XVIVE U3C Wireless Condenser Microphone Pack Review – Better than the Original?

XVIVE U3C Wireless Condenser Microphone Pack Review

The XVIVE U3C wireless condenser pack is the latest offering from XVIVE to give you wireless freedom with your favorite microphone.  The XVIVE U3C operates on the 2.4GHz wireless band making it safe to use in the majority of countries around the world.

The Benefit of the XVIVE U3C over the previous U3 pack is the U3C has the ability to work and power condenser microphones.  This opens up a lot of possibilities for filmmakers, YouTubers, musicians, and studio operators.

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Sound Quality

In terms of sound quality, the U3C sounds fantastic.  It worked extremely well with my Rode M3 microphone as you can see in the video below. There’s no latency that I could notice and the audio sounds just as good as with any cable I have ever used. The audio quality is fantastic due to the units using 24-bit/48kHz audio.

Audio Signal Reliability

One of the criticisms I had of the older generation XVIVE wireless packs was they were very unreliable in terms of signal outdoors.  Indoors, the old ones worked fine but outdoors they struggled.  I also tested the older XVIVE U3 vs the NUX B3 and both of them had exactly the same issues dropping signal.

The new U3C is much more reliable for whatever reason. I am not certain what they did to improve this point to point Bluetooth signal strength but it works way better than previous models.  If you are using the old ones indoors, you won’t experience any issues.

Below is my video showing you how poor the reception was outdoors at the beach.

Is the XVIVE U3C better than the U3?

Overall, my answer is yes. If you need or want to use a condenser microphone go for the U3C. If you are mostly using them indoors with dynamic mics then either pack is fine.  Sound quality-wise they are identical. Reliability wise, the U3C seems to operate better outdoors.

5. Tips for using the XVIVE UC3 Condenser Wireless Pack

1. Outdoors:

Always face the receiver when using it outdoors.  If you don’t, you run the risk of glitched audio.  While this pack is 95% better outdoors than the U3, it can still glitch.

3. Conserving Power:

The Microphone I love to use with this pack for interviews or addressing the camera is a Rode M3. The main reason I choose this microphone is it sounds fantastic.  The Rode M3 also allows you to plug a 9V battery into the mic.  By also doing this you can extend the battery life of the UC3 by leaving Phanton power off of the transmitter.

3. On-Off Switch

If you are transporting the units in a camera bag it is really easy to accidentally knock the on/off button.  If you’re not careful, you might drain the battery before you get started. For transport use the box with the switch in the up position so it won’t be turned on accidentally.

4. Additional USB Charger

If you plan on using these on a day-long shoot or interview then bring a portable USB charger.  This will allow you to quickly charge the units on the go if you require more battery life and can’t find somewhere to physically plug them in.

5. 48v+ Phantom Power

Using the pack with condenser microphones will shorten the life of the pack. If you choose to use a dynamic microphone you will get longer usage times. With phantom power on you will get 3 hours of battery life.  With phantom power off you will get up to 7 hours.

XVIVE U3C Wireless Specs

• Plug-on wireless adapter for XLR condenser microphones
• +12V and +48V phantom power accommodates your mics with zero fuss
• Operates in 2.4GHz wireless band
• Less than 5ms of latency for distraction-free performance
• Wide 20Hz–20kHz frequency range
• Rechargeable batteries with 3–7 hours of battery life
• Up to 90 feet of wireless range (dependent on environmental factors)
• High-quality 24-bit/48kHz audio
• Impressive dynamic range (110dB) and signal to noise ratio (110dB)

My Final Thoughts

One of my largest criticisms of all handheld wireless packs is their inability to work with condenser microphones.  Given that some mics can operate with internal batteries not everyone will own them.  This pack will work for studio musicians, live performers, interviewers, and Youtubers. The build quality is solid and for the price, they are very good.  If this review was helpful, feel free to check them out on Sweetwater or B&H.