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[Manfred]

I would like to optimize my HIFI gear with speaker/room correction.

I looked at amazon for a calibrated usb microphone. There are in the price range from a few € to several 100 €. Any advise what to buy?

Thank you very much for your help! 

[mwillems]

For usb mics I've had good success with this model: http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-umm-6-usb-measurement-microphone--390-808

Be aware that for certain kinds of timing measurements a USB mic will have certain limitations (because you can't use the same master clock for input and output), but if you don't already have an audio device with a phantom-powered microphone input a USB mic will be much less expensive than buying both a phantom-powered mic and a new audio interface.

If you want to spend more there are other/better options as well, but this one is a relatively solid calibrated mic.

[Manfred]

Thanks mwilliams for your reply.

If the mainboard mic out is not phantom-powered I don't have an audio device with a phantom-powered microphone.

I have never used a mic for private use.

What are the other/better options? (My Environment is MC 21 HTPC + Devialet D-200+ B&W 804S)

[mwillems]

Thanks mwilliams for your reply.

If the mainboard mic out is not phantom-powered I don't have an audio device with a phantom-powered microphone.

I have never used a mic for private use.

What are the other/better options? (My Environment is MC 21 HTPC + Devialet D-200+ B&W 804S)

Motherboards don't provide the kind of phantom power you need for a measurement mic, so USB is probably the better choice. 

Another more expensive USB option is the Omnimic: http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-omnimic-v2-computer-based-precision-room-measurement-system--390-792 

The physical mic itself is not dramatically different than the umm-6, but the packaged software and the quality of the calibration are much better.

[mattkhan]

I guess you're in Europe, in which case

http://www.isemcon.net/ashop/index.php?cPath=2_3 for phantom powered mics (the ECM 8000 will do the job or http://www.audiovero.de/en/microphone.php might be cheaper, both are in Germany)

http://www.homestudio.nl/meetmicrofoons/minidsp-umik-1-meetmicrofoon-voor-dirac-live-rcs.html for a minidsp UMIK-1 which is a v widely used usb mic

[Manfred]

Yes, I am from Germany Thank you!

[Hendrik]

I got a calibrated ECM8000 from iSEMcon, working fine!
But I have a USB audio interface with proper phantom power, so if you dont have that, an USB version might be best.

[natehansen66]

Whatever you decide to go with make sure it's calibrated. In the US the Dayton brand mic factory calibration has been known to be off, so you might want to get a mic calibrated by a third party. I always recommend a phantom power mic plus mic pre.........just in case you fall down the rabbit hole and need that capability 

[millst]

For simplicity, it's hard to beat a USB mic and that's probably the best route unless you think you'll need to time-align speaker drivers or something else complex.

CSS provides individually calibrated microphones for a reasonable price:

http://cross-spectrum.com/measurement/calibrated_umik.html

-tm