Last Updated: November 25, 2018 (Refresh Now)
Blue Snowball iCE Condenser Microphone Cardioid White
Last Updated: November 25, 2018 (Refresh Now)
8.6
SCORE
/10
Total Reviews
999
Old Reviews
43
Unverified
41
Spam Test
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Yes
USB
Review Analysis - 915 recent, verified reviews
Detailed Mode
Sound Quality
199audio, sounds, background noise, noise, picks
+87%
-13%
" ... I use it to talk to my friends when gaming on my computer and it’s extremely clear and crisp sounding. ... "
" ... Good audio quality out of it. ... "
" ... just quality sound. ... "
" ... To see me unbox this and to hear the sound quality you can watch my office tour/blue snowball unboxing on my channel. ... "
" ... The sound quality is great and picks up everything you need it to. ... "
" ... The mic settings and driver settings will require some adjustment to reduce feedback and improve sound clarity. ... Better sound quality no feedback noise ... "
" ... the sounds are rich and professional. ... If you're looking for a mic that you can use for Live streams, podcasts, music and more, you can't go wrong with this one. ... "
" ... This crazy little ball captures sound from far away, and you can still be heard clearly. ... The sound from my recordings are very clear. ... "
Price
113microphone, money, mic, worth, sound quality
+97%
-3%
" ... But at this price range, I really can't complain about it. ... "
" ... The audio quality is amazing and it is great for the price. ... "
" ... Excellent for price ... "
" ... It is a reasonable price honestly with a trusted name, do not hesitate. ... "
" ... It's great for the price. ... "
" ... For the price it is insane. ... But it is still an amazing microphone for the price. ... "
" ... To anyone looking for high quality sound without a $100+ price tag, this is the microphone for you. ... "
" ... Excellent microphone and its reasonable priced. ... "
Call quality
50hear, skype, pick, microphone, discord
+88%
-12%
" ... Pretty good quality, perfect for voice chatting online with discord. ... "
" ... I use it to record as well as for voice chatting. ... "
" ... Sadly it doesn't change your voice to make it sound like your real life voice so you will still sound like a little kid. ... "
" ... Friends can hear me perfectly when i speak ... "
" ... -Picks up a lot of echo ... "
" ... The microphone is amazing for just Spoken Word i tested a song I wrote and it was pretty good but it shines best in spoken word . ... "
" ... Sound quality is good for Youtube videos and voice chat. ... "
" ... get this model if you don't need the Omni directional Voice pickup ... "
Device Compatibility
46pc, windows, mac, windows 10, microphone
+52%
-48%
" ... Just hook it up to your computer. ... "
" ... Works much better on a Mac. ... "
" ... It is completely simple to use (MAC or PC). ... "
" ... I'm using this for my gaming videos on my Mac Mini. ... "
" ... Worked perfectly with GarageBand on my MacBook. ... "
" ... The Snowball is USB only, which makes it easy to connect and start using, though it does lack the extra options that XLR mics have. ... "
" ... On the run, it's probably nice for laptops. ... "
" ... I use it to replace the microphone on my laptop. ... "
Product Reliability
42mic, stopped working, 2 months, fix, died
+33%
-67%
" ... It's a hit or miss if you do, and mine had worked originally, and conked out just last night, and will not work again. ... "
" ... This product stopped working ! ... "
" ... Broke in less than two months of gentle use. ... "
" ... I didn't have a project right away to use the microphone with, so I only noticed the issue a few months after I purchased it when I finally had a reason to use it. ... "
" ... Hopefully without a defective one. ... Will update further when that happens. ... "
" ... Completely lost trust and confidence in Blue Mics. ... "
" ... All of my computers stopped recognizing it after only 2 weeks of use. ... "
" ... UNKNOWN USB DEVICE (Device Descriptor Request Failed) is not working properly. ... So, after days of trying to get this thing to work, I give up. ... "
Ease of Use
38easy, easy to set, setup, set, easy to install
+100%
" ... super easy to setup and produces great results ... "
" ... Easy as plug and play ... "
" ... Easy to set up. ... "
" ... Easy to set up. ... "
" ... It's good for beginners. ... "
" ... We're really pleased with how easy it is to use, the price, quality, and setup. ... "
" ... easy to install, easy to use, high quality for amateur productions. ... "
" ... Overall if you are looking for a simple easy solution for quality audio, this will do just fine ... "
Design
35design, cool, black, desk, build quality
+97%
-3%
" ... Love the look too. ... "
" ... Looks pretty good and sounds nice. ... "
" ... It looks nice on his desk and it is very pro looking. ... "
" ... Now lucky for me, I don't mind it too much, white looks almost as nice as the black, but still, that's a big problem. ... "
" ... I think it looks modern and the price is great for a mic of this high quality. ... "
" ... And it just looks cool! ... "
" ... The design is quite cute - it reminds me of a snowball the size of a grapefruit. ... "
