Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum)
- Price: $68.31
- GBP 43.61
- Calculate Shipping
- Temporarily out of stock
Buy Together & Save
Click Here To Save 10% on Vocal Microphones Essentials When Purchased Together With This Item
The Blue Snowball incorporates Blue's revolutionary Ball microphone design with the added convenience of a USB output. The USB output allows an audio signal to be fed directly to software-based recording applications without unnecessary preamplifiers or hardware. The Snowball incorporates 2 separate capsules to give you a choice between cardioid and omnidirectional pickup patterns.
The cardioid polar pattern has a more focused pickup and generally "hears" whatever the mic is pointed at, while the omnidirectional pattern picks up sounds in all directions. The sensitivity and signal character of the Snowball result in outstanding clarity and detail while capturing vocals, guitars, drums, and more at CD-quality rates of 16-bit/44.1kHz. A -10dB pad switch provides added headroom and minimizes distortion when capturing audio at excessive levels. The mic comes complete with a desktop stand and a USB cable so you can begin recording right away.
- USB Output
- The USB output enables direct integration with a desktop or laptop computer, allowing CD-quality recording to software-based applications without a preamplifier
- Dual Capsule Design
- The dual capsule design incorporates omnidirectional and cardioid elements to give you a choice of what the mic "hears"
- -10dB Pad
- A -10dB pad switch eliminates noise and distortion when capturing signals at extreme volume levels
- Accessories Included
- A desktop stand and USB cable are included so you can begin recording right away
| Transducer | Pressure-Gradient Condenser with USB Digital Output |
| Polar Pattern | Cardioid and Omnidirectional, Selectable |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz to 18kHz |
| Dynamic Range (Typical) | Not Specified by Manufacturer |
| Signal-to-Noise Ratio | Not Specified by Manufacturer |
| Maximum Input Sound Level | Not Specified by Manufacturer |
| Power Requirements | USB Bus-Powered |
| Output Impedance | Not Specified by Manufacturer |
| Output Connectors | USB Output |
| Pad | -10dB Pad |
| Low Frequency Roll-Off | No |
| Dimensions | 12.8" (325mm) (Circumference) |
| Weight | 16.2 oz (460g) |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 54 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
96%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Easy to use (50)
- Good audio (43)
- Versatile (25)
- Compact (24)
- Lightweight (13)
Cons
- Bulky/heavy (9)
- Limited functions (4)
Best Uses
- Amateur recording (40)
- Home studio (29)
- Professional recording (13)
- Outdoor events / games (6)
- Performances (6)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Experienced (28), Novice (18), Professional musician (4)
Most Liked Positive Review
Great mic for band practice and WoW
This mic has worked out great for streaming audio from our band practice. The mic is heavy and durable with three switchable patterns on the back. I use #3 setting which is Omni for ...Read complete review
This mic has worked out great for streaming audio from our band practice. The mic is heavy and durable with three switchable patterns on the back. I use #3 setting which is Omni for band practice. We place the mic a few feet from the PA with it's back to the room. It picks up the drums and sound great without distorting.
I also use this mic when I play World of Warcraft with Ventrilo or Vent as we call it for chatting online with friends during gameplay. It sounds great compared to my webcams mic.
You might not want to use this mic with Cubase or other DAWS though. It requires it's own ASIO driver to work, and so I can't seem to get it working along side with my normal Firepod rig.
Anyhow, it's a fantastic USB mic for louder environments as well as for podcasting. You will have to get close to the mic for podcasting, though. If you want a more sensative mic for quiet talkers, I think Samson also makes a nice Condenser USB mic.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
A little flashy, but works ok
I bought this mic for a friend so that he could do some narration work for me on his laptop computer. For this it works fine and sounds almost as good as much more expensive...Read complete review
I bought this mic for a friend so that he could do some narration work for me on his laptop computer. For this it works fine and sounds almost as good as much more expensive "pro" mics. You can work it fairly close with the usual pops and blasts, too. It seems to work fine on a Mac with the free Audacity recording software, though I wasn't able to get it to work using Quicktime Pro's recording option. The mic's output level is pretty low, so it's probably not well-suited for recording multiple people in a "roundtable" setup.
