Samson

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meteor-micI’m often amazed that manufacturers can price certain USB mics so low. A decade ago even on a shoestring budget you’d be looking at a few hundred for a mic and audio interface. And that is what a USB mic really is: a one-channel audio USB interface and mic built into one device.

The Blue Snowball has garnered much attention due to its quirky design, versatility and incredible value. The Meteor Mic seems to be Samson’s answer to it, as it’s similarly priced and has vintage look all it’s own.

Standing only 6 inches high with the legs extended, this is a good mic for your portable laptop or iPad rig.

The super reflective chrome body includes a fold-back leg design; I really this appreciated for portability since you don’t have to fold and pack a stand separately.

A killer feature absent from its competition is the threaded stand attachment. You’ll be able to mount it to any standard mic stand making positioning for acoustic instruments, guitar amps and percussion far more precise. Nice to see Samson thought of the needs of musicians rather than putting all focus on podcasters.

Most noticeable at the front is a large headphone volume dial with a mute switch in its center. Just above is the intelligent LED light: when connected it glows blue and when muted it’s amber. The mini-USB port and 1/8” headphone jack are positioned at the rear.

Most companies have remained pretty hush-hush about the size of condenser diagraph inside the casing.  As a rule of thumb, the bigger the diagraph, the bigger the soundstage it can capture. Samson claims the Meteor Mic has one of the largest condenser diaphragms (25mm) of any USB mic available.

Sound quality is crisp, articulate and quite full bodied when recording male voiceovers. This is rare as many USB mics are lacking in bottom-end that can be picked up.

The most common pickup pattern is possible: cardioid. This means it captures sound from in front of the mic and rejects noise coming from the back. In this regard the Snowball has a leg up on the Meteor as it gives you a choice of three patterns for around the same price.

The Verdict

Those that want something highly portable but not too tiny when set up, this is a nice compromise between a desktop mic like the Blue Yeti and the super compact Samson Go Mic.

The sound has a rich character considering it’s low price tag. The retro chrome body is a little quaint and not as rugged as something like the pricier Apogee MiC, but for under $70 few could find much reason to complain.

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The Samson CO1U is a staple in the podcaster’s arsenal. Since it’s been out for several years it has been thoroughly time-tested. Often experienced podcasters recommend it due to its reliable track record and performance. For many, this is the first USB microphone they’ve ever owned. There is an urge in technophiles like myself to always look to the latest, assuming it is the greatest. I’m admittedly late to the C01U party but felt the need to review it. Clearly, this mic is still relevant and will be for years to come.

This model looks like a condenser mic should. Visually it is almost identical to its brother, the CO1. The only difference is the CO1U has a silver grill instead of black, and of course it has a USB connector instead of analog XLR. Hard knobs and switches aren’t necessary due to downloadable SoftPre software, which allows you to set gain levels, cut lows, etc.

The differences are far greater on the inside. The engineers at Samson managed to squeeze a micro USB interface inside the CO1U.

Sampling rates range from 8 to 48 KHz at 16-bit resolution. This falls in line with the current generation of USB mics, with the exception of the Yeti Pro which does 24-bit recording.

Frequency Response is 20 – 18000 HZ. To test this range in the real world, I busted out the acoustic drum kit. It was able to capture the lowest thuds from the bass drum accurately, as well as the high-end sizzle from cymbals. The sound quality is natural rather than hyped, which is good news for purists and tweakers alike. The unique bass roll off control comes in handy for overly boomy-sounding voices or instruments. Beginners or podcasters that want quick, effective solutions should be using this often.

Sensitively is great, maybe a little too good if you have loud fans in your computer or live near an airport. Although this is a cardioid pattern mic, it has a tendency to pick up more than expected.

Flexibility is a weakness for the C01U. Unlike competing mics from Blue, it has a cardioid pattern only. If you plan on doing traditional voiceover work or recording lead vocals, this shouldn’t concern you much. Experimental types that want to capture the ambiance in the room or record an interview with only one mic need to look at the Yeti or Snowball instead.

