G-Track Pro

I was looking for a good microphone for the PC which would work for both streaming, video work and for skype. I was considering a sennheiser SP-series desk mike, and then I thought about going upmarket even further. I've used a blue yeti, a Sennheiser SP-20 and a few other boom mikes as well as the mikes you get in logitech and microsoft webcams. I'll say that the mike you get in, say, the C910 / C920 webcams is almost as good as a professional quality mike now. There's so much processing in webcams nowadays that it's almost not worth going for a really expensive mike unless you're doing interview work, or laying down studio tracks. For skype and streaming, a modern webcam is all you need. So, why consider one of these Samson G-Track Pros? Well, the sound quality is very good. I've tested the sound of my voice and music through this and a few other mikes, and it's definitely the best quality mike I've got, and I'd say it edges out the blue yeti in some of the bass response. But it's not mind-blowingly better than the new Logitech webcam for most things. Where the Samson excels is in two areas: * Controls * Headphone jack. You see, this isn't just a microphone, it's also a sound card! Yep, let me say that again: When you plug the Samson G-Track Pro into your PC, it pops up not just as an audio input device, but also an audio OUTPUT device. And the reason why? Streaming and monitoring! When you're streaming, you often need to be able to hear the volume of your voice, and the game you're playing. However, the people watching will be able to hear the game through the desktop capture. So if you're playing sounds through the PC's speakers, the mike will pick it up and people watching will get echo. If you're monitoring your stream with a lag, say like what Twitch does, you can get horrible "ring-around" where you hear your own voice a few seconds after you say it, coming out of the Twitch dashboard, which then gets echoed a few seconds later.... until the whole thing is a squealing screaming mess. The Samson G-Track has a little headphone port on the back. You can pop in a couple of in-ear monitors or shielded headphones, and have the PC select the Samson as the speaker. Now, the game is being sent to your ears through your headphones. "Why not just use the headphone jack on the PC?" I hear you ask. Good Question... It's because the Samson also mixes the input from your microphone into the stream and plays it back into your ears LIVE. You can alter the volumes of the PC and microphone right there on the microphone itself, to get the right balance. Then, you can monitor yourself without the audience hearing an echo. The next bonus for streamers is a little LED on the front. Normally green, it flashes red when you get too loud and would cause distortion. This helps you set the volume nicely too.. If you can talk without the LED going red very often, you're nice and clear to the listeners. Now, moving away from streaming into the interviewing space, the microphone allows you to select from several pickup modes. Cardiod is good for streaming, omni is good for rooms full of people and noise, but Figure-8 is perferct for when you have two people either side of the microphone in an interview situation. You can also use the modes to alter the 'sound' of the microphone to suit your surroundings if, say, there's lots of echo, or if you move around a lot. Finally, for musicians, there's a guitar 3.5mm auxilliary input. Like the microphone, it lets you connect instruments into the mike directly, so when you're singing the computer doesn't pick up the sounds coming from an amp which may be behind or below the mike, and produce a muddy sound. The input is direct, and you can separate the track out for easier recording. OK, so I think it's pretty clear from this, don't buy this is you're expecting your voice to suddenly sound like Richard Burton. And don't expect this microphone to require you to do away with input EQ processing. You'll still need to do it, and you'll still sound like you. But it WILL be better than a condenser mic in a webcam (if only just). Where this mike excels is in how much easier and better it makes it for streamers, interviewers and musicians. Now, for the bad part. The mike is quite heavy. I was surprised by how solid it it, including the base. That makes it tricky to find a boom arm to fit it, most assume much lighter mikes, and you get a 'droop' when you use this in an anglepoise boom. Samson's own range of boom arms even claim compatibility but only some work. Similarly shock mounts are hit and miss. SP01 obscures the buttons, so go for the SP04. But those'll set you back another £100 or more for the two. And finally, I couldn't get this mike to work on my laptop. The port just couldn't provide enough juice I don't think. The mike would flash alternately green-orange-green-orange. When I plugged it into the PC, though, it worked fine. Given that I wanted it for the PC, that's not a problem for me, but if you have an older laptop, or a 'light' laptop, you might find it doesn't work properly. Of course Amazon's returns policy is excellent, so if it doesn't work it's not a problem.

