Blue Snowball iCE Condenser Microphone Review
Getting into recording videos these days is fairly cheap. All you need is a basic microphone and some free video recording software and you’re ready to go. Eventually, though, it’s time to up your audio (and video) presentation, and that’s why we’ve taken Blue’s Snowball iCE microphone for a spin.
Be sure to follow along for out thoughts on the microphone below.
Setup
Setting up the Blue Snowball iCE microphone is relatively easy. It’s literally a plug-and-play USB mic. Once you pull it out of the box, you’ll need to attach the stand to the Snowball (the mic), plug the cord in, and then you’re ready to go!
It doesn’t have any software that comes with it, nor is there any type of interface for controlling various levels and settings. However, you can control the volume level in Windows by going into Control Panel > Sound > Microphone and adjusting the volume slider there.
Beyond all of that, once you plug the USB connector into your laptop or PC, you’re ready to start recording! Just make sure that you’ve set it as your recording device in whatever software you’re using.
Overall, I was very pleased with how easy the Snowball iCE was to setup. I was up and ready to go just minutes after receiving the package, and the lack of menus and software wizards to wade through was a nice touch.
Features
One of the neat things about this microphone is the swivel that comes with it. It lets you adjust the microphone in almost any direction, allowing you to properly point it towards what needs to be recorded. That said, it’s perfect for all types of setups, whether you have it sitting next you on a desk, farther back on a desk, below you, or even above you.
Another neat aspect of this microphone is that it will actually work with an iPhone or iPad. All you need is Apple’s Lightning to USB adapter or the USB to 30-pin adapter. Once you have one of those adapters, you should be able to plug in the Snowball iCE as if you were plugging it into a laptop. From there, you can use it with your desired recording software.
One important thing to remember is that this is the Snowball iCE microphone. There’s a slight difference between the Snowball and Snowball iCE. You can see a comparison chart straight from Blue, but most notably, the Snowball iCE doesn’t have dual-microphone capsules, which provide the crystal clear sound we all want. Granted, the Snowball iCE has very clear audio, but the Snowball is even better in a multitude of ways.
While the Snowball is better in some ways, if you’re on a budget, the Snowball iCE is still a great microphone. It’s still leagues better than a default microphone on your computer or even a headset.
Overall, it’s improved the audio of my recordings dramatically. Coming from a headset, it was actually a surprise to see what a difference the iCE would make in quality.
If you’re interested in seeing solid examples, click here for a PCMech video we shot with the aforementioned headset and click here for the video we shot with the Blue Snowball iCE microphone. The difference is staggering.
Closing
One of the main reasons I got this is because of the rave reviews on its crystal clear audio. While it’s not as clear as a professional studio-level mic, it’s certainly many times better than that of a headset, or even the default microphone in your computer. If you’re looking for something decent to partake in Skype conversations or YouTube video recordings, this microphone is for you.
So what about cost? It costs around $60, though the price varies depending on the retailer and what specific discounts are being given out. If you want the better sounding Snowball microphone, you can find it for close to $100 before any discounts or price reductions from whatever retailer you choose to buy it from.
But, in all honesty, $60 isn’t much for the amount of value that comes with the Blue Snowball iCE microphone.
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