Blue Yeti USB Microphone for Recording, Streaming, Gaming
Blue Yeti USB Microphone for Recording, Streaming, Gaming, Podcasting on PC and Mac, Condenser Mic for Laptop or Computer with Blue VO!CE Effects, Adjustable Stand, Plug and Play – Silve
Blue’s Legendary Broadcast-Quality Sound
Makes the professional difference for recording, streaming and building your audience.
Custom Three-Capsule Array
Produces clear, powerful, broadcast-quality sound for YouTube, game streaming, podcasting, conference calls and music.
Onboard Audio Controls
Studio controls for headphone volume, pattern selection, instant mute, and microphone gain put you in charge of every level of the recording and streaming process.
Unique Positionable Design
Adjust and pivot the microphone in relation to the sound source to optimise your sound quality.
Blue VO!CE Broadcast Vocal Effects
Craft the perfect broadcast vocal sound and entertain your audience with enhanced effects, advanced modulation and HD audio samples.
Four Pickup Patterns
Cardioid, omni, bidirectional, and stereo pickup patterns offer incredible flexibility, allowing you to record in ways that would normally require multiple microphones.
No-Latency Monitoring
Monitor your voice in real time mixed with the sound from your computer to make sure your streams sound great.
Plug ‘n Play on Mac and PC
Instantly start recording and streaming on Mac or PC.
Headphone Volume and Mic MuteControl the volume of sound in your headphones and touch the mute button for those times mid-stream when you need to cough or sneeze
” data-position=”triggerHorizontal” />Microphone GainControl the sensitivity of the mic capsules.
” data-position=”triggerHorizontal” />Adjustable Desktop StandFor perfect microphone positioning on the desktop
” data-position=”triggerHorizontal” />Four Patterns for Ultimate Versatility
Four distinct pickup patterns allow you to record and stream in ways that would normally require multiple microphones.
Cardioid Mode
For podcasting,game streaming,YouTube productions, Zoom calls,vocals, instruments,cardioid mode captures sound sources that are directly in front of the microphone delivering a rich,full-bodied sound
Omni Mode
Omnidirectional mode picks up sound all around the microphone. Great for conference calls and captures the feeling of “being there.”
Bidirectional Mode
Bidirectional mode picks up sound from both the front and rear of the microphone, but not the sides. Ideal for two-person podcasts.
Stereo Mode
Stereo mode picks up sound from left to right in front of the microphone. Great for recording music or a 3-person podcast.
Accessorise Your Creative Space
Transform your desktop into a broadcast studio with the Compass broadcast boom arm and Radius III shockmount, or get them all together with Yeticaster.
Compass Premium Broadcast Boom Arm
Tired of squeaky, flimsy scissor booms? We are too! Compass features a broadcast studio-grade design with enclosed aluminium construction, internal springs, and hidden-channel cable management.
Radius III Custom Shockmount
Radius III is a vintage-style suspension mount designed to isolate Yeti and Yeti Pro USB microphones from noise, shock and ambient vibration.
Yeticaster
Yeticaster delivers the ultimate broadcast studio setup to your desktop.
Comparison table
Snowball Ice
Snowball
Yeti Nano
Yeti
Yeti Pro
Capsules 1 Condenser 2 Condensers 2 Condensers 3 Condensers 3 Condensers Patterns Cardioid Cardioid, Omni Cardioid, Omni Cardioid,Omni, Bi-directional Cardioid, Omni, Bi-directional 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 Output ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ Output USB USB USB USB USB
| Weight: | 1.45 kg |
| Size: | Silver |
| Dimensions: | 12.45 x 11.94 x 29.46 cm; 1.45 Kilograms |
| Model: | 988-000103 |
| Colour: | Silver |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. |
| Dimensions: | 12.45 x 11.94 x 29.46 cm; 1.45 Kilograms |
| Origin: | United Kingdom |
| Size: | Silver |
Superb chunk of metal..!
This microphone is much heavier than I was expecting, it looks a little plasticky in the photos but WOW when it arrived I was very very impressed.
I’m using Windows 8.1 and it installed immediately – you can follow the simple booklet instructions too which help.
First thing I did was to do a test ‘record’ with my violin using ‘Audacity’ and it blew me away (first time using a mic and editing software!), so much you can do with this mic……
Get it.
Excellent Microphone. Here's my entire setup.
Excellent microphone. Very clear sound. Easy to setup. For those of you that are thinking of a boon setup with shock mount and dont know what to get I’ve listed my entire setup below which works really well with this microphone.
– This boon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00GLJDMPO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
-This shock mount: (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00HL5WWHQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
– This thread adapter, which connects the shock mount to the boon
(http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000L9C0BC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
– This pop filter which clamps on to the boon arm at the top (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008AOH1O6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
After reading all of the positive reviews I must say that I was a little sceptical about just how good this microphone could possibly be for the price. However, after a couple of months of use I am blown away by the quality!
I am using this mic with Adobe Audition CS for Mac, and setting it up was very simple. Plug it in by USB (this also powers it) then go into the ‘Settings’ and change the Sound Input to the ‘Yeti’ (this is all in the instructions). Upon booting into Audition the mic popped up right away in the multi-track inputs, and after a bit of tweaking with the input level it was setup and ready to use.
You can select either mono of stereo recording, and the mute button on the front of the mic is a simple way of turning it on and off during recording.
I have been using this to record voiceover for radio and the quality of the microphone is superb. The voice sounds rich and all frequencies are very full. With the application of a little compression post-record I was very happy with the overall voice sound.
The stereo record quality is excellent, though I still prefer mono for voiceover.
The mic is quite large in size, more than double the thickness of an average mic, but it is very solid in design and easy to position for recording.
This does not come with a spit-guard, so I would highly recommend investing in one.
Very Happy!
I got this for my best friend who is a musician and he totally loves it
and had, had one previously which was stolen, so he’s extremely happy
to have a replacement!
Great for Studio and home recording as you can imagine!
I’d Highly recommend this Microphone to anyone who is serious about
their music and so on….
Really quick delivery, well packaged.
I’d Highly recommend this seller to anyone as well!
My new best friend
I love the sound; stepping up from internal and headset mikes to this has been an incredible step in quality. I would be happy to use this on my old radio station for broadcasts and interviews.
Big, weighty, four modes, all adjustable, and a very decent digital-analogue converter inside means this USB mic also doubles as a superb headphone amp / external sound card for your movies, games, and music.
Only con is there’s probably nowhere to fit a non-Blue pop filter to it without dismantling the stand.
Reasonable mic and great desig
A nice mic, picks up all sounds including background noise that I don’t hear normally. It is rather larger than I expected – certainly ‘man-sized’. I am sure there are better solutions though this does what it is supposed to and makes a design statement.
Great for home studio
Opted for Blue Yeti over the Samsung C01U and not regretted it, can be used straight from the box to get up and running but would advise a mic boom, shock mount and pop filter to complete the set-up.
My setup:
Blue Yeti
Blue Radius
Dual Layer Pop Filter
On Stage Stands Euro – Boom Mic Stand
Great for YouTube Commentary's!
I spent a few days looking up Reviews and Videos on which USB Microphone to get for doing YouTube Commentary’s, In the end it was a choice between the Audio Technica AT2020 and the Blue Yeti.
The reason why I choose the Yeti was because it has 4 Recording modes and a Convenient Mute button on the front of the Mic, Plus it looks amazing!
After you have your Blue Yeti Installed on your PC or Mac I would Recommend Spending a good 30 minutes fine tuning for whatever you desire. It’s a pretty heavy Mic (Approx. 2kg) but because of this it is really Sturdy.
Overall if you are in the market for a Microphone for doing Commentary’s, Podcasts, Interviews etc. this is defiantly the mic for you!
I hope this Review helped you 😀
Great microphone
Great microphone, alot of options and superb sound quality.
I really recommend this microphone.
I use it for gaming commentaries and it’s really great.
Much better than how I used to make my video’s with a headset.
Wonderful quality
What an amazing microphone – great quality that’s such a big difference to laptop built in mics. I have to talk a bit facing its side to avoid popping sounds though; but even they are neutralized.
great for vocals
I bought this microphone primarily to record guitar, but, as i experimented more with this mic, I discovered that this mic mic is extremely high quality. The only downside is it’s not that great for guitar.I’m no expert audiophile but to me , it just doesn’t sound right.On the other hand anything else is phenomenal sounding and very clear.
