Does anyone use the Blue Snowball microphone?

[sexysally666]

Hey all,

I have been considering investing in a USB microphone to improve the sound in my room, and have gathered that Blue is a good brand for optimal quality and affordability. It looks like the Snowball mic is among the most affordable options, but I have read mixed reviews while browsing these forums. So would anyone like to share their reviews/tips regarding the Snowball or other Blue mics in this thread? Thanks in advance

 

[Goblin]

I have a blue yeti I record youtube videos with

Very good quality

Only thing is it's quite heavy so if you use a laptop and move around a lot it might be a bit cumbersome

Unsure about the difference in weight/quality of the snowball though sorry.

 

[Emberblaze]

snowball is only good very close range. Yeti and snowflake are better options.

 

[thebongcat]

yeah i have a snowball and recently people have been complaining it picks up my voice quite well, but not my background music. Frustrating because is still an expensive piece of equipment. If your budget wont allow for anything more expensive you can make it work! If you have some wiggle room i would go for the yeti.

 

[sexysally666]

Thank you for your responses everyone. The consensus so far seems to be in favor of the Yeti, I think I'll save up for that instead!

 

[AudriTwo]

Blue yeti is great. I like to move around, and it can pick up my sound from my bed when I move there to perform. No need to move my mic too. Just pop my cam on a tripod.

 

[Lexi Lovegood]

I got the Snowball because it was the one I could afford. My only issue is I've noticed that if I have the music up and talk/sing along to it my voice sounds tinny and echoey. I haven't really played around with the sound settings at all though, so there may be a way to remedy that. Otherwise I like it.

 

[Mila_]

Rode is the brand that I use, it has a similar price point and looks cooler than the yeti.

 

[Dan Epstein]

I am not a model, but I had a good experience with Audio-Technica once, the best option I heard without resorting to a sound card with XLR plug-ins (too many of jazz recordings around me as a teenager ).
Have a look and feel free to grill me if required:
http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wired_mics/50c0cbe703025c75/index.html

I've also added an image with regards to what differentiates a condenser from a full range microphone:


The further the range is focused in a narrow angel , the more "gun-mic" you have, and there are less noises from around the source of the sound.
With regards to echoes, any piece of furniture, carpets, etc, even if they are off frame, can reduce the overlapping, or returning echoes in the room.
These are just a few tips from the times I used to work on student films and TV sets, and they are not top knotch professional. I hope it helps.

 

[DJ_Pioneer]

I am not a model, but I had a good experience with Audio-Technica once, the best option I heard without resorting to a sound card with XLR plug-ins (too many of jazz recordings around me as a teenager ).
Have a look and feel free to grill me if required:
http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wired_mics/50c0cbe703025c75/index.html

I've also added an image with regards to what differentiates a condenser from a full range microphone:

View attachment 75217
The further the range is focused in a narrow angel , the more "gun-mic" you have, and there are less noises from around the source of the sound.
With regards to echoes, any piece of furniture, carpets, etc, even if they are off frame, can reduce the overlapping, or returning echoes in the room.
These are just a few tips from the times I used to work on student films and TV sets, and they are not top knotch professional. I hope it helps.

I have also used the AT2020USB in the past and I agree it is one of the best options before stepping up to an XLR microphone. The only real downside with it is that the desk stand it comes with is a bit flimsy. And for someone who moves around a lot in the room it might not be the best option since sound really tends to drop when you get more than 3 feet away from the Microphone. Here is a review of it for anyone that is interested. Also it might be a good idea to start looking at XLR microphones and a mixer board when you step up to the price range of these higher quality USB microphones because the difference in price is comparatively small.

 

[Rachel Lee Ray]

I own 3 of these devices. A Yeti, Snowflake and a Snowball. The Yeti is BY FAR the most superior of the three. They all DO however produce great quality sound but the audio pick up is night and day. The Yeti is super responsive, has multi selection on sound pick up patterns for direct sound or overall room sound and a bonus mute button for those times you need to burp or any other sound you may not want to have picked up LOL. The snowflake picks up better then the snow ball and is def a little more responsive. It is also way more compact if your going to be on the road or jump from room to room.

In this order

1. Yeti
2. Snowflake
3. Snowball

-Rachel

 

[JasmineSnow]

we have recently upgraded to the snowball, and we love it! Have had no issues with it at all, and all our viewers said they here us perfectly now, so thats all that matters to us lol

 

[DJ_Pioneer]

we have recently upgraded to the snowball, and we love it! Have had no issues with it at all, and all our viewers said they here us perfectly now, so thats all that matters to us lol

It is all about finding the right mic for the situation and at the right price for you. You can always find a mic that is better than what you have but a lot of the time it is not going to be affordable.

 

[UniversitySmiles]

I use a shotgun mic for streaming and put my blue snowball mic in my bathroom for my shower cam.

 

[DJ_Pioneer]

I use a shotgun mic for streaming and put my blue snowball mic in my bathroom for my shower cam.

What shotgun mic do you use?