Samson CO1U USB Condenser Microphone

Samson CO1U USB Condenser Microphone

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

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.

Feature List

• Large Diaphragm, 19mm, Studio Condenser with USB Digital Output.
• Compatible with any computer based Digital Audio Workstation.
• The extremely detailed sound reproduction makes it ideal for recording vocals, acoustic instruments and just about any other sound source.
• High Quality AD converter with 16 Bit, 48K sampling rate.

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars Does Not work with Vista
“Samson C01U USB mic records low volume on Vista.

This is a known behavior with the Samson Mic and the Vista operating system and is not specific with Camtasia Studio. Be sure to turn your recording volume up and speak directly into the microphone to obtain a good recording level. ”

The above is copied from the Camtasia Web site. This is apparently a well known problem with Vista. I’m encountering it too.

5 Stars Gain problem on Mac solved
On my Mac iBook G4 running 10.5.8 there had been a problem with these Samson USB CO1U mics that first came up when I switched them between laptops. The problem was there with Audacity and SoundStudio and it may be the same issue with other apps. I am using two of these mics for stereo recording, but the fix is the same for a single mic. The source of this problem is the fact that even though these are mono mics they have two output channels, and both channels must have their gain all the way up in order to have full gain from the mic. Setting gain in the system sound preference does not seem to accomplish this.

Go to the AudioMIDI Setup Utility in the utilities folder, select the Samson mic in the “Properties For” dropdown. Under “Audio Input” you will then see the option of 1 or 2 channels. Select 2-ch, then below to the left the L & R volume sliders for both channels should be all the way to the right. You can now put the mic setting back to 1-channel without affecting overall gain.

If you use two mics for stereo recording just set each mic like this individually, go to the Aggregate Device Editor under “Audio” on the menu bar, aggregate the two mics, and you’re done. If you need to balance the gain on them afterward you can do so by selecting them individually to make any changes. Make sure “Default Input” remains “Aggregate Device” (which BTW you can rename by going back to the “Aggregate Device Editor” and double clicking.) Unfortunately, on some Macs this resetting of mic gain has to be redone every time they are unplugged and plugged back in, but it’s quick and easy once you’ve done it. Hope this helps!

5 Stars Nice low cost mic
It took just a little playing to get the mic placement figured out, but now it produces nice sounding audio. What works well for my screencasts is to set it on the table right in front of me at about a 60 degree angle tilted away from me. So the green light on the front is pointed towards my mouth, but I talk over it. I look at the computer screen, so the main acoustic energy is flowing about 5 inches above the microphone rather than aimed straight at it. I also bought the windscreen for it to help smooth any acoustic bursts.

It works perfectly with Windows and Linux. Supposed to also work with Mac. For me, a big concern before buying a microphone was that it works with Linux. I didn’t have to do anything to get it to work with Linux. I just plugged it in and used the ALSA mixer to turn it on and used it with Audacity and RecordMyDesktop.

The graphical mixer tools work well to turn it on or off, but to make sure I get the same a good volume setting each time, I made a couple simple shell scripts after experimenting with the right volume setting.

$ cat micon

amixer -c 1 set ‘Mic’ 48 unmute cap on

$ cat micoff

amixer -c 1 set ‘Mic’ nocap mute

Then in recordMyDesktop, either specify hw:1,0 in the device box (graphical version) or from the command line, use -device hw:1,0.

Here is a sample of one of my screencasts with this mic using recordMyDeskTop in Linux. My voice is pretty deep, so that’s just me, not the mic.

[...]

Here is one where I compare it to two other mics. I did this one right after I got it, and hadn’t figured out the mic placement yet. I did this one in Windows. You can also find this recording on YouTube.

[...]

5 Stars Great mic at a great price
I was looking for a good high-quality condensor microphone. This is it. USB connected for digital no-noise signal. Standard size fit my stand and vibration mount. The sound is clean and perfect for voice applications. Highly recommended!

5 Stars Received right away and works great!
This was sent out fast and we were very happy with the promptness and condition of the product.

