And the Samson C01U Pro is definitely among the best. USB mics are getting better – less noisy for sure. This convenience is a trade-off in quality, however.
You just plug the mic directly into your computer and you’re ready to record. And the power comes from the USB connection. An interface provides phantom power (condenser mics need 48v of power), conversion of sound to digital format, and preamplification (“preamps”).īut a USB mic needs none of that. Why? Well you can read more about that in my post What Is A USB Microphone?īasically, a standard microphone (3-pin/”XLR” connector) needs extra electronics and a way to plug it into a computer. USB microphones are extremely convenient and usually offer excellent bang-for-the-buck in terms of audio quality.
But first, let’s talk about what a USB microphone is. I just spent several days testing out the new Samson C01U Pro USB studio condenser microphone.
