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Very good computer mic Jul 01, 2008
I use this Blue Snowflake mic only for voice recording (spoken word, not singing) with my desktop computer. While it costs twice as much as a Logitech mic I returned, it is twice as good. The Logitech sounded very hollow in comparison.
The Snowflake is powered by the USB port on a computer and sets up easily. You may have to fiddle with your sound setup to enable it for some applications. I use it to record with the Audacity free software wav editor, which sometimes doesn't recognize it until it is unplugged and plugged in again after my computer is turned off.
It reproduces speech clearly, and I would be excellent for pod casting or other live applications. However, because of its reproductive clarity, recordings made with it can be improved significantly. This is easily done with the Audacity software. After you record, you can amplify, remove computer fan noise, and equalize for a professional sounding spoken word recording.
This mic is well made and compact in design. It can be twisted around to sit on a desk, hung on a laptop or held in your hand. For the best voice recording quality, and to avoid popping, use a folded hanky over the grill and hold it a few inches away. However, it can easily pick up sound a couple feet away, if used for live pod casting.
For convenience, size, and good spoken word recording quality, this mic is an excellent value for only $60. You would need to spend two or three times or more for a non USB condenser or dynamic mic to produce similar sound quality.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
An Answer To Prayer Jun 24, 2008
This microphone is an excellent alternative to trying to travel with a Snowball. I own both mics and love my Snowball as the best USB mic ever. However, traveling with the big box (I'm always concerned with damage) is a pain in the ... neck. So, when the Snowflake came out, I was excited and skeptical. Excited because its based on the same technology, skeptical because in audio smaller is very rarely better (or as good).
I am pleasantly surprised. It is true that the Snowflake is not omnidirectional, but when I need that I'll carry the Snowball. Otherwise, the Snowflake is the perfect travel replacement for the Snowball. Small, light, flexible, and fantastic sound quality. Who could ask for anything more?
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Terrific conferencing microphone, good for podcasts too May 29, 2008
I've had this a couple of days and am totally impressed. The sound quality is very good. You might not want to make that important demo CD of your band with it but for voice it is excellent. I've tried it to record my guitar but I just hear how bad I am so can't give an objective report on its music capabilities beyond saying they seem reasonable. I've recorded a couple of podcasts with it. The results are good. It's nice that it allows me to not wear a headset, when out of the office, which I just don't like to do. I have Blue Microphone's Snowball mic in my office for recording but that is not at all something I'd want to carry around and set up for portable audio.
The Snowflake is solid and seems very well made. It's just fits in my laptop bag, which is the reason I bought it. I'm doing more and more of my work on my MacBook, so a good quality mic is welcome. It opens up to stand on its own on a desk or clips to my computer lid. I put it right beside the built in video camera. It seems semi-directional. It seems to pick up everything in front of is and not too much from behind. And I don't have to lean in close or speak loudly to be heard. Three feet away works just fine.
This morning I used the Snowflake USB microphone to allow an absent member of my writer's group to participate via Skype. We've done this before, using the built in mic in my MacBook. Prior results doing this were marginal. Each time we've done so the person on the other end often had to ask for things to be repeated. Not today. Our absent member asked what was so different because everybody sounded so clear.
12 of 12 found the following review helpful:
A Great Portable USB Mic Apr 17, 2008
I have been testing USB mics for the past week for use with a web-based seminar ("webinar") program we run at my company. I needed a mic small enough that I could ship it to remote presenters, with excellent audio quality and super simple setup (our speakers are not audio pros). Today, I found that mic, the Blue Snowflake. It folds into its own case for protection, and the USB cable fits inside too. The package is about the size of two decks of cards, stacked. The case opens to allow you to stand it on a desk, or hang it from an upright laptop display. Both sounded great, the display mount a little better, because of the better positioning.
We've been doing our seminars through higher-end, XLR and this is not as good as them, but costs much less and works over USB. I have the Blue Snowball as well (I also recommend), which I use for podcast recording and in my tests this sounded as good (if not better) for the narration style recording we will be doing.
On our Macs (10.5 and below) it's plug and play - plug in and select the mic as the Input mic in the System Preferences, and you're done. Whatever app can accept audio on your machine, can use this. These seminars use a Flash-based audio system, and it picked up the mic instantly. You may have to adjust the Input level in the system prefs, depending on your app, and it's controls.
Downside: the mic pivot on my unit is a little loose, so I have to be careful placing it. The USB cable is stiff enough to stabilize it though. Once it's set, I don't fear it will move, unless hit.
I bought mine at an AppleStore (on a whim, I had been thinking about buying one to test) for $79. I have no regrets at that price, so considering that at the time of this writing, the price here is $20 cheaper, I think this mic is a phenomenal value. Especially if you've used common USB headset mics with their miserable sound.
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