Easy to use, and relatively cheap.
Wanting to start off a media in which you need a good voice, whether you are using this for commentaries, singing or podcasts this microphone is a cheap and easy way to record, and publish your voice without the hassle of drivers and installs, simply plug it in and away you go.
It's perfect for the job!
I make a lot of ‘How To’ videos for my own products and books in Amazon. Getting a professional sound quality on them was a bit of an issue until I got my BLUE.
I am super impressed with the quality of the mic, its’s a really robust and solid bit of kit; the quality of the audio it produces on any of the settings is excellent – rich and inviting (I use cardioid mostly but there are 4 modes in total). It was very easy to set it up – less than 5 minutes — simple as 1,2,3.
Overall for my purpose it’s a great, good value purchase and product that will last me for years to come
Great introduction to high quality microphones.
The microphone comes in a nice box and is protected by rigid polystyrene moulded to its shape. this was reassuring as audio equipment in particular is susceptible to damage. The microphone itself if solidly built mainly from metal and comes with a mostly aesthetic stand. (mostly aesthetic as it absorbs very little vibration).
When plugged into both mac and windows 7 machines the microphone is immediately recognised and does not require driver installation.
Recording is quick and easy and sound can be monitored through headphones in real time via the 3.5mm headphone jack on the bottom of the microphone. This jack can feel a little loose at times, however the sound does not fade or distort, so it serves its purpose.
The recording modes can be easily switched using the knob on the back of the microphone, it is rather stiff however this is beneficial as it avoids any accidental switching when handling the microphone ensuring all changes are intentional.
The microphone is rather sensitive and picks up sounds very well, for this reason when recording vocals, voiceovers and instruments, when it is not essential to pick up reverb (or a feel for where the music/sound was recorded), the microphone performs best and most clear when the gain is set to roughly 20%, using the knob on the back of the unit.
A variety of recording modes offer the best quality for instruments, vocals, voiceovers, interviews and stereo audio capture. A handy instructions booklet tells you what modes are best for what situation and this can significantly reduce the time you spend fiddling with your audio after recording to get the best quality sound.
The microphone is USB bus powered, meaning it is powered by the USB controller itself. It will also gain enough power from a 4 port non powered USB hub and still function fully. However the mic is unable to take power from either a 1A or 2.1A USB charger. (like the ones that come with iOS devices)
The mic loses a star for its shaky headphone port and its hit or miss mute function, as well as a few compromising plastic fixtures and controls which spoil the classic metal feel of the device.
In conclusion this microphone provides exceptional sound quality for a reasonable price. Built in modes aid in recording reducing audio editing times and the built in headphone monitoring is a handy feature.
Impressive
This mic has impressed me. I had a rough idea of what quality I would get from the mic after reading and watching enough reviews to make me want to buy it but when it arrived and I loaded it up in the program Audacity I was pleasently surprised at the difference between what I was using before and this mic.
The price isn’t too much so I can’t really complain about that
The true kick in the nads came when trying to purchase a shock mount for it. The mount has ended up costing at least the same price as the mic itself because they aren’t sold in Europe. The mount is not worth the money I paid for it, and the only reason I’m saying this is because the mount is something quite important to the functionality of the mic. You’d like to believe that the stand it comes with is enough but personally I didn’t think that was the case for what I wanted out of the mic.
Either way, I’m glad I bought the mic but I think that the necessity of the stand alone shock mount for most application at a price similar to the mic itself is pretty gross.
Professional Mic for under £100!
If you don’t have hundreds of pounds and want a great sounding mic this one is for you! i received it 1 day earlier and was happy with delivery. With my windows XP (SP3) it was plug and play i required no drivers! Now i can finally makes good quality videos with this amazing mic.
5* although the only thing i found was you can’t turn “Gain” up much or it makes you sound very loud and sometimes fuzzy, but that’s no problem as you have full control over that! Nice sturdy feel to the mic.
If you seek a Quality Made, Professional End Microphone but relatively cheap in that sort of field.
Then i seriously can’t imagine a better choice then this microphone.
Unlike some other microphones this comes with a metal base that helps massively when i put the microphone on my desk as my previous one fell over repeatedly. The sound quality is fantastic and better then any other ive used.
Recommended, Worth every penny.
Great for Recording
I have been subjected to be the on the panel of Britain Is Got Talent indoors due a bunch of teenagers who are pretty impressed with the product. My daughter’s friends are pushing to get the same product from their parents. Oh My god what did I start? Excellent product and records very well.
Its a Very Good Microphone But...
Like the title says it is an amazing microphone , produces incredible sound quality. but when it arrived i noticed but did not take much detail to the condition. on the left of the microphone stand and the knobs to tighten it into the desired place look bent/worn out and some of the metal paintwork on that side has scratched off in places. for what is Supposed to be a NEW item i dont find this acceptable. If whoever reads this from the company could you please tell me if this is Eligible for a replacement. I wont be too fussed if not because it dose work the way its made too. Its just not in the 100% condition i was hoping it to arrive in.
As someone who creates video reviews it became clear I needed to do something about the audio quality as my current camcorder didn’t support an external microphone and the internal mic was fairly poor.
After a lot of searching around I settled on the Blue Yeti USB microphone due to good reviews and the interesting design that meant I didn’t need to buy an additional stand.
The Yeti hasn’t disappointed, it looks fantastic and has given me the ability to add much better audio to the videos I produce. I’m only using it in one mode, cardioid, but there are 4 modes in total available:
– Stereo
– Cardioid
– Omnidirectional
– Bidirectional
Setup was really easy, just plug it into your PC/laptop and depending on your setup you might need to select it as the microphone to use. The Yeti has a headphone socket on the bottom which has introduced me to the world of instant feedback, it’s really useful being able to hear what the Yeti is picking up so you can easily tell if it’s too noise, or if you’re too far away etc. Note that this might also need setting up to ensure sound isn’t played out of your speakers instead of your headphones.
Aside from videos I’ve also used this as the microphone for Skype and Steam, with the other people commenting that I sounded much better than I had via a webcam mic. Again, setup is very easy, you just need to ensure the Yeti is selected as the microphone in whatever application you’re using.
Very pleased with the microphone so far, I think it’s an excellent purchase if you’re looking to improve the quality of sounds you record. I’m still getting the hang of how best to use this (e.g. how close to the mic I should be, gain level etc) but you should be able to hear the huge improvement over my camcorder microphone in the video I’ve done, no hissing background noise for a start!
Looks great, sounds great, an investment I’m very pleased with and highly recommend.
Blue Yeti Microphone Balanced Review.
An excellent Microphone and extremely well built for the price.
Good weight means it cannot be easily knocked over and the guide book has all the information you need to set it up.
The best features of this microphone is its multiple settings to choose how to mic responds to you based on where it is positioned. The optional screw fitting on the bottom make it compatible with any microphone stand which was not something i expected being a full unit. The headphone pass through also is a convenient feature as it prees up space and wires from behind me PC and puts it in an easily accessible area.
Some things i did not like are the cable. Although long and sturdy being placed at the bottom limits the swivel function of them mic unless you remove it and replace it. The dial to switch to the different mic modes is extremely stiff and required quite a bit of force to change the settings, to do this in mid recording would generate a huge amount of noise the microphone would pick up an and disturb any recording so i would call it a fixed mode with optional settings. I would hope that a microphone of this quality came with some easy to use Audio software to control most of its features on screen rather then with dials and switches but i was a little disappointed to find out it came with no such thing.
Overall 4/5 stars.
To summarize i was happy with the purchase but a few things could be tweaked to make it that much better without adding additional cost.
This thing is a solid beast of a microphone. Four different modes and simple USB 2.0 connectivity ensure ease of use, I have used it for recording vocals, acoustic guitars and simple voiceovers for YouTube commentaries.
I have noticed that this mic is noticeably quieter when plugged into its own USB socket as opposed to a hub, I got a little bit of cycle hum from this method, but into a solitary port there is no mention of background noise at all!
All Hail the Yeti!...
