Customer Reviews

Logitech Wireless Microphone

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I've been waiting for this microphone patiently since it was first announced by Logitech ever so long ago. While the $80 price tag seemed a bit steep, the desire of having a completely wireless RockBand set and $40 in Amazon.com gift cards I earned doing internet surveys made the cost a little more reasonable.

I decided to use Amazon's trade-in service to take care of the remaining $40, and free shipping ultimately made it free, other than the time I used to do the surveys and 5 games that I could care less about. The trade-in service is pretty hassle-free. You select the games that you want to trade, print out the invoice and the paid postage-slip, pack it up, and send it off to process. I took care of all that on Thursday (June 11). They were received, processed, and my account was credited on the following Monday (June 15). I purchased through a Marketplace seller, which saved a little more cash at the cost of a slightly longer time to ship it. The total (with shipping) came to $71.94.

Now on to business... The microphone itself is significantly larger than the normal RockBand microphone. It's closer in length to the SingStar microphone, with a windscreen that is about 1.5 inches in diameter. Despite the increased size, its weight is not that much more than the RockBand mic, and it feels well-balanced once the batteries are in. The remainder of the mic is about the same width as the RockBand mic, so it easily fits into the same clip on my mic stand. The box also includes a wrist strap (mine had 2 actually), which attaches at the bottom near the antenna and should be helpful for preventing accidental drops.

The receiver also acts as a miniature stand for storing purposes, and it comes with a fairly long cord. Excess cord can be wrapped around the bottom of the stand, which helps counterbalance the mic when it is set on it. I had hoped that it would also be used to charge internal batteries within the mic as well, unfortunately it runs off of two standard AA batteries instead. The booklet claims a battery life of up to 20 hours, so battery changes should not be too frequent at least. I installed some of those fancy Energizer Advanced batteries (the ones which used to carry DLC codes), so it'll probably last even longer.

On my first trial of the mic, I simply fired up RockBand and synced the mic and chose a song. The mic appears to amplify to a higher volume than the standard mic, and its sensitivity was dead-on with the same settings that I'd been using for the RB mic. It had no trouble picking up my voice at all, and I could do percussion sections with a mere tap of the windscreen.

Next, I tried a range test. The booklet claims that it works up to 30 feet, and unfortunately my condo is not large enough for me to get that far away. It could easily pick me up in my tiny backyard, which is at most 25 feet from the PS3. I then tried going upstairs while singing, and got to the furthest point away in the house. It had no trouble picking me up through the floor and two walls (door open).

All in all, this is a very fine wireless microphone that requires no modding of any kind. Its price tag is admittedly a bit steep, but I suppose they can get away with that since it is the first quality USB wireless microphone that I know of available in the US. It claims to be compatible with the PS2, PS3, and Xbox 360, and may be used on RB, GH:WT, GH:M, Boogie, Karaoke Revolution, or the Sing It! games. I'd recommend it if anyone wants their RockBand 2 setup to be fully wireless.

Pros:

+ Works on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and Wii games I tried.
+ Also works as a wireless PC microphone.
+ Comes with 2 hand straps.
+ Simple setup.
+ Hollow base allows for cord storage.

Cons:

- Not rechargeable, runs off two AA batteries.
- Sensitive on "Star Power" during Guitar Hero games.
- Wrist strap is not adjustable.
- No support for Singstar games
- The box doesn't mention it supports Wii games?

Well, it's rare these days to find a peripheral that works on multiple game systems, and I'm glad that Logitech has strived to please gamers for the Xbox, Wii, and PlayStation.

To start with, this is a very simple microphone to set up. I uploaded the 4-part instruction booklet that came with the microphone (you can see them under "customer images") and within no time at all I had the batteries in, the wrist strap attached, and was playing several different games on multiple systems.

First, I tried out Karaoke Revolution on my PlayStation 2 slim. It looks like I still have the stuff, since I scored Platinum on my first 2 songs.

The next game I tried was an older game called Life Line, a voice-command game. I thought this game only worked with a USB headset, but I was very pleased to find it worked with this microphone on both my PlayStation 2 slim and my PlayStation 3 systems. My voice commands came through loud and clear.

