You’re new to podcasting and also you noticed your favourite influencer utilizing a Blue Yeti microphone. You thought, “Wow! That microphone seems to be rad!“
It occurs on a regular basis, and don’t blame you.
Blue Yeti microphones look actually cool.
They’ve obtained this classic trying really feel, wrapped with muted colours and are available in cool sizes and styles.
Truthfully, Blue crushes the advertising sport.
In actual fact, for some time I stored getting a Blue Yeti commercial that might pop up on my Fb.
This advert has an image of a stupendous, seemingly profitable woman, utilizing a Blue Yeti.
Genius, proper?
Logitech Acquires Blue Microphones
Blue Microphones is now owned by Logitech.
Whereas the long-lasting Blue branding is fading, the expertise behind merchandise just like the Yeti, Yeti Professional, and Snowball continues to be obtainable, now underneath the Logitech G model.
So, should you’re shopping for a brand new Yeti, it’d look slightly completely different, but it surely’s nonetheless the identical underneath the hood.
The Blue Yeti Is Poorly Designed
Don’t get me unsuitable, It’s not a nasty mic, per se, it’s simply that it’s a difficult microphone, as a result of most folk don’t set it up and use it accurately.
When you’re at present utilizing a Blue Yeti microphone for podcast recording and also you truly care about sound high quality, please unplug it, stroll exterior, and throw it in a dumpster.
Simply kidding.
You must in all probability donate it to your native Goodwill, College, or slang it on eBay to some sucker who’s new to podcasting.
Once more, it’s not a lot that it’s a nasty microphone – it’s respectable for the value level. Merely put, the Blue Yeti microphone is poorly designed and thus, not intuitive.
So, new podcasters usually set the mic up incorrectly and get a horrible sound from it.
Then they ask me to enhance their audio in submit.
However because the saying goes: “shit in, shit out.”
Why I Don’t Suggest a Blue Yeti Microphone
It’s a Condenser Microphone
The Blue Yeti is a condenser microphone so it picks up a ton of room noise.
You wish to be utilizing a dynamic microphone for podcast recording. When you’re not recording in an acoustically handled house you’ll get a ton of reverb and ambient noise in your audio when utilizing a condenser microphone.
If you wish to be taught why condenser microphones decide up ambient noise and why I don’t suggest them for podcasting, take a look at my article on how microphones work.
Couple the entire condenser factor with the truth that it’s arduous to get your mouth near this microphones capsule and also you’ve obtained your self some boomy, tinny sounding audio.
Dangerous audio is unacceptable in 2024!
The Yeti’s Polar Sample Knob Can Confuse Newbies
The Blue Yeti has a knob on it that lets you change the polar sample of the microphone.
Cool idea?
Sort of, however you’d truthfully by no means use the completely different polar patterns when recording podcasts. You’d set it and neglect it. It’s a waste of house to have it on mic.
A microphone’s polar pattern refers to the way it captures sound from completely different instructions.
The Blue Yeti affords 4 polar sample choices: cardioid, stereo, omnidirectional, and bidirectional.
For podcasting, you’ll wish to use the cardioid setting, which captures sound straight in entrance of the mic.
Nonetheless, this knob will be complicated for these new to audio. From a number of the Blue Yeti recordings I’ve edited, it looks like many podcasters by chance use each setting besides cardioid.
Typically, I even marvel in the event that they had been attempting to make the audio sound dangerous, given how poor the standard will be.
Poor Mic Stand and Mounting Design
Blue Yeti mics are tough to mount onto mic stands.
They’re designed with a built-in tabletop stand. Most folk simply plop the mic down on their desk a few ft away from them whereas angling the mic capsule towards their mouth.
What occurs subsequent?
They hit document and their vocal sounds tinny and faint.
Why?
Since you’re speculated to have your mouth a number of inches from the capsule. When the Yeti is plopped down a number of ft away on that egregious in-built stand, it’s almost not possible to get it near your mouth.
Thus, you find yourself with quiet audio that appears like you might be removed from the mic.
Ideas for Blue Yeti Microphone Customers
When you insist on becoming a member of the Blue Yeti microphone cult, listed below are a number of suggestions that may assist you to obtain higher audio high quality.
Get Nearer to the Microphone
Yank your desk into your stomach and prop the mic up on some books to shorten the gap from the mic to your mouth. You’ve gotta get near this mic to sound respectable.
In case your recording setup makes it nearly not possible to get that shut, you could must put money into the growth arm that Blue makes.
Growth arms are nice as a result of you possibly can connect them to your desk, and swivel them up towards your face.
The Rode PSA 1 Boom Arm is ideal for this.
I like to recommend growth arms for all podcasters no matter what mic they’re utilizing.
However, earlier than you pull the set off and buy the growth arm, ensure that it suits the make and mannequin of your Yeti.
Communicate Into the Appropriate Aspect of the Mic Capsule
Ensure you’re talking into the proper aspect of the Yeti mic capsule.
This will likely appear easy, however I’ve seen individuals communicate into the again of the microphone.
I’ve additionally seen individuals level the microphone straight at them, horizontally, like they had been about to take a torpedo to the face.
Plug Headphones Into The Blue Yeti When Recording
There’s a headphone jack constructed into the Yeti. When you insist on recording with this mic be sure you plug your headphones in and take heed to the way you sound, in addition to how the room sounds.
That means you’ll know should you’re utilizing the unsuitable polar sample or if the microphone is just too distant.
Headphones can help you monitor your self and make changes to enhance your audio.
When you can’t hear the way you sound you don’t know what you’re recording.
Can barely hear your self? Get nearer and/or up the acquire.
Listening to some buzz and distortion? Decrease the acquire.
It’s NUTS to simply throw up the mic and start recording, you’ve obtained to placed on headphones with the intention to set up the way you sound.
You’ve obtained to determine a baseline for what sounds “good.”
Higher Alternate options to the Blue Yeti
When you’re severe about your podcast sound and able to transfer on from the Blue Yeti, listed below are some dynamic microphone choices at the same worth level that ship higher outcomes:
Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB:
A flexible, dynamic mic with both USB and XLR outputs. It affords clearer sound with much less background noise than the Yeti, making it nice for residence setups.
Samson Q2U:
One other USB/XLR dynamic mic that’s simple to make use of and excellent for newbies. It’s extra forgiving of untreated areas, delivering solid audio high quality with out breaking the financial institution.
Shure MV7:
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