If you’ve been following The Recording Revolution for any length of time now, you may be aware of my stance on music gear: I want value for my money and never want to overpay if something more affordable will get the job done just as well. This is especially true when it comes to microphones. You just don’t need to spend too much to get a great microphone for your home studio. That being said, today’s review of the Editors Keys SL150 only proves my point more as it is a solid offering for today’s home studio owners. Let’s take a look.
Who Is Editors Keys?
Editors Keys is a company based out of England that specializes in adhesive shortcut keyboard sticker sets and Silicone Covers for major software programs like Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Final Cut, Photoshop, etc. Basically these keyboard products help you edit faster. Since 2009 they’ve stepped into the home recording realm with their “Studio Series” line of microphones, portable vocal booths, pop filters, and other accessories.
Mark at Editors Keys was kind enough to send me their SL150 microphone so I would have a chance to use it and formulate an opinion. He probably figured my readers would find it a great option for their own studios (He’d be right, by the way). After checking out the review, head over to EditorsKeys.com to see the SL150 and all the other great products they offer.
How I Reviewed It
From the moment I opened up the SL150 I wanted to use it in a “real” setting, so I wrote a song, plugged in the mic, and just sang through it. That’s exactly what I use microphones for and that’s how I wanted to test this thing. How did it hold up compared to what I normally use in my studio? The short answer: beautifully.
Instead of just doing a written review I decided to show you the microphone in action. I want you guys to be able to hear it for yourselves to you can know exactly what I’m hearing and make your own decision. Below is the video review of the SL150. Check it out for yourself.
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My name is Graham Cochrane and I'm the founder of The Recording Revolution, one of the world's most loved audio recording and mixing blogs with over 200,000 readers each month. 
sounds great,i cant believe a usb mic with a good review.i have been told to stay clear of them but this mic and you are great.
i just purchased a b-1 so i will keep this mic in mind down the road.
so this video leaves me with 2 questions.
1.does this mic work with pro tools if you go straight into the mac or pc?skipping a mbox interface.
2.can you tells us more about the mic islolator (reflextion filter)wrapped around
the mic on its own stand. ive seen them in american musical supply but feared they werent good enough to isolate unwanted sound.i am working on a closet for my mic room.
thank you for your great site
Hi Joe. Yeah, I was very impressed with the sound quality for a USB mic. That’s why I wanted you guys to hear it! To answer your questions:
1) I’m trying to get this sorted out with the guys at Editors Keys, but as far as I know Pro Tools LE will not recognize audio that is not coming from within the interface (mbox let’s say).
2) The isolator you see in the video is the Editors Keys Portable Vocal Booth Pro. I will be posting a separate review of this shortly. It isn’t necessary to get a great vocal of course, but it sure makes it easy!
Great review, Graham! I like that vocal booth. I borrowed an SE Reflexion filter from a friend last week. I’m not sure if it helped or not. I didn’t do a comparison. Anyway, it’s not a bad idea and this is about $150 cheaper than the SE.
Interesting mic, too. I was especially intrigued by the LED light from inside the grill. How do you set the input levels without an external interface? Are those set within the software application? I have a friend who is a budding songwriter. I may recommend this to her.
Hey Toby…you’re right about the vocal booth. Fantastic product, and like I mentioned above, I’m going to write up a separate review for that.
Yes, the levels are all set from with in your software (even just the OS if you like). It’s pretty much as simple as you can get and may be perfect for your songwriting friend. Like the video mentions, I just plugged the SL150 into my mac, opened up Garageband, set it as my input, and went to town.
Oh, and yea, you gotta love a mic that lights up blue!
What’s your opinion on usb mics?
I mean the samson gomic vs the C01u.
My only real experience with USB mics has been the Editors Keys SL150. I reviewed it here: http://therecordingrevolution.com/2010/03/01/editors-keys-sl150-microphone-review-video/
It does a great job and sounds just as full and accurate as a traditional LD condenser. Hope that helps!
Is it possible to connect to ProTools Fast Audio Mbox with this mic? Are there adapters for USB mics such as this? I am trying to figure out whether to get a CAD GXL2200 that will plug right into my mbox or a USB mic from Editors Keys. Of course, it has to function with my ProTools!:) Thanks for any advice! Blessings!
No. You’ll need a traditional microphone to plug into your Fast Track or Mbox for Pro Tools.