Samson Go Mic USB Microphone
Sep 7th, 2009 | By James Lewin | Category: Audio Podcasting, Podcasting Hardware
Sonic Labs’ Nick Batt takes a look at the Samson Go Mic USB Microphone – an inexpensive, but good quality USB-powered microphone that could be a good option for podcasters.
Features of the Samson Go Mic:
- Plug & play MAC and PC compatibility
- USB interface for high-resolution, digital audio streaming
- Custom design clips to a laptop or sits on a desk
- Compact, folding design allows easy storage in a brief case or laptop bag
- Condenser transducer with pressure gradient USB digital output
- Frequency response of 20Hz – 18 kHz
- Selectable cardioid or omni directional polar recording pattern
- Available in black or white
The Samson Go Mic retails for $59 at Zzounds, but you can occasionally find it as cheap as $49.
Batt sums up the Samson Go Mic like this:
I was pretty convinced by this little mic, and used it perfectly happily on Sonic TALK 142 (an interview with Jordan Rudess) without any difficulty, the only real problem I had was figuring out where to mount the mic, as all I had was a clothes stand in our bedroom to mount it at mouth height, but with a little jiggling about it was fine.
Results are really pretty impressive for the size and cost of the package and I can see this being useful for a variety of uses including – if you are stuck; singing and instrument recordings as well as Skype or interviews. I’ll certainly be hanging on to this one just for the occaision when I’m away from my studio and need a usable quality mic input.
Check out the Sonic Labs site for the full review.
Wow I like the vintage look of this mic, very nice. reminds me of the new vintage phones, hmmmm add I have to google it
Samson say you can use for VOIP programmes like Skype.
The only problem I see is reverb from your PC speakers meaning the other party on Skype will hear their own voice coming back to them. This would be where you set your PC or Mac OS to have the Go-Mic as the sound input and the PC or Mac speakers for playback.
Of course, you could get over this by plugging in a headset but to me, that defeats the object of having a clip on mic like this. I mean, you would use it to get away from having to use a headset.
I bought one yesterday and will try out with someone on Skype as soon as I can.
The only solution I can see is to plug in some external speakers behind the PC or Mac and have the Go-Mic on Cardoid pattern forward of the external speakers so it can't pick up the sound from the speakers behind it.
Any thoughts?
Peter
I called someone on their landline on Skype with the Go-Mic mounted on my laptops monitor and sound from my laptop's speakers.
The person I called commented that the sound quality was fine and there was no echo of their voice coming back at them.
Looks good.
I'm using it with voice recognition software and the accuracy is excellent. Next job is to test accuracy with simulated office noise in the background.
Peter
not sure you read the instructions, you're not supposed to clip it to a mic stand, that's what the HOLE in the back is for, it comes with a euro style attachment, and you get an 'american' adapter with it. You're supposed to mount it to the mic stand with the hole in the back of the clip. So, lets not blame the microphone for someone's lack of reading.
not sure you read the instructions, you're not supposed to clip it to a mic stand, that's what the HOLE in the back is for, it comes with a euro style attachment, and you get an 'american' adapter with it. You're supposed to mount it to the mic stand with the hole in the back of the clip. So, lets not blame the microphone for someone's lack of reading.
Many thanks – a really clear video at a great pace!