Blue Microphones Snowball
Not the Thing You Throw at Your Neighbor's Dog
By
Tyler Jones on February 3, 2010
Blue Microphones has a short, but strong history of designing and engineering microphones for every sort of recording function. While some of their models are in the $1,000+ price range and cater to the needs of professional studios, the Snowball serves the casual recording and podcasting crowd. For under $100, the Snowball is the best all-around condenser microphone on the market for the casual podcaster or bedroom musician.
Blue boasts that the Snowball is “the world’s first professional USB mic” and, being an owner of one for almost a year now, I can attest to that. For the recording enthusiast, it has a three way switch (cardioid, cardioid with -10dB pad, and omni) for capturing various levels of volume. The microphone is simple in design and usage, using just a single USB cable to both power the device and port the audio, and no installation of software is needed other than drivers. If you have ever considered putting your Peaches and Herb covers on the internet, or just getting into podcasting, then this device is for you. Offered in black, white, or brushed aluminum finishes, you’ll have no trouble finding one to compliment your desktop decor.
Buy Now: $82
Got An iPhone and Want To Record? Check out the Mikey from Blue. It empowers your iPhone with the ability to be a mobile recording station. Captures CD quality stereo audio through two custom-tuned Blue cardoid capsules, a line-input, or USB pass through. It feature 3 gain settings for any environment and guarantees 10x better recording that the crummy built-in mic on your iPhone. Best of all, it requires no additional software. Captures 44.1 khz at 16bit audio (35hz-20khz) Weighs .18 lb. We’re aiming get our hands on one soon for a full low-down.