the t.bone SC 500 USB

I purchased the t.bone SC 500 USB for recording audio and video primarily at my desk, as well as for using with web meetings (Zoom, Jitsi etc). The microphone excels in these uses, with excellent clarity and fidelity, as well as confidence-inspiring solidity. I am very pleased with the purchase so far.

The SC 500 USB incorporates a built-in USB sound interface, which is identified on my Linux system as "C-Media Electronics, Inc. Thomann SC 500 USB Microphone". I did have some initial issues with recordings being significantly speeded up and playback slowed - this seems to have been related to plugging the mic into a USB 3.0 hub. Plugging it into a USB 2.0 hub fully resolved the issue (I'm using Kubuntu 20.04). The mic has a headphone jack on its base, which can be used for monitoring the mic but is also a full audio out for your PC.

With cheaper sound interfaces I have often been plagued with irritating interference noise, both on recording and playback - but I am delighted that there was none of that with the SC 500 USB. The mic only pics up sounds actually in the room. The selection of multiple pickup patterns (stereo, omni, cardioid, figure 8) is useful - I've found cardioid to be best.

The supplied stand is not bad at all - very solid, and position just behind my keyboard picked up my vocals just fine. However, the mic really shines when you get your mouth up close to it, which isn't particularly natural with the supplied stand, which isn't height-adjustable. I picked up a cheap desktop clamp boom arm, which works really well, and helps me get the most out of the mic.

The body of the mic is substantial, solid, and feels very well-made. It's and attractive piece of kit, so if it ends up on your live streams it looks the part. The mic includes 'onboard' physical knobs for controlling mic gain, headphone loudness, pickup pattern as well as a mute button - all very easy to work with.

Overall tha SC 500 USB reflects thoughtful design and a commitment to quality. It is ideal for desktop use, and produces impressive-quality recordings, especially at this price point. Highly recommended.