Description
Blue Sona Active Dynamic XLR Broadcast Microphone Blue Sona reinvents the traditional broadcast microphone with advanced tech and a creator-first design that delivers professional-level results for streaming and content creation. With an advanced dual-diaphragm dynamic capsule, Blue Sona captures superb detail while minimizing noise and vibration for clear and powerful broadcast sound. Logitech’s proprietary ClearAmp active preamp provides a powerful +25dB gain boost for clean, transparent sound right out of the box. A flexible 290-degree swivel mount gives you the freedom to place your mic wherever you want it and optimize your desktop setup for any streaming or recording configuration. Tailor-made to look great on camera, Sona features a sleek design with swappable windscreens in 2 vibrant colors. Optimize your sound for any voice or environment with four versatile EQ settings, custom-tuned by Blue’s top audio engineers for professional on-stream sound. Capture clear, detailed sound that’s free from distracting background noise using a narrow supercardioid pickup pattern that focuses on just your voice. Product details: System requirements: Audio interface and XLR cable sold separately +48V phantom power required Package contents: Blue Sona Active-Dynamic XLR Microphone, Additional Windscreen, 3/8” Mic Stand Adapter, Quick Start Guide
From the manufacturer
Jesus Beltran Alvarez –
Absolutely fantastic!I love this microphone, there really isn’t a whole ton to dislike about it. The sound quality is phenomenal, I often forget whether I’m using the Sona or my MV7X it’s THAT good. I am a huge fan of the look of the mic, it might be silly, but it does give the impression of a professional studio microphone. Setup was straightforward for the most part, though it was strange that 48V phantom power is a requirement on a dynamic mic. This mic doesn’t need a really beefy preamp in order to drive, as I was able to get away with some cheaper equipment like my Behringer UM2, UMC22, and UMC202, as well as my Maonocaster E2. I have to make a lot of video calls and conferences, as well as doing commentary for events and my own content, and I think the Sona sounds fantastic. I don’t really use the presence setting and I use the mic completely stock and it still manages to sound great, really what’s setting this mic up for failure is the extremely high price. This is quite standard of Logitech (And Blue), but it’s really disappointing to see such a good mic being ruined by such a high price tag, if you don’t mind the objectively bad value, you can’t go wrong with this mic.
FazMan –
Very Impressive …Not much to say other than this thing works great, looks great and most importantly, sounds great
Stone –
A Premium Mic 🎤The media could not be loaded.
I made a simple unboxing video. The packaging feels premium along with the build of the entire mic. XLR mics are pretty standard for high quality sound which makes this feel like Logitech’s way into the premium sound market with everyone competing over which mic sounds the best in comparison to their USB models. It’s a pretty mic and sound comes through clean, but your overall opinion will mostly depend on if you have the appropriate XLR equipment in order to power the mic and tweak your sound settings to get the desired quality sound you seek. If you’re looking to stream as a gamer this would suffice with its ergonomic design that attaches well to a microphone boom arm and can be angled appropriately for the best viewing /sound capture while recording. This mic package definitely meets the premium microphone standard, but there are other mics out there that have been doing XLR for much longer and if the price point is what you’re more concerned with then it might benefit you to save up a little more and get what you really want that has been proven to be a mic that is industry standard.
K.L. –
Produces great soundThis is the first high quality mic I’ve used, so I don’t have a lot to compare it to, but it blows away any audio recording I’ve done on other devices. I spend a lot of of time in video meetings/chats, and so I have decent headsets. However, when I used the Logitech Blue Sona instead, I was told that everything was so much clearer, and that it was almost like I was there with them.Given that I’m new to XLR mics, I didn’t realize the extra things I would need for this to work. Once I opened the box, I discovered that I had no way to connect this magnificent device, so I did a little more research (which I should have done in the first place). This is not a usb device, so I had to get a compatible cable (XLR female to 1/4 male) and an audio interface. And while it’s not required for the mic to function, I also picked up a boom arm stand to hold the mic. Since it doesn’t come with any sort of stand or handle, it would be difficult to use without something to secure it. Once I got everything set, the mic worked beautifully.Bottom line, if you want a mic with excellent sound, the Logitech Blue Sona packs a punch. Just keep in mind that if you don’t already have the needed audio accessories, you will need to make some additional purchases to get it to work.
RH. –
I really wanted to 5 star this mic…The XLR mic landscape focusing on vocal/podcast needs continues to grow, and Logitech has delivered a really nice mic for livestreaming/content creators who want a solid mic that looks great!The problem is the price vs function, where here you’re likely really paying more for the “flash” over effective performance increases. Side note, the ambient noise cutter (the mic has a feature which helps reduce ambient/background noise – basically a form of active noise canceling) works well, but really feels more like a dynamic noise gate at times.Don’t get me wrong, this mic is a beast for vocal presentation, has on-mic switches for both “presence” and base cutting functions (think of it as a base-tone gate) and works/sounds great even with less expensive audio interfaces/workstations. As noted before, it even has a noise reduction feature that can reduce some background noises really well, without needing to configure your setup with additional noise gates, balancing odd gain/volume levels, etc..Looks-wise, the mic has a streamlined and clean presentation, includes 2 screens/pop-filters (black and red), and will look great for a lot of on-camera content creators. It’s the functionality (at this price point) where the mic might not be the most cost effective choice.For performance, the audio is clean, but it’s not really any better than the Shure SM58 (this is going to be down to your personal tone perception/preferences) out of the box, and even with hardware/DAW adjustments, I’m not really finding a performance range where it stands out over some of the lower cost/comparable mics of “premium” brands like Shure (ex. SM58) or Rode (ex. Podcaster or PodMic).That said, it does look great and if you’re looking for an on-camera mic that works well and still has a good presentation, this one might be a good fit, but potentially at a premium price point.
