NAMM 2018: Shure SM48 Microphone Field Test

Aloha!

This is the final day of the 2018 Winter NAMM show; this year I shot a lot of video with my Zoom Q8, and I chose a Shure SM48-LC to record my dialogue. This microphone is similar in appearance to the venerable Shure SM58, but comes in at about half the price. Considering that I was going to be stuffing it into my bag repeatedly (and possibly dropping it a few times), I chose not to bring its more expensive sibling.

The SM48-LC looks almost identical to the SM58, with a nicely solid heft, and the instantly recognizable profile of the chromed steel mesh grill (that is maybe a touch bigger). It is available both with or without an ON/OFF switch, and mine is not equipped with one. The 48 is a dynamic mic with a different cartridge than the 58, and a frequency response of 55 to 14,000 Hz.

If you purchase one, you will get the mic, a nice vinyl carry bag, and a mic stand clip. These are made in Mexico, and you can expect to pay around $55 from online sellers. It is a good value, for sure.

It worked out very well for field recording, with no issues at all. To my ears, it is noticeably tinnier with less mids than an SM58, but the recordings were all clear, and its cardioid pattern did a fine job of isolating my voice from the terribly chaotic NAMM environment. Though I would not hesitate to buy another for this kind of use (or karaoke), I think that the reduced fidelity is not worth the cost savings to vocalists and bands, so I would advise them the save up another 50 bucks and buy the real thing, an SM58.

Mahalo!

Public Service Announcement: Shure Wireless System Rebate for Auctioned Frequencies

Hiya!

I was shocked to hear recently that the FCC auctioned off radio frequencies in the 600 MHz range. What this means for the general public is that many of the frequencies in this range will be used in the future for television broadcasting. What this mean to musicians is that if you have wireless system in this range (like I do), it will no longer be legal to use, and if you do use it there is a good chance that there will be interference to your signal. Remember the air force base show in the movie Spinal Tap?

Our good friends at Shure are offering rebates for owners of their equipment that are affected by this change in ownership of the air waves. If you own one of their products in this range, if you return it to Shure along with proof of purchase that you bought one of their new systems, you can get some cash back. These rebates range from $50 to $500, so you should see Shure’s website for details: https://wirelessrebate.shure.com/

I am not sure if the rebates are worth it, so you should research and see if it makes sense for you. This is a regrettable situation, but I am not sure of any good way around it.

Mahalo!

IK Multimedia iRig Acoustic Stage Review

Howdy!

I recently had the chance to try out the IK Multimedia’s iRig Acoustic Stage, and found out that it is a painless interface for recording my acoustic instruments, such as my guitars and ukulele. It also comes in at a reasonable price point, so it will not break the bank, either.

IK Multimedia is an Italian company that has been around for 20 years, and they have found a niche of catering to musicians that are looking for digital solutions that have an analog sound. They make a lot of cool products, including killer amp and bass emulation software, tons of plug ins, and some handy hardware for recording. I reviewed their MODO BASS software last year, found that it was a good product, and had a blast trying it out.

iRig Acoustic Stage is one of the company's newest products, and it is a complete package that builds on their popular iRig Acoustic system. The hallmarks of the original system are all there, and set-up on the instrument is still super-easy -- all that needs to be done is clipping the microphone onto the soundhole (or f-hole). This non-permanent installation makes it easy to switch the mic to different axes. This is a MEMS (MicroElectrical-Mechanical System) microphone, similar to what you find in you smart phone; it is a durable unit with a flat frequency response. It has a built-in lead with a 1/8-inch jack on the end and a 1/8-inch splitter in the middle so you can send the signal to a pair of earbuds or a line out. This interface is the heart of the iRig Acoustic System, and it can be plugged directly into and iPhone or an iPad.

