Blue Microphones Snowball USB Microphone, Classic Studio-Quality Mic for Recording, Podcasting, Broadcasting, Twitch Game Streaming, Voiceovers, YouTube Videos on PC and Mac – White
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Legendary Blue Broadcast Sound
Capture legendary Blue broadcast sound with exceptional presence and detail for podcasting, YouTube productions, game streaming, Skype calls and voice over work.
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Adjustable Desktop Stand
Position the microphone in relation to the sound source with Snowball’s adjustable metal tripod stand, improving sound quality while saving space on your desktop.
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-10 dB Pad
Maintain professional audio quality with a -10 dB pad in cardioid mode, which keeps Snowball sounding clean and distortion-free on louder voices and instruments.
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Multiple Pickup Patterns
The cardioid pattern is perfect for recording and streaming, while omni puts you “in the room” for conference calls.
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Blue Sherpa Companion App
Fine-tune your sound with deep control of Snowball. Manage your mic gain and more right from your desktop.
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Available in Three Bold Colors
Compliment your studio with one of Snowball’s three distinct finishes: Gloss Black, Brushed Aluminum and Textured White.
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Plug ‘n Play on Mac and PC
Start recording quickly and easily with driver-free operation on Mac and PC.
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Stylish, Retro Design
Record or stream in style with an eye-catching design inspired by classic recording equipment that looks great on your desktop and on camera.
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Two Versatile Pickup Patterns
Snowball offers two different pickup patterns to suit a variety of applications. Switch between cardioid and omni modes to get the best sound for any recording situation.
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Cardioid Mode
Perfect for podcasts with a single host, game streaming, Skype calls, vocal performances, voiceovers and instruments.
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Omnidirectional
Omnidirectional mode is best used in situations when you want to have a conference call with multiple participants in the same room, or a multi-person interview on a podcast.
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Accessorise Your Creative Space
Transform your desktop into a broadcast studio with the Compass broadcast boom arm and Ringer shockmount.
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Compass Premium Broadcast Boom Arm
Compass features a broadcast studio-grade design with enclosed aluminium construction, internal springs and hidden-channel cable management.
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Ringer Custom Shockmount
Ringer is a vintage-style suspension designed to isolate microphones from noise,shock and ambient vibration.Although custom-designed for our Snowball USB mics, Ringer can also be used with other mics
Comparison Table
 Snowball |  Snowball ICE |  Yeti Nano |  Yeti |  Yeti Pro | |
| Capsules | 1 Condenser | 2 Condensers | 2 Condensers | 3 Condensers | 3 Condensers |
| Patterns | Cardioid | Cardioid, Omni | Cardioid, Omni | Cardioid, Omni,Figure-8,Stereo | Cardioid, Omni,Figure-8,Stereo |
| Bit Depth/Sample Rate | 16-bit/44kHz | 16-bit/48kHz | 24-bit/48kHz | 16-bit/48kHz | 24-bit/192kHz |
| Gain Control | – | -10dB PAD | Via desktop app | Yes | Yes |
| Mute | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Headphone Output | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Headphone Volume | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Output | USB | USB | USB | USB | USB, XLR |
| Weight: | 0.1 g |
| Dimensions: | 12.38 x 20 x 25.4 cm; 0.1 Grams |
| Model: | 988-000073 |
| Colour: | White |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium ion batteries required. |
| Colour: | White |
I already knew what to expect from it having researched it on YouTube a fair bit. I use it for streaming and YouTube videos and the voice quality is very clear however it picks up my computer fan noise a little too loudly.
Well its an okay microphone… it looks good, stands a bit flimsy if im being honest and the general feel of the product feels a little cheep but it does the job and looks quite retro which i quite like
The mic sounds great, if you’re worried about having to have the mic literally in front of your face, you don’t have to. If you put the mic on the 3rd setting, the mic will amplify your voice, enough for a bunch of people to hear you on Skype or discord. I can be at the other side of the room and people can still hear me, if you don’t want that then you can change to the 1st mode which makes your voice a bit quieter. This mic is fantastic, all my friends are saying how clear i sound in calls which is a first considering I’ve bought some good gaming headsets before and never had that said to me. I can see this mic lasting a lot longer than a gaming headset, I’m sick of going through gaming headsets because the mic always dies on me and this mic feels really sturdy and well built. If you’re looking for a microphone to use with a headset, then this is the microphone for you. For only 55 this mic is a steal.
The mic sounds great, if you’re worried about having to have the mic literally in front of your face, you don’t have to. If you put the mic on the 3rd setting, the mic will amplify your voice, enough for a bunch of people to hear you on Skype or discord. I can be at the other side of the room and people can still hear me, if you don’t want that then you can change to the 1st mode which makes your voice a bit quieter. This mic is fantastic, all my friends are saying how clear i sound in calls which is a first considering I’ve bought some good gaming headsets before and never had that said to me. I can see this mic lasting a lot longer than a gaming headset, I’m sick of going through gaming headsets because the mic always dies on me and this mic feels really sturdy and well built. If you’re looking for a microphone to use with a headset, then this is the microphone for you. For only 55 this mic is a steal.
Couldn’t have asked for more with this mic, far too often have i tried these gimmick mics with silly little shock mounts for around 30 but i always end up complaining about how bad they sound, i think that personally if you care about the sound on whatever project you’re working on then a microphone like this is mandatory. The quality of the microphone is just brilliant, it looks excellent, however for the included stand although this might be useful when you first get the microphone i personally have switched to an arm stand to have the microphone on.
Moved from a webcam mic to this Blue Snowball, and the change in voice quality is tremendous. I am really satisfied with this purchase.
I use it mainly for Skype and Discord voice chat, togheter with a Blue Ringer (shockmount). There are several other people in my chat which have also purchased this mic after hearing mine. They do not however use the shockmount, instead only the original stand, and it works fine.
This is a great microphone for everyday use. From gaming to VOIP, it produces crisp clean sounding audio with no/very litttle background noise. For the price of this condenser microphone, and to receive such a high quality product is astonishing. The microphone feels very heavy for it’s size but this is a good indicator that there is high quality materials used to manufacture it. The tripod is metal with rubber feet to prevent it from sliding around. The only negative thing I can state about this microphone is it can be a little quiet if your not close to it (within 15cm).
