Blue gives the Yeti a new look for the Aurora Edition. Internally, the classic remains unchanged, which benefits the sound but not the connections in the test. Nevertheless, the various characteristics make the condenser microphone a convincing all-rounder.
Table of contents
- 1 Blue Yeti Aurora Collection: Overview and price
- Now also part of the Aurora Collection
- Design, workmanship and controls
- Connection options
- Technology: many application scenarios possible
- Software with many functions
- Sound quality: convincing by far
- Influence of noise
- Sample recordings: Logitech Yeti
- Sample recordings of the competitors
- Conclusion
Blue Yeti Aurora Collection: overview and price
In July 2018, Logitech announced the takeover of the specialist Blue, known for its Yeti and Snowball microphones: For 117 million US dollars, the peripheral manufacturer not only acquired the licenses for the sound pickups themselves, but also numerous patents and, above all, know-how that should also find its way into other product lines such as webcams or headsets through the purchase.
Now also part of the Aurora Collection
Four years later, Logitech launches a new variant of the best-selling Yeti under the integrated brand “Blue”. It is part of the Aurora Collection, which has recently been heavily criticized on ComputerBase for its marketing approach and the exorbitantly high RRP. However, the Aurora Collection variants of the Blue Yeti lack two points of criticism: their RRP is on the level of the known variants and there are also no technical deductions. What remains are the new colors white (White Mist) and pink (Pink Dawn), which Logitech could have included in the existing series, but didn't because the Aurora Collection should also include a microphone – the Yeti was an obvious choice .
- Blue Yeti Aurora Collection: White or Pink (new)
- Blue Yeti: Black, Blue or Silver (old)
Externally and technically, the new Blue Yeti Aurora Collection corresponds to the four-year-old version. However, because the editors have not yet tested them, the introduction of the new colors was taken as an opportunity to do so.
Design, Finishing and Controls
With its round, elongated shape and rounded protective grille, the Yeti looks like an oversized pill. In terms of processing, buyers get a lot from the RRP: the condenser microphone, for example, is completely covered in metal, only the controls are made of plastic. These are divided into a volume control for the headphone output and a mute switch on the front and a control for the preamplification and a selector switch for the microphone characteristic on the back. The positioning of the controls is less than optimal in several respects: They are very stiff, and users can easily slip their fingers.
With the two elements on the back, the problem is compounded by the fact that they only protrude slightly from the case and are therefore not particularly easy to grip. In addition, attaching it to the free space on the front would have had the advantage that the controls would be quicker to reach and their respective settings easier to read. Beginners in particular, who have not yet internalized the positions of the respective setting, would have to turn the microphone again and again – which is not a comfortable affair when screwed onto an arm.
The mute switch should be in also cause some confusion during the first period of use: it lights up red when the microphone is in active use, which certainly means that quite a few users assume that the microphone is muted. However, this is only the case if the button flashes red regularly.
connection options
The connections required for operation can be found in the form of the USB and headphone connections on the underside of the microphone. When it comes to USB, some users may also be surprised, if not positively so, since the manufacturer still uses a standard mini-USB connection here. Even if the microphone in its form has been around for a year or two: mini-USB was replaced by micro-USB more than ten years ago, so the Yeti should have been revised at least at this point. In addition, the micro version is still installed in a not inconsiderable number of the smartphones and tablets currently in use, which means that the corresponding cables can be found everywhere – things should look different with mini-USB by now.
Between the two connections, the developers have the thread in a size 5/8'' placed for attachment to a microphone arm. However, the buyer will look in vain for an adapter to the 3/8'' thread, which is also widespread. At a retail price of 140 euros, there is simply no money left over for a small metal ring. Other manufacturers are not that stingy.
But the position of the three connections, like that of the controls on the back, is also quite unfavorable. This is not immediately noticeable when using the included massive stand, which weighs around 1 kg and is the only accessory besides the 1.5 m long USB cable. Screwed onto an arm, however, the cables run the risk of being kinked, depending on the design of the mount and the position of the microphone.
Technology: Many application scenarios possible
Blue uses three 14 mm condenser capsules in the Yeti. The attachment is intended to support a variety of different application scenarios, which will be discussed in more detail later.
