Audio sensitivity | 18 dB |
---|---|
Item weight | 0.1 Grams |
Impedance | 16 Ohm |
Microphone form factor | Microphone Only |
Power source | Usb Microphone |
Number of batteries | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. |
Material | Legierter Stahl |
Signal-to-noise ratio | 78 dB |
Number of channels | 1 |
Frequency response | 18 KHz |
Frequency range | 15 Hz - 22 kHz |
Global Trade Identification Number | 00836213001974 |
Manufacturer | Logitech for Creators |
Cable length | 78.74 Inches |
Batteries | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. |
Item model number | 988-000070 |
Hardware Interface | USB |
Material Type | Legierter Stahl |
Country Produced In | China |
Size | White |
Proficiency Level | Beginner |
Hardware Platform | PC |
Operating System | Windows 8.1, Windows 7, macOS 10.10 or higher, Windows 10 |
Item Weight | 0.1 g |
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3 VIDEOS
-

Image Unavailable
Colour:
-
-
-
- To view this video download Flash Player
Blue Snowball iCE USB Mic for Recording, Streaming, Podcasting, Gaming on PC and Mac, Condenser Microphone with Cardioid Capsule, Adjustable Desktop Stand, Plug 'n Play - White
Return this item for free
Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. For a full refund with no deduction for return shipping, you can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition.
Learn more about free returns.- Go to your orders and start the return
- Select the return method
- Ship it!
Recommended uses for product | Streaming, Gaming |
Brand | Logitech for Creators |
Model name | Blue Snowball iCE USB Mic |
Connectivity technology | USB |
Connector type | USB |
Special feature | USB |
Compatible devices | PC (Windows 10 or later), Mac (macOS® 10.14 or later) |
Colour | White |
Included components | – Snowball iCE USB microphone – Adjustable stand – USB cable – User guide – 2-year manufacturer’s guarantee See more |
Polar pattern | Cardioid |
About this item
- Custom condenser capsule: Powered by Blue’s custom condenser capsule, Snowball iCE microphone delivers crystal-clear audio quality that’s light years ahead of your built-in computer microphone
- Cardioid pickup pattern: Captures your voice with clear, focused sound for streaming, podcasting, broadcasting, Skype calls and Zoom meetings
- Stylish retro design: Record or stream in style with a classic recording equipment design that looks great on your desktop and on camera
- Adjustable desktop stand: Allows you to position the condenser microphone in relation to the sound source, improving sound quality and saving space on your desktop for the optimal broadcast setup
- Skype and Discord certified: Whether conducting interviews over Skype, streaming live gameplay on Twitch, or communicating across the globe, you’ll be heard loud and clear on leading VOIP platforms
- Plug 'n Play on Mac and PC to instantly start recording and streaming
There is a newer model of this item:
Similar item to consider
Refine your results
Price
Connectivity
Connector Type
Brand
Polar Pattern
Category
Uses
Features
Form Factor
Compatibility
Featured items you may like
From the manufacturer
-
Legendary Blue Broadcast Sound
Capture legendary Blue broadcast sound with exceptional presence and detail for podcasting, YouTube productions, game streaming, Skype calls and voice over work.
-
Adjustable Desktop Stand
Position the microphone in relation to the sound source with Snowball’s adjustable metal tripod stand, improving sound quality while saving space on your desktop.
-
-10 dB Pad
Maintain professional audio quality with a -10 dB pad in cardioid mode, which keeps Snowball sounding clean and distortion-free on louder voices and instruments.
-
Multiple Pickup Patterns
The cardioid pattern is perfect for recording and streaming, while omni puts you “in the room” for conference calls.
-
Blue Sherpa Companion App
Fine-tune your sound with deep control of Snowball. Manage your mic gain and more right from your desktop.
-
Available in Three Bold Colors
Compliment your studio with one of Snowball’s three distinct finishes: Gloss Black, Brushed Aluminum and Textured White.
-
Plug 'n Play on Mac and PC
Start recording quickly and easily with driver-free operation on Mac and PC.

