Samson Go Mic Review / Test (vs. Snowball, Yeti Nano, Seiren Mini)

[@jimpurcell]

I really appreciate you reviewing/reminding us of some affordable mics. Sometimes you need to use a mic that you don't mind if it is destroyed. Or you are starting a project where budget is all important. Also, I love the comparison with the ultimate mic as well. 1) gives you a great reason to own it 2) gives me a great reason why I don't need to

[@Podcastage]

It’s included as a baseline and control from video to video. It allows you to compare my voice from video to video in case I’ve changed anything from how I speak to placement of stuff in the room.

[@jimpurcell]

@@Podcastage Well said. Very true. Point taken.

[@Schmuddel]

The Samson GO Mic was my very first microphone. I now work in radio and voiceover professionally. Hell of a start.

[@theoc007]

I still got this mic as my first from your first review 8 years ago. Funny thing it still works and a professional mic I got a few years back broke and builds up static now. Very good mic

[@Podcastage]

That's so cool to hear that it's still working for you 8 years later. I'd say you got your moneys worth. Happy recording.

[@Pixxelina]

I know *nothing* about microphones but the way you reviewed this, the thoroughness, the comparisons, even the signing bit makes me want to binge watch your playlists.

[@Podcastage]

Thank you for the kind words, that really means a lot. The videos are very similar to make comparison from video to video as easy as possible because that makes it easier for people to determine which microphone they like best, and hopefully that means they can make the right purchasing choice and waste less money. Thanks again Pixxelina, that's very kind of you.

[@pailofawesome]

I bought this microphone right after seeing your first review for it. It was the best budget USB microphone I've ever owned. You get so much value with this thing!

[@abrahamlara4594]

Back to Classics! Thanks for reviewing a classic affordable usb mic as the Go. Also, I dont remember but there is a Samson mic you havent review yet: The Samson Satellite, with a review of that one you will complete the Samson USB family reviewing. I hope you are well and safe on this recent days.

[@ltjon1924]

I can't imagine I'd ever watch any other future review from you, b/c guessing that you do reviews along these lines with as many mics as you had, but I'm going to subscribe just in case because this was such a well-done & thorough review.

[@Podcastage]

That's correct, I mainly just do reviews of microphones. The channel is meant to function as a bit of a library or database, so whenever someone is researching microphones they have a dataset to pull from that has consistency from video to video, and comparisons, and hopefully everything they need to know to make an informed decision. I appreciate the kind words and the subscription. Happy recording.

[@ltjon1924]

@@Podcastage well, you do a wonderful job and are very thorough! You and your content are valued!

[@officialjustinsheriff]

Just bought mine today...For the price it is absolutely incredible and honestly it sounded amazing on your voice!

[@Podcastage]

Congratulations on the new mic, I hope you get years of fantastic recordings.

[@daneemadee]

recently found this beast in the very back shelf of my closet, thought I had lost it when moving. I remember being extremely excited when it finally arrived - it was an insane step up from the BM800 I was using. Honestly I think it’s even better than most XLR microphones, I bought a Behringer C-1 when I was trying to step up my audio, and I found that the Samson was comparably better (however you have to keep in mind I was like 14, using one of those weird Chinese microphone phantom power blocks, without a decent soundboard) nowadays I’m using an AKG Perception microphone with a Scarlett soundboard, and I am still amazed by how good the Samson compares. I will probably pass it on to one of my friends, I want it to keep on blessing someone with what it can offer.

[@dighawaii1]

I was unable to find ANY mention anywhere, but this mic has in-built noise suppression (in windows sound control panel, for the mic, tick the "Enable Enhancements") that kills keyboard and non-speaking sounds pretty remarkably well. It's not intended for high fidelity recording but for meetings, and deserves more mention, at least SOMEWHERE 😂😂

[@Podcastage]

I use Mac so I don't have access to windows sound control panel. Sorry for not mentioning it.

[@kristian.tigersoul]

What an absolute TREAT for a review. What a incredible care and detail for such an inexpensive device. I've watched all I need, I'm done. Thank you!

[@GoodxBadHabits]

This is the best review I've ever seen for a mic 😆

[@techmed-rainer]

I really like your revisits! This Samson is amazing for the price. How do they do this? Do we really want to know? In addition the Samson GO did me a favour and sounded better for spoken word than the Røde USB mini. A mic I really don't like and I will never understand why it's so popular.

[@Podcastage]

Yeah. I think it sounds better than many of the higher priced mics. The NT-USB Mini is certainly a mid forward mic which is going to be a turn off for a lot of people, but the additional support of the mixing/fx software is likely a big reason for it’s adoption rate. The Lewitt Wave 3 I think out perfroms the NT USB Mini, but it’s more than 50% more expensive and many people won’t want to pay that. I think the Rode is at a price point with a feature set that people are willing to pay even if it doesn’t offer the sound everyone wants.

[@techmed-rainer]

@@Podcastage That's a perfect analysis 👌 I know, you're right, but I'm one of those crazy people who go for the better aound.

[@Greg-tj8rg]

It's between the Go Mic and U87 for me. Can't decide between the two. Both are great sounding mics and value

[@wiseguy0103]

😂😂😂

[@nlego5153]

Great mic indeed (had this for about 10 years i think). Here's my addendum; works with my Pixel7 (which is pretty freakin cool as a "field recorder"). There's a screw (I use torque 8 type) to lock you mic in place (or give it a bit or resistance, I suggest you grease the ball joint, swish it a bit, then lock it for resistance). Cheers!

[@brudduh]

I have 2 Samson mic stands that I use for my various mics including my Neumann TLM 102 and zoom H5. I absolutely trust these stands with my expensive mics and I'm fully impressed with the sound quality of this Samson Go microphone. Might consider getting one for my setup!

[@Podcastage]

Samson has been offering great value for quite a while.

[@taunbeddes7055]

I bought this mic for several CO workers to use for zoom. It was a good improvement.

[@LBCAndrew]

This was my first microphone that i bought back in 2015. I ended up replacing it with a ModMic Uni that uses a magnet to attach to my Sennheiser HD650s. I'm currently in the market for either a condenser or dynamic microphone. One thing that's very important is off axis noise rejection, which would lean towards a dynamic mic.

[@Podcastage]

Stage Condenser mics also do pretty good at rejection.

[@ferdiyansurya]

I saw this video and i thought of dejavu ... i remember you've reviewed this before. Comparing this video and that video, wow you've come a long way😊

[@Podcastage]

That means a lot. Yeah there's been a lot of changes in the 7-ish years since I first reviewed this mic. A lot of input from people in the comments helped improve. Thanks for watching.

[@JoseOnTheAir]

Have had mine for about 5 years and still go back to it when I'm travelling light but have to care about audio a little more and it still is a great little mic when on the go and needing better than a headset or webcam mic. It's showing it's age more now but there's not really any competition to it still

[@Podcastage]

5 years of use out of a mic this affordable is incredible. You've definitely got your money worth out of it I'd say. And yeah there's really not any competition to this specific microphone; something tiny for travel.

[@SceneArtisan]

I want to use a mic to pick up the sounds of wind and rain while (hopefully) ignoring ambient sounds like boiler exhaust fans (those small round 3-4in fans on the exterior walls of domestic UK houses). Would this mic pick up the sounds of wind and rain ok if it was placed under my eave? Small trees are as close as 10ft-15ft away.

[@cavemann_]

11 years and still works great, it's actually insane to me haha

[@NRVOUS-]

can you make a video on how you do the "music test" portion of your reviews?

[@boonie3]

Already have good experiences with an NT USB mini but i might just pick one of these up seeing how cheap it is.

[@Godzillah]

I have a few cheap mic myself found snowball on sale $15 sound great actually. I like snowball a little more than samsung go mics because it’s has better frequency. U can also mount snowball to a mic stand.

[@Podcastage]

If you like the Snowball's sound over the Go mic, and you already have the snowball, then that's the mid you should use. You can mount the go mic to a microphone stand though. It has 3/8" threading which is the standard boom arm threading while the Snowball has 5/8" threading which is the standard stage mic stand / floor mic stand threading.