" ... Might look into getting a boom for it ... "
Setup
34setup, plug and play, set, installation, easy to set
+94%
-6%
" ... No additional installation required. ... "
" ... super easy to setup and produces great results ... "
" ... Easy as plug and play ... "
" ... Just plug and play. ... "
" ... Easy to set up. ... "
" ... Easy to set up. ... "
" ... It's not professional, but it will do for the every day man. ... "
" ... I had to play with the options before everything was set. ... "
Build Quality
34sturdy, build quality, microphone, mic, loose
+68%
-32%
" ... I think it will feel sturdy and well made. ... "
" ... I wish the stand could adjust more, but overall it is great. ... "
" ... The build quality of the mic really is top notch, although be sure to get a pop filter with it. ... "
" ... I'd recommend boom stand as the current stand isn't tall enough for my liking . ... "
" ... I hooked it up with an Innogear Arm Stand and it fits perfectly. ... "
" ... I recommend buying the arm stand and pop fliter though mainly the Filter it would make the quality better ... "
" ... Awesome microphone here, really good build quality (even though its plastic). ... "
" ... Decent mic for the money, feels solid, no problems with it yet after using it going on 6 months or so. ... "
For Kids
33loves, grandson, year old, kids, kid
+100%
" ... Sadly it doesn't change your voice to make it sound like your real life voice so you will still sound like a little kid. ... "
" ... My son purchased this for gaming. ... "
" ... Just what m grandson was hoping for, ... "
" ... Great for my sons spanish course he takes at homeschool! ... "
" ... Bought for my son's birthday. ... "
" ... grandson enjoys using it ... "
" ... Son loved it ... "
" ... My Grandson Loves it! ... "
Video Playback
33youtube, video, streaming, recording, record
+94%
-6%
" ... If you're looking for a mic that you can use for Live streams, podcasts, music and more, you can't go wrong with this one. ... "
" ... I use it for my website, recording podcast, and videos. ... "
" ... I searched a ton of help files and forums and YouTube videos before finding a solution other than raising the db rate in post (which means you're also amping up the background white noise, too, yeah!). ... "
" ... The quality of the sound is great for making YouTube videos and GarageBand. ... "
" ... we're not doing any podcast or youtube videos (yet) but with the same budget, we are ready for all of those! ... "
" ... Good for YouTube videos, Twitch LiveStreams, or voice acting! ... "
" ... I make YouTube video with it and record songs. ... "
" ... That's impressive, this thing is worth it people and I do videos all the time for youtube and even my subscribers were like yeahhh you got rid of those annoying background noises. ... "
Gaming
28microphone, game, youtube, skype, gamer
+96%
-4%
" ... bought like two years ago, still using today for games. ... "
" ... It works like a charm for gaming. ... "
" ... My son purchased this for gaming. ... "
" ... No complaints here or on the other end when I am gaming. ... "
" ... Definitely a good investment on my part, and for the friends I game with. ... "
" ... He's a gamer and you tuber. ... "
" ... I use this for gaming and while that's overkill, I like the premium experience, and this thing provides. ... "
" ... plus you'll want to get it off of your desk in case you are typing or gaming while recording. ... "
Ports
28port, mic, usb cable, plug and play, plug
+71%
-29%
" ... Plug and play under both OSes. ... "
" ... Plug it in, and good to go. ... "
" ... It plugs right into the USB port and works flawlessly. ... "
" ... I like the fact that this works on a USB plug. ... "
" ... All you have to do is plug it in and you're ready to go. ... "
" ... The chord was a little short for my needs so I bought a USB extender that gave me another 10 feet that worked great. ... "
" ... One thing I look for is the sturdiness of the ports. ... The USB is spot on and tough! ... "
" ... I plugged the USB in and it was ready to go. ... "
USB
27plug and play, usb cable, port, microphone, mic
+70%
-30%
" ... Plug and play under both OSes. ... "
" ... It's plug and play USB so nice and easy to use. ... "
" ... Just plug and play. ... "
" ... It plugs right into the USB port and works flawlessly. ... "
" ... USB plug and play ads simplicity. ... "
" ... I like the fact that this works on a USB plug. ... "
" ... Just plug and play. ... "
" ... Good sound quality, easy construction, good cord, like the USB ... "
Microphone
24record, recordings, voice, professional, records
+88%
-13%
" ... The sound from my recordings are very clear. ... "
" ... I'm not a 'sound guy' but needed a better way to record product demos and presentation examples for my sales teams and this was as plug and play as any USB device I work with. ... "
" ... Excellent tool for recording podcasts. ... "
" ... It doesn't break the bank, it records voice audio very well, and even does fantastic recording on instruments! ... "
" ... It sounds just as great for voice recording, podcasting, narrations, etc. ... "
" ... good quality sound recordings ... "
