Today I review one of the best deals in audio, the Behringer XM8500 which is a budget microphone that goes for $25. It's certainly not the greatest sounding microphones but it functions, and it's certainly not the worst. The proximity effect is exaggerated, the top end isn't smooth and it suffers from handling noise and plosive issues, but it works.

Buy the Behringer XM8500 (Affiliate Link)
Amazon: https://geni.us/xm8500
Sweetwater: https://imp.i114863.net/xm8500

Buy the Focusrite 2i2 (3rd Gen)- Same Performance as 18i20 (Affiliate Link)
Amazon: https://geni.us/2i32rd
Sweetwater: https://imp.i114863.net/k6g4d

NOTE (FULL DISCLOSURE): As an associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info check my FAQ page links below.

00:00 - Intro / Price / Disclaimer 
00:24 - Setup
00:43 - What’s in the Box
01:03 - Build Quality / Walkthrough
01:40 - Specifications
01:57 - Polar Pattern Test (Tone / Rotation)
02:17 - Plosive Test
02:27 - Distance Test / Proximity Effect Test
02:54 - Background Noise Test 
03:17 - Untreated Room Test
03:32 - Shock Rejection Test
03:49 - Handling Noise Rejection
04:03 - Mic Resonance Tap Test
04:17 - Cup the Mic Test
04:39 - Intro to Comparison
05:09 - Behringer XM8500 Comparison
05:34 - Mackie EM89 Comparison
05:54 - Shure SM58 Comparison
06:22 - sE Electronics V7 Comparison
06:43 - Rode Podmic Comparison
07:08 - Audio Technica AT2040 Comparison
07:32 - Elgato Wave DX Comparison
07:55 - Lewitt MTP550DM Comparison
08:19 - Shure SM7b Comparison
08:51 - Neumann U87 Ai Comparison
09:09 - Music Test
10:24 - Pros & Cons
11:25 - Overall Thoughts
14:04 - Recommendation
15:45 - Outro