Samson C01U USB Studio Condenser Microphone (New)

Well I give this product a solid five out of five based on ability and the product itself over additional fancifulness,with the exception of a pop filter. When I say my review is on the ability of the product I mean it is on the out of the box ability, its raw ability so that buyers can get a feel of what it can do even without them having professional mixing and mastering skills. A raw recording (by raw I mean no EQ, noise removal, or anything else added) with this mic. sounds clear, crisp and professional even without being treated. I have a deep voice which means that some microphones do not pick it up very as they do with higher voices, but even so the microphone picks up every vocal sound clearly and even speaking as fast as possible to see if I could, dare I say, confuse the mic. it still picks up on every word. With testing with different voices, instruments and even against instrumentals this microphone does a wonderful studio quality job for a low price. Keep in mind that the only thing added was a pop filter( which is a MUST for any mic. in my opinion)which makes this mic a viable option for anybody at any level in recording. Now even though I have tested this mic. with singing, pod casts and instruments and it does perfectly I title my review to rap vocals because that's what I mainly bought it for and not seeing any reviews involving rap vocals I was unsure if I should buy this mic. Needless to say it does a wonderful job and is the perfect mic for anyone to own especially because of the USB portability. I give it a 5 out of 5.

A great microphone so far. Works with Audacity. I haven't installed Cakewalk Sonar LE that came with it yet. There have been some issues with my sound card, error messages about effects not being compatible with the mic. I just turned off effects. I've had to change the settings for sound a few times because of software conflicts, only certain applications were playing sound, others were shut off because of software wanting exclusive control over sound. But it's working fine now, and chances are it's the fault of my sound card. The poor quality built in sound card, Realtek High Definition Audio, is one of the reasons I needed the microphone in the first place. I couldn't get clean sound from it. This new microphone eliminates all the problems I was having with electronic noise from an analog mic plugged into the audio input because the analog to digital conversion happens inside the microphone, not in the sound card. I use the noise reduction function of Audacity to eliminate background room noise, and it's very quiet, as if I had a sound booth. The stand that comes with it is perfectly adequate for my needs, but it will also screw onto a standard mic stand. I also bought the Neewer Studio Microphone Mic Wind Screen Pop filter which clamps onto the stand.

What can I say? I love this mic. I ordered this with the intention of using it as an open air live Microphone to capture rough demos of song ideas during various stages of my writing process. So far, it has lived up to my expectations. There's even a bit of a tape-like hiss (found in old Tascam Porta Studio machines) which I happen to love, because it adds to the roughness of the recording, but it's most likely present because I've got the gain set a bit too high. I don't care, I'm keeping it, at least for now. First thing I did was download Audacity, because it's free, and incredibly easy to work with. It's pretty much a 1:1 clone of Adobe audition (from what I recall of audition anyhow) the second thing I did was install the Asio4All driver, as was recommended by one of the other purchasers here. Supposedly that solves or helps reduce some of the supposed latency issues. I don't expect to do much overdubbing with this mic, so I don't know that it will effect me either way, but I'd rather be prepared just in case. Would I recommend this product? You bet. At $35 is a freaking steal, buy a few of them, especially if you're a vlogger, podcaster, or gamer/streamer, or just a musician on a super tight budget who wants to put something out for the world to listen to. That said: to my fellow musicians, don't buy this... I repeat, don't buy this expecting perfect studio sound. You will not achieve it. This mic has a sample rate of 16bits/44.1-48khz which is roughly CD quality sound. If you're looking for studio quality sound on a budget, you'd be better off getting a Focusrite Scarlett Solo, and a Samson C01 (xlr version of this mic) which would bump you up to 24bit/192khz audio and provide zero latency monitoring via the audio interface's on board headphone jack. However, if you're looking for a great "on the fly" recording mic, to capture live rough demos, or live performances for cheap, you can't go wrong here. And at $35 for one mic, this almost falls under the "drop in the bucket" rule. In short, buy this mic, especially if you've been eyeing a Blue Snowball, or a Blue Yeti, buy this mic. Just don't expect it to be the end of your quest for sound quality for the home studio. Treat it as what it is, a great mic for quick rough recordings, or spoken word stuff. And pair it with a good shock mount and pop filter, that will make all the difference too.

