Blue Microphones Yeti X USB Microphone (988-000105)

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] At just about 11.5 inches tall when mounted in the very sturdy metal stand the Blue Yeti X stands out as a formidable usb microphone for many use cases. The Yeti X came wonderfully packaged and it felt extra secure with all of the foam padding inside. Connecting the Yeti X was extremely easy and the GHUB software (that I already had pre-installed due to my computer mouse) detected it right away. There are many options given to customize your microphone like filters, compressors, eq, noise reduction etc as well as four different pickup patterns (back side button cycles through them). The four pickup patterns are Cardioid (solo podcast/streaming), Omnidirectional (360 recording/groups), Bidirectional (interviews/duets) and Stereo (realistic recording, guitar/asmr). The front knob has an LED metering feature so you can see if your current input and the knob itself lets you adjust the gain and it doubles as a mute button when pressed. You can adjust the colors of the LED lights to your liking as well as change them from a solid color to a breathing pattern. If you have a favorite streamer or content creator that uses the Yeti X they can actually share their microphone profile and you can import their settings very easily with the GHUB software. There are plenty of features for all types of creators and the build quality of the Yeti X is great, I have no qualms about recommending this to anyone that wants to upgrade their audio game.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] --- SETUP --- The setup of the Blue Microphone Yeti X is quick and simple. It comes with a nice chrome base and a 6 foot micro USB plug for your computer. I removed the base and installed it on a Mic arm, which was a breeze as well. If you have an older version of the Yeti Mic, the base of this one fits the older model, but the USB cable is different. --- FEATURES --- The key feature of this Yeti X is the software that comes with it. It is highly recommended that you download Logitech G HUB to fully customize the lighting of the mic and, more importantly, the sound levels. You can plug headphones directly to the mic for mic monitoring and to hear the sound of your own voice through there if desired. --- PERFORMANCE --- The performance of the Yeti X is amazing. In Logitech G HUB, you are able to record yourself to preview how others will hear you. You can record any sample you want, like your own introduction to your podcast or gaming stream. After that, your recording will play on a loop. The loop is recorded without any settings applied at which point, you can change any settings and hear the difference live! That will go a long way to you finding your right sound and may even teach you a little about what all those levels actually do. Additionally, the feature called Blue Vo!ce will give you access to presets like Broadcaster, Classic Radio Voice, FM/AM Station, Low/High Voice and many others. If that’s not enough, you can download presets from other community members if you create an account with Logitech. If you feel that you created a unique setting, you can share it with the community. --- EXPECTATIONS --- The product exceeds my expectations. This microphone shows you the level that your speaking on the mic itself with an 11-segment LED meter. My voice was clear and my YouTube viewers told me that they loved the new sound. It couldn’t be easier to finally find a sound that you like for your own voice. If you don’t know what the difference is between the pickup patterns (cardioid, omni, bi-directional, and stereo), you’ll be easily able to tell the difference with the software. --- VALUE --- The price for the Yeti X in terms of value is a great investment for any serious streamer / podcaster. If you are upgrading, you will definitely tell the difference and so will your followers. --- APPROVAL --- I highly recommend this product for streamers / podcasters or anyone who wants a great USB professional level microphone. If your child is getting into streaming, he / she will love you for getting this for them.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I'm just going to cut to the chase. This USB microphone is amazing. I honestly think that if you are remotely interested in streaming and broadcasting, you owe it to yourself to fork over the measly $170 asking price and get this thing into your media center. The way it picks up every little thing. The ease of setup. The ability to save different settings for different styles of podcasting. Oh My Goodness!! Did I mention how flipping beautiful it is? I didn't? Ok. It's gorgeous! I've gone from doing retakes after retakes from my original setup, to doing one shot videos just because of how comfortable I have become, knowing my sound is practically perfect. I feel like a professional. I could gush over this mic for hours, but that would keep me from filming, so I'd better wrap this up. Go pick this Yeti X by Blue, up and make that game streaming, YouTube beaming, movie screening, podcast dreaming fan of broadcast media the happiest person on the web. I am so happy to have one and I know you will be as well. I highly recommend this mic. A Definite Must Buy.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I got the Yeti X as an upgrade to the mic I currently record with, the original Blue Yeti. I mostly record video voice-overs and narrations using the cardioid pickup pattern and rarely, if ever, use any of the other three polar patterns for my needs. However, it’s nice that they’re there and they do work well when I use them. The sound quality from the Yeti X is crisp, clean, and warm sounding. Arguably, so is the original Yeti’s, however, you can hear a difference between the two: there’s a bit less harshness and smoother edges from recorded voices from the Yeti X versus the Yeti. This is unsurprising given that the Yeti X sports four condenser mic capsules over its predecessor’s three. I also thought it did a better job at controlling and evening out levels when your position relative to the mic changes. Like the original Yeti, you can plug a set of monitor headphones into the bottom of the Yeti X, so you can listen to your mic input overlaid with your computer’s audio. You can change the volume and balance of the monitor headphones relative to computer audio using the dial on the front or in the G Hub software. The Yeti X made the dial on the front clickable to activate the mic mute and change modes, which is a bit cleaner than having separate buttons and dials, although making adjustments with the physical controls during a recording will inevitably introduce some noise in your recording. The microUSB cable is positioned in a way that makes pulling it out by accident a concern, but that it is removable allows you to customize its length and replace it if that component fails. I also found the placement of the pattern selector button on the back a bit inconvenient as sometimes when moving the mic, I would accidentally press it and have to cycle back through the settings. This was not a problem on the old mic which used a physical analog dial that had to be twisted. With the gain set to zero, I