Spotify and Skype are the two hottest european startups it seems. Skype does internet phone service and Spotify is an all you can eat social music service. I use both of these products everyday. They also seem to have a lot in common:
European
P2P technology
They both start with an S.
Microsoft is in both of their friend networks. Skype is owned by MS. Spotify is friends with Facebook who has Microsoft as a friend.
Popular among us geeks
Integrated with Facebook.
Social
Gets you thinking, right? Just some random information. They seem so similar but different businesses. http://pansentient.com/2011/04/spotify-technology-some-stats-and-how-spotify-works/ is a really great write-up on Spotify P2P tech. Spotify is like an “Modern Napster” but this time the music industry is happy with it. Skype and Spotify are using peer to peer for awesome, legal and legit uses. I think they both are great examples of legit P2P use.
I recommend using both of these products if you aren’t already. Hope you enjoyed this random post.
As some people know I have wanted to start a tech podcast. Its something I talked about. So I decided to stop talking about it and start working towards getting it started. I’m starting a tech podcast called iGeekable. One of the things I needed was a great quality microphone, so I will sound like a professional and not just another kid starting a podcast. I started by asking some of my friends and got recommendations for Microphones. I already knew about Blue and was going to get a Snowball, but the Yeti also stood out. I then went to YouTube and searched for “Blue Yeti audio test”. I stumbleupon a video by tldtoday which has tech reviews. The video compared the Blue Yeti, Snowball and an Audio Technica AT2020. I also found other videos comparing mics. The Yeti sounds like a true winner compared to other mics. I then said “I gotta have that Mic!”.
The Blue Yeti MSRP is $149.99. I then started looking online to see where I can get the best deal. I checked Best Buy’s website and found it as I normally check the website and go to the store to get it the same day, but also not sure if a local store would have it as some stuff they don’t even carry. I checked Amazon and seen that it was $98.99 and ordered it. That’s like 50 bucks off! I don’t normally buy online and I hate waiting, I used the super saver shipping. I put my order in on August 15 and got in on August 18. So by waiting and not buying it at Best Buy and getting it same day I saved 50 bucks plus I didn’t need it right away as Chris’s MacBook Pro is having over heating issues and is in the shop so we could not start right away anyways. So I think I will shop using Amazon over Best Buy for now when I can save money, I still might go to Best Buy to check out a gadget before I go home to buy it on Amazon.
Stereo is for Vocals, Choir and instruments.
Cardioid is for Podcasts, voiceovers, vocals and instruments. I think I will use Cardioid the most often.
Omnidirectional is for Conference calls, field recordings and events/orchestras.
Lastly Bidirectional is for interviews, instruments and vocal duets.
Another thing the box had on it that stands out is how it lists the definitions of Yeti. I think it’s really cute the way they did it.
Legendary ape-like creature who roams the Himalayas.
An incredibly versatile USB microphone found worldwide.
I like how its a professional and serious microphone, yet they can have so much fun and creative with it! So I then unboxed it. I plugged it in to my laptop and adjusted some of the audio levels in Windows and put it in the Cardioid mode. I plugged in the headphones I ordered also. I could hear my computer and my voice! It was really simple to set up. I then made some Skype calls to people to ask them what they think of the Yeti audio and one person told me with my old mic i sounded like a 12 year old and with my Yeti i sound 48. That put a smile on my face. Below is a before and after comparing my old mic and new mic. I originally recorded theses are a test for iGeekable, was testing the audio player on that site.
Old Microphone:
Blue Yeti Microphone:
I can tell right away that the Blue Yeti sounds way clearer!
Another thing about the Yeti is that it’s really sensitive. If I turn up my volume to 100% and the Mic is not even at 100% I can hear the television upstairs, I can’t really make it out but I can hear it. On my desk each time i type in the keyboard you can hear like lite hitting sound on the desk it picks up. Not going to blame that on the Yeti. I think i need to put the mic on another surface other than my desk, get a stand or find a workaround. Not sure what to do about that television that’s on all the time since I live with other people and can’t really kick them out. I live downstairs and there is stairs to the upstairs, not really a door between them to cut off sound. I am an audio noob that wants to sound professional. I don’t have a studio like the record companies have and I don’t want to go crazy spending money. I want to do it on the budget, so I need to find a way to isolate the other sounds. Not really sure how, if you have any tips leave them in the comments?
I give this Microphone a 5 out of 5. You can check it out at Amazon here.
