJoe]

Heya Guys!

 

Sorry for the delay, yesterday was SLAMMED for meetings (but in super secret news, we may be announcing a sponsorship of our first tier 1 esports team!)

 

So there are a few great items being tossed around in this thread:

#1: Does the gain need to be turned way up on the ModMic? - Some users certainly have this problem. It's a known issue for both the 4 and the 5. A USB stick will solve the issue.

#2: Does the 4 or 5 pick up a lot of EMI (white noise) - The uni-directional mic picks up more than the omni and is audible for a decent chunk of customers. We STRONGLY recommend the Sabrent DAC posted above... or if you want to support us directly, our own Antlion USB (which is admittedly more expensive and basically the same thing).

 

So basically that little USB stick solves your problem in pretty much every case. In ALL cases, there's no material difference between the mic in the 4 and the 5, meaning if you get EMI with the 4 uni, you will get EMI with the 5 in uni mode as well.

 

Now, 5 vs 4 is its own item:

 

Do you need the ModMic 5? Here are the key benefits:

 

Modular Cable means three important things:  1 - It will last longer (Cable breaks are common fail points for audio gear). 2- You can unhook it easily and go between console and PC with ease.  3- You can adjust the length, which is great for front port vs. back port, console, etc.  Also, not really a feature, but we are secretly working on some interesting ideas that will make use of the modular system.

 

Dual Mic Modes means 1 important thing: If you are using the ModMic in environments where switching between quality and noise cancelling is important then you should strongly consider the 5 (assuming the extra 20 dollars isn't the difference between making a rent payment or something). For instance if you want to do live streaming at home where you want good quality but then want to go to a lan party or your significant other has a habit of VACUUMING every time you're in CS:GO trying to warn someone of an approaching enemy (was this too specific?) being able to swap into noise canceling is super handy. If you're either gaming in an all fairly quiet location or all fairly noisy one, you should strongly consider getting an Omni or Uni ModMic 4 respectively.

 

There's other improvements to the 5 that are handy too, like cable wraps (good if you dont move your headphones around) and a stronger magnet, stiffer boom arm, and improved cables, but they're minor compared to the above.

 

Hope this helps!