What can i say, the Yeti is a very good microphone although out the packaging i had to fiddle with some settings. Here some tips:
If you are wanting to sit far back from the Yeti put the gain on it about half way and that will boost the volume up although it may cause some background noise if you have a computer running, any higher than half way you will hear a fuzzing noise (from my experience).
Best way i found was in Windows volume panel have it set too 50% and have the yet at about 1/4-1/8 gain and sit kinda close but not kissing the microphone 😀 and you should be clear sounding and no background noise.
The microphones quality is amazing i recorded 2 hours of gameplay footage hoping it was going to sound good quality and indeed it sounded amazing, aswell as livestreaming viewers asked me if i had a new microphone, what it was, how much it cost and all sorts.
Quality wise it is amazing and is made of metal mesh for the top and aluminium body, when it was delivered it was kinda cold and the yeti was freezing, this shows good quality to the product as well. Buttons and knobs on the other hand are good quality although they are wobbly all the time but if you are gentle handling it will definately not break.
All in all good quality microphone, sounds amazingly clear, but some buttons quality is a lil durability issue. This does not decrease my rating of 5 stars to 4 because a microphone is all about the voice.
p.s it is one heavy and massive product, have the space to use it…
Worth i
he microphone itself works very well, its easy to use, simply plug the USB into your laptop and open up garageband or an equivalent software and you’re ready to go, the sound is very good and crisp and best of all you can hear yourself in the headphones so you know how you sound as you’re talking/singing.
Great quality and flexibility - 4 mics in one!
I wasn’t sure which mic and compared quite a few some cheaper and some more expensive than the Blue Yeti. In the end I decided the flexibility of this with the option for stereo too suited my needs best. Great quality first and foremost! It is a bit large to cart around but for that purpose removing the heavy base and using a lighter and smaller tripod stand works well.
Wonderful product. Good service from the selle
My brother-in-law bought me a Behringer C1U USB microphone the Christmas before last. It looked good, but was a pile of junk that has never given me decent input levels. Much looking round on the Web told me either that the product was useless or that Microsoft has messed up with its support for USB microphones in general. I therefore bought this Blue Yeti microphone with some trepidation. It was unfounded trepidation. It worked straight from the box, and picks up every sound. Indeed, I had to turn down the recording level to avoid clipping. I heartily recommend the product, and am pleased with the quality of service from the seller.
So I was faced with a tough decision: the Blue Yeti or the Samson Meteor. After having watched several YouTube reviews of both products, I was still undecided, as they both seemed excellent and I was only looking to record my own voice, not music. They both had a 3.5mm headset connection, they both had a headphones volume dial, but was the Yeti worth that extra 42?
I still don’t know! But I chose the Yeti over the Meteor because of the gain dial. When I was going through my PC’s 3.5mm mic jack, Windows 7 controlled the gain of the mic through its ridiculous “microphone boost” feature. You get a bright hiss in the background that has to be removed using software, leaving a tinny voice behind after stripping it. The whole point of buying a USB mic was to cut out the middle man and have a pure, digital sound capture fed directly to my hard disk. For me, the gain control on the back is a huge part of that. I can choose exactly how sensitive it is and decide how close I want to sit, all from the mic itself. I am so happy I have this ability, it makes the mic for me.
Make no mistake, though, the Blue Yeti is HUGE and very heavy, so if portability is a big factor for you, the Samson Meteor might be a better compromise. But if you’re after a rock solid, desk-mounted, crystal clear USB mic, that has built-in gain control and directional pickup, I recommend the Yeti. The headphone jack is also recognized by Windows as a pair of USB speakers (I didn’t know such a thing existed) and you can feed all your PC’s audio through the mic, if you like, giving you a handy desk-mounted headphone jack and volume control.
Oh, and I didn’t buy a pop filter, but if you’re going to be closer than 10cm to the mic, you need one. It depends on how loud your voice is and how far away you’re sitting, but for that extra lush, deep bass-sound to your voice, you’ll have to get in close and unless you’re happy speaking off to one side, you’re going to need the filter.
Wow...
Stunning sound quality, just stunning. I use this with my iPad (through a powered USB port) and the sound quality is just amazing.
A brilliantly versatile microphone that would be the envy of any wannabe YouTuber or bedroom producer.
Top notch microphone well worth the money
I purchased this on behalf of my son who has raved about it since he got it. Apparently the quality is excellent. He uses it for gaming mostly but has also found it useful for recording music videos for you tube. Very strong and well made.
Exceptional Microphone
I was in the market for a microphone, and settled upon this as I wanted the freedom of recording with studio quality as an option as well as using it for VOIP. The price is something that I was worried about at first,but decided it was worth the money. Service was exceptional, on time and the item was completely intact and finely packaged.
But Enough chat! time for the microphone!
I have carried out some extensive testing and seemingly cannot fault the clarity of the sound Produced by the three capsules sealed inside the chrome mesh. The various modes offered including cardiod, bidirectional etc. Are extremely useful for various scenarios, even though I don’t see myself Conducting interviews very often, but I’m sure some people will. The included stand for this microphone is substantial, but lacks some vibration absorption so purchasing the compatible radius shockmount might be a future option, but due to the expense required a simple vibration absorbing mat will suffice for now. The look of the microphone is a nice retro style, a classic trip to the old radio mics, but has a pleasing aesthetic that should displease few, and although not essential for some people, it is good that Blue have clearly put a lot of thought into its design.
In conclusion, This a microphone of high build quality, and high sound quality, that I would recommend for any user from casual or new user up to professional.
Superb sound & build quality
Really well built unit, and the sound quality is fantastic, you get that ‘radio’ quality sound with a great frequency range.
As others have mentioned, it can pickup keyboard taps & stuff if placed directly onto same desk, but a bit of good packing foam soon fixed that.
Have used for screen capture tutorials at work and recording a Ukulele band, performed brilliant for both utterly different needs.
Well worth the money, beats the heck outta every other mic I’ve used.
Microphone is grea
The quality of the microphone is great, the manual that comes with it has a great diagram that really shows everything clearly and is understandable for anyone even a child. The microphone doesn’t have to be next to your face for it to work and it’s quite nice to use. I can keep it off to the side and I have no trouble with it, my friends can hear me clearly. This is great for every and any sort of vocal/musical recordings.
The delivery was super fast, the free delivery that came with this said it would be delivered between Tuesday – Thursday. I got it on Monday. Fast delivery and it was not damaged at all and in perfect condition.
I am rating this 5/5 because the delivery was fast, there was no damage, microphone is great. I recommend everyone to get this.
Microphone is awesome! USB A Male to Mini-B not so much.
I’ve had the Yeti set up with my RDE boom arm for about a month now, everything was working perfectly.
I started having problems with the USB Cable that connects the mic to the PC. I kept having an error in windows saying that the USB Device was not recognised and it would disconnect itself on a regular basis. The only way to get it to work again (for a short period) would be to take the USB out of the mic itself and plug it back in (the mini-b connector is very loose when plugged into the mic itself)
So I would suggest actually investing in a 3rd party USB A Male to Mini-B
Just perfec
I had been told about the high quality of the Blue Yeti, however, actually trying it out made me realise what a high quality item this is. Other kids usually have trouble picking up the full register of my voice (my voice is quite deep) but the Yeti sailed through successfully in all aspects. Plus it looks so damn good when you actually have it in front of you that even if it didn’t record it would be worth the money just to make your recording set up look so good. 5 stars!
I ordered a Samson Meteor last week and it was fine, but I kept going to back to Youtube videos about the Yeti, and I somehow felt like I was settling for second best in the Samson.
So my Yeti arrived, and I’ve been using it for a couple of days to record my voice (in Audacity) for my Youtube videos. At first I couldn’t hear much difference over the Samson, but then I followed the recommendation of a Youtube reviewer and recorded my room, no voice or other sounds, for about 20 seconds. The difference was massive. The Samson was giving me a constant background noise, which I had to manually edit out in Audacity. The Yeti is producing almost zero background noise, and what little there is isn’t worth worrying about. The noise from the Yeti is around a constant -48dB, where the Samson was up around -36dB. I’m not a sound engineer, and those numbers don’t seem a million miles apart, but when you hear them both the difference is huge.
