Samson Q2u USB/XLR Microphone Review / Test 

Even though this video is 3 years old, it 100% convinced me to buy this microphone. It will be shipped to my house within the next 5 days and I'll throw an edit into this comment after I get it and have it for a little bit to help others on if they should get it or not aswell. EDIT: 6 months later, it's the best microphone I've ever had/ever could have asked for for the price. If you're thinking about buying this, just go for it honestly.

Dude, You make the best reviews on the entire internet! I love them and I trust your word when it comes to mics. Thanks for making these videos!

I love this microphone. Best first purchase for my podcast. The flexibility of having the USB and XLR option and I love how it sounds.

Still one of the best tech review channels ever! Glad I found you!

We use Samson Q7x mics in our band. They are honestly the best dynamic vocal mics I've ever worked with for live use. Very flat unhyped response...even close up. And incredible gain before feedback.

I started with a snowball ice I picked up for $15 used. I'm now using this mic. It is great for streaming video games. I didn't get headphones with my kit but that's ok. Still worth the $30 I invested. I really enjoy your RU-vid page. My 1st two mics were all because of you. Thanks buddy! Been telling my friends about your channel too.

I love the tone of this video compared to the more recent ones. Such a fresh summer child, excited by the world of microphones. A few years later and a many broken microphone boxes later, Bandrew is a more careful, thoughtful man.

i just bought this microphone after watching many of your reviews! thanks for the great work! for that price, the mic is amazing!

Thank you so much for making this a top recommendation, It sounds so good and the dual option is great. I just got it today, and i love it. thank you so much again Podstage!

This video sealed the deal and my Q2u is on its way! I can't thank you enough for making such comprehensive videos, they've helped a ton.

I got this mic in the mail today. I really love it! It sounds great and came with great accessories.

I've been using the Q1U, the first version of this mic, for about ten years for my podcast, which is predominantly voice audio, and it's still going strong, but I've been curious about this one. Thanks!

Glad I did some more research, I was going to get the blue yeti but multiple people said this one is better for gaming, podcasts etc. if you're in an environment with a lot of noise and no soundproofing. It's amazing how it doesn't really pick up much keyboard noise!

This is my mic for my podcast, "The Work With Purpose Podcast." I appreciate the flexibility for USB and XLR from the start. As many have said, I appreciate your practical, to-the-point reviews. Would also love to have you as a podcast guest, for an informational interview about being a successful RU-vid creator. Thanks for all you do!

OMG THIS JUST SOLVED MY PROBLEMS THX U PODCASTAGE!!!! NO MORE EXTRA GEAR TO BUY!!!!!!!

Hands down the best mic reviewer on youtube! bought one from your amazon link to say thanks :)

I don't know if you still need to hear this in order for you to know: You have the highest quality, no beating around the bush and entertaining content I've seen in a long time. Keep it up!

Came here for 2:50, answered all my questions. Thank you!

I got the microphone last week since the ATR 2100 isn't available/very hard to get in Europe. Heck, I had to buy the mic from a shop in another country since there wasn't one in mine. Very pleased with it.

Thanks for the Review! Looking for a decent/affordable mic to play Twitch Sings with, think i'll give this a shot.

Great, thorough review. Thanks for that! One question: What about the plosives? In your review and another one I watched for this mic, the amount of p-popping was significant. Considering the cardioid pattern, could you place it to the side of your mouth, get the same sound but with fewer plosive issues?

handy comprehensive​ review thanks for all the info

This is what I wanted my ATR2100 to try sounding more like when I got it, natural, but more airy warmth at the same time just like this Q2U. No flatter teeny nasally tone and harsh sound in vocals

This guy is just the best

Might get this. Wonderful video as usual, Bandrew!

Thank you! My best-friend and I just started our podcast December 2024! Using this microphone tomorrow!!!

Best microphones reviews ever. Thank for all your work man!!

I've used one of these as a talkback mic for the past couple of years. It's held up pretty well! ~ Chris

If you're starting out this is the way to go. I originally bought an interface, microphone, XLR cables etc and I had nothing but problems. I bought a Q2U, tried it via XLR and USB and to me it actually sounded better via the USB and required less gain. Don't make the mistake I made. I had a nightmare trying to return all the equipment. Start with the Q2U and if you want to do more then consider going the interface route.

Have been using this mic for over a year now and it is fantastic!

i just got this mic and for the life of me i can't figure out how to get rid of the annoying white noise or whatever it's called. any tips? i would really appreciate it as i am starting a podcast this coming thursday. :/

i was just watching your replay and i got to see this review as well. thanks much for it, i'll consider this pack as a solution. i think you are doing really good job on introducing the most common scenarios involve with these kind of products and it give much more reliable info for us to judge up onto. i really appreciate your time man. i'm using hackintosh pc to recored my own videos and till about 3 month ago i was using my headset the kraken 7.1 to recored my voice wile creating tutorials for my channel fans till the wire started to have disconnections issues. The hackintosh sometimes introducing problems of its own and i'm always testing both windows and it to see if there is difference from how the mac os x and windows act in terms of quality. since the razer kraken i got a cheap solution by corsair , the raptor HS40 and they are very bad when it comes to the microphone. i need to try and amount maybe a sponge on the mic to see if its reducing the background noise. the raptor are doing some weird noise, beeping like when cranking up the volume. and after going into the audio midi setup on mac, i noticed that the Hz are set to 48000 and when lowering it to 41100 the beeps are gone. TBH, i cant afford to replace new headset every year when going with products like razer, and this mic/pack can help a tone even if it just for the sake of recording tutorials. thanks again man. you earned my SuB ! P.s: wile you were recording your videos , does your air conditioner is working or do you tend to shut it off wile recording ?