-
Stylish, Retro Design
Record or stream in style with an eye-catching design inspired by classic recording equipment that looks great on your desktop and on camera.
-
Two Versatile Pickup Patterns
Snowball offers two different pickup patterns to suit a variety of applications. Switch between cardioid and omni modes to get the best sound for any recording situation.
-
Cardioid Mode
Perfect for podcasts with a single host, game streaming, Skype calls, vocal performances, voiceovers and instruments.
-
Omnidirectional
Omnidirectional mode is best used in situations when you want to have a conference call with multiple participants in the same room, or a multi-person interview on a podcast.
-
-
Accessorise Your Creative Space
Transform your desktop into a broadcast studio with the Compass broadcast boom arm and Ringer shockmount.
-
Compass Premium Broadcast Boom Arm
Compass features a broadcast studio-grade design with enclosed aluminium construction, internal springs and hidden-channel cable management.
-
Ringer Custom Shockmount
Ringer is a vintage-style suspension designed to isolate microphones from noise,shock and ambient vibration.Although custom-designed for our Snowball USB mics, Ringer can also be used with other mics
Comparison Table
![]() Snowball
Add To Basket
| ![]() Snowball ICE | ![]() Yeti Nano
Add To Basket
| ![]() Yeti
Add To Basket
| ![]() Yeti Pro
Add To Basket
| |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Customer Reviews
|
4.5 out of 5 stars 24,034
|
4.4 out of 5 stars 2,352
|
4.5 out of 5 stars 6,369
|
4.6 out of 5 stars 33,756
|
4.2 out of 5 stars 985
|
Price
| £35.99£35.99 | — | £87.72£87.72 | £76.79£76.79 | £199.00£199.00 |
Capsules
| 1 Condenser | 2 Condensers | 2 Condensers | 3 Condensers | 3 Condensers |
Patterns
| Cardioid | Cardioid, Omni | Cardioid, Omni | Cardioid, Omni,Figure-8,Stereo | Cardioid, Omni,Figure-8,Stereo |
Bit Depth/Sample Rate
| 16-bit/44kHz | 16-bit/48kHz | 24-bit/48kHz | 16-bit/48kHz | 24-bit/192kHz |
Gain Control
| - | -10dB PAD | Via desktop app | Yes | Yes |
Mute
| ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Headphone Output
| ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Headphone Volume
| ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Output
| USB | USB | USB | USB | USB, XLR |
Compare with similar items
This item ![]() Blue Snowball iCE USB Mic for Recording, Streaming, Podcasting, Gaming on PC and Mac, Condenser Microphone with Cardioid Capsule, Adjustable Desktop Stand, Plug 'n Play - White | Recommendations | |||||
Try again! Added to Basket spCSRF_Treatment Add to Basket | Try again! Added to Basket spCSRF_Treatment Add to Basket | Try again! Added to Basket spCSRF_Treatment Add to Basket | Try again! Added to Basket spCSRF_Treatment Add to Basket | Try again! Added to Basket spCSRF_Treatment Add to Basket | Try again! Added to Basket spCSRF_Treatment Add to Basket | |
Price | £62.34£62.34 | -17% £49.99£49.99 RRP: £59.99 | £13.99£13.99 | £36.31£36.31 | -17% £49.99£49.99 RRP: £59.99 | -18% £40.99£40.99 RRP: £49.99 |
Delivery | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 15 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 15 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 15 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 15 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 15 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 15 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Sold by | Amazon Resale | Amazon | SMAVA | Blockhead Distribution (VAT Registered) | Amazon | Amazon |
power source | Usb Microphone | Corded Electric | Corded Electric | Corded Electric | Corded Electric | Corded Electric |
connectivity tech | USB | USB | USB | USB | USB | USB |
connector type | USB | USB Type-C | USB Type-A | USB Type-C | USB | USB Type-C |
model number | 988-000070 | 988-000558 | — | 519T2AA | AP-WMMIC-W1 | RZ19-05050100-R3M1 |
material | Legierter Stahl | Plastic | Plastic | Metal | Plastic | Aluminium |
audio sensitivity | 18 decibels | — | 20 decibels | -6 decibels | 35 decibels | 36 decibels |
frequency range | 15 Hz - 22 kHz | 20Hz 20kHz | 100-16kHz | — | — | 20 Hz ~ 20 kHz |
frequency response | 18 KHz | — | 16 KHz | 20000 hertz | 48 KHz | 20 KHz |
impedance | 16 ohm | — | — | — | 32 ohm | 16 ohm |
noise level | — | 72 decibels | 3 decibels | -74 decibels | 76 decibels | 110 decibels |
signal-to-noise ratio | 78 decibels | 72 decibels | 95 decibels | 74 decibels | 76 decibels | 110 decibels |
Product information
Technical Details
Additional Information
ASIN | B006DIA77E |
---|---|
Customer Reviews |
4.6 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | 4,768 in Musical Instruments & DJ (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments & DJ) 84 in Condenser Microphones |
Date First Available | 6 Jan. 2012 |
Warranty & Support
Feedback

Blue Snowball iCE USB Mic for Recording, Streaming, Podcasting, Gaming on PC and Mac, Condenser Microphone with Cardioid Capsule, Adjustable Desktop Stand, Plug 'n Play - White
Share:
Found a lower price? Let us know. Although we can't match every price reported, we'll use your feedback to ensure that our prices remain competitive.
Where did you see a lower price?
Fields with an asterisk * are required
What's in the box?
Product details
- Batteries : 1 Lithium Ion batteries required.
- Is discontinued by manufacturer : No
- Language : English
- Product Dimensions : 11.99 x 20.5 x 24.99 cm; 0.1 g
- Manufacturer : Logitech for Creators
- ASIN : B006DIA77E
- Item model number : 988-000070
- Department : Default Category
- Customer reviews:
Focus on sustainability

Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings, help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the microphone's sound quality impressive, noting it picks up sound from far away and performs well with background noise. Moreover, the product offers excellent value for money, with one customer specifically mentioning its performance with Adobe Audition. Additionally, customers praise its build quality, with one noting it records everything in high quality, and its professional podcast-like sound. The microphone is easy to use and set up, works well with laptops, and has a retro appearance. However, opinions about its size are mixed, with some finding it compact while others consider it bulky.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers praise the microphone's sound quality, noting that it is clear, picks up sound from far away, and can hear everything, though some mention it picks up background noise very well.
"...with this microphone is so much better than my older one, the sound quality is so good that people I regularly play with immediately noticed the..." Read more
"...The showreel sounded clear and vibrant when used with a pop shield (purchased on Amazon for a few pounds) and I got the job...." Read more
"...the Blue Yeti does, but in its own way, it actually has a deeper, more bassy, richer quality...." Read more
"...rate this mic as a 5 in all the areas I required, price, setup, sound reproduction and I would be happy to recommend it to anyone with other than a..." Read more
Customers find the microphone offers excellent value for money, describing it as a brilliant piece of kit that provides superb quality relative to its price.
"...Its odd that such an amazing priced microphone with great quality that it doesn't come with any kind of mute button, if you want to quickly mute the..." Read more
"...reflections and echo the microphone performs to an outstanding level for the price. I have used this for a radio showreel for an FM radio station...." Read more
"...Overall, for £45, this was a good deal, as it is simply a good microphone that requires no setup...." Read more
"...I would therefore rate this mic as a 5 in all the areas I required, price, setup, sound reproduction and I would be happy to recommend it to anyone..." Read more
Customers praise the microphone's quality, noting that it sounds like a professional podcast mic, with one customer mentioning it picks up voice perfectly.
"...Other than that this is a top-notch microphone and recommend it to anyone who doesn't want to spend £100 on a professional microphone." Read more
"...It does work with Logitec Logi video software and shows in Microphone options and also in Zoom software...." Read more
"...Overall, for £45, this was a good deal, as it is simply a good microphone that requires no setup...." Read more
"...Black Friday sales for 30 pounds, and wow, this is an absolutely amazing microphone...." Read more
Customers praise the microphone's build quality, describing it as robust and resilient, recording everything in surprisingly high quality.
