Hi All
Question for You All,I know zip on microphones ,What I would like to do
is have a set up that I can play my Backings from my computer, play my Chromatic
Harmonica or Guitar and sound Good ,would like a usb Microphone if possible to go in to my Computer,use the computer video, record both and sound decent ,not Canny am I dreaming ?
I would like to set up for $ 150 or less.
Open for info if You have any to share .
Rich

Hi Rich. I recommend against a USB mic. I haven't heard anything good about them in comparison to a regular mic through a regular preamp.

Do you already have any kind of music interface to your computer, like a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or such? That would be all you need plus a mic. In my experience, a cheaper mic through a preamp will be better than putting all your money into a USB mic.

Well, I got caught up in a refund battle with a local music store. To make a long story short, I didn't win the refund battle and like Matt, I had never heard any good reviews of USB mics. However, I ended losing the refund battle and had a choice of receiving a very good value of merchandise to dollar compromise with the local music store by accepting a Blue Microphone Snowball.

I lost the battle and won the war. I have been completely satisfied with the sound, ease of operation, build quality and absolutely seamless setup and operation of the unit with Windows 7 and every DAW I have. I have used it with Audacity, BIAB, RealBand, Studio One 3.5 Professional without a hitch or complaint.

I have had many interfaces and they all require drivers and setup. Not a big deal but not always seamless setup and playing in the beginning. Not every recording I make is a serious, commercial release. In fact, that's fairly rare. I do spend several hours each day using my computer for audio production whether it's developing chord progressions, playing along to accompaniment tracks I've input, trying some new technique I've learned here on the forum or with Studio One Pro, songwriting or just recording guitar riffs and chord progressions. I've also been working on learning better guitar and also playing with recording 'quality' User Tracks recently. This Snowball Mic is absolutely marvelous for these tasks. I do not keep an audio interface connected all the time and have several different interfaces that I use for different projects according to the number of inputs necessary for my project. The Snowball allows me to plug it in, it's powered by USB so I am up and recording as quickly as my DAW or BIAB starts up. I can mic my acoustic guitar or do vocals without any hassle and on these non-critical projects, I spend my time in my DAW recording and not over on the drivers page or in Windows Audio trying to get everything working together.

I have a decent mic closet that has Wireless Mics, dynamic mics and condenser mics including Shure SM58, SM57, Sennheisers, AKG and other name brand mics as well as more than a few off brand models. I have a fairly expensive large condenser mic but unless I'm doing serious recording, I always just plug this Snowball in and spend my time making music rather than frustrations. I use it 90% of the time and 5% of the time I'll use a Zoom H5 interface leaving only 5% of my time needing serious higher end hardware and mics.

So, unless you have need for broadcast quality, mastered recordings for commercial releases,

I recommend:

Blue Microphone Snowball

Matt, Here's your first positive review..... ;=)

Our first BiaB projects were with a USB Blue mic. I've owned a LOT of mics over the last 50 years and I thought the results for Janice's vocals were quite good given the ease of use and cost but I never recorded an instrument with it. I later got the Scarlett 212 Matt mentioned to run our trusty old Rodes NT1 through. And that's what we still use.

Bud

Charlie, I'm actually glad to read a good review of these. Thanks.

I have a Samson Go USB microphone that I really like. Like a proper audio interface it even has a headphone jack so you can listen to your Band-in-a-Box backing tracks while recording a great sounding vocal. I find I don't have to equalize what gets recorded on the Go microphone like I do with some of the other microphones I have. The microphone just sounds good.

Samson has a complete line of USB microphones including USB versions of their top of the line multi pattern condenser microphones. +++ THIS +++ webpage describes all their USB microphones.

Most microphone companies seem to have USB microphones. Many take the approach of replacing the XLR connection with a USB connection that is Windows compliant so equipment specific drivers are not needed. It is getting easier and easier to find a USB version of whatever microphone is a favorite.