The microphone cable can also be plugged into the brand new IK Multimedia preamp and signal processing module, which is what differentiates the iRig Acoustic from the iRig Acoustic Stage. Two AA batteries power this unit, and it can be clipped to your belt or strap. Features include a preset tone button, a feedback kill button, a volume knob, a phase switch, and a mix knob so you can mix the iRig output with the guitar’s onboard pickup (if equipped). There is also a 1/4-inch output and a mini USB out for recording purposes.

And lastly, the remaining part of the equation is the free app that can be used with the microphone, AmpliTube Acoustic. This app has a calibration process that measures the instrument’s frequency response and optimizes the setup. AmpliTube Acoustic also has emulations of two solid state amps and one tube amp, each with built-in effects, such as compression, graphic and Parametric EQs, a 12-String emulator, and an octave pedal. Also, there is a “Body Modeler” that converts the sound of your guitar into another style of guitar. Recording features include a 4-track looper, an 8-track recorder/DAW, a speed trainer, and a digital tuner. There is also the option of routing the audio to a GarageBand track using the Inter-App feature.

So, I gave the iRig Acoustic Stage quite the workout. First, I loaded the software onto my iPhone SE and my iPad Air, and tried out the microphone on a Martin D-18, a Takamine EF341SC, and my Kala SMHT soprano ukulele. I set the preamp aside for a bit and ran the microphone straight into my iPad and iPhone, and was impressed with the simplicity of the set-up; I was up and running in no time. The tone was clear on all of these instruments, and it was handy to have a non-powered microphone set-up for quickly laying down a few tracks. The free app software worked seamlessly, and I was able to get a good tone fairly quickly with minimal changes in settings. If this is all you need to accomplish, you do not really need much more than the $50 original iRig Acoustic set-up, but I believe this will only work on IOS devices.

With the preamp and signal processing module added into the equation, you can use this system for most any application, as long as you have the cables to make it work. I tried a few different set-ups, mostly with the Takamine, which has an onboard pickup. Running the iRig signal only into an amplifier, the sound was clean and perhaps a bit more crisp than what I am used to with the factory pickup. When plugging the guitar’s output into the preamp, I was able to select a mix that was slightly heavier on the Piezo and was able to get a sound that was pleasantly woody, but still able to cut through very effectively. Throughout all of my tests, I did not run into any problems with feedback with any of my guitars or the ukulele. By the way, the ukulele was a lot of fun, and the system did a great job of recording it!

One advantage of using the preamp and signal processing module is that it was a lot nicer to be able to use my MacBook Pro instead of my phone or tablet, as it was easier for me to dial in the controls on the app. I really dig the looper feature, and they have a lot of tempting upgrades that are available. There is a lot more that I would like to do with the iRig Acoustic Stage, and I will continue to experiment with it. At this time, I do not really have any gripes with the components or software, though I am being very careful with the microphone lead, as the cable is thin and I am worried about pinching it and screwing things up.

So, right out of the box, I am going to say that the IK Multimedia iRig Acoustic Stage is a winner, and it is well worth the $99 that it is selling for. All of the major online retailers are carrying it, so it should not be too hard to track one down if you want to give it a try!

Mahalo!

NAMM 2017: Your Heaven CloseUp Microphone System Review

Aloha!

Setting up a microphone and getting the warm, authentic sound for an acoustic instrument is a tricky business, whether you are doing it for live performance or in the studio. Dynamic microphones are cheap, but are not always very high fidelity, and good condenser microphones are really expensive; both of these options will also pick up every other sound in the room. Of course you might have a great pickup system installed in your instrument, but those do not come cheap either.

There is another option out there for you to consider: Your Heaven Audio’s CloseUp System. Your Heaven Audio is based in Providence, Rhode Island and its founders studied music and technology at Brown University where they came up with the idea for this project as well as the EzQ Drum System. After years of development (including a few new patents) these products are now on the market, with applications for acoustic guitar, and string quartet instruments (viola, violin and cello), with models for other string instruments are on the way (including a double bass model!).