"...Its odd that such an amazing priced microphone with great quality that it doesn't come with any kind of mute button, if you want to quickly mute the..." Read more
"...a well packaged box complete with a nice screw on stand and a high quality USB lead as well as instructions...." Read more
"This round microphone (about the size of a grapefruit) is neat & well made, and comes with USB lead around 6ft long (around 1.5 metres) Plugging..." Read more
"...does, but in its own way, it actually has a deeper, more bassy, richer quality...." Read more
Customers find that the microphone works well, particularly noting that it connects seamlessly to both HP laptops and Mac computers, and one customer mentions it performs excellently with Adobe Audition.
"...& play device so just stick it into your PC and its done and works within seconds...." Read more
"...The microphone worked straight away with all the devices using GarageBand and Logic Pro...." Read more
"...that; overall it has fantastic quality, easy to use and does the job with an A1 outcome...what else would you want from a microphone?!" Read more
"...on your computer's motherboard etc.. for instance it no longer works with my new computer but works on my old HP Machine...." Read more
Customers find the microphone easy to use and set up, describing it as a true plug-and-play device with a simple-to-use tripod stand.
"...Its very simple to use, its a USB plug & play device so just stick it into your PC and its done and works within seconds...." Read more
"...You probably won't need the Instructions though as its so simple to plug it and and play straight out of the box...." Read more
"This microphone is a great choice for a beginner, who doesn't want any complicated setup. You simply plug in the microphone, and it works...." Read more
"...therefore rate this mic as a 5 in all the areas I required, price, setup, sound reproduction and I would be happy to recommend it to anyone with..." Read more
Customers appreciate the microphone's design, noting its great appearance and retro look, with one customer describing it as looking like a prop from Bioshock.
"...The small but stable stand is cool with an aluminium look finish and over all I'm really happy with what I got for the price." Read more
"This round microphone (about the size of a grapefruit) is neat & well made, and comes with USB lead around 6ft long (around 1.5 metres) Plugging..." Read more
"The microphone itself looks good, and the sound quality is great for how much it cost...." Read more
"...made and is a mixture of metal and hard plastic, I am really happy with the design and I have no problem with the tiny red light which is located on..." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the microphone's size, with some finding it quite compact and portable, while others describe it as awkward and bulky.
"...The second problem is that the stand they provide is pretty small...." Read more
"...It's very easy to connect to your pc or mac and it's really easy to fit on a mic stand like I have in my pic...." Read more
"...Also note it is a fairly sized ball of plastic and metal :)..." Read more
"...I think its absolutely fine. The stand is small and works very well on a desk, I suppose it makes positioning the microphone a bit limited but this..." Read more
Reviews with images

Perfect for gaming or creating videos!!
Top reviews from United Kingdom
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 October 2019Colour Name: WhiteVerified PurchaseI'm a gamer and video editor and playing PC games with others online and talking to them with this microphone is so much better than my older one, the sound quality is so good that people I regularly play with immediately noticed the difference and asked if I'm using a new microphone.
The Blue Snowball is a great device overall and I recommend it if you're looking for something that's reasonably priced and want a decent microphone. Its very simple to use, its a USB plug & play device so just stick it into your PC and its done and works within seconds. The sound quality is much better than a typical headset microphone, it also has a 3 leg stand so it holds up by itself on any flat surface.
The big benefit for me about the Snowball is that it seems to pick up sound so pristinely even when placed quite far away. I often have it slightly away from me on my desk and have never been told I am hard to hear. Another great point is that whenever I'm clicking my mouse or typing on my keyboard you can't seem to hear the noise this makes, that's so useful for a video editor such as myself
Its odd that such an amazing priced microphone with great quality that it doesn't come with any kind of mute button, if you want to quickly mute the microphone you have to manually unplug it on go into the settings on your PC and mute there, its a minor convenience for me as I don't mind that at all but for others it might be a central issue. Other than that this is a top-notch microphone and recommend it to anyone who doesn't want to spend £100 on a professional microphone.
