Updates:
- 1/30/21. Article/link cleanup.
Hi friend and Welcome!!
Before we dive right into the Samson Go Mic vs. Blue Snowball, grab a snack, sit back and relax because…
You’ve come to the right place!!
What I will bring you in this review
I will outline the Samson Go Mic and then compare and contrast it with the Blue Snowball towards the end. Stay tuned!
- Ratings/Price
- Specifications
- Summary
- Sound Test
- Pros
- Cons
- Comparison Video
- Who this mic benefits?
- What you will need?
- Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
- Consensus/Conclusion
- Similarities & Differences
- Final Word
Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!
Samson Go Mic
Sup.
Ratings/Price
- Check Amazon | Check Sweetwater! | Check eBay!
Specifications
- Microphone Type: Condenser
- Pattern: Cardioid, Omni
- Diaphragm Size: 0.39″ (10mm)
- Frequency Response: 80Hz-18kHz (Cardioid), 20Hz-20kHz (Omni)
- Max SPL: 121 dB. What is SPL?
- Color: White
- Connector: USB. The difference between a USB Microphone and an XLR microphone.
- Weight: 0.23 lbs.
- Included Accessories: USB Cable, Cable Clip, Mic Stand Adapter, Carry Pouch
- Manufacturer Part Number: SAGOMIC
Summary
A common problem with the Samson Go Mic is that it may just die out on you. What a terrible way to start a review! Lol. But the good news is that this is the exception and not the rule. In the case of this mic, it just means you got a lemon, and isn’t indicative of its overall quality.
Being that it’s a $40 mic, don’t expect customer support to be of any help. They are a bit nonchalant about people’s complaints, which kind of does turn me off, regardless of the cost.
Check out this funny amazon review: “I bought this mic with the intention of recording vocals for a mixtape and I was pretty shocked at how much this little f***er could pick up on. My girlfriend could hear my cat loud and clear as he was licking his own testicles from across the room.” LOL.
Check out my Sound Test!!
-10dB pad:
Cardioid:
Omni-directional:
Pros
- Extremely portable. Take it anywhere inspiration strikes!
- Surprisingly rich sound.
- Sturdy, well designed, well built, and practical.
- Good carrying pouch.
Cons
- The mic clip doesn’t open far enough for attachment to a desktop computer but should do just fine with notebooks.
- The plastic hinge of the holder may break off after prolonged use. Build quality is suspect.
- The mic may suddenly stop working after some time (usually a few months).
- Customer support shoddy.
- Doesn’t work with Windows 8.1.
- The mic may short out, have static issues, or fail to be recognized by your computer.
- The mic may sound garbled, or unclear, and not articulate. Static, etc.
Shootout Video
Here I compared 6 or so microphones!
Who this mic benefits?
Good for:
- Narration
- Vocals
- Guitars
- Class lecture recordings
- Skype calls
What you will need?
Nothing, it’s plug and play USB baby!
Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
- Can be used with headphones for no latency direct monitoring. What is latency?
- There is a 3-way switch for directional patterns.
- Needs a pop-filter, as the P’s will really come out in your voice.
- Can be clipped to the top of a computer screen or mounted on a mic stand using a supplied adapter or ordering one from Samson. It can also be placed on a flat surface. The clip however does not open far enough for attachment to a desktop computer.
- Your PC recognizes the Go Mic as a mic input and audio output. This means you can use the headphone out to monitor the signal from your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), adding EQ as needed.
- The use of the default driver for this device is not recommended. Check out ASIO4ALL, a free driver that recognizes your audio hardware and gives them a generic but highly effective ASIO driver, which cuts down on latency.
- Uses a mini USB.
- Judging from all the good reviews, the Cons of this product seem to be a result of users receiving a lemon/defective product. It’s very hit or miss with this mic. Either you get a fantastic mic or one that needs to be returned for a good one.
- A potential solution for the mic burnout is to make it so your settings don’t use the Go Mic as the output speakers. This will cause the circuitry to burn out. Instead, for Windows 7, click the speaker icon (at the bottom right near your clock) > mixer > system sounds > then click the tab “playback” and check that the speakers aren’t assigned to the Go mic by default. If they are, simply assign different speakers as your default audio playback device.
- An amazon basics USB 2.0 cable, A male to micro B, may solve the connection issues this mic has.
- The mic is very sensitive and picks up a lot of ambient noise.
- Some say it’s good in a pinch and better than your internal mic on your PC, but that’s about it.
- The proximity effect of this mic is disappointing. You may have to be pretty close to it while recording and speak up quite a bit. It tends to distort at lengthier distances.
Consensus/Conclusion
Excellent piece for the price, but as always you get what you pay for. Shoddy customer support and a tendency to break down makes this mic a bit of a gamble.
Similarities & Differences
Similarities
- Pattern. Both have the option of cardioid and omnidirectional recording.
- Both are USB plug and play.
- Both do pretty well with voice-over type things.
- You will have to get up close and personal with both. The output level on each is low, requiring you to really speak up.
- Both pick up a lot of outside noise. Acoustic Sound Treatment never hurts!
- Neither has an on/off switch or mute button.
Differences
- Shape. The design of each is radically different. The Snowball is huge and resembles that of a grapefruit, while the Go Mic is about 3 inches long and very tiny in stature. So the Go Mic is very compact, while the Snowball takes up a lot of space on your desk.
- The Snowball sits on a tripod while the Go Mic is attached to a plastic piece.
- Frequency responses are a bit different. The Snowball picks up deeper frequencies.
- Build quality of the Snowball is much better than the Go Mic.
- The longevity of the Snowball beats the pants off of the Go Mic.
- The Snowball does not have a headphone jack, while the Go Mic does.
Final Word
If you’re on a budget, the Go Mic sounds much better than a Snowball.
If you can splurge a little, I would recommend the Yeti above all else in terms of fantastic USB mics. It ranks at the top of a lot of shortlists and is power-packed with features and convenience that cannot be ignored. Need the solution to all of your voice-over needs? The Yeti is your boy.
CHECK OUT MY OFFICIAL BLUE MICROPHONES YETI REVIEW!!
OR
SEE IT FOR YOURSELF ON AMAZON!!
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this article on the Samson Go Mic vs. Blue Snowball.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
Which of these tickles your pickle? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
Be sure to check out my Reviews and Resources page for more helpful and informative articles!