This is a great microphone for everyday use. From gaming to VOIP, it produces crisp clean sounding audio with no/very litttle background noise. For the price of this condenser microphone, and to receive such a high quality product is astonishing. The microphone feels very heavy for it’s size but this is a good indicator that there is high quality materials used to manufacture it. The tripod is metal with rubber feet to prevent it from sliding around. The only negative thing I can state about this microphone is it can be a little quiet if your not close to it (within 15cm).
Fantastic piece of kit great audio 10 times better than my corsair vengeance 1500 headset in gaming and for twitch streaming. I’m using it in Windows 10 and think the volume / gain is absolutely fine as kind as you not 20 m away haha ! I sit around a foot away and it’s perfect with little pick up for the speakers!
Great microphone as a product, cannot beat it and cheaper than a whole setup with audio interface etc.
Good for you tube, pod casts or amateur recordings.
I use this microphone because the one on my headset is far too quiet. I love this microphone though, it’s sound quality is extremely good. The only thing I dislike is the stand is far too small, I bought a mic arm to clamp onto my desk.
For me this is probably the best microphone going for less than 50. It is easy to setup and comes with everything you need, and is just a plug and play sort of mic. The quality is fantastic and people have commented that my gaming streams sound a lot better. I also bought a https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00WDSVXOE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 mic stand to go with it so I could attach it to a scissor stand to save space on my desk. The mic was easy to attach to the stand and is perfectly secure. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone looking for a high quality mic. If you want to listen to the quality head over to my twitch page and listen to the most recent stream: […]
An incredible microphone, you will not find a better or more versatile microphone in this price range nor in the price range above. It is perfect for both music and voice recording and, with the right use of settings, is perfect for the amateur podcaster, especially with a cheap pop shield as well. The three recording modes add great versatility and enable recording multiple things at once, which is useful for interviews and recording several musicians at the same time etc. Both cardioid modes have incredible tone and clarity and give very little noise for a microphone in this price range.
I have been using these mics on various projects for a long time, and I could not reccomend them more strongly to anyone on a budget. For best results recording voice (such as for podcasts), use on the “2” setting (cardioid -10db). Run the mic through audacity or any recording software at a high input level, around 90%. After you have recorded what you want, record five seconds of silence, and then use the “noise reduction” effects (you can look up how to do this for any programme, such as audacity, online). If you record in a room with little echo and sit with your mouth close up to the mic, with a pop shield on it, you won’t hear the difference between this mic and a 300 Rode mic or similar.
An incredible product.
An incredible microphone, you will not find a better or more versatile microphone in this price range nor in the price range above. It is perfect for both music and voice recording and, with the right use of settings, is perfect for the amateur podcaster, especially with a cheap pop shield as well. The three recording modes add great versatility and enable recording multiple things at once, which is useful for interviews and recording several musicians at the same time etc. Both cardioid modes have incredible tone and clarity and give very little noise for a microphone in this price range.
I have been using these mics on various projects for a long time, and I could not reccomend them more strongly to anyone on a budget. For best results recording voice (such as for podcasts), use on the “2” setting (cardioid -10db). Run the mic through audacity or any recording software at a high input level, around 90%. After you have recorded what you want, record five seconds of silence, and then use the “noise reduction” effects (you can look up how to do this for any programme, such as audacity, online). If you record in a room with little echo and sit with your mouth close up to the mic, with a pop shield on it, you won’t hear the difference between this mic and a 300 Rode mic or similar.
An incredible product.
It’s actually pretty good. Funny story- i had it plugged into audacity and realized one day that the audio quality was quite bad- thought of returning it and later realized that on audacity I had selected my laptop microphone instead of ‘blue snowball microphone’. Also plug it in first before opening the audio editing software you use and make sure the right mic is selected for recording not your default laptop mic. It’s quite clear and low noise. Personally, I like the 3 switch version of the snowball (usually use only mode 1,2) over the new single mode version I’ve heard of- see if you can get your hands on the 3 mode version if you’re into music recordings (guitar/vocals) or podcasting.
Looks superb really catches the eye, built quality feels very premium. You certainly feel like you have a high quality product on your hands.
The sound quality produced for YouTube voice overs and some of the guitar/singing tracks I like to record is simply outstanding. It’s a fun quirky mic that performs way above what it should.
The negative reviews on here are comparing it to high level studio mics, that’s not what this is about its about having fun at home and having great quality sound from your home computer done simple and well. Just plug it in and away you go, superb BUY IT!
I wanted a decent quality microphone to use with Skype and also to make some personal voice recordings. The Snowball has fulfilled my needs perfectly. I like the somewhat retro design appearance and the adjustable stand works reasonably well. Installation is plug and play and is working well in my Windows 7 setup. The clincher is the excellent sound quality.
I wanted a decent quality microphone to use with Skype and also to make some personal voice recordings. The Snowball has fulfilled my needs perfectly. I like the somewhat retro design appearance and the adjustable stand works reasonably well. Installation is plug and play and is working well in my Windows 7 setup. The clincher is the excellent sound quality.
Since the Blue Snowball is USB, it is easy to use for anyone on any machine.
I can’t really complain about anything with this microphone. Given that I use it for Skype and in game communication, it does everything I need it to just fine.
One thing I would warn is that if you use a mechanical keyboard this thing will pick it up very easily so you may want to position it close to your mouth and in front of your keyboard.
Since the Blue Snowball is USB, it is easy to use for anyone on any machine.
I can’t really complain about anything with this microphone. Given that I use it for Skype and in game communication, it does everything I need it to just fine.
One thing I would warn is that if you use a mechanical keyboard this thing will pick it up very easily so you may want to position it close to your mouth and in front of your keyboard.
Early days but seems good – only four stars as we ordered the brushed aluminium one and although the box says it is that – but the one in the box delivered is shiny chrome – can’t be bothered to send it back but disappointed.
Great microphone (when it finally arrived, originally got books instead…) works well for group chats on the playstation, does give a bit of echo to the person on the other end sometimes.
It is a great microphone. I use it for a new business venture for interviewing guests on Google Hangouts. There has been times I have had up to 4 or 5 people in a room and everyone could be heard easily. Plugged it in and it was ready to go. Picks sound up perfectly. I could have gone for more expensive options but this does what I need it to do.