5.0 out of 5 starsI'm a gamer and video editor and playing PC games with others online and talking to them with this microphone is so much better than my older one, the sound quality is so good that people I regularly play with immediately noticed the difference and asked if I'm using a new microphone.Perfect for gaming or creating videos!!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 October 2019
The Blue Snowball is a great device overall and I recommend it if you're looking for something that's reasonably priced and want a decent microphone. Its very simple to use, its a USB plug & play device so just stick it into your PC and its done and works within seconds. The sound quality is much better than a typical headset microphone, it also has a 3 leg stand so it holds up by itself on any flat surface.
The big benefit for me about the Snowball is that it seems to pick up sound so pristinely even when placed quite far away. I often have it slightly away from me on my desk and have never been told I am hard to hear. Another great point is that whenever I'm clicking my mouse or typing on my keyboard you can't seem to hear the noise this makes, that's so useful for a video editor such as myself
Its odd that such an amazing priced microphone with great quality that it doesn't come with any kind of mute button, if you want to quickly mute the microphone you have to manually unplug it on go into the settings on your PC and mute there, its a minor convenience for me as I don't mind that at all but for others it might be a central issue. Other than that this is a top-notch microphone and recommend it to anyone who doesn't want to spend £100 on a professional microphone.
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 August 2015Colour Name: WhiteVerified PurchaseI've used a few different USB condenser style microphones I the past including some from Samson and had never had much luck. The blue microphone was a product that I bought for a class I was teaching in school. I bought a couple of them for my students to carry out a podcasting class, mainly due to the price of the microphone and some good reviews I had read. The microphone comes in a well packaged box complete with a nice screw on stand and a high quality USB lead as well as instructions. You probably won't need the Instructions though as its so simple to plug it and and play straight out of the box. I used mine with a MacBook Pro retina, IMac and also an older MacBook Air. The microphone worked straight away with all the devices using GarageBand and Logic Pro. The mono recordings are fantastic and clear with a decent amount of depth to them. We used vocals only for our project and when used in the right environment I.e somewhere you can dampen Natural reflections and echo the microphone performs to an outstanding level for the price. I have used this for a radio showreel for an FM radio station. The showreel sounded clear and vibrant when used with a pop shield (purchased on Amazon for a few pounds) and I got the job. So it can't be all that bad.
The design of the microphone is a little plastic in parts and can feel a tad bit cheap in parts but not overly cheap. Bare in mind the price and the that fact that it is made of plastic and not trying to be metal or any other material. It looks modern and classy and looks awesome next to apple products (apple have been selling these microphones for years and they were happy with them). The small but stable stand is cool with an aluminium look finish and over all I'm really happy with what I got for the price.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 April 2021Colour Name: WhiteVerified PurchaseThis round microphone (about the size of a grapefruit) is neat & well made, and comes with USB lead around 6ft long (around 1.5 metres) Plugging it into a USB port on your PC in Windows 10 installs software drivers and is recognised in Device settings on your PC. Recording sound quality is good and clear, though on my PC the volume level is fairly low, so the recording level in Sound settings has to be set to maximum if you then have it placed around 1ft from voice source. My only other comment would be that whilst the miniature tripod stand is useful its a shame you can't adjust the angle the microphone faces - its fixed at straight ahead. It does work with Logitec Logi video software and shows in Microphone options and also in Zoom software. The apparent low output via USB in Windows 10 can be solved by installing free software "Equalizer APO and the associated software Peace GUI" which then allows change of level from microphone.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 July 2018Colour Name: WhiteVerified PurchaseThis microphone is a great choice for a beginner, who doesn't want any complicated setup. You simply plug in the microphone, and it works.
In terms of audio quality, it's extremely good. I've not tested it in comparison to the Blue Yeti, but the difference is very small; the Blue Snowball iCE sounds slightly less like a normal sounding person than the Blue Yeti does, but in its own way, it actually has a deeper, more bassy, richer quality. Most people will not hear the difference unless explicitly comparing the two.
