MXL CR89 Microphone Price, Specs, Reviews & Discussions

About the MXL CR89 mic

The MXL CR89 is a large-diaphragm condenser microphone released in 2013, designed as a studio workhorse for both instruments and vocals. It’s essentially a rebranded and refined version of the earlier V89, with the same fixed-cardioid pattern and transformerless FET circuitry, but dressed up in a sleek matte black and chrome finish. MXL’s stated goal was to create a mic that could handle a wide variety of sources—acoustic guitars, strings, piano, percussion, and voice—with a natural sound and low noise floor.

Physically, the CR89 makes a strong impression. It’s shorter and stouter than many large condensers, weighing almost two pounds, which gives it a solid, professional feel. The design is clean and minimal: no pad switch, no high-pass filter, just a simple body and grille that MXL says was tuned to reduce standing waves and minimize resonance. The blacked-out chrome grille contrasts nicely with the matte black body, giving it what I’d call a slightly “mean” look compared to MXL’s more colorful models. It ships with a heavy-duty shock mount and a padded aluminum flight case—both higher quality than what MXL usually includes with its budget mics.

On paper, the specs put the CR89 comfortably in the mid-tier studio range. It uses a 32mm, 6-micron gold-sputtered capsule, runs on 48V phantom power, and offers a frequency response of 20 Hz–20 kHz. It can handle up to 138 dB SPL, with a dynamic range of 124 dB, and self-noise rated at 14 dBA. That’s not as whisper-quiet as the Rode NT1-A or Neumann TLM 103, but quiet enough for most studio work, especially given its price. The intentional design to reduce proximity effect also means you can work closer to the mic without the low-end bloom that often muddies up vocals.

In practice, the CR89 delivers a full, rich sound that balances warmth with detail. My own experience echoes what others have noted: it’s surprisingly neutral for an MXL condenser, without the exaggerated top end that sometimes shows up in the company’s cheaper mics. Acoustic guitar comes across with sparkle on the highs and body in the lows, while vocals sit forward without sounding brittle. The mic does exhibit a bit of upper midrange presence—around 8 kHz—which can make certain sources feel slightly more forward. Personally, I find it flattering on male vocals and acoustic instruments, though I’d reach for EQ on brighter female voices.

The Pro Audio Review evaluation lines up with that experience. In their tests, the CR89 was praised for smooth top-end sparkle and warm low-frequency response. It worked equally well on fingerpicked and strummed guitar, captured the chime of an AC-30 amp, and even stacked up surprisingly well in a vocal shootout against the Sony C800G, a tube mic that costs over $10,000. Both the engineer and vocalist actually preferred the CR89 in that session. That said, the review did note it can accentuate edginess on overly bright female voices, though a bit of EQ smoothed it out.

Versatility is another of the CR89’s strengths. It isn’t just a vocal mic—it handled tambourine, shaker, hi-hat, and even violin gracefully in testing. While I only used a single unit, I can see it shining as a stereo pair on drum overheads, piano, or room miking. Its low proximity effect makes it easy to position up close on sources like guitar amps or voice-over, where intimacy without excessive boominess is a big plus.

One of the things I like most about the CR89 is how “usable” its sound is. It’s not hyped in a way that locks you into a specific character; it’s more neutral, giving you a solid, clear track to work with before EQ or compression. In that sense, it feels closer to higher-end studio mics than to the budget condensers MXL is usually known for. It’s also reassuringly heavy and quiet in operation—qualities that make it feel like a step up from the 770s and 990s of the world.

Of course, it’s not flawless. The lack of a pad or high-pass switch limits its flexibility compared to some competitors, and the slight upper-mid bump may not flatter every voice. But those trade-offs don’t diminish the overall impression: this is a very capable, professional-sounding mic that delivers more than its price tag suggests.

At around $299–$349 new, the CR89 sits in the midrange bracket where competition is stiff. But given the quality of the included shock mount and case, the solid build, and the balanced, versatile sound, it’s easy to recommend as a step-up mic for serious home studios or even as a workhorse in commercial spaces. For beginners, I’d still steer toward an MXL 770 or 990 to start with. But if you’re ready to invest in something quieter, fuller, and more flexible, the CR89 is a logical next step.

Bottom line: the MXL CR89 is one of the company’s best efforts—a microphone that proves MXL can deliver more than just budget gear. It won’t replace a $10,000 Sony tube mic, but the fact that it can hold its own in comparison says a lot. If you want a reliable, neutral-leaning condenser for vocals, instruments, and voice-over, the CR89 is a strong contender.

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Technical Specs

MXL CR89 Mic user manual

MXL CR89 Prices*

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Amazon USA

249.00 USD

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