Samson Meteor vs. Blue Yeti [Sound Test]

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Hi friend and Welcome!!

The Samson Meteor vs. Blue Yeti. The face-off. The Showdown.

Two inanimate objects going microphone grill to microphone grill. What a time to be alive.

Many mic. Such comparison. What do. Lol.

Before we get started, grab a snack, sit back and relax because…

You’ve come to the right place!!!

What I will bring you in this review

Today I will outline the Samson Meteor, and then compare it with the Yeti towards the end. 🙂

1. Ratings/Price
2. Specifications
3. Summary
4. Pros
5. Cons
6. Video Review
7. Who this mic benefits?
8. What will you need?
9. Thoughts from Stu’s notepad (Meteor only)
10. Consensus/Conclusion
11. Final Word

Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!

Samson Meteor

Ratings/Price

• Check Amazon! | Check Sweetwater! | Check eBay!

Specifications

• Microphone Type: Condenser. Condenser mic vs. Dynamic mic.
• Polar Pattern: Cardioid. What is a Cardioid Capsule?
• Diaphragm Size: .98″ (25mm)
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
• Max SPL: 120dB. What is SPL?
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 96dB (A-weighted)
• Color: Silver
• Connector: USB. The difference between a USB microphone and an XLR microphone
• Weight: .6 lb.
• Included Accessories: USB Cable, Carry pouch
• Manufacturer Part Number: SAMTR

Summary

I’ve mentioned this in a couple of my other articles, but for a while, I neglected to include this mic in any “best of” because it just looked dinky. It’s about the size of a light bulb, but don’t be fooled by its less-than-intimidating appearance. It’s a fantastic little microphone when it works, but that’s the crux of the issue here, unfortunately.

It’s got a solid build and a nice stand, and people marvel at its beauty. It really does look like a mini spaceship or something. The audio quality is great, and it has a headphone jack for voice monitoring (with no latency), which is pretty neat as well. The good reviews call it a workhorse capable of great things.

Pros

• Workhorse mic, very versatile.
• Good carrying case and solid box.
• Works with Mac, Logic, Garage band, iPad, iChat, etc.
• Monitors with no latency, and no background noise.
• Solid build and a good stand. Works after multiple drops according to one. One lad even said you could use it as a hammer, and he was being serious. Lol. The point is that it’s built Ford tough baby.
  
• Convenient and portable.
  
• Can be screwed onto a mic stand.

Cons

• Red/Amber light of death. Known to quit after anywhere from a few days, to a few weeks, to 6 months, to a year/year and a half.
  
• Your PC may suddenly stop recognizing it, which is also a drag. It may also suddenly die.
• There have been some reports of soldering issues with the mini USB connector and port, to where the unit essentially comes apart in this area.
• No gain adjustment on the mic.
• Some driver issues may become apparent on Windows OS.
• Picks up a lot of background noise. Acoustic Sound Treatment goes a long way!

Video Review!

Who this mic benefits?

I’ve seen it endorsed for:

• Skype
• iChat
• Voice recognition software
• Voice acting
• Video conferencing
• Gaming
• Podcasts/Youtube
• Instruments

Not as good for:

• Vocals. Because it just picks up way too much, and singing into it will prove much too loud.

What will you need?

It’s plug-and-play baby! But some people succeeded more with a separate mic stand and pop filter. More on that in Stu’s notepad.

Thoughts from Stu’s notepad

• Some were saying it’s a bit odd because even though the mic is super small, they had trouble finding desktop space because of the way the legs protruded outwards.
• While the vocal quality for the most part was reported as good, some complained of a hollow, tinny sound. As if you were recording inside a tin can.
• You may have to bend down to get in a position to speak in the mic. The users who had the most success were the ones who bought a mic stand and pop filter. For the extra money, you may as well go with the Blue Yeti, which I will review shortly.
• A good rule of thumb for this mic is not to turn up the gain past 60%.
• When I bought the mic and plugged it in the first time, the device drivers were not properly installed. When I rebooted my computer and tried again, the drivers installed correctly, but only after about a minute or two. Normally it should only take a few seconds. This does concern me a little and echoes the sentiments of all those who had problems with it cutting out, dying, etc.

Consensus/Conclusion

An affordable entry-level piece that has a solid build and good audio quality, when it’s functioning properly. The majority of people love it, but just be aware that the red light issue may be a problem for you, depending on if you get a bad apple or not. In many cases, simply returning it for a new unit does the trick.

Similarities & Differences

Similarities

• Both are USB mics.
• Both are good for voice-over-type applications.
• Both are durable and solidly built.
• Both are very sensitive, picking up a lot of sounds.

Differences

• Look/Feel/Size. While each is spacey in its own right, the Meteor looks like it’s about to take off, while the Yeti is just kind of chillin’ there. Lol. You get an array of color choices with the Yeti but not with the Meteor. The Yeti also resembles a gigantic spaceship while the meteor is about the size of a light bulb (folded up).
• Longevity. The Yeti is more of a sure thing than the Meteor. It seems like it’s built for the long haul, rather than a temporary solution.
• Features. The Yeti has 4 polar patterns, a gain switch, a zero-latency headphone jack for live monitoring (What is latency?), a mute button, a great USB cable, and an elegant design making it perfect for pod-casters who need everything in one place. The meteor has a headphone jack and mute button.
• The USB cable provided by the Yeti is very solid, in contrast to the Meteors which has been known to have issues.
• Weight. The Yeti is like a barbell in comparison to the Meteor.
• Sound quality. The Meteor definitely has good sound quality but does tend to pick up a lot more background noise than the Yeti. The Meteor is clear and articulate, but a tad harsh/bright. The Yeti by contrast is a bit warmer, but still retains that sense of detail.

Stu’s Mic Tests

Samson Meteor

With Pop-Filter

Without Pop-Filter

Blue Yeti

Final Word

You can tell the sound of the Yeti is a bit warmer than the Meteor, but still articulate and detailed while not picking up as much background noise (if any). It’s got more of a radio broadcast type of feel and sounds a bit more professional in my opinion.

The other advantage of the Yeti is that it comes packed with features that other mics lack.

In my mind, there is no reason to waste precious time and money on other similar options. The Yeti is the solution. Interested in learning more about everything it can do?

Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this article on the Samson Meteor vs. Blue Yeti.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!

Have you convinced the Yeti is better? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…

All the best and God bless,

-Stu

[Xtr@Ba$eHitZ]

Be sure to check out my Reviews and Resources page for more helpful and informative articles!

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