There are only two parts which did sadden me. The first was the lack of a mute button. This can be extremely useful in some cases; without this, one must resort to muting via software. The second problem is that the stand they provide is pretty small. It will work if you're talking via Skype, and to some extent, via gaming; but it definitely won't come near to your mouth at all. It is probably smaller than what the image looks like. If these two aspects needed, then I'd suggest getting a Blue Snowball (not iCE), which has both a mute button and a taller stand (as well as some other qualities).
Overall, for £45, this was a good deal, as it is simply a good microphone that requires no setup. Anything more than £45, then I would instead consider buying a Blue Snowball (not iCE), or maybe even a Blue Nessie, as they both have a mute button. For me, I'll continue using the Blue Snowball iCE, and, if I upgrade, I'll probably get a Blue Yeti, seeing as that has better quality and has more features (such as a mixer). But for £45, the Blue Snowball iCE is arguably the best choice.
Top reviews from other countries
-
DanieleReviewed in Italy on 13 September 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars Ottimo microfono entry-level
Colour Name: WhiteVerified PurchaseOttimo microfono entry-level.il microfono via arriva insieme a un piccolo treppiedi il cavo per collegarlo al pc e i vari manuali.adatto a chi é alle prime armi perché basta collegarlo al pc tramite usb e in un attimo é installato rumore basso e voce calda ottimo per registrare podcast e strumenti musicali con una buona qualità senza spendere un patrimonio.il desing secondo me é un pò soggettivo da me fa una bella figura nello studio ma altri lo potrebbero trovare ingombrante,una cosa che non mi é piaciuta é il treppiede poco flessibile infatti non é regolabile in altezza, conviene attrezzarsi con un braccio da scrivania reclinabile.nel complesso é decisamente meglio di microfoni più economici da 30 euro, conviene prendere questo o il samson oppure orientarsi per soluzioni più professionali con scheda audio dedicata e microfono con jack, non usb.
Tra i pro trovo
-rapporto qualità-prezzo imbattibile
-facilità di utilizzo
Tra i contro trovo
-treppiede non regolabile
Passate dal mio canale youtube duck industries hardware™ se volete vedere una prova audio o recensioni di prodotti simili.
DanieleOttimo microfono entry-level
Reviewed in Italy on 13 September 2016
Tra i pro trovo
-rapporto qualità-prezzo imbattibile
-facilità di utilizzo
Tra i contro trovo
-treppiede non regolabile
Passate dal mio canale youtube duck industries hardware™ se volete vedere una prova audio o recensioni di prodotti simili.
Images in this review
-
Ximena_1234Reviewed in Mexico on 31 December 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Sí sirve
Colour Name: WhiteVerified PurchaseLa verdad es el más barato pero sí sirve bien para lo que se necesita, es bueno y vale la pena por el precio, de que hay mejores hay mejores pero te sirve. Se escuchan algunos sonidos de fondo porque no se especializa en quitar sonidos (ruidos muy fuertes) pero se escucha clara la voz, no llega al nivel del Yeti o de otro
-
明美Reviewed in Japan on 3 January 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars 頑丈で可愛い!
Colour Name: WhiteVerified Purchaseネット配信用に購入しました。
組み立てると結構デカイですが、
スタンドが付いているので喋るのが楽でした。
音質は抜群です!
設定も難しい所はなくUSB端子に刺すだけで
セットアップは完了です。
-
SilviaReviewed in Spain on 20 November 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars Buenas prestaciones a muy buen precio
Colour Name: WhiteVerified PurchaseBlue Microphones tiene un interesante micrófono de diseño circular, del que se nota cierto peso al sostenerlo en las manos, y que, a título personal, me ha dejado bien satisfecha tras evaluar su sensibilidad en los registros de sonido en varias situaciones: Snowball iCE es un producto muy a tener en cuenta para los que necesiten un micrófono con buenas prestaciones.
DISEÑO
Este micrófono de Blue MIcrophones cuenta con un formato circular, algo más grande que una pelota de Béisbol, de construcción mayormente en plástico. Entre el área frontal y trasera se reparten 13 oberturas de diferente tamaño, en rejilla metálica, a través de las cuales entrará el sonido que pretendemos grabar. En el frontal también encontramos un LED rojo, que indica que el micrófono está operativo.