If you don’t have recording software and don’t feeling like forking over a wad of cash, you’re in luck. The CO1U offers the advantage of free bundled software: Cakewalk Sonar LE. Unfortunately this benefits Windows users only. The software for the CO1U is Mac-friendly, but Sonar LE is not. If you’re totally new to podcasting or recording, Sonar is one of the better applications to learn.

Review Verdict

Samson’s CO1U came out at a time when there were few USB mics to choose from. Since then, Blue and Audio-Technica have come on the scene with some great offerings. I can definitely see why proud owners of this mic recommend it to friends, but I feel there are better options.

For those buying today, either a Blue Yeti or Audio-Technica AT2020 are the best moderately-priced USB mics going. You may want to grab the CO1U regardless, if the price is right; especially if you want to get your hands on Sonar LE software for free.

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The Go Mic is part of a new breed of micro USB microphones that clip on the top of notebooks. It’s Samson’s answer to Blue’s Snowflake that was released before it.

An appealing aspect of this mic is it takes an already convenient concept: USB connectivity and combines it with ultimate portability and a utilitarian mounting scheme. It borrows from webcam model, which are now commonly built into laptops.

Positioned just above the monitor, the device is right in the sweet spot for VOIP calls, voice overs and podcasting. Alternatively you can attach the microphone stand adapter and get a more traditional setup going.

Web cams are notorious for poor quality in comparison to full-sized video cameras. The difference in quality between the Go Mic and a larger USB mics isn’t as pronounced. Speech is clear with a surprisingly full-bodied resonance. At the very least it blows away the internal mic in your Macbook Pro and the chintzy voice input on your Plantronics-style headset.

There are two switchable modes: cardioid and omni polar patterns. Cardioid grabs audio from directly in front of the mic and rejects sound from behind. Omni mode opens up full 360 degree recording so everything in the room can be heard. The possibility of the omni pattern seemed interesting but superfluous for a product that is primarily designed to sit on a laptop monitor. That impression was proven false when I used the Go Mic to interview someone. It really shines in this application because you can easily see the recording software at work without turning your head.

I can see this as being a very handy tool for a singer-songwriter. When writing music, it is helpful to quickly capture your ideas so you can remember how far you progressed. Think of it as an audio sketchpad. The quicker you can get setup, the better. For this reason it is a good alternative to a portable recorder from Tascam or Zoom. If you have a laptop handy, you’ll save money by going this route. In addition, you won’t have to deal with a cramped LCD screen and cryptic menus. Instead you can use your favourite DAW, such as Logic or Pro Tools.

There’s nothing worse than misunderstanding someone because they are using a crappy mic for VOIP. With the Go Mic, you’ll put the person at the other end at ease. This is especially welcome for business use as it ensures your directions are properly understood and therefore followed through correctly.

There are two inputs along the right side of the Go Mic. One mini-USB input for connecting to your computer and powering the device plus one headphone jack. The headphone output ensures direct monitoring with zero latency so there isn’t a lag disrupting your flow of speech.

Audio resolution is 16-bit/44.1kHz which is the current standard for USB mics. Frequency response is 20Hz – 18kHz so you’ll be able to capture pretty well anything within the limits of human hearing.

The mounting clip folds into the device, making the Go Mic highly portable and less prone to breakage. The mic can be angled in any way you like thanks to the metal joint attaching it to the clip.

Review Verdict

The Samson Go Mic is a very impressive little microphone for the price. I certainly wouldn’t use it for lead vocals for serious music recording. However, for music demos, voice overs and VOIP communications it is wonderfully convenient. The ability to just slap it on the top of your laptop screen ensures it gets used often.

I can’t recommend this over the Blue Snowflake as they are very similar in strength. In this case, it comes down to personal preference.