Description
The Samson Q2U USB / XLR Microphone combines the convenience of digital and analog audio capture into one dynamic microphone. With XLR and USB outputs, the Q2U is the first choice for home/studio and mobile recording, as well as stage performance. The Q2U is simple to setup and outshines microphones that cost more than twice the price. It comes with a mic clip, desktop tripod stand with extension piece, windscreen, XLR cable and USB cable. . . A package with everything you need to start recording right out of the box.
From the manufacturer
Best of Both Worlds
Samson Q2U meets both your digital and analog audio reproduction needs in one convenient package, including the mic itself and all the accessories you need to start recording right out of the gate. The Q2U dynamic handheld microphone features both XLR and USB outputs, making it ideal for home/studio and mobile recording, as well as stage performance. The mic’s cardioid (unidirectional) pickup pattern, high-quality A/D converter with a 16-bit, 48kHz sampling rate and 50Hz–15kHz frequency response ensure that the audio captured on stage, in studio or on the go is clear, detailed and accurate. It’s also compatible with most computer based digital audio workstations, so your recordings can be developed with enhanced control and functionality.
Connect. Communicate. Create.
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Easy To Use, EverywhereDelivering high-quality audio effortlessly with minimal setup, the Q2U is an ideal choice whether you’re on stage, in the studio or on the go. It offers plug-and-play operation with no driver installation, and even works with iPhones and iPads via Apple’s Lightning to USB Camera Adapter or Android devices via a Host OTG cable. |
Go All OutThe Q2U can be connected directly to your computer or mobile device via it’s USB output, or plugged directly into a mixer or audio interface using the XLR output. It also features a 1/8″ (3.5mm) headphone output for monitoring captured audio, as well as the audio from your computer. |
All AccessoriesIn addition to the mic itself, the Q2U Recording and Podcasting Pack comes complete with everything you need to start recording, including a mic clip, desktop tripod stand, tripod stand extension, 2.25m USB cable and 3m XLR cable. |
Features
- USB/XLR handheld dynamic microphone
- USB output for connecting to any Mac, Windows PC or Chromebook
- XLR analog output for connecting to any mixer or PA system
- On/Off switch controls both USB and XLR
- 1/8″ stereo headphone output with level control for zero-latency monitoring
- Dual-color Power/Clip LED
- USB bus powered via Mac, PC or iPad, plug-and-play, no driver installation required
- Includes mic clip, tripod stand, tripod stand extension, USB cable and XLR cable
Terry –
Noisy little fella that is sensitive to interferenceTLDR; for spoken word, live performances, and YouTube recordings, it makes no sense to buy a more responsive mic. Plus the dual output function makes this much super handy. For recording Adelle in a studio, look elsewhere.Sensitive to interference with both USB and XLR. If you can get rid of the hiss and hum from certain electronics (mine hates my monitor), this guy sounds really good. It rejects of axis and background noises impressively well. The included XLR cables are above average and impressive (and long) at this price. The included pop filter is a plus, though not a huge necessity as it handles plosives respectably.The stand is a joke, but the included 4″ boom section comes in handy around the studio. It does work. The shock mount is adequate. The USB cable is too short if routing along a boom arm, so pick up a longer one.Small nit picks:There is a strange equatorial channel that a rubber band sits in. I don’t know if it’s as bumper, or is there to hold on the screen, but it comes off way to easy. Maybe if you replaced it with an actual o ring it would be useful.I would trade in the stand (and pop filter/wind screen) for a decent case or pouch.Pros: The dual functionality is a winner and a no brainer. This guy pulls multiple duties for content creators with it’s dual output capability. It would be totally adequate for singers and bands on a budget. It’s good enough to shape it or EQ how you want it to sound. Who’s doesn’t EQ anyway? Nobody would notice any shortcomings in a live setting-meaning it won’t sound cheap. It will sound good if you do. It is great for spoken word, voice overs, podcasts, etc. By the time YouTube squeezes it through it’s processing, you won’t hear a difference between this and an expensive mic for spoken word. You tube compression algorithm-the great equalizer for budget enthusiasts!The dynamic aspect makes using it in non ideally spaces easy. Of course this isn’t a world class mic, but like in all things in life (especially audio) you are close to the level of ever diminishing returns here (for dynamic mics). It would be a good by being just USB, it just XLR, but both is a steal! Very sturdy to boot. I don’t handle it much, but handling noise seems well controlled. I’m not sure what mic likes being handled… I’m sure they are out there for broadcasters.The no lag monitoring works great. I have low impedance headphones for so i can’t say how well it drives high impedance cans. That’s why i monitor with low impedance cans -no amp needed! I used to pay extra for performance, now i pay extra (or less) for simplicity and portability. I haven’t checked the frequency response for micing instruments, but i doubt this is a good mic for that. It doesn’t seem bright enough.Of course this isn’t a condenser mic-which could be good or bad. So pick it for your use case.
London Constable –
Best dynamic microphone that doesn’t require a interface!This mic is extremely good for the price! Just a quick warning your going to have to sit very close to the mic for it to pick it up. If you need a microphone that picks up a wide area I recommend a condenser microphone. This mic is perfect for budget content creators, streamers, and podcasters. It’s a very crisp clear microphone. Highly recommend!
