Samson Q9U Broadcast Mic Review: An Easy and Affordable Mic with USB-C and XLR
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46% OffRanking:
8/10
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1 – Absolute Hot Garbage
2 – Sorta Lukewarm Garbage
3 – Strongly Flawed Design
4 – Some Pros, Lots Of Cons
5 – Acceptably Imperfect
6 – Good Enough to Buy On Sale
7 – Great, But Not Best-In-Class
8 – Fantastic, with Some Footnotes
9 – Shut Up And Take My Money
10 – Absolute Design Nirvana
Excellent sound quality.
Does not get much background sound.
USB-C and XLR connection.
Built-in earphone jack for audio monitoring.
Rate: 200
Just to be clear, the Samson Q9U isnt the least expensive microphone of its kind. Its a better entry-level option than many other mics since of its broad function set and sound rejection. The Q9U sounds good in an unattended space, saving you the problem of purchasing acoustic panels, and its optional XLR connection makes sure that you can continue utilizing the Q9U if you ever purchase an audio interface.
Tabulation.
And What We Dont.
And What We Dont.
Mute button feels inexpensive, difficult to tell when its active.
The internal pneumatic shock mount does not do its task.
Doesnt featured software to control the mic.
Doesnt featured a desktop mic stand or mic bag.
Andrew Heinzman
Investing and looking into in audio items is among the biggest obstacles for amateur podcasters and banners. Samson is using an economical, low-effort entry point to the world of premium audio with its $200 Q9U broadcast mic. With excellent sound rejection and alternatives for USB-C or XLR connections, the Q9U is among the very best entry-level mics available today.Heres What We Like
Great sound quality
Doesnt choose up much background sound
USB-C and XLR connection
Integrated headphone jack for audio monitoring
A Broadcast Mic That Lets You Hit the Ground Running.
Andrew Heinzman.
Finding a microphone for your podcast or livestream is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Not just do you require to discover a mic that sounds great, however you require one that works with your recording or streaming setup without the help of additional, pricey items, like acoustic panels and audio user interfaces.
Luckily, Samsons Q9U mic covers all the bases. It has a lots of onboard functions to get you up and running without much inconvenience, its sound quality rocks, it works over USB-C and XLR, and since its a vibrant microphone, it does not select up much background noise in untreated rooms.
It doesnt require any extra motorists or software application, which is primarily an excellent thing, though I want Samson at least provided some kind of software application to manage the mic and use global EQ (so you dont have to set up EQ in each of your recording or broadcasting apps). The Samson Q9Us XLR jack offers a lot of space for development, saving you the trouble of purchasing a new mic if you choose to get an audio interface.
Samson filled the backside of this mic with all kinds of ports and switches, including a hardware mute switch, a mid-boost setting, a low-cut setting, and a headphone jack for live audio monitoring. For those who wish to hear themselves and their computers audio output in real-time without setting up complicated software, the headphone jack is a really good addition to this mic.
Andrew Heinzman.
Mentioning audio monitoring, youll be shocked the first time you hear yourself talking through the Q9U, due to the fact that its great at ignoring background sound. There isnt any crazy software at play here, its just that the Q9U is a vibrant mic, a kind of microphone thats frequently better suited for noisy or untreated environments than condenser mics like heaven Yeti or Audio-Technica AT2020.
With its cardioid (or heart-shaped) polar pattern, the Q9U just selects up sound straight in front of its capsule. If premium audio is your objective however youre in a without treatment or loud room, then a dynamic mic like the Q9U might be a much better option for you than a condenser mic. Thats not to state that everyone ought to use a dynamic mic– condensers like the Blue Yeti can sit at a more comfy range than the Q9U and still choose up consistent-sounding audio, so they might be a much better option for remote workers or livestreamers who dont want a mic hovering in front of their face all the time.
The Q9U likewise features some devices to assist seal the offer. There are the USB-A and USB-C cables, of course, however theres likewise a windshield. The Q9U already has an internal screen to keep your plosives from sounding explosive, however the external screen can help if youre speaking loud, singing, or simply enjoy the Peter Piper tongue twister. This mic doesnt come with a desktop stand, so youll have to buy one independently (or go for a bigger mic stand).
Impressive Sound Quality for the Price.
Andrew Heinzman.
