Choosing a good and high-quality USB microphone is not as easy as it seems at first glance. There are a huge number of different models that attract the buyer not only at a pleasant price, but also with impressive features, which in fact turn out to be just a marketing ploy. In today's review, I would like to talk about the four most interesting microphones that are quite acceptable, have good recording quality and will not make you regret buying.
Samson go mic
Perhaps you should start the review of USB microphones with one of the most affordable and well-established models - Samson Go Mic. Despite its small size (slightly larger than a lighter), the microphone has very good sensitivity and can record sound in 16bit. There are 2 modes of operation - cardioid and omnidirectional. As for the frequency range, it is 20 Hz - 18 kHz. As you can see, the upper position is quite a bit below the standard 20 kHz, but that's okay. The recorded sound is very lively and natural.
Thanks to its mount, the Samson Go Mic is very often called a USB microphone for a laptop. Also, a “clothespin” allows you to fix the device on a regular monitor. But that is not all. Samson Go Mic can be easily mounted on a microphone stand, if one, of course, is available. This opportunity has long been appreciated by many musicians who record the sound of their instruments.
Setup and Connection
As for how to set up a USB microphone and connect it, then everything is simple. Samson Go Mic connects to a computer or laptop using a USB cable. Installation of additional drivers or programs is not required, the device works like plug & play. As soon as the Go Mic is connected, the green LED on the microphone itself will light up.
The sensitivity, levels, and everything else are set using standard Windows features in the Recorders menu. It is also worth saying that the CD with the program for recording sound Cakewalk Music Creator is supplied with the microphone. Installing it is not necessary, especially if the computer already has other software for working with sound.
Blue tiki
The next microphone with a USB connector is a direct competitor to Go Mic - Blue TIKI. In fact, TIKI is much more “advanced” than the previous model, since it uses real artificial intelligence. In addition to two capsules, a very powerful sound chip (400 MHz) is installed in the device, which constantly analyzes all incoming sounds. Thanks to this, speech or musical instruments on the recording sound clearer and better, but the noise, on the contrary, is almost completely eliminated. Blue called this technology "imitation of the human ear."
In addition , the Blue TIKI USB microphone can turn off completely when the user says nothing. This is especially handy during conferences on Skype. As for the frequency range, it starts at 40 Hz and ends at 40 kHz. The recording quality is 16bit. The microphone has 2 modes - voice recording and music recording.
Separately, it is worth praising the noise reduction system, which was worked on by specialists from the very famous company iZotope, which has been engaged in sound development for many years and has achieved serious results in this. As they say in the company, TIKI is able to recognize and automatically muffle the sounds of pressing the keyboard buttons, as well as the noise from the operation of the computer fans.
Microphone setup and connection
Connecting a USB microphone is as simple as the previous model. Installation of drivers is not required, everything works on the principle of plug & play. The microphone can be connected directly via a USB port in a computer or laptop, or you can use the special USB extension cable that comes with the kit.
Recording settings, sensitivity, gain and other parameters are regulated in the operating system itself, in the menu "Recording devices". Everything is extremely simple and clear.
Samson meteor
Another quite good and high-quality USB microphone for the computer is Samson Meteor. In terms of class and technical characteristics, it is noticeably better than its predecessor Go Mic. Meteor is a desktop studio microphone made in a chromed metal housing. The frequency range of this model is standard - 20 Hz - 20 kHz. Sound is recorded as 16bit.
Meteor is very suitable for recording musical instruments and vocals. Also, this microphone can be very often seen in many video bloggers. But that is not all. Some companies engaged in professional dubbing also prefer to use Meteor, because for quite reasonable money it allows you to achieve a very high-quality result.
Of the additional interesting features of the model, it is worth noting the presence of a headphone volume control, as well as a separate button for completely muting the microphone. An undoubted advantage for many users will be the ability to connect the microphone directly to the iPad using the special cable that comes with the kit. In addition, with the hole in the bottom of the device, Meteor can be installed on a microphone site.
Microphone connection and setup
Samson Meteor is connected simply - just plug in the USB cable that comes with the computer. Driver installation is not needed, everything works right out of the box, as they say. You can configure the microphone in the same way as previous models through the sound menu, section "Recording Devices". The only thing that you can configure on the device itself is the volume level of the sound in the headphones, if they are connected to the microphone.
By the way, unlike the previous Samson Go Mic model, Meteor does not have a Cakewalk Music Creator software CD included, so you will have to search for a program for good sound recording yourself.
Razer seiren x
The last USB microphone on the list today is the Razer Seiren X. Not so long ago, Razer couldn’t find a single microphone in its range of products, but now there is a whole line. This model is part-new and the youngest model in the Seiren series, but at the same time it is in no way inferior to its “older brothers”.
The standard microphone sensitivity is 20 Hz - 20 kHz, the recorded sound quality is high - 16bit. Type of orientation - supercardioid. The microphone allows you to record the most pure and lively sound with the slightest noise level, which, of course, can not but rejoice. Shock mount is responsible for reducing noise, vibration and vibrations. Razer Seiren X is installed on a special stand where you can adjust the level of the device.
The USB microphone for the Razer Seiren X has a separate headphone amplifier, as well as a mute button. Samson Meteor has something similar, only the amplifier characteristics are worse there.
Connection and setup
Razer Seiren X is connected to the computer using the supplied USB-micro USB cable. Installing drivers, as in previous cases, is not required. The device is perfectly defined on the operating systems Windows 7, 8 and 10. In addition to the Microsoft operating system, Seiren X supports operation on MAC OSs starting from version 10. 8. As for the setup, there is nothing new either. Most of the parameters can be changed in the Recorders menu in the Sound section.