" ... Recording vocals (with minor editing) sounds amazing. ... Instrument recording sounds good 4.5/5 good. ... "
" ... Quality recording device. ... "
Marketplace
23seller, expected, advertised, got, exactly
+74%
-26%
" ... Exactly as expected . ... "
" ... Better than expected. ... "
" ... Got full refund from the seller. ... "
" ... please see pics attached ... "
" ... better than I expected. ... "
" ... Performs as promised. ... "
" ... Works as expected ... "
" ... Worked exactly as described. ... "
Delivery
20delivery, delivered, arrived, shipped, great product
+95%
-5%
" ... Great product and fast delivery! ... "
" ... Works right out the box. ... "
" ... Wow the packaging and delivery were just awesome. ... "
" ... Came just in time and I love it! ... "
" ... It delivered as promised. ... "
" ... Product as described and well packaged! ... "
" ... Just arrived in the mail today! ... "
" ... Got it for Christmas it is still in the box. ... "
Cables
19usb, mic, usb cable, microphone, cord
+16%
-84%
" ... Did not come with a USB cable ... "
" ... After that I noticed that any small nudge of the cable connected to the computer will cause the microphone to fully disconnect and no longer record. ... "
" ... I even bought separate cords because I thought it might be a cord problem. ... "
" ... they should have provided a more robust connector, or something to support the cable. ... Basically, the retention clips on in the USB-B are too weak and eventually loosen to the point of the cable slipping out, this gets worse over time, every time you have to re-insert the cable it bends the clips more and more to the point where you have to take something tiny and bend them out ( eyeglass screwdriver, tip of a knife, etc). ... "
" ... My mic the cord broke and isn't working for me would like to get a new USB cord for the snowball! ... "
" ... After two months of light use, the USB cord will no longer plug into the back. ... "
" ... Cable connector went loose in the first 2 weeks and fully broke at 10 weeks. ... "
" ... Only issue is if you bump it, or the cable, it starts turning on and off with the LED on the unit fading in and out. ... Windows also starts to throw a fit about how the device is "malfunctioning" because it can't properly hold the cable. ... I can't get it to connect to any USB cable I try. ... I bumped the cable and I just . ... "
Volume
18room, loud, pick, hear, quiet
+50%
-50%
" ... You could scream into the microphone and it will barely pick up your voice (and I'm loud, BTW). ... "
" ... Use it for online games and people always have trouble hearing me or complain that the fan is way too loud. ... "
" ... VERY POOR AUDIO VOLUME / GAIN. ... "
" ... Sound quality is okay I guess now the volume is awful. ... You'll basically have to put it in your mouth for it to not sound like you're across the room. ... "
" ... I HAVE TO RAISE THE SPEAKERS TO 90 TO HEAR AUDIO CLEARLY, WHICH OF COURSE MEANS ANY *OTHER* SOUNDS FROM MY PC ARE AS LOUD AS A FREIGHT TRAIN RUNNING THRU MY OFFICE. ... "
" ... My voice on a recording could be barely heard with gain and volume all the way up and I've even messed with the audio on editing software. ... "
" ... The volume at which it records is way too low. ... "
" ... The other issue would be using this in a large room. ... "
Noise Cancellation
18noise, pick, way too much, picks up way, picking
+78%
-22%
" ... Better sound quality no feedback noise ... "
" ... For the small bits of audio that I was able to get the sound was great, crystal clear with no background noise. ... "
" ... It picks up just the amount of sound, without a lot of noise. ... "
" ... It is designed to catch the sound from one direction and cancel out surrounding noise. ... "
" ... I figured that the condenser/noise reduction feature on this microphone would solve that problem. ... "
" ... It sounds clear, it also clears out most of the background noises. ... "
" ... This microphone is great at picking up noise but reducing background noise. ... "
" ... After my first video I processed the sound in Audacity for noise filtering and WOW! ... "
Software Platform
18windows, software, linux, pc, os
+33%
-67%
" ... Does not work properly on Windows 10 OS System. ... Manufacture dropped the ball with lack of support for Windows 10 OS ... "
" ... Also no on and off switch without software switch just a bad joke. ... "
" ... I'm on Windows 10, and there are no updates available to make this common issue resolve. ... "
" ... It will not connect to the PC anymore, just throws back an error. ... "
" ... Windows 10 users stay away. ... Since it uses firmware only, there's no drivers to help windows 10 recognize it. ... Really disappointed since microsoft stoppped supporting older windows OS's, and 10 is really the OS Blue needs to knuckle down on. ... "
" ... It is not compatible with a majority of pc operating software AND if you can get it to work, the next time your computer installs updates it bricks the mic. ... "
" ... Did not work with windows 10. ... "
" ... It never was detected on any Linux Install I tried it on. ... "
Apps
16skype, download, software, programs, mine
+88%
-13%
" ... loving it, using for youtube ... "