Another couple of tips I picked up, which may be obvious to others but they weren’t to me. Plug the mic into an external, powered USB hub. Don’t plug it into the PC directly. Apparently it’ll pickup all sorts of electrical and physical interference – fans, electrical etc. And use a floor standing mic stand. Both the Yeti and the Samson picked up too much of my PC’s vibrations, fans, keyboard and mouse noise when they were in their own desk based stands.
I bought a cheap mic stand, and it’s positioned so the mic is slightly under my mouth level, horizontal and pointing slight back over my right shoulder. I find that in that position it can’t ‘hear’ my keyboard and mouse as much. The mic’s gain control is at the “10 o’clock” position, the PC’s software gain control is at 100%, and I speak about 6 inches from the mic. I don’t speak directly into the front of the mic – I speak ‘past’ the mic – I find that I get less pops and hisses that way.
I am going to get a pop-filter for it though, as it’s easy to get it popping if you’re not careful!
One slight downer on my mic though, which I’ll soon forget about. The stand has a bit of a poor finish around the bevelled part – a bit of a manufacturing error, but it’s not major. Oh, and be careful when you remove the mic from its stand. The silver paint chips very easily.
Overall, I would 100% recommend spending the extra on this mic if you’re choosing between the 53 Samson Meteor and this 93 mic. Do it!!
I was looking for a good mic for Skype calling, vocals recording and Tenor Sax. This mic is great for all of these! It works seemlessly with both Windows XP and 8.1 (32and 64 bit versions respectively). With the gain turned right down Skype transmits very little fan noise and when recording using Audacity it’s easy to remove the low level of fan noise. Mic feels solid and sturdy. Headphone socket is great for monitor headphones and, if you know what you’re doing, easy to make backing tracks play out of.
I would highly recommend this mic.
Amazon one-day delivery was fantastic – arrived a day early and on a Sunday!
High quality microphone
I ordered the Blue Yeti microphone after my Geoteck EX05 headset mic decided to give up the ghost after a few days of death throws. I first ordered a cheap Trust Starzz one, which went back the following day (absolute rubbish).
I should say that I use a microphone primarily for Youtube gaming videos, so you know what use I am putting the Yeti to.
As other reviewers have said, the setup is a piece of cake. I concur.
The Blue Yeti is a very good microphone (at least for my purposes). It is pretty sensitive and does require a little experimentation to get the results one requires. I found the Cardiod setting to be the best for me. I do find that the microphone does pick up my keyboard and mouse a little more than I’d like; but until I can afford a stand I’ll have to put up with that.
The build quality is extremely good; solid and weighty.
It is ostensibly a USB mic, but also has a dimm (I believe that’s what it’s called) multi-pin connection.
I would certainly recommend this microphone for voice recording.
Best microphone! :)
I am very pleased with this microphone, it does everything I expected it to and MORE.
I use it for recording relaxation videos and also for creating my own music.
At first I started with the cardoid mode as it only picks sound up from the one side (helps to eliminate background sounds) but after further use I found the first setting to be the best for my particular type of recording, as the instruments and voice pick up is much clearer and easier to do.
Overall I am very happy with this product, having previously got the blue snowball (which was also good before the connection became faulty) I decided to spend a little more for this microphone and boy am I glad I did!
Recommend without question 😀
It's big... and it is beautiful
This mic was recommended by colleagues in the Professional Speaking association who do professional recordings. I have to say I did not expect it to be so big (didn’t check the spec for dimensions) however it does an excellent job. It’s not easily portable so buy a smaller version as well to complement and to cover all options.
Extremely pleased
I’ll echo the other reviews around here and start off by saying that this is an excellent microphone, true value for money. I bought the Blue Yeti to use for recording commentaries for my gameplay videos. It does the job amazingly well and the audio is superb, exactly what I was looking for.
One problem I did encounter was that it picked up the sound of my Keyboard and Mouse, which was quite a problem. However, I solved this by purchasing a studio arm. If you don’t want to splash out the extra money on one of those however you could always just fold up a Jumper/T-Shirt and put it under the default stand which should get rid of any vibrations from your keyboard.
Overall, I’d say an amazing product and definitely value for money.
Good mic, much bigger than the pics sugges
This is a really good mic, the fit and finish are top notch and it’s ease of use if excellent – it’s just a lot bigger than you would expect. Also consider getting a pop filter, comes in handy
Great Microphone
The only problem with this is how sensitive it is, bought for my sons birthday, he immediately had to create his own muff cover for it by using 2 socks as it picks up every little sound and with him having younger siblings in the next rooms it can get very noisy. His computer is on the floor, so he does not need to worry about the vibrations from that being picked up, but when he gets his new desk I will take previous comments regarding this into consideration and look for a suitable mount. the feedback from his friends is when using for conversations and gaming, his voice is crisp and clear and the controls allow for easy setup when using it to record sounds or music. All in all for the price it is a very robust, sturdy and heavy mic that you definitely feel you are getting your moneys worth out of. I have ordered him a muff cover for it and you should consider this if you have a noisy house or neighbours 😛
Top Notch Microphone
The first thing that you notice about this microphone is its weight. It is solid and robust – well made. It also performs well and has several different modes such as cardoid, omni-directional and stereo which also work well.
It is currently being used in a semi-professional casting team.
Highly recommended. You get what you pay for.
Best Mic I've owned
I’m still getting family and friends saying the mic looks like a particular female sex toy, but It’s remained on my desk ever since It’s arrived. The Mic itself is actually rather large and but easy to store away safely. It is able to be removed from the suppled stand and be mounted to a standard mic’ arm –Though be careful as the Yeti is substantially heavy for a mic.
But looks and size apart, this thing is amazing! With the gain even a quarter of the way up it picks up everything in my medium sized room. I sit with the mic being around 1-2 ft away and with the gain usually just under half way. It’s crystal clear in picking up my voice and everything else for that matter. However, I believe turning the gain down and putting the mic closer to you would stop it picking up everything; personal preference I guess. The mic does record some pretty clear audio though!
But what I love about this particular mic is the added features. The non-latency I(fancy word for no delay) headphone jack allows you to hear your own voice as the mic pics it up, but not only that, but it can also be used as an external sound card! Yes, you are able to use the headphone jack to listen to music, here people on skype chats and any other pc audio in addition to monitoring your voice –Although your voice does come back very faint.
So, nit-picking around here… There’s one or two things I dont like. The LED to show it’s recording is a solid red light, whilst muted it’s a blinking red light… To any computer person this is actually back-wards. AND The mic has a tendancey to power off when only being used as a sound card (Mic muted and listen to music through headphone jack.) And it can have some rare errors during skype calls. But nothing too annoying. Just unplug and plug back in and the problems are always solved.
I highly recommend this mic to anyone for just about any purpose! I use it as a mic for online gaming and voice overs.
This is a superb mic audio quality is crystal clear I use it on my ipad to sing with people around the world and it always gives lovely vocal recording if using it with an ipad you must use a mains usb hub and connect your mic usb cable to that and then connect a apple camera kit usb adaptor to the ipad then using a usb cable that came with your mains usb hub connect that to the camera kit usb adaptor the reason for this is because the yeti uses to much power it needs the mains usb hub to boost and give it the required power needed.
A great mic for the price
I bought this mic for times when I am unable to get into my studio, for recording ideas on the fly. The mic is much larger than I was anticipating however for the price, I’m glad I bought it. I’ve always wanted a Blue mic and the build quality even on this low end model is great. Its best features for me are the USB power and low noise.
I bought this microphone as a YouTuber expecting it to be a temporary buy until I could afford something more up-market like the Shure SM7B. However, I don’t think I’ll be replacing this one. Some background hum can be heard with a raw recording but it can be removed using any audio software (including freeware, audacity) I would honestly recommend this microphone to anyone!
An all round well built, well engineered microphone.
This is a excellent microphone that can adapt to many settings with its gain and pattern knob.
Pros:
– 3.5mm audio (playback) connection to listen to your-self instantly (as well as application and device sounds)
– mic stand connection
– mute button
– output (playback) volume control
– gain control to increase and decrease audio picked up from microphone
– pattern control to adjust where audio is picked up from
– small stand, with microphone, which keeps it in place
Cons:
– weight, it weighs 1.55kg (with stand)
– size, it is 29.5cm tall (with stand)
However overall it is a great microphone for music to interviews to anything you really want.
ice sound quality
My shotgun was good initially but the sound quality deteriorated after a while. I hope this one will last long enough…Quite heavy. But sometimes when I record shouting scene, either the mic or Adobe Audition decides to cut off a bit. maybe the system cannot process the data fast enough?
