FIFINE AmpliTank Tank2 USB/XLR Dynamic Microphone

Another mic again. I had been overwhelmed by the existing choices of FIFINE, and it has just become even more bewildering now! Or does it? Not really if you would like to follow our purchase guide to walk you through.

In the category of USB/XLR dynamic microphone, you buy the AmpliGame AM8 for its distinctive look (at least quite unique before others follow suit) and bass-heavy coloration to dampen the background sound, both of which characteristics work wonders in gaming or even getting started to stream. But for the same look reason, it could also be rather unconventional to use such a mic for your podcast show, despite the sound seeming to be just tuned for it. In the context of appearance and sound balance, the K688 is pretty ideal for some serious production. It even adds slight brightness to make the audio less woolly, which makes it also good for voice-over. But you could just realize that it doesn’t come with any kind of stand to kick-start after taking it right out of the box. The bundle version K688CT is a mic with a boom arm, but it also climbs up the budget ladder. The mic arm stand could be a potential issue for making eye contact if you’re not podcasting alone. For a similar reason, you could easily rule out the Tank3 for more sparkles in the highs, and even a higher price tag, and still not accessories to hold it up. In a nutshell, the reason why you should consider the Tank2 is the warmth and depth, is the traditional look of it, and the included height-adjustable stand to sit between the AmpliGame AM8 and K688.

If the above introduction helps you sort them out, let’s dig deeper into what Tank2 can help your podcast episode. The audio speaks for itself; thus, the sound quality should come first. Unlike the well-known or just classic models out there, like the Shure SM58 or Audio-Technica ATR2100, it leans more towards the lows to make itself less subject to background and also a warmer mic to reproduce more pleasant and less fatiguing spoken words. If you’re a gamer who does a lot of communication on Discord or party chat, or a streamer who just started your career with some live on Twitch, does this sound character ring a bell with you? Not just for podcast hosts, but for those who get complaints from teammates about the overwhelming background or who have little engagement from the audience because the audio is not pleasant or radio-like enough. One of the best background rejections among FIFINE’s models isn’t due to the tone alone, but also how concentrated it is to pick up only the sound source when it’s pointing towards the users.      

It could sound muddled for some users’ preferences, but it doesn’t come close to losing all the top-end details to become just boomy all over the place. Actually, it does a quite nice job at the mids with a full body, which makes it double down on reproducing the radio sound. But also because of the amount of lows and mids, you may want to be a bit more careful about the speaking range to avoid the proximity effect getting noticeable.

And the fix can be found just inside the package. With the included height-adjustable stand, you can keep the mic not only within a suitable talking distance but also at a consistent use angle. It’s not the cure for handling noise, but with the mic clip, it secures the Tank2 in place so you’re less likely to hold it without awareness. With the two-stage built-in extending telescope tube, the stand can go up to 8.2 inches, which could just be the perfect height for sitting in front of the desk so you don’t have to lean forward to use the mic for recording podcasts or streaming games. Basically, what the included desktop stand provides is the precise positioning. Once you set it, then you barely touch it again, which could be a plus or a downside compared to boom arms, depending on how you use it. Another difference that you can tell from the first glance is the space that they take up, but the redeeming feature is that you don’t have to worry about whether your desk will fit the clamp or you have to drill a hole for the boom arm. Besides, because of the flexibility to install, extend, and retract, you never think about taking a boom arm out, but a portable desktop stand could easily be your first choice when recording on the go.  

Back to the mic itself, an on/off switch for live or on-stage performance is something that you don’t find on a K688, Tank3, or AM8, or any of FIFINE’s wired microphones. If you may only use it in your home studio for podcasting or streaming, it still serves well as a physical mute. And the ease of use keeps on coming. The USB/XLR dual connectivity promises plug-and-play now and audio upgrade in the future, or guarantees a backup track for your podcast episode or good sound on both gaming and streaming computers. Or even recording on a smartphone because of the two-in-one USB cable, which can be type-C to type-C or type-C to type-A. If these types of handheld mics are built for recording in the first place, how can they come without a live-monitoring 3.5mm jack? Although the mic is slim in shape, it doesn’t skimp on performance, not even on the output part. The high-z headphones aren’t supported, but for those 32 or 64 ohm headphones, you’re hearing clearer mic audio with much less monitoring noise compared to other handheld USB mics.  

Specifications