Blue Microphones Snowflake USB Microphone

audio on the go

Whether you're recording your newest podcast, talking business on the web, or just narrating your latest great family movie, the Snowflake can capture it with amazing clarity and depth that's head and shoulders above any comparable portable USB on the market!

The Snowflake works on both Mac and PC with no complicated drivers to install: just connect it to your computer's USB port, follow the prompts and you'll have high-fidelity sound in no time. It's perfect for podcasting, voice recognition software, iChat, and VoIP software such as Skype and Vonage. Or use it for dictation, field recording, lecture recording, and narration for slideshows and PowerPoint presentations. The sky's the limit. It's even great for recording music via GarageBand and other multitrack recording software.

Technology

• Professional recording quality - on the go!
• Mac and PC compatible
• Plug 'n play - no complicated drivers required
• Unique design fits on your desktop or laptop
• Blue's superior proprietary capsule and circuit design
• Includes USB cable

 

System Requirements

PC: Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, XP Home Edition or XP Professional
USB 1.0 or 2.0; 64MB RAM (minimum)

Macintosh: Mac OSX
USB 1.0 or 2.0; 64MB RAM (minimum)

Tips for use:

Perfect for dictation, field recording, lecture recording, narration, presentations, Vocals, Music Instruments, Podcasting, VOIP (such as Skype and Vonage), Voice Recognition Software, Multimedia; ideal for AIM, Yahoo!, MSN, iChat, ooVoo and Google Talk.

Macintosh, iMovie, PhotoBooth and iChat are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc. Windows Vista, Windows XP and Windows Live Messenger are registered trademarks of Microsoft, Inc. Skype is a registered trademark of Skype Limited. AOL is a registered trademark of America Online, Inc. Yahoo! is a registered trademark of Yahoo! Inc. Google Talk is a trademark of Google Inc. ooVoo is a registered trademark of ooVoo, LLC. Audacity is a registered trademark of the Audacity development team.

What exactly is this Snowflake all about?

The Snowflake has the performance of the Snowball but in a more compact package.

Is The Snowflake a dynamic microphone like the Blue Ball, or a condenser like the Blue 8Ball or Kiwi?

The Snowflake is a condenser, which, according to the audio wonks we know, has a smooth open sound with a nice, natural high-end.

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. The Snowflake does not require batteries.

Is the Snowflake compatible with Windows 7 and Vista?

Yes!

Do I need any special software to use The Snowflake? Do I need any drivers?

Technically, no. Depending on your application, your OS may have sufficient features to utilize the capabilities of the Snowflake. But, to get the most out of your Snowflake, 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 are listed below.

Can I use The Snowflake 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.

What sample rate and word length does the Snowflake use?

The Snowflake'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.

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.

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.