This mic is so sensitive, I have my gain turned all the way off, if I didn’t, the mic would pic up a fly the other side of the room. I use it for podcasts, and I put a sock over it for a cheap pop filter, does the trick 🙂 Love this mic!
Great :)
The mic is absolutely perfect! the only con i can think of is the nob to adjust the gain feels kind of “gritty” (it’s not smooth) but it works fine i’m just nit picking xD
This microphone is absolutely amazing. The sound quality is fantastic. You have to play about with the Gain a little. And if you are recording Electric guitar, then you have to turn the sound volume down in the “properties” section of the control panel on computer. I normally turn this down to 90%. And then I can turn the gain control up a little. It says something about the above in the instructions. If you don’t do this, then you may encounter some feedback.
Regarding Windows 8: I just plugged the USB connected to the mic into my computer, it downloaded the driver straight away,and was recognised. The Laptop I am using is a Samsung NP550P5C.
I only mention Windows 8 because I was a little sceptical about buying this because some reviews mention it is not recognised on their computers with the Windows 8 operating system.
Overall, this is probably the best microphone you can buy for this amount of money.
Don't understand any review under 5 stars
Great microphone, plug and play thats it.. Drivers installed automatically on Windows 7, fantastic audio quality. Nice heavy feel too it, buttons would of been nice if metal and not plastic but they will be fine. I did think mine was broken because I plugged it and the headphone jack on the microphone wasn’t working, but then figured out that this microphone requires a decent amount of power from a USB port, and if you have stuff like mobiles and other usb devices plugged in it won’t give you the no latency headphone port on the bottom of the microphone to listen to yourself, so I suggest when you get this, plug this in first then other USB devices after so it gets priority power on the computer and work perfectly, I was worried at first!!
Anyways, great microphone, great price, great weight + build quality, and looks great. Buy one!
I’m not going to say to much on this because most of the reviews on here pretty much speak for this product and how good it is. My microphone arrive today, and the first thing I did was a simple voice test to compare the difference between the internal recorder of my Mac, and the Yeti. Well O my god, the quality is fantastic. My voice even sounds like I’m on the radio, you all know what I mean, that pure quality you can only achieve with a professional microphone. It’s great for doing assorts of media work, whatever you are into or do for a job. Whether it’s, Podcasts, Interviews, Voice Overs, or even using it for Skype calls.
The one thing I have purchased along with this Yeti, was a (a not so cheap pop filter, with dual layers). This also does make a big difference when speaking, and reduces the P’s B’s etc. I would have purchased the pop filter through Amazon, but it was not available at the time. So I ordered my pop filter through another company called, “Editor Keys”, it’s called “The Dual Layer Pop Filter”. It was on offer and reduced almost to half price, but it could have gone back up to full by now. But check them out anyway, quality gear.
But in all seriousness, what a great purchase this has turned out to be. Buy it, you will love it.
Gorgeous Microphone
The box alone shows the quality of this microphone, it is a gorgeous microphone. I was so disappointed when the output was distorted and uncontrollable.
I tried all sorts of settings for hours with very poor results. I really thought about sending it back and buying something else. then I tried it in another computer and everything was perfect. the tonal quality, adjust ability, everything about this microphone was as I wanted and expected.
It is big, heavy and almost impossible to get to fall over. The designers went to town when designing this product. They seem to have got everything right.
My problem was a crappy Lenovo computer. The computer is another story. I love this microphone which now can be used. I was almost believing that the good reviews were wrong or I had a faulty microphone.
I would certainly buy another one. (But not the same make of computer.)
Simply the best at this time!
A really well made piece of kit which offers excellent sound recording for voice or instrument via your usb port. Its sophisticated sound pattern selection pretty much covers all eventualities and is ideal for home studio use. Simply the best at this time!
Great Mic bad cable
I’ve been using this microphone for some time to record game commentaries and the sound quality is incredible. I’ve also tried recording some instruments and again the sound quality is faultless. I wish I could have said the same for the USB cable, nice long cable seemed durable and high quality but there was a break somewhere in the cable so it wouldn’t even power the microphone.
solid mic..podcasting heave
bought this for some podcasting and for adding voice on product reviews,im sure the price would put a few people off,but if you need a mic of this calibre than you know its money well spent.solid build and a doddle to set up on windows 8.the sound quality of the yeti is crystal clear..quite a few setup options with regards to sound and where abouts the yeti picks it up.solid construction.im not useing it with any kind of pop filter,just as it came out the box. highly recomended.
Top USB mic
After a bad experience with the poorly made Snowball device, (4 pins broke after it was unplugged), I decided to spend a bit more on the Yeti. As with the Snowball I simply plugged it in to my iMac and it was instantly recognised. I like the design of the Yeti, and the heavy base is good and makes the mic much more sturdy. As for the sound quality, unless you were a pro singer, I cant see why would you look anywhere else. Good thing this mic has a gain dial, its so sensitive my Skype buddys complained when I first got it, because they could here my washing machine, which is in the laundry room downstairs!! Had it for 3 months now and nothing has broke off, and sound quality is still amazing!
The best USB microphone I have had the pleasure to use
A great piece of kit, this is the second Yeti Blue I’ve purchased because I love my other one. Before buying the first Yeti I red the comments from other users and last month in iCreate (MAC magazine) the Yeti was given 5 stars award as the group test winner and best value USB Mic.
The first is in my summerhouse computer and this one’s for my iMac. It’s big, really BIG but the design oozes quality.
The Yeti is one of the most advanced and versatile multi-pattern USB microphones available. Linking three capsules and four different pattern settings, the Yeti is the ultimate tool for creating astounding recordings directly to a computer and it has exceptional sound quality. The Yeti can capture whatever you chose to use it for with a clarity I’ve not found in other makes. It’s easy to use, plug and play with MS Windows, Linux (I use Mint and Mageia) and MACs with its USB connection. I’ve tried other manufacturers in the past, but the Yeti is simply a dream to set up and use — simply plug it in and WHOW, it works, no drivers required.
The Yeti features pioneering triple capsule array that allows recording in stereo or a choice of three unique patterns, including cardioid, omnidirectional, and bidirectional, thereby producing recording capabilities usually requiring multiple microphones.
The Yeti utilizes a high quality analog-to-digital converter to send astonishing audio fidelity directly into a computer, a built-in headphone amplifier for zero-latency monitoring and simple controls for headphone volume, pattern selection, instant mute, and microphone gain located directly on the microphone.
Would I recommend the Blue Yeti to my friends? Oh yesI already have.
I would recommend the Yeti to anyone wanting to get the most from a recording device and a great price. Because of the ability to change from stereo to cardioid, omnidirectional and bidirectional the Yeti could easily be used for vocals, choir, instruments, podcasts, voiceovers, conference calls, interviews, dictation or voice commanding a computer.
99% Satisfactory!
This mic is amazing! It has so many features and you get what you see in fact more than you see!, The mic is bigger than it seems, but can sit on a desk just fine, I put 99% satisfactory because the back knobs to change different types of the microphone requires a bit of muscle too pull back!, But still its a must have!.
Amazing
Bought this after being very disappointed in an Editors Keys USB mic at the same price point.
Amazing sound quality for a USB mic, great build quality and doesn’t take much potching around to get going once it’s plugged in. The most hassle is choosing the USB mic as your default recording device in control panel – that really isn’t a problem.
I’ve used this to record acoustic and electric guitar, whole choirs of children, live rock bands, solo vocalists, as well as informal interviews. It really is a rugged beast and is so incredibly adaptable that I have to recommend this product.
Love it!
I bought this microphone for myself on my birthday haha. It was a very good purchase and I am really happy with the product. I use it for speaking to people on Skype and for recording gameplay videos.
Absolutely gorgeous
Hi.
I had this on my wishlist for a while and I finally treated myself.
I don’t really use it for any professional tasks yet, but I think it might propel me in that direction soon.