The last two games I played were Guitar Hero World Tour for the PlayStation 3 and the Wii, and Logitech's microphone worked for both games on both systems. I only played on the medium and hard difficulties, but that was enough for me to see it worked great. I even walked through another room while singing - you know you're using a powerful peripheral when it registers a voice through 6 feet of drywall, wiring and utility pipes.

I personally didn't get to try this microphone on an Xbox, but from other reviewers it seems to work well - so that's 4 separate video game systems this microphone works on, as well as my PC. Not too shabby!

The only cons I found were these:

In the Guitar Hero World Tour games, Star Power for the microphone is activated by either clapping one's hand against the microphone or pressing a controller button. Sometimes my voice would activate Star Power prematurely, and other times when I clapped my hand on the microphone it wouldn't register my singing for a few seconds.

The hand strap couldn't be adjusted - this isn't a huge issue unless you're planning to do stage dives or other acrobatics.

I was baffled by the lack of support on SingStar games - there are more than 30 titles between the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox and the Wii, and it's surprising that such a versatile microphone won't play any of them. To their credit, Logitech did mention that these games are not supported on the back of the box. Hopefully the next Logitech microphone will support these games.

Also, why would Logitech not mention that this microphone also works on the Wii? The box says " For PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 " - that's a very LARGE customer base to ignore.

If you're looking for a microphone that can be used across multiple systems, this is the one to choose.

I received this Microphone in the mail and was eager to try it out on my 360 and laptop. Visually there is nothing special about the microphone; its looks almost identical to the Microphone that was included with Rock Band without the wire of course. However, even though its basic looking it does not look (or feel) cheap. It appears to be sturdy enough to take the occasional drop without it falling apart. From past experiences, I have never had any issues with Logitech products and I suspect this one will be no different. I have tested this with both Rock Band and GH:World tour and no problems with either game. In addition, I have no issues with the microphone cutting out due to interference or being out of range. Range is excellent and I'm able to go to my son's room and still have the mic function just fine.

Other than the steep price, I can't find anything wrong with this microphone. It works flawlessly with my XBOX games (no games to test it on with my PS3) and on my laptop when I use it with my Rosetta Stone software. The best thing about this is that it requires no drivers, all you have to do is plug in the USB transponder to your device and turn the Microphone on and your good to go; the batteries are even included!

The reason it gets 4 stars instead of 5 is the steep price, but if having a wireless mic is THAT important to you, then the price should not be an issue. In either case you should not be disappointed.

Logitech has done it again..this time with a wireless Microphone that is intended to be used with game consoles such as the PS2, PS3, Wii, and the XBox 360. However, it does much more....it works on both PC's and MAC's without any additional software installs. And now for the review:

Box Includes:
Logitech Microphone
2 AA Batteries (Thank you Logitech)
Two nylon hand straps. (use if you need them)
A base with a usb cable that attaches to your console/computer (essentialy the receiver and a stand for the mic).
Manuals (which I didn't even need to use to get started, but did read to see if I was missing anything.)

Xbox360:
**Note, couldn't test on a real game on PS3 since we don't have one, but device was recognized and usable.
XBOX 360: We have rock band for the 360 and my son is an addict when it comes to drumming, guitar strumming etc...he has his sister do the singing via a Logitech wired usb MIC made for the 360. Naturally the wireless model was a welcome change and has a bit more of a professional MIC look and feel. Off they went, tearing the roof off of our home and in the end it seemed that the performance of the microphone was on par with a wired model. In other words their scores were the same....the voice recognition worked as it should in Rockband.

Unfortunately we do not have any other games that can use a MIC, currently...but RockBand is pretty popular around here.

PC/MAC - I am a cross platform user and naturally anything with a USB port has to be tested on my computers...I mean that's what a USB port is for, isn't it? So first I plugged the MIC in to my Windows 7 x64 machine and the drivers installed on their own. I went to the audio section and made sure the MIC was listed, which it was...as a Logitech USB Microphone. I did the usual tests of blowing in the mic, whistling, etc...perfect. More on the test below. Once I was satisfied with the PC I plugged the MIC into my Macbook Pro and voila, detected and installed without issue..same series of tests through the system preferences/sound icon. I am now a happy camper...but I only use a mic on my computers for Skype...so it was time to give it the ultimate test.

