Free · browser-based · nothing uploaded
Microphone comparison tool — blind, level-matched mic shootouts
Picking a mic by ear is rigged against you: the pricier or better-known one is "supposed" to win, and the louder recording always sounds richer. PickFav strips both away so you choose the mic you actually prefer.
PickFav turns your mic recordings into a fair, blind shootout. Load a take from each microphone, and it level-matches them and hides the names while you rank — so the winner isn't the loudest or the most expensive, just the one that sounded best to you.
What makes a mic comparison fair?
A mic comparison is only fair when three things are controlled — level, identity, and source. Miss any one and you're not really comparing the microphones:
- Level. Even a fraction of a dB tilts your preference. Match the loudness.
- Identity. Knowing it's the $3,000 mic changes what you hear. Hide the names.
- Source. Same performance, distance, and gain — so the mic is the only variable, not a louder take or a closer position.
PickFav handles the first two automatically. The third is on you when you record — and because cross-take captures are never perfectly identical, PickFav lets you note whether the takes were simultaneous, distance-matched, and gain-matched, and keeps the conclusions honest about it.
How to run a blind mic shootout
- Capture the same source on each mic. Best case, record one performance into all mics at once; otherwise use matched takes at the same distance and gain.
- Load the recordings. Drop each mic's file (WAV, MP3, AIFF) into PickFav — one file per mic.
- Match levels and go blind. Leave level-matching on; the names stay hidden and the labels reshuffle every pass.
- Rank, then reveal. Pick the best of what's left over a few passes, then unmask which mic was which.
Why blind matters for choosing a mic
Expensive doesn't mean better for your voice, room, or source — it means better marketed and, often, just different. In a blind, level-matched test the budget mic beats the flagship more often than anyone expects, because you're finally judging the sound instead of the price tag. That's the whole point: buy (or reach for) the mic that wins on its own merits.
What you can compare
Large-diaphragm condensers, dynamics, ribbons, small-diaphragm pencils — on vocals (male or female), acoustic guitar, electric amps, drum overheads, voiceover, or room sound. If you can record it through more than one mic, you can shoot it out.
FAQ
Do the mics have to be recorded at the same time?
It's the most rigorous way — one performance into all mics means only the mic changes. Matched takes at the same distance and gain also work; PickFav flags when conditions aren't controlled so you read the result honestly.
How many microphones can I compare?
Two or more. With two it's a single pick; with more, you rank the best of what's left over several blind passes.
Does my audio get uploaded?
No. Everything runs locally in your browser via the Web Audio API — your recordings never leave your machine.
Is it free?
Yes, free and no account required.