I am absolutely amazed by the clarity of this microphone.
In my default setup I have some fairly high end headphones, which do not feature a microphone – until now I have been using some cheap one.
With this microphone there is nothing in front of my face and it picks up the sound better than any head or desk microphone I have ever had.
I typically use for Skype and it has made a world of difference as well – what I previously attributed to problems with Internet Connection, were clearly problems with microphone input – now gone.
Other things to consider are the very handy knobs on the mic itself – you can mute or adjust the levels very quickly – there is also a headphone jack which I personally find very handy, finally I like the different modes that the microphone has – one that I like the most is the bidirectional one, excellent for interviews – it amplifies the sound from you and you interlocutor and attenuates sounds from other directions.
Finally the build quality is excellent – it is very heavy and the base is built from metal.
As described – it works flawlessly on Windows and Mac.
I bought the Blue Yeti to replace the Blue Snowball which although was a great mic, was giving me trouble. I’d had my eye on the yeti for several months and now I finally got one.
The Snowball used a large USB plug that was placed at a slightly odd angle and I have a feeling that it may have been too sensitive, thus causing my PC to not recognise it. The Yeti uses a mini USB that you’ll find on PS3 controllers amongst other devices. This stays firmly in place and no issues so far. The build of the Yeti is considerably bulkier, sturdier, and heavier and may be a bit larger than you’d expect. Personally, I love it but if you’re after a small microphone, this isn’t it.
I use this to record Youtube videos and the quality has gone up a notch. You can adjust the settings of the Yeti with ease and the box shows which ones are best for your situation. You can also adjust the gain a lot better on the Yeti as it’s on a volume nob, rather than the three presets on the Snowball which I never found a comfort zone with. There’s also a handy Mute button.
A worthy side note is that the Yeti can also be registered as Speakers. This had me confused for a minute, so if you are in Windows, make sure to disable the Yeti in your Audio Devices settings.
Overall, I’m glad I bought this microphone as it solved my previous Snowball issues and comes with plenty of useful features.
Quality and flexibility but "unusual" mount limits some options
I’ve been using this to record YouTube videos and the viewers have commented on how much better the audio quality is. A fuller, richer sound with flexibility to use it in many different ways. My only slight gripe is that the stand it comes with offers practically no vibration damping, and the non-standard nature of it means it’s awkward/limited in using other standard items like pop shields without a bit of faff.
Great product but a few issues
Firstly it is a brilliant product, however I have not yet experienced the full thing because a few months after getting one, my friend told me there was crackling and popping noises. At first I thought it was due to the sensitivity of the mic, but after emailing Blue, they told me it was defective and sent me a replacement. The replacement came within 2 days but on opening the package the box was crushed. All seemed fine after discovering the polystyrene had absorbed all the impact, so that is good packaging on Blue’s half, and bad handling on Amazon’s half.
The new one seemed fine at first but I noticed the same crackling again, and after a very quick response from Blue they said get another replacement.
In the end I have decided to try and get a refund for the mic and purchase a Nessie when it is released, or one of the other popular alternatives.
To conclude, good product from what I experienced, great customer service from Blue, but at the end of the day going to have to ditch the Yeti and go for something else.
Proper Mic
This is great for doing videos, skype, singing, effects. You hear no background noise. It is proper professional, and looks like it and feels like it too. I can see it lasting forever…..
Amazing quality USB Mic!
Works straight out of the box on both Mac and PC, I have tried it with both, and needs no extra downloads or installations of disks to work.
I purchased this Mic from Amazon, I had the first one for a day but then it stopped working and I am completely unsure why but I quickly received a replacement within a couple days and it works like a dream! The quality is stunning, and paired with a pop filter I also purchased of amazon the sound quality is amazing. I use this regularly to talk on Skype and for voice recordings and I have never had any problems with it so far.
It has two nobs on the back that can be used to change the gain of the Mic and the recording pattern out of the four available. I mainly use it on cardioid to record my own voice. The stand is very good for positioning the Mic to get it at the angle you want and you can fold it up into the stand when not being used to make it a bit more compact. There is some materiel on the bottom of the stand so it doesn’t scratch the surface it is on and it also gets rid of some of the vibrations from the surface.
On the front of the Mic there is a button which allows you to mute/un mute the microphone with a red light which will flash when the mic is muted and will stay a solid colour when it isn’t. There is also a nob on the front of the mic which controls the headphone volume, which is handy when you have some headphones plugged into the mic using the 3.5mm input at the bottom so you can hear you voice with no delay.
I can highly recommend this microphone as it is well worth the money, providing you use it to its full potential.
Excellent Microphone
Ok, let’s not beat around the bush. This isn’t a toy, it’s an expensive piece of kit. What can you expect for such a hefty sum of money? A perfectly viable home studio microphone. Personally I use it for Youtube videos (we actually have two of them) and the sound pickup and quality is awesome. I’d certainly recommend it for single or two person audio commentary or podcasting which is its primary use for me. I’m no musician so I can’t really comment on its suitability for such things but if you’re looking for ways to improve audio quality on things such as podcasts or Youtube then you can’t go wrong with one of these.
2 nd time luky
bought a different one got alot of back ground noices so bought this cost abit more but it works great really help us out loads of options on teh mic as well which is great easy to use
Blue Magic - Speak and The Yeti 'purrs'
My Yeti was bought for a static placement with podcasting / voice over / audible books type use in mind. It was chosen after a great deal of research and deliberation, both on and off the internet. During these investigations the price dropped dramatically and my choice became a very easy one – I am now the owner of my very own Yeti.
So, am I happy with my decision now that I have used it for real? Absolutely – it’s a great piece of audio equipment. It is not just really solid, and physically heavy, it captures sound with wonderful clarity – the most important function.
The working bit of the Yeti is attached by two screws to the heavy, solid, stylish stand which has a neoprene type mat affixed the the bottom. Although it can be tilted on the stand, since it is a side-faced mic (i.e. the mics are designed to pick up best from the sides), there is no real advantage to this except it does make is easier to insert the USB & headphone connections. The ‘Blue Thepop Filter’, bought separately, fixes nicely to the back of the stand (with a small bit of rubber backed carpet or mouse mat – see my review of Thepop filter) allowing the metal pop filter to swing round gracefully from the back to a functional position in front of the mic.
The stand itself, in spite of the mat, will easily pick up and transmit sound from any surface it is placed on – as such mics do. For this reason mine is placed on a separate wheeled chest of drawers next to my desk. It is isolated from my working desk top and it works well from there. Other people use anglepoise type arms and isolation cradles to solve this problem but my unit works for me and uses what I already have.
Apart from the sound quality (though if this was not very good to start with the rest would not be valid) the multiple pick up patterns are a positive advantage. Cardioid for front of mic sources, bidirectional for face to face across the mic, stereo for left / right placement of sources, omnidirectional for round table meetings etc. Just select the pattern required using the knob at the back and ‘go’ – they all work well.
The sensitivity of the mic(s) is adjustable via the gain control knob on the rear of the mic. This is something you’ll need to test properly before serious use. Too much gain and it’ll pick up everything – even things you cannot ‘hear’ at the time. Too little gain and you have the reverse. There is no shortcut, you have to adjust this for/in real life situations – unfortunately the Yeti cannot predict which level of sound you require and for what purpose.
One element understated in the literature is the quality of the headphone playback output from the Yeti. Headphones sound great through the Yeti … even good ones sound better.
An excellent piece of equipment well suited to its purpose.
Excellent mic, dodgy cable
The microphone itself is excellent, a huge improvement over my previous one and you can really hear the difference.
Unfortunately the USB cable that came with the microphone was dodgy. It worked with my (vista) laptop but would not work with my (windows 7) PC at all even after trying several USB ports and even swapping it with items that did work. Fortunately I had a spare USB cable and I tried that before sending the mic back and it worked perfectly with the new cable.
The Perfect USB Mic
I wanted to get a good quality microphone for recording guitar and vocals for home music production and this has served perfectly so far! It also works great with Skype which is a bonus.
The mic turned up quickly and well packaged, the box has a clean modern design and the inside housed the mic in shaped polystyrene so it wasn’t moving anywhere in transit. The microphone itself comes attached to a weighted stand which feels very solid (pictured). The Yeti stand screws on at the sides but can be detached so the mic can be screwed onto a standard mic stand from underneath or placed in a holder.
