PreSonus Revelator Dynamic Review: A USB Mic That Resists Reverb

PreSonus make some great gear for podcasters. Their near-invincible Audiobox USB 96 and PD70 mic rank up there amongst our favourites. But what if you wanted to opt for a USB mic, as opposed to an XLR mic and audio interface? Well, the PreSonus Revelator Dynamic might be the one for you. Let’s take a closer look.

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What is the PreSonus Revelator Dynamic?

In PreSonus’ own words, “The Revelator Dynamic USB microphone takes the clarity and warmth of our fan-favourite PD-70 microphone and adds easy-to-use, customizable presets to further polish your voice.”

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the Revelator Dynamic is a dynamic mic. Dynamic and condenser are the two main ways mics are built and how they function. The Revelator Dynamic also has a Cardioid polar pattern, which means it’s designed to pick up the voice of one person at any one time.

What’s It Good At?

The Revelator Dynamic is a mic for recording vocals – that could be anything from podcasting and audiobook narration to rapping or singing.

Reducing Background Noise & Reverb

It seems like PreSonus have designed the Revelator Dynamic to address some of the common problems of the podcaster. Two of the biggest are unwanted background noise and reverb.

The mic’s off-axis rejection means that it performs well even in less than ideal conditions. I’d always recommend trying to do your best to create a good sounding recording environment. But getting some extra help from your gear, without reducing the sound quality of your voice, is a big plus here.

So if you’re struggling with the sound of your room, the Revelator Dynamic would make for a good choice. If you’re in a pretty decent environment, though, then you might consider a condenser mic like the PX-1 instead.

Background Noise Vs Hiss

By “background noise” I’m talking about the sounds of life happening around you. With the Revelator Dynamic, your neighbour’s dog and your kid’s annoying singing toy are less likely to find their way into your next podcast episode. But I found the level of hiss was pretty noticeable in my test recordings. To be honest, though, this is my experience with most dynamic mics and definitely isn’t a deal-breaker.

Cost of the PreSonus Dynamic Revelator

At the time of writing, you can pick up one of these mics brand new on Amazon for $200, so a bit more than the AKG Lyra, but a bit less than the Rode Podcaster. Here’s our full USB mics roundup if you’d like to do some more shopping around, too.

Universal Control Software Panel

You have the option to manage your mic from PreSonus’ Universal Control Software panel. This is available as a free download. For what it’s worth, you actually get a free download of their Studio One Artist DAW too, when you register your mic. I use Adobe Audition, myself, and was able to set the UCP up to record into that, instead.

The Universal Control Software is essentially like a digital mixer or interface. You can use or create presets and save them to the mic itself so you can access them at the touch of a button. These presets use EQ and other audio wizardry to liven up your voice.

I didn’t think the default presets sounded very good, or, at least, they didn’t work with my voice at all. With a bit of tweaking and playing around you’d no doubt find a setting that compliments you, though. Personally, I prefer to record voice in as “raw” a state as possible and do any kind of this work in post-production. If you do live podcasting or even gaming, then these might be a lot more appealing to you.

Accessories

The Revelator Dynamic comes with a USB-C cable to plug it into your computering machine. It comes with a decent and robust little desk stand too, so that’ll get you started right out of the box.

Further down the line, you might want to mount it on a mic stand or boom arm. This can improve your mic technique and lessen the risk of unwanted sounds making their way into your audio.

Should I Buy the PreSonus Revelator Dynamic?

At $200, the PreSonus Revelator Dynamic isn’t the cheapest USB mic on the market. If you’re plagued by reverb or a noisy recording environment, though, then it can be a godsend and well worth the money. It’s worth noting that the Shure MV7 performs a similar role, and works in both USB and XLR form, BUT is a bit more expensive.

If your podcasting environment is in decent condition, and you’re looking for some PreSonus kit then you might consider the PX-1 running into an Audiobox USB 96, instead. Remember, you can also shop around some more in our comprehensive Best Podcasting Mics roundup, too!