Getting a good microphone is as important as deciding the audio quality because this is the equipment we are using to capture the sound. For those who want a convenient microphone, HyperX SoloCast Vs Blue Snowball are two good options to consider. These USB types are very easy to use, sound good, and also quite affordable but they are not exactly the same so before deciding the option, let’s see below about what they can offer and which of them will be the better choice.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- What are the Microphone for Streaming
- What are HyperX SoloCast and Blue Snowball
- How are the Build Quality of HyperX SoloCast and Blue Snowball
- How are the Specs of HyperX SoloCast and Blue Snowball
- How are the Sound Quality of HyperX SoloCast and Blue Snowball
- What else HyperX SoloCast and Blue Snowball can offer
- HyperX SoloCast Vs Blue Snowball
Microphone for Streaming
When it comes to audio quality, there are tons of factors that can affect the level of clarity and how others perceive the message we are trying to deliver. In modern days the use of a microphone is not limited to music purposes and live performance only but also in the streaming process. This style of utilization is very prominent because the way we consume digital content today increases the demand for this type of content whether it is just people sharing their thoughts, skills, or delivering some type of entertainment.
Besides the camera, you will need a dedicated microphone too because the built-in microphone in your camera or headset is not as reliable as a standalone equipment with many of its features if you choose the more capable option. There are plenty to choose from which are designed for the purpose of streaming such as Elgato Wave 3 Vs Blue Yeti but you can find many other options or alternatives at lower cost as well depending on which seems to fit you the most.
For microphones that are utilized in streaming setup, you may want to think about the directionality first. This is the parameter used by your microphone to capture the sound around it and in the simple setup a unidirectional is sufficient. This type of microphone is known as cardioid in most cases and as the name suggests, it captures most from the front and some on the sides but rejects those coming from the rear. As opposed the omnidirectional will capture sound from all of its sides.
There is sensitivity as well which is indicated in dB and you can find them on the manual or specs list to know how sensitive the microphone is. It is usually the lower the better as it means the microphone itself will generate very low sound on its own but it also means we will need to turn up the gain higher to make sure your sound is audible. It highly depends on the application such as low sensitivity is best for isolated loud sound and high sensitivity for ambient and quiet sounds.
We also have frequency response and this only means the ability of the microphone to capture the quietest and the loudest sound range without any distortion. The wider the range also means the more natural the sound will become so they will be good for highs but still maintaining the low end too. In some cases they can cut the high or low end depending on how the manufacturer designs the microphone.
| HyperX SoloCast | Blue Snowball | |
|---|---|---|
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| Product Dimensions | 6.85 x 3.82 x 3.07 inches | 4.88 x 7.88 x 10 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 9.2 ounces | 0.004 ounces |
| Shop now at Amazon | click here | click here |
About HyperX SoloCast and Blue Snowball
Now when you are ready to find the most suitable microphone, it is time to see what the market has to offer because we have so many of them out there and not every microphone will have the same specs or character as well. For streaming purposes, if you want a quick start that is not complicated and is easy to use we personally recommend to get a USB type or those that we can directly connect to the computer because our adjustment is mostly centered on the software being used.
USB microphones are very popular today for their convenience and with how the sound quality is improved a lot from some of the earliest variants. Some of the most reliable choices to count on are HyperX and Blue microphones. These brands carry lots of good options in various price ranges so everyone can find the most ideal equipment for their activity. Price wise they are not expensive either, depending on the model to choose, with some being $100 and below.
For those who will be using the microphone on the table or just want to get started on the journey of creating their own content, the HyperX SoloCast and Blue Snowball are two very ideal variants we will recommend. We have so many people like these affordable streaming microphones for their ease of use and sound quality. We have talked about the higher QuadCast in previous comparison, and as the name suggests, this is the lower variant of the microphone yet still very useful too.
In comparison, the HyperX SoloCast and Blue Snowball are very similar to each other because both are equally cardioid and the same USB type for convenience. The sound character is almost the same however so we do think you can go amazing with any of the two and for those who will want to optimize the budget we will also recommend getting the SoloCast.
HyperX SoloCast and Blue Snowball Design
Before talking about what these microphones can offer first let’s take a look into the unit or product quality. Since these are budget microphones, you will have to compromise some on the build quality and this is because they are made of hard plastic or not the usual metal housing that we are getting from the Yeti or QuadCast. The plastic is thick and seems very durable however so we are not concerned about how they will perform in a fixed setup.
We are happy to find a table mount here but what to note is that there is no absorption on these mount and while they seem robust too, we have to mind the typing noise and vibration from the keyboard if directly placing the equipment on the table. However, if you will not type a lot, the mount is very convenient as they offer a wide range of movement to position the mic as ideal in front of your mouth. For the specification these microphones will work with computers and not OS specific too.
HyperX SoloCast and Blue Snowball Specs
Now for the most important part, let’s see what the HyperX SoloCast and Blue Snowball can offer starting from the sound quality and from the specs alone, these two are quite different. Frequency range is from 20Hz to 20kHz and 40Hz to 18kHz respectively with sample rate at up to 48kHz and 44.1kHz side by side. These are cardioid and omni as well for Snowball so we don’t find any other directionality or pattern in these microphones. For compatibility it seems Snowball is optimized for Windows 10 or higher and macOS 10.13 at least but SoloCast still works well with Windows 7 too.
HyperX SoloCast and Blue Snowball Sound Quality
On the sound quality these microphones are mostly flat however so if you prefer a more neutral response then we highly recommend any of these microphones too yet, they are not exactly identical because SoloCast extend both its low and high end. In comparison if you ever heard the sound from Yeti, this Snowball will be very similar to its cardioid setting with a slight peak on the high-end, giving your voice a little brightness too in which is kept fairly neutral by the SoloCast.
The clarity is impressive just like most good microphones we have heard on streamed content or video but the character is not the same and this is why the Snowball probably will give your voice a boost on the high end that makes it more prominent too. It is highly subjective to how you like the sound but personally we like the SoloCast better as it is just comfortable to listen to.
HyperX SoloCast and Blue Snowball Features
Next let’s see the features that you can find on these microphones because the Snowball seems to come with an interesting ability and yes, this is the option to use the microphone in an omnidirectional setting. There is this small switch on the back of the Snowball that we can set to three positions. The first position is for cardioid setting, the second position is for cardioid with -10dB pad, and the third position is for omnidirectional setting.
The omnidirectional is probably not as useful as it should be because when tested with the sound coming from all around the microphone, it is not capturing the sound at the same level. Expect to find some rejection on the side and back so in a case of an interview with two or more people using the same microphone in the middle, the voice of anyone not in front of the mic will be not as audible. Additionally, there is a mute button that you can find at the top of SoloCast.
Comparison
Both HyperX SoloCast and Blue Snowball are good streaming microphones for starters and since they are very affordable, it makes the choice easy as well. In comparison, the Snowball is more expensive but this microphone also comes with more features that we can take advantage of such as the -10dB pad and omnidirectional polar pattern. However, the SoloCast is more neutral sounding while the Snowball is slightly brighter.
Conclusion
These microphones are equally good options based on which seems to work better in your setup but we will recommend getting the SoloCast because it sounds more neutral and is cheaper too, if you will not use the features offered by Snowball.