I also have a Blue Icicle and this better (and more expensive) for several reasons.
1. Worked immediately in Windows. I plugged it in and it worked perfectly. The Icicle worked well for several months but was not always recognized immediately like I've seen with the Shure.
2. Metal body vs. a plastic body. From the moment I got the Icicle, it felt cheap. This Shure feels like it could get run over and work fine.
3. Clipping LED indicator. This let's you know when your mic level goes too high.
4. Ability to turn phantom power on/off. Added bonus, it has an LED indicating when it's on.
5. Gain. I've heard complaints about static, white noise, noise floor. But if you take the time to adjust this properly, the noise is minimal. Granted, I still have to use noise removal software before publishing. But this native noise is still much less (after adjustments) than what I have with my Blue Icicle.
6. Packaging and bag. You can say packaging is irrelevant, but it makes an impression. This came in a box with a carrying bag with a thick USB cord and straps for wrapping the cord. The Icicle came in a blister pack. Does my device work better because of packaging? No. Does it show the level of care and detail that the companies put in to their products? Yes. This may have no value to you, but it does to me. I also emailed and called Blue when I was having issues with my Icicle, but it's been a month and no reply.
No honest review is complete without dislikes. I only have a few.
1. Weight. While I appreciate the metal construction because it's sturdy, it is also significantly heavier than the Icicle. I carry my gear in a bag and the bag is noticeably heavier when this adapter is added.
2. Headphone default. I like that it has a headphone jack, but I don't want it defaulting to that headphone jack for my default audio out. When I start to record, I like to hear a sample of what it sounds like. Right now, I disconnect the adapter to play audio out of my speakers rather than connecting headphones. I'm sure there's a way to configure this in Windows so that the built-in headphone jack has a lower priority making my speakers the default audio-out device, but I haven't researched it.
There is a newer model of this item:
Reviews with images
Durable Amplifier for PC Mic Input
Microphone input to a PC for me has always been horrible. The on-board connectors have lots of noise, the microphones themselves have a low signal as it is, hitting the "microphone boost" checkbox in Windows 7 only served to make it worse, etc... So I purchased this small device as both a way to get a good connection to the PC and amplify the audio properly. Specifically my setup was from a Sony ECMMS907 Digital Recording Microphone, gender-changed using a Hosa Coupler 3.5 mm Female - 3.5 mm Female Stereo or Mono, adapted with a Hosa XVM-110M Right Angle 3.5mm TRS to XLR3M 10 Ft, and then amplified and converted to PC USB use with the Shure X2U XLR-to-USB Signal Adapter. I was worried about signal loss with all these connections, but it works perfectly.The important dial for me to play with was the mic gain - skipping mic boost and lowering levels in Windows. In that state, I did notice that if the mic gain was put all the way up to the limit, background noise would start to infiltrate and the quality would degrade quickly. Keeping it just shy of that limit worked fine. Essentially you have to play with it a bit to get the best sound.The device is made of a very solid metal, which gives me more faith that it will hold up to occasional drops. The XLR connector is likewise metal as well. The USB connection to Windows 7 64-bit was painless: device drivers installed automatically (no CD required) and it showed up as a recording device under Control Panel->Sound and in application listings like Skype. Packaging was well done too. There was a plastic form inside the cardboard box that provided plenty of support in shipping. For transport after opening, they include a pouch to put it in. Not required, but a nice attention to detail.At $100 it's certainly not cheap, but if you need something to give you decent recording capabilities in a home/home-office setting without going pro, it'll do the job.See my product images for some more details from the box.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2017
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2023
It does as it says. Works great with the iPad Pro and Logic Pro for iPad, but you will need a conversion cable… Yo Share, please upgrade your supplied USB cable for current USB connections. I specifically like the real time headphone monitoring without any noticeable delay. The audio quality is top notch too. However, I wish Shure made a Bluetooth version that does away with the USB connection altogether. However, as for recording quality goes, you can’t go wrong with Shure… It is the industry standard.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2017
Top reviews from other countries
Carlos M
Excelente si buscas portabilidad servicio de amazon excelente
Reviewed in Mexico on April 20, 2023
Carlos M
Reviewed in Mexico on April 20, 2023
Tuve una eventualidad yo diría que aislada ya que en mi primer pedido la unidad tenía un fallo con el indicador de phantom power pero amazon respondió profesionalmente reemplazandome el equipo por uno completamente nuevo.
El piso de ruido de este micro es increible asi como la cantidad de ganancia que le inyecta a microfonos dinamicos, en mi caso lo probé con un Audiotechnica AT2040 y genera excelentes resultados.
Definitivamente recomendado si buscas calidad, portabilidad y ahorrar espacio, muchos reviews en youtube se quejan de que el usb es tipo B, de los gorditos, pero honestamente esto es mejor ya que no se expone a que se doble facil como un USB C o un micro USB.
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John Drake
Very nice solid piece of equipment.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 24, 2018
