VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[Art]

I've been curious about the new Samson CO1U microphone. It's the standard mic they've been selling, only with built-in preamp, phantom power, a-to-d converter and USB interface.

It comes with a standard USB cable, probably the same as your printer uses.

So I bought one. Here's how my quick trial went.

First, how hard is it to change from the built-in sound card to the one that comes with the mic? Well, I recorded some audio into CoolEdit in the normal way, plugged in this mic, computer went BingBong (standard USB noise), and I was recording on the new mic. Unplug, and I'm immediately recording on my old one. Couldn't be easier.

I bought this mic for $80 from BSWUSA.com, same price as ZZounds.com has it for. I read the Zzounds user reviews, and they seem to show a pattern. Some users love the mic, but they say things like "I always wanted a real microphone, and this one is really great." The people who hate it say things like "Compared to my Royer ribbon mics, my Neumann U87 (custom upgraded with dual turbochargers by George Barris), and my
$18,000 GoldTooth Premium preamp, this microphone is a useless toy."

In other words, it seems hip to prove you're such a discerning professional that you couldn't possibly live with this item.

They say it sounds thin, that the noise level is atrocious.

Well, in my quick tests, I can't find a room quieter than the microphone. (Sorry, but the studios ready available to me have fan noise.) Noise level is fine. And as for thin, it does have a little less bass than my Neuman U87, but I often find the Neumann too bassy for me (and I keep the bass rolloff switched in).

I'll have to do some more in-depth testing after I get back from vacation, but I'm taking the Samson with me. My first impression is that it sounds very good, and noise level is reasonable.

I think it'll work great as a self-contained road studio (with laptop), and also be just fine for most high-quality work.

If you want to hear a quick back-to-back sample of the two mics, go to http://voices.cc/samsonvsneumann.mp3

[Dave]

Hey, thanks Art...my curiousity had been aroused as well. Not so much for how the mic would sound...as what would happen when it plugged into the computer :roll: But now, with such an expert review I can take the plunge for another new toy!
_________________
. If at first you don't succeed, then bomb disposal probably isn't for you.

[Spacegypsy]

Art - this is so great, thanks! I'm mic shopping tomorrow, and I want to get one of these, too. I really preferred the sound to the U87, personally.

Are you running Windows Service Pack 2? It mentions at samash.com that one can download the server applet from Samson, but I am not running Windows Service Pack 2 (which it is designed to work with), because it screwed up my audio royally so I deleted it. Just interested to know if your sound set up is with or without the applet.

Thanks again for the samples! For $80 how could you pass this up?

[Frank F]

Thanks for the interesting comparison. I bought one for my portable system, and the Samson has some definate pluses and a few not-so-pluses. Please remember, you are comparing an $80.00 microphone and $3,000.00 microphone - this is definately not apples-to-apples.

O.K., so overall, the Samson sounds fine, a little thin and carries some extra mid-range, treble, and highs and is a bit hissy on peaks. U87 - well, I should not be one to judge as this is my chosen microphone.

Buy the Samson for a cool, easy to work with, portable studio system that you can take on the road and "throw-away" - if it breaks...

The Samson is simple, workable, and with a bit of processing and some extra fun toys, it would sound as good as a $400.00 or $500.00 mic under similar circumstances. Samson = Simple, Affordable, Multi-functional, Sound Souce, Operational, NOW. O.K., it was a nice try...

Would I use it everyday - probably not. However, it IS usable.

For a few more bucks, the MXL V67G will outperform the Samson, but the MXL does need Phantom Power, a sound-card, and might need a MicPre.

Merry Christmas to all and to all... a great voice....

Frank F

[BBeen]

I bought one of these about a month ago. Very easy to use. Had a little trouble getting the settings right since I am a technological caveman. Started recording WAY too hot. Still playin with settings and Adobe Audition to get the right sound. I use it for auditions right now. If anybody had any tips....please,please,please feel free to share.

AND...MERRY CHRISTMAS

[Spacegypsy]

Hi Bud - I'm definitely getting one of these, and would be really grateful if you would share what you have learned thus far.

It's not the only new mic I am getting, like Frank says I would not use it for every day, but for the price it is definitely a great addition as a back-up or for mobile purposes, if I EVER get out of the city!

[BBeen]

I was thinking maybe ART and FRANK could share their settings with this mic, since they seem to know what they are doing.

ME....I know what a mic is...end of my technological knowledge

[Frank F]

Mic, what's that?

There are several ways to set the volume levels for this "puppie"...

One of the easiset is the Windows Recording Mixer - go to:

"All Programs>Accessories>Entertainment>Volume Control>Line In"

If yours is not accessible through that area, try All Programs>Control Panel>Sounds and Audio Devices>USB Audio Interface> set controls as you desire... many have this feature set WAY too HOT! so this is an area to check out...

Also make sure you are using the correct Samson interface... it will help set some levels as well. You may need to "tweak" this as you change back to the "normal" qualities of the PC when you are done using it, but it's worth the extra few seconds ...

I am sorry I do not use this on a MAC, so I do not have the configuration protocols for its use on a MAC.

Frank F

Frank F