Ryan –
Works great for personal useCheap and affordable, dynamic microphone. I recommend dynamic over condenser microphones for personal use like chatting with friends in your room. My condenser mic would pick up way too much background noise, where as this dynamic is much better at only capturing my voice. For the price too, it’s a great option with usb so it’s easy to connect and use right out of the box with your pc.
Paul –
Great entry level dynamic microphoneBeen using for ~1 month and its been great so far. Very clear sounding even when only connected through USB.Came with an XLR cable, little mic stand, and a pop filter which are all super convenient, and good value for the sale price I got it at.It’s a dynamic microphone so having it close to your mouth is ideal.
Astro –
A very good microphone, exactly as it is described. 100 percent worth your money.A very good microphone, exactly as it is described. 100 percent worth your money. You wouldn’t have any doubts after buying, take it for granted from someone who has had problems with microphones catching background noises. One last thing which I would recommend is that if you’re a Nivida user then use the mic with Nividia RTX Voice or the broadcast version so you compress the noise even further.
Latoya Thom –
Perfect!Aw man! i love this mic. Perfect weight, Perfect sound quality, Perfect price…just Perfect! I just plug it into my iMac with the usd-usbc adapter and it works….Perfectly!
SPYKER –
Sounds great and is excellent value, but does have a quirkTL;DR: Excellent sound quality, requires some additional peripherals and you may need to adjust your speaking habits. You may experience a hardware quirk. Research how you plan to use it before buying.** Note 1/31/2021 **Amazon deprecated the review commenting functionality and there were a lot useful comments/responses on this review: In short, there is a firmware update on the Samson website that corrects the issue I noted at the bottom of my review. An alternative solution to the firmware is using hardware (a usb HUB with physical switches). Note that their website ‘samsontech’ lacks an SSL certificate so its still not HTTPS–in 2021; as a result, Chrome users will get a not secure indication at the top of the page. It’s also a very quick and dirty MFC app that updates the firmware–you’ll see what I mean when/if you decide to use it.The microphone itself is of excellent value. When I compare the sound quality from my current recordings to past recordings with alternative microphones I’ve used, the Samson Q2U definitely sounds the most “professional” while being in the same price range as my two other microphones (the Blue Snowball and Antlion ModMic 5). By “professional”, I describe this as my voice sounds very clear, natural and detailed (voice sounds fuller and doesn’t seem like I’m speaking through a tin can), and there is virtually no background noise.My setup for the Samson Q2U is the microphone along with a ‘NEEWER Adjustable Boom Arm’ to hold the mic. The Q2U sports a 3.5mm audio port on the bottom. The port is a nice touch since I have two wide monitors and my desktop itself sits on the right side, while my main monitor (along with the Mic) is on the left side. It saves me the trouble of dealing with an additional long headphone cable on top of a long USB cable (for the mic).The Q2U is a dynamic microphone so it typically only picks up loud noises. Regardless, I still run it with low gain to further reduce background noise (such as mechanical keyboard pummeling and furious mouse clicking). This requires me to speak directly into the microphone in order to be picked up clearly–as a person who is naturally soft spoken and moves around a lot, I needed to project my voice more and be diligent at staying centered in front of the mic.In terms of sound quality, the Snowball and Q2U were the closest, however the Snowball, in contrast to the Q2U, is a condenser microphone and picked up a lot more background noise. Reducing the gain on the Snowball required me to move closer to it (the stand it comes with is short so I had to lean into it), and doing so also meant I had to get a pop filter. The Snowball is also heavier than the Q2U (and is top heavy because of its form factor). Placing it in front of my keyboard/mouse meant accidentally knocking it over at times. I could have use the Snowball along with a boom arm, but its form factor along with the pop filter made it a little bit too obtrusive for my taste. The Q2U also comes with a stand but is not top heavy so it is more stable.The Antlion ModMic is probably my favorite because it doesn’t require a boom arm or a microphone stand that may get in your way. Unfortunately the sound quality of the modmic is marginally better than microphones you’d find on gaming headsets (I’ve used the Razer Carcharias and Steel Series Siberia V2). Headset microphones typically make your voice sound tinny and almost ‘phone like’.My only gripe with the Samson Q2U is that there is a strange problem with the device (otherwise I’d get five stars): Upon booting up my computer, the microphone’s power indicator flashes red and green rapidly and will continue doing so indefinitely. While it is flashing, the microphone is unusable–the microphone will output static. In order to address this, I have to unplug and reinsert the USB cable every time I power cycle my computer. This is a known issue with the microphone and appears to have been reported in other reviews and forum posts on the internet as well, but does not appear to have an official solution. Do note, however, that the issue seems to be present on other USB microphones as well. For reference my motherboard is an ASRock AB350 ITX motherboard.
Joe Elizondo –
I love this mic!!I’ve bought four of these microphones for my podcast. I love the recording quality! Very professional! Highly recommend this mic!!
Aaron –
Amazing!I wanted to up my sound quality from a standard headset mic, and this was the way to go! As soon as I hopped into Discord with friends everyone instantly was like, “Wow did you get a new mic?” “You sound great”. My Youtube voice overs sound so much better now. Best of all, it’s just right out of the mic. I do not use any filters, or software settings, just plug it an and go. Very happy with this product, been using it for months now daily with no issues.
gal tzhayek –
great sound, plug and play – amazing!i feared the low price will mean low quality – but it’s great