Feraz Ahmad
USB microphones are a great innovation into the world of digital audio recording. Over recent years, these microphones have gained enormous popularity with the increase of content creators on YouTube or Podacasts. They are easy to use with simple setup and are portable. You can use it to record music at home, podcasts. They are best suited to the spoken voice such as in radio or voiceover works.
With their portability feature, you just need only one connection i.e USB cable which runs straight from the microphone into the computer or laptop.
Blue is one of the fastest growing companies that offer quite a range of audio recording tools for almost any application in professional as well as consumer markets. They are rated #1 for their USB microphones in the world.
Today we are going to compare Blue’s Snowball and yeti USB microphones to see which one turns out to have impressive features.
Blue Snowball Vs Blue Yeti USB Microphone: Comparison Chart
| Particular | Blue Snowball | Blue Yeti |
| Brand | Blue | Blue |
| Model name | Snowball | Yeti |
| Polar Patterns | 3(Cardioid, Cardioid with -10 dB pad, Omnidirectional) | 4(Cardioid, Stereo, Omnidirectional, Bidirectional) |
| Frequency Response | 40 Hz to 18 kHz | 20 Hz to 20 kHz |
| Sample rate | 44 kHz/16 bit | 48 kHz/16 bit |
| Condenser capsules | Dual | Triple |
| Mute button | No | Yes |
| Headphone amplifier | No | Yes |
| Connection | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
| Compatibility | Windows and Mac | Windows and Mac |
| Gain knob | No | Yes |
| Weight | 460 grams | 1 kg |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year |
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Blue Snowball Vs Blue Yeti USB Microphone: Detailed Analysis
Price & Rating Comparison:
| Particular | Blue Snowball | Blue Yeti |
| Rating | 4.2/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Price | Rs 6,990 | Rs 8,990 |
Design:
Blue Snowball is round in shape just like a snowball. It has a white metallic finish and a shining black coating on the stand which makes it elegant and beautiful. The microphone has a sturdy construction that can withstand any fall without being damaged therefore you don’t have to worry about the microphone. It also comes with a tripod stand that ensures a good balance.
Blue Yeti has a classic look and sleek design. It looks like retro recording equipment that takes you back to the 80’s. Yeti has a shiny metallic grill and frames which look like an old broadcasting mic. It has a round base with no tripod hence reducing the chances of damage.
Yeti mic is mounted on a hinge so that you can pivot and adjust the mic depending on the sound source. It comes in four colour variants, black, silver, midnight blue and slate.
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Sound Quality:
Let us have a look on one of the most important aspects of a mic i.e sound quality.
Blue Snowball comes in three polar pattern options to choose from.
- Cardioid – This pattern will record any audio which is coming directly towards the mic so it is ideal for live streaming, YouTube videos and podcasts.
- Cardioid with -10 dB pad – This pattern is the same as above but the only difference is that the volume is 10 dB lower. That means you’ll be able to record loud sounds like musical instruments.
- Omnidirectional – This pattern records audio coming from all directions. This pattern is very useful if you have any guests in your show.
The sound of Blue snowball is crisp and clear. The microphone is quite sensitive when it comes to background sound, especially in omnidirectional mode.
Blue Yeti offers four polar pattern :
- Cardioid – This option is the same as in blue Snowball that will record all sounds in front of the mic .
- Stereo – This pattern records sounds from the left and right side to create a nice stereo image. This pattern is ideal for recording musical instruments but not for YouTube videos or recording podcasts.
- Omnidirectional – Sound is picked up from all the directions just as in a snowball.
- Bidirectional – This pattern lets you record sound from the front and rear of the mic.
The sound is exceptionally good for live streaming, creating YouTube videos or podcasts.
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Blue Snowball Vs Blue Yeti USB Microphone: Pros & Cons
Blue Snowball – Pros
- Blue Snowball mic comes with a built-in pop filter which locks out all other noises.
- It is highly portable and lightweight.
- It has high recording quality.
- It features two capsule condensers. Capsule condenser technology helps your mic to capture the audio notes accurately while recording.
- It offers three polar patterns.
- Has easy set-up and is durable.
Cons
- This mic lacks mute button.
- There are numbers 1,2 and 3 in polar patterns which are hard to understand.
- The omnidirectional mode also records background noises.
Blue yeti – Pros
- This mic features four polar patterns
- It comes with a mute button.
- Three condenser capsule technology
- Easy setup and comes with headphone amplifiers.
Cons
- It is large in size.
- The mic is too sensitive and it may pick up other sounds.
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Customer Reviews And Feedback
Blue Snowball
- This is an amazing product. I use it to record Lectures. Sound quality is very clear and there are not any whispers or echoes.
- This mic is good but the only con is that you have to be really close to the mic in order to get that heavy bass quality sound while recording.
Blue Yeti
- The build quality of this mic is good but its buttons and dials feel cheap and flimsy.
- This is a good product but it requires a soundproof environment. If you do not have a soundproof room and live in a noisy area then you’ll be disappointed with this mic.
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Blue Snowball Vs Blue Yeti: Quick Result
| Particular | Blue Snowball | Blue Yeti | Which is better? |
| Design & Build | Round in shape and comes with tripod stand | It is tall and looks like an old broadcasting mic which has a round base and no tripod stand | Blue Snowball |
| Sound Recording quality | Dual condenser capsule and three polar patterns which ensures clear and crisp sound quality | Three condenser capsules and four polar patterns which ensure clear and crisp sound quality | Blue Yeti |
| Compatibility | Both Windows and Mac | Both Windows and Mac | Both |
| Customer Reviews | Average | Average | Both |
| Price | Inexpensive | Expensive than Blue Snowball | Blue Snowball |
Blue Snowball Vs Blue Yeti: Final Verdict
As you can see Blue Yeti wins over Blue snowball in many aspects. First, Yeti provides four polar patterns and three condenser capsules while the snowball provides only three polar patterns and two condenser capsules thus giving you clarity in sound while recording.
Blue Yeti comes with a headphone amplifier and a mute button which are absent in the Blue snowball microphone.
You can go for Blue yeti if you want better sound quality but remember that Blue yeti is more costly than Blue snowball. If you want to save money then you can go with Snowball and still get good recording quality.
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