There are few microphones on the market as affordable as those produced by Neewer.
If you’re looking for a capable mic for recording voice or singing, then you’ve probably stumbled across one, if not both of the NW 700 and the NW 800.
And, no doubt, you’re riddled with questions:
- Are these mics any good?
- Is there a difference between the two models?
- Should I splash my cash on either of them?
We’re going to analyze 9 different aspects of these two mics from Neewer, to help you answer these burning questions.
Here’s what we’ll cover in this Neewer NW 700 vs Neewer NW 800 comparison:
- Microphone design
- Polar pattern
- Frequency response
- Build quality
- Accessories
- Size & weight
- Warranty & guarantee
- Price & Value For Money
- Pros & Cons
Ready? Let’s get started…
Which One Are YOU Leaning Towards?
Table of Contents
30-Second Summary: Neewer NW 700 vs Neewer NW 800
So when it comes down to Neewer NW 700 vs Neewer NW 800, which one should you choose? Here’s a quick overview:
- Go for Neewer NW 700 if you need a cheap and cheerful solution that gives you an all-in-one recording package, including a pop filter and boom arm stand.
- Go for Neewer NW 800 if you already have a mic stand and pop filter, and your budget is limited, or if you want a microphone that is more sensitive in the high end of the frequency spectrum.
1. Microphone design: Neewer NW 700 vs Neewer NW 800
Microphone design: Neewer NW 700
A surface look at the NW 700 tells you this is a pretty standard front-address vocal mic, and that it’s probably a condenser mic.
The literature seems to back that claim up, but here’s the thing:
The NW 700 isn’t a true condenser mic.
Actually, it’s an electret condenser, which is basically a cheap and easily manufacturable version of the condenser capsule, not all that different from what you’d find in your iPhone or in a cheap karaoke mic.
Does that mean it’s a piece of crap? No, not exactly. But it’s worth putting the right terminology on the table before we move forward.
Microphone design: Neewer NW 800
The same goes for the NW 800. If you crack this baby open, you won’t find a true condenser capsule.
That’s why you can use either of the microphones without phantom power. The manufacturer’s specifications say that it sounds better with phantom power, which tells you that you don’t actually need it.
True condenser mics need phantom power to run, so that’s a dead giveaway.
You’ll also notice that the NW 800 is only 15cm or so in length (where most condenser mics are a good 20cm plus in length), which tells you that the capsule inside is probably a compact electret style one.
Microphone design: Bottom Line
Okay, so I’m not necessarily saying that these should be avoided because they are electret condensers. I’m just saying that you need to know what you’re buying.
These microphones are like $30, not $300, or even $3000, which is what most professional condensers cost.
The bottom line, though, is that neither the NW 700 nor NW 800 is going to embody audio quality that is significantly better than the mic in your phone or Bluetooth headset.
With that in mind, this one’s a tie.
Microphone design Winner: Tie
2. Polar pattern: Neewer NW 700 vs Neewer NW 800
Polar pattern: Neewer NW 700
The specifications from Neewer say that the NW 700’s polar pattern is a cardioid. However, looking at the image provided (above), it looks to me to be closer to an omnidirectional mic.
It’s somewhere in between, at least, so I guess you could say it’s a loose or wide cardioid pattern, but it’s definitely not as tight or as strong in the rear-rejection as you’d typically expect from a cardioid mic.
Polar pattern: Neewer NW 800
The NW 800 is kind of in the same boat with regard to polar patterns, except that on paper, this is called a hypercardioid shape.
To me, though, this looks more like what I’d expect from a cardioid pattern (see below).
Hypercardioid microphones tend to have a pronounced rear bulb, due to the type of mic capsules required to generate that kind of side rejection.
Polar pattern: Bottom Line
The difficult part here is ascertaining whether the polar pattern images provided by Neewer are actually related to the mic performance itself, or if they are simply stock depictions of what polar patterns look like.
I say this because they give no indication as to what distance or frequency the response was measured at, as is typical for microphone polar pattern graphs.
If we assume, though, that these are correct and relevant to the mic type, then I’d say that the NW 800 offers a preferred polar pattern given that it more closely resembles a typical cardioid shape.
