What do you think? Studio Condenser? Plugs into USB Port?

[jamesburlander]

Hello All,

I'm looking to upgrade my microphone since I'm looking to get into the voiceover business, or at least do some production of my own. I'm 17, but I'm planning ahead for my future and looking to go cheap, but still sound professional. Now I know it takes a lot of money to actually sound "good," but I just want to get a pretty decent start.

I found this... a microphone that needs no pre-amp or anything, and it plugs right into your computer's USB Port. Anyone know the quality of this kind of microphone?

http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1810&brandID=2

C01U - USB Condenser Microphone


The C01U USB Studio Condenser Mic is the first affordable studio condenser mic with a direct USB output.

For the first time ever, musicians who record music on computers have a simple, affordable way to capture high-quality vocal and acoustic instrument performances. Seamless integration was the idea, and it was obtained by creating a studio condenser microphone that can be plugged into any computer with no in/out boxes, no expensive computer pre-amps, just a USB cable.

The C01U condenser microphone is based on our wildly successful C01. It features a 19mm internal shock mounted diaphragm with a cardioid pick up pattern ensuring pristine studio quality recordings.

The C01U works perfectly on any computer, Mac or PC, and with any DAW software program. It immediately solves a huge problem for users of many laptops, many of which have no other input method for audio devices.

It’s a must for any musician on the road or in the project studio, but the C01U is going to offer solutions to more than just musicians. The mic opens up possibilities for anyone who records audio—from Podcasters, journalists, students, and business people adding audio files to websites and multimedia presentations.


- Industry’s first USB Studio Condenser mic
- Plugs in directly to any computer with a USB input
- Cardioid Pickup Pattern
- Large 19mm Diaphragm
- Heavy Gauge Mesh Grill
- Smooth, Flat Frequency Response
- USB connection cable included
- Perfect microphone for Podcasters as well as Musicians

 

[Emmett1057]

I don't know much about mics direct to USB, but I have never heard anything good about Samson mics. I know that MXL also makes a USB mic for about $100. I would think that self-noise would be an issue. Most condesers need phantom power. Since you can't send 48V through USB, these mics would need batteries. The active electronics inside would likely make the mics very noisy, compared to other condensers.

I understand your desire to do this cheaply, but spend a little. You'll be happy you did. Look at Rode, MXL and Studio Projects mics. Look at Behringer, ART and Presonus Preamps. Look at M-Audio soundcards.


> Hello All,
>
> I'm looking to upgrade my microphone since I'm looking to
> get into the voiceover business, or at least do some
> production of my own. I'm 17, but I'm planning ahead for my
> future and looking to go cheap, but still sound
> professional. Now I know it takes a lot of money to
> actually sound "good," but I just want to get a pretty
> decent start.
>
> I found this... a microphone that needs no pre-amp or
> anything, and it plugs right into your computer's USB Port.
> Anyone know the quality of this kind of microphone?
>
http://www.s> amsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1810&brandID=2
>
>
> C01U - USB Condenser Microphone
>
>
> The C01U USB Studio Condenser Mic is the first affordable
> studio condenser mic with a direct USB output.
>
> For the first time ever, musicians who record music on
> computers have a simple, affordable way to capture
> high-quality vocal and acoustic instrument performances.
> Seamless integration was the idea, and it was obtained by
> creating a studio condenser microphone that can be plugged
> into any computer with no in/out boxes, no expensive
> computer pre-amps, just a USB cable.
>
> The C01U condenser microphone is based on our wildly
> successful C01. It features a 19mm internal shock mounted
> diaphragm with a cardioid pick up pattern ensuring pristine
> studio quality recordings.
>
> The C01U works perfectly on any computer, Mac or PC, and
> with any DAW software program. It immediately solves a huge
> problem for users of many laptops, many of which have no
> other input method for audio devices.
>
> It’s a must for any musician on the road or in the project
> studio, but the C01U is going to offer solutions to more
> than just musicians. The mic opens up possibilities for
> anyone who records audio—from Podcasters, journalists,
> students, and business people adding audio files to websites
> and multimedia presentations.
>
>
> - Industry’s first USB Studio Condenser mic
> - Plugs in directly to any computer with a USB input
> - Cardioid Pickup Pattern
> - Large 19mm Diaphragm
> - Heavy Gauge Mesh Grill
> - Smooth, Flat Frequency Response
> - USB connection cable included
> - Perfect microphone for Podcasters as well as Musicians
>

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

> I'm looking to upgrade my microphone since I'm looking to
> get into the voiceover business, or at least do some
> production of my own. >
> I found this... a microphone that needs no pre-amp or
> anything, and it plugs right into your computer's USB Port.

You said you want to upgrade your microphone. Since we don't know what you are using now and what you plug it into, it is hard to advise whether the Samson is an upgrade or not.

As the other writer has pointed out, Samson mics are pretty entry level. If you are currently using one of the 'computer-store computer-mics' then the Samson is likely to be better.

I've not used a Samson so I don't know how good or bad it might be. Here are some technical questions to evaluate.

If you acquire a USB based mic, you cannot run it through any kind of stand-alone equalizer or processor in the future. You can process your file in your software after the recording. With an economy mic and an economy pre-amp, you can replace components one at a time as your outgrow them.

I like to go on site now and then and records young people choirs or instrument recitals in a church setting. With stand-alone mics and preamps, you can put a 'looooooong' mic cable in the lineup if needed. Without lashing repeaters and hubs together, your USB cable length will be limeted to about 15 feet. If you don't do crazy things I try, 15 feet will not be a problem.

With a USB mic, you are probably going to be limited to recording one channel at a time. With a traditional mic you can feed into a small external mixer if you want to combine voices or voice and music or sound effects.

There is good news: I pulled the manual for the Samson Digital mic and you can control the gain of the internal pre-amp in the mic. That is good because if you are recording a soft voice and you have to normailize the gain of the recorded file, you will be brining the sound-card/computer noise floor up when the normalize the program content. Setting the mic's internal gain overcomes that challenge.

The mic does 16-bit and 48kHz. That will probably be adequate for your needs for now. Last year I picked up a USB device and I selected one from M-audio that allows me to do 24-bit and 96kHz. That gives me a lower noise floor during the recording process. After editing, equalizing, gain normalizing etc, I then convert down to 16 and 48 or whatever is called for.

If you can buy the Samson with option to return if it is less than satisfactory for your purpose, give it a try.