The built-in technology offers a fixed sampling rate of 48 kHz with a bit rate of 16 bits that cannot be changed either. This means that the Yeti has a certain disadvantage compared to microphones with higher resolutions, at least as far as post-production is concerned – because as with image processing, the same applies here: the higher the resolution, the more information is available for possible filters and effects, which in turn has a positive effect affect the quality of the result. In addition, in the price range in which the Yeti operates, quite a few microphones already support at least 96 kHz at 24 bits.
With the values mentioned, the microphone should have a frequency response of 20 Hz up to 20 kHz with a maximum sound pressure of 120 dB. The headphone output goes even further with 15 Hz and 22 kHz.
In addition, the manufacturer equips the Yeti with four different directional characteristics, which can be set using one of the selector switches on the back:
- Cardioid:< /strong> The default orientation when only one speaker speaks into the microphone. In this case, only the sound hitting the sound sensor from the front is recorded. At first there is only an attenuation to the sides, noises coming from behind are filtered well.
- Sphere: In this mode, the sound is picked up evenly from all sides. This setting is particularly suitable when there are several participants in the conversation in front of the microphone.
- Eight: This setting is often used for recordings with two people who are sitting opposite each other and as a result can interact well with each other. Here only the sound hitting the microphone from the front and from behind is forwarded.
- Stereo: The choice when it comes to recording a certain spatiality – not only for conversations, but also for music recordings.
At the same time, the Yeti offers a monitor function via the headphone output, which the speaker can use to hear themselves and other participants or other audio content without latency. However, the attention to a small delay also means that your own voice is played back without any selected effects, i.e. “clean”. This can have the disadvantage that any effects that are not deactivated are not noticed and, with a bit of bad luck, only become apparent when the recording is finished.
Software with many Functions
In addition, the manufacturer provides software with its “Logitech Hub” that can be used to influence the processing of the recording using various tools. Logitech is not just limited to common tools such as noise reduction, but also offers functions such as gate, which is intended to reduce quiet background noise when no one is speaking, compressor and limiter, which make the sound fuller and protect it from clipping, as well as de- Esser and de-popper intended to decrease sharp S and plosive sounds. A low-pass filter and a 3-band equalizer are also included. The tools provided can also be adapted to your own ideas with various parameters.
However, the variety of functions requires that the user knows what he is doing – otherwise the results can be exactly the opposite of what was actually intended. For this, the developers have developed numerous presets with default settings for different scenarios that are easily accessible. This can be used to set the microphone for a typical stream or to create a typical radio voice with its full and warm sound. But the right choice is also important here: the distance between the source and the microphone alone can make certain settings have a detrimental effect on the recording. Therefore, the possible default settings should be tested extensively in advance.
Sound quality: convincing by far
With the technical requirements, the Yeti generally delivers good sound quality with a very low level of inherent noise. Even without compression activated in the software, the voice shown appears full and powerful, but lacks the highs a little, which means that it loses some of its brilliance. Here, the M 90 Pro X from beyerdynamic (test) has a much more differentiated and extensive recording of the microphones tested on ComputerBase so far, but also puts a deeper grip on the wallet as well as an audio interface with XLR connection and 48- Volt phantom power ahead.
In addition, the speaker must not sit too close to the microphone during the recording, because at such moments it is very sensitive to plosive sounds, which are then clearly audible. In the test, a distance of 10 to 20 cm has proven to be ideal; taking pictures below that is only recommended with appropriate protection. With increasing distance, the room acoustics in the form of room reverberation become more and more important, at the same time the voice becomes audibly thinner. These circumstances can only be prevented to a limited extent and are relatively normal. However, the optimal distance can become a problem when using the supplied stand, since good sound does not necessarily go hand in hand with a healthy posture.
The test recordings also revealed the problems described with the ready-made presets, in which each preset reacts a little differently. For example, the voice sounds fuller in the “Classical Radio” used, but has to struggle audibly more with plosives, whereas with “Broadcast” it's basically the other way around. The settings also deal differently with background noise, as the test recordings show. In general, however, the Yeti doesn't lose its stride – the disturbances are taken over, but don't cover up the voice, which is still easy to understand.