i bought this microphone.. it arrived in the mail today.. not only does it sound better than the condenser mic i was using before, i dont even need any kind of noise cancellation, and thats including my box fan 2 feet away from it you cant hear.. and i'm told it sounds more natural than my previous condenser.. damn good mic for $60

I want the Samson CO1U pro usb audio please ;) and good job bandrew. I hope your channel will grow up to 1 million in the future!! you're the best reviewer for interesting things like tech and other stuff and I would recommend this channel to anybody else who's looking for a spectacular and amazing reviews GOOD JOB BANDREW WISH YOU THE BEST I CAN! Your Fan: Sean

I am going to buy a mic to be a guest on podcasts and try to make myself sound better. Watched a ton of your videos. Thanks for the sound tests! I think the Q2U is the one I'll buy.

I'm getting this mic soon. The only similar product with similar price range is the atr2005/at2100. Choosing Samson Q2U over them because of your review. Thanks!

Thank you very much for this video.. since the Q2U costs 99$ in Germany, is this still a solid choice for that price or should I look for something else?

Thanks! I've had my doubts about it. I bought the Q2U almost a year ago - and have not actually used it for the podcast/youtube I was planning on doing...life happens...but now I'm back on the path.

Thanks for the recommendation!

youre so thorough i love it

Great review. Love the channel. I'm looking to up my YT game and El Jefe Reviews turned me in to ur channel 🤘

Great video. Very helpful. Thank you.

I have one of these, it is awesome. Connect it directly to my phone and im set for recording. Awesome review!

Great mic for the price. Very poppy so a pop filter over a windsock helps there, but otherwise, no complaints! Dual recording so you have a safety back-up is niiiice.

I bought it used for $18 and I used it for stream on 2 pc setup and it helped me out without any usb interface or splitter because of multiple outputs. I can highly recommend this microphone!

The funniest video I've seen from you! Four 👣 away from the microphone XD

For a group of people who are doing a podcast, would it be possible to share a microphone and have both voices sound equally clear? Or would you recommend each person have a microphone for themselves?

For anyone looking to buy this mic in $currentyear, it does now come with the 3/8" microphone stand adaptor... if you can find it in stock for a reasonable price.

Thank you for this amazing video!!!

Would you recommend this over the rode NT1 which I currently use? I'm streamer and am not in a sound proofed space, it's quite large. I know condenser mics pick up a good amount of noise compared to dynamic.

You're the best, could you please review Samson Go? It'll really help

This is so thorough thank you

Thank you for all of your mic reviews! Could you please add an annotation at 4:00 for the change in volume --guitar caught me way off guard. Thanks!

I'd love to see a follow up review to this mic given it'll set you back closer to $70USD now and no longer includes the headphones.

All over this video I hear low freq pops & bumps - I'm guessing most of 'em are plosives. I _love_ the idea of this mic: dynamic (superior off-axis rejection, no power needs); flexible; supremely neutral in response character (EQ to taste without interference from built-in peaks & troughs); and cheap (if not as cheap as it was in 2016). However: get a good pop filter, and a sturdy (non-desk-top) stand.

Gonna buy this mic. Thanks podcastage.

The *Samson Q2U* was 1 of the mics I took into close consideration when I looked for a new dynamic mic. My list of choice was; - *Audio Technica ATR2100* (great value for the money, usb + xlr, sounds pretty good, good bang for your buck, not available in EU) - *Samson Q2U* (basically considered as the European counterpart of the ATR2100, USB + XLR, almost same sound-characteristics as the ATR2100 [Q2U a tad more detail in the bass frequency], comes with _ok_ headphones (might be better than some lower priced gaming headsets) - *Shure SM58* (oldy but goldy, but old technics from 30+ years, durable, tendency to sound muffled [which might be good for live situation (loud) singing but imho not _ideal_ for podcasting/livestreaming, etc]) - *Sennheiser E835* (very clear sounding dynamic mic, maybe a tad too much presence in the highs) - *Rode M1* (very clear, neutral and present sounding dynamic mic, 10 year warranty(!), Rode known for good quality mics) _All from my subjective point of view, YMMV_ My mic of choice was the Rode M1-S (version with a switch), which I can *highly* recommend for you to review as well, +Podcastage. To me it sounds warm (proximity-effect), clear, present, not too sharp, not too muddy, very smooth - neutral, and with the 10 year warranty it's just mindblowing and trustworthy. Another suggestion I'd like to make (if you are open for it) is to show the frequency response chart of the mics, since those give a good idea of the sound-characteristics of a mic. Keep up the good reviews, it's a good help and always enjoyable to watch and listen :) Cheers

I totally agree!!! This guy is fantastic!!!!

