social media – Page 2 – USB Microphones

June 6, 2023 by J. Hawthorne

Blue Yeti Mic Review: The Podcasting King?

Some mics never go out of style. It’s true of analog condenser mics like the Neumann U 87. And it’s true of the Blue Yeti. In the USB mic category, it’s the closest thing we have to a classic.

Released back in 2009, the Yeti quickly became the most popular USB mic out there. And it has remained an iconic choice for podcasters.

But is Blue’s Yeti right for you? Let’s explore that.

Yeti’s Design

If you think of USB microphones as flimsy, scaled-down versions of pro XLR mics, think again. Blue’s Yeti is a substantial beast measuring 12 inches high and weighing in at 3.5 pounds (with the stand affixed). It towers over other USB mics; including two models offered by Blue: the Snowball and Snowflake.

Overall the Yeti is very solidly built, thus the weight. The only area to nitpick at is the wobbly volume knob. It feels a bit cheap compared with the rest of the unit.

Its design is a big reason it’s seen as a workhorse for podcasters. It sits just right on a desk. Its positioned high enough to capture clean speech, yet low enough to avoid covering people’s faces when shooting video.

February 4, 2022 by J. Hawthorne

How to Get Great Sound Quality on YouTube

The top YouTubers may have vastly different content, but they have two things in common.

They all look and sound good.

And that doesn’t necessarily mean they have professional-level production. Rather, their video production amplifies their message rather than distracting from it.

When it comes to audio, your voice doesn’t need to have polished sound like you’re a guest on The Howard Stern Show. But it does need to be clear and intelligible to your audience.

When you consider the narrow frequency range and low output of speakers on phones and laptops, it becomes apparent that you need to ensure your audio is translating across all devices.

In most cases you’ve got just several second to grab people’s attention. And if your audio level is too low, is distorted, or is flat and muffled-sounding, there’s a good chance you’ll lose people that would have otherwise been interested.