[@neondaemontube]

Which one would you suggest? 1. Samson go mic 2. Behringer Xm8500 3. Behringer c2

[@Podcastage]

I would go Samson Go mic if I wanted USB, and XM8500 if I wanted XLR.

[@blackjohnny0]

It was my first decent mic. :) I liked how it worked with my voice. Do you have recommendation for someone who is searching for good quality mic with not much low end and smooth highs, but clear mids?

[@Podcastage]

Maybe something like the sE4400a, or the Shure KSM32.

[@DealWithVinit]

Make a new video about samson meteor mic please❤

[@leledumbo]

The size is ideal for vlogging, but the way it captures everything will ruin the experience. A lot of post processing will be required to cut them all, which may also cut your own voice, even just partially.

[@dfcx1]

Sounds good on voice, treble doesn't seem as spiky as most of the cheap and small and USB competition. Looks like it's 55€ here though so it doesn't get to Godzilla stomp the competition price-performance-wise quite that hard.

[@user-ko2fq2hg8b]

Hey have you considered reviewing the Coles 4104B? It's a broadcast lip ribbon microphone that a lot of sports announcers use here in England.

[@Podcastage]

I had considered it back when I saw Mike Delgaudio cover it, and I just saw Tom Buck talking about it. Probably won’t be covering it though. At least not any time soon. I’ll just wait for Tom’s coverage to see how it sounds.

[@user-ko2fq2hg8b]

@@Podcastage All good, thanks for making excellent mic reviews 🙌🏻

[@Ruboka]

what would be a cheap mic that would work in an shared work office ? i am conerned about background noise pickup.

[@itzikca]

Wow you lost so much weight, hope it was for healthy reasons 👍🏻

[@EquipedBlade]

damn I was going to say the same... I too hope it was for healthy reasons 👍

[@cleveralias8085]

All those box tosses did work

[@marcuszettergren8885]

Second this. I hope the same. Looking great!

[@Podcastage]

Walking every single day for 2 years and starting to eat healthy and give up junk food.

[@marcuszettergren8885]

@@Podcastage Either way, congrats! You are looking very healthy and good. Glad for you sir!

[@Markisbeatz355]

Hi sorry for not being on the topic. I really like your videos and watched a lot of them about headphones, tons of headphones..... I would really want to hear your opinion as a profesional. Which is a better headphone: beyerdynamic dt-770 pto(250 ohm), audio technica ath-m50x,40x,sony mdr-7506 or AKG K-702? Thanks for doing this videos they DO REALLY HELP! See you soon!

[@Podcastage]

I’m not an expert on headphones. I’d recommend checking the headphone show for insight into these questions. Best of luck.

[@Markisbeatz355]

@@Podcastage Thanks for the reply I'll immediately look at the headphone show. But thanks for the reply i always wanted to coment in one of your videos. Wish you luck!

[@Arsat74]

do you have a cheap EU (DE) proposal for a Mic what you can use with a 5.1 system ? From headphones I get 100% always headache At the moment I use a Sinn7 mPOD USB Studio microphone... but that cracks from time to time

[@AWriterWandering]

The mini-usb gives away old this product is. (But hey, if it works it works…)

[@orestes1984]

God damn that Neumann sounds incredibly good straight out of the box though. I would almost say it requires no EQ straight out of the box.

[@Podcastage]

I agree the Neumann sounds fantastic. Many people dislike it, but I think it's a quite impressive microphone.

[@RedBeardedRabbit]

Missing Q2U from the comparisons! Any reason?

[@Podcastage]

Hindsight 20/20 maybe it should have been included, but there’s always one more mic that would be useful to include. The reason it was compared to the CAD U1 is because both are around $20. The rest because they are USB condensers which are the direct competition to this.

[@techmed-rainer]

Danke!

[@Podcastage]

Danke Rainer! Du bist toll! Edit: I hope that translation is correct. You are awesome!

[@techmed-rainer]

@@Podcastage It's perfect German, danke schön, Bandrew!

