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I'll join the long list of reviewers singing the praises of the Blue Yeti microphone. My online demo recordings have taken a big jump in quality since I started using it. (Update March 2012: two different people have asked me "Why does your video sound so good?" and "How do you get your voice to be so clear?" Most people don't understand the importance of audio quality, and thus microphone quality, when creating video.)
If you are upgrading from a cheaper microphone, you will immediately discover some challenges when using a professional mic like the Blue Yeti. Because the yeti picks up so much more sound, including many types of noise, your first recording may actually sound worse than before! Here are some tips for solving these problems.
There are two types of unwanted noise, contact noise (made when you bump your desk, the mic stand, or the cord) and background noise.
The best way to eliminate contact noise is by using a shock mount. Be sure to get one that will handle the Blue Yeti's 3"/75mm diameter. As an alternative, find a piece of thick, dense, soft foam (or a thick pillow!), set that on your desk, and set the Yeti in its included stand on top of that. This is bulky and imperfect, but cheap. Route all the cords where you won't bump and tug them while recording. Blue Microphones also sells a shock mount for Yeti called the Radius
Blue Microphones Radius Microphone Shock Mount
.
External noise is different. Pros record in a sound-deadened studio, which is out of most people's reach. But you can get 80% of the way there for free. Here's what I do: Start in a carpeted room, not one with hardwood or concrete floors. I use a laptop because they are quieter than desktops. Put the laptop on a pillow, and put another pillow in between the laptop and the mic, so you have to reach over it to get to the keyboard. These two pillows minimize any laptop fan noise. Now stretch a comforter over your head, so that it drapes down to the sides and front and back (the front and back are most critical). You will look silly, especially if you are at work, but the comforter will effectively deaden most of the outside noise and echos. I lean three poles up against walls and furniture, then drape the comforter over them. Turn off noisy appliances (air conditioner, heater, refrigerator), send the kids or coworkers out to play, and you will have a somewhat soundproof booth with minimal echos. Trust me, it works, but I do record at home instead of at the office.
Next, play with the recording patterns on the Blue Yeti. I use cardioid, which picks up just from the front. But you may get richer sound from the stereo or bidirectional patterns. Omnidirectional will likely just pick up more noise, but give it a try.
Now that you've eliminated the noise, you'll want to create the best recording possible. Here's how: First of all, stand up and face forward or even a bit upward when recording, to open up your vocal cords. Standing up has a bigger impact on your voice quality than anything else you can do. Next, take deep breaths, slow down, and pause in between sentences or at logical points. These pauses are easy to edit out later, and they give you easy places to cut out bad takes to replace with good ones. I routinely need to record each sentence or passage 2-3 times to get it right. Speak right into the mic, from just a few inches away. This boosts your volume with respect to any background noise level, and improves the quality of the recording. If you listen to the video review attached here on Amazon by the custom tailor guy, you'll hear how much better his voice sounds when he briefly moves the mic close to his face (at 4:30 on the timeline).
Next, use a pop filter. This gizmo puts a piece of fabric or screen mesh in between your mouth and the mic to filter out the awful puffing sound made when you say words like "pop." Try it with your mouth close to the mic and see. I use the
Blue Microphones Universal Pop Filter
, which is only a few dollars more than the cheap black plastic ones, but is made of stainless steel and works great.
The Blue Yeti delivers awesome sound quality. With these tips you'll be able to take full advantage of what it can do. Good luck!