Omni mics are really only good for recording in environments where you want to capture the natural sound of the room you’re in, and I think it’s fair to say that if you’re looking to purchase a $30 mic package, you probably haven’t put much or any cash or effort into acoustic treatment in your room.
So, the NW 800 has it.
Polar pattern Winner: Neewer NW 800
3. Frequency response: Neewer NW 700 vs Neewer NW 800
Frequency response: Neewer NW 700
The frequency response and overall tonality of the NW 700 is definitely bright, forward, and present.
It’s most pronounced in the 10-12kHz range, which is pretty far up there and will serve to add a lot of air and clarity to your voice.
It will probably emphasize sibilance, however, so I’d recommend throwing a de-esser in at the start of your plugin chain to counteract this, and definitely use the pop filter that’s included.
From there, it pretty much slopes off slowly toward the low-end.
Frequency response: Neewer NW 800
The NW 800 has a similar frequency response to the 700, in that it’s definitely most pronounced up in the top end.
In fact, the NW 800’s high-frequency peaks reach higher than that of the 700, so it’s going to be even more bright and airy than its little brother.
You’ll also notice some pronounced low-frequency dips, particularly around 50-60Hz, which will help to remove low-frequency hums.
Frequency response: Bottom Line
To be frank, neither of these frequency response graphs looks particularly smooth, natural, or open.
Both microphones are very top-heavy, with a lot of presence in the upper mids. This is going to result in a very bright, hyped sound, which might suit some modern performances but also opens up potential issues with regard to sibilance and unnecessary hisses.
All in all, this is pretty much a tie.
Frequency response Winner: Tie
4. Build quality: Neewer NW 700 vs Neewer NW 800
Build quality: Neewer NW 700
The Neewer NW 700 features an all-metal body with a sort of satin/matte feel and a metal grille.
It feels reasonably solid, though you’ll certainly notice the difference if you compare it to say, an Audio-Technica AT2020 or a Rode NT1-A.
For such an affordable mic, though, I can hardly speak poorly of the build quality of the mic itself.
Speaking from experience with more cost-effective equipment, though, it’s probably reasonable to expect that the accessories the NW 700 comes with (more on those very soon), aren’t going to last forever.
Build quality: Neewer NW 800
There’s not much more to say for the NW 800 than has been said for the NW 700.
Considering the price, it’s reasonably solid (I mean, it could be made of plastic, so), but it’s definitely not a mic that feels like it was hand-crafted by German engineers, by any means.
Build quality: Bottom Line
Okay, so neither of these mics are going to be built like the venerable SM58, but then again, what is?
As long as you don’t drop them or throw them in the back of your van, these mics should go the distance, and it’s nice to see that both units come with shock mounts (discussed in the next section), which should keep them relatively safe while recording.
Build quality Winner: Tie
Which One Are YOU Leaning Towards?
5. Accessories: Neewer NW 700 vs Neewer NW 800
Accessories: Neewer NW 700
I’ve got to say, given the price tag, I’m genuinely surprised at the number of accessories that are included with the NW 700.
Here’s what you get:
- A shock mount that helps to acoustically isolate the mic capsule from knocks and bumps
- A scissor arm stand with a clamp that allows you to mount the mic on your desk
- A pop filter to help deal with plosive sounds (Ps and Bs)
- A foam windscreen for extra heavy-duty plosive protection
- An XLR to 3.5mm cable
This is pretty impressive, considering the price of the mic.
Honestly, most pop filters cost about the same as what you’re getting this package for.
Accessories: Neewer NW 800
The Neewer NW 800 comes with the same shock mount, cable, and foam windscreen as the NW 700, but unfortunately, it doesn’t include the scissor arm or the pop filter.
The scissor arm you can live without if you’ve got a microphone stand already, but it’s really important to use a pop filter with this mic since it’s so sensitive in the upper reaches of the frequency spectrum.
Accessories: Bottom Line
Hands down, the NW 700 is the winner here.
It has the same accessory set as the NW 800, plus a pop filter and scissor arm mic stand.
Accessories Winner: Neewer NW 700
6. Size & weight: Neewer NW 700 vs Neewer NW 800
Size & weight: Neewer NW 700
The NW 700 itself comes in at around 16cm in length, which is a little more compact than most microphones of its type.
It weighs just 11oz, which is pretty light, and speaks to both the size of the mic and the fact that it’s using an electret condenser capsule.