thought the pickup wasn’t very strong. I found myself needing to set the gain to at least 3 LEDs (gain level 24 in G Hub software) to match the volume that I get from the original Yeti without gain from the same distance. When you turn up the gain, you can set the mic farther away from the sound source, but it will also pickup more ambient noise. That said, the mic sounds best when your mouth is practically right up against it, so you’ll want to make sure you get a pop filter if you’ll be speaking or singing into the mic to soften plosives e.g. ‘p,’ ‘t,’ and ‘k’ sounds. However, this wouldn’t be the best option for folks who want to record themselves in video and also keep their face visible. One advantage that the Yeti X has is its compatibility with Blue Voice filters which let you adjust and apply live processing to your voice on-the-fly in G Hub. This gives you fine tune control over how your voice sounds from EQ adjustments, to noise reduction, and compression settings. If you’re not sure where to start you can always choose a voice profile pre-set and customize them from there. Once you’ve found settings you like you can save it as a custom profile. The only thing is that you won’t be able to hear your filtered voice through the monitor headphones in real-time. You’ll still just hear your own unfiltered voice, so the only way to hear the output of the Blue Voice filter would be to record a sample and play it back, which thankfully there’s a ‘mic test’ feature in the Blue Voice settings of G Hub that does just that. In G Hub you can also customize the colors of the LEDs on the front of the unit for the various mode adjustments: mute, gain, live level monitoring, headphone volume, and headphone balance. The only feature that I found slightly unnecessary was the live level monitoring because when using the mic, your mouth is generally right up against it, which means that you’re never actually looking at the mic when you’re recording, so practically speaking, the levels indicator isn’t very useful. If you already own the original Blue Yeti, you know it already sounds pretty good, so it’s a judgment call whether or not you’ll want to invest in the more expensive Yeti X, given its marginal improvement in audio quality -- especially if you don’t think you’ll be using the live filters. But if you’re just starting out or are looking to upgrade a basic setup as a podcaster, livestream gamer, or for doing voice-over work, you’d be getting a beautifully designed and professional sounding mic with plenty of customizable features at an affordable price.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Whether you are an amateur, a want-a-be, or a professional, the Blue Yeti X Professional Condenser USB Microphone is a fun, exceptional piece of equipment that you should consider adding to your workspace studio. This mic has everything you could need or want from a mic for podcasting, recording, long distance instruction, gaming, or creating YouTube productions. For starters, the design of this ultimate in microphones is pseudo-retro and reminiscent of earlier microphones in broadcasting like the one history records Walter Cronkite of CBS sitting behind to deliver historical events of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. It’s a solid design constructed of quality materials and one that is timeless where form truly follows function of what is necessary to make an exceptional microphone, and one uncluttered by applied plastic ornamentation surely to disintegrate upon use after it has caught your eye and purchase. It's simply beautiful and its recording possibilities are pretty much unlimited. Packaged well and easy to install, I first removed it from the box along with the USB plug and play cord, positioned it vertically and tightened the screws on either side, and selected it as my favorite recording mic in my recording software. I then plugged my headset into the mic. Next, I downloaded Logitech G HUB software from the LogitechG.com website and installed it onto my desktop computer. When installed, the G HUB software allows customization of the mic’s vocal effects, lighting, EQ and provides detailed advanced options. This software allows you to test the mic and to adjust the volume, gain and blend. After this initial setup the real fun began. Features of this microphone are numerous. In addition to the four capsule condenser arrays built into the microphone, the Yeti X provides four pickup patterns. Selecting the proper one for your recording is the initial step to laying the foundation for success. The four pickup patterns are: 1. Cardioid - a setting for one-person podcasts and game streaming, 2. Omnidirectional - a 360-degree pickup for recording live performances and group podcasts, 3. Bidirectional – a perfect selection for one on one interviews because it provides front and rear pickup on the mic, and 4. Stereo - a pickup pattern which projects a wide, realistic sound that is ideal for recording acoustic guitar, etc. Any one of these four pickup patterns can be set by toggling through four clicks, each designated by a small LED light, on the rear button of the mic. The front control, through rotation of an 11-dot volume meter, allows the ability to set the mic gain, headphone volume, and blend the mic and computer sound in your headphones. Pushing this button instead of rotating mutes the microphone. There are only these two physical control buttons on the microphone itself. All other adjustments can be done to fine tune through your streaming or recording software and through the G HUB software. I used the G HUB to test my voice and vocals through several presets and heard a distinct difference. Some presets made my voice seem dull and other made it fuller and more professional sounding. I liked the “Classic Radio” preset best as it added clarity to my voice and made it stronger. When set as the default microphone, Yeti X is marketed to work with any streaming or recording software. I tried it with three different ones that are installed on my computer and it worked well with all three. It doesn’t matter which software you use, because the Logitech G HUB allows for fine tuning of the audio settings so that you can create your own ultimate, signature sound. System requirements for the Blue Yeti X are as follows: PC – Windows 7,8.1, 10 MAC – macOS 10.10 or higher USB 1.1/2.0/3.0 Internet access for Logitech G HUB software is optional, but through G HUB the firmware can be updated periodically as needed. The firmware can also be updated over the USB using Blue Sherpa found at bluedesigns.com/Sherpa. The Blue Yeti X Pro USB microphone is impressive and fun to use. It's very easy to install because of its plug-and-play capability. The four capsule condenser arrays, the four pickup pattern settings, the G HUB presets, and the numerous built-in mixer capabilities make this an exceptional buy. Its affordable, professional, built to last and has a variety of unlimited customization possibilities. I would highly recommend you look at this product if you are in the market for or considering the purchase of a good microphone. I expect to use it in a variety of capacities for many years to come. Simply put - I love my Blue Yeti X.