I was surprised by how big the thing is--about the size of a softball. I expected maybe tennis-ball size. It's also fairly heavy, so the little stand that comes with it is not very secure or stable.
The USB cord that comes with it is pretty short. It's long enough for a laptop but if your desktop tower is on the floor, you'll need a USB extension cord.
There's very little documentation with this mic, but I did find it's pretty much plug-and-play with Mac OS 10.6.
Reviewed by 54 customers
Sort by
Displaying reviews 1-20
Previous | Next »
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Durable
- Easy To Use
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
I use this mostly for software training videos. It works well. Its built well and feels very solid. It's a little quiet compared to a typical ribbon mic through a pre-amp, but overall it's well worth the money if you're looking for a nice mic with simple setup.
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Easy To Use
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
Easy plug and play in my stepson's computer. Sound quality is as good as can be. Price to quality ratio is very good.
Pros
Cons
- Big as a softball
- Bulky/Heavy
- Limited Functions
Best Uses
- A shiny softball
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
I have a very small use for a usb microphone as i wish to record client consults. Two people talking in a quiet room, with a mic on the desk but not in anyone's face. I thought the snowball would be great, we don't need much as long as we can hear what is being said, quality was not a big issue. Well the snowball can not hear the conversation.It is very hard to forget the mic in the room if you have to yell at it. Unless you are six inches away and talking forcefully at it it will barely function, who cares about quality.......The mic on my logitech web cam knocks it cold. Very disappointed.
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Easy To Use
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
- Professional Recording
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
The snowball was amazing; I hooked it up to my iMac & Mac Book Pro. I ran controlled tests on the built in mic on both computers then did the same with the snowball. The clarity of the snowball was extremely clear, I found that for voice it was best at one to two feet away. It's a lot bigger than I expected, about the size of softball. I would definitely recommend this mic to anyone needing to record singing or voice.
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Compact
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Lightweight
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
I don't use this product much. I normally use it for voice overs for my film production. The best thing about this product besides being compact as that you don't need to buy anything else. You save money and time by not having to do any complicated connections.
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Compact
- Easy To Use
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
I use this mic to record podcasts and voiceovers. It's amazing and really easy to use.
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Compact
- Easy To Use
Cons
- Bulky/Heavy
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
Quite a little powerhouse for your basic recording needs. I use mine for everything from Voice Communication to recording VO's and Music tracks. The clarity is exceptional and I love that I can plug and play on just about any machine at any time.
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Compact
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Lightweight
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Professional Recording
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
We are using this microphone to create online training modules. Super easy to intall and we were able to start using it the day it arrived.
Thank you!
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
- Professional Recording
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
This is a fantastic sounding mic for the price. The only negative is that if you buy two the Mac might only recognize one at a time if they have the same serial like mine did.
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Durable
- Easy To Use
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
With Youtube videogame commentaries become more and more popular, the Blue Snowball microphone has become the golden standard alongside the Hauppauge HD PVR.
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Lightweight
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
When i first saw this mic for this price I nearly fell out my chair. I don't know if that's a reasonable price in the states, but for Canada, that's about half of what I would normally pay! So kudos to B&H for being awesome. As always, shipping and handling to Canada is about as much as the actual product, but I've learned to deal with that one. Still paid way less than I would have here!Now onto the mic. I'll give it 4/5 stars because i think it could be a better mic in just overall quality. I thought it would be a hefty, durable mic, but I find that the feel of it is pretty cheap. I think that the original white plastic one is better if you're tough on electronics. For [$] i won't do any more complaining, though. As far as looks, it's freakin' sweet. I love the tripod type holder and the vintage-y microphone look. The usb cord is MEH, but it's not really a big deal. And lastly, discussing sound. I think this mic would be great for little projects, podcasts, or a band just posting youtube videos/anything casual. It's obviously not something you can use for any huge projects. I usually use this to replace the terrible sound on my laptop for recording lectures in class or close up podcasts. It's got a nice range (1-3) of settings to use depending on your situation, super easy to use (plug in and go!), and looks pretty darn sleek. Such a great value!
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Very Affordable
Cons
- Bulky/Heavy
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
- Professional Recording
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
This mic works well in my studio bit eliminates the echo created in the room. I am satisfied with this mic so far. However only downside is that it needs to be close to your mouth at times. But I find that setting the switch to 3 makes you voice louder.
