iCON C1 Pro — a professional handheld condenser microphone

We recently reviewed the interesting iCON C1 handheld condenser microphone, which works with only +5 V phantom power. For mixers and professional recording interfaces with +48 V phantom power, the manufacturer offers the iCON C1 Pro. At first, we thought the microphones were the same, because their housings look similar. However, the C1 Pro has different electronics, a different capsule, and a different sound. The changes are for the better. We also confirmed that the Pro model does not work with +5 V.

The housing is all metal. It looks strong and well made. The matte finish keeps the microphone from slipping in the hand. The nut-shaped ring on the grille stops the microphone from rolling when placed on a surface.

iCON C1 Pro specifications

Capsule	25 mm condenser
Polar pattern	Cardioid
Frequency range	20 Hz–20 kHz
Sensitivity	-33 dB/Pa
Nominal impedance	1000 ohms
SPL	132 dB
Signal-to-noise ratio	82 dB
Dynamic range	128 dB
Supply voltage	+48 (±4) V
Weight	260 g
Package contents	Stand shock mount, foam windscreen

The iCON C1 Pro differs from the iCON C1 in every specification. It has a wider frequency range and lower self-noise. Once again, we would like an inexpensive cable to be included, but its absence is not a serious problem.

The package includes a stand shock mount and a foam windscreen. The shock mount is a standard type for pencil microphones such as the Neumann KM series. The relatively narrow handle of the iCON C1 Pro fits this mount well. The microphone does not have to be held all the time: it can be mounted on a stand and even used to record an instrument.

The iCON C1 Pro also comes with a storage and carrying pouch. The package is well equipped. The all-metal housing is strong and reliable in use. The narrower handle is designed to fit the supplied shock mount.

The gold-sputtered 25 mm capsule is a large-diaphragm true condenser design. A rubber holder and a foam pad isolate the capsule from the housing, preventing handling noise from entering the useful signal. Foam under the removable grille protects against wind and breath noise. For outdoor recording, it makes sense to add the supplied foam windscreen.

To test sound quality, we connected and recorded both the iCON C1 Pro and the iCON C1. The sound difference is fairly large. The basic iCON C1 has a fixed hardware low-cut filter that removes low frequencies. The iCON C1 Pro records the full range from 20 Hz. Both microphones offer high sound quality, but we preferred the C1 Pro.

Both models sound much better than inexpensive 16 mm condenser microphones or USB microphones at a similar price. The difference in connection requirements is important. The iCON C1 Pro needs +48 V phantom power, while the basic iCON C1 can connect to an ordinary gaming sound card or to the built-in audio of a desktop or laptop PC.

Conclusions

Our tests show that the iCON C1 Pro is an excellent affordable condenser microphone with a large 25 mm capsule and a good set of accessories. We strongly recommend it to owners of professional audio interfaces, mixers, and preamps.

Note. This is an adapted machine translation into English. It follows the “In simple terms” approach. Read the original article at https://prosound.ixbt.com/microphones/icon-c1pro.shtml.