Iv owned most of the popular USB mic's commonly used by streamers, including the Yeti, Yeti Nano and Rode NT. All of these are great microphones but none were perfect. There were features from all of them that I loved but there was no single mic that rolled all those great features into a single unit, until now! I picked up the Samson G-Track Pro after a recommendation and I can confidently say it's the best USB mic I have personally ever used. It's a little on the pricey side but as an investment it's worth every single penny. Everything you need is on the mic with absolutely no need for software to controll settings. The front of the mic is where the magic happens with the following controlls: - 3 way polar pattern switch (figure 8, cardioid & omnidirectional). - Mono / stereo switch. - Mute button with LED alert. - Microphone volume (gain). - Instrument volume (¼" input). - Headphone volume. On the rear of the mic are the following: - Monitor on / off switch. - ⅛" headphone input. - ¼" instrument input. The body of both the microphone are entirely metal with a very premium feel. It is quite heavy at 1.6kg however I feel that weight is an important factor, especially for those who will be using it as a desktop microphone. The stand is nice,heavy and flat and will stay exactly where you put it which was the biggest issue with the Rode NT due to its plastic tripod style design. The stand also uses permanent grip hinges which allows full, secure adjustment without manually needing to adjust screw caps in order to rotate the mic into a preferable position. This makes quick adjustments much easier than the others which is very useful whilst in the middle of a stream. The buttons and potentiometers all feel perfect too. Some reviewer's have mentioned that they feel "sloppy" however I found the complete opposite. The pots all had lovely smooth movement making it very easy to make smaller adjustments unlike others which have much tighter pots. The mute button does not click when you turn it on or off which I preferred as click type buttons often require more pressure and can move the mic if you don't hold it whilst pressing. This is not an issue with the G-Track Pro, the button is nice and easy to push but not too easy that you would press it accidentally. The LED light above the button also changes colour to alert you that mute is enabled. The slide switches on the device are also perfect and sit firmly in their selected positions. One of the biggest issues I had with the Yeti Nano was that I would keep accidentally changing the polar pattern every time I tried to adjust its position. Specifications: - Dual back electret condenser. - 50Hz-60Hz frequency response. - 96kHz sample rate. - +6dB FS/PA sensitivity (all polar patterns). - 25mm diaghragm width, 3 micron diaphragm thickness. Another great thing to mention is the USB type B connection on the base of the mic. This nice and chunky connection in my opinion is far superior to the micro USB type connection found on the Yeti's. I can't even count the amount of times I have had power issues with the Yeti due to how loose and sloppy the micro USB would get after a while. There is no software included with this mic, everything you need is on the unit, making this really quick and easy to setup without needing to download and create accounts with softwares in order to access necessary features. Verdict: If you are looking for a premium quality mic, are willing to invest £150 and want something that can handle any job you need it for then look no further. Samson has taken everything good from all it's competitors, removed everything bad and mixed it all up into one perfect hybrid device. Buy it and never look back.

This is an excellent and simple to use microphone. No worries about phantom power, or XLR cables, or interfaces. This is USB plug and play microphone. It has a headphone slot for zero-latency monitoring (so you can hear your voice as you are recording it), and with an IN plug allowing you to add an instrument or additional microphone. It is easy to switch between cardioid (for one person talking into to the front of it), to Figure 8 (for two people, one talking into the front and one into the back)) and Omnidirectional pick (picks up everything in the surrounding area). I predominantly use it just for podcasting and video calls so I only use Cardioid but the quality of the recording is very warm. Straightaway my podcast was praised for the quality of the recording - all of which was down to the Samson. I'm not a tech buff. I don't know my microphones very well but this has been brilliant for me so far. It might seem a little pricy for anyone starting out, but a) the quality is brilliant and is well worth it, b) cheaper microphones often require you to buy more and more accessories, cables or interfaces to make them work properly so you can up end paying nearly as much. It is a little heavy, so it wouldn't really suit anyone who is looking for a portable microphone. It's one to keep in place at home or in the studio. Overall: I was reluctant about spending so much to try out a hobby, but I use this microphone almost weekly now - if not daily - and it's been one of the best tools I've bought. Would thoroughly recommend.

The Samson G-Track Pro really is a fantastic microphone for the money and I was very pleased to have purchased it while it was on offer. It is important to understand the limitations presented by this equipment before you purchase it however, so i'll start with the negatives: - It's a condenser microphone, so if you're using this for gaming it is going to pick up any background noise like keyboard and mouse clicking, even when picking up sound in the cardioid pattern. There are steps you can take to reduce this but it's hard to eliminate entirely. - The cable that comes with the microphone is the cause of a lot of the 'problems' experienced when using the microphone for the first time. Do yourself a favour and buy a good quality USB-B cable at the time of purchase, and throw out the one supplied by Samson. - The microphone can behave erratically if your input and output sample rates are not the same, and they seem to be different by default, so these need altering in your sound settings. Now for the good stuff: - The sound quality to price ratio on this mic is outstanding. Not the perfect microphone by any stretch but for less than £150 it's an absolute gem. - The built in preamp and diversity of settings makes this a very flexible microphone. Add to this that all the controls are on the microphone itself in the form of switches or knobs and you understand why it's a pleasure to use. - It's a tank. The G-Track Pro is on the list of my top 5 things to use in self-defence in the event of a home invasion, and I'll still be able to podcast about the experience afterwards. The build quality is so good that the only complaint I can find is that the knobs are a bit wobbly which, lets face it, is not a problem. - It's Night Rider black, so looks amazing wherever you use it I highly recommend this microphone to anyone looking to make the step up from entry level recording equipment. I can confidently say I'll be using this mic for quite some time. I've given it a 4* rating because Samson are supplying a terrible USB cable with the product. Hope this helped.