With the CloseUp System kit you will get the EzQ processor (the aluminum box with all of the electronics in it), the transducer, a soundhole cover for acoustic guitars, if you want (or need) to use one, a USB cable, a mute pedal, a 110-volt power adapter, and a TRS to XLR cable, all packaged up neatly in a really nice case.

The EzQ processor is the heart and brains of the system, and it is powered via a 9-Volt battery (for approximatley 7 or 8 hours of battery life) or through the USB port. This USB port can also be used for output to a recording device, with the other output being a balanced ¼-inch out. Inputs include the XLR microphone input and a ¼ footswitch jack that can be used to mute the unit. Controls are simple, with just tone and gain knobs. This is a very user-friendly unit!

Installation is a breeze, and it can be done with no tools as the microphone clips on to the instrument with no tools needed. The longest part (5-10 mins) of the installation is setting the unit up with your computer to configure it to your specific instrument. It just takes a few minutes of playing the instrument and clicking icons on the screen and you are done. There are four presets in the unit, so you can have up to four of your instruments saved in memory, in case you want to switch the microphone attachment over to another guitar or violin.

Your Heaven gave a nice demo of the CloseUp System at the 2017 NAMM show and I came away impressed. They had a mid-level steel string acoustic on hand that was equipped with an LR Baggs undersaddle piezo and preamplifier, and it was set up for an A/B comparison. I was already familiar with the Baggs system, as I have owned and played instruments with it before. It is a pickup that is “just good enough” with kind of an edgy tone, and of course there was good outside noise isolation due to its design.

I was a bit skeptical about how well the CloseUp System would work at the show because the Your Heaven Audio booth was right in the middle of the drum hall, which is a crazy and noisy environment. But, with the soundhole cover in place there was no outside noise coming through the microphone. I was even more impressed with the tone of that was produced by the EzQ processor. The sound was very natural, with none of the brittleness that I find with onboard piezo systems, so the inherent warmth of the instrument was allowed to shine through. As an added bonus, because it does not rely on undersaddle transducers, the balance from string to string very even, so I did not have to adjust my playing style to get the guitar to sound right.

Overall, I think Your Heaven Audio’s CloseUp System is a winner when used with the acoustic guitar. I did not get a chance to hear it on a violin, but from their demo videos it appears that this technology crosses over very well to other string instruments. Pricing is around $350 for acoustic guitars, which is a good deal when you figure out how much it would cost to have a nice system installed in your guitar, not to mention that this system can be easily moved from instrument to instrument. For more details and ordering information, head over to www.yourheaven.net

Mahalo!

Shure BLX24/SM58 Wireless Microphone System Review

Howdy!

There comes a time for many bands or DJs when they decide that their set-up would be better off without wires and they are willing to pony up for a wireless system. Unfortunately, often times they start out with entry-level equipment that just does not get the mail delivered. Surely you have run into this before, or seen it in This is Spinal Tap: radio interference, cutting out, and intermittent bursts of shrieking and static.

That is why I spent a little extra time researching and trying different systems before I ended up getting the Shure BLX24/SM58 wireless handheld microphone system. This system includes a BLX4 receiver, a BLX2/SM58 microphone, and a transmitter. This is delivered in a nice cordura case that looks like it should have a gun in it.

The BLX4 receiver is a nice looking unit, with an LED channel indicator display on the front, and ¼-inch and XLR connector output terminals on the back. This assembly is capable of receiving signals from 90 selectable frequencies across 24MHz bandwidth which provides plenty of opportunities to find some clear radio waves to use.

The BLX2/SM58 is bigger than a conventional SM58 microphone, and this is no surprise as the batteries and the transmitter have to go somewhere. It has a mute switch as well as a multi-function LED that lets the user know if the mute is ON, the power is ON, the power is low, or if the mute is locked out. The lock out feature is handy if you want to keep the user from accidentally turning off the microphone. Just press and hold the switch for 10 seconds while the power is on and it will lock the switch out.

