As the name implies, the Yeti is a big microphone. Look, even the font Blue Microphones used on the box is gigantic.
(Credit: Donald Bell/CNET)When Blue Microphones announced the Yeti USB microphone ($149) in November, I was a little apprehensive about the name. Sure, Blue Microphones has been playing it cutesy over the years with microphones named Snowball, Snowflake, Mikey, and Bottle Rocket--but Yeti?
Well, after getting my hands on this thing I can now say that I fully understand the thinking behind the name. For starters, this microphone is huge--like, disturbingly huge. It measures a foot tall, weighs 3.5 pounds, and--to be perfectly frank--it's starting to give me a complex.
But beyond its intimidating size, the Yeti moniker is just as fitting as a way to describe its sound. Compared with similar microphones, such as the Samson G-Track or even Blue's own $99 Snowball, the Yeti's sound quality offers noticeably better depth and detail. It's a big sound from a big microphone, which is probably what I should have said in the first place instead of wasting your time with the last two paragraphs.
OK, so what else are you getting with the Yeti? From a features perspective the Yeti offers an integrated control for gain adjustment, zero-latency headphone monitoring, headphone volume control, a handy little mute button, and a switch for selecting between four microphone recording patterns (omni, cardioid, stereo, bidirectional). The solid metal man-shaped stand is also a nice feature, and does a better job than the G-Track or Snowball at placing the microphone at mouth level. If the cutesy-ness of the stand is overwhelming, a standard, threaded mic stand mount is also included on the bottom of the Yeti.
When it comes to performance, the Yeti has plenty to brag about. For starters, this is the first microphone or audio input device to receive the coveted THX certification. I asked Blue Microphones to tell me what was required to get the THX stamp of approval. Apparently, it involves a multitude of factors, such as tests for frequency response and signal to noise ratio, and--perhaps more importantly--proof of performance consistency across multiple product batches. In other words, it had to sound good and have a reasonable chance of sounding good every time. ... Read more
Meet Yeti, a very real USB mic due out in December.
(Credit: Blue Microphones)From the company that brought you the Snowball, and the Snowflake, comes the Yeti--a $150 USB microphone destined to ravage and plunder desktop-recording studios this December.
The Yeti marks many firsts for Blue Microphones. It's the company's first THX-certified USB microphone. It's also the first time we're seeing a budget-priced microphone from Blue built around three 14mm mic capsules, allowing four recording patterns (omni, cardioid, stereo, bidirectional). Also, unlike the company's famous Snowball microphone, the Yeti offers a direct headphone connection for zero-latency audio monitoring.
The Yeti's USB connection gives it plug-and-play compatibility with both Mac and PC, with recording resolutions up to 48kHz at 16 bits.
Aside from a USB cable, the Yeti also includes a cool Yeti-shaped desktop stand to add some Abominable-Snowman design flare to your recording rig.
The Zoom Q3 camcorder brings quality audio to the solid-state video camera market.
(Credit: Donald Bell/CNET)Update: CNET's full review of the Zoom Q3 is now available.
As the audiophile's answer to the Flip camcorder craze, the Zoom Q3 ($249) takes a basic pocket video camera and bestows it with a high-quality stereo microphone and advanced audio-recording options. After a weekend playing with the Q3 and testing its audio and video capabilities against the Flip Ultra HD, I have a few initial observations to share.
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Fresh from San Francisco where she was covering last week's Apple announcements, Natali Del Conte joins us on the today's pop-culture-y episode.
Of course, the big Twitter and Facebook news of the day is Kanye West's unwelcome outburst at last night's MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) show. The producer slash performer just can't seem to keep his head above water. In case you haven't heard, Kanye rudely interrupted Taylor Swift's award acceptance speech to announce that Beyonce should have won for her "Single Ladies" video. Whether that's true or not (some of us think it is), the millions of Tweets and status updates indicate that the public isn't on his side, despite his half-hearted apology that someone should probably post on this Web site.
