After offering you a test of the excellent Logitech Blue Sona, it was time for us to offer you a test of the microphone with USB connection again.We know that when you want to start in video or even streaming, you don’t necessarily have the budget to buy a microphone directly but also a good sound card.Not everyone is a specialist in this specific field either, and more often than not, we are looking for an effective and plug’n’play solution.This is how Cherry, the specialist manufacturer in the field of mechanical keyboards, comes up with three models of USB microphones.Here we will tell you about the Cherry UM 9.0 PRO RGB.
As we mentioned in the past, many models are already available, and tough competition has arrived on the market, between the Blue Yeti, the Wave 3 and Elgato, or even the Presonus Revelator.With the exception of a few models (such as the Revelator Dynamic from Presonus), few USB microphones offer a cell different from the now cardioid and different directivities expected with it.In terms of the price range, we find here a product that will be oriented towards the rather high-end in the micro USB sector.In the end, we are quite close, in particular to Elgato’s Wave 3.Remains to be seen compared to a Presonus Revelator which remains for us today one of the masters of the category by its many possibilities and characteristics for a lower price.
Test conditions: We had the opportunity to test the Cherry UM 9.0 PRO RGB on a computer for several weeks.The microphone was used here for our tests on professional computer-assisted music software (Studio One), but mainly in a use corresponding to the marketing arguments of the brand: in a streaming context, discussion on Discord for sessions in game multiplayer.
The first visual contact with the Cherry UM 9.0 PRO RGB does not allow us to have a single doubt regarding the orientation of the product.The elephant in the room, the RGB.This technology, now ultra-classic in all products, directly gives the orientation of the product concerning its placement.If you are a fan of neon lights and flashy lights, this microphone will necessarily be made for you for its look and to keep consistency with the rest of your setup that we already imagine in this vein.
Once we open the box, we discover the microphone and a rather long braided USB cable.The microphone itself is already attached to its anti-shock spider type mounting bracket as can be found on certain microphones such as the Rode NT1.This kind of support is actually quite useful because it will reduce certain sounds.The Cherry UM 9.0 PRO RGB is also available with a stand directly attached to the microphone.We therefore find ourselves with a good height in relation to the desk, which will give a certain facility for capturing the voice.
Regarding the microphone itself, there is therefore in the first place a USB-C port to connect it to your computer located under the microphone.Next to it, the management of the RGB which, by a simple pressure, changes color or program.Personally, we preferred the one allowing to vary the color change in waves automatically, in particular because the colors there were more pastel than the fixed colors which were much too punchy for our taste.It is of course possible to deactivate the RGB by keeping the button pressed.Finally on what we find under the Cherry UM 9.0 PRO RGB, we will have a jack port that will allow you to connect your headphones for the microphone / PC return.
If we now go around the capsule, we find several things that will be quite interesting regarding the use of the microphone on a daily basis.First of all, there is a knob that will correspond to the gain of the microphone.If you press the knob, you will change directivity among 4 possible directivities with this microphone: cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional and stereo.At the top of the microphone, you will find a small visual feedback of the directivity mode in place, and with a little pressure, you can mute the sound of the Cherry UM 9.0 PRO RGB.Last specificity of the microphone, you can find on the opposite side to the gain knob a small horizontal wheel which will allow you if you have plugged your headphones into the microphone to be able to manage the percentage of feedback from the microphone and the sound from the PC that you will have in your ears.
Data sheet of Cherry UM 9.0 PRO RGB :
- Cardioid
- Single diaphragm
- 4 polar patterns (cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional, stereo)
- Connection: USB
- Shock mount
- Baud rate: 24 bit
- Sampling rate: 192KHz
- Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz
- Dimensions: 160 x 144 x 272mm
- Weight: 555g
A USB microphone that does what it promises
Our first contact with the Cherry UM 9.0 PRO RGB once plugged in is quite satisfactory.Our voice is rather well transcribed, precise, and the overall sound quality is satisfactory.Important information should be highlighted;the need for a pop filter.Indeed, unlike Elgato’s Wave 3, there is no internal functionality designed to reduce plausibility.Regarding the directivity modes, as most often, the cardioid mode is necessarily the most functional in everyday use.The bidirectional or even omnidirectional mode will necessarily be rather useful if you want to record with several times facing other people.Nevertheless, as always with this kind of mode, if you do not have a minimum of acoustic treatment in the room.These are modes that will necessarily capture ambient sounds and therefore necessarily nuisances as well as the rebounds of voices against the walls.
Inevitably, depending on the directivity mode chosen, the management of the gain will be different, and the curve will therefore have a different effect.The other question that we most often ask ourselves with this type of microphone is the effectiveness on the cardioid mode of absence of additional noise.And inevitably, given that we are not on a dynamic microphone, well, there will always be this kind of parasitic noise.If you also have a mechanical keyboard, it will not even be worth imagining that your microphone will not pick up these sounds, even in the mode that limits the most extraneous sounds around the direction of your voice.
Cardioid mode: management of gain and mouth/microphone distance.
Cardioid mode: management of noise around the microphone.
Bidirectional mode
Stereo mode
Omnidirectional mode.
If you want to use it in a podcast recording setting, the stereo or two-way mode to be interesting, but inevitably, we will have much less editing possibilities and comfort when editing your podcast than by using of two microphones.Especially since as said above, the nuisances will be quite present and it will therefore be necessary to spend a little time to make corrections on software to make this kind of unwanted frequencies disappear.Note also that here the software is delivered without additional software.Everything will therefore be managed by the software you use or your computer.You will therefore have to spend a little time if you feel the need in the sound settings on OBS for example to have a sound that suits you.