I am just starting to provide voice overs for tutorials and needed a convenient way to record audio on my PC. At first, I tried the classic headset/mic combo using my on board PC audio. This was unbearable to listen to. I then purchased a Sony F-V220 Uni-Directional Vocal Microphone with Extended Frequency Response microphone. This was a distinct step up with vast improvements in sound quality. The remaining issue was hum introduced by the PC motherboard audio. I considered competing products for about 2 weeks until I settled upon the C01UCW. The C01UCW promised great results with the ease of a single USB plug. I purchased one and would highly recommend it to others in my situation. The voice quality is great and the hiss/hum is virtually eliminated. The program I am using has an automatic filter to zero the levels between the actual speaking parts so when in actual use, the very little hiss that can be heard with windows sound recorder is completely lost when speaking normally. The real test has been the positive responses from the people listening to the final results. In summary, super simple USB installation (no drivers needed in WXP), very low noise, and great sound quality for a reasonable price. The only niggles that I have with the C01UCW are: The power light on the mic I received does not come on even though the mic works flawlessly. I am using a USB1.0 port while the device is USB2.0. The manual does not indicate that this should be normal. The cardioid pattern was supposed to reject sounds from off-direction sources. It might be better than a unidirectional mic but with the sensitivity of this mic, any noise that has direct line of sight to the front of the mic is likely to be picked up. I can tell that those sounds from behind the mic are distinctly reduced. I did not use the Cakewalk software. The stand works but only accepts the heavy mic in very limited stances. The heavy mic puts the center of gravity very high and the short stand legs have a difficult time compensating. I also purchased the isolation shockmount further raising the CG exacerbating the problem. To be sure, the stand works and I use the stand. I just use the stand in one position with the weight supported over one leg of the stand as the only viable option. It is definitely better to have the stand than not. It saved quite a bit of hassle and money to get the stand as a bundle.

I had been planning on getting this microphone after reading a lot of reviews on microphones. It didn't hurt that TotalBiscuit, a popular YouTube commentator, recommended this. The package got here quickly. I surprised at the weight of the mic, it's around 2 pounds. It has very good sound, and installs as easily as plugging it in to a Windows 7 machine. A little fiddling is needed in the Sound section of the Control Panel, but that is a Windows issue, not the microphone. What's really slick is if you talk into the side of the mic, the bass response makes you sound like a movie announcer. The mic also doesn't pic up a lot of the sounds I don't want it to pick up. With family watching the TV in the adjacent room, I was concerned about NCIS being audible on my recordings, but it wasn't. One word of caution: if you want a windscreen, do some research. I bought a Condenser style windscreen, expecting that to be the correct form-factor. No such luck. This mic is big and heavy, and you'll need a big windscreen to fit over the end. Also, get a pop shield. I didn't even know what one was until I heard the smacking noises in my recording of me opening my mouth to take a breath. This mic does not come with a pop shield (it doesn't say that it does, to be fair) and it DOES come with a small (2-3 inch) tripod, and 2 meter usb cable, and Cakewalk software. The Cakewalk software is way beyond me, with too many controls and settings for me to name, so I can't comment on it other than it certainly LOOKS impressive. I've only had the mic a week or two, I will update this when I have some more experience under my belt. UPDATE 2/4/13: Okay, this mic performs very well and has quick sensitivity drop off, but picks up sounds within 6 feet very well. My fiance's computer sits right next to mine, and she came in and started typing while I was recording. I figured it would be fine, but the keyboard was clearly audible in the finished recording. It wasn't overwhelming me or the sounds in the video I was making, but was very clearly audible. This may have something to do with the sensitivity setting in Windows. I had mine cranked up to max, I will try using at 60% and see if that solves the issue. My recommendation would be to get a quite (soundproofed) recording environment, but that's pretty much par for the course in recording anyway. I'm just trying to do this on a shoestring.

At first, I was skeptical about buying an entry-level studio microphone. After unboxing this microphone, and plugging it in for first use, I was immediately impressed. It has an extremely solid feel to it physically, first of all. The build quality is superb, it feels like I could drop it from a 10-story building and retain its shape. The audio quality is absolutely crystal clear. Some audiophile reviewers complain that there is a very faint hiss in the background, but I notice no such thing... The ONLY downside I see to this microphone is the included stand. Even though it keeps the microphone upright, it doesn't allow for easy detachment of the mic, and its center of balance is off. If I tip the mic with some force in the right direction, it will tip over easily...not good. Regardless, most people that buy this mic are likely going to spend some extra cash for a much more elaborate stand, so disregard that if you don't plan on keeping the included stand. Overall, this is an excellent value for your money. I would recommend it with no hesitation.

I bought the microphone during Christmas break. When I first opened the box, I was so excited. It looked as though I had purchased a product worth SOOO much more than what I paid. My excitement quickly turned into fear when I skimmed through the manual and couldn't find installation instructions for anything later than WINDOWS XP. It's 2012 (Dec 27th, 2011 when I got the product), Windows XP is extremely outdated. Most windows users have the Windows 7 or Vista operating system now. I didn't know this product was not updating its drivers to maximize compatibility with modern users. Putting that aside, the microphone still works instantly (though apparently not perfectly--read more to see why) on the newer operating systems. Once I plugged the microphone into my laptop (Gateway NV55C, Windows 7), I came across another problem. The microphone was EXTREMELY quiet. I had to scream (over exaggerating a bit here). I had to be under six inches from the microphone in order for it to pick up my voice clearly. Any farther and my voice would come off as a barely audible whisper. I had already set the microphone levels to 100. I spent about 5-7 hours looking up possible solutions to my problem and found out that other Windows 7 users were having the same problem. It appears users with both XP and W7 tested the microphone, and it worked fine on the XP. The only known fix is to buy a usbhub. I don't know the technicalities of it, but I never bothered to buy one. I just put up with the inconvenience, because the mic is still a huge step up from my integrated laptop mic. After the break, I took the microphone with me to the dorms. I didn't plan on using the microphone much fearing some immoral person would steal it. When I finally did, I was surprised to find out that the microphone picks up sound extremely well. I can be 5 feet away from the mic, and it will still pick up my voice. The only difference from before is the surge protector (I think it's a surge protector) my laptop is plugged into here at the university. I also plugged in my laptop into the outlet on the wall here, and it works the same... I don't know what it is. The microphone works and is indeed great for singing (that's why I bought it), but it has background noise. From my own speculation, it may be an internal noise, not actual environmental noise. Don't quote me on that though, I haven't tested the mic in a completely soundproof room. The noise is no where near as bad as it is on my laptop mic. I'll end my review of the microphone with a summary and a bit more speculation---- Pros: -Good material -Good for singing -Easy usage/no complicated install process -Better than integrated microphone (It better be) Cons: -May have compatibility issues with Windows operating systems later than XP -Heavy, comes with tiny bag to carry mic in, but doesn't fit USB chord -Stand is small and a bit unstable. Overall, I'm somewhat disappointed by my experience with the mic, but I'm not terribly angry.

This condenser mic has very good sound recording. Some reviews have said that the sound recorded is phenomenal for this price range. I don't know enough to verify that statement, but the recorded sound is definitely very good. However, the biggest problems, as other reviews have stated, are the latency and software issues. I tried this mic on both Windows XP and Vista, and it "plugged and played" on both (so that was cool). I wouldn't bother trying to mess with its software and drivers or trying to consult the website, as that was a mess of confusion. Also, in Vista, I think you can't set the level/volume to 100 (because it is really quiet there, but loud at 99, weird). Vista recognized this as a mic instantly, but I could not get it to work with Sonar (the included software), but it worked for just about everything else, primarily Audacity (which is free). By far, the biggest drawback is that there is latency--that is, a delay between when you make a noise and when you hear from the computer (if you are monitoring the sound). So, if you are listening to yourself as you are recording, then it is kind of like an echo: you say "hello" and hear it from the computer with delay. This may or may not be an issue for you depending on how complex/picky your recording needs are. Supposedly, this latency may also be removed via software adjustment, but I didn't bother figuring that out. I believe this problem won't happen, or be as bad, if you have a normal mic or a standard line-in device. Hence, while the quality of the mic may be good, the interface causes latency problems that makes me reconsider. But, if you only have a USB plug, this is the way to go.

Si algo he aprendido después de probar varios micrófonos USB, es que encontrar el equilibrio perfecto entre calidad, facilidad de uso y precio es todo un desafío. Pero, amigos, creo que lo he encontrado en el Samson CO1U. Desde el momento en que lo conectas a tu ordenador, notas la diferencia. Sin necesidad de lidiar con cables XLR o mixers externos, este micrófono te ofrece un sonido limpio y profesional con solo enchufarlo. Claro, puede que necesites ajustar un poco los niveles de volumen y asegurarte de que está configurado para grabar en mono, pero una vez hecho, estás listo para grabar lo que quieras, desde podcasts hasta tu próxima obra maestra musical. La calidad de sonido es sorprendentemente buena por el precio. Los usuarios destacan su capacidad para capturar voces claras y nítidas sin recoger demasiados ruidos de fondo, gracias a su patrón de captación cardioide. Aunque es unidireccional, la calidad no disminuye si no estás directamente en frente del micrófono, lo que lo hace bastante versátil para diferentes configuraciones de grabación. Un aspecto a considerar es su sensibilidad. Este micrófono captará los sonidos de tu entorno, por lo que si buscas hacer grabaciones profesionales, quizás necesites una habitación silenciosa o usar software de reducción de ruido. Sin embargo, muchos usuarios han encontrado que no necesitan un filtro pop adicional, lo cual es un plus. Otro punto a favor es su robustez y la calidad de construcción. Algunos usuarios lo han usado diariamente durante años sin problemas, destacando su durabilidad. Aunque es bastante sensible, recogiendo incluso el sonido de la saliva, esto demuestra lo bien que puede captar detalles sutiles en tu voz. En resumen, si buscas un micrófono USB que ofrezca gran calidad de sonido sin complicaciones y a un precio razonable, el Samson CO1U es una excelente elección. Ya sea para grabaciones caseras, podcasts o incluso uso profesional, este micrófono te cubre. Y sí, viene con todo lo necesario para empezar a grabar de inmediato, incluido un práctico trípode.