System set-up is easy: I just plugged in in, connected a cable from the XLR output to my mixer (just like a regular microphone) and turned it on. I installed two AA batteries in the transmitter (they are supposed to last up to 14hours) and turned it ON. Before putting the battery cover back on I synced the transmitter to the receiver and that was it. The automatic transmitter set-up and automatic frequency selection paired the system lickety-split and it was ready to use with no hassles.

The sound performance of the BLX2/SM58 wireless microphone is identical to my conventional wired SM58 microphones. I have not had any wireless problems, such as static or cutting out, and there has not really been any downside to using this system.

Of course I install new batteries before each use, so I have not had any problems with battery failure. I find that Shure’s claim of 14 hours of battery is credible, though I have never had need to use them for more than 10 hours at a time.

I would have a hard time with letting some drunken karaoke performer loose with one of these, though as they do not come cheaply. The list price for a complete Shure BLX24/SM58 system is $436, and the street price is $350. So, you might be tempted to shop around and buy a dirt-cheap one from a shady seller, but be very careful when buying Shure wireless systems online or from Craigslist ads, as they are now being counterfeited like there is no tomorrow. I have seen a few of these systems being offered on eBay from foreign sellers for half the price without OEM packaging. Caveat emptor, amigos…

Mahalo!

Symphonized NRG Premium In-ear Headphones Review

Hello!

Around my house, we go through headphones and ear buds at a ferocious rate. Things get dropped, plugs get yanked out, and all of a sudden they stop working. Go figure! So, it is a good idea to keep some spares on hand, and right now I have a few extra sets of the Symphonized NRG in-ear headphones on hand.

Symphonized makes ear buds, headphones, and wireless speakers, and they have a unique take on the market; everything they make has wood in it. Their marketing materials say that since quality speakers and musical instruments are made of wood, your headphones should be made out of wood too. I am not convinced that making almond-sized ear buds out of wood will make them sound any different, but that is their story.

When you open the package, you will find that the NRG phones come with a lot of extra stuff. There are 5 extra sets of silicone ear cups, a clip, and a little linen carry bag. The headphones themselves come with various colors of cloth-wrapped cables (4 feet long), a built-in microphone, and a gold-plated 1/8-inch jack. They look nice and yes, they are actually made out of wood.

They have 8mm neodymium magnet drivers, have 16 ohms of resistance (so they will play ok on you smart phone), and the manufacturer says they have a frequency response of 18Hz to 22kHz. That is ambitious!

Setting all of the specs and other gobbledygook aside, these are pretty good ear buds. There is good isolation from outside noise, and very good high and mid ranges. The bass is muddy, but is not much worse than other phones in the same price range. The only gripe I have is with the cloth-covered wires. When they are moved around, anything that contacts the braided sheath makes a scratchy noise that transmits straight up into the user’s ears. Not an electronic noise, mind you, but a mechanical noise. Anyway, it is not too awful, and it would not keep me from buying them.

I have not tried to use the manufacturer’s 1-year warranty, but it seems to be the usual one that covers defects, which is not usually what causes ear buds to fail – it is always some sort of accident or abuse by the user. Anyway, they have a toll-free number you can call to discuss things if they do crap out on you

The Symphonized NRG ear buds are good enough for most uses and are able to get the job done for a reasonable price. You can disregard the list price of $49.99, as the manufacturer sells them direct through Amazon Prime for $18.99, which includes shipping.

Mahalo!

Pyle PDMIC58 Budget Microphone Review

Aloha!

I got a box full of stuff to try out a while back and was kind of surprised to find a dead-on knock-off of the Shure 58 microphone. This dynamic microphone is made by Pyle: the PDMIC58. Get it? They used the same last two numbers to try to confuse you…

You may remember Pyle as the company that made those mediocre yet big, thumpy, and cheap car speakers back in the 1980s. Well, it turns out that nowadays they crank out mediocre yet amazingly low priced pro audio equipment that is generally good enough to get the job done.