My complaint is every USB microphone I've looked at uses 16 bit depth analog to digital conversion. While that matches the CD audio quality of RealTracks and RealDrums the extra headroom provided by 24 bit depth when mixing makes me wish more 24 bit USB microphones were available.

Hi Rich,

It might end up costing a bit more, but I prefer using a USB audio interface and normal mic, rather than a USB mic. Driver setup is easier (since you're using the same USB device for both input and output), and the interface will be able to handle input monitoring (which Band-in-a-Box doesn't provide).

Blue's USB mics are actually very nice, and have a solid reputation, but driver setup and monitoring would still be easier with an interface like a Focusrite Scarlett and a normal microphone, especially for a beginner. You'd just select the Focusrite's ASIO audio driver and leave it selected, and just plug the mic into your interface when you're ready to record, without having to switch audio drivers.

If you ever want to record other instruments, like a keyboard or guitars, they can be recorded through the interface as well, without having to purchase additional equipment.

Thanks
Kent
PG Music

Indeed, the consensus seems to be "don't buy/waste your money, on a USB mic" and I agree 100%.

Instead, spend the money to get a decent USB interface with audio preamps and phantom power built in. The inexpensive ones are 2 channels..... aka: stereo. You will spend up to $150 or so.... I prefer the Focusrite interfaces and the Scarlet seems to be the popular one now and it's in that price range.

Next.... buy a good condenser mic. Lots of options and a wide price range. Figure up to $400 for the mic.

Reasons why you want to spend $550 or so on these 2 things. The interface is your studio's heart. Everything goes through it..... audio and midi in both directions. A good interface running ASIO drivers will give you very low latency.
The mic is your studio's ears. Better mics hear better. I have heard some good quality from mics under $100 so look around and go to the store to try them out.

Pick up a decent pair of self powered studio reference monitors for listening. That adds another $150 to $300 but again..... worth the cost. You can use a set of decent headphones for a while if needed.

I generally tell people to figure on spending $1000 on these items..... if there's anything left, buy dinner and some guitar strings.

Dunno Herb....there are some really good $150 condenser mics around nowadays. MXL has a line of them starting at 99 bucks and they get some great reviews. Chinese knock offs but good. All of our vocals are done with a MXL or a Rodes NT1. I sometime wonder in this day and age whether or not the difference between a good and a great mic is worth it given the amount of vocal processing that is done.

Bud

Look at the online sites that have disassembled a Snowball mic. The capsule is an electret condenser.

However, if it works for you, so be it.

I second Charlie’s post except I use a Samson meteor usb mic if I only have vocals to record. And I have been very satisfied with both the ease of use and the quality of the vocal. I also have a scarlet Focusrite which I use for recording guitar and ukulele (using the direct in as well as a mic at the same time recording to different tracks).

I tried comparing the quality of the vocal between the usb mic and the interface with a rode NT3 condenser mic and I cannot for the life of me tell the difference and will continue to use the usb if I only have vocals to record.

The Samson Meteor uses a large diaphragm (1”) condenser capsule rather than an electret condenser like in the Snowball.

I have an MXL 2010 and I LOVE it. It's freakin' awesome.

According to Sweetwater specs, the more expensive Snowball model has a Pressure Gradient Condenser capsule rather an electret condenser type of the lower cost Snowball Ice. I watched some breakdown videos this morning. I'm a bit wary of the online breakdowns I saw on YouTube. The 'engineers' were true amateurs.

At any rate, for the cost, ease of setup and performance, it works for me better than I expected from any previous review I had seen.

The Sweetwater package ships with Presonus Studio One Artist and various templates. Great for beginners.

It's truly plug and play and does not require installing drivers. A comparable stand alone audio interface will require drivers plus the added cost of a microphone and mic cable and possibly a mic stand and boom and pop filter. It trumps the audiobox/scarlet type entry audio interfaces hands down with ease of set up and use and parts count.

To anyone that's simply a hobbyist or beginner and playing for study, fun and friends, this mic will satisfy your needs. It will not break your budget so that when and if you do want better equipment, you won't have a problem making up the cost.