Ryan M. Groat –
Good ValueAre you looking for an XLR microphone that compares favorably to the likes of the Shure SM-7B and Electro Voice RE-20 while coming in at a lower price point? Are you looking for a microphone that arguably looks more stylish than those on camera? If so, I think you should consider the Logitech Blue Sona. Let’s start off with an overview of the microphone before moving on to a comparison between several popular options.The first thing you will notice about the microphone is the “rectangle with rounded edges” styling. I personally think this feels more modern than many other microphones but you’re free to disagree. The body is made entirely of metal and feels solid. The matte black finish is well done. The mounting solution seems nice and sturdy. One thing to take note of with the mount – the joint between the screw attachment and the rest of the mount pivots freely and without tension. I find that it stays put where I leave it for the most part but know that a taught XLR cable will swing it back. There is a magnetic cover on the back of the mic that lets you toggle both a low cut filter (to cut the lowest bass notes out of your voice) and a presence boost (which raises the mid notes in your voice). It’s nice that these are easily accessible to make changes but hidden away, as these are mostly set and forget. The wind screens (you receive both a black and a red one) are magnetic and take just a few seconds to swap out.The microphone has a preamp built in, which is a great feature. As a result, the amount of gain you need is much less than it would otherwise be. There’s an internal “shock mount”, which seems to be a rubber gasket that helps absorb vibrations between the body and the mic capsule. In testing, I’d say that this doesn’t work quite as well as a full-on shock mount but is leagues better than no dampening at all. To my ears, the microphone sounds great. My voice sounds rich and the low cut filter really helps get rid of the boominess that comes through without it. Getting very close to the mic gives a proximity effect if that’s your thing and the extra gain from the built in preamp gives you a little more flexibility in terms of how far to position the mic away from you. I don’t think most folks will need anything better than this. I’ll leave the nitty gritty sound comparisons to the youtube channels set up to do that kind of thing.Now onto some price comparisons. How does the Sona compare to popular alternatives? The Sona comes in at $350. Perhaps the most popular dynamic mic on the market now is the Shure SM-7B, which retails for $400. The Shure is known for being hard to drive, though, and needs a lot of gain. This leads to the recommendation by many to pick up an inline amp like a Cloudlifter which will run you another $100 or so. The Shure, similar to this Logitech mic, has internal shock mounting. How about the Electro Voice RE-20? That one retails for $450 and needs less gain so you might be able to get away without a preamp. However, it does not come with any kind of shock absorption. The RE-20 shock mount, although incredibly nice, is an additional $100. I’d personally make the argument that the Logitech mic looks better on camera than the other two as well, although that’s a subjective opinion.I wasn’t sure where to put this but it wasn’t called out specifically on the product page for beginners – this is an XLR microphone, meaning it will not plug directly into your computer. You will need an audio interface with an XLR port to connect to your computer.
WP Abbott –
Simple, quality productWhile this microphone is very good, the price itself is what brings it down. I’m also not a big fan of the shape. I like a dynamic microphone to look like a fairly typical microphone. You can definitely tell that they were trying to create something to compete with Rhodes here.Everything was easy to set up, though it was interesting to me because I’ve never seen a dynamic mic that needed 48v phantom power. Otherwise, it was just like anything else. If you’re thinking of getting this, keep in mind that you will need a preamp in order to use it, so that you can have that phantom power I mentioned.I don’t really have much else to say about it. I tested it with speech and with singing and both sounded fantastic. The quality is there, but the price is just a bit much in my mind. I won’t tell anyone not to get this microphone, it really is quite good, but I would suggest maybe waiting for a sale.
J. Fuchs –
Looks and sounds great for streaming and recordingI am new to the world of modern condenser mics but needed one for guest streaming and for recording demo vocals. There are others who can offer better comparisons (for instance to Shure mics), but here are my thoughts as a relative newbie:First, you’ll need an XLR cable if you want to connect the mic to an audio interface. You’ll also need a desk or floor stand to attach the mic to as it doesn’t come with one and it’s not even a style of mic you can just hold.After you get what you need, the mic is very easy to plug in. It comes with a fitted and attractive black pop guard already attached. A second, red, pop guard is included in a small box. You can easily find audio diagrams on the internet that show you the best way to position this mic.The mic only has two adjustments. They are on the back of the microphone, hidden underneath a clever and easy to remove and replace magnetic cover.The first is the bass cut, which can make deeper voices sound more natural during streaming. The second is a “presence” switch, which boosts midrange and can help fill out voices that don’t have a lot of bottom.The mic also contains an external shockmount. If you have a very wobbly desk, it won’t replace an actual shockmount, but if the only vibrations come from you typing on a keyboard or setting down a coffee cup, it works quite well.Finally, this mic is super attractive. If you are on-camera with it, you will instantly look more professional.
