Samson Technologies Microphones

We use the Samson Technologies CO2’s primarily as a vocal mics but where it really shines is on instruments. I have a small 12? SWR bass amp and I put this mic up to the speaker and it sounded fantastic. I really couldn’t believe it. I had been recording bass direct but from now on I will be sure to use this mic (even if I record direct as well). It does perform well as a vocal mic but does not have the high end boost we are use to hearing on vocals (by design). This mic was not designed to be a copy of other high end mics. It really has its own sound. Despite its relatively inexpensive price, it has found usage in many high end studios for a reason. I am very happy that it is apart of my mic locker. OVERALL OPINION This mic has a huge low end and major proximity effect, which may mean rolling off some of those lows further down the chain. It's thick and rich with the included Sovtek 6922 glowing inside, and while there isn't much top, it's there and quite usable. Softer transients. It will work on some vocals primarily, but you can also try it in front of a drum set, on background vox, and on cabs. Maybe a cello or double-bass would work too. Setting the Samson technologies mics up on the included stereo mounting bracket flared out from each other at about 110 degrees two feet away from an acoustic guitar yields a recording identical to how my ears hear it. I got these mics to record some acoustic guitar parts for my own tracks and some side work I do recording my church choir. I couldn't be happier. I run these through the FMR audio RNP and the natural sounding recordings you get with these things are great.

This is a nice little drum microphone package from Samson. I got these as my first drum mics because of the obvious benefit that they are so cheap. You are getting 5 very usable mics for an entry level engineer at less than $200, which is really just an amazing value. The sound quality of these mics is not top notch, but having this many mics to close mic more drums in your kit will make up for the fact that the recording quality is not that great, because your overall sound will be better than if you just bought one mic for $200. So on the value, these mics score really well. All the mics in the package are dynamic mics, and they are all cardioid so that means they will help eliminate a lot of bleed from the other drums and from the hi-hat and cymbals. That will help you get more clarity in your mixing. Included in the package are three tom mics which come with rim clips to help you get the mic in the right place. You get one Q snare mic, which also has the appropriate rim clip. You also get one larger kick drum mic which comes with a swiveling mount, which is nice because it can be tricky to get a kick drum mic to sit in the right place if you need to stick it inside of a drum head. You also get a nice carrying case for all the mics to keep them safe and organized. They all connect up with XLR cables. OVERALL OPINION I used these for a couple years before I upgraded to a better drum mic package. They did serve me very well. I am a drummer so I can tell you that you are not going to be blown away with the sound of your drums, but this is a nice entry level way to start having some control over all of the drums in your set individually when you are mixing, which you can't do with only 1 or 2 perhaps nicer mics that you could get with the same amount of money. They don't sound amazing, but for the price it's a nice deal.

This is a computer mic that I used at work for a while to record voice instructions for new employees. It is a very simple and basic microphone but it does have some nice features that make it very attractive to those on a budget who need to get something for podcasting or basic recording. First of all the price is the best feature on this mic. It is less than $70 for a microphone, connector cord, and analog to digital interface all in one. Not to mention it comes with a tripod desk stand and recording software by Cakewalk. The value is just unbelievable. About the mic, it is a dynamic microphone so it is not as sensitive as the condenser mics that a lot of people are using now. You need to get up closer to the grille on this mic than you do with a condenser before you can really hear some detail on what you are recording. Also if you get so close that you're almost touching the mic, you get extra bass in the recording which is cool and makes you sound like you're the guy doing movie trailer voice overs - very cool. It has a super cardioid pickup pattern too which means that it rejects things to the side and rear of the microphone a lot, so make sure you are right in front of the mic when you are recording or you will be drowned out. The mic automatically converts the signal to digital and then sends out the signal to your computer with a USB cable that plugs right into the mic, so you don't need an audio interface. OVERALL OPINION The value here is pretty much second to none for someone who wants a basic all purpose computer recording solution. That's why my company bought them for basic voice recording for tutorials. The software alone probably sells for more than this mic. It's a great package at a great price, even though the sound quality on the microphone is not incredibly professional.

This is a Studio Condenser Mic. OVERALL OPINION SAMSON C01 STUDIO CONDENSER I have a pair of these that I have had since about the year 2000. I bought them as vocal Mics for my home studio and actually used them as such for several years, albums and demos. The Mics are pretty decent sounding. They are large diaphragms and give a decent enough sound for the price but they tend to distort fairly easily under load. So I would not recommend using them in a Kick drum or on a powerful male or female voice. You will get some distortion even with a pad on your pre-amp. They require 48-volt phantom power as do all studio condensers and you will find, as I did, that they sound a little thinner than your average large diaphragm condenser Mic. All that being said, these can be gotten at almost any music store for around fifty dollars US and when you look at them in that context. They are a great Mic. If you have an average voice without a bunch of power and use some distance between you and the Pop Filter, you will get good useable results. I have a low baritone voice and I need to stand about 3 feet away to not distort it. My wife, on the other hand with her higher female voice, uses this Mic and sounds great on it. So if you look over the response curve and try it on some real world situation tests, you should get a lot of good out of these. The unit comes in a cheap plastic case; one of mine is still in great shape the other has pulverized. Invest in the shock mount, you will need it to save you from stand, floor noise. I have since moved to a better Mic but keep the Samson C01s for drum overheads and they really ROCK there.

Samson's C03 is a large diaphram condensor microphone, offerring 3 distinct patterns; supercardoid, omnidirectional, and figure 8 all of which are available at the switch of a button. It features a switchable high-pass filter and 10dB pad, as well as a gold-plated XLR connector, thats nice to see in this low low price range. OVERALL OPINION Because this mic boasts multuple patterns it is a versatile powerhouse of ambient recording options. What I found was a brilliance of sound reflection, and an excellent transient response that is smooth throughout the whole range. It has a fairly detailed top end and warmth in the bass frequencies, but is rather neutral when I began comparing it with some other budget mics in my arsenal, so apparently this mic does not overtly "color" the sound of your signal. Impressive in this range. I found this mic to be incredibly crisp and clean on acoustic stringed instruments such as guitar and mandolin, and retain an articulate bass response from an electric bass cab when paired with a dynamic mic off center by utilyzing the bass cut. I found it to be more transparent and ultimately not as "warm" as my mxl v67, but it was more accurate by far. Again, this mic does not color the signal to a noticeable degree in my opinion. This mic might not be my "go-to" for recording guitars, but it could certainly provide just the right frequncy response for tracking an accurate uncolored vocal, or piano. I would reccomend this to anyone who needs an affordable large diaphram condensor for live purposes, like a bluegrass band who needs a crisp figure-8 mic for jamming out. So basically, don't let the 100 dollar price tag fool you, this mic is quite capable, accurate, and responsive while being incredibly versatile with its multi-pattern capability. This is a perfect choice for guys just starting out buying their first condensor, or for those who need quality go-to microphones and are on a budget.