En la zona trasera del dispositivo verás la conexión para cable USB (se incluye un cable de unos 8 palmos de largo). En la base del Snowball iCE veremos un punto de anclaje metálico para el trípode que acompaña al micrófono: el trípode, con tres patas y puntos de apoyo terminados en goma, es de plástico a pesar de su apariencia metálica. La primera vez que enroscamos el trípode al micrófono conviene hacerlo sin forzar, para evitar se desgaste el punto de anclaje plástico del trípode. El Snowball iCE tiene un buen peso, no es precisamente un dispositivo ligero.
INSTALACIÓN
El Snowball iCE, conectado a un PC Windows o PC MacOSX por USB, no requiere de software para su instalación y uso. En ordenadores Apple convendrá abrir la aplicación de grabación tras haber conectado el micrófono, para que lo detecte bien: las pruebas de sonido se han realizado con Audacity (software libre y gratuito) y con QuickTime Player.
RENDIMIENTO Y CALIDAD DE AUDIO
Para la prueba de sonido he realizado el mismo tipo de grabación con el Snowball iCE y el micrófono integrado de un MacBook Pro, y utilizando Audacity y QuickTime Player como software de grabación. Para contrastar la calidad de audio registrado he preparado tres tipos de escenario: 1) sonido procedente de un receptor A/V, reproduciendo una película con sonido Dolby 5.1; 2) sonido sonido procedente de un receptor A/V, reproduciendo música con sonido en 4 canales; 3) grabación de voz y 4) sonido procedente de un piano.
Para registrar el sonido he probado primero QuickTime Player, que almacena los archivos en formato .mov, dando la opción de calidad estándar y máxima calidad (esta última, la escogida): curiosamente, el peso en MB de los archivos ha sido mucho mayor con el micrófono integrado del MacBook Pro. Por otro lado, y con el fin de obtener el espectro de sonido, me he decantado finalmente por el software libre y gratuito “Audacity” (audacity.sourceforge.net), que deja almacenar las grabaciones en varios formatos de audio posibles, entre ellos .OGG/MP3/FLAC.
El micrófono de Blue Microphones ofrece una considerable mejor calidad que el micro integrado en el MacBook Pro, mayor sensibilidad al recoger las frecuencias , sin apreciarse ruido y ahogamiento del sonido, volumen más alto, reducción de estridencias y timbres metálicos, mayor claridad y estabilidad del audio, y sin distorsiones.
CONCLUSIONES
La conclusión más evidente que uno puede extraer tras las pruebas de producto en diferentes escenarios es que el Snowball iCE tiene cualidades evidentes para registrar sonidos con un amplio rango de frecuencias: un dispositivo que ofrece sensibilidad y un comportamiento intachable, siendo un compañero eficaz para utilizar con software como Audacity.
Snowball iCE de Blue Micrphones es un producto recomendado para PC/Mac, para los usuarios exigentes que necesiten grabar sonidos o mantener conversaciones por Skype.
- JustinReviewed in Canada on 30 March 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Cool Mic, Chilly Performance
Colour Name: WhiteVerified PurchaseSo, you're in the market for a microphone that's as cool as a cucumber, huh? Look no further than the Blue Snowball iCE USB Microphone! This little guy might not make you sound like the next pop singer, but it sure gets the job done with a certain icy charm. First things first, let's talk setup – it's so easy, even your grandma could do it. Just plug it into your computer, and voilà, you're ready to serenade the world with your dulcet tones.
Now, onto the sound quality – it's pretty chill. Whether you're recording your latest podcast episode, laying down some sick beats, or just hopping on a Zoom call with your boss, this microphone delivers crisp and clear audio that won't leave you feeling frostbitten. Plus, the sleek design adds a touch of sophistication to your setup – it's like the James Bond of microphones, but without the fancy gadgets. So if you're in the market for a reliable mic that won't break the bank, give this microphone a whirl. It may not be the flashiest option out there, but hey, sometimes cool and understated is exactly what you need.