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Recording Microphone Reviews USB Microphone Reviews Condenser Microphone Reviews

Blue Microphones Snowball USB Condenser Microphone Brushed Aluminium Blu Snowball BA

Blue Microphones Snowball USB Condenser Microphone Brushed Aluminium Blu Snowball BA

The Blue Mics Snowball USB Microphone is the worlds first professional USB mic! The Snowball finally provides you with a USB mic thats not only easy to use, but sounds as good on your desktop as it does in a professional recording studio. Whether youre recording a guitar at your kitchen table or a complete band in the studio, the Snowball can capture it with detail unheard of before in a USB mic. The Snowball is a direct plug n play mic that connects to either a Mac or PC no additional software is needed. With its dual capsule design and unique three-pattern switch (cardioid, cardioid with -10dB pad and omni), the Snowball can handle everything from soft vocals to the loudest garage band and its ideal for podcasting. Check it out and youll see why its the coolest mic in town. Blue Mics Snowball Features Plug and play design no software required! Professional studio quality performance record both vocals and instruments Mac and PC compatible Blues renowned circuit and unique two-capsule design Switchable mic patterns for a variety of recording applications Great for podcasting Includes custom mic stand and USB cable Add The Ringer for a few coins more! Designed for Blue’s complete line of spherical microphones, The Ringer is a vintage-style suspension mount designed to isolate the microphone body from low-frequency energy when mounted on a mic stand. The Ringer also accommodates virtually any microphone with a standard thread mount.

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Recording Microphone Reviews USB Microphone Reviews Condenser Microphone Reviews

Behringer C 1U USB Studio Condenser Mic

Behringer C 1U USB Studio Condenser Mic

The Behringer C-1U USB mic is a digital home recording or podcasting enthusiast’s dream. This professional quality condenser microphone is identical to the acclaimed Behringer C-1 mic with one awesome difference: it’s has a built-in USB interface so you can be ready to record faster than ever and with minimal preparation and equipment. Just plug it into your computer and start recording.What is a USB Condenser Microphone? As the primary type of microphone used in recording studios and radio stations, condenser microphones are the ideal choice for capturing vocals and acoustic instruments. Unlike a dynamic microphone, a condenser microphone collects sound from throughout an environment such as a room, rather than only picking up what’s happening directly in front of it. It is capable of capturing much more detail with a wider, flatter frequency response. Trouble is, conventional condenser microphones aren’t made to interface with a computer—you have to provide a microphone preamplifier and an analog to a USB interface. The C-1U has a built-in USB interface that derives the needed power directly from your computer’s USB input and requires no special drivers. Just plug in and start recording your music.Unlike most other USB microphones, you won’t need to download any additional drivers to begin using the Behringer C-1U right out of the box—it even works with Vista. You also get an extensive software package that includes: Audacity for recording, Kristal Audio Engine for editing and multitracking, plus Podifier uploading software and PodNova downloading software. It works like this: Connect the mic to your PC or Mac. Load Audacity and save your recording onto your hard drive. Now load the included Kristal software and you can edit your recording or add tracks. Now you’re ready to upload your work onto the Web via Podifier.Getting started with the USB mic may seem like child’s play, but this pro-caliber microphone is anything b

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Recording Microphone Reviews USB Microphone Reviews Condenser Microphone Reviews

Blue Microphones Snowball USB Condenser Microphone Gloss Black

Blue Microphones Snowball USB Condenser Microphone Gloss Black

The Blue Mics Snowball USB Microphone is the worlds first professional USB mic! The Snowball finally provides you with a USB mic thats not only easy to use, but sounds as good on your desktop as it does in a professional recording studio. Whether youre recording a guitar at your kitchen table or a complete band in the studio, the Snowball can capture it with detail unheard of before in a USB mic. The Snowball is a direct plug n play mic that connects to either a Mac or PC no additional software is needed. With its dual capsule design and unique three-pattern switch (cardioid, cardioid with -10dB pad and omni), the Snowball can handle everything from soft vocals to the loudest garage band and its ideal for podcasting. Check it out and youll see why its the coolest mic in town. Blue Mics Snowball Features Plug and play design no software required! Professional studio quality performance record both vocals and instruments Mac and PC compatible Blues renowned circuit and unique two-capsule design Switchable mic patterns for a variety of recording applications Great for podcasting Includes custom mic stand and USB cable Add The Ringer for a few coins more! Designed for Blue’s complete line of spherical microphones, The Ringer is a vintage-style suspension mount designed to isolate the microphone body from low-frequency energy when mounted on a mic stand. The Ringer also accommodates virtually any microphone with a standard thread mount.