Influence of noise
The fact that the Yeti works very sensitively is a big advantage (as far as the voice is concerned) – but on the contrary when it comes to background noise. The microphone lacks internal decoupling, which means that even the slightest vibrations of a microphone arm that is used can be heard clearly amplified in the recording. Only the use of a so-called “spider” helps here, in which the microphone is only held on rubber bands and separated from the rest of the device and vibrations can therefore no longer be transmitted. Due to the design of the Yeti, however, it cannot be used in one of the numerous and, above all, inexpensive universal solutions. Blue can afford the right protection with an RRP of 75 euros – half the price of the actual Mirofon. But even when used in the enclosed stand, there is a risk of trouble with vibrations being transmitted across the desk, since this also has no decoupling.
However, the mute switch cannot be really mute either, but emits small “clicking noises” both when it is activated and when it is deactivated. That's quite annoying, as the legacies can be heard in the recording and would have to be cut out later. Here it is better to use the keyboard as a trigger in the respective recording or streaming program.
Example recordings: Logitech Yeti
< figure class="text-asset text-width"> Logitech Yeti – Clean 5 cm
< figure class="text-asset text-width"> Logitech Yeti – Clean – Preset Classic Radio – 50 cm
Competitor sample shots
Neat Bumblebee II
Microphone quality recordings with and without noise(s)
Neat King Bee II
Microphone quality recordings with and without noise(s)
Neat Worker Bee II
Microphone quality recordings with and without noise(s)
beyerdynamic M 90 Pro X
Recordings for microphone quality with and without background noise(s)
beyerdynamic M 70 Pro X
Microphone quality recordings with and without background noise(s)
Dockin MP1000
Microphone quality recordings with and without noise(s)
Dockin MP2000
Microphone quality recordings with and without noise(s)
SPC Gear SM950
Microphone quality recordings with and without noise(s)
SPC Gear SM950T
Microphone quality recordings with and without noise(s)
Roccat Torch
Recordings for microphone quality with and without background noise(s)
Epos B20
Recordings of microphone quality with and without noise(s)
< figure class="text-asset text-width"> Epos B20 – Clear – 10 cm distance – Cardioid – Clear
Elgato Wave:3
Microphone quality recordings with and without noise(s)
HyperX Solocast
Microphone quality recordings with and without noise(s)
Conclusion
< p class="p text-width">Unlike other products from the Aurora Collection, which ComputerBase recently criticized, Logitech does not deliver cheaper technology at a higher price in a “gender-neutral” design with the Blue Yeti Aurora Collection, but only a well-known product for the well-known RRP in two new colors. If the market price falls quickly to the level of the older variants in black, blue and silver (100 to 120 euros), then this is not worth criticism.
In terms of sound, there is the Yeti continues to cut a very good figure, but the connections are no longer up-to-date.
The voice is already well reproduced without any other influences, although the higher frequencies could have been a little more concise. The possible frequency response is completely sufficient for good recordings, only the sample rate and the resolution could have been higher for post-production. In this respect, Blue lags behind the technical equipment that is otherwise usual in this price range. The four different microphone characteristics, with which the sound pickup can be used in a wide variety of ways, are positive.
With the “Logitech Hub”, the manufacturer also offers the possibility of influencing the sound aspects. Although the numerous tools are qualitatively okay, the user should know what he is doing, otherwise a recording can quickly be “improved for the worse”. Therefore, if these effects are not required immediately, it is better to edit them in post-production, which offers greater control over the result.
The microphone itself is well made. The metal “shell” makes it look valuable, even if the rest of the design looks quite clumsy. However, Blue should rework the controls on the front and back, as they are quite stiff and especially the control units on the back are difficult to grip due to their small thickness. For easier operation alone, all controls should have been placed completely on the front. Another problem is the mute function, which likes to make noises every time it is pressed. In addition, the manufacturer should have better decoupled the individual condenser capsules. As a result, the Yeti is very sensitive to vibrations, which can be clearly heard in the recording.
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The position of the USB and headphone connections at the lower end of the microphone is also less elegant. As a result, the cables run the risk of kinking on a microphone arm, which will either not do the connections any good in the long run or can cause a break in the cable. In addition, it is surprising that Blue still uses mini-USB to connect to a computer.
In general, the Yeti offers a solid basis for the asking price, with which already good recordings are possible, but also leaves some possibilities. If you can live with that, you will be rewarded with a versatile microphone.
Logitech loaned the Blue Yeti to ComputerBase for the test. The manufacturer did not influence the test report and there was no obligation to publish it. There was no NDA.
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