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These days, it seems every other person is starting a podcast or streaming on Twitch, so it makes sense that more people than ever are buying easy-to-use USB microphones. The Sennheiser Profile USB microphone represents the German audio giant throwing its hat into the proverbial ring with style.

Some of Sennheiser's more expensive microphones are staples of the pro audio world, so it should be a given that the microphone sounds great. What's more important is how easy to use the company has made this microphone, with every feature you need to adjust right there on the body of the microphone.

While Sennheiser needs no introduction in the world of high-end audio, it's not quite familiar a name in the streaming scene. Is the Profile USB microphone the product that will see Sennheiser competing with brands like Blue and Audio-Technica for the streaming and podcast market? Quite possibly.

Sleek Design With a Solid Build

The Sennheiser logo on the Sennheiser Profile USB Mic
Jason Montoya / How-To Geek Jason Montoya / Review Geek Jason Montoya / LifeSavvy
  • Dimensions (microphone): 1.96 x 5.98in (50 x 152mm)
  • Dimensions (boom arm): 30.7in (780 mm) horizontal reach
  • Weight (microphone): 12.34oz (350g)
  • Weight (boom arm): 28.92oz (820g)

The Sennheiser Profile USB microphone is available in two different versions. The Profile Mic by itself ships with a small desktop stand. The Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone Streaming Set is the version we're looking at and ships with a desk-mount boom arm instead of the desk stand.

This is a side-address condenser microphone, meaning you orient it more or less vertically and then speak into the side. On some microphones, it can be difficult to figure out where to speak, but on this mic, the placement of the knobs and button shows you where the front of the microphone is.

Related: What Is an XLR Microphone, And Why Would I Want One?

Many streaming-oriented microphones, even from bigger pro audio brands, tend to be made largely out of plastic. With the Profile USB mic, while there are certainly plastic elements, the majority of the body of the microphone is made from a metal housing. This means that build-wise, it feels closer to a lower-midrange XLR condenser microphone than a cheap plastic USB mic.

The boom arm is also made of sturdy-feeling metal and features self-locking joints. This means that, with a little force, you can adjust the boom arm however you want, but it will stay firmly in place once you're done making adjustments.

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Sennheiser Profile USB Cardioid Condenser Microphone & Table Stand

Don't need a boom arm? Skip it and save some money.

Getting Started With the Sennheiser Profile USB

Wire channel on the Sennheiser Profile USB Mic
Jason Montoya / How-To Geek Jason Montoya / Review Geek Jason Montoya / LifeSavvy

One of the strengths of USB microphones compared to XLR microphones is how easy they are to use. This is especially true with the Profile USB mic.

First, you set up the boom arm by connecting the clamp to your desk or table. Once this is attached, you can slot the boom arm into the clamp. This freely rotates, and there is no way to lock it in place, but in most cases, the easy maneuverability is useful.

The boom arm features a 3/8-inch connector, while the microphone can connect to either 3/8-inch or 5/8-inch stands thanks to an included adapter. You can mount the mic either facing or up or hanging down from the boom arm, but the knobs will be easier to use if it's facing the right way up.

Related: USB vs. XLR Mic: Which Should You Buy?

Now all that's left is to plug in the USB-C cable. If you're using the version with the desk stand, this cable is shorter at just under four feet, but the cable included with the boom arm is nearly 10 feet long. The boom arm also features cable management built into one side, letting you keep the cable neatly out of the way.

The microphone appears to be USB class compliant, as is the case with most USB microphones, which means it should work with Android and iOS/iPadOS in addition to Windows and macOS. That said, it isn't officially supported outside of Windows and macOS, so you're on your own if you want to make it work on other devices.

Key Controls Front and Center

Green led ring around the volume dial on the Sennheiser Profile USB Mic
Jason Montoya / How-To Geek Jason Montoya / Review Geek Jason Montoya / LifeSavvy
  • Ports: USB-C, 3.5mm TRS

Most USB mics require that you download software to control the various features of the microphone. This isn't the case with the Sennheiser Profile. There's no software to download, even if you're looking for it, and this is for a good reason.

