Blue Microphones - Yeti USB Microphone

Hey all, need some advice. I cut my demo on my Blue yeti USB mic. I know everyone says you shouldn't use USB mics, so i went out and bought an Audio Technica AT2020 XLR microphone and a Focusrite Solo audio interface to see the difference? Tested it out, and... the audio clips sound exactly the same to me...? Seriously, I dont hear a difference at all. I even hear a background hum in the XLR mic. (I soundproofed my studio the exact same way the last time.) Am I doing something wrong? Edit: Hey so in hindsight, maybe I should've been more clear. I never asked whether the Blue Yeti was better than the XLR. I KNOW an XLR mic is better, which is why I bought one. I was just confused because I got the right kind of equipment but wasn't seeing a difference. Thank you u/[Spriinkletoe](https://www.reddit.com/user/Spriinkletoe/) for the clarity!

I love my blue yeti I’ve had it I think 5 years and it’s still going strong. I think it gives good sound

Depends on your setup. For USB: Blue Yeti or Audio-Technica ATR2100x. For XLR: Shure SM58 or Rode PodMic. I us an ATR2100x with Podcastle AI for podcast editing - . Unless you're doing in-person interviews regularly, start with USB and upgrade later if needed .

Blue Yeti when I'm seated indoors, for portable / wireless lav /outdoor, Rode Wireless. DJI mic is also an excellent choice

I'll put it nicely. When I was podcasting almost a decade ago, Blue Yeti was ideal, I plug it in, talky talk, and I'm DONE, as long as it was in cardioid mode I was set. However, that was perfect for a "I'm just chatting with friends or Monologuing about game shows. It was simple, I could churn out stuff, it even helps with YouTube and Twitch, I'm Gucci. However, XLR and audio Interface is the way to go, even a lower end XLR sounds better than Yeti. And eventually, you want to be committed enough to get "that thousand dollar microphone you know the one" For me, it just picks up everything a bit more sensitively, it makes that cool asmr whisper so much better, you can step back and yell and wake the neighbors, and if done correctly, won't peak or damage the devices. Plus, maybe I'm a little sadistic, I love that sound of a microphone being plugged in? Y'know? I am not a singer, by any means but it just feels "oh, you're about to perform" And it's that little sound cue in the headphones that just helps me enough to perform and act. It's been that way with me. NOW GRANTED, I am currently on USB microphone right now (no time for backstory) and if you're going to use the Yeti, make it for projects that you are putting on your own, NOT something to put on a reel or to audition with, unless UNLESS UNLESS, it's like your friends podcast drama and they just want you in it, and they don't care... Use the Yeti to Practice, then when you're ready, get the XLR. it's like comparing a go kart to your first car....

Yeah, consider how much a phone costs and its primary purpose, especially these days, so they do have great mics. For reaper, you will likely want to eventually drop some coin on an interface and a mic, but currently when you import those files from your phone, Reaper will already let you add eq and effects including compressor and other plug ins, so the field recordings on your phone might be surprisingly viable for quite some time. There are some videos on YouTube about the best usb mics. I would recommend against a Yeti, at least, based on my experience

We used to run Blue Yeti USB, and recently switched to Rode XLR. MASSIVE difference in audio quality, ease of operation, and customization. Not close

Check out this video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E23Vh42EN58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E23Vh42EN58) Personally I would have suggested Blue Yeti Usb mic.

Great post! Seriously, audio really is vital. I highly recommend spending $50-100 on a USB condenser mic (Fefine, Yeti). Inexpensive gaming headsets or laptop mics that cause clipping or plosive pops can be really distracting and instantly limit how much time someone is willing to spend watching your content. If you are trying to get into actual podcasting, where audio is the primary focus, you'll need to start spending more on a Shure SM7B or equivalent, but you will not need anything super serious for YouTube content.

I've used a blue yeti for about five years. Absolutely loved it, I think it's the perfect USB microphone when you know how to use it and how to adjust it with filters and whatnot. This week I'm upgrading to an SM7dB; I got an audio interface for Christmas and finally had the excuse to upgrade. But, I'm keeping my yeti just in case :)