Well, it sure looks like an SM58, as it has the same barrel shape and copies its distinctive head and grill. But when you pluck it out of the box, the first impression is that it is quite a bit lighter than its doppelganger. It is not plastic, but is some sort of lighter alloy than Shure uses.

Pyle gives some specs on their website, but god only knows if they are accurate: “Frequency Response: 50HZ to 15kHz” and “-54db (+/-) 3db(0db=1v/pa @ 1khz).” If any of you get around to doing in-depth testing on one of these, let me know.

Does it sound like an SM58? Actually, it is really close, and for an outdoor gig with a crummy band you will never notice a difference. They are definitely usable. These are amazingly cheap microphones, yet they get the job done and they do have a place in my kind of snobby world. See, Shure mics cost about $100 each, and many times it is not worth the risk of putting them out there for the unwashed masses to grab.

You’ve seen it before. The drunk lady tries the Roger Daltrey microphone swing during karaoke, or the best man fumbles the mic while making announcements, or the mic stand gets kicked over as young bands are hustling while loading or unloading during a festival or party. And do you need high fidelity for any of these gigs? Most likely not.

The list price on the Pyle PDMIC58 is a ho-hum $39.99, but these things sell all day long for 12 bucks on Amazon, which is pretty much an unbeatable deal. For this you get the microphone and a terrible quality 15-foot XLR to ¼-inch cable that you will end up throwing away after trying to use it once. No stand clip or carry bag is included. I recommend picking a couple of these microphones up for situations where you are not going to want to put your good stuff on the line. Let me know what you think!

Mahalo!

Pyle PDMIC78 Microphone Review: The 10 Dollar Wonder

Aloha!

I got a box full of stuff to try out a while back and was slightly taken aback by one of the items inside – a dead-on knock-off of the Shure 57 microphone. This dynamic microphone is made by Pyle: the PDMIC78. Get it? They changed the model numbers so you do not think they are trying to pass it off as a real SM57…

You may remember Pyle as the company that made those mediocre yet big, thumpy, and cheap car speakers back in the 1980s. Well, it turns out that nowadays they crank out mediocre yet amazingly low priced pro audio equipment that is generally good enough to get the job done.

Well, it sure looks like an SM57, as it has the same barrel shape and copies its distinctive head and grill. But when you pluck it out of the box, the first impression is that it is quite a bit lighter than its doppelganger. It is not plastic, but is some sort of lighter alloy than Shure uses. Another difference is that there is no transformer in this microphone, so that cuts down on the weight too.

Pyle gives some specs on their website, but god only knows if they are accurate: “Frequency Response: 50HZ to 15kHz” and “-54db (+/-) 3db(0db=1v/pa @ 1khz).” If any of you get around to doing in-depth testing on one of these, let me know. I can tell you that this thing is wired out of phase with Shure mics, so you will want to rewire this thing if you are running the real things on the stage at the same time. And while you are rewiring stuff, you might as well put some normal gauge wire in there, as they really cheaped out on the guts of these things.

Does it sound like an SM57? Not really, but it is actually not bad either. It has a little lower output (no transformer, remember?), and the sound is a bit more boomy on the low end and ringy on the top end. They scooped the crap out of these things as the midrange is a bit lacking. There is definitely a proximity effect with these , but it lessens predictably with distance. They are definitely usable.

These are amazingly cheap microphones, yet they get the job done and they do have a place in my kind of snobby world. See, Shure mics cost about $100 each, and many times it is not worth the risk of putting them out there for the unwashed masses to grab.

You’ve seen it before. The drunk lady tries the Roger Daltrey microphone swing during karaoke, or the best man fumbles the mic while making announcements, or the mic stand gets kicked over as young bands are hustling while loading or unloading during a festival or party. And do you need high fidelity for any of these gigs? Most likely not.