There is a mute button, and a monitor volume knob on the front for when you want to listen to your input directly (3.5mm jack socket underneath) very useful if you find input delay through your DAW an issue. On the back there is an input gain knob and the 4 way selector for the various directional settings. The microhphone’s build quality is solid, the knobs feel a bit grindy as you turn them, although that isn’t an issue unless you plan on changing the input volume mid recording. The supplied USB cable is thick and a good length for home recording.
I use this microphone with my XP desktop and my Win7 laptop and they both accepted and installed the mic within seconds of plugging it in problem free. The only thing you should be aware of is your OS might try to default to using the microphone’s output instead of your speakers. You’ll need to go into you computers sound settings and tell it to default back to your speakers.
Other than that, the sound quality is beautiful from this thing, it’s very sensitive and the multiple diaphragms also allow for 3D sound recording which is incredibly fun to play around with and listen to.
All round great microphone, I highly recommend it to anyone!
Fabulous.....bu
This really is a lovely piece of gear to look at. Well built and robust. The recording tone is really warm and crisp
It works brilliantly with the USB on my laptop and PC.
The BUT comes from the fact that I actually bought it to use with my iPad with the USB adaptor. The product info says it works, but beware, coz it doesn’t.! The message comes up saying this ‘this equipment requires too much power’. The mike is a powerful bit of gear and I love it, but have to give it four stars for just for the fact that it didn’t do what I bought it to do.
I love it!
I really love this microphone! It’s sounds is brilliant, and it’s easy to use! Plug and Play, and you’re good to go!
So if you need a really awesome microphone, with a lot of settings and options, this is the one to buy!
One problem I have found is it sensitive stand. You can’t have it on a little table like mine. It picks up all the sound from your table. So your gonna need a stabel place to put it, and maybe a shock mount.
All in all: Diffenently a 5 star product.
excellent quality and the price has dropped!
I have been eyeing this microphone for a while. The price was quite steep (over 110) and I was not totally sold. I have tried the snowball microphone but it was really not good enough for podcasting and quality recording. Luckily over the past few weeks the price of the Yeti has dropped dramatically and I got it for under 90. The microphone is very solid, looks great and works very well with my Mac. I use it with garage band and screenflow. The recording is smooth but … it is so powerful that catches all the background noise, which can be annoying. I had to work out some tweacking to get the best sound for podcasts and I am fairly satisfied with the results. I have not tried the Rode Podcast (which apparently is better) as the price is still over 130. For the price that I have paid I am happy with the tool. Check out the price as it keeps on dropping! Excellent delivery and service provided by amazon.
I’m in the middle of recording an audiobook and although the iSight microphone on my Mac was adequate for general use, I needed something that could approximate (if not replicate) studio quality.
I did a lot of research and it was the Yeti that stood tall – quite literally. I must admit that I wasn’t prepared for its substantial weight and height. It’s a veritable miniature R2-D2 that more resembles something out of a trophy cabinet.
However, none of that matters when you hear its remarkable sound reproduction. The Yeti’s sturdy construction includes a soft base that absorbs vibration, despite the microphone’s sensitivity. It features a mini-USB port for connection to the regular-sized one on your PC/Mac (a two-metre cable is included) and a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the front are both a mute button and headphone volume control, while the back has a recording level dial and a selector for four modes: stereo, omnidirectional, figure-8 and cardioid. For my purposes, the latter will be the most used – neatly cutting input to all areas around the microphone save the front.
Set-up was simplicity itself: a quick alteration to the sound input/output preferences on the Mac, load up GarageBand and it’s there. It took a while to find the ‘sweet spot’ that offered a good balance of bass and treble but once that setting had been saved, it was just a matter of plug and play. Headphone monitoring is in real-time with no delay.
To be on the safe side, I wanted a pop filter and The Pop , also made by Blue, is recommended. Many have had trouble fitting it but there is a very straightforward solution. Check out my review of it for more details: if you follow those instructions it mounts with the minimum of fuss. You could probably get by without it if you keep your distance but despite being sat a foot away, I found that any ‘p’ sounds left a soft thud on my recording as the air hit the microphone grille.
After now having put the Yeti through its paces and exported the files as MP3s, I’m extremely impressed with the fidelity and life-like resonance it gives to my recordings. It really does make them sound as though they are professionally-produced.
USB Mike
I know nothing about microphones really but this one works for me. I wanted it for a video voiceover and after one trial I can say that it records without a crackle – that’s good enough for me.
Excellent Sound
I brought the yeti following recommendation from my business coach as a tool to help me record audio meditation scripts…so far, its great. My daughters also use it to record songs and love the clarity and range of sound, and easy of use. A definite buy!
Love i
At first, the USB cable given in the box was slightly loose, but the cable used is the same as any xbox 360 wireless battery pack charger or ps3 charger USB cable. I’m using one currently from my xbox and it’s working fine now. Also the volume button at the front feels a bit weak and like it may fall off but I haven’t had any problems with it. I was confused at first as to why it wasn’t working but I had to change the speakers setting on my control panel. It’s now working perfectly and is easily the best microphone I’ve ever bought 😀 Highly recommend
Fantastic audio quality for the price
This is coming from a musicians point of view. Out of all the recordings I have ever done wether it be a music recording or a video tutorial this is by far the best quality for money. It may be a stretch from the blue snowball but you get more bang for your buck! 5 stars becuase of durability even though the knobs are plastic and flimsy but left on a desktop you will have no problems. Do not plug into a USB hub as you will get feedback on your recording.
Yeti Review
i love this mic its quality is perfect and you don’t really need a pop filter simple button but the downside to this mic is the stand is a bit big and picks up alot of vibartions id recommend a shock mount and a arm stand i have the raidus shock mount built for the yeti as it is the only one that i found that can with stand the yeti without and modifications and the Roe psa1 witch is the best armstand i have ever owned and also can handle the yeti, so id recommend you should get this !
Yeti USB Microphone From Blue
Ok i always say that i would give an honest review if i was to give one so here it is.
When i received my Yeti USB Microphone From Blue I was so impressed buy the serves that Amazon provided. with the emails and all the text messages i got with the nest day delivery that what the product was like seems a sham that i have to say. The microphone its self is fantastic a very very nice microphone but it came with a faulty lead witch either made the mini usb to fault out or the Usb was faulty as well. Because it ended up not working at all.
But i am very pleased to say that as soon as Amazon was told it was only the next day that i received my new and fully working microphone and have had no trouble what so ever.
So after all that i would still give this product a very big rating because the spec and sound quality is out this word very very good!!
Amazing Quality, Amazing Produc
The Blue Yeti is an amazing microphone that can be considered to be expensive, but for what you are getting, it’s not.
The quality is crisp and clean, and the features included with the microphone are unique and incredible. You must buy this microphone if you want the best value for money microphone.
I also bought a pop screen and am planning to buy a microphone stand which the microphone can attach to for podcasts, broadcasts, recording and more.
Great! I can recommend it to you!
Very nice microphone, however I had to order it two times. First one I taken broke down 5 minutes after I opened it and I was disheartened. However the other one I use for about a month now and I am really satisfied. The warranty of 2 years also makes me confident in the bright future, lol.
I recommend it to you, but be sure to watch some reviews first and be aware that it will record your keyboard typing and mouse clicking if it stands on your working table!
Type in the web search “QuickSaveTV” in order to see this microphone in action, used by me 🙂
Great mic!
Plugged in the mic. to my PC (win 7) and it was ready for use within 1 minute.
– No additional sw needed.
– Crystal clear sound recordings.
– Good quality mic (quality materials).
– Possible to connect headset.
Only minor issue I have with the mic. is that it is somewhat space consuming on the desk. But the ability to “flip” the mic. upsite down in the stand makes it more compact when not used.
Excellent for podcasting and recording voice-overs
Somewhat larger and heavier than I was expecting, first use has shown this to be an excellent podcasting mic, every bit as good as the Samson C01U that I have used previously. This Yeti has the added advantage of switching between 4 different recording patterns for much greater flexibility and is only a little more expensive than the Samson with no stand/base. It is similarly of sturdy construction (although larger) and is well supported by its integral base.
