Thank you Antlion Audio for sending us this ModMic 2 Uni to review!

Many years ago, when the site was much younger, I remember wanting to add a microphone to my at the time budding audiophile headphone collection. While I'm pretty sure I rarely use that particular headphone anymore, I do recall reading way back when that the Antlion ModMic was the best attachable mic you could add to your existing headphones. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the budget for it and settled on a $20 clip-on mic. It did the job, but wasn’t anything special. These many years later, Antlion sent us their new ModMic 2 for review. Now that I've finally heard it, I wish I would've splurged for one way back then. These really are worth the extra money - they sound far better than I expected, and shockingly close to my XLR microphone.

At that time, all I really needed a mic for was gaming with my friends online, or the occasional voice chat. Ironically, I rarely do online games these days like I did then. I do stream games a lot, since this ministry has an active Twitch and YouTube channel. In that case, having a good microphone is far more important, arguably moreso than most other common use cases.  You can hear the microphone in action in the Stream below:

Since the early days of our channel, we have over time been upgrading our equipment in an effort to improve the experience of our viewers. These improvements have varied from the various microphones we’ve been sent to review, to even purchasing our own Focusrite Scarlet Solo’s, so we can use XLR microphones. My main setup is that Focusrite along with the Neat King Bee II I reviewed a while back; it’s a fantastic-sounding microphone, and one I recommend to anyone looking for something that sounds broadcast quality. If you don’t have that kind of budget or space, this Antlion ModMic 2 sounds shockingly close for a fraction of the price.

Most broadcast-style microphones connect to a boom arm of some kind, since the mics themselves take up a fair amount of desk space otherwise. Many mics sound their best close to your mouth, so the arms hold them in a comfortable position so you can speak into them naturally. The downside to this approach is you can’t move very much, because if you lean back, the mic will have a hard time picking you up so much farther away. There are several ways to solve this problem; some use lapel mics, for example. But what Antlion does is assume that most gamers probably wear headphones when they are playing games. And generally, that’s pretty accurate. So, why not take advantage of that by mounting the microphone there?

Of course gaming headsets have been doing that for a long time, so the idea isn’t entirely new. However, you are then stuck using whatever headphone and mic they provide. While some are pretty decent, what if you have a headphone that you absolutely love, but want a high-quality microphone to go with it? Enter the ModMic.

When I first received the ModMic Uni 2, the packaging didn’t seem like much. When I opened it, I realized that it was all neatly packaged inside of a really high-quality hardshell case, with fabric inside and a rubber outside with a nice zipper holding it together. Antlion’s branding is prominently embedded into the case shell and fabric, making it soft to the touch inside and out. When you open the case, you see the microphone itself tucked into one side, with the wiring and the accessories all bundled on the other. It’s actually a surprisingly compact yet smart way to not only ship everything to you, but also to keep it packed away. If you like to take your gaming or even streaming stuff with you when you travel, this ModMic is an excellent way to do this, and the case is small enough to not take up much space in most laptop bags.

The mic itself is on the simple side. On the business end, there is the microphone capsule, covered by a pop filter out of the box. There is a plastic cylinder that binds the capsule to the cable, and on one side there is a microphone icon. This icon should be pointed directly at the user’s mouth; if not, it will sound much worse. From there is a rubber-covered section about four inches long, which is meant to be bent in any way the user needs. Near the back of this section is the ModMic patented clasp system; more on this later. Then there is a sharp up then down zig-zag, and the connection point for the cable that leads to the 3.5mm audio jack on the other end. The cable itself is nothing special, as it’s just rubber coated, and is two meters long. Thankfully there is an included velcro strap to make wrangling that long cable easy.

The ModMic patented clasp is certainly unique. While you might expect the microphone to just attach via some type of glue or even velcro, it doesn’t. Included in each box is two circular dots, around a half-inch in diameter. The dot is certainly funny looking, with adhesive tape on one side, and a central magnet with four triangular spikes on the other. The other side of the clasp is a screw-on attachment that grips the rubber coating of the mic arm tightly, and after that, has a similar magnet with four spikes on that side, also. The two magnets are attracted to each other, giving the mic arm a solid hold onto the circular dot, which is meant to be attached to your headphone via the included sticky tape.

I attached the clasp via the built-in glue sticker to my modded to kingdom come Fostex T50RP Mk3, and it works like a charm. The glue makes a solid connection, and while the mic can fall off if knocked or pulled, it’s generally strong enough to keep it in place most of the time. You can also flip it up vertically if you want to get it out of the way to say grab a bite to eat or drink something. You can also just quickly put it on your desk if you really want it out of the way. It’s a good system. You can also purchase more in packs of three for a very reasonable price. However...

If you're like me and 'reasonably priced' isn't good enough, you like to tinker, or you like to have alternatives just in case you're far from a store that sells Antlion parts and need something now, this intrepid reviewer and modder's got your back! You see, I am one who rarely likes to leave things well enough alone. Remember how I modded my T50RP Mk3? Yeah, I’m a little crazy. So, I just had to find an alternative to buying more clasps. Here’s what I figured out.

I first want to let you know that I tried velcro (aka hook and loop) circles that I already have, and sadly that does not work. There isn’t enough strength in the hook and loop fasteners to keep the microphone in place; it’ll just fall off. However, another similar fastener does exist that promises a grip strength of around ten pounds. You can buy it at most local stores that sell household items, including the most common nationwide chains. I’ve used this alternative fastener for years, and it doesn’t get enough love: 3M Dual Lock. (It’s also branded Scotch.) It comes in one inch rolls or strips, and can easily be cut with scissors. It has really strong adhesive on it, and it stays in place well. You can certainly peel it off, but the glue is probably the same stuff Antlion uses, since their glue stickers are also 3M branded.

What I did was take a strip (or roll, but I found strips at my local store) and cut out a bunch of half-inch by half-inch squares. I then took the sacrificial ModMic clasp, and stuck one of the squares there. Then I taped one of the squares onto some of my other headphones (I have way more than the two included in the box). Then, you can press the magnetic clasp onto any headphone you like that has the little square on it, and use that same clasp anywhere. I really don’t intend to cost Antlion money in accessory sales, but this trick is just too good, and works really well. I tried these little squares on several of my headphones. Several from Koss; both my ESP/95X (electrostatic!) and my Porta Pros (tiny and portable!) got the dual lock square treatment. It’s especially hilarious seeing this huge mic hanging off of a Porta Pro – and it staying attached. I also added one to my Monoprice M1060, and it worked well there, also.