[@syperblog]

*This microphone is ideal for travelers who only have a laptop and everything*

[@henrikpetersson3463]

The microphones in some newer laptops such as the MacBook Pro are better than this though. The problem with laptops mics is placing them however.

[@AI3Dorinte]

Lav mic…

[@syperblog]

@@AI3Dorinte I meant that this is a good analogue

[@dighawaii1]

it's a musician's songwriting pocket knife. I bet it will even connect to phones. although i don't think he touched on that possibility in the review.

[@g.o.9513]

@@dighawaii1 that’s how I want to use this microphone: songwriting. (Them, go to the studio to record the ‘final’). The only thing that is concerning; the windows laptop fan. Thinking about getting a fanless MacBook Air M2….

[@martaballabrigabotella440]

😄 best microphone tester ever

[@By_Rant_Or_Ruin]

lol. lol. chuckle

[@Podcastage]

😃

[@KenTheSteak]

I hope he realise most people only need 1 mic and we come back for the personality, me personally just like the box and sticker abuse

[@mountainhobo]

Boy, this mic is unpleasant sounding with speech, to the point of being irritating. The only scenario where it was tolerable was on top of the monitor (at 5:08). Even CAD U1 was way better.

[@bulka5305]

It cost now 70€ 😢

[@Podcastage]

Dang that shot up in price and that is disappointing.

[@graysonpeddie]

0:55 No USB-C!? C'mon Samson!!! It's 2023 already! Oh, wait a minute. Given the comments, this must be a re-review. Never mind.

[@Podcastage]

This apparently came out in 2011. The reason they can sell it so cheap is likely because they haven’t upgraded anything.

[@Somoonie]

i made the likes 420 😌

[@vaporizer1000]

Sorry man but it is trash compere to previous mic

[@Podcastage]

The mic won't be for everyone. I include the samples so you can develop your own opinion on it and you don't have to take my word for it or even listen to my opinion. For $35, I still think it's pretty crazy the sound quality you're getting. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on it.

[@monstruoperro]

That was my first microphone. I thought it was amazing. Then I bought an Audio-Technica ATR2500 and that mic proved me I was wrong. Nowadays you got better mics on a celular phone than this Go Mic.

[@leledumbo]

With 3-5x the price, if it's not any better, you better throw it in a garbage pail. This mic is still great for its price. I don't think many cell phones have better mics, maybe some top tier flagships with price over $1000 yes, but not the rest.

[@Sherolox]

I can tell you that even today, most smartphone mics don't sound nearly as good as the Samson Go. They tend to sound a lot more compressed, grainy and possess bass responses I could only describe as awkward, especially for voice.

[@Kevinfordsynthesizers]

I had an urgent radio commercial voiceover job yesterday while away from my studio on holiday. I had no option but to use my Go Mic which I keep in the pocket of my iPad cover and recorded under a duvet.. The producer emailed back and said ‘that’s great, thanks.’ I can confirm the Go Mic is hugely sensitive to knocks, duvet rustle and cable touching and I had to use a sock to protect against plosives, but it did the job and as a professional voiceover that’s good enough for me.

[@Podcastage]

Really amazing story, thank you for sharing. Just goes to show that most times we just need our audio to be good enough.

[@Kevinfordsynthesizers]

@@Podcastage thank you indeed sir. My booth mic is the LA220 that I bought based upon your recommendation some time ago. I’m an English voice over for my sins but somehow have been heard on a US radio commercial for farm machinery in Kentucky and a PBS play about Mozart.. Keep up your entertaining and superbly researched work!

[@Alexandra-Rex]

I bought this microphone for some friends using terrible headsets that had no interest in changing cause "it sounded fine" whilst it didn't. It was a huge change, until they stopped using it.

[@hxhdfjifzirstc894]

Learning how to 'hear' in the technical aspect, is a skill developed over time. For example, when I first started listening to music, I only got a general sense of the overall melody... it takes practice to learn to pick out every instrument individually, etc.

[@RoganGunn]

@@hxhdfjifzirstc894 While what you say is absolutely true, and I agree 100%, I think the OP is referring to people's mic quality using headsets. It 'sounds fine' to them because they don't have to listen to their own awful mic quality. This is a struggle I am currently experiencing with people using wireless headsets on Discord... 😓😅

[@Touma134]

@@hxhdfjifzirstc894 There is being trained for something and being deaf. My hearing is annihilated with me missing 70db last checked on my right ear and probably 50-60 on my left in pretty crucial areas and I can tell bad from good mic quality. Some people just don't care it seems.

[@muramusan]

I had this mic for 4 yrs and every one always said how clear and good it sounded the best budget mic ever 🎉 gave it to my mom 👌 I'm using a Samson gtrack pro now love there fair prices and quality 💯

[@SgtStevePH]

A Podcastage review video in 4K? Unpossible!

[@joshplaysdrums2143]

I picked this mic up a decade ago to start very basic music recording, now I still use it for zoom and teams calls, still works great!!

[@mbk337]

It's great to hear this one again, thanks Bandrew. The sound is pretty solid, but the background noise, plosives, and other extraneous noise set this thing back too far. Q2U is a better option, imho - even if you have to use the included desk stand.

[@DapperDanLovesYou]

Happy to see you revisiting this microphone so many years later! I've always loved the GO Mic as a quick-and-easy upgrade for people who just need “better audio at a reasonable price”

[@DarkPa1adin]

You slimed down a lot. What happened?

[@BoReynolds]

Buddy, did you lose a bunch of weight? Don't get me wrong, ya look great! I just hope you're in great health. Great video as always! Bo

[@Junee1]

I actually bought this in 2017 after seeing your review and I’m still using it to this day even though I no longer use a laptop. My biggest problem has been how easily it picks up keyboard and desk noises like shown in the video but it is something I can live with and I don’t really need an upgrade since I just use it for discord calls.

[@TheZelvan]

You can use software to remove background noise. I use stealseries sonar to remove the background noise plus it has other fun tools.

[@AlaDdin199]

Isn't that a good thing ...meaning high sensitivity?

[@TheZelvan]

@​ @علاء الدين Depends what youre after. What you want is to isolate what you're trying to record. If you want a voice/vocal recording you don't want to hear typing and fans in the background.

[@vloggingpractice8077]

They should make version with 24 bit, 48 kHz for pro vocals recording!

[@Obssy]

Congratulations on the weight loss! You look great!

[@DailyTechNews.mp4]

DAMM, what a deal of a mic; shame they didn't update it with type-c

[@neyako]

it’s me or Bandrew is a bit thinner than before?

[@garethswindail-parry]

Brilliant review. I just picked up one for £12 as a grab-in-case-of-emergency mic to carry with my mac at all times for when I'm working in theatre and need to record something I'm unprepared for. Not the best mic but perfect for a beginner, brilliantly portable and very usable in a pinch.

[@DrRusty5]

I just picked one up for roughly the same price, new in unopened box. I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to use it for, but it's definitely worth having in my pocket for such a small cost.

[@JasonRasmussen]

UGH, the Blue mics are horrid! So nasally, hissy, harsh and devoid of texture. Seriously, for the price size and performance the Samson Go is a great performer. My inlaws use it for Zoom and they sound great.

[@Podcastage]

Yeah the Go Mic is surprising of the price.

[@seanarguelles]

As someone else commented, we need the review of the Samson satellite to complete the Samson USB range!

[@b0ss__li]

Seeing podcastage in 4K is like a newborn baby seeing the world for the first time🥺✨

[@b3naqua]

life feels different now 🙏🏼

[@ThePlasticSmoothie]

I used this one for years until it didn't fit my situation anymore (shared home office/gaming room with SO, as opposed to living alone). It now lives in my work bag and gets brought out as a videoconference microphone so often, ESPECIALLY for its omni mode. Can just put it down in the middle of a table and the people at home can follow the people at the office without any issues. I plan on using it for dnd sessions too to allow someone to join virtually.