With all the broadcast-ready features that Samson crammed into the inexpensive Q9U, Im stunned that it sounds so excellent. Recordings on the microphone sound natural and clear, similar to the outcomes that you get with an industry-standard Shure S7b mic. Various voices can bring out various qualities in a microphone, however because the Q9U has such a neutral noise, it ought to work well for a lot of individuals.
As for the mics integrated mid-boost and low-cut settings– theyre remarkable. The company does not state how the mid-boost works, however after playing with the mic for a while, I d think that it uses a 3dB increase around 2,000 to 4,000 Hz.
With its excellent sound quality, the Q9Us sound rejection is just icing on the cake. This is an economical, great-sounding mic that can conceal most of the undesirable noise in your untreated room. Tossing up some acoustic panels to reduce excess noise will make it sound even better, but you probably wont feel rushed to do so simply due to the fact that of how well the mic does its job.
If you tap or bump on your mic stand, listeners will hear the bumping or tapping in your recording or broadcast. The problem is made worse if youre using a desktop mic stand, which will send out any sound from your desk (tapping, slapping, player temper tantrums) straight into the microphone for everyone to hear.
Strong Build Quality, Minus Some Annoying Quirks.
Andrew Heinzman.
Im always impressed by the quality of Samsons mics, and the brand-new Q9U isnt an exception. Its heavy, it feels strong, it looks costly, and thinking about the price, its impressively well-crafted. I particularly like the Q9Us adjustable yoke and integrated fastener, which make the setup process simple on any mic stand.
But the develop quality aint best, and some parts of the Q9U feel lazy. The mute button is a glaring problem for me– I do not mind that it feels inexpensive, however its difficult to tell whether the mute is enabled or disabled (unless youre monitoring your audio). Yes, the button is spring-loaded and stands out a bit when mute is handicapped, but insufficient to discriminate at a glance. Samson might have fixed this problem by painting a red line around the mute buttons shaft, which would make it simpler to see which position the button is in. Or, you understand, just slap an LED indication on the important things.
Andrew Heinzman.
Theres likewise the Q9Us internal pneumatic shock mount, which doesnt work all that well. As I discussed previously, any bump or tap on your mic stand (or desk, if theyre attached) will discover its method to your recording or livestream. I dont believe that this ought to be a deal-breaker for the typical person (unless youre hosting an extremely energetic livestream), however its a sucky problem that you will not find in popular entry-level broadcast mics. A minimum of not to this degree.
And while it might sound a bit nitpicky, I do not like that Samson ships the Q9U in an unpadded box, which appears like a simple method to damage a mic. I also think that, considering this mics target market of beginners, amateurs, and newbie buyers, it ought to feature a low-cost desktop stand and a mic bag (a minimum of to keep the USB cables and windscreen).
Conclusion: An Affordable All-In-One Broadcasting Mic.
While it isnt ideal, the Samson Q9U is a versatile, budget-friendly, and great-sounding microphone for at-home recording and streaming. Its optional XLR input supplies a lot of room for development, and its exceptional noise rejection must offer tidy noise in unattended or noisy spaces.
The Samson Q9U isnt the only dynamic broadcasting mic in this price range, but its numerous inputs and settings make it a far more flexible alternative than the Rode PodMic, and at $200, it costs less than the similarly-spec d Shure MV7. Still, I recommend that you look other broadcast mics before pulling the trigger on the Q9U. You may find another USB mic that better matches your requirements, or if you prepare to purchase a great deal of mics in the future, you may skip USB mics in favor of more affordable, XLR-only mics.
Samson is using an inexpensive, low-effort entry point to the world of premium audio with its $200 Q9U broadcast mic. The Samson Q9Us XLR jack offers a lot of room for growth, saving you the problem of buying a brand-new mic if you decide to get an audio user interface.
If high-quality audio is your objective however youre in a untreated or loud space, then a vibrant mic like the Q9U may be a better alternative for you than a condenser mic. Thats not to state that everyone needs to use a dynamic mic– condensers like the Blue Yeti can sit at a more comfortable distance than the Q9U and still pick up consistent-sounding audio, so they might be a better alternative for remote employees or livestreamers who do not want a mic hovering in front of their face all the time.
You might find another USB mic that much better suits your requirements, or if you prepare to buy a lot of mics in the future, you may avoid USB mics in favor of cheaper, XLR-only mics.
Heres What We Like.
Mute button feels cheap, difficult to tell when its active.
The internal pneumatic shock install doesnt do its job.
Does not included software to control the mic.
Doesnt included a desktop mic stand or mic bag.