" ... we use it in Skype, Viber, Facebook Messenger and Telly Bean ... "
" ... It can be used for Skype, or if you do a podcast or youtube channel. ... "
" ... You'll have to look into it yourself as different equalizer programs work differently with some computers. ... "
" ... Personally I use mine for youtube as many do. ... "
" ... The Best microphone for the YouTube ... "
" ... It is a great product especially for YouTube and Skype. ... "
" ... Used for YouTube ... "
As Gift
13loves, christmas, son, bought, make
+92%
-8%
" ... gift for grandson, he said he loves it. ... "
" ... Bought for my son's birthday. ... "
" ... My dad loves this. ... "
" ... My son loved it. ... "
" ... Really good gift for teenager looking to make you tube videos without spending too much. ... "
" ... He loved it for christmas thank you. ... "
" ... Bought it as a gift and they love it! ... "
" ... This was a gift for a client because I knew it would make a huge difference in their trainings. ... "
Capacity
12microphone, feet away, picks, pick, personal
+92%
-8%
" ... I've used it in my photography studio, in my personal workstation room (both of which are demonstrated in the video), as well as in the basement of my house, and even outside a couple times with some friends. ... "
" ... Good microphone but takes up a LOT of desk space. ... "
" ... if my cat meows in the same room and across the room, then the microphone picks her up. ... "
" ... Also been good at home for personal use. ... "
" ... Can pick up sound from across the room. ... "
" ... I set it up in my living room and picked up birds in the tree outside, 20 feet beyond the window. ... "
" ... I used this for about 10 days now and it is so good i might tell all my friends and family to get one to use. ... "
" ... I is a truly multidirectional microphone that was able to pick up the shares in the classroom from folks sitting behind it 10 feet away. ... "
Drivers
12plug, driver, uninstall, reinstall, found
+33%
-67%
" ... So I googled and found I needed to download a driver. ... "
" ... Tried plugging into every single USB port (2.0 and 3.0), different cable, uninstall and reinstall sound drivers, etc, etc . ... "
" ... No drivers fix or work around solution either. ... "
" ... I've used trouble shooting utilities and comnands, I've uninstalled and reinstalled drivers, I've updated anything and everything audio related. ... "
" ... Did not work at first, had to uninstall an reinstall drivers in order for the mic to work. ... "
" ... Since it uses firmware only, there's no drivers to help windows 10 recognize it. ... "
" ... After doing some research, I found this is a common problem with the blue microphones as there is some sort of bug during the driver installation when you plug it in. ... "
Product As Described
12expected, advertised, exactly, described, better
+100%
" ... Exactly as expected . ... "
" ... Better than expected. ... "
" ... please see pics attached ... "
" ... better than I expected. ... "
" ... Performs as promised. ... "
" ... Works as expected ... "
" ... Worked exactly as described. ... "
" ... Works as advertised. ... "
Overall performance
11works, well, done, gets, cardioid
+100%
" ... get's the job done, simple as that ... "
" ... It'll definitely do the job. ... "
" ... Does a solid job ... "
" ... Works very well! ... "
" ... Works very well. ... "
" ... Works perfectly well! ... "
" ... great for productivity ... "
" ... It does the job. ... "
Size
11size, desk, big, carry, bigger
+91%
-9%
" ... It's very portable, I was able to carry it to all of these places with ease. ... So it's not a whole lot to carry or tote around if you're looking for portability. ... "
" ... I though it might be baseball sized, and it's softball sized. ... Takes up quite a bit of space on my desk. ... "
" ... This adds maneuverability and also clears up desk space. ... "
" ... Here's a pic for you if your curious about the size. ... "
" ... Big and round. ... "
" ... One of the biggest pros of this microphone is the small space it takes on a desk ... "
" ... I thought it might be too big, but it is a very nice size. ... "
" ... Think small melon, sitting there taking up that much space on your desk. ... "
Fit
11sturdy, fall, screw, pop, microphone
+36%
-64%
" ... It is a good microphone but the problem with it is that is wont stay on like when I try to make it my main microphone on my laptop it will record my voice for a few seconds but then it will shut off or it will mute the volume without me even touching anything. ... "
" ... The one leg is loose, so it sits a little crooked now. ... "
" ... The only damage is the mic will fall forward if moved down to low. ... "
" ... I tried taking matters into my own hands due to the complete lack of support and stripped out a screw. ... "
" ... Do not hold back, buy this thing!!! ... "
" ... Today after 5 months of use the threads for the stand inside the microphone broke and the microphone just falls off it's stand. ... "
" ... does not fit a standard shock mount or have an XLR connector. ... "
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Specifications
Connectivity
USB: Yes
Recommendations
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