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Recording Microphone Reviews USB Microphone Reviews Condenser Microphone Reviews

Samson C03U USB Condenser Microphone

Samson C03U USB Condenser Microphone

The Samson C03U is a multi-pattern studio condenser microphone that records pristine audio and has enhanced capabilities along with a high quality A/D converter and USB output. Featuring dual 19mm internal shock mounted diaphragms with switchable omni, cardioid, and figure-8 pick-up patterns, it is perfect for recording vocals or any acoustic instrument. Plus the selectable patterns make it ideal for a variety of specialized recording situations, like multiple vocalists, ambient room miking, and even a group of people around a conference table recording a Podcast. The C03U works seamlessly on any computer running Mac OS X or Windows XP, and with most DAW software programs without having to install any extra software or drivers. Samson C03U USB Microphone Features Plugs in directly to any computer with a USB interface Bundled with Cakewalk’s Sonar LE software Switchable Cardioid, Omni, and Figure-8 Pickup Patterns High Quality A/D Converter with 16-Bit, 48kHz Sampling Rate Dual Large 19mm Diaphragm Elements Switchable High-Pass Filter and 10 dB Pad Smooth, Flat Frequency Response USB cable and carry pouch included Also avaible in a package which includes a desktop mic stand, mic clip, shockmount and USB cable in a durable, lightweight aluminum case.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Just what the doctor ordered
I needed a USB microphone for use with my speech recognition software (Dragon Naturally Speaking), when I got my new PC the sound card was incompatible with Dragon, and their tech support told me to either get a new sound card, or use a USB microphone. I tried an inexpensive USB microphone from Logitech, but it resulted in many more errors that I had to go back and correct. Most annoyingly, when I switched the microphone on and off, apparently there was a surge or something that the software would interpret as a word. So, many of my sentences started or ended with an extraneous “and” or “the” or “that,” all of which I had to go back and correct. I decided to upgrade the microphone rather than go the new sound card route, and ordered the Samson.

The Samson microphone has been great. Far fewer errors, works better than I hoped. The one thing I miss is that it has no on/off switch (couldn’t determine that from the available information), so I have to switch it on and off with the Dragon software, so I don’t get one of the main benefits I hoped for, but it works so well otherwise, I’m still happy.

Perhaps this seems like overkill for dictation software, but if you depend on that kind of software professionally, I think it’s well worth it.

3 Stars The wrong microphone was sent
I ordered two of the C03UCW microphones and I was sent two of the C01U’s – it is a different microphone. I wanted the one shown here.

The vendor offered to refund my money and said that it was a mistake made by Amazon. I needed the microphones for a project and did not have time to return them. They worked fine – but they were not the ones I ordered. I still want the other microphones.

Amazon – how can you make this one right?

5 Stars Podcasting Mic Mounted to Desk with Gooseneck
I primarily use this mic for podcasts and training screencasts for clients and colleagues in the Web design/development line of work. I’ve mounted it with a gooseneck and flange mount with shock absorbing pad which easily takes place of more expensive shockmounts available for this mic.

My main review for this mic is located on the other Samson C03U Microphone product page (see link below), but I want to add here that this seller had listings on the other product page, which is the item without the CakeWalk Sonar software.

However, buying the version without the software, from Ace Photo Digital… they threw in the software anyway!

It’s a superior product at an incredible value. It’s well worth the investment. See my full review here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EZKZMY?ie=UTF8&tag=a354-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000EZKZMY

5 Stars Looks, sounds, feels good!
I don’t have too much experience on this type of microphone to make extensive/professional review. I just started playing with Garageband/pod cast and use Skype and wanted to improve the sound input.

Compare to the other mini microphones I’ve used, this is HUGE and heavy, solidly built. Connection is easy, just plug in the USB and the Mac recognizes it. To my not so experienced ears, it sounds better than iSight, built-in mics, and the Sony mic that requires an AA battery and a pre-amp.

Well-made, good sound, easy to use. 5-star for the prize/package/performance.

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