WES –
Looks great but………….Simply not on the SM7B level. Great features but it’s missing some low end punch that the SM7B has out of the box. Spend the extra $50 and get the Shure SM7B
John McPhee –
Blue Sona is Worthy Competition for the Shure SM7B and OthersLogitech’s new Blue Sona XLR mic ($349) has a lot going for it: exceptional looks, great sound, easy setup, an internal shock mount, vocal tone adjustments, and an innovative, money saving, internal pre-amp to boost the signal strength without sacrificing clean, clear vocal sound. Its audio quality, features, and clean, clear broadcasting performance make it well worth your consideration against the best out there in this price range. That is high praise considering the competition includes excellent microphones like the Shure SM7B ($399), the Electro-Voice RE20-BLACK Dynamic Broadcast Announcer Microphone ($449), and the Earthworks ETHOS Condenser Broadcast Microphone ($399). In terms of value, Blue Sona’s price right now is $50 – $100 less than the rest in my list. There are even bigger savings resulting from Blue Sona including an internal pre-amp, its “Clear/Amp +25dB Active Pre-Amp” which needs + 48V phantum power. Assuming you already have one of several USB Audio Interfaces, you should that feature already. If you buy the Shure SM7B you will need to purchase an accessory to provide gain like the very popular Cloudlifter C-1 which costs about $150. Blue Sona’s lower price and internal pre-amp make the Blue Sona’s total price $200 less than the popular Shure SM7B. Just remember with the Blue Sona does not come with an XLR cable. If you are just starting to put together podcasting gear right now would be a good time to make a comprehensive list and budget because you will still need more things such as a boom arm to mount your mic, USB Audio Interface, appropriate headphone, DAW, video lighting, video recording device and more.You would be well served by any of these professional level products. They do not all sound the same to me but those differences do not make it easy to call one better than the others. Everyone will have personal preferences. After all, these are subjective matters. Your voice will likely sound better to you with one more than the others. By better, I mean more flattering. Other things that will affect your sound quality include mic placement, furniture location and anything else that reflects sound that introduces problems. Lastly, experiment with speaking at different distances that are close to this mic. Record the tests. Notice the changes in characteristics of the resulting slound. Get as close as a couple of inches. The details matter.Good broadcasting vocals depend upon what sounds it captures and what it blocks out. Your studio or room accoustics also contributes to both. You want the best vocal reproduction you can afford and that includes reducing background noise that could add noise as well as distortion that can distract your audience. The goal of Blue Sona’s “Dual-Diaphragm Dynamic Capsule” feature is to promote audio that is clear and natural, preserves the tone, and complements your particular voice. Sometimes this requires trial and error testing to assess the customizable options each mic offers. All the above four will do the job well. In the case of Blue Sona that includes options that can enhance the lower tones, bass cutoff, and higher-end, presence. This feature, the “EQ Switches” are easily assessed by removing the magnetic door on the end of the mic and experimenting with each option as well as without them.If your budget makes getting any of these difficult right now you can look for these mics used or consider some very good, less expensive alternatives in the $100 to $250 range. For example, the Shure SM58 Cardioid Dynamic mic usually costs $100 or so. It is available with or without an off/on switch. Another option is getting it as part of Shure’s Stage Kit bundle on Amazon for as little as $129: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WMTTV1S/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&th=1If you like researching and looking for sales, you can find more good options for less expensive broadcast and podcasting mics. One that can be found new on Amazon for as little as $80 is Logitech’s Blue Yeti which includes: “Yeti Nano mic, custom base with cable management, USB cable, 1/4-inch to 5/8-inch adapter, and Quick Start Guide”. https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Creators-Microphone-Streaming-Computer/dp/B07QLNYBG9?ref_=Oct_DLandingS_D_db5c38c7_61&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DERCardioid dynamic mics tend to be robust so used ones usually are relatively low-risk ventures but each option comes with trade-offs. If you are confident that you need professional level podcasting get the best you can afford. Otherwise inevitably you will need to invest in better mics down the road. However, if you are not sure, choosing a good mic that is less expensive might more sense for you to begin with.If your broadcast includes video then the Blue Sona’s appearance becomes another factor for your consideration. Blue Sona has been designed to appear impressive on camera with its sleek shape, rounded corners, choice of dark and light mic versions, and choice of red or black “Swappable Windscreens.” IMO, its aesthetics are as good or better than its closest competitors. I also like the Shure SM7B’s cylandrical design.I am impressed with Bue Sona’s sound, looks, durable materials and build as well as it features and welcome innovations. The competition I listed is excellent and Blue Sona deserves to be in that esteemed short list. It also offers good value.