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Compact
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Events
- Home Studio
- Performances
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
the major use is for broadcasting, video conferences and recording lectures, still is quite suitable to record room conversation and friendly jam session with acoustic instruments at amateur level. Still the best results are with a talking voice and acoustic guitar.
I like the retro aesthetic joined with a very friendly and easy use, plug and play is for real. The level of voice recording is one of the best in this range of price. The slim pedestal gives the freedom to set the mic wherever there is some flat square inches, while the pro mic needs a bulky and annoying pedestal. The limits are dictated by the flexibility and the number of possible uses.
I would strongly recommend to a friend to buy the Blue Snowball
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Cool looking
- Easy To Use
- Versatile
Cons
- Not much depth to sound
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
- Podcast
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
I was looking for a simple USB mic to unclutter my desk without sacrificing too much audio quality. I sometimes add narration to simple travel videos for the web, so vocal clarity is my priority. I used to use an M-Audio interface with an MXL mike -- good quality for my purposes, but it seemed like every time I wanted to use the equipment I had to fiddle with it for 10 minutes. With the Snowball, I just plug it in to a USB input, and I'm ready to record. Loved the price, love the way it looks and love the build quality. I've heard better audio, but not for the price.
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
fantastic
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Compact
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Lightweight
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
This product does exactly what it says it can do. It is an easy setup, not a lot of cords you have to deal with. You just plug it in and off you go!
Also it has very good quality and people have to trouble hearing me at all!
Over all, very satisfied with my purchase and would definitely recommend it to a friend.
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Durable
- Easy To Use
Cons
Best Uses
- Events
- Performances
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
We use this for internal recordings/trainings. This microphone is top quality. I would buy one for personal use as well. Best purchase this year.
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Easy To Use
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Events
- Home Studio
- Performances
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
good quality sound recording. Looks smart[...]Would recommend this as a great USB mic - I bought it for the ipad2 which it worked a treat.
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Easy To Use
- Versatile
- Wide dynamic range
Cons
- No off button
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
- Professional Recording
- Skype
- Video Conference
- VOIP Radio Interviews
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
I needed a better microphone than the one built-in to my MacBook Pro. This microphone is far and beyond an upgrade of the built-in microphone.
A wide dynamic range with great bass capture and it has a rich clear audio capture.
All in all bang for the buck.
I highly recommend it.
Pros
- Clear Sound
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Blue Snowball USB Condenser Microphone with Accessory Pack (Brushed Aluminum):
Works well
Displaying reviews 1-20
Previous | Next »
Shock Mounts
- Price: $49.99
- GBP 31.92
Pop Filters
-
- Original: $22.95
- Save: $2.29
- Price: $20.66
- GBP 13.19
Wind Protection
- Price: $67.50
- GBP 43.10
This item is usually Drop Shipped from the MFR/Distributor within 3-7 days (subject to availability). Your order will be charged at the time of placing the order with the vendor. Item is non-cancelable and non-returnable.
What's in the Box
- Tripod Stand
- USB Cable
- 1-Year Limited Warranty
Why Shop at B&H
Make your online shopping trip personal with our online Live Chat representatives. You can easily reach an in-house expert while browsing our site for your shopping needs. We have the most highly-trained staff in the industry who are pros in their fields, and their professional expertise will help you get the most from your purchase.
Place your domestic order with us for shipment via any UPS, FedEx Economy, or FedEx Priority shipping methods by 4 PM ET Monday through Thursday or 11 AM ET Friday and your order will be shipped that day. Visit our Shipping Delivery Times page for further details. Delivery times are subject to payment verification.
We appreciate your purchase from us, and we understand that sometimes the products you buy don’t turn out to be the right choice for you. We guarantee your peace of mind with our 30-day return policy. With no standard restocking fee and few restrictions, you’ll enjoy a return process as easy as shopping with us. Please visit our Return Policy page for further details.
We’ve made iPhone and Android mobile apps available for your service and shopping convenience. Use filtered search to find and purchase almost any item we sell and ship worldwide. Download product manuals and guides for many popular items. See high-resolution product images in close-up detail. Manage wishlists and view order history. Visit our Mobile Apps page to download.
See sample Newsletter
Help
Company Information
B&H Resources