For a sample of the sound go to this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlsoXCdrRbY&ab_channel=KeirMcGlashen
I recorded this with the Snowball
The only con I can think of is that it is a little heavy, so mounting it on a mic stand is going to be difficult.
For the price, you’d be hard pressed to find a better condenser mic.
The mic arrived on time. I’m really pleased with it!
It was very simple to assemble and setup, without needing to refer to the manual.
Having the three settinge on the back (cardioid, -10dB, and omnidirectional) makes it quite versatile. Cardioid is the ideal option for recording a single sound source e.g. for a voice-over, or a single instrument, or singer. The -10dB option is useful when recording a very loud sound source — it reduces the input to the mic by 10dB, and the omnidirectional option is useful for recording sound coming from multiple sources at the same time e.g. groups of musicians, meetings, conferences etc.
On the downside I have two minor quibbles. . .
As some people have reported, the mic seems to record at a slightly low volume, This was also my experience, but it can easily be rectified at the post production stage. If you are using software like Virtual Audio Cable, and VoiceMeeter to monitor, or stream the output, then of course it is easier to adjust to your liking.
The mic is very, very sensitive, it picks up everything. It pics up the sound of my computer, even when the fans are not running. There is of course, a very simple solution to this, and, that is to buy, or make a DIY, portable audio booth. You would probably need to do this for any condenser mic anyway, if you need to avoid extraneous sounds creeping into your recordings, and it also cuts out reverb in rooms with bare walls, floors, and ceilings.
So, all in all, at the price, this mic deserves at least four stars
The mic arrived on time. I’m really pleased with it!
It was very simple to assemble and setup, without needing to refer to the manual.
Having the three settinge on the back (cardioid, -10dB, and omnidirectional) makes it quite versatile. Cardioid is the ideal option for recording a single sound source e.g. for a voice-over, or a single instrument, or singer. The -10dB option is useful when recording a very loud sound source — it reduces the input to the mic by 10dB, and the omnidirectional option is useful for recording sound coming from multiple sources at the same time e.g. groups of musicians, meetings, conferences etc.
On the downside I have two minor quibbles. . .
As some people have reported, the mic seems to record at a slightly low volume, This was also my experience, but it can easily be rectified at the post production stage. If you are using software like Virtual Audio Cable, and VoiceMeeter to monitor, or stream the output, then of course it is easier to adjust to your liking.
The mic is very, very sensitive, it picks up everything. It pics up the sound of my computer, even when the fans are not running. There is of course, a very simple solution to this, and, that is to buy, or make a DIY, portable audio booth. You would probably need to do this for any condenser mic anyway, if you need to avoid extraneous sounds creeping into your recordings, and it also cuts out reverb in rooms with bare walls, floors, and ceilings.
So, all in all, at the price, this mic deserves at least four stars
I’ve used this intensely for almost 2 years. I’ve dropped it, carted it over 10.000 miles and it still functions perfectly. I’ve now been using it for 4 years! Still no problems.
Works well, can pickup good audio but have to be within an inch or two for full effectiveness. Have used for the past 6 months and has served me well. I would recommend it however if you do have the extra 25/50 to spare I think a Yeti or Rode mic may be much better if what you’re only looking for is good audio. Has survived many crashes/falls and still not a mark on it. Stand is also very well designed and sturdy with the usefulness of adjustments too.
Came next day! user friendly and a brilliant nice crystal sound, everyone is complimenting this microphone that i speak too! i can now resume with my podcast’s and streams in full HD Crisp sound.
Only thing that knocks this product is that it isn’t so great for skype chats as for some strange reason this microphone doesn’t seem to work well with Skype, as in terms of the quality is bad and really muffled and very quiet, THIS is only in SKYPE, everything else is perfect.
Came next day! user friendly and a brilliant nice crystal sound, everyone is complimenting this microphone that i speak too! i can now resume with my podcast’s and streams in full HD Crisp sound.
Only thing that knocks this product is that it isn’t so great for skype chats as for some strange reason this microphone doesn’t seem to work well with Skype, as in terms of the quality is bad and really muffled and very quiet, THIS is only in SKYPE, everything else is perfect.
This is an absolutely magnificent microphone the quality of this mic is amazing and i use it for gaming and making videos and the sound is crystal clear and the design is amazing would recommend to anyone who wants a high end mic.
As I am also recording a video (headshot), it’s practical to not have a huge mike in front of your face, so that renders it useless for that purpose. I figured I could use it for audio whilst doing screen capture (not talking head)…also not ideal as if you are using your mouse or keyboard, you still have to have your head down by the mike to get good audio, which is also not ideal. I have ordered a couple of cheap lapel mikes now, and I will be upset if they are great, as they are 5 and this is, well, quite a lot more.
If you are using it purely for narration, the sound quality is awesome, but sadly not much use for anything else.
Update:
Okay, looked at all the youtube reviews of this, and folks were getting great sound out of it, so I splashed out 10 on a boom arm…much much better. I can now position it quite close to my mouth, but still keep it out of shot. I still have to up the gain in Camtasia studio, but the results are good. I just need to learn how to polish the audio with audacity now.
As I am also recording a video (headshot), it’s practical to not have a huge mike in front of your face, so that renders it useless for that purpose. I figured I could use it for audio whilst doing screen capture (not talking head)…also not ideal as if you are using your mouse or keyboard, you still have to have your head down by the mike to get good audio, which is also not ideal. I have ordered a couple of cheap lapel mikes now, and I will be upset if they are great, as they are 5 and this is, well, quite a lot more.
If you are using it purely for narration, the sound quality is awesome, but sadly not much use for anything else.
Update:
Okay, looked at all the youtube reviews of this, and folks were getting great sound out of it, so I splashed out 10 on a boom arm…much much better. I can now position it quite close to my mouth, but still keep it out of shot. I still have to up the gain in Camtasia studio, but the results are good. I just need to learn how to polish the audio with audacity now.
