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 - Black

I'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 myselfIts 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.

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.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.

It's a good mic overall, sound quality is perfectly fine for the price (~£40) and I've been using it for 6 and a half years with no issues with sound. If you're a real audiophile there are of course better mics to be had for more money, but this is plenty good enough for casual use and sounds infinitely better than the little mics attached to headsets!It is however a bit bulky and I did manage to break the stand a little bit during transport, as the plastic inside that holds the metal socket for the stand in place is a bit of a weak point. My recommendation would be to always unscrew the stand if you pack it away.

As someone who went from a terrible, cheap and nasty desktop microphone, the Blue Snowball is a vast improvement over it. The first time I ever heard the audio quality of the Snowball I was blown away! But that is only in the case of coming from a cheaper microphone. When compared to some of the higher, more top end microphones it's not going to come quite as close to their sound quality, yet it does do a good job. If you have the intention of using this thing for something like your YouTube channel, then you can't really go wrong for your first, solid microphone.Although I do love the Blue Snowball iCE, it does come with a couple of problems. The first being that unlike its counterpart, the regular Blue Snowball, it doesn't have an option to change the type of mode you can set. On the iCE you are only stuck on Cardoid mode, and that can't be changed. The second problem isn't necessarily a problem for all, but the fact is, the Snowball likes to pick up background noise, and that's to do with the way the microphone is designed. It's designed to pick up everything! Unlike some other microphones, where they will only pick up the sound that is directly in front of them, the Snowball will pick up sound from outside your home providing it's loud enough and your volume levels are too high. If you plan on doing Let's Plays, or whatnot with the Snowball, then expect your mouse and keyboard to be picked up as some background noise.Personally, I really like the Blue Snowball iCE. It's a slightly cheaper alternative to the regular Snowball, minus a few features, but keeps the high audio quality. If the background noise isn't too big of a deal, then it's hard to go wrong with a microphone like this. I've had it for over 2 years now, and have had no problems with it whatsoever. All in all, the Blue Snowball is a very resilient microphone, that doesn't tote all that many issues.