Logitech for Creators Blue Microphones Yeti USB Microphone (Blackout)

First of all, all me to state that those who wrote poor reviews for this mic must be quite privileged musicians with a load of experience or audio engineers who have an allegiance to a certain brand, because they are all sorely mistaken. The Yeti is, in my opinion as a singer/songwriter searching for decent recording equipment for the last year, a fantastic, well priced microphone for people looking to record quality sound. It seems quite versatile and craftily engineered.I have spent the last year in a hotel in the middle of London recording my guitar and vocals on garageband through the mic on my computer. It sounded like complete crap...and not because I am an awful musician, but because the microphone my MacBook Pro wasn't up to the standards I need for recording, maybe I was too close or maybe too far away, the point is that it is not possible to judge a proper distance from the mic as it is minuscule, and difficult to locate. In addition, the plosives and many harder guitar strums were enrobed in static and just sounded awful. I tweaked the equalizer as much as I could to make them sound manageable, but, alas, I no longer need to do that. Thanks to my Yeti.Of course a usb mic won't sound as thrilling as a standard microphone suited up with proper impedance cables and monitor buddies, but when you buy a mic that connects via usb, one's standards cannot be held too high. This mic, with such appropriate standards in mind, met and surpassed what I had anticipated. The vocals are clear, the guitar is clear, and because of that effects through garage band work more effectively. No longer am I struggling with shrill sounds and bassy guitar twangs, no longer am I wasting all my time clarifying the songs, I am simply recording, editing, and feeling so much better about my music.It is true, I have never played in a studio, or used thousand dollar mics, but it is also true that I do not have the money neither for time in a recording studio in London, nor for the more expensive Blue microphones, thereby, I went this route and I couldn't be any happier. If you are struggling with clarity and play more mellow/soft rock/pop rock/acoustic/ambient/coffee shop etc music, then this is a real advantage for you in the small studio you are beginning to assemble in your room or basement or apartment. If you are a heavy rocker, maybe it isn't a good choice, but I haven't attempted screaming into this mic yet...probably wouldn't be smart in a hotel in central London.As for travel, it isn't a exactly the best portable size, but in this case I don't think a quality mic will be. Maybe you can try the Snowflake, but I'll bet my insignificant income that it will not be as munificent. Also, G-Band is the only program I have used with it. It is very compatible, though I will say I was confused at first as to why there was no sound coming out of my computer, but I quickly realized that there is a headphone jack built into the mic for a good reason. It may seem like a possible flaw, but I think it makes things much easier. And do yourself a favor, toss the earbuds and buy some real recording headphones, you know? The ones that cost more than six bucks at TJ Maxx. I am not saying to buy Beats, I am just saying that everything sounds like a band of gorillas pounding on tin cans through the buds--and maybe you're saying "no, I have some stellar buds!" Well good for you, I haven't found any so don't rub it in.I gave this five stars because I don't know any better, but four stars seems stupid and awkward, its like the age of twenty, not quite twenty one but have been drunk since eighteen, it is a four in the terms of mics that I have experienced, but under the given conditions it is definitely a five. I say buy it if you meet my described criterium, but who am I but a simple singer/songwriter.Enjoy!

Excellent starter mic! Picked up voice well & software was able to eliminate background noise. Optional pop filter to further get clean acoustics. Easy to use. Just plug and play.

I'll join the long list of reviewers singing the praises of the Blue Yeti microphone. My online demo recordings have taken a big jump in quality since I started using it. (Update March 2012: two different people have asked me "Why does your video sound so good?" and "How do you get your voice to be so clear?" Most people don't understand the importance of audio quality, and thus microphone quality, when creating video.)If you are upgrading from a cheaper microphone, you will immediately discover some challenges when using a professional mic like the Blue Yeti. Because the yeti picks up so much more sound, including many types of noise, your first recording may actually sound worse than before! Here are some tips for solving these problems.There are two types of unwanted noise, contact noise (made when you bump your desk, the mic stand, or the cord) and background noise.The best way to eliminate contact noise is by using a shock mount. Be sure to get one that will handle the Blue Yeti's 3"/75mm diameter. As an alternative, find a piece of thick, dense, soft foam (or a thick pillow!), set that on your desk, and set the Yeti in its included stand on top of that. This is bulky and imperfect, but cheap. Route all the cords where you won't bump and tug them while recording. Blue Microphones also sells a shock mount for Yeti called the Radius Blue Microphones Radius Microphone Shock Mount.External noise is different. Pros record in a sound-deadened studio, which is out of most people's reach. But you can get 80% of the way there for free. Here's what I do: Start in a carpeted room, not one with hardwood or concrete floors. I use a laptop because they are quieter than desktops. Put the laptop on a pillow, and put another pillow in between the laptop and the mic, so you have to reach over it to get to the keyboard. These two pillows minimize any laptop fan noise. Now stretch a comforter over your head, so that it drapes down to the sides and front and back (the front and back are most critical). You will look silly, especially if you are at work, but the comforter will effectively deaden most of the outside noise and echos. I lean three poles up against walls and furniture, then drape the comforter over them. Turn off noisy appliances (air conditioner, heater, refrigerator), send the kids or coworkers out to play, and you will have a somewhat soundproof booth with minimal echos. Trust me, it works, but I do record at home instead of at the office.Next, play with the recording patterns on the Blue Yeti. I use cardioid, which picks up just from the front. But you may get richer sound from the stereo or bidirectional patterns. Omnidirectional will likely just pick up more noise, but give it a try.Now that you've eliminated the noise, you'll want to create the best recording possible. Here's how: First of all, stand up and face forward or even a bit upward when recording, to open up your vocal cords. Standing up has a bigger impact on your voice quality than anything else you can do. Next, take deep breaths, slow down, and pause in between sentences or at logical points. These pauses are easy to edit out later, and they give you easy places to cut out bad takes to replace with good ones. I routinely need to record each sentence or passage 2-3 times to get it right. Speak right into the mic, from just a few inches away. This boosts your volume with respect to any background noise level, and improves the quality of the recording. If you listen to the video review attached here on Amazon by the custom tailor guy, you'll hear how much better his voice sounds when he briefly moves the mic close to his face (at 4:30 on the timeline).Next, use a pop filter. This gizmo puts a piece of fabric or screen mesh in between your mouth and the mic to filter out the awful puffing sound made when you say words like "pop." Try it with your mouth close to the mic and see. I use the Blue Microphones Universal Pop Filter, which is only a few dollars more than the cheap black plastic ones, but is made of stainless steel and works great.The Blue Yeti delivers awesome sound quality. With these tips you'll be able to take full advantage of what it can do. Good luck!

This microphone feels very robust and solid. it is made out of non-flimsy, heavy duty feeling aluminum. I find the sound quality is superb for a device in the ~$100 range. I have not found a way to use it as an external mic to my galaxy S23 ultra. but I probably haven't found all the proper hardware yet. its definitely not plug and play from that perspective, since the phone cant power the microphone (there are no separate power input and audio jacks). I am happy with my purchase.