The quality is good, build finish is nice, it looks good in a room and works very well. I think the USB connectivity clearly helps get rid of the hisssss people find on most microphones. A short look on Google will tell you this is a pedigreed professional company that has been in the recording business for a while
The have a few microphones out and this (almost) the entry-level – I think based on quality of recordings for Videoblogging this is as far as you need to go
The quality is good, build finish is nice, it looks good in a room and works very well. I think the USB connectivity clearly helps get rid of the hisssss people find on most microphones. A short look on Google will tell you this is a pedigreed professional company that has been in the recording business for a while
The have a few microphones out and this (almost) the entry-level – I think based on quality of recordings for Videoblogging this is as far as you need to go
The only problems I have with the Blue Snowball are that there is no way to mute the mic manually and the red light indicating the microphone is powered on is bright red and is extremely distracting during any environment. So bright that it lights up my face red when trying to record live gameplay.
The only problems I have with the Blue Snowball are that there is no way to mute the mic manually and the red light indicating the microphone is powered on is bright red and is extremely distracting during any environment. So bright that it lights up my face red when trying to record live gameplay.
I needed a microphone to use for video conferencing at an event. I needed something that would capture a large room (10 x 20 meters) and that wouldn’t pickup the remote presenters voice, which was being amplified via an external amp and large speakers to reach the entire room.
After trying (and returning) several products I have to say I am extremely pleased with the Blue Snowball.
It had amazing pickup from all parts of the room, including right at the back. The remote presenter had no problem hearing questions being asked. This was without the need for people to approach the mic either.
There was absolutely NO feedback for the remote presenter, even though their voice was amplified quite high and the Blue Snowball Mic was in the pickup field. The internal noise canceling in the Mic is top notch.
Very pleased and HIGHLY recommended as it is a fraction of the cost of purpose built conference mics and in my opinion works FAR better.
I needed a microphone to use for video conferencing at an event. I needed something that would capture a large room (10 x 20 meters) and that wouldn’t pickup the remote presenters voice, which was being amplified via an external amp and large speakers to reach the entire room.
After trying (and returning) several products I have to say I am extremely pleased with the Blue Snowball.
It had amazing pickup from all parts of the room, including right at the back. The remote presenter had no problem hearing questions being asked. This was without the need for people to approach the mic either.
There was absolutely NO feedback for the remote presenter, even though their voice was amplified quite high and the Blue Snowball Mic was in the pickup field. The internal noise canceling in the Mic is top notch.
Very pleased and HIGHLY recommended as it is a fraction of the cost of purpose built conference mics and in my opinion works FAR better.
I do love this microphone, definitely worth the price. The only downfall it has, is that it is very easy to rotate the mic on it’s stand and if there is loud noise, it can pick up some vibration but as I said, it really is worth the price.
Volunteering in Hospital Radio, I wanted a microphone I could plug directly into a laptop that I could use at the studio to record interviews. This fits the bill very nicely, as I have Audacity software running on the laptop and I can immediately monitor the results of the recording. Very easy to use, just unpack and connect it to the laptop. There are three settings on the back of the microphone – Setting 1 is for speech, vocals and podcasting; Setting 2 is for live music and loud sound sources; Setting 3 is for conferences, interviews and environmental recordings. The Blue Snowball comes with stand and a USB cable for plugging into a laptop etc.
Really pleased with it and would recommend this as a solution to recording material.
Volunteering in Hospital Radio, I wanted a microphone I could plug directly into a laptop that I could use at the studio to record interviews. This fits the bill very nicely, as I have Audacity software running on the laptop and I can immediately monitor the results of the recording. Very easy to use, just unpack and connect it to the laptop. There are three settings on the back of the microphone – Setting 1 is for speech, vocals and podcasting; Setting 2 is for live music and loud sound sources; Setting 3 is for conferences, interviews and environmental recordings. The Blue Snowball comes with stand and a USB cable for plugging into a laptop etc.
Really pleased with it and would recommend this as a solution to recording material.
I use this with my macbook pro for conference calls. It has different modes that allow you to pick up people talking in the room or just in front of the microphone. It looks nice on my desk and the quality appears to be very high.
This is one of the best entry-level standing microphones there is in terms of sound quality and price, but it becomes hard to recommend because of its unwieldy shape, massive weight and proprietary shock mount. The mic has three capture modes, Front, Front low dB and Front/back.
If considering this microphone, it’s really best to consider whether or not you intend to use the shock mount – if you do, perhaps looks elsewhere for a normal-shaped mic that will fit a normal shock mount.
Just opened it and tried it out quickly, there’s no set up required at all, it just plugs straight in the USB port and you’re ready to go. The sound is really clear, if a little quiet perhaps (maybe its just me that’s quiet), and it doesn’t pick up the annoying little things like breathing or other such noises, while not making me sound far away. It’s a pretty little thing and it has a small stand. I’ve bought a pop shield to go with it, I’d suggest anyone else do the same, they’re cheap and since this mic has no protection of its own it’ll make it last longer. While it’s not one of those high-end expensive microphones, it feels professional to use, its solid and doesn’t have a grainy quality to it. While not cheap, for what it is, I’d probably call it a bargain. It seems to be well known for being a reliably good product from a respected brand. If you’re just using it for average at-home recordings then it’s perfect, it’d do okay in a studio too, probably.
Just opened it and tried it out quickly, there’s no set up required at all, it just plugs straight in the USB port and you’re ready to go. The sound is really clear, if a little quiet perhaps (maybe its just me that’s quiet), and it doesn’t pick up the annoying little things like breathing or other such noises, while not making me sound far away. It’s a pretty little thing and it has a small stand. I’ve bought a pop shield to go with it, I’d suggest anyone else do the same, they’re cheap and since this mic has no protection of its own it’ll make it last longer. While it’s not one of those high-end expensive microphones, it feels professional to use, its solid and doesn’t have a grainy quality to it. While not cheap, for what it is, I’d probably call it a bargain. It seems to be well known for being a reliably good product from a respected brand. If you’re just using it for average at-home recordings then it’s perfect, it’d do okay in a studio too, probably.
Sorry for the long review but I hope you find it helpful and that it helps you with your choice of mic for what you want. Feel free to comment with questions and I will try to give you the most accurate answer I can. 😀
I impulse bought this after my small clip on mic stopped working with my sound card (still not sure which caused the problem). The microphone is big, probably just larger than a tennis ball and has a weight that makes you feel confident with it. The pickup is fantastic, I have mine about 3-4 feet away at the back of my desk and during games my fellow mumble users can hear me well. I have done a voice over for a youtube video with it and it also sounded excellent and crisp.
