MXL 992

This is the MXL 992. It’s a fairly large microphone, although not as large as the MXL 960 shown below. Nonetheless, I would suggest it be mounted on a secure stand with a low center of gravity. The 992 comes supplied with a shock mount, which will also work with the MXL 990; however, the shock mount that comes with the 990 shouldn’t be used with the 992, as the width of the band on the 990 shock mount is not wide enough to properly secure the 992. It also comes with a nice case for transporting and storing the mic.

The MXL 992 comes with 10db pad for handling instruments with high SPL’s and a low-cut switch to mitigate proximity effect on close-in vocals.

The 992 has sonic qualities that are similar to the 990, but with a more robust bottom end. This may be due, in part, to the larger capsule of the 992. Overall, I like this microphone and would not hesitate to use it for any application where I would use the MXL 990. Plus, I would be more inclined to use this mic on horns such as tenor or baritone sax than the MXL 990.

The MXL 992 also seems to have a respectable level of transient response, so I would consider using this microphone on piano, although it might not be my first choice for strings. I feel the MXL 603S is more suited for this purpose.

Update 1/17/2010: Like the MXL 603’s I tested two MXL 992’s with the same 1898-vintage Sohmer upright piano. The only difference I noticed is that the 992 sounds more robust in the bass register. Plus, I noticed a slight emphasis in the midrange frequencies as compared to the 603’s. Because of the more robust lower frequency response, I might be more inclined to use the 992’s on a concert grand piano. I would classify this preference as only a matter of personal taste as both the 603 and 992 sound very good on piano in general.