Hello! I love your videos, they help me a lot, thanks! But i have a question, which is better? Buy a condenser microphone thats connect directly to a PC, or one that is connected trhough an interface? PD: I see you from Colombia :0!!

I replace my Blue Yeti for the Q2U. It's awesome. I got a mixer too so I can play with the sound, mute. It's fantastic.

Love this mic.

Wow nice review, just spend lots of time enjoying your content and I could say that you're best microphone reviewer on RU-vid. Just a quick question: Q2U, Go Mic or Blue Snowball iCE? I want to upgrade from my headset mic, mainly used for Discord and some voice over. My preference is warm tone sound. Thanks a lot

you made my day! Millions thanks!

How would it work if I tried to record vocals and acoustic guitar in one track? I know I could do multiple overdubs but I find the idea of one track simpler and more organic

Love this guy. 3:02 :) Thanks for all the amazing reviews. I’m stuck between Q2U and the Bahringer XM8500. The Q2U is a little too expensive for me ( I’m not from the US) and I am just starting out as a twitch streamer. Do you think I should go for the Q2U? Please say yes haha No seriously, what do you think?

This seems like a really good deal for a starter mic as someone who's used gaming headsets for years

Hey man! What the's ideal gain setting when you're plugged in to the scarlett 2i2?

Awesome video man! I have the same mic and I love it! I've been mainly using the USB cord and I'm thinking of buying an audio interface (Scarlett 2i2) will it have a significant boost/improvement in sound quality if I use an interface? Do I really need it? Thank you!

No One: Podcastage: ill drive this knife right through your heart.

THANK YOU BROTHER

great review

Hey man, big fan of your work, really like your videos -- no joke. Question, have you ever tried using with the Q2U with an XLR to USB converter cable, or do you normally just use the USB cable and plug directly into your laptop? And, if you have, which one sounded better and gave you a better experience?

zup! thanks for your videos man! now, a question! What do you prefer the Q2U or the At2005 ?? can yo make a video comparation?? Thanks man! regards from Uruguay

make a Comparison with ATR2100.

Great review

Mate, this is a great review 😂👍

thx for nice review

this is super helpful!

Just bought this two days ago , This video sealed the deal for me and I am just on the verge of figuring it out .. *Its too low but maybe its my configuration and I have a big , loud voice so I don't have to worry that much

For podcasting/Lets Play purposes, would it work to to have two or more people using the same mic, or is it really only meant for one? If not, could you please recommend a mic that would work well for both one person and multiple people? Thank you!

very helpful video Thank You,

Hey man, can you please recommend the best budget dynamic mic for acoustic guitar recording?

Love your videos. I have a question I bought the Samson mic which using usb to my computer is AWESOME! But when I use the xlr to the Focusrite to my computer to use XLR the mic doesn't turn on. I even hit phantom power. Do you know why the mic isn't working using the scarlett as the interface to the computer?

Hello, first thank you for helping out people, especially newbies like me. I'm about to buy my first mic for low budget voice-over. I'm basing my purchasing decisions on your reviews :) I watched your reviews on Samson Q2u USB/XLR Microphone and Behringer XM8500. Which one of them would you recommend? These videos were made 2016, Are there other good, cheap microphones for voiceover work that you have tried since then? Models that are in the same price range as those two. Thank you and keep the videos coming :)

Dare I say: "better than the Yeti"

all round package solution … nice!

Thank you much.

this mic sounds great and good video

wow i love how little background noise gets picked up, as evident by you singing and playing your acoustic.

Bro You are the best

Thanks Andrew, on my way out to buy one. I have been using the Blue Yetti for Teams meetings and my desktop VOIP phone and it just picks up noise from everywhere.

Would this one work for miking an Amp? I want to know if I can use it for miking my Fender Hotrod Deluxe iii amp into a USB Novation Audiohub 4x2

Great Video.! Please list your top 5 pick under 100 bucks.! :)

Can I plug it into my phone and record a podcast in a park? Would the quality be the same? Thanks for any information that can help!

Would you recommend this microphone for streaming over the samson meteor mic? I've got kids in the house that can be loud at times and a busy street just 50meteres away from me.

Thanks for a great review! Do you need a pop filter for that mic?

Would you buy the Q2U or the BEHRINGER U-PHORIA UM2 + Behringer Ultravoice Xm8500 for just gaming/VOIP?

Hoping you can help. I have 3 Q2Us and all give this faint buzz depending on the direction I am holding the mic. I have tried them in the zoom H6 and mixpre 3 with the same results. I have other mics that do not do this. Do you have any idea as to why this could be happening. Thanks as always for the great videos.

One of the best mics I’ve ever had is the Q2U

What if you hear white noise and microphone sounds a bit low? (shure sm48 xlr to usb)