So maybe you just got yourself a sweet new box speaker. The JBL party box 320, JBL Partybox 520 or the Sony ULT Tower 9 are all great options. But now you’re looking for a microphone to use with these speakers cause these are really great for karaoke with friends. So today we’re going to compare the JBL Partybox Microphones with the Sony ULT Power Mics and we’re going to see which one is right for you. And lets see how both of these wireless options compare to a standard wired mic.
So first theres pricing. Now for comparison sake your standard wired mic is going to retail for $20 and it gets the job done, where as the Sony ULT power Mic system retails for $150 and the JBL Partybox Mic system retails for $170 now. Now if you want to pick any of these microphones up they’ll be linked down below, or you can always press on the YouTube shopping button, and if you want to further support the channel, then go watch the related videos linked in the description below.
Now first we’re going to get our baseline, this is your standard wired mic that just plugs into your speaker’s 3 quarter inch input. Now this mic has a cardioid pick up pattern which means its going to mainly pick up sound from the top… but its not going to pick up too much sound from the sides. Overall this microphone sounds good, however since this is a more affordable mic, there are two big drawbacks. First off this mic picks up a lot of tapping noise when you’re just handling this mic… and since this mic does have a wire, all of that noise is going to get transferred into the mic as well… but also you do have to be careful when you’re popping your P’s.
But then heres the JBL Partybox Mic, and overall I feel that this mic sounds a lot better. First off this microphone just sounds louder, which I really like, but also this mic has a tighter cardioid pick up pattern, so its going to do an even better job of just picking up your voice and rejecting noise pollution. But another thing that I really like about this mic is that it does a really good job of not picking up as much noise pollution when you’re just handling this mic, and this mic also does a better job of preventing any popping sound when you’re saying your P’s.
Cause heres Sony’s ULT wireless mics, and right off the bat you’ll notice that this mic doesn’t sound as loud as the JBL even though both of these mics are connected to the same speaker and they’re set at the same gain… but it does sound more natural, cause the JBL does lean towards a brighter sound signature. However I feel that this mic performs very similar to your standard wired mic, it has a cardioid pick up pattern, but its not as tight as the JBL… and this mic does pick up a noticeable amount of noise when you’re handling this mic… and you do have to be carful when you’re saying your P’s.
So plainly said, I do think JBL’s wireless mics sounds better than Sony’s mic… however since the JBL’s cardioid pick up pattern is so tight, if two people are trying to sing into the same mic, one person is going to be more prominent than the other, where as with the Sony, since its pickup pattern is a little looser, I feel that two people will be able to easily share each mic.
Now with both JBL’s and Sony wireless Mic systems you get a receiver that can be plugged into any speaker or mixer that has a 3 quarter inch input, and each system comes with two wireless mics. And all of these microphones and both receivers charge via a USB C port, which is great. And the mics from both Sony and JBL have an advertised battery life of 20 hours, which is going to be more than enough for multiple karaoke sessions.
However, something that drives me crazy about JBL’s system is that the receiver has a 12 hour battery life, where as Sony’s larger receiver has a 20 hour battery life matching the microphones themselves. So with the JBL’s sometimes when you’re using your mics, your receiver will run out of battery. But the good thing about all of these mics and receivers is that you can use them while they are chargning.
Another thing that really drives me crazy about JBL’s mics is that its too easy to accidentally press the power button and turn off the mics. And this is super annoying cause whenever you have your nontechnical friends or family doing karaoke I guarantee you that they are going to turn off the mics and they are going to cry and say that something it broken.
Where as with Sony’s power button, its much harder to accidentally turn off your mic cause you have to press much harder and you have to press and hold. So with JBL’s I really wish that their button wasn’t so easy to press, and if you’re planning on letting nontechnical friends and family use your mics… I would actually recommend the Sony over the JBL cause of the power button. Trust me.
But something that I don’t like about Sony’s mic is that this mic is too round, so whenever you place it on a table, or more realistically, when your friends and family place your mic on the table, this mic is just going to roll around on the table and fall off. Where as with JBL’s mics, these have built in rubber stoppers, so they aren’t going to roll around on the table to easily.
So overall, sound quality wise, JBL’s Partybox Mics sound better than both your standard wired mic and Sony’s ULT Mics cause this mic sounds louder, they do a good job of focusing on your voice, they don’t pick up too much noise when you’re handling this mic, and they also do a really good job of not popping when you’re saying your P’s cause they have a good built in pop filter.
However I don’t like that JBL’s Mics have a 20 hour battery life, and the receiver only has a 12 hour battery life, and I don’t like that its too easy to press the power button on these mics, cause your friends and family will constantly turn them on and off without knowing especially when they’re having a good time, which is going to end up being more work for you.
Where as with Sony’s microphones, since this power button is harder to press and you have to press and hold, your guests wont accidentally power these mics on and off when they’re having a good time. Plus both the mics and the receiver have a 20 hour battery life. I think both mic systems are good, but they do have their differences. JBL’s mics sound better, but Sony’s mics are more affordable and they a more fool proof to use.