I use this primarily for spoken voice recording and streaming and am impressed with everything about it. It is genuinely built like a tank, is very solid and heavy. It comes with every adjustment I need on the microphone so no need to go into software to adjust recording levels, just turn the dial. Almost entirely used on cardioid setting and have found it cuts out much but not all sound outside that pattern. I have used the option to plug in an instrument to record both voice and guitar a couple of times and it works perfectly with electro acoustic and straight electric guitars. When I bought it around April 2021 the mic also came with a free copy of Performer Lite. A multitrack recorder which will take me some time to explore! Happy to recommend this excellent mic.

I was deciding between this mic and the Rode USB mic for several purposes, but decided on this one ultimately because of the instrument input at the back, gain control, and the heavy and sturdy stand. Unlike other light USB mics, when you put this mic down on the desk it doesn't go ANYWHERE, and the heavy stand helps dampen some desk vibration. However, if you're serious about not wanting any keyboard noises and such to be picked up by the mic I'd recommend the shock mount at least, or the boom arm as well. I use this mic for voice chatting with online friends and during games, voice acting (casual not professional), recording both acoustic guitar and vocals as well as piano or electric through the instrument input at the back. It's extremely high quality. I am most impressed by how low the noise floor is on this mic. I can turn the gain up to 70% before hearing any hiss, even with instruments plugged in, and this is remarkable considering the internal pre-amp. Everything is very well shielded. The only aspect I could say should perhaps be improved is the knobs - they are good, but a little loose for my liking. That said, if you take proper care of the mic and the knobs you won't have any issues. Mine arrived well packaged and protected and the knobs are 100% functional.

The Samson G-Track Pro is undoubtedly one of the best USB Microphones that I have ever had the pleasure of using. As an Audio Engineer, I have usually been one to avoid the use of USB Microphones in comparison to their XLR brethren, however this is the microphone that made me reconsider this preference. Not only is it super convenient with its plug and play operation (both windows and mac, I've yet to test it with linux), the audio it captures (I used the Cardioid pattern), is bright, with excellent clarity for a microphone in this price range (I played with recording at different sample rates and bit depths too and it sounds even more detailed the higher sample rate and bit depth) . The on board latency free monitoring (which can be turned on and off), works as advertised too. I purchased this to be used as my main podcasting microphone, and so far it has simply exceeded expectations. If you're a streamer, podcaster or budding musician, this is an awesome microphone to start off with.

if it didn't have a'fake serial number on the box, so you can't down load the free soft ware. apparently it is a common fault that people steal the soft ware from the serial number on the out side of the box apparently when i googled the problem. so you cant register it even with Samson yet alone the free soft ware. feeling ripped off but the mic seems ok

ottimo prodotto, molto performante. L'opzione panoramico e direzionale rende questo microfono un pregiato prodotto. Consigliato

This is one BIG microphone. Solid and HEAVY. The base that comes with it is nice and sturdy with a foam rubber bottom. The rest is all metal. I have mine mounted to the SP04 on a hefty arm, though. I like to be able to move it wherever I need it without dragging a cable or having table noise. Has three different polar patterns - omnidirectional (all around), cardioid (in front) and bidirectional (front and back). Knob is easy to switch between the settings. For 90% of my uses, I'll be sticking with cardioid, but having the options to use this in an interview or when recording a music session is really nice. Has built in controls for the line in (IT HAS A LINE IN! WOO!), the mic gain, and the monitoring volume (IT HAS A LINE OUT!) Didn't get any lag from mouth to ears, so completely comparable to more expensive mics and much better than expected. No issues with monitoring. Also has a mute button that is very quiet and easy to press. Probably the coolest built-in feature, though, is the LED. Not only do you know when your mic is powered on (green), but also when it is on mute (orange), AND when you're audio is peaking (red). THAT IS AWESOME. The sound quality is better than anything within fifty bucks of this price, for sure. My voice is deep and rich without doing anything in post. There's no line noise, no background hum, no clicks or pops. It just picks up what I need and sounds fantastic. The Line In on the back works well and my guitar sounded just fine. Was able to do stereo recording so I had the guitar on one track and my voice on another. Work on each independently in post to get the best possible sound. This is the same price I paid for the podcast mic I bought a couple years ago and the G-Track Pro just blows it away in every possible way. I love the size, I love the heft, I love the features, and I love the audio. Definitely a sound investment. Pun intended. Will try to add a video review later so you can hear it in action. