Meze Boom Mic review: Capable of transformation
Meze's new Boom Mic cable is capable of transforming any audiophile headphone into a fully functioning headset.
While it definitely has its drawbacks, the Meze Boom Mic is more than good enough for any gaming situation, providing clear audio and surprising isolation. Most importantly though, it'll transform your excellent headphones into an ideal gaming device with the best of both worlds.
Images via GGRecon | Meze
While the rise of audiophile headphones in gaming has been fantastic for anyone looking to up their sound game, there is an elephant in the room that arises whenever you want to chat with your friends or join the comms in a competitive match.
Headsets might not provide the best sound quality, but the native headphone and microphone combo proves not only to be incredibly popular but super handy too. It might not be the first of its kind on the market but Meze's new Boom Mic is certainly capable of transformation, as it lets you use your premium headphones without compromise.
It does, however, come with some drawbacks that prevent it from being the be-all-end-all solution, but it's definitely something that you might want to consider if you've got a good pair of cans and don't want to sacrifice your voice.
GGRecon Verdict
You shouldn't go into the Meze Boom Mic expecting production-grade quality, but it definitely offers a step up over many traditional headset microphones while letting you still use your fantastic audiophile headphones. I have my own issues with the cable as it's a painful reminder of the restrictions compared to wireless options, but it's hard to deny how great it is to not have to compromise on sound quality when playing your favourite games with your friends.
Pros
Good sound quality
Works excellently with audiophile headphones
Surprising sound isolation
Cons
Cable can get in the way
Dual 3.5mm input isn't the most versatile
Sound quality
Above all else, the single most important aspect of a microphone is how it sounds, and Meze's Boom Mic proved to be good but not great in my testing.
It provided a clear and mostly clean sound without any adjustments or tweaking, albeit with a little bit of noticeable processing. It deals well with louder noises, with no loss in quality or distortion, but it did struggle a little bit to pick up my voice when I was speaking a bit quieter than usual. This could be due to the length of the gooseneck mic arm, which was quite short for me, so it might not be as much of an issue for someone else.
Where I was impressed was with the sound isolation, as it did an excellent job of blocking out noises beyond the immediate range despite being an omnidirectional mic, as I wasn't able to hear any nearby talking in tests that I conducted. I'm not sure how capable it would be with a super clicky keyboard or something like music in the background, but it performed above my expectations.
Ultimately though, the quality on offer here is more than good enough for both gaming and video calls, as your teammates will be able to hear you clearly and precisely and you'll be able to reap the benefits of an audiophile headphone too. I can imagine that it would struggle with any tasks beyond this though, especially if you move into voiceovers or perhaps even streaming, and you might instead want to opt for a dedicated XLR microphone.
Comfort & build
While the length of the cable is fantastic - as is the control clip that merges the two inputs, providing a quick mute or volume adjustment - I wasn't particularly a fan of the cable itself. It's heavy, rather rigid, and has a tendency to feel like it's in the way compared to the more sleek and premium braided option that you get with something like the 99 Classics.
It's perhaps harsh to put this cable side to side with wireless options, especially when either one has its benefits and drawbacks, but this cable did start to feel cumbersome when gaming compared to the complete freedom that you get from a wireless solution. It's definitely a 'compromise' worth considering when paired with the immense benefits of an audiophile headphone, but I feel like a lighter, more flexible cable would have been far nicer.
What you certainly can't fault the Boom Mic for is its range of compatibility options, as you can use it with just about anything that has a 3.5mm jack. That includes all of your major consoles (of which Meze lovingly also include the Vita for some reason!) alongside your PC, smartphone, and everything else.
This ease of use is a highlight of the product, as you can use it almost everywhere with almost everything, giving you complete freedom and persistent quality no matter what. While it's obviously designed for Meze's own lineup of headphones first, you can still use this with any other dual mono 3.5mm input device, giving you freedom on that end too.
The Verdict
Ultimately the Meze Boom Mic is a great option that's capable of transforming an audiophile-grade headphone into the complete gaming package. It does have its drawbacks, and you won't quite reach the quality needed for anything serious production-wise, but it'll work excellently when chatting to your friends either in a meeting or in a match.
4/5
Review unit provided by the manufacturer. GGRecon uses affiliate links, if you purchase any products from our links we may earn a commission.
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