Let me ask you a question: what defines a YouTuber? This is my Blue Yeti review 4 years later. Let’s talk about it.
The Blue Yeti microphone is the staple for YouTubers, combining a simple design with excellent sound quality. Released in 2009, the Blue Yeti is definitely an oldie but also a goldie.
Design and Build Quality
Taking a look at the exterior, the Blue Yeti is a modest, all-metal device. It stands nearly a foot in height with its included stand and is about 5 inches in length and width. The microphone is not too big, but not too small either.
The stand that it comes with allows you to tilt the microphone forward and back, with the best position being that you are parallel to it, not perpendicular. This is admittedly pretty different from other mics, but that’s how this one is operated.
Key Features and Controls
On the front, it sports this big mute switch. If it’s flat red, that means recording mode is active, but when you press it and it’s flashing, that means it’s muted, which is pretty rad to have on hand. Below that, we have a single dial to adjust the volume, which is great if you connect your headphones to it; you can then monitor your own audio.
Advanced Sensitivity and Recording Modes
On the back, we have two more dials. The top denotes the gain or sensitivity of the mic; turning it up picks up more noise, while turning it down does the opposite. Below that, we have recording modes which change how the microphone picks up noise.
The Blue Yeti has three different condenser microphones that allow for different styles of recording:
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Cardioid Mode (Heart-shaped): My preference, which allows for recording only from the front.
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Stereo Mode: Records the left and right, useful for ASMR and acoustics.
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Omnidirectional Mode: Covers the entire space, ideal for large groups.
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Bidirectional Mode: Records the front and rear, perfect for interviews.
This microphone is super versatile with all these different recording modes, hence why it’s used by so many YouTubers.
Connectivity and Port Selection
Its port selection isn’t even half bad, although a little dated. At the bottom, there is a boom arm threading and a small array of ports with no USB-C. To be fair, given that this thing was released all the way back in 2009, that’s a bit justifiable; back then, USB-C just wasn’t released yet. Although the mic could have used a small design refresh between now and then, it is what it is.
Performance: Does It Still Sound Good?
Since this is an older microphone, does it still sound good? Well, yes. As my daily driver for this channel, the Blue Yeti still sounds excellent.
Here is a quick comparison:
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This is the Sennheiser mic from my university.
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This is the MacBook Pro from 2019.
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This is my iPad Air that I also got in 2019.
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This is my Samsung Galaxy Note 10 that I use for phone calls.
Although it’s a little older, it’s still very competitive and reliable. Despite owning this Blue Yeti for 4 years now, I’ve actually been using the microphone for the better part of almost 10 years—not this exact one, but the same product. Chatting with people on Garry’s Mod or my best friend via Skype back in the day, it really is my Old Reliable. Honestly, at this moment and in the past, it’s all I could ever really ask for.
Is the Blue Yeti Worth the Price?
Now, this is a very expensive $130 starting microphone—one that honestly would be pretty tough to justify if you have a tight budget. But the best part is it just works. It’s just a really nice plug-and-play device that has no frills or confusing details.
If you do want something more professional, you probably should look elsewhere, but in terms of simplicity and ease of use, the Blue Yeti is pretty tough to beat. It’s so consistently good at what it does. In the nearly 10 years I’ve used Blue Yetis and the four years I’ve used this one exclusively, the microphone has not died on me, faltered, or randomly bugged out. It’s always been a reliable mic with zero failure. For a $130 device that’s solely used for one task, it better be good at its job, and it is.
Potential Drawbacks
I do have three complaints that I’d like to go over real quick because these really do highlight how highly I think of this microphone and how problem-free it’s really been for me.
1. External Quality Issues
This was not the case for the Blue Yeti my sister got back in 2013, but for mine from 2019, it has a few external quality issues. It’s probably from the Best Buy I bought it from, but the microphone spokes on the stand just don’t hold it up well. A single nudge will make the entire microphone fall down, and that can get really annoying, especially with transportation. The mute switch on mine feels like it’s stubbed or jammed as opposed to how tactile it’s supposed to feel. I’ve tried to resolve these little issues before to really no avail, but it’s not the end of the world.
2. Dated Connectivity
Ever since this microphone was released in 2009, it hasn’t received any significant upgrades. At this point, its age is showing a tad bit, notably with its main connectivity still being mini USB. Even when I purchased it 10 years after release in 2019, I personally would have preferred USB-C to avoid this dongle mess. First, I have to connect the cable to the microphone, next I have to connect the cable to my USB hub, then connect the USB hub to a converter, and then finally connect the converter to my computer. It seems that Logitech would rather not convert to that just yet, even with the newer Blue Yeti X.
3. Price and Competition
It’s not 2009 anymore, and there are many other USB microphones that are cheaper than this one at full retail. This guy’s got some competition, but that doesn’t mean it’s still not competitive. While researching for this article for a few months actually, the Blue Yeti is very often on sale, typically at $85 to $90 consistently. Arguably, this is still one of the best mics you can get in that price bracket with its different recording modes, simple design, and metal exterior.
Final Verdict
Should you buy the Blue Yeti, the staple microphone for YouTubers? For full retail, there definitely are some very competitive options. But for the sales I’ve seen the Blue Yeti go for from time to time, it’s a really good microphone for the price and you will not be disappointed.
The Blue Yeti microphone has been my companion for the past almost 10 years now—since July 4th, 2014, exactly actually—and I’ve never experienced any real issues with it, only positives. This article truly is a love letter to the microphone that kind of started it all for me. I stuck around for quite a while. Will I ever upgrade? Maybe, but no matter what, the Blue Yeti to me is excellently reliable. It’s a fantastic microphone and one that will not disappoint. It never has for me.
That was my review of the Blue Yeti 4 years later. What do you think? Do you own one? Let me know in the comment section down below. My name is Serus (it’s spelled like Cyrus, but that’s Rooster, just take out the T). Thank you very much for reading and have a wonderful day.