The list price on the Pyle PDMIC78 is a ho-hum $37.99, but these things sell all day long for 10 bucks on Amazon, which is pretty much an unbeatable deal. For this you get the microphone and a terrible quality 15-foot XLR to ¼-inch cable that you will end up throwing away after trying to use it once. No stand clip or carry bag is included. I recommend picking a couple of these microphones up for situations where you are not going to want to put your good stuff on the line. Let me know what you think!

Mahalo!

Fender Acoustasonic 30DSP Footswitch Review P/N 006206000

Howdy!

I really enjoy my Fender Acoustasonic 30DSP, as it is a very capable and compact unit that provides amplification for an acoustic guitar and a microphone. These two channels each have their own effects, which are footswitchable, but I had a lot of trouble finding out exactly which footswitch would work with this amp.

Well, I tracked it down and thought I would share the info with you – it is Fender part number 006206000 and they run about $40 to $45 online.

The Mexican-made pedal is sturdy (made of metal) and comes with a standard 12-foot ¼-inch cable. There are separate switches for the guitar and microphone channels, and its sole function is to turn the effect ON or OFF.

I know this is not much of a review, but hope that this will help out those of you who are also seeking the correct footswitch for the Acoustasonic DSP.

Mahalo!

On Stage Desk DS7200B Microphone Stand Review

Howdy!

I have written about some pretty dull stuff on Rex and the Bass, and this post might be right up there with the worst of them, but I thought I had should say a few words about the On Stage desk microphone stand. Boring as it may be, if you are doing any PA announcing or are running a meeting where you need a desktop microphone, this thing is indispensible.

This stand is available in black or chrome, and is adjustable from 8 ½ to 13-inches tall. It is sturdy with a solid metal 6-inch diameter base so it has plenty of ground-hugging (table-hugging?) weight. The stand unscrews from the base, so it can be knocked down a little smaller for transport, but I usually leave mine assembled.

I have used this one with my Shure Beta SH55 and SM 58 microphones, but usually use it for my iPad holder that I use for DJ gigs. It does not get off balance, and the screw grip for adjusting the height stay rock solid once it is tightened down.

I have also used it for mic-ing speaker cabinets and it is nice that it has a smaller footprint than full-sized boom stands, so it is less likely to get knocked over on crowded stages. One thing for sure is that it provides a professional appearance and makes most any set-up look tidier.

If you do any live sound work, I recommend that you have one or two of these on hand. Most online sellers seem to carry the On Stage DS7200B desk microphone stands at most online everywhere, and the list price is $22.99 with a street price of around $12.95. You really can’t beat this value!

Mahalo!

Review: Post Audio ARF-68 Ambient Room Reflection Filter

Aloha!

If you have done any vocal recording outside the studio, you know how tough it can be to get a clean sound with no background noise. Your voiceovers and podcasts have the unmistakable quality that make it sound like you recorded them in the bathroom or a tunnel. The Post Audio ARF-68 reflection filter is a tool that can give you a much drier recording for not a lot of cash.

When you open the box, you will see that the filter is made of molded ABS plastic with 1-inch sound-deadening acoustic foam around the inside face; the mounting brackets are aluminum. The whole thing measures about 18” x 12” x 6” not counting the bracket. By the way, save the box, as it makes for a nice place to store it when it is not in use. The box also contains an instruction sheet that will come in handy, as it might be hard to figure out where all the pieces go when installing it on your microphone stand.

Build quality is good, though there was a bit of adhesive that got schmutzed onto the foam on mine. It still works fine, though. It looks like it should last for a good long time.

With the instruction sheet, installation is straightforward. Take the book of you stand (if equipped), thread the longer barrel nut on to the stand, put the bracket over the barrel nut, and then install the shorter barrel nut on top to sandwich the bracket into place. Then you can install the microphone mount over the second barrel nut, adjust the filter (up/down and in/out) and you are set to go.

