SAMSON Q2U Recording and Podcasting Pack - USB/XLR Dynamic Microphone with Accessories (Includes Mic Clip, Desktop Stand, Windscreen and Cables), 16-bit, 44.1kHz/48kHz, Silver

It is an amazing Microphone for the price! I don't use an audio box so I just hook it up straight to my laptop and the sound quality is fantastic! You have the choice of connecting via USB or XLR depending on your preference and it's as simple as PLUG AND PLAY. Get a pop filter to go with it if you can as it doesn't come with one, but even without one the sound is pretty crisp and clear. It looks professional and the stand it comes with keeps it nice and compact for easy folding away and transportation and I expect it will probably fit most extension arms. Really good product, really good price, really good sound quality. It's a fantastic purchase and an easy purchase to make for someone who's just starting out.

As an aspiring content creator, I sought a quality microphone for streaming on Twitch and making YouTube videos. I was directed towards the SAMSON Q2U Recording and Podcasting Pack as a budget-friendly option, recommended by an experienced voice actor. Although I initially considered the higher-end Shure SM7B, known for its studio-grade recording capabilities, I opted for the SAMSON due to its value proposition. Pros of SAMSON Q2U: Excellent sound quality for its price range. Dynamic cardioid pattern that effectively reduces background noise—ideal for home studios. Affordable, offering significant savings over the Shure SM7B. Dual USB and XLR functionality, with all necessary cables provided. Direct headphone monitoring available. Compatibility with various devices, such as the iPad Pro through an adapter. Although the included stand is basic, it’s a good starting point. Cons of SAMSON Q2U: Best performance requires close proximity; consider investing in an adjustable boom arm. Minor white noise issues with USB connection on PC, though fixable in editing software. The narrow diameter complicates finding a compatible shock mount. Some initial power connectivity issues, requiring re-plugging to resolve. Comparison with Shure SM7B: While the Shure SM7B is a legendary microphone with superior sound isolation and professional quality, its price point is significantly higher and may not include necessary extras like a boom arm, XLR cables, or an interface, which are required for optimal performance. This can greatly increase the overall cost. Conclusion: After using the SAMSON Q2U for my streaming and YouTube projects, I've found it to be an exceptional value, particularly for those just starting out or on a budget. While the Shure SM7B undoubtedly excels in professional settings, the SAMSON Q2U stands out for its affordability, ease of use, and excellent starter kit components. For beginners and intermediate users alike, the SAMSON Q2U offers a compelling package that balances quality and cost effectively. Given my positive experience and the feedback from my audience, I confidently recommend the SAMSON Q2U over the Shure SM7B for those who need a reliable, cost-effective solution without compromising too much on quality. This microphone has not only met but exceeded my expectations, making it a standout choice in its price bracket.

I wanted a microphone for streaming on Twitch and creating YouTube videos for work, and I heard it recommended as a good budget beginners option from a well known voice actor. So far I've only been able to use it through USB but I'm impressed with the quality and pleased with my choice, especially for the price! What's included (Summer 2020): - Microphone - Foam windshield - Tripod mic stand - XLR cable Good: - Great sound! - Dynamic cardioid which means it doesn't pick up too much environmental noise when set up correctly - perfect for streaming - Low price - Option to use USB and later upgrade to XLR. XLR cable is included too! - You can plug your headphones right in for monitoring - You can use it with an iPad Pro through the Apple camera adaptor, bonus! I spent far too much time in Garageband playing with the voice effects when I realised this :) - Stand is okay but not ideal for positioning as it will sit too low on a desk etc. Less good: - This type of mic needs to be really close to your face to work well and pick up your voice, unless you want to massively crank up the gain and pick up every other noise in the room too. So order an adjustable stand/boom arm to go with it, and make sure you understand how to set up the mic and position it. Otherwise you'll be frustrated at how quiet it is! - I find on PC USB connection there's always a very low amount of white hissing/humming noise, but this is easily fixed in OBS/Streamlabs/Audacity. The noise seems absent on iPad. - Because it's quite a narrow diameter microphone (about 32cm on the handle), it was quite tricky to find the right size shock mount - I had to get one from a dedicated music store as there were no suitable ones on Amazon. - Weird power issues. When I load my PC, the light will appear on the mic but it doesn't actually seem to be powered on. I have to unplug - plug back in to get it working which is a bit of a pain and will wear down the cable faster. This happens on iPad too so I think it's the mic, not Windows etc. I've had people complement the sound quality and stick around on my stream so I would definitely recommend this microphone. To be honest even if it doesn't last long, at this price I'd be happy to buy another.

The mic works well - good voice sound and blocks surrounding sounds; and the mic feels heavy and good quality. However, the mic stand is too small and falls over easily when the mic is in it. I will need to buy a sturdier stand.

It has good quality for such a low price for a mic I love it

Pues no soy nada experto en audio y uso de micrófonos, es muy bueno para aislar ruidos del ambiente, buena calidad, robusto, tu voz suena bien , aunque no me gusta escucharme pero cumple con las reseñas que ustedes ven en tutoriales o reviews en Youtube, un producto que de calidad Samson es una marca reconocida. Es un micrófono versátil, con sus 3 salidas XLR, usb y jack 3.5 mm , cable usb para rápido instalación sin problemas y su tripie, todo muy bien. Si vas empezar con tu primer micrófono, no gastes en productos mas baratos este es tu punto de partida, ahorra y no te arrepentirás, nada de productos chinos BM-800 que terminas gastando mas a la larga porque es un producto modular incompleto.

Wszystko zgodne z opisem. Świetna jakość za przystępną cenę

This guy is almost unconditionally one of the best beginner podcasting microphones out there, its cost effective (when it's correctly priced), has usb for absolute beginners and XLR for nerds and more advanced users who choose to hook it up with their audio interfaces and get excellent results, bear in mind however, the xlr sound is better than usb because of obvious reasons of better preamps in some of the dedicated audio interfaces, however this does not in anyway hamper its usb usability, its really really good. Its worth mentioning here that this microphone still outshines sound wise, its newer counterpart the Q9U which is an absolutely terrible sounding microphone without the mid boost being engaged, its primarily attracting only those who clearly want to buy a microphone for a certain look, otherwise the Q2U is an all rounder genius that holds its ground really firmly and even gives its immediate competition like the ATR-2100x fom Audio Technica a run for its money. Also this comes along with its accessories, the desktop stand is not a very good one but it does the job if you absolutely don't have the resources to spend more on anything else, however any of those cheap spring boom arms can handle this microphone just fine, do remember that this microphone is really bad in the plosives department, so u will need a foam windscreen with it, which is also included in the package and is a huge help. Overall this is a great microphone and can cater to all needs of a beginner or even an advanced user if they are looking for good sound specifically and not the looks, personally I don't see any problem in the looks department too but people find the broadcast looking microphones a bit more attractive, however they compromise with the sound big time. Happy Recording!

I first came across these from the Podcastage YouTube channel (sorry man I didn't use your affiliate link if it exists). Work as advertised and realised my voice wasn't as terrible sounding as coming out from a cheap set of XTUGA. To be fair, the XTUGA is a tenth of the q2u. Now I enjoy using it more on discord, VRchat and the occasional voice line mimicries and singing attempts. (Boom arm in video sold separately from IKEA)