Unlike most electronics, microphones don’t get the glamour. More interestingly, when it comes to USB microphones, you can’t always sort your options by price. In other words, just because a mic is cheap, doesn’t mean that it’s not worth it and likewise, the most expensive ones sometimes fail to capture the best sound.
That’s where the Samson Meteor comes in. This USB portable mic balances almost perfectly between price and quality, posing as one of the best value for money examples in the market. But let’s gain a bit more insight before getting a verdict, shall we?
Starting with the design, the 0.625 pounds (263 g.) Samson Meteor is probably the best solution to any kind of portability issues that one may deal with. It comes in a stylish handy black velvet drawstring bag to carry it around. When folded, its dimensions are 80 x 49 x 49 mm which means it could fit in a pocket. Once unfolded, it is 6inches tall and has 3 shoehorn like legs that keep it steady on any flat surface. Unfortunately, due to its plug and play interface you can’t use when totally folded because one of the legs blocks the USB cable.
The body was built using chrome steel (a class of non stainless steels); a touch which makes it not only practical but solid and elegant as well. However the lower body loses ground as the legs are made out of plastic, which means that they can peel off if the mic is harshly hit. To be honest, it doesn’t strike as a surprise – considering the price. But it still can’t go unnoticed. Brightside is, it’s pretty easy to glue them back.
Now, as for the inside, there’s a 25 mm diaphragm condenser capsule with cardioid pickup pattern and flat frequency response. Not bad at all, but keep in mind that it is a usual characteristic of cardioid cables to drop off the sound quality if you sit anywhere else except in front of the mic.
In terms of performance, we’re talking about a top of its class device. The audio quality is, of course, not studio level but it’s still satisfyingly good. Everything you record will sound very clear. One of the most suitable uses of the Samson Meteor, is podcasts. Interviews will not sound as clear if conducted using only one of those mics, due to the distance issue caused by the cardioid cable mentioned above.
To sum up, musicians and other sound professionals will obviously still trust their money to an option from higher leagues. But for those of you who want to record solo work, or just let others hear crystal clear during your Skype sessions, this is easily your perfect match. Depending on the intensity and nature of their content, this mic could be suitable for video streamers and YouTubers as well. Its high value-for-money stylish vintage looks, high build quality and surprising performance, make it a must-have mic for every amateur performer.
