Aloha friend and Welcome!!
Before we dive right into the Samson Go Mic vs. Blue Snowflake, 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 Blue Snowflake and then compare/contrast it to the Samson Go Mic 🙂
- Ratings/Price
- Specifications/Requirements
- Summary
- Pros
- Cons
- Video Review
- 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!
Blue Snowflake
Ratings/Best Price
Specifications
- Transducer Type: Condenser, Pressure Gradient With USB digital output
- Polar Patterns: Cardioid
- Frequency Response: 35Hz – 20kHz
- Sample/word Rate: 44.1 kHz/16 bit
- Weight: 460g
- Dimensions: 325mm (circumference)
System Requirements
Windows
- Windows Vista, 7, 8 (or newer)
- USB 1.1/2.0 (or newer)
- 64MB RAM (or better)
Macintosh
- Mac OSX (10.4.11 or higher)
- USB 1.1/2.0
- 64 MB RAM (minimum)
Summary
The Blue Snowflake is a little hard to review because users go back and forth on some of its main features. The majority of people say that it does pick up quite a bit of background and ambient noise and that the USB cable is awkward and not long enough. This deters from it having a good center of gravity, causing it to rest in a position that isn’t ideal.
It’s more suited for simple tasks that involve talking and doesn’t do well with instruments or vocals.
A lot of people did mention having it for extended periods of time (up to 3+ years), so it will last quite a while given proper care. This is somewhat uncommon for a mic in this price range.
Another thing to keep in mind is that if you’re right up on it or pretty close, it does very well. Once you start to try and record stuff that’s outside of the immediate vicinity of your mouthpiece, it gets pretty wonky and distorted.
Pros
- Portable. The cable fits in the stand for easy storage.
- Clear sound.
- Easy setup, literally plug and play.
- Can hang on a laptop screen, but it cannot be adjusted to clamp securely.
- Works with Windows 7-10.
- Nice angle adjustment and swivel capacity.
- Longevity. This baby should last quite a long time if you take care of it.
- Upgrade from your internal mic on your laptop/computer (according to most).
- Works on Linux.
- Can be used with an iPad.
Cons
- A little hard to adjust on a table after removing the white plastic piece.
- May pick up unwanted sounds from your mouth.
- USB cable could be longer.
- Packaging impossible to get open. 😛
- Build quality/construction is a little cheap.
Who this mic benefits?
Endorsed for:
- Skype
- Screencasts/Podcasts
- Youtube
- Mumble
- Webinars
- Tutorials
- Lync meetings
- Hangouts
- GoTo Meeting
- Gaming commentaries
- Short films
I wouldn’t use it for:
- Vocals
- Instruments
What you will need?
Nothing, it’s plug and play and has a built-in pop-filter.
Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
- The mic picks up a lot of background noise according to some. Others claim it doesn’t. Acoustic Sound Treatment is ideal, but just don’t go too overboard with it unless you plan to upgrade in the future.
- Most people said it worked fine with Windows 7-10 suites, as well as Mac. There were however a few people that said otherwise, specifically problems with Windows 7 & 8, 64 bit.
- It may not hang on a MacAir very well.
- Some say you will need to get close to it to get a decent recording, others claim it has excellent range.
- Some said the sound that comes from the mic is very loud, almost too loud.
- Some claimed the sound from their computer’s internal mic sounded better.
- Look to record with the Snowflake in a small room for best results.
- If you’re looking for a mic with an omnidirectional polar pattern (i.e. being able to record at all different angles and distances from the mic), this may not be your best bet. It has trouble with stuff like web conferencing, where there are a lot of people gathered around a table.
- One guy said it’s good for instrumental jam sessions with friends, but he wouldn’t recommend it for podcasting.
- You may experience a buzzing sound every couple of minutes with this piece.
- Over time, the spring that keeps the mic upright will wear out, causing the mic to slide down.
- The center of gravity is a bit weird, and if you have it plugged in it doesn’t necessarily point in the desired direction. It may take some finagling to achieve the desired result.
Consensus/Conclusion
Good quality sound with a long shelf life. The mic does pick up a lot of background noise, and the USB cable is problematic. The idea is fantastic, but the execution leaves a little to be desired.
Similarities & Differences
Similarities
- Both mics are meant to be very portable and compact.
- Both mic clips do well with laptops but not PCs.
- Both mics excel with simple stuff like speaking and voiceover.
- Both are plug-and-play USB. The difference between a USB microphone and an XLR microphone.
- Both mics are pretty sensitive, picking up a lot of background and ambient noise.
- You must be pretty close to each of these to get a decent recording. They aren’t really meant to record outside of your immediate vicinity.
Differences
- While the Snowflake isn’t recommended for use with vocals and instruments, the Go Mic may work to an extent.
- The Go Mic has a headphone jack for live no latency monitoring, while the Snowflake does not. What is latency?
- The Go Mic is known to just quit working at any time. The Snowflake may actually last you a pretty long time, and many people were surprised that such a cheap mic was capable of sticking around for upwards of 3+ years.
- The Go Mic has 3 pick-up patterns while the Snowflake only has 1.
Check out my sound test for the Samson Go Mic!!
-10dB pad (my favorite):
Cardioid:
Omni-directional:
Comparison Videos!
Final Word
I would “go” with the Go Mic over the Snowflake if you need something portable and cheap for simple recording. Though the Snowflake is a bit more reliable and has slightly better sound quality, the Go Mic is overall a better option due to its versatility. The one drawback to the Go Mic is that you may get a lemon and have to return it for a good one. If you get a bad apple, it isn’t indicative of the mic quality as a whole, since overall it gets pretty good reviews across the board. It’s all-metal, feels heavy, and it’s stand is also extremely versatile. You can adjust it pretty much in any direction due to the ball joint attachment, it’s stand can be clipped on your laptop or used on your desk, and it’s got a headphone jack if you want to track your recordings. It also has 3 polar patterns for different recording situations.
SEE IT FOR YOURSELF ON AMAZON!!
If you can splurge a little, and need something with better sound quality and more features, 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 everything you need to start up a professional-sounding home studio booth. 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 Snowflake.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
Do you think the Snowflake is a better purchase? 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!