Everything you could possibly want to adjust is available right on the front of the microphone. At the very top, you'll see a mute button, which you can enable silently if you're careful. Below the button, you'll find three knobs: a gain knob, a control to blend between direct monitoring the mic and the signal coming from your computer, and a knob to adjust the overall headphone volume. We'll look at how you can use these controls later on in the article.

On the back of the microphone, you'll find the USB-C port to connect to your computer, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack to plug headphones directly into the mic.

Top-Tier Sound Quality in a USB Mic

Front of the Sennheiser Profile USB Mic showing the dials, power button, and cable channel in the arm
Jason Montoya / How-To Geek Jason Montoya / Review Geek Jason Montoya / LifeSavvy
  • Pickup pattern: Cardioid
  • Frequency range: 20Hz - 20kHz
  • Sampling rates: 44.1kHz, 48kHz

Like the vast majority of USB microphones, the Profile USB is a condenser microphone. This means that, compared to alternatives like dynamic microphones, it's more sensitive. This is great for picking up your voice, but it means that it can pick up background noise more than some other types of microphones.

The Profile features a relatively standard frequency range of 20Hz to 20KHz and records with a sample rate of 44.1kHz to 48kHz and a bit-depth of either 16-bit or 24-bit. This isn't as high a resolution as you might want for some recordings, but considering that the standard for HD video is 48kHz/24-bit, this will work for most common use cases.

Related: Beyerdynamic M 70 PRO X Review: A Great Mic For Podcasters and Streamers

Sennheiser has been in the microphone business for years, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the Profile sounds great. As long as you don't crank the gain too far (the LED helps here by going from green to yellow when the signal is too loud), you'll get a quality recording.

If you're in a louder environment, you can move closer to the microphone, but this will increase the proximity effect, adding more bass frequencies to your voice. This won't cancel out background noise either---it just makes your voice louder.

The Sennheiser Profile USB microphone has some built-in DSP that slightly massages your voice's tone for a better recording. It would be nice if this was adjustable or if you could turn it on and off, at the very least. The good news is this never felt heavy-handed or ruined a recording.

Microphone Audio Sample

Solid Monitoring Options

Sennheiser Profile USB Mic on a desk with an led keyboard and a How-To Geek desk mat
Jason Montoya / How-To Geek Jason Montoya / Review Geek Jason Montoya / LifeSavvy
  • Minimum output impedance: 16 Ohms
  • Frequency range: 20Hz to 18.5kHz

Monitoring through a computer can mean latency, so the Sennheiser Profile, like many USB microphones, puts a headphone jack on the microphone for zero-latency monitoring. This is a relatively inexpensive 16 Ohm headphone amplifier, but it was enough to adequately power my Sennheiser HD 650 headphones.

The blend control on the microphone lets you adjust between hearing your own voice and audio from your computer. This could be game audio if you're streaming or guest audio if you're doing a podcast. This can introduce some latency with your own voice, but you can always mute yourself in the software you use and use the onboard monitoring to hear yourself.

Testing with multiple headphones, there was a slight hiss present in the headphone amp, especially with the volume turned up. This isn't coming from the microphone preamp, so it isn't present in the recorded or streamed audio coming from the microphone.

Should You Buy the Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone?

Perhaps it shouldn't come as a surprise, but the Sennheiser Profile USB microphone absolutely nails the audio quality, and the onboard controls mean no worrying about apps. Even better, the boom arm is well constructed and features impressive cable management without interfering with the minimalist look.

The only extra really missing here is a pop filter. These are cheap, and you'll often find them included in other similar USB microphones, so it would have been nice to see one included here. That said, picking up a pop filter on your own shouldn't cost you more than $20.

The Sennheiser Profile USB offers some of the best sound quality you'll find in this price range. For a meaningful upgrade, you'd likely need to opt for an XLR microphone as well as an audio interface. In most cases, you'll be more than happy with the results you get from this microphone.

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Sennheiser Profile USB

Pros
  • Natural sounding voice capture
  • Onboard controls are exactly what you need
  • Boom arm is high quality
  • Easy to set up and start using
Cons
  • No pop filter included
  • No software included