Speaking of celebrity freak-outs, Serena Williams has her own apologizing to do, but this time it's to a line woman who became the object of her public outburst after a call was made in Serena's error. The charitable Williams, albeit unsatisfied with the result of the match, managed to keep her composure and must have thought the woman looked a little hungry, because she offered to feed her a tennis ball down the esophagus. She politely declined the meal. Watch the disaster unfold.
Finally, we do actually have some good news to report today: Captain EO is making its triumphant return to Disneyland! Even though the classic 80s movie has already made its way to YouTube, watching it on a computer doesn't even compare to wearing those cheesy pink 3D glasses and watching it in a giant theater with all the physical effects. We're not sure what changes are in store for the film, but rest assured that you'll be the first to know once we get more info.
Unfortunately, no Calls from the Public segment today because, well, we didn't get any! None that were good, anyway. So give us a call and tell us how much you like/love/hate/despise the show. You know how it works- call 1-866-404-CNET and you might get played on the air. We also accept e-mail submissions (preferably of you holding a 404 sign or something) like the one we received from our buddies Ammi and Samri in Sweden over the weekend. Send 'em our way at the404(at)CNET[dot]com.
EPISODE 424
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The silver Snowball would make a perfect addition to your steampunk desktop recording studio.
(Credit: Donald Bell/CNET)If you're a musician or podcaster with a home recording studio, you've no doubt come across the adorably named, retro-styled, USB-powered Snowball from Blue Microphones.
After making its debut in 2005, the Snowball has become an unmistakable fixture in many home studios, thanks to its combination of sound quality, style, and price. And while it's still as useful today as it was four years ago, its chrome-accented white color scheme looks a little dated.
To remedy this, the folks at Blue are now churning out two new color variations of the Snowball, including black and silver versions. The black version is all black (including the tripod stand), with the exception of the chrome Blue logo and the chrome bearing at its base. The silver model is especially classy looking, with a mixture of black accents on the stand and mic grille.
Beyond the color variations, no other changes have been made to the Snowball. You get the same plug-and-play setup, two-capsule design (cardioid and omni), three-position selector switch on the back, high-quality braided USB cable, and a durable, adjustable metal stand.
There is one more change, actually. Blue has lowered the price on the Snowball from $129 to just $99. You can expect to see them in Apple Stores this fall.
For a full review of the Snowball USB microphone, head over to CNET Reviews.
The new iPod Touch could have very similar features to the iPhone 3G S.
(Credit: Apple)Apple is getting ready to launch a new iPod Touch with a built-in camera and microphone, according to former CNET editor and MP3 Insider Eliot Van Buskirk, who now writes a Wired blog.
This rumor has been circulating for a while, but Van Buskirk writes: "A well-connected source tells us those rumors are on the money, and that Apple's factories in China are already manufacturing iPod Touch models with integrated cameras and microphones."
The short piece talks up the fact that with inclusion of a microphone and a quick download of Skype for iPhone, the iPod Touch would become a nifty VoIP phone wherever you can get a Wi-Fi connection. The new iPod would most likely be enhanced with voice commands just as the iPhone is.
There's nothing in the post about the possibility of a 64GB iPod Touch, but we're still counting on Apple to produce one when the line is upgraded--most likely this fall. (Last year's new Touch roll out was September 10.) A lot of folks are hoping Apple will introduce a jumbo iPod Touch/Netbook in September as well.
Comments?
Additional reading: Is iPod Touch getting a camera?
The Zoom Q3 puts a high-end audio twist on a familiar video camera design.
(Credit: Zoom)It used to be all about getting your band's music on the radio, but these days, it's all about YouTube. Producing the ultimate viral music video isn't easy, though. Video cameras like the Flip Mino HD, RCA Small Wonder, and Creative Vado have lowered the cost of entry when it comes to recording high-quality video, but the built-in mics leave plenty to be desired.
