Neat King Bee II Review
Neat King Bee II
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Neat, a brand founded by the minds behind the Blue microphones, keeps looking to push the envelope when it comes to microphone technology. To this end, Neat has released the King Bee II, a microphone that is designed for everything from vocal recording, podcasting, streaming, and gaming alike. While this may sound quite impressive, some may begin to wonder if it becomes a simple case of trying to do too many things and not successfully doing any of them. Can the King Bee II manage a flexible profile or will it be indistinguishable from its predecessors? Let’s dive right in and take a closer look!
The King Bee II is one of the best out-of-the-box products I have had the pleasure of reviewing. It is provided complete with a shock mount and a pop filter and is both stylish and functional. The Honeycomb pattern over the pop filter invites a strong connection to its namesake, and the almost full-circle shock mount looks quite sharp.
There was an intentional decision to make this microphone XLR only, meaning that PC users without a mixer may be left looking for an adapter. This decision, as mentioned, was a deliberate one to avoid degradation of audio fidelity in favour of compatibility. This, honestly, was a bit frustrating at first, as I was one without such an adapter and needed to go grab one to test it properly. However, I did eventually opt for an audio mixer which I have absolutely zero regrets about.
Hands-down, the sound quality provided by this microphone was shocking. I have never appreciated the sound of my own voice, but after listening to my recordings during testing, it became clear that somehow, this microphone not only captured the essence of my voice but it actually improved it. The richness and depth of the audio captured by this microphone was a treat to experience. Even when on conference calls and gaming with friends people were complimenting me on the quality of my sound and more than once they asked which mic I was using.
The screw on the bottom of this mic is a standard boom-arm thread that is very solid and allows for versatile mounting to accommodate any setup. The pop filter and shock mount both significantly minimize any interference offered by the world around you while you are using the King Bee II and offer a complete package right out of the box. It is quite clear that this product was developed by people who have great understanding about the world of sound, and a passion for what they do.
Overall, the King Bee II is the most impressive and professional microphone I have ever used. With the slight exception of the lack of compatibility, which is admittedly a choice for maintaining high audio fidelity, there is nothing I can find to fault the King Bee II on. Truly, if you are in the market for an XLR microphone, look no further than Neat’s King Bee II.
Learn more about the King Bee II here: https://www.neatmic.com/bee/king-bee-ii-microphone/