MXL V89 Microphone Review

MXL V89 is a premium, large-diaphragm, solid-state condenser microphone. Released in 2009, the V89 is MXL’s upgrade to the V87 targeting serious home studio and project studio owners. It is a very versatile microphone, suitable for many applications including vocals, instruments, voice-over work and podcasting.

In this MXL V89 review, we’ll take a look at its features and sound quality.

Build, Look and Feel

The MXL V89 is a well-built, large bodied microphone with an all-metal construction. It’s a heavy microphone, probably a lot heavier than most MXL mics. In fact, with the shockmount attached, it gets very heavy and needs a sturdy mic stand that can hold its weight especially if you’re using a mic boom arm.

With its gray body and silver finish, it looks decent and premium.

The V89 is a side addressed mic, so you speak into the front of the mic where the logo is. It’s not end-addressed mic where you speak at the top of the mic (set vertically).

V89 Package and Accessories

The MXL V89 comes in a sturdy wooden (probably artificial wood) storage box with nice velvet cushioning inside.

The package also includes a big and nice shockmount (model BJ-6-SS) as an upgrade from the one that came with the V87 which was very short. This one is tall and deep enough to engulf the entire body of the V89.

It’s nice that they also include extra elastic bands because these tend to sometimes break sooner than you would expect.

Also in the package is a foam windscreen (model MXL WS-002) which can be very helpful in blocking some of the breathing and plosives.

You also get a 3-year warranty and a cleaning microfiber cloth.

MXL V89 Sound

The MXL V89 has a very large, 32mm capsule in it which allows for capturing the details of almost every thing you put in front of it. There is also the solid-state transformerless design that makes it a low-noise mic. The custom design of the body minimizes body resonance while a tuned grill cavity reduces harmonic distortion and helps in eliminating standing waves.

For vocals, the MXL V89 sounds ridiculously clear and high quality. It produces forward, warm, open airy sound for vocalists both male and female. It maintains a crispy clear sound for both loud and soft singers.

With a pop filter, it has a nice proximity effect at about 2 inches from the mic for situations when you want to thicken the your sound or get a fatter sound than you would get from a six inches away. Even at six inches away, you start to hear proximity which is good news for singers who tend to move around the mic a lot.

With guitars, the MXL V89 has a low frequency warmth. Its large capsule captures the whole range of sound and tone and the subtle details of the strings.

Strumming chords and finger picking were both well-defined with the loud chords coming across especially clear with no noticeable harmonic distortion. I found little need for equalization.

Bottom Line

As amazing as the MXL V89 is, it needs to be in the right hands to unlock its full potential. But still the V89 is a great mic to get if you’re looking for professional-sounding quality and clarity.

It used to be a favorite in the studio both the professional studio and the project studio for anything from vocals to piano to strings. It’s so versatile that you can use it for voice-over work, podcasting or making your next hit record. No matter what the application is, the sound quality through this is going to be phenomenal and you will be very pleased with the results, plus it’s a very simple mic use.

That being said, you’re not probably going to find this mic new, at least not online. So, if you spot one used for a good deal, grap it immediately. You will get a tremendous amount of performance at a fraction of the cost of some other brands.

MXL V89 Quick Features

• Rich, natural and extremely accurate sound reproduction
• Custom body design minimizes body resonance
• Tuned grill cavity helps eliminate standing waves and reduces harmonic distortion
• A must-have microphone for all your studio work
• Includes wood case and shock mount
• Wired with Mogami cable

MXL V89 Price

The MXL V89 has a map price of $399 but it usually retails new for about $300. It’s an old microphone though, so it’s hard to find new.