Samson CO1U USB Condenser Mic

Product Description:

For the first time ever, musicians who record music on computers have a simple, affordable way to capture high-quality vocal and acoustic instrument performances. Seamless integration was the idea, and it was obtained by creating a studio condenser microphone that can be plugged into any computer with no in/out boxes, no expensive computer pre-amps, just a USB cable. It features a 19mm internal shock mounted diaphragm with a cardioid pick up pattern ensuring pristine studio quality recordings. The C01U works perfectly on any computer, Mac or PC, and with any DAW software program. It immediately solves a huge problem for users of many laptops, many of which have no other input method for audio devices. It's a must for any musician on the road or in the project studio, but the C01U is going to offer solutions to more than just musicians. The mic opens up possibilities for anyone who records audio?from Podcasters, journalists, students, and business people adding audio files to websites and multimedia presentations. Smooth, Flat Frequency Response USB connection cable included Perfect microphone for Podcasters as well as Musicians 16-bit sample resolution Supports 8 kHz, 11.025 kHz, 22.05 kHz, 44.1 kHz, and 48 kHz sampling rates USB low-power device - draws 26 mA => 130 mW. In suspend mode 0.3 mA => 1.5 mW. Frequency response - 40 Hz to 18 kHz
Product Details
  • Feature:
  • Industry's first USB studio condenser mic
  • Plugs directly into any computer with a USB port
  • Cardioid pickup pattern
  • Heavy gauge mesh grill
  • Large 19mm diaphragm
  • BatteriesIncluded: 0
  • Binding: Electronics
  • Brand: Samson
  • EAN: 0874171001247
  • IsAutographed: 0
  • IsMemorabilia: 0
  • Label: Samson
  • Manufacturer: Samson
  • Model: CO1U RS
  • MPN: C01U
  • PackageQuantity: 1
  • ProductGroup: Musical Instruments
  • ProductTypeName: SOUND_AND_RECORDING_EQUIPMENT
  • Publisher: Samson
  • Studio: Samson
  • UPC: 809164005810

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Customer Reviews

Great Microphone!2008-11-26
I bought this mic to do voice-over for a training video. The sound reproduction is very good and the mic appears to be very well made. I did have to remove audible hum from the PC but this isn't a fault of the mic, it's just sensitive and the hum was fan noise. Not a problem with decent software. I'm also going to get a pop filter to further inhance the sound quality - I was pretty bad with plosives ;-) again, not the mic's fault.

I haven't tried the included software so I can't really comment on it. I'm very satisfied with my purchase and would recommend this mic to anyone needing a decent quality USB condenser mic.

Works as well as a cheap microphone2008-11-19
I purchased this so that I could use my own headphones and a good mic with Skype and MS Onenote (audio notes). Since I use Vista on my laptop, I could not use the software that came with the product. The Vista driver is dated to 2006 so its old. I tried recording audio in Onenote and the mic performed as well as my cheap microphone headset combo, which means that it performed badly. Yes, I did follow Samson's Vista instructions and it still worked poorly.

I also tried installing it on my XP desktop machine and got an error while installing SoftPre software. The error stated that MSVCP71.dll is missing. I did a search and apparently I'm not the only one that has had this problem. I uninstalled the software and tried testing with the basic XP drivers and it performed badly.

I returned this product for a refund and I would not recommend this product to anyone looking for a desktop microphone. Why Scott Hanselman recommends this mic is beyond me.
Great mic - bad driver2008-11-11
First off don't use the included driver! It has been a while but I still remember the grief. Just plug it in and let XP set it up.

I record with an inexpensive Windows XP laptop and get fantastic sound quality. I have had this mic for over a year using it to record our church choir and related musicians, all have been impressed with the sound quality.

I also find the free Audacity software easier to work with than the provided Cakewalk software it came with.
average2008-10-23
annoying upper mid frequency being emphasised for acoustic guitar. Not as transperant as I had hoped. Might be good for spoken word. I would not recommend it for acoustic instrument recording.
Plug In and Go.2008-10-06
Great sound for the money. Perfect for my podcasts and even my audio cd reports. Simplest installation ever, just plugged it into USB and done.

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