[@Podcastage]

It's always awesome to hear that people get their money worth out of the gear they buy. It makes me so happy to see that. Glad you've gotten so much use out of it so far, and continue to as well. Happy recording.

[@cursedvoid]

the samson go is so adorable though, im getting that same feeling that you get when you see a puppy and you just wanna squeeze it.

[@citizenstrife]

The Yeti Snowball: The perfect microphone to disguise as a Magic 8 Ball at parties.

[@SullySadface]

What the hell, that thing sounds way too good for something the size of a credit card.

[@margagomezcomedy]

A couple of theater companies sent the casts these mics when we did virtual plays.

[@peteytwofinger]

my hatred for the blue snowball is not to be underestimated . i paid 3 doolars for mine at resale and it remains a significant life regret .

[@mexidraw]

OMG this mic was released in 2011 😯

[@ThatLazyyGuy]

God I love revisiting this video to watch the plosive test. It’s so entertaining!

[@Podcastage]

Thanks for rewatching it, I really appreciate it.

[@Acenis]

Mine had bad hissing problem, hated it.

[@imjustsomeguy]

Same. I’m really surprised how low his noise floor is. Even in a quiet room, mine sounds like there is a fan running in the background

[@Skygge.]

Bandrew, what's going on with you? You've lost a lot of weight! :D

[@ToxicTeacherTTV]

Good God why does this sound better than my Wave 3 lol.

[@TheHypeCom]

Damn Bandrew, I just noticed you lost some weight. Looking good!

[@Static_Age]

I came for the review, stayed for the U87 comparison!

[@no-yj2cf]

I still have this mic. It was the first mic I made decent recordings with when I started out

[@Podcastage]

It just does the job and it's incredibly affordable. Glad it worked out for you.

[@thethirdrailchannel]

Neumann has met its match!

[@Apache-Bro]

Hmm, that Go-Mic is giving the U87 a run for its money. Jokes aside, it may not be common but I had a Go-Mic a couple of years back and it randomly died on me. But it is a nice little mic that you can fit in your pocket for on-the-go recording purposes.

[@gamersungyoutube1468]

I noticed that too! U87 was scared a little

[@collcatillwill]

Go mic is good 👍🏽

[@Podcastage]

Agreed. It's surprising how it sounds for the price.

[@Mr.-J-2024]

I loved my Go Mic until it just decided to die on me. What's that? Worked one day, next day...dead. Never had a mic just die for no reason. Sorry Samson, but not buying another of your products, as your quallity now for me is questionable.

[@IvarsI]

This is a very nice sounding little microphone, especially for voice

[@Corklops]

Come for the mic reviews, stay for the improv songs in every video. I was laughing way too hard while you tried your best not to laugh about wishing our moms well

[@Mario543212]

I don't even need a microphone neither am I a big audio "nerd" but your videos are just chill and fun to watch. Keep it up!

[@Podcastage]

Thank you so much Mario, that really means a lot to me. Hope you continue to enjoy them. Have a great weekend, and don't work too hard.

[@matteo.veraldi]

Would you recommend this mic to record spoken voice outside? Like in a cafe for instance

[@mypal1990]

The best mic for better quality audio in a conference call. It does the job!

[@hxhdfjifzirstc894]

It sounds good for the price, LOL. And say hi to your mom, for me.

[@erikarabie]

Song sounds like the intro to Melrose Place 😂

[@dudebro777]

Is this even better than the Samson Meteor?

[@thijmen2424]

where would you still get it for 33 dollars tho???

[@finickyfoxx]

Bandrew so violent.

[@mrterrillo]

This is how you review a mic 🎙️ ✅

[@crazyBloodmonkey]

surprised the meteor mic didn't get into the comparison but maybe you already did that video. or they sounded about the same.

[@AOEN]

Do you still have your merch store. I saw a link under your video but it doesnt seem to work.

[@Podcastage]

I don't have merch available currently.

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

I have a small Sony Recorder, actually was pretty good however it suddenly stopped working and I dont know why and it's a problem.

[@therealmosthated]

Is it just me or did you lose a lotta wight

[@Podcastage]

I've been working on it. Thanks for noticing.