Record direct to your computer with Blue-quality sound.
Finally, a USB microphone that's not only easy to use, but sounds as good on your desktop as it does in a professional recording studio. Meet the Snowflake-a professional USB mic from Blue. Whether you're recording a guitar at your kitchen table or a complete band in the studio, the Snowflake can capture it with detail unheard of before in a USB microphone.
The Snowflake is a direct plug n' play mic that connects to either a Mac or PC computer-no additional software is needed. With its dual-capsule design and unique three-pattern switch (cardioid, cardioid with -10dB pad, and omni), the Snowflake microphone can handle everything from soft vocals to the loudest garage band-and it's ideal for podcasting. Check it out and you'll see why it's the coolest mic in town.
Snowflake Questions and Answers
1. What exactly is the Snowflake all about?
The Snowflake is an innovative microphone with USB connectivity so you can get live audio into your Macintosh or Windows desktop or laptop. Just plug it in, adjust your input level and you're up and running.
2. Is the Snowflake a dynamic microphone like the Blue Ball, or a condenser like the Blue 8Ball or Kiwi?
The Snowflake is a condenser mic, which, according to the audio wonks we know, has a smooth open sound with a nice, natural high-end.
3. I've heard that condenser microphones require something called phantom power. Do I need to concern myself with this? Does The Snowflake need batteries?
No. The Snowflake derives its operating voltage from something called bus voltage, which is always present on your USB port. As long as the red LED is glowing, you know you've got power. The Snowflake does not require batteries.
4. Do I need any special software to use The Snowflake? Do I need any drivers?
Technically, no. Depending on your application, your operating system may have sufficient features to utilize the capabilities of The Snowflake. But, to get the most out of this mic, you'll want to have some kind of software that allows for digital signal processing and non-linear editing that will accept audio from the USB port. Some examples of these programs include Logic 7, Sonar, GarageBand, or Adobe Premier Elements. As long as you are using Windows XP or Apple OSX, you will not need any drivers.
5. Can I use it with a traditional analog audio mixer?
No. The Snowflake features digital output only. It must be connected to a USB port in order to function.
6. What sample rate does this mic use?
It's digital output is set to 44.1 kHz / 16-bit, just like an audio CD. But this is something that only audio geeks really need to worry about.
7. How can I select a different sample rate?
Because The Snowflake is designed for the greatest ease of operation and setup, sample rate / word length are not user-definable. Sorry, geeks.
8. Can I use more than one Snowflake at a time?
Some audio editing software allows for multiple USB connections. Check with your software vendor-they should have technical support staff who can answer all of your questions about their product.
9. What is this mic used for? Is it a vocal mic, an instrument mic or both?
It was designed to provide a wide range of applications where a high-quality transducer (a fancy way to say microphone) is needed, but so is ease-of-use and setup. Though most professional engineers prefer certain microphones for certain applications, Blue designed it for use with a wide variety of sources. Here are some suggested applications Blue Microphones came up with when it locked in Blue's patented anechoic think tank: instrument and voice for music production, pre-production, demos, DV-looping, dialog, podcasting, sound effects, audio sampling, interactive programming, video sweetening, Internet telephony, Internet conferencing, recording lectures, poetry slams, spoken word performances, and speeches by your favorite politician generally anywhere where you need an easy-to-use microphone and you have access to a computer with a USB port. Happy recording!
10. Do I need to keep it in the freezer when I'm not using it?
No. This is one snowflake that won't melt!