Size & weight: Neewer NW 800
Despite a different shape and design, the NW 800 clocks in at the same weight and length as the NW 700.
Size & weight: Bottom Line
There are no winners here, these are pretty much the same mic as far as body weight, design, and dimensions are concerned.
Size & weight Winner: Tie
7. Warranty & guarantee: Neewer NW 700 vs Neewer NW 800
Warranty & guarantee: Neewer NW 700
When you buy the Neewer NW 700, you get a 30-day money-back guarantee.
This means that if you buy the mic and then decide you don’t like it or it’s not the right fit for whatever it is you’re recording, then you can always send it back and get a refund.
On top of that, it has a 3-month guarantee on any defects.
Warranty & guarantee: Neewer NW 800
The NW 800 comes with the same protections as the NW 700, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and a 3-month warranty.
The money-back-guarantee is nice, but to be honest, 3 months is hardly the longest warranty period around, and potentially speaks to the expected longevity of these items.
Warranty & guarantee: Bottom Line
This one is quite clearly a straight tie. Both the NW 700 and the NW 800 have 30-day money-back guarantees and a 3-month warranty.
Warranty & guarantee Winner: Tie
8. Price & Value For Money: Neewer NW 700 vs Neewer NW 800
Price & Value For Money: Neewer NW 700
You’ll pay $32 for the NW 700 and accessories, which to Neewer’s credit, is insanely affordable.
Most condenser microphones cost at least $100, and sure as heck don’t come with pop filters and scissor arm mic stands.
Price & Value For Money: Neewer NW 800
The NW 800, despite owning a title with a higher number (which generally refers to a better model in the mic world), is actually cheaper than the NW 700.
It comes in at $22, but to be fair it doesn’t come with the mic stand or the pop filter, so with that in mind…
Price & Value For Money: Bottom Line
The NW 700 represents better value for money. It’s only $10 more than the NW 800, but it also ships with a pop filter and a boom arm stand. That’s $5 apiece for those two accessories, which you can pretty much guarantee you won’t find elsewhere for that kind of price.
Price & Value For Money Winner: Neewer NW 700
9. Pros & Cons: Neewer NW 700 vs Neewer NW 800
Neewer NW 700 Pros & Cons
Pros:
- One of the most affordable mics on the planet
- Comes with a scissor arm stand, shock mount, and pop filter
- Doesn’t require phantom power
Cons:
- Isn’t a real condenser mic
- Only a 3-month warranty
- Can sound a little harsh and sibilant on some vocalists
Neewer NW 800 Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Super affordable
- Comes with a shock mount and windscreen
- Doesn’t require phantom power
Cons:
- Isn’t a real condenser mic
- Only a 3-month warranty
- Can sound a little harsh and sibilant on some vocalists
Conclusion & Takeaway
To summarize our findings in this Neewer NW 700 vs Neewer NW 800 comparison, here are the winners for each category:
- Microphone design – Tie
- Polar pattern – Neewer NW 800
- Frequency response – Tie
- Build quality – Tie
- Accessories – Neewer NW 700
- Size & weight – Tie
- Warranty & guarantee – Tie
- Price & Value For Money – Neewer NW 700
Overall: Neewer NW 700
Which One Are YOU Leaning Towards?
Side by side, the NW 700 and NW 800 are pretty similar microphones.
They’re both electric condensers with a very forward and present sound palette, ship with shock mounts and mic cables, and are ridiculously affordable.
The NW 700, though, also comes with a pop filter and scissor arm stand.
So, with that in mind, the NW 700 is the winner of this fight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4G24U5fTZ4
Products Comparison Table:
Spec / Feature | Neewer NW 700 | Neewer NW 800 |
Capsule | Electret condenser | Electret condenser |
Polar pattern | Cardioid (wide) | Hypercardioid (closer to normal cardioid) |
Warranty | 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee for the items in the original package 3-Month Guarantee for Quality-Related Issues | 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee for the items in the original package 3-Month Guarantee for Quality-Related Issues |
Dimensions | 16cm long | 16cm long |
Phantom power | Preferred but not required | Preferred but not required |
Bodyweight: | 11oz/316g | 11oz/316g |
Cable Length: | Approx. 8.2ft/2.5m | Approx. 8.2ft/2.5m |
