Samson invented the USB microphone. And the Samson C01U was their original USB mic. Then more recently they upgraded it. Made it much less noisy, and added a much needed headphone port. This is a detailed review of the Samson C01U Pro.
Compare it to all the other best selling USB mics in our ultimate guide to USB microphones.
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Samson C01U Pro Features
Mic: Samson C01U Pro USB Microphone with Headphone Amp
Type: Large Diaphragm condenser
Pickup Pattern: Supercardioid
Dual Format: No
Headphone Port: Yes
Accessories: Tripod Desktop Stand with swivel mount
Recording Resolution: 16-bit, 44.1/48kHz
Frequency Response: Smooth, flat frequency response of 20Hz–20kHz
Additional Features: n/a
Pros: Inexpensive, very solid high quality feel, the original USB Mic, now improved with headphone port
Cons: Still a little bit noisy
Buy: Buy Samson C01U Pro USB Mic on Amazon
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The Samson C01U Pro Mic In More Detail
Value For Money: The C01U was the original USB microphone. In this newer format it represents great value for money. A robust condenser microphone with built-in headphone port and a nice desktop stand. The mic has a very solid ‘pro’ feel.
Recording Music: This is the USB version of the Samson C01 microphone – a very popular studio condenser microphone. But with the USB version, you don’t need any additional equipment to connect it to your computer or tablet. The later of addition of the headphone socket really improved the overall usefulness of the C01U. This may seem like an insignificant feature, but if you try to record voiceovers without headphones you will soon discover that being able to direct-monitor is almost essential. As well as audio production, the C01U Pro works very well for gaming, Zoom and Skype, where you want to interact with others.
Podasting: The Samson C01U makes an excellent podcasting microphone. Easy to use, and the voice recordings will sound professional compared to your computer’s built in microphone.
How To Use And Install: The C01U Mic is a condenser microphone, so it will make a very fair job of recording guitar and other acoustic instruments. If you download the manual for the microphone then you will find sections on how to use it to record: piano; acoustic guitar; vocals; and overhead drum kit. You will also find details on how to install the mic and set it up. It is basically very simple, as the microphone just plugs and plays.
Platform: We have tested the C01U on iPad, Mac and PC, it works well on all of them. On PC and Mac you simply connect to an existing USB port. On iPad you will need a USB adapter and then you will find it is automatically recognised.
On The Road: USB mics are ideal to take with you, so you can make a professional sounding voice recording on the go, without having to transport lots of gear. Just plug in and go.
Buy: Follow this link to buy the C01U at Amazon.