I made three lengthy phone calls and clearly explained to the other party that I was testing a wireless MIC and that I would be moving away from my computer at regular intervals. (2 of the 3 calls were on a PC and 1 on the MAC). I basically moved away from the computer at 2ft intervals for a total about 20' and clearly into another room. The callers actually said the voice quality was perfect, in-fact there was no loss in clarity and or volume at any distance. I could get very detailed here...but the summary is that it does work and it works flawlessly. Naturally walking 20ft away from a computer for a phone call is strange since you have to turn the speakers up to hear the other party.

(**The MIC does have a push button on it that acts to power on the device and power it off. It can also be used to pair the mic to the base station should they ever lose connectivity)

Logitech has another stellar product on their hands, and I would not expect it to be any other way. I will be updating the review to inform you of real world battery life. But for the time being this MIC gets a 5/5 in my book for the look, the feel, and the over all quality and compatibility that it offers.

Logitech's new microphone feels very close to a professional wireless mike. It's of the proper shape, weight and well balanced and it should be the better replacement for the lesser microphones you would normally use with games such as Rock Band. Anyone with a gaming console such as PS2, PS3, Xbox or Wii and a 'music' game may find this to be a useful addition to their gaming gear.

The good things about this microphone are:

+ It's wireless with range of about 30 ft.
+ Excellent voice reproduction quality.
+ Professional look, weight and balance
+ Batteries included
+ Goes into sleep mode if not used for about 15 minutes
+ Comes with 2 (TWO) wrist straps
+ Easy pairs with base

However, there's some room for improvement

- Limited scope as it's not recognized by the PS3 outside of specific software packages.
- As far as the 'singing games' are concerned, it is not clear which games are supported on which platform. There is a statement in small print indicating that SingStar games are not supported but I would be more comfortable if the list of supported games was available so one would know before making the purchase.
- The USB wire connects to the base which would make it difficult to have it, let's say on a table. A better solution would have been some 'dongle' plugging into the USB and maybe an independent stand that's just a stand, untethered so that it could be placed anywhere.


MY EXPERIENCE

I only tested the microphone on a PS3 with Rock Band and it performed well. A wireless microphone does enhance the singing experience. I found the quality of the sound to be excellent. The microphone felt good when held and one feels truly free performing without having to worry about tripping on a wire.


EVALUATION AND RATING

While this is truly a quality microphone when used with a compatible 'singing game' Most prospective buyers may not feel comfortable not knowing in advance whether it was going to work with a specific game on a specific platform. Another problem is the 'stand' design. Having it tethered to the game console limits its utility as a stand where the microphone can rest.

I will round up the 3.5 stars to a 4 because of the fun we had while using it on a game that supported mike and we had not bothered with the badly-designed stand.

Note: I only tested this on a PS3 because it was the console on which I had a supported game. I did test on a computer because I couldn't think of any realistic circumstance where I would want to attach this microphone to any of my computers - of which the vast majority (laptops) have microphones and cameras built in already.

We are a rhythm game home. We play Rock Band, we play Guitar Hero, and in the days of olde, we played Karaoke Revolution. This microphone is a bit on the pricy side, but because it works for so many consoles and so many different games, I think the price is worth it, if you want to go wireless.

When we play Rock Band or Guitar Hero, it's usually with a house full of mildly drunk friends, so if there is a sensitivity difference between this microphone and a corded microphone, we couldn't tell the difference. It's nice to have one less cord draped across the living room, but the really great thing about the cordless microphone is I don't have to constantly ask people to not hold the microphone by the cord and swing it around during the lyrically lacking parts of the songs. (Yes, people actually often do this.) Not only was that bad for the microphone, but also bad for my nerves. The lack of an additional cord is especially nice when playing the Beatles Rock Band; it's like a spider web in the house with those three part harmonies. That being said, I don't plan on spending the money for two more of these to become totally lyrically cordless, but the cordless will be the first choice microphone in our house.