Overall I’m very happy with it and I’m glad I went for this over the ICE model as the only difference I can see is that this has the 3 setting adjustment on the back where the ICE is cardioid only. For reference this has cardioid, -10dB cardioid and omni.
Loses 1 star purely on a cosmetic factor, it might be my motherboard but when the PC powers off the red light stays lit.
I impulse bought this after my small clip on mic stopped working with my sound card (still not sure which caused the problem). The microphone is big, probably just larger than a tennis ball and has a weight that makes you feel confident with it. The pickup is fantastic, I have mine about 3-4 feet away at the back of my desk and during games my fellow mumble users can hear me well. I have done a voice over for a youtube video with it and it also sounded excellent and crisp.
Overall I’m very happy with it and I’m glad I went for this over the ICE model as the only difference I can see is that this has the 3 setting adjustment on the back where the ICE is cardioid only. For reference this has cardioid, -10dB cardioid and omni.
Loses 1 star purely on a cosmetic factor, it might be my motherboard but when the PC powers off the red light stays lit.
I love my Blue Microphone. Been using it for years, for podcasting and recording music. Beautifully simply, unpretentious and does a perfect job (even recording a Skype interview across the globe – the quality was perfect).
This is the best Microphone iv ever used.
Both for vocals and acoustic instruments this Microphone is perfect.
I uses microphone primarily for podcasts, but I also use it for a variety of things. These things include videoconferencing overseas, YouTube commentaries, and business video recording work.
Product arrived quickly. it is fantastic for vocals and Skype calls. Tried it out next to my amp with an electric guitar but, despite changing to the correct settings, the input I get is a bit quiet. I have got the mic sensitivity on full and all other settings are as they should be for optimum input, but it is still a tad quiet. Great quality though and I am still very happy.
I could be here for hours waxing lyrical about this microphone as it does it all. Difficult to see from the photos but it is actually gloss black for those who want to know. Well put together piece of kit, simply plug and play and off you go. Works if you just want to use it for chatting on the internet, and for those with more musical talent, works fine in a home studio environment. I would suggest a pop filter if you are going to use it for recording. Well worth the money, and most importantly, it looks cool 🙂
As a you-tuber, I was looking for a good quality mic for my videos. I found multiple reviews on this mic all over the internet and, surprisingly, all of them were pretty good, so I decided to try it out. As soon as I finished a video, I listened to the video and I was blown away because of the quality delivered from such a reasonably cheap microphone. I highly recommend it to any gamer out there as it is simply fantastic.
This Mic is great for recording your voice and creating Lets Play style videos for YouTube. The quality of the recording and the Mic itself is amazing. Blue Microphones are known for being a great brand and that is 100% the case here. Comes with a tripod and works via USB. I don’t think it comes with its own voice editing software BUT there are plenty of free and cheap ones around the net. The only reason I haven’t given it 5 Stars is because of the price. Its slightly too expensive for me to recommend it to everyone as some people simply don’t have the funds or means to afford items of this quality. If Blue could get the price down a little bit I would be inclined to give it 5 Stars easily. If you need a Mic and can afford this one, go for it. If not then I believe Blue do have a few slightly less expensive models available but of course they will be of lesser quality as you get what you pay for in this world.
Bought as a gaming/youtube mic for my kids. Plug and play into their macs (iMac and Macbook Pro), and produces decent audio. Not high-end stuff, but most definitely does the job and is good value for money.
A bit on the chunky side, and takes up desk space, but on the other hand it looks pretty impressive when their friends come round.
Works beautify.
The sound is crisp and has a good directional pickup.
The stand that comes with it is a bit small and will cause any desk vibrations to be picked up.
The screw socket is the large 5/8″ size not the 3/8″ size used in the eu, so you may need an adapter for a stand.
The ball socket that allows you to reposition the microphone on its stand can become very lose and you can end up with a floppy mic.
wow! didnt expect the mic to be as good as it is, it delivered today and just finished testing it all out and i have just got to say wow!
if your looking at this mic right now do your self a favour and click buy 😀 you would not regret it one bit, i have various other mics as i record live bands and solo artists and this 60 pound mic is as good as the top range studio mics, no distortion, no feed back and a sound thats so clear its all most to good to be true, this is your number 1 microphone right here 😀
Picked this up for 54.99 and it came today. It took 6 days but I did choose the free delivery so I can’t get annoyed about that. But wow, the quality of the mic was apparent as soon as I held it and just looked. Fantastic design and feels very robust, the stand is sturdy too. But when I actually used it for the first time, I was blown away by the sound quality. I’m using this for making YouTube videos so I wanted some real studio-style clarity. I got that and then some with this mic.
Picked this up for 54.99 and it came today. It took 6 days but I did choose the free delivery so I can’t get annoyed about that. But wow, the quality of the mic was apparent as soon as I held it and just looked. Fantastic design and feels very robust, the stand is sturdy too. But when I actually used it for the first time, I was blown away by the sound quality. I’m using this for making YouTube videos so I wanted some real studio-style clarity. I got that and then some with this mic.
Brilliant Mic great sound, looks great and because it uses usb no hissing/socket noise its very sensitive picks up everything my only 2 complaints are 1 the stand is good but the legs are not very adjustable either fully up or full down no medium. 2 there is not mute button/switch on the microphone which is only minor but it would be nice. all in all really good microphone and great value for money.
Brilliant Mic great sound, looks great and because it uses usb no hissing/socket noise its very sensitive picks up everything my only 2 complaints are 1 the stand is good but the legs are not very adjustable either fully up or full down no medium. 2 there is not mute button/switch on the microphone which is only minor but it would be nice. all in all really good microphone and great value for money.
These microphones really do produce a great quality of sound! For the price, and for a USB microphone this has to be one of the best you can buy.
The problem comes when you need drivers for the damn thing! Moving over to windows 7, this just would not work. Years later and I found working drivers! Why it didn’t come with drivers on a disk I don’t know.
I recommend blue microphones and will buy their products again.
Great mic for the price, in fact probably the best on the market. This didn’t arrive on time by a fault of the courier, but I’m not too bothered about that. It has a slight fault that on the ‘2’ setting (for live recordings etc) the mic has developed a jittery background noise. Again, this isn’t too much of a problem for me as I tend to use the simple carded setting almost exclusively, and for the price I really have nothing to complain about. Would definitely recommend it!
