Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X review

Whether you’re starting a radio show or improving your YouTube channel, a good dynamic microphone is a smart buy. But where should you look? Well, Beyerdynamic is mostly known for its headphones but it makes quality microphones too. The Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X is a robust broadcast microphone, advertised to podcasters, streamers, and YouTubers. Let’s see if it also offers professional quality. We spent two weeks with the Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X testing it out and are here to tell you everything you need to know about it.

Editor’s note: This review of the Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X was updated on August 10, 2022, to update formatting and discuss the results of the microphone poll. 

What’s it like to use the Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X?

This dynamic broadcast microphone has a cardioid polar pattern, and doesn’t require phantom power. As with all dynamic mics, it can handle loud inputs of sound before distorting. It does require an audio interface to use, though, because it has an XLR output. Grilles line the upper half of the mic, but it records audio directly from the top.

It’s a great microphone for podcasting and recording vocals, and using it makes me feel like a radio star. Beyerdynamic advertises this mic to YouTubers, but the chunky shock mount will take up a lot of the frame, or worse, obstruct your face. You can’t attach the mic directly to a stand, and must instead use the included shock mount or buy your own. The pop filter is removable, so you can use it with other microphones. A flexible metal arm attaches the filter to a stand, but it doesn’t stay in place.

Tips and tricks for using the M70 PRO X

The included user guide depicts frequency response charts with different curves: one for a sound source placed 2cm and 1m away from the mic. These diagrams show the effects of sound source proximity. Aside from that, there aren’t really any other tricks to using the Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X. Like its gaming headset, this is just a pretty fussless experience. There isn’t a single button or switch onboard the mic. The M70 PRO doesn’t have any software features or different polar pattern settings.

Other than the microphone and the shock mount, the package includes a thread adapter, pop filter, dust protection bag, quick start guide, and user manual.

How do you connect the Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X?

This is an XLR microphone that requires you to purchase a standard XLR cable and audio interface. You can’t just plug an XLR cable into your laptop or computer, but picking out a proper interface is easy enough. If you want something you can plug directly into your laptop, check out the best USB microphones.

How does the Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X sound?

The Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X is an all-around simple mic with excellent sound quality, meriting its big price tag. This mic reproduces the voice very accurately, whether speaking or singing, though it is advertised specifically as having a speech-optimized frequency response. The recordings come out clear and without distortion.

Because the mic is dynamic, it is not very sensitive. To get an acceptable volume, you will need to increase the gain a bit more than you would with a condenser mic. With the recording sample below, I boosted the recording volume quite a bit to make it audible, even though the gain was set to 50%. Thanks to the mic’s cardioid polar pattern, the background noise of my keyboard and fan don’t reduce the clarity of my speaking voice at all. This mic will work well for gamers and anyone recording in imperfect conditions.

Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X speaking sample:

You can sing into the mic pretty loudly before any distortion occurs. The M70 PRO X preserves my vocal subtleties, despite the mic’s low sensitivity. If you’re a singer, you’re bound to enjoy this mic.

Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X singing sample:

Dynamic mics generally aren’t recommended for recording acoustic instruments due to their low sensitivity, but not everyone can afford to buy a different microphone for every one of their use cases. Though it isn’t explicitly made for acoustic instruments, the Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X does my acoustic guitar justice. It picks up sounds all across the guitar’s frequency spectrum, from those low bass notes to the high-frequency finger-on-string noises.

Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X acoustic guitar sample:

As of August 10, 2022, 58% of people who responded to the above poll voted that the Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X sounds “Good”, and 21% voted that it sounds “Perfect”. For a studio-quality microphone, these are pretty expected results.

Should you buy the Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X?

The Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X isn’t cheap, but you get a sturdy build, intelligent design, and crisp sound quality. This mic would look nice in anyone’s studio, whether it’s for music recording, radio, or gaming, and its accessories are nice to have. Though the M70 PRO X doesn’t have versatility in the way of settings or software, its frequency response is suitable for various speech applications and singing. You can even get away with using this to record instruments.

While I would definitely recommend the Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X, it may not suit your needs. For example, if you want something lightweight and portable, this definitely isn’t the mic for you. Its shock mount and pop filter, while useful, are bulky and best suited for studio applications. And while it works well with my acoustic guitar, a condenser mic will be a better bet for instruments. Lastly, while the M70 PRO X is easy enough to use, it’s not what I would call plug-and-play—for that, you’ll want to go with something with a USB connection rather than XLR.

Should you get the Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X or M90 PRO X?

The Beyerdynamic M90 PRO X and M70 PRO X look pretty similar, but there are a few key differences. First, where the M70 PRO X is a dynamic microphone, the M90 PRO X is a condenser microphone, making it useful to singers and musicians, rather than just those recording speech. The M90 PRO X has very low self-noise and picks up subtler sounds because you can crank up the gain without introducing significant background hiss.

Although it can be used for speech applications, the M90 PRO X is not sold as a broadcast microphone, and it records audio from its side rather than its top (much like the Blue Ember). Being a condenser mic, you’ll need an interface or preamp that supplies phantom power to use the M90 PRO X. It still comes with the same accessories as the M70 PRO X, though. The M90 PRO X is about $50 USD more expensive than the M70 PRO X.

What should you get instead of the Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X

The Shure MV7 is a great microphone for listeners who want the quality of an XLR mic with the versatility of a USB mic. You get dual ports that can record simultaneously with the MV7, and it costs about the same as the M70 PRO X, sometimes less. Shure includes great desktop software for customizing the microphone’s sound or essentially putting it in auto mode for those who don’t like to tinker. The Shure MV7X is very similar but lacks software and has just an XLR input.

If you want to go with an older, but equally capable XLR mic, check out the Rode NT1a, which weighs 326g and includes an XLR cable. It creates very little internal noise at less than 5dB(A), but is a condenser mic, so you’ll need some external power here.

If you really don’t want to spend more than $100 USD, we recommend the Audio-Technica AT2020 condenser microphone. This also requires phantom power, so technically you’ll be spending more than the price tag suggests but you can probably stay below $200 USD total, especially if you peruse the used or refurbished markets.

Frequently asked questions about Beyerdynamic M70 PRO X