The Logitech Blue Yeti X microphone is a highly popular USB microphone that is designed for professional podcasting, streaming, and recording. It comes highly recommended amongst podcasters, gamers, and streamers alike, so I knew it had to be the right microphone to buy. The Yeti X comes packed with a range of advanced features that are designed to enhance the recording experience. At $169, it isn’t cheap. Would it meet expectations?
Blue Yeti X Features and Tech Specs
Let’s start with the features of the Blue Yeti X. These features include:
- High-Resolution Audio: The Blue Yeti X microphone features 24-bit/48kHz audio resolution, which means that it can capture high-quality audio with incredible clarity and accuracy.
- Four-Capsule Array: The Blue Yeti X microphone features a four-capsule array that allows you to record in a variety of polar patterns. This includes cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional, and stereo, which gives you the flexibility to capture audio in a way that suits your needs.
- LED Lighting: The Blue Yeti X microphone features LED lighting that is located on the front of the microphone. This lighting is designed to provide visual feedback on the microphone’s volume levels and can be customized to suit your preferences.
- Built-in Headphone Monitoring: The Blue Yeti X microphone comes with built-in headphone monitoring that allows you to monitor your recordings in real-time. This feature ensures that you can adjust your microphone settings on the fly and achieve the best possible sound quality.
Technical Specifications:
- Power Required/Consumption: 5V 150mA
- Sample Rate: 48 kHz
- Bit Rate: 24-bit
- Capsules: Four 14mm condenser capsules
- Polar Patterns: Cardioid, Omnidirectional, Bidirectional, Stereo
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
- Max SPL: 122dB (THD: 0.5% 1kHz)
- Headphone Amplifier: Impedance: >16 ohms, Power Output (RMS): 72mW, THD: 0.009%, Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
Blue Yeti X for Podcasting or Video Games
The Blue Yeti X microphone is an excellent choice for podcasting and video game recording. The microphone’s high-resolution audio, four-capsule array, and multiple polar patterns make it ideal for recording interviews, solo podcasts, and even group discussions. The four-capsule array microphone really shines here, as you can quickly toggle the polar pattern for the right intended use. Need to capture multiple speakers at one time? Are you solo podcasting? You can easily toggle the pattern for optimal recording.
Similar to professional-grade microphones, the built-in headphone monitoring ensures that you can monitor your recordings in real-time and adjust your microphone settings on the fly. I found this very useful when recording podcasts or other recorded audio and needing to hear exact feedback as I speak.
When it comes to video game recording, the Blue Yeti X microphone is an excellent choice. The microphone’s cardioid polar pattern ensures that it captures your voice clearly while reducing background noise. This means that your audience can hear you clearly, even if there is noise in your gaming environment.
Blue Yeti X MacBook Pro M1 compatibility issues
A quick note on some technical compatibility issues I experienced with the Blue Yeti X, as an Apple MacBook Pro owner with the M1 processor, I struggled frequently to have my MacBook maintain detection of the microphone. Apparently, I am not alone.
Uninstalling and reinstalling the Blue Yeti “Blue Vo!ce” software multiple times did not resolve the issue. Nor did ensuring that the microphone was connected prior to boot-up, as many stated online was a possible fix.
I tried using and not using the Logitech GHub software, and some other workarounds discussed in this Zoom support article. Nothing seems to work since upgrading to MacOS 13.2 Ventura, although this article mentions issues since Monterey.
Not being able to use the Blue Vo!ce software is a huge downgrade in feature capabilities, as it provides quick polishing to your recordings to remove background noise, provide deeper podcast voice sound polishing, and so on. So by all means, I wanted to get the Blue Vo!ce software to work—even trying older software releases in the hope it would resolve my issue.
Ultimately, I had to connect this microphone to an Ubuntu box to get it to work. I am still troubleshooting connectivity with my MacBook Pro. To me, this is completely unacceptable that there are such struggles getting this microphone to work properly on of all things Apple products. I sincerely hope either Apple or Logitech works to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.
Pros:
- High-quality audio: The Blue Yeti X microphone produces high-quality audio that is clear and accurate.
- Versatile polar patterns: The microphone’s four-capsule array allows you to record in a variety of polar patterns, giving you the flexibility to capture audio in a way that suits your needs.
- LED lighting: The LED lighting provides visual feedback on the microphone
- Built-in headphone amplifier for real-time monitoring
- Easy to set up and use
- High-quality construction
Cons:
- Expensive compared to other USB microphones
- The sensitivity is relatively low, which may require a preamp or gain booster
- The mute button is too sensitive, and it’s easy to accidentally press it
- Polar pattern selection is on the back of the microphone, making it hard to understand which pattern you have selected
- Serious MacOS MacBook Pro M1 chip compatibility issues. We’re docking a star for usability and sound quality from our scoring, as this is completely unacceptable in our opinion.
The Blue Yeti X is an excellent choice for content creators, podcasters, and video gamers who want high-quality audio. The four polar patterns, high-resolution audio, and customizable LED lighting make it a versatile and attractive option. However, it is a bit expensive compared to other USB microphones, and the sensitivity is relatively low, which may require a preamp or gain booster. Overall, the Blue Yeti X is a high-quality microphone that delivers professional-level audio recording for popular use cases. If you’re a MacBook Pro M1 owner, buyer beware.