Love this mic! We used it to play Rockband on an Xbox 360. Note: This mic does NOT work with a Wii! Microphone uses 2 AA batteries....which are even included! Microphone handle unscrews for battery insertion. It is nice because the batteries add a good weight to the mic, making it feel more professional and substantial in your hand. Set up took 3 seconds, literally plug and play. My friend is an avid Rockband player, and he said this mic was more responsive than his wired mic and had no delay at all. He went down the hallway to see if the receiver would still work, and even at 40 feet away it still worked perfectly with no interference. It's great because there is no cord to be in the way of other people playing with you. In my family, I sit behind and do the singing while my son and husband play guitar and bass. It is so much better to have the wireless so they are not tripping over the mic cord, not to mention it is one less cord to get tangled in the guitar cords, if you have corded guitars. This mic will be perfect for Beatles Rockband where you can use multiple microphones.

I found only a few cons to this product, but they were not major enough to not give it 5 stars. 1. The wrist strap does not tighten. It would be better if it cinched like a Wii remote wrist strap. 2. No directions were in the package even though it claimed there were. No big deal, it is extremely easy to figure out. Put in batteries, plug it in and that's it! 3. It doesn't have any buttons on the mic to control game options, so you still have to use the game controller to change options, join the game, etc. There really is no space on the mic for them to add buttons anyhow because of the twist mechanism for the batteries. My friend's corded mic for the Xbox has controller buttons on it, but we both agreed we like this mic better, so it is worth the sacrifice.

I would highly recommend this, especially if you plan on walking around a lot, (or just get plain crazy when singing,) plan on playing Beatles Rockband with more than one mic, or just want something that feels professional.

I consider myself a fairly proficient audio enthusiast. I spend alot of money on home theater and recording studio gear, all of which is top of the line. I also am an avid Rockband player. I have a pretty precise ear that comes from many hours of singing, playing instruments and tweaking sound in my studio with professional quality equipment. I realize that Rockband is a game and as such I have lower expectations.

When I purchased the Logitech wireless microphone I wanted a simple upgrade to the quality and portability of the stock Rockband microphone. What I received was an inferior piece of garbage.

I did a direct comparison using the Logitech mic and the stock Rockband mic. My methods were sound, I sang the same song with each microphone and I rebooted the console between switching the mics to make sure there were no software issues induced by switching the mics. I also attempted to compensate for the individual mic sensitivity by adjusting the level of the game's settings for mic volume and sensitivity.

Through this testing I found that the Logitech has significantly more lag between inputting sound and hearing output. The lag was so significant that it renders the unit completely unusable for singing in Rockband. I estimate that the lag increase over the stock mic was about 300 ms. This is not acceptable. In addition to the lag, I the mic sounded thinner, harsher and more distorted than the already poor sounding stock microphone.

The only positive was that the device was easy to set up and was indeed wireless. However, I have a wireless stapler that performs as a microphone much better than this Logitech device.

I've had two of these microphones and, after far too many tech support calls to Logitech to try and fix the horrible latency, this is what they told me:

"We haven't gotten a chance to test a wireless Vantage on The Beatles Rockband game."

"If you're encountering latency, it's because it's not compatible with that game."

"The latency problems are between the microphone and the mic stand/USB dongle, there's no way to fix it."

"I would suggest using a Rockband microphone, because the Vantage was designed for chat, not Rockband games."

Now, to contrast all of that, let's all take a look at Amazon's product page for this mic:

"FROM THE MANUFACTURER: (!!!!)
Everybody has an inner rockstar waiting to be set free, and the Logitech Wireless Microphone will help to make it happen. Whether you are jamming out by yourself, or leading your band to greater heights, this high-quality, professionally-styled cordless microphone lets you own the stage."

Please don't buy this microphone. Don't support companies like this.

P.S. if you are someone who can actually detect latency when it's present (I know how snotty that sounds but, let's be honest, we all know a bunch of people who could watch a movie where the soundtrack and the people's lips don't match and the person we know, who's watching it, can't tell that anything's wrong.), you are going to be SUPER bummed when you get this mic. Don't listen to the people who say they have no problem, because I mean, do you REALLY want to chance it? I'm now returning my second one of these microphones, because they both were "defective."

this mic is perfect for Rock Band and Guitar Hero. It works perfectly both in my Wii and PS3 systemas and delivers great sound. I even use it with my computer for skype calls since it has better soiund definition that my webcam mic.
Over all is a great USB wireless mic and has great battery durtation.

Dont hesitate in buying it!