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Reviews with images
The Yeti Lives on Top of the Mountain
I have used many microphones, from expensive Neumanns, Sennheisers, Sure, AKG to the less expensive Berringer B2 Pro and Sony. I spent over 8 years in professional radio and 30 plus years doing voice over recording and sound mixing, so I have heard and used all types of mics and I have to rate the Blue Yeti at the top of my list for many reasons. First is sound quality, all the patterns have a smooth, open sound, the cardioid pattern has added richness for voice over work, comparable dare I say to a Sennheiser or Sure. The sound in all the patterns was not colored or muted at any frequency level, which what is I was expecting in the stereo mode, but in that pattern, voices sound great and an acoustic guitar sounded rich, plucky and natural. Next is the construction of the mic and stand, from the pictures I was expecting plastic, nope, it is made of very solid metal , except the buttons and switches. Third is the versatility, you can record almost anything in any type of circumstance not just adequately, but with excellence, try that with a $2,000.00 Neumann! The set up could not be easier, just plug it into your USB jack and let her rip. I only paid $100.00 on Amazon,a true bargain, for what is a top notch piece of gear, where the engineers of this product really took their time to design something of real quality and looks like a piece of art. The Yeti also stands up to audio processing, where I have to say all of the other mics I have used for under $200.00 show their weaknesses. The only thing I would like to see is a shock mount made for this mic, it is just too big for all of my other mounts, but the Yeti does not seem to pick up as much vibration from the table as other mics do (I also use a slab of 1/4" neoprene padding to absorb some table shock), and the Yeti has no real audible self noise. If you want a great microphone at an incredible price, the Blue Yeti is the one for you!Addendum 9-30-2011My complaint about the shock mount has been resolved, with the Blue Radius, which I received a week ago from Amazon, which I love. Makes this great, and I mean great microphone even better. I have done side by side comparisons to the Neumann U87, the Sennhieser D421, the Lawson L47, all top notch and very expensive studio mics. The Yeti sounds as good. Of course you have to learn how to work a microphone properly to get the right sound. I cringe at some YouTube demos of this mic, some of the folks are not using this, and I'm sure other mike's correctly to get the best sound. Also the more I use the Yeti, the more seasoned it becomes, in comparison recordings done a year ago, the Yeti seems to get a smoother sound, as time goes by.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2011
Color: SilverStyle: MicrophonePattern Name: MicrophoneVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2023
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Top reviews from other countries
Reacon
Buen producto
Reviewed in Mexico on December 23, 2023Color: SilverStyle: MicrophonePattern Name: MicrophoneVerified Purchase
Alexandre
Qualidade superior nos áudios
Reviewed in Brazil on November 7, 2022Color: SilverStyle: MicrophonePattern Name: MicrophoneVerified Purchase
Alexandre
Reviewed in Brazil on November 7, 2022
Abri a caixa e veio a segunda frase: "Ah, está explicado todo esse peso!!!".
Para todos terem uma ideia do que estou falando, somente o microfone é maior e mais largo do que aquele copo de requeijão de vidro. Só o microfone tem 19,5 cm aproximadamente de altura por quase 7 cm de largura. Bem robusto. Típico microfone de mesa!!!
Com o seu suporte (que pesa bastante) ele vai medir pouco mais de 29 cm de altura (coloquei uma foto com a régua para todos perceberem).
Produto de qualidade superior. Microfone muito bem feito, acabamento fosco, ridiculamente fácil de usar. Coloca o fio que vem com ele na porta USB e coloca um fone de ouvido (com ou sem microfone, tanto faz) e pronto! Já está funcionando! É possível configurar a melhor captura para o seu uso entre Cardioide, Omnidirecional, Bidirecional e Estéreo (essa informação também está ali nas fotos).
Estou muito satisfeito com essa compra. Quem usa para streaming estará muito bem amparado. Ainda é possível utilizá-lo em aplicativos de reunião como Zoom e Microsoft Teams (testei estes 2).
Não é barato, então faça um breve questionamento para você mesmo dos seus interesses e resultados. Se você precisa de um áudio muito bom nos seus vídeos (gravados ou streamings ao vivo) e apresentações, não tenho a menor dúvida que este produto é para você!
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AC
Crystal clear sound!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 15, 2024Color: SilverStyle: MicrophonePattern Name: MicrophoneVerified Purchase
Phantom
Ottimo microfono
Reviewed in Italy on April 16, 2024Color: SilverStyle: MicrophonePattern Name: MicrophoneVerified Purchase
Robert Müller
Professionelle Klangqualität für vielseitige Anwendungen
Reviewed in Germany on June 3, 2023Color: SilverStyle: MicrophonePattern Name: MicrophoneVerified Purchase
