We’re big fans of Blue’s microphones, which have long been championed by streamers and podcasters for their great balance of sound quality and ease-of-use. Suffice to say, any amateur can get these mics running with very little work. The outfit’s latest, the Blue Yeti X, doubles down even further on the plug-and-play ease by bundling controls for multiple settings on a single knob.
That’s right, the single knob in front of the device allows you to switch control between gain, blend modes, and headphone levels, so you can adjust mic sensitivity, change the ratio between computer and mic audio, and adjust headphone volume directly from the same single dial. You can even mute the mic and control voice metering all from that same control, allowing you to perform many of the real-time functions you need to do on the mic from one convenient spot.
The Blue Yeti X sports an all-new four-capsule condenser array that, the outfit claims, facilitates clearer and more focused pickup patterns. Designed for versatile function, the mic can pick up sound in cardioid pattern for streaming and recording, omni for conference calls, bi-directional for podcasts and interviews, and stereo for more immersive sounds. By “immersive sounds,” by the way, they mean that the stereo pattern is intended for ASMR audio, so you can use it to record yourself eating crunchy food and making breathing noises, if that’s what floats your boat.
A nine-segment LED meter allows you to check your voice level with nothing more than a quick glance, allowing you to easily see if your voice set too loud or too soft, as well as make real-time adjustments on the fly. That way, you can always keep the audio coming off the mic at an ideal level, making it easier to keep your streams, podcasts, and recordings sounding a whole lot more professional.
The Blue Yeti X comes bundled with the outfit’s Blue VO!CE audio software, a suite of broadcast-grade vocal effects that make it easier to produce professional sound quality when using the microphone. From crisp and modern to warm and vintage to that classic radio voice, the device can make the necessary adjustments to make your voice sound exactly what you want. Play around with the settings and you might even be able to create your own signature sound. Available effects in the software include a de-popper, noise reduction, expander, gate, de-esser, EQ, compression and limiter, as well as setting presets from popular pro streamers, in case you want to do the minimum amount of fiddling.
As with the outfit’s other products, the USB mic is designed for plug-and-play use out of the box with both Macs and PCs. It can also integrate with Logitech’s G Hub software, where you can control the various mic settings from an onscreen interface, allowing you to alter everything, from the mic gain and pickup pattern to the color of the mic’s LED light to match your studio’s aesthetic.
The Blue Yeti X is priced at $169.99.