Blue Ember XLR Condenser Mic for Recording and Streaming, Custom Cardioid Capsule and Mic Stand Mount, Gray

I'm not an audiophile or even an advanced audio user. I had been using a Yeti to record voice audio for recordings computer software demonstrations I record for you tube and corporate posts. The Yeti works fine, especially when you post process it. But I wanted to improve my audio for live conference calls.So I did my normal 'watch a thousand online reviews' and try to decide what I wanted. A bit of background on my selecting an XLR mic. With a USB mic like the Yeti, you can't run it through any external processing before it hits the computer. So you get what's in the mic, and that's it.The challenge with condenser mics is that they pick up sounds in your neighbor's house. So I've always run a noise gate filter on post production of Yeti recordings. When I first started thinking about the Yeti for conference calls, I tried an opensource piece of software that put itself in the audio path on Windows, and provided noise gate, eq, and more.The problem with that was it took so much of system resources, my computer couldn't keep up with the audio and web conference (i.e. all glitchy). And it wasn't very stable either.So that's when I looked at external hardware that could be used to apply filters like a noise gate. That led me into XLR mics. I won't go into my journey to find the right piece of hardware for the external noise gate to usb into PC. That's a long one, and one I haven't been too happy with so far. I'm leaning back toward just using a very simple XLR to usb interface until things advance in the current other options.So that said, this mic does really well with its cardioid pattern, and I am able to adjust the gain t where ambient noise doesn't really become irritatingly apparent. But, this also requires the mic to be 2 to 4 inches from my mouth. That's ok for the most part, since it's so slim, it doesn't really distract when in frame with a video web conference.I had purchased a shock mount for it and that was quite a bit of hardware in the way of the video frame. But I found I don't need it. When on a boom from a tripod, with the included hard mount, I don't get any reverb or noise transfer into the mic I did with the Yeti and absolutely used a shock mount for that. So that was a pleasant surprise. No shock mount = less crap on screen.Second thing that surprised me was that it seems to have an integrated pop filter. You have to practically smack your lips on the screen before you'd need a pop filter. So again, slim mic, not taking up frame real estate.I believe this is why they add streamer application to their marketing for it. And I'd agree. Now, like any mic you can crank the gain and keep it out of frame, but with this type of mic, you will be needing a very specialized recording booth. The recommended use for and mic like this is 2 to 4 inches from your mouth.I've seen a lot of reviews of this mic where they say 'oh, the included mount is substandard and you NEED a shock mount', and the same sort of thing about a pop filter. To that, I say 'no, you don't'The mic generates a great reproduction of my voice and I am pleased with it right out of gate, with no processing. All that said, I've now caught the bug to improve everything, and have added some dedicated lighting to improve my video. While it's not impossible to light and keep this very slim mic in a spot that is acceptable without throwing a shadow on your face, I've decided to try out a hyper cardioid pencil mic that I can keep just out of frame.But I will definitely have this for my go to mic when doing voice over for my recordings. I'm sure I will still do post on it, but is light years ahead of the Yeti in voice quality, so way less post and better overall results.For $100 (plus any additional XLR stuff you need if you're just leaving USB mode) I think it's money well spent. I like this thing a lot and wouldn't hesitate to recommend to someone with similar needs as me.

Sounds really good and the build quality is very solid. I prefer the sound of this mic compared to the at2020. I got mine for around $43 which was a crazy price.

Beautiful microphone! Works fantastic as a vocal microphone and acoustic recording microphone in my recording studio! Fantastic price and fast shipping!

Very good XLR mic, (also not sure why peopleAre complaining abt not getting an XLR cable) no one sends XLR cables with the mics so it shouldn't be a con. It's a good microphone may need some EQ it can sound sharp sometimes and definitely needs a popfilter. GREAT price to performance and it's light weight.

Blue has essentially smashed prices way down and so I’d recommend this to anyone wanting to get into “professional” audio as a starter. Streaming and recording sounds perfect with this microphone. It has a tad of a darker sound, but is still extremely clear. It does require a bit more gain than usual condensers, but that isn’t an issue if you run a compressor. Thing is built like a tank, could probably use it as a home defense tool, genuinely. Solid microphone for the price and is definitely going to be an amazing stepping stone into better quality products. I could say, this may be endgame for a lot of users that need simplicity. Be aware it is extremely light, so if you use a PSA-1, you’ll need to either switch off that arm, or find a way to add weight to it.

If you're reading this, you're probably familiar with the ALL the mics in the $100 range which include....AT2020MXL 990 / 770 / V67G (i)AKG P120Behringer C1Samson C01Rode NT1...& you're wondering which one to get?All I can really say is each of these are fine options and vary in what you're gonna get, but over the years it's nice to have a few options when you're looking for inspiration or just want to change it up a bit.I picked up the Blue Ember & have used tons of mics over the years. On sale at $70, I'd say this one is a no brainer if you're just adding to the arsenal. In general, it's a medium-warm, easy setup on vocals. Probably an excellent for podcasting & talking kind of stuff.This is an XLR mic & if you're thinking about upgrading from USB, I do recommend it. I've got a Nano yeti, it's a great little USB mic & that's partly why I grabbed the Blue Ember. There's plenty of great audio interfaces, like Focusrite. I've got an Audient Evo I'm using now, it's giving me solid results.If you're just starting out, I'd probably go with a Focusrite & MXL 990 combo, but the Ember might be a close second.

I can't tell if the product has been used. The tape sealing the box has been peeled and then folded over. Other than that the mic works as expected

Got this, and like it better (for my voice) than the AT2020, which is also a very good microphone.FYI, the Blue Ember has a 22mm outside thread for the mount (on the mic itself), which is the same as the AT2020. So any "threaded" shock-mounts that fit the AT2020 should fit the Blue Ember just fine.