While promotional material notes the MXL 770 to be a Small Diaphragm mic, the 0.87″ capsule is closer to the usual 1″ measurement of Large Diaphragm microphones, so we classify it as either large or medium, but definitely not small.
Nevertheless the MXL 770 is a multi-purpose condenser microphone designed to suit a variety of recording situations at an affordable price.
Internally, it features a a 6-micron, 20-mm gold-sputtered diaphragm. and a transformerless FET preamp design with wiring made by cable giant Mogami.
Cheap condensers usually have a harsh top end to compensate for the lack of harmonic richness in those frequencies. The MXL 770 does not artificially boost the high end on recordings, making it a surprisingly smooth sounding microphone. At this price point, it is rare for a condenser to not have that brittle high end.
One niggle is its signal to noise ratio of 74 dB which is adequate for most situations but can be lacking for the most intimate and softest of acoustic guitar performances. Still, the MXL 770 continues to be one of the best value condenser mics in the market today.
If you are on a budget and you need a good do-all mic, the MXL 770 is a safe choice.
Pros
- Not brittle sounding like most condensers in the price range
- Versatile and feature rich (pad and bass cut switch)
- Comes with a carry case and shockmount
Cons
- Capsule smaller than other large diaphragm microphones – doesn’t quite capture the lowest of frequencies
- Relatively high self noise
Specifications
- Polar Pattern: Cardioid
- Frequency Response: 30Hz-20kHz
- Impedance:150 ohms
- Max SPL:137 dB
- Power Requirements: +48V
| Website | Source | *Rating Value |
| Synaptic Sound | Editor | 95/100 |
| YouTube | Audio Hotline | 96/100 |
*Displayed values are prior to the Gearank Algorithm’s adjustments it makes when evaluating the source.
MXL 770 Frequency Response and Polar Pattern Charts:
