

So, if we say you're too loud, you've got a "Gain" dial that you can turn down on the microphone itself. Among them are dials that allow you to control the volume of the sound going into your headphones and the volume that your microphone sends the audio to the other Skype users. You'll also notice several knobs and buttons. More importantly, we've found that this does eliminate a lot of the latency (hearing yourself talk in the headphones momentarily) that you'll experience in the Snowball or Samson C01-U. Unlike the previous microphones, which you'll have to plug an old pair of headphones into the computer, the Yeti has a headphone jack on the microphone itself! A small feature, but a very handy one. POSITIVE: Blue adds the bells and whistles to this microphone to make it worth your while.

The construction of this microphone is also a step up from the Snowball.
#Skype usb mic boost professional#
It's nothing a listener will notice, but one that any TV or radio professional will notice. The Yeti delivers a sound that's a small notch above the Snowball. And again, like the Snowball and the Mikey, we are very impressed with this product. The Blue Yeti: Like the Snowball, this is from Blue Microphones. Here is WTOP's analysis and its engineers' conclusions: In the $90 to $120 range, they evaluated the Blue Yeti, the Audio Technica AT2020 USB, and the Audix USB12. On a scale from 1-10: Cell phone (1), Hard line phone (2), Logitech (6), Bever (6), Snowball (7.5), Samson (7.5), ISDN (10). You'll run into the same problem with the Samson C01U, and the improvement, if any, above the Snowball, isn't worth the price difference. And with an old pair of headphones lying around, you'll all set to go.

However, it is a minor issue that is momentary. There will be some latency, which is essentially some overlap between the microphone and headphones where you may hear yourself briefly. The only drawback is that you'll need some headphones to plug into your computer with the Snowball. At $60, it is a better overall microphone than the Beyer at $79. The Blue Snowball blows away the Beyerdynamic MMX2. They concluded:įor us, this is an easy decision. In the $50 to $80 range, they evaluated the Beyerdynamic MMX2, Blue Microphones' Snowball, and the Samson C01U USB microphone. On a scale from 1-10: Cell phone (1), Hard line phone (2), Logitech (6), ISDN (10). A great one, but the broadcast gear is even better. The only shortcoming is that it is a consumer headset. We believe if you're going to already spend $25, spend $35, because the the difference is that noticeable. Logitech delivers a great pack for the punch at about $35. We highly recommend the Logitech USB H530 at this price point. They rated the audio quality on a scale of 1, a cell phone, to 10, a high-quality ISDN link often used to transmit audio from one radio station to the other, which CNET uses as well.īetween $10 and $40, WTOP looked at the Griffin iMic+ and the Logitech USB H530, and concluded: Here's what their engineers found, according to Ari Ashe, an evening producer and reporter for WTOP Radio. To help us pick the right ones, the good folks at WTOP, an all-news station that also broadcasts in Maryland and Virginia, have spent a month testing the best microphones to use with Skype in different price ranges.
#Skype usb mic boost upgrade#
I'm occasionally a guest on WTOP-FM in Washington, D.C., and it's been trying to convince guests to upgrade to USB Skype microphones instead of using lower-quality telephones for future interviews. Blue Microphones' Blue Yeti USB microphone.