Ich war auf der Suche nach einem Mikrofon um den originalen Verstärkersound meiner E-Gitarre aufnehmen zu können. Folgende Kriterien sollten erfüllt werden: - Ein nicht zu hoher Preis - Ein einfacher Anschluss an den PC als Aufnahmemedium - Natürlich ein guter Klang - Die Möglichkeit, das Mikro vor dem Verstärker aufzustellen (Stativ) Von Billigmikrofonen im 10 € Bereich habe ich mich von Anfang an ferngehalten, beim Durchforsten diverser Tests und Berichte im Internet bin ich schließlich beim Samson C01U hängen geblieben. Der Preis erschien mir gerade noch vertretbar und das unkomplizierte Rückgabeprozere bei Amazon sorgte für zusätzliches Vertrauen in meine Bestellung. Schon beim Auspacken war ich positiv überrascht, das Mikrofon ist größer und schwerer als gedacht, es wirkt sehr hochwertig und das stabile beiliegende Stativ ist für meine Anforderungen einfach perfekt. In der Schachtel befinden sich neben Mikrofon und Stativ noch ein USB-Kabel (in ausreichender Länge) und eine Software-CD mit einem Aufnahmeprogramm, das ich selbst nicht nutze - weil nicht notwendig. Die Inbetriebnahme ist denkbar unkompliziert: Mikro in das Stativ, USB-Kabel an Mikro und PC, Mikro wird von Windows sofort erkannt, Testaufnahme mittels Windows Audiorecorder. Und das Ergebnis liegt deutlich über meinen Erwartungen. Klarer Klang, schön natürlich mit genug Druck, wie es dem Sound einer E-Gitarre gebührt - Für meine Bedürfnisse Optimal. ---FAZIT--- Das Samson C01U ist genau das Mikrofon, das ich gesucht habe. Hochwertig in der Verarbeitung, einfach in der Bedienung und das gute Ergebnis rechtfertigt den moderaten Preis auf jeden Fall. Volle Punkte und volle Empfehlung von mir.

Il C01U ha un'ottima reputazione, ma quando l'ho testato per la prima volta mi sono reso conto che è anche meglio di quel che avevo letto in giro! La differenza tra il microfono integrato che avevo prima e questo è quella che c'è tra il giorno e la notte. Per questa fascia di prezzo è consigliatissimo, soprattutto se dovete iniziare con podcast da principianti, fare video per YouTube e simili, non parliamo delle chiamate, perché mi hanno detto che la mia voce è estremamente naturale ed è uguale a quella dal vivo. Il prodotto si presenta senza gingilli per abbellirlo, semplice e molto solido. Non ha un pulsante per disattivarlo direttamente, ma a me non sarebbe comunque servito. Consiglio anche un pop-filter, potete costruirvelo anche a casa con facilità!

Ce micro est parfait pour tous ceux qui désire d'enregistrer des voix, sons, ... Le logiciel livré avec (SONAR X1 LE) est très pratique et assez simple d'utilisation. On peut s'entrainer au chant, à la musique grâce à plusieurs fonction comme le métronome. L'exportation des fichiers est très aisé, on peut les exportés sur n'importe quel support et en plusieurs format lors de l'enregistrement. On peut choisir le taux d'échantillonnage (CD, DVD, ...). La qualité de fabrication est bien là. Je m'en sert principalement lors de montage vidéo professionnel pour des commentaires, créer des chansons... sur DVD. C'est un investissement assez onéreux certes, mais un trés bon investissement pour un prix justifié.

Microfono professionale ad un prezzo ottimo. Lo utilizzo per registrare video su Youtube e fa il suo lavoro nel migliore dei modi, anche a distanza di 3 anni dall'acquisto.