As a starting youtuber and doing lets plays I need a good mic. Before I had a trust mc mic and it did not work well.
This microphone has AMAZING quality and has 3 settings on the back like omni directional, which is great for podcasts and recording 2 people. And recording just one direction.
If you are a let’s player like me get the Snowball ice, it’s the same but cheaper and only records one direction.
Great value for money, The quality of the sound is awesome! I didn’t need the popscreen but i got it just incase there was any distortion, but in truth the quality is studio like without the pop screen. I also got it even cheaper than the offer price, because my friend brought me a gift card! Great product, i highly reccomend it if you want to record video’s, screen recording, gaming, commentary, skyping, radio, podcasting and anything else you can think of that requires using your voice.
Great value for money, The quality of the sound is awesome! I didn’t need the popscreen but i got it just incase there was any distortion, but in truth the quality is studio like without the pop screen. I also got it even cheaper than the offer price, because my friend brought me a gift card! Great product, i highly reccomend it if you want to record video’s, screen recording, gaming, commentary, skyping, radio, podcasting and anything else you can think of that requires using your voice.
Likes:
So easy to use!
Works like a charm!
Very precise recording can deal with high sensitivity.
Dislikes:
None
Recommend?
Certainly! its the best mic i’ve ever owned…(and the only one) haha. but still the product is truly fantastic for anything you want to record into the computer!
There are several reasons as to why you should get a standalone microphone, other than the obvious increase of sound quality.
1. It means you are no longer forced to use gaming headphones and can use some better ones.
2. You stop being a microphone breather and will be heard clearer.
3. People can instantly hear your mechanical keyboard.
In all seriousness it’s a great product, I haven’t found a single flaw or want in the product and I have been using it for a months time now in a variety of gaming and random chatting situations.
I always wanted a professional mike. Blue have always make great mikes. This one fitted the budget, works great for the desktop usage. I think Yeti series is a bit smaller, and this one is larger than it looks on the website. Still a great purchase, and works well.
Well packaged, high quality and looks cool. I would recommend black or white over silve
For a first-time user I did a little searching and decided on this make as it rated best on quality for price. I’ve used it a few times and the results are great, just what I needed. I use it for voice audio recording, not singing, and it’s perfect. I added a pop screen and the results are very clean, Highly recommended.
This mic couldn’t be simpler to use. Plug it into a USB port, then start your recording software. The software will find the mic and identify it, and that’s all there is to it. Keep in mind that it’s a mono mic, not a stereo. Within that limitation it works quite well. If you’re using it to record speech or singing you’ll need some kind of a pop guard (they’re available, or you can make one easily enough). The mic comes with a decent little desk-top stand and a good cord to connect it to the computer. It’s adjustable for various uses, and the adjustments work well. The mic itself is a bit bigger than you might expect, being a bit over 4 inches (100mm) in diameter. Also be aware that it comes in various colors, and for some reason, although the mics are identical except for the color of their plastic, they sell for different prices.
P-shields, shock absorbers needless with this. High quality voice recording will be carried out by this mic without th eneed of any accessories. I keep it on my desk atop it’s own stand, very little to none fan noise is captured by the mic in cardioid mode, my voice is recorded with extreme fidelity.
Very easy installation. It only needs to be plugged in (win 8 tested).
Fully compatible with Logitech 920 HD cam. The mic is selectable as a sound source from within the camera’s software.
The supplied stand offers extension and rotation of the mic.
Well designed, looks cool (but see cons as well)
cons
Big, heavy, bulky, expensive, red led annoys me at times. The mic on it’s own is just a heavy sturdy ball. When attached to its stand it takes considerable space at least on my small desktop area.
I bought this for work to host webinars where we have multiple speakers around a table. The omnidirectional switch option works great for this and we had many comments that the voices are much clearer since we started using this microphone.
Wow, what a great microphone. I haven’t used it a great deal, but in my trials I found it to be superb, top notch sound quality.
My only fault would be that you need to be very close to the microphone. Still 5 stars! Check out some youtube videos to check quality, it really is THAT good.
This does not work with Pro Tools software, but free recording software such as Audacity is fine.
The microphone is great, quite a lot of low end, but when you roll that off the higher frequencies are captured very well. The 3 settings are easy to use, cardioid, cardioid with a -10dB pad and omni-directional.
You would probably want a pop shield or something more to hold back the P’s, as I said, this microphone captures a fair amount of low end, so P’s tend to jump out big time.
Also the amount of power this microphone needs from the USB hub is pretty substantial. This means that you may have to disconnect some (or in my case, pretty much all) other USBs in order to feed the microphone enough power.
Overall, a great sounding USB microphone that is good value for money and professional sounding microphone settings that you would expect more on studio-quality microphones rather than desktop USB ones.
It was a great Mic, really clear and crisp in sound for a USB microphone, only down side for me is that it worked great on my old laptop and now doesn’t work at all on my new Windows 8 laptop, probably my own fault for not realizing it before I bought the laptop, but you’d think that they’d invest more time in making it compatible with windows 8 and other new versions. Still a great product though unless you’re on Windows 8.
I’m very comfortable with my new gadget, it is very easy to use and the sound is almost as expected. It does what it have to do. Now my recordings are cleaner and more pleasant. The only downside that I can make is that, if you are in a noisy environment, is that sound in the background.
I needed a microphone to record vocals and guitar but at the same time I didn’t have much money to spend, then I found the Blue Snowball and I was relieved.
Its a great little microphone, because its a condenser it records vocals very well, I use the microphone for both voice acting and singing and I hasn’t let me down yet! I’m also using it to record guitar and it does a really good job at the too, its best at recording acoustic guitar and though I would prefer a dynamic microphone for recording electric guitar (because of the amplifier) it still does a great job at recording that too.
Build quality is excellent, very sturdy, I’ve knocked it over and dropped it more times then I am proud of and still works like the day I got it.
One thing I will say is though, I don’t notice too much of a difference between the microphones Cardioid and Omnidirectional settings, in Cardioid mode the microphone will still pick the quite a bit of the sound around it.
