Samson co1u USB condenser mic review

Getting the sound from a microphone into the computer can be a real pain as well as an expense. Anyone who has done some home recording knows that if you want to use the studio mics you've known and loved, you're going to have to run them through a preamp, then through an interface of some sort that will feed the signal to the recording software. This makes portable recording difficult, and there are times when you just want to record a vocal track or make a voice recording without setting up all that hardware.

pros

• The Samson co1u is designed to do the job. You can connect it to any USB port on your machine, fire up the recording program of your choice, and this Mic will work straight away with most systems. The mic is plug and play and can be used with Macs or PCs, and is compatible with just about any recording software you might use.

• It comes with a desktop stand, a clip, a USB cable and a carrying pouch.

• This microphone has been praised by many reviewers for the quality of its sound. While it can't compete with classic condenser mics, it does an excellent job of capturing a signal in high-fidelity form, and transferring the material onto the hard drive.

• The essential advantage of using a USB microphone is the ease of set up and use, and portability. There are so many uses for a mic like this. If you need to record podcasts, audio e-books, tutorials, audio for video, or just play the guitar and sing to capture a new song you have written, (and you don't want or need to carry around an entire DAW set-up, cables and all!), then USB mic like this is a great option.

• Besides doing its primary job in a commendable fashion, the build quality of the microphone is quite high, and it feels and looks sturdy and workman-like in the hand and on the stand.

cons

• Some online reviews report difficulty in getting the mic going on different PC operating systems, then getting the input set up just right. Obviously, a bit of experimentation is needed (most home recordists are used to that) and some patience.

• Some users complain that the noise floor is high, and that there is not as much headroom with the Samson as there is with other condenser mics of similar size and quality, but again, trying various settings will get you the results you want.

• You'll have to get or use a better stand if you need it - the supplied stand is not that great.

verdict

Overall, the Samson co1u is a great product for the money. It does an excellent job of recording, is easy to set up and use, and is built to last.