Set up was reasonably simple with Windows 7, but I always seem to end up faffing around during initial set up of mics, both in Control Panel and Audacity (the editing software I use). You seem to have to set the audio input in both (not an issue with the microphone, just the way that the operating system and software work). In Audacity you do this in Edit/Preferences. Note that if you opened Audacity and then plugged the mic in, you may need to close Audacity and re-open it to get the mic recognised. Once set up, it is plug and play thereafter and the initial frustration is all worth while!
Blue Yeti USB Microphone
This product arrived well packaged and right on time. Thanks Amazon.
Since this is my first microphone, which I’m using for voiceovers, it’s difficult to compare or rate against others. However, it certainly does the job, although Windows occasionally has problems recognising it when using it in conjunction with Audacity. This is overcome by simply unplugging the microphone and plugging it back into the computer. A minor annoyance, but no biggie!
The microphone is solid and the lead that comes with it is a good length. It’s pretty sensitive, so I recommend you get a pop screen to avoid those minor `b’ and `p’ explosions when using it.
Great Quality, but picks up everything.
I live in an old fashioned farm house with thick stone walls, which can block out the sound of anything in the next room or down stairs, this microphone manages to pick up my dogs which are down stairs and any sort of movement, even cars passing on the road which is about 120 feet away from my house.
The quality of the audio is absolutely brilliant, it’s just that it picks up EVERYTHING, the gain doesn’t seem to even affect it either. If I move a wire, move my foot, the chair creeks, anything and the microphone will pick it up. I found the sound to be rich and extremely high detailed!
Something that people will over look is the fact that this does all the work; You don’t need a good sound card to record and it even boosts the quality of sound coming from my PC, like listening to music or gaming, because you can plug your headphones into it. Which is brilliant for me, since my PC is nearly 9 years old.
It simply plugged in and worked. To dampen the sound I used the box it was delivered in and lined it with foam, it’s a mini sound booth.
I use this microphone to record gameplay commentary, so it might be wise to invest in a good gaming headset, because this thing will pick up your TV too, even if it’s facing away. I bought this and a pair of Turtle Beach X12s and it’s the perfect gaming combo!
You can find examples of what I recorded at:[…]
I hope this review helped someone out!!
Absolutely Brillia
Needed a mic but didn’t want to spend loads of money.
Works so well with My Macbook Pro and MacPro.
No need for loads of cables or additional equipment.
Brilliant item and fast delivery too.
Blue Microphones Yeti USB Microphone
This was bought to record our local Parish Council Meetings as Councillors and public do not speak clearly despite requests to speak up, this makes taking meeting notes extremely difficult. The microphone worked straight away but first meeting recording barely audible when played on laptop, connected desktop speakers to laptop and volume is fine. It had recorded everything through 360 degrees in a large hall. There is a program available for the laptop which will increase the volume. Once the volume is sorted it is an excellent way of taking the minutes. No there can be no disagreement as to what was said which is a legal necessity when taking the notes.
However Downside is I am still waiting four weeks later for the VAT invoice addressed to me despite my reminder and Amazon’s verbal promise to get it sent.
This is a great mic. A really great mic. I use it for podcasts, my co-presenters also have Yeti mics and we merge all four recordings later. The mic is substantial, it really looks and feels like a quality product.
Yeti is very sensitive, my co-presenters could hear my chair squeaking via Skype and it has meant me rearranging things to get the best possible sound quality to avoid hum from hard drives etc. I can’t be any more positive about this mic.
So, why didn’t I give it five stars? Because it was supposed to be able to connect to an iPad via the iPad Camera Connector kit. It doesn’t. It seems an Apple firmware update put paid to that a few months back and now the iPad complains that the device needs too much power.
I read one report that someone had worked around this by using one of those dual-power USB cables you sometimes get for portable hard drives and providing more power to the mic. I tried this but still no luck.
So, it seems I won’t be using my Yeti+iPad for mobile recording, but hey, this is still an awesome mic, the best I’ve ever used.
Amazing sound quality, and extremely stylish. Hold it close for a warm rich tone, our put it in room mode to capture everything that’s going on with crystal clarity. It’s USB so there’s no interference from your device, no background hum from the fans or processor. It has a gain control, so you can optimise your capture, and the whole casing, including the stand it cast metal so it’s very sturdy. This is a big, heavy unit though, so you probably don’t want to be carrying it around with you. It’s really for a home studio.
I use mine with Audacity for audio capture, and mix videocasts with Final Cut Pro X. I plugged it into my macbook and it just worked, there was no setup involved at all, it just appeared in all the audio-in dropdowns. If you’re doing close work, you may want to invest in a pop shield.
Yeti Microphone - Impressive
I was looking for good quality mic to voice over some screen cam videos for my web site. This microphone got good reviews and it deserves them. It’s as simple as it could be to set up (no drivers or power supply, just plug in the USB cable). The sounds quality is superb to my untrained ear. Be warned, it is physically huge. It’s not a problem for me as it puts the microphone at just the right height, but it may be an issue for some. Top notch product and refreshingly straight forward to plug in and use.
Very positive
This seems an excellent piece of kit. Worked well out of the box, and made my voice sound less irritating (to me at least). I haven’t needed to mess with the settings much.
No installation required, just plugged straight in and it worked instantly (on windows 7, but works with Vista and XP also, have tried on both!).
The quality of this microphone is incredible. I’ve done a course in music production and used a lot of varying microphones at much higher prices than this, but this easily matches them at a fraction of the cost.
I do a lot of acoustic recording with this, generally using it on the “Stereo” setting, plugging my headphones straight into the Yeti to monitor the levels.
Also found out that your computer will register the Yeti as an external speaker, so if you select the Yeti as your default speaker when it’s plugged in, you can listen to anything your computer plays (videos, games, music) through the headphones that are plugged into the yeti, and still be able to hear yourself speaking too! Fantastic little feature, was genuinely impressed.
I cannot rate this microphone highly enough, but 5/5 will have to do.
Also, purchased on Friday morning, arrived on Saturday morning. How’s that for service!?
Blue Yeti Mic
The Blue Yeti microphone is the first proper microphone that I’ve ever bought and it was an amazing choice as it was recommended by a friend. the sound of the mic is quite superior to other mics as it picks up background sound on the relevant setting and the microphone itself is rather heavy, but that’s really an issue as I keep it on my desk anyway.
I’d recommend this microphone if you’ve never bought one before as it plugs into your laptop through a USB, or computer device and installs the software needed for your microphone. The different sound settings are worth testing out….highly recommended!
I’ll just echo the other reviews here and note that this is an excellent mic. Just plug it in and it’s recognised as an audio input source automatically in Mac OS X Snow Leopard, and indeed as an audio output source if you want to plug headphones into it (to monitor with zero delay). It picks up sound with stunning clarity (make sure you don’t have the washing machine on elsewhere in the house, because you’ll hear it here), and it certainly looks the part.
It is, of course, a huge beast of a thing (and solid too; I daresay you could knock out a burglar with it then record a statement for the police), but the size brings it up to the right level for recording when you’re sitting at your desk. It also feels very radio-DJ, in a good way. Is it worth a hundred quid? No idea, but you clearly get what you pay for.
It’s big and heavy, I’ve added a photo with my hand to give a sense of scale. Plug in the supplied USB cable, (on a Mac), select the Yeti in Sound Input System Preferences and you are ready to go. There’s a Pattern selector knob with some unhelpful icons to represent the four different settings for the mic (stereo, cardioid for single person recording, omnidirectional for round table recording and bidirectional for two people across table recording). There is a Gain knob to increase the input for quiet sounds. If you choose, you can plug in some headphones to listed to the input as a Monitor. There is a front volume knob to control this sound level. This knob has a very spongy feel as if it hasn’t been fitted properly. There is a red LED Mute button that blinks when muted or is permanently on when the mic is plugged into the computer.
I need to place the Yeti and stand on a sponge mat because the Yeti picks up the vibration of my hard drive through my desk. I am pleased with the sound quality. The mic is too big to be comfortably placed on my desktop and record screencasts which is what I bought it for. The build quality and material finish is not as high quality as I had expected. In this I was slightly disappointed but it works.