To answer the call for a musician-friendly video recorder, the folks at Zoom have unveiled the Zoom Q3--a $249 handheld camcorder with a built-in pair of high-quality stereo condenser mics. The Q3 can record at audio resolutions up to 24-bit/48kHz WAV (or 320Kbps MP3) using a selectable X/Y microphone pattern that can focus on individual instruments or capture the sound of the whole room.
The Q3's video resolution is set at a YouTube-friendly 640x480 resolution at 30fps, falling short of the HD image quality of the latest Flip cams. Other features include a 2.4-inch screen, a built-in USB cable, and support for SDHC memory cards (up to 32GB). Power is supplied by two AA batteries, offering up two hours of recording.
The Zoom Q3 is expected to ship in September of 2009.
Tell me more, tell me more, can you play with a friend?
(Credit: Paramount Pictures)As if movie-to-game licenses weren't already a bizarre enough landscape, Paramount Pictures announced Wednesday that 505 Games will develop "Grease" into a family game for Nintendo systems--meaning the Wii and DS. We already have cooking shows turned games and a game version of "Grey's Anatomy," and now Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta will be getting musical with your Wiimote/stylus. How the game works has not been announced, and the mind boggles with the possibilities.
Paramount promises players will be able to "sing and dance alongside Danny, Sandy, The Pink Ladies, and the T-Birds," taking "full advantage of the Nintendo Wii's motion-sensing controls and microphone, and the DS' touch screen." Well, the Wii doesn't have a microphone, so we assume Grease is including one...unless they meant the DS microphone. Should we expect a sing-along karaoke experience? A '50s-rhythm-high-school-gang-fight game (we hope so)? Or some sort of mutant vaguely misogynistic platformer? Perhaps all three?
"Grease is the ideal opportunity to reach a broad gaming audience who love to sing, dance, and have fun with a party-style game," John Kavanagh, senior vice president of video games for Paramount Digital Entertainment, said in a press release.
Is this true? Have gamers out there been secretly hoping for a Grease game all this time, keeping their fervent dreams a secret, lest they be mocked by a legion of Mario and Zelda acolytes? Stand up and be counted.
505 Games' previous and current projects include Cooking Mama and Armored Core, as well as Hotel for Dogs and Discovery Games' Dolphin Discovery, so be sure to keep those summer lovin' dreams in check.
The release date has not yet been announced, but we'd guess it'll slide into stores this holiday.
Now, how long until our Rocky Horror video game?
We spend all episode answering your questions, from how to pick an iPhone, to how to blog on the go.
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The best sounding songs you'll ever hear are the ones you record yourself. Just like amateur photography or amateur film making, amateur musicians take a lot of pride in their art and are always looking for new, affordable tools to take things to the next level.
If you're a musician or podcaster looking for a rock-solid, four-channel pocket recorder, the Zoom H4n is the best we've seen for the money.
(Credit: Donald Bell/CNET)Computer-based recording software, such as Pro Tools and Garage Band, have gone a long way to help today's musicians create digital recordings that rival the results from professional recording studios. But even the best laptop-based recording rig can be limited by battery life and a less-than-convenient jumble of components (external sound cards, mixers, microphones). For the sake of convenience, some musicians and podcasters have turned to popular standalone portable recorders, such as the Edirol R-09HR and Sony PCM-D50.
Historically, the trade-off you make by using a handheld recorder is limited support for additional microphones and the restriction of recording only two tracks (stereo) simultaneously. The minute you want to use three microphones to record your band (or an interview), things start to get complicated. That is, unless you're using the Zoom H4n.
The H4n is a solidly-built portable audio recorder that retails for about $350, and lets you record four channels of audio (two stereo files) simultaneously. It's a brilliant feature that's a little hard to describe, so why not let the audio speak for itself? To hear the difference four channel recording can make compared to standard stereo recording, we enlisted the help of Alan Stewart and Jesse Clark from the Bay Area music group Agents Del Futuro. The guys set up an impromptu rehearsal at their recording studio to let us capture the sound of a variety of instruments.
To hear the results, check under the Performance section of my Zoom H4n review, or click through the following audio-enhanced slideshow.