With its plastic and aluminum construction it is not super heavy so it is less top-heavy than other reflection filters I have seen and it does not require a special stand. It has enough vertical movement (5-inches) that you will be able to center your microphone easily and without tools – there is a clasp and lock on the back of the assembly that can be worked by hand. In actual use for a voiceover with my Shure PG42-USB microphone I did an A/B test with and without the filter, and the tone was much cleaner with none of the strange thuddy tone I had before. Sibilance was reduced and external noises were almost completely mitigated. I am a fan of this thing!

The Post Audio ARF-68 Reflection Filter does everything it is supposed to do and it will not break the bank. It comes in at around $70 on Amazon (the last time I checked) and it is worth every penny. If you are doing podcasts, voiceovers, or other vocal recording at home you should really look into getting one of these. Trust me!

Mahalo!

Samson Meteor Mic USB Microphone Review

Greetings!

There is nothing like waiting until the last minute to make hasty decisions about an electronics purchase, and that is how I ended up buying the Samson Meteor Mic for a work project. Samson is not exactly the leading name in anything they sell, but this USB microphone worked out ok.

There is no arguing that most laptops come with terrible onboard microphones, so if you are going to do any sound work, such as Skype, VOIP webinars, or voiceovers, you will need to step up your equipment if you want better sound. There are tons of USB microphones available that do not require converters, and the Meteor falls somewhere between the other crap they sell at Best Buy and professional quality recording microphones.

When you open the box you will get the microphone, a USB to Mini-B cable (a fairly short one, too), an honest-to-god printed instruction manual and a velvet carry bag. This factory-sealed unit had no bag, which actually disappointed me a little. The box works well enough for storing it, though.

The microphone is one of the coolest-looking things you have ever seen, with an old-school Shure 55 look that has been heavily dipped in chrome (like Mix-a-Lot’s Desert Eagle). It is made of some sort of metal, so it has a heavy feel (about 10 ounces), and it has folding legs with little rubber pads. The legs can adjust to different angles and seem to hold their position well. There is a standard 5/8” microphone stand socket on the bottom, should you choose to mount it, though you will need to fold the legs down so you are not blocking the capsule and the USB port. Folded up, it measures about 2-inches by 4-inches.

The Meteor has a 1-inch condenser capsule, and it needs 5 volts to operate, which is provided through the USB port. There is not much in the way of external features, with a mute switch, an LED (blue = on, amber = muted, flashing red = clipping), a 1/8-inch 16-ohm headphone jack, and a volume control for the headphones. There is no external gain control, which is a stone-cold bummer for me, as all adjustments need to be done through the computer.

Spec-wise, it has a cardioid (uni-directional) pattern and a fairly flat frequency response of 20 Hz to 20kHz. It is a 16-bit rate microphone with 44.1/48kHz resolution.

Samson advertised the Meteor Mic as being plug and play with no drivers needed, and it actually works out that way. I tried it out on Windows 7, Windows 8, and OSX laptops, and it set-up automatically with all of them with no problems. You can also buy Samson Sound Deck noise cancellation software, but I have not tried it.

The sound quality is clear, though it definitely tends towards the tinny end of things. It is really best to be less than a foot away from this thing, but it works well enough if it is on its stand on the desk near you. As it has a cardioid pattern, there will be drastic differences in volume and quality if it placed in the middle of a meeting room, and only the folks directly in front of it will sound good.

But, on the plus side, it is portable, not terribly expensive, and easy to set up and use. For sure it will be an improvement over whatever microphone they put in your computer at the factory. I do not know how durable it is, but time will tell. If it craps out or falls apart I will update this review…

So, I would recommend the Samson Meteor Mic for podcasts, voiceover work, and webinars if everybody that is going to be speaking can be in front of the microphone. Keep looking if you are looking for something to record music with. It is not cheap, and not expensive either, with a street price of around $70, which includes a one-year limited warranty.

Mahalo!