Founded in 1995 by Skipper Wise and Martins Saulespurens…
The BLUE (Baltic Latvian Universal Electronics) Microphone Company is today…
One of the world’s top producers of both affordable USB mics and high-end condenser mics.
And whether you’ve just discovered them…
Or you’re already a longtime fan…
Chances are there’s at least a few of their mics that could bring your game to the next level…if only you knew about them.
So for today, let’s check some of them out, shall we?
In this post, I’ll introduce you to each of the most popular Blue Microphones of the past several years, so you can see for yourself exactly what this company has to offer.
Now let’s begin. First up…
1. Blue Microphones SNOWBALL
Chances are, you probably already know it…
Because the Blue Microphones Snowball could quite possibly be the most recognizable mic in the world right now.
Check out the desk of any Youtuber, podcaster, or other online content producer…
And you’ll likely find a Snowball laying around somewhere.
Why is it so popular?
Well because besides looking cool, and sounding great, its BIGGEST appeal is that its so damn convenient to use.
- With a plug n play USB connection, the setup couldn’t be simpler.
- It comes with its own built in desktop stand, which takes up surprisingly little space.
- It still sounds decent without any acoustic treatment, which is rare for a condenser mic.
And while it may not be considered “proper” for studio recording, it’s the easiest no-hassle way to get sound directly into your computer/laptop.
The 2 versions to choose from are:
- The original Snowball – (Amazon/B&H) – which is a little more expensive, but has a dual-capsule for both cardioid and omni polar patterns.
- The Snowball iCE – (Amazon/B&H) – which is a little cheaper, with a single cardioid capsule, but is custom-suited for Skype and Facetime calls.
As an alternative to the snowball, also check out the ultra-portable Snowflake – (Amazon/B&H) – which has its own built-in stand for desktops, and its own clip for laptop mounting.
Up next…
2. Blue Microphones YETI
While the Snowball might be ideal for simple vocal recording…
For music recording, the features are undoubtedly lacking.
Which is why for all you bedroom studios out there, Blue offers the YETI instead.
Among USB mics, it’s the best there is…period. Just take a look at all these features:
- tri-capsule array
- cardioid, omni, and figure-8 polar patterns
- stereo recording
- Gain control
- mute button
- zero-latency headphone output
Now if you’re not into music recording, and you don’t know what all these features are, you might be better off with either the Snowball or Snowflake.
But if you want a truly versatile mic in an exceptionally affordable package, the YETI might be exactly what you’re looking for.
And if you want the option of both USB and XLR inputs, check out the Yeti Pro instead.
Here they are:
Up next…
3. Blue Microphones SPARK
Now despite the awesomeness of the YETI, it’s still not a “studio mic” in the traditional sense of the word, is it?
So instead, here’s a mic that is: the Blue Microphones SPARK.
The coolest thing about this medium diaphragm condenser is that it’s essentially two-mics-in-one.
With its unique toggle button, it offers two completely different sound settings:
- Regular mode – which has a more neutral sound that works on a variety of instruments.
- Focus mode – which adds extra intelligibility to vocals by making it sit more forward in the mix.
Some folks even say that the focus mode works great in rooms that aren’t acoustically treated.
And again…for all you minimalist bedroom studios, there’s the Spark Digital version as well, which is probably the first “studio quality” mic to incorporate USB connectivity.
Up next…
4. Blue Microphones BABY BOTTLE
Now if the SPARK was a little “gimmicky” for your taste…
Here’s a slightly better, and slightly pricier option for a vocal mic:
The Blue Microphones BABY BOTTLE.
Based off their flagship microphone, the Blue Microphones BOTTLE (which we’ll cover in a sec)…
The BABY BOTTLE offers much of the same world class engineering and craftsmanship…but for about 1/10th the sticker price.
With not much to speak of in terms of features, this large diaphragm condenser mic is as plain and simple as it gets…
Brilliant sound at an affordable price.
And like most Blue mics, it also comes fully equipped with its own pop filter, shockmount, and case.
Check it out:
For a similar alternative in the same price range, also check out the Bluebird:
Up next…
5. Blue Microphones enCORE Series
Now before we get into the really high-end mics…
Let’s take a quick moment to check out a collection of mics that some of us may have never heard of.
While not really known for their stage mics…
Blue Microphones does in fact own a very impressive collection of handheld mics that deserve a mention.
Known simply as the enCORE Series, this lineup consists of the following 4 options:
- enCORE 100 – the Dynamic Vocal version
- enCORE 100i – the Dynamic Instrument version
- enCORE 200 – the Active Dynamic version
- enCORE 300 – the Condenser version
With a unique “aria capsule” tuned for vocals, and a proprietary internal mount to minimize handling noise…
All 4 of these mics are designed specifically for the sole purpose of live vocals.
Read the online reviews of these mics, and you’ll see many users that claim these enCORE mics rival or even surpass the performance of the legendary Shure SM58.
Check them out:
- Encore 100 – (Amazon/B&H/Thomann)
- Encore 100i – (Amazon/B&H/Thomann)
- Encore 200 – (Amazon/B&H/Thomann)
- Encore 300 – (Amazon/B&H/Thomann)
Up next…
6. Blue Microphones KIWI
At last, we’ve finally reached the expensive stuff.
And the first mic in that category is the Blue Microphones KIWI.
Undoubtedly worthy of a “studio workhorse” title…
This one large diaphragm condenser mic is versatile enough to take the place of a half-dozen other “average” mics.
The main reason being: it offers a total of 9 different polar patterns including cardioid, omnirectional, figure-8, and 6 other intermediate settings.
And here’s why this is so useful:
- On stage – it allows you to precisely block out nearby competing instruments.
- In the studio – it allows you to capture the perfect amount of room ambience.
Another note-worthy feature of this mic is its exceptionally uncolored, neutral sound.
In fact, you may notice that it has no pad, and no low pass filter, to make certain that there is no processing to distort its amazing transparency.
Check it out:
Up next…
7. Blue Microphones WOODPECKER
While definitely not known as maker of ribbon mics…
Blue Microphones once again demonstrates its surprising versatility with the WOODPECKER.
Perhaps named so because of its breathtaking wooden finish…
The Woodpecker is not only visually impressive…it sounds amazing as well.
Like most ribbon mics, it features a figure-8 polar pattern…
But unlike most ribbon mics which are normally passive, the Woodpecker uses active circuitry for higher gain.
Normally active ribbon mics are only available at extremely high price points.
And while the Woodpecker is by no means “cheap“…it’s an amazing value for what you’re getting in return.
And finally…
8. Blue Microphones BOTTLE
The single greatest (and most expensive) mic in the Blue Microphones catalog…
The Blue Microphones BOTTLE is about as good as it gets…period.
In fact, it made the list in my 7 Best Condenser Microphones of All-Time post.
The main reason being:
By including the 8 additional capsules (known as Bottle Caps)…
You essentially have an entire microphone collection condensed into a single product.
But rather than hearing me tell you about each of these capsules individually, just check out the descriptions over at bluemic.com.
If you could only have 1 mic ever, this would be the mic to get.