A couple of months ago we set out to start a new podcast for the community of people who are interested in desktop customization, skinning, and just tech in general.  When we started I was using a inexpensive Logitech USB mic.  It’s a very good mic for the price, but it’s not up to any type of professional recording level that I now need.  With that I sought out an alternative which was insanely expensive, but still had a very good sound quality.  I read review after review and did quite a bit of research before deciding on which one I should purchase.  The choice I made was the Samson C01U USB condenser mic. 

I chose this one for several reasons.  One being it was was on the very few condenser mics on the market that was USB, which is a big plus because I didn’t want to have to buy a mixer, and I liked the ability to plus it in to pretty much any computer.  On Windows Vista and OS X Leopard, it’s basically just plug and play without any additional software or drivers needed.  The next reason was price….less than $100 which a great deal considering the specs on this mic.  Depending on where you shop, you can find this with a decent discount.

Included in the box is the microphone itself, a desktop stand, and quite a long USB cord which is very nice, and sometimes uncommon with electronics.  If you are on Windows XP there is software that is included that adds an Input Level Meter, and some other features, but it’s not compatible with Windows Vista.  The only problem I had during setup was the mic was recognized, but I could not adjust the sound.  After 20 minutes of scratching my head I realized I needed a driver update from Windows Update.  No big deal, but be sure to check to make sure you have the latest updates when installing. 

I used the mic on both a podcast and the recording of a screencast.  I was pretty blown away by the quality of sound, and it was a complete difference between the C01U and my previous USB microphone.  Background noise was minimal and my voice came through as clear as I can imagine it sounding.  I used a few different applications to record the sound including Camtasia Studio 5, and although I configured each application for its own sound settings, the results were basically the same across the board.  I didn’t have a problem configuring the C01U for use with these applications other than making sure the mic was the selected recording device. 

Obviously, there are better mics out there, but they will also cost you a significant amount more.  For the money and quality, this mic gets the highest rating I could give it.  I have no problem recommending it for anyone who need a good, but inexpensive mic for podcasting or other recording types.  For more information visit the Samson C01U product page.