Overall a great product, can’t beat the price! Perfect for anyone just starting out in recording, especially voice, and looking to get a cheap and semi-professional audio quality microphone, great for Skype calls too!
I needed a microphone to record vocals and guitar but at the same time I didn’t have much money to spend, then I found the Blue Snowball and I was relieved.
Its a great little microphone, because its a condenser it records vocals very well, I use the microphone for both voice acting and singing and I hasn’t let me down yet! I’m also using it to record guitar and it does a really good job at the too, its best at recording acoustic guitar and though I would prefer a dynamic microphone for recording electric guitar (because of the amplifier) it still does a great job at recording that too.
Build quality is excellent, very sturdy, I’ve knocked it over and dropped it more times then I am proud of and still works like the day I got it.
One thing I will say is though, I don’t notice too much of a difference between the microphones Cardioid and Omnidirectional settings, in Cardioid mode the microphone will still pick the quite a bit of the sound around it.
Overall a great product, can’t beat the price! Perfect for anyone just starting out in recording, especially voice, and looking to get a cheap and semi-professional audio quality microphone, great for Skype calls too!
I purchased this product since i use Skype a lot and play a lot of online games. Definitely a case of overkill, however I fell in love with this product the moment I saw it.
Opting for the brushed aluminium, it is more of a chromed plastic finish, and a little bit of a fingerprint magnet, however it’s looks always draw comments from friends, and I’ve been told that hearing me speak over it is like being in the same room.
This microphone has 3 settings, I find that for general day to day use, coupled with me sitting a sensible distance away that setting 2 is the best. 1 was too loud, and 3 was picking up my speakers. However it’s simply a question of plug and play to see what works for you.
It is certainly a good size, and worth bearing in mind if you don’t have a lot of desk space. About the same size as a tennis ball, it’s stand is sturdy, solid, and the whole thing looks and feels like it will last for a long time to come.
I cannot recommend this product more than I have, it’s a thing of beauty. Go buy one today!
I love my Snowball mic, I have been using it for my youtube and it’s far better than my silly old 5 microphone I used to use. Wonderful quality. The only drawback is that I’d say a pop filter is a must, I made one out of a sock and a coat hanger but that’s not to stop you getting your hands on one. This is a definite buy for youtubers or musicians alike.
Good:
-It looks great. I got it in glossy black, and it’s a really good looking, cool, retro style microphone – In glossy black, I might add, really does look glossy, much like the DS lite in terms of looks, unlike the matte looking picture on amazon. When it’s turned on, the red light looks great and the shiny “Blue” logo on the front looks awesome.
-It’s well made. The plastic is of great quality, it feels pretty sturdy, the microphone grating part behind the logo and through the slits at the back is a strong metal. The tripod that it comes with is really good, it’s strong, sits on the desk well, the rubbery feet mean it doesn’t move easily once you put it down, so the tripod does the job and is easily adjustable. There is one issue with how it’s made, but I’ll get onto that.
-The sound is good. It’s very clear, crisp, and on the whole has good pick up. There are three settings which are different, I tend to use the omnidirectional even for podcast like recording, because the one designed for it picks up more noise from the room, so the omnidirectional does a better job at just getting my voice, but that’s just through my experience. The second setting for recording instruments has quite a low pick up, so talking in that mode isn’t so easy, and since I don’t have a pop filter, talking close to the microphone isn’t really an option – it is, however, the most warm sounding of the settings. For better sound tests, look it up on youtube, as that’ll give you an idea for some of the modes, but in my experience so far, it’s better than what you hear on youtube, but that might just be because I’m hearing my own voice.
-Very easy to set up. Takes less than a minute if you know what you’re doing – Control panel, sounds and audio devices, audio, then change the default microphone to snowball. Very simple and easy. One issue I had (not the microphone’s fault), was that when I opened up my audio editing program, in this case audacity, it was still set as the inbuilt microphone, so I was pretty worried for a second until I realised my mistake and changed it to the correct setting.
-Delivery was good. After it was dispatched, took a day or so, and I was using super saver delivery (the free one). This was my first purchase on amazon, so I was delighted to get it so quickly.
-Price. Excellent. Got it for 63, or there around, and I see it’s been cut from around 80, I saw it in maplins for 99, so a really good buy at the moment for the money.
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Bad:
-There’s a sticker type thing going around the upper ring which has the name and company name, which has a bubble in a couple of places which means it’s raised up a bit, and it’s hard to push out. It’s like getting a bubble when laminating a sheet of paper. It’s somewhat annoying, and a shame because the rest of it is so good. It covers up the joint between the two halves of the microphone, so I won’t peel it off, and will refrain from reminding myself that it is there. I make it sound like it’s a bodily issue, but it’s really something that should have been printed on, not a cheap sticker.
-Sound could be *slightly* warmer. I can’t really explain it. I like the omnidirectional and the second setting, but the podcasty setting was slightly too harsh in its pick up. A little hard to explain, but not worth not buying for.
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Verdict:
It’s great. For the price, for what you get, it’s wonderful. It’s my first stand-alone microphone, and it’s a great buy. Obviously there are better microphones in the world for higher prices, and there are a few features I would have liked like an on-board mute button, so I wouldn’t have to go into skype to mute myself, or to pause the editing program. It’s visually an awesome mic, it’s a physically strong mic, and it sounds really good. I’m very pleased with it, and it’s 100x better than the inbuilt mic I was previously using, and can’t wait to continue my use of the snowball in future. If you’re looking for a microphone, buy this one.
Very good product and would highly recommend for any one wanting quality audio. I do voice recording for videos so invested in this and the feedback I have got is excellent. Really can’t go wrong with the product. As always the only bad thing is the price but you don’t get anything for free these days.
Originally, I had used Gaming Headset microphones as I recorded gameplay videos and talked with friends on skype, my headset however was near broken and my mic had terrible audio quality, as a result I looked into many different microphones and found the Blue microphone range, after looking at many reviews I decided on purchasing the Snowball and have not looked back since, the microphone is great quality and is perfect for use at home or for recording songs, video commentary or generally speaking with friends, I have since suggested the microphone to my friends, one of which bought the Blue Yeti, there is not a very noticeable difference between the snowball and yeti’s audio quality considering the price however, if you are planning on hosting a radio show, pod-cast or producing music I suggest using the Yeti or Yeti Pro if you can afford it as these are better for Studio use.
Another great feature of the Snowball is it’s ease of use, as stated, all you have to do is plug it into the computer and it will work, no drivers are needed to install and so it is great for those who are not very good with Computers.
Pros:
-Affordable Studio Quality Microphone
-Great Build Quality
-Great design and very easy setup
Cons:
-Cannot find any 🙂
Originally, I had used Gaming Headset microphones as I recorded gameplay videos and talked with friends on skype, my headset however was near broken and my mic had terrible audio quality, as a result I looked into many different microphones and found the Blue microphone range, after looking at many reviews I decided on purchasing the Snowball and have not looked back since, the microphone is great quality and is perfect for use at home or for recording songs, video commentary or generally speaking with friends, I have since suggested the microphone to my friends, one of which bought the Blue Yeti, there is not a very noticeable difference between the snowball and yeti’s audio quality considering the price however, if you are planning on hosting a radio show, pod-cast or producing music I suggest using the Yeti or Yeti Pro if you can afford it as these are better for Studio use.
Another great feature of the Snowball is it’s ease of use, as stated, all you have to do is plug it into the computer and it will work, no drivers are needed to install and so it is great for those who are not very good with Computers.
Pros:
-Affordable Studio Quality Microphone
-Great Build Quality
-Great design and very easy setup
Cons:
-Cannot find any 🙂
The Blue Snowball is a wonderful alternative to whatever you are using at the moment. Currently, I use it for commentaries and it picks my voice up perfectly with minimal popping, although if you want to pick up a pop screen filter then they aren’t too expensive either. It is sensitive in the sense that you can be relatively far away from it and it will still pick up your voice yet it is clever enough not to sound too loud if you are close to it.
Positives: USB microphone means no need for installation.
Perfectly clear sounding recordings.
Adjustable height and easy to set up.
Tripod is strong, with rubber grips so you can count on it to stay put and not take up too much space.
Just be sure to check that the Blue Snowball is compatiable with the Operating System you are using. Im using Windows XP and it works perfectly for me.
I’ll make this quick.
Ordered it with 3-5 day delivery, it came in 3 days, perfect for me.
I was 100% impressed with the packaging and really.. i’d recommend anyone to buy this for any purpose, it’s a little sensitive but there are 3 different settings for that.
Overall really impressed.
When I bought this mic I thought it was pretty expensive but after getting it it was so cheap as it is basically a studio microphone at 1/4 of the price. it can be used for anything from pod-casts to singing and it produces amazing sound quality with no background noise. it was also incredibly easy to set-up as all you have to do it plug the usb lead into eather your computer or ipad and it works.
I would recommend this product to anyone. It’s amazing
You could find a number of ‘issues’ with it if you don’t know what you’re doing, but for those who understand the limitations — not of the Snowball but of home audio recording in general — and how to work round them to the advantage, the Snowball fits in just great.
You may need to push the gain up a little in your software, as the mic doesn’t have a preamp, but then again I could hear the tapping of my thumb and forefinger in front of and behind the mic – in other words it has no problem in picking up both direct and ambient noise. All three setting ‘positions’ have their uses depending on what you want to record, and in fact you might find you get a better vocal or acoustic instrument recording if you use the omni and get in closer — the trick is to EXPERIMENT and don’t take your first take as a definition of what the Snowball can help you achieve.
I’m sorry if this sounds like a lecture, but I am sick of reading the reviews from people who complain about the mic because — probably — the rest of their setup is appalling. Research and read some articles on audio recording (particularly in the home) and you’ll find that the biggest factor on getting decent recordings is the ROOM itself.
Try these:
[…]
Seriously, you can’t plug a mic — any mic — in to your PC or Mac and expect it to sound fantastic without you doing any work. It’s not a magic cure all for bad acoustics or bad vocals. That said, I believe the Snowball is one of the best microphones in its class (if you don’t need 24 bit / 192kHz recording, in which case look at the Yeti instead).
Perfectly usable with the likes of GarageBand, for podcasting, and so on. I personally wouldn’t use it with Skype or other IM because my headset is adequate for spoken vocals in that context, but I have no doubt it would work great.
I highly recommend this microphone. If audio levels are really likely to be an issue (bearing in mind that most amateur home recordists capture vocals at too high a level) perhaps you’d be better off with a Shure mic (or one of Blue’s XLR mics) and a XLR-USB preamp like the Icicle.
(and no I don’t work for Blue).
I got this microphone on Wednesday and it arrived the next day. The microphone is the perfect size and has a nice weight to it. It feels strong, sturdy and is an amazing product.
The microphone quality is really good and i am really happy with the mic. I use windows 7 and there was no manual installation needed. It runs well and i am very pleased and recommend this microphone to anyone 🙂
Thanks
his is unique product in every aspect : great design, great quality – great sound !
we just receive our snow ball microphone, and we first notice very nice packaging, and when we open – we discover that microphone is bigger then we expect. after few hours of testing – we was surprised with professional quality of recorded sound. great product and thanks god we finally solve our problem with recording high quality sound with this great snow ball blue usb microphone
his is unique product in every aspect : great design, great quality – great sound !
we just receive our snow ball microphone, and we first notice very nice packaging, and when we open – we discover that microphone is bigger then we expect. after few hours of testing – we was surprised with professional quality of recorded sound. great product and thanks god we finally solve our problem with recording high quality sound with this great snow ball blue usb microphone
This microphone really stands out in quality, especially seen the low price for what you get.
It can easily be used for professional recording, although I do advise getting a pop filter together with it to filter out ‘p’ and ‘b’ popping sounds.
I have used it to record a rap song and the result was truly amazing.
Connecting to my computer was as easy as putting it in the USB port (on Mac).
On Windows I had to try connecting it a few times, but after that it worked perfectly without having to install any drivers.
This microphone really stands out in quality, especially seen the low price for what you get.
It can easily be used for professional recording, although I do advise getting a pop filter together with it to filter out ‘p’ and ‘b’ popping sounds.
I have used it to record a rap song and the result was truly amazing.
Connecting to my computer was as easy as putting it in the USB port (on Mac).
On Windows I had to try connecting it a few times, but after that it worked perfectly without having to install any drivers.
One of the better USB microphones on the market.