Samson Q1U: good mic, great price

Home recording enthusiasts should take note: Samson doesn't just make cheap PA mics. The case in point is the Q1U: a fine all-around recording mic without the need for a preamp.

The Q1U is an all-in-one package; it includes a built-in A-D converter which culminates in a USB port at the end of the mic, eliminating the need for a preamp. While some may view this as a drawback, this blogger finds it extremely simple to wire up for a quick session, and the conversion is more than adequate. 24 bit recording is possible through the Q1U, and that's more than can be said for many USB preamps.

It should be noted that the software included with the Q1U is a bit dated: the Samson driver on Macintosh is only supported through OSX 10.4 Tiger, which means Leopard and Snow Leopard users are SOL. However, the mic driver itself is included in 10.5 and 10.6; the only thing missing is the graphical interface, but almost all of the options provided by it are accessible through System Preferences or GarageBand / Logic Pro preferences.

The Q1U was designed for podcasting, but it proves itself a worthy mic for music recording from the first use. Vocals sound full and rich; there is a bit of muffle (to be expected from a $50 mic), but it's nowhere near as bad as one would expect from a cheap PA mic and preamp. A bit of EQ adjustment covers it up nicely. The Q1U also comes with a small tripod, eliminating the need for a mic stand if recording is done on a desktop.

It should be noted that the Q1U exhibits some hiss at maximum gain, but this can again be corrected through some EQ adjustment and a bit of compression.

Acoustic instruments, such as drums and guitar, also sound decent with the Q1U. Guitars sound bright but bassy, with good coverage throughout the range. Drums sound full and responsive, provided the Q1U is placed a bit away from origin, so as not to overdrive. Overall, most acoustic instruments sound great through the Q1U.

I can't help but recommend this mic to anyone interested in quick and easy home recording. You can't beat the $50 price point (available from many sellers on eBay), and it's sure to be a trusty sidekick for many years of recording. While it may not beat a Shure SM58 bundled with a good preamp (a combo many professional engineers stand by), it comes in at a few hundred dollars less, and I'm not sure that the Shure gives you a few hundred dollars better sound.