microphones

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

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 … Read more

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.… Read more

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.

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. … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more

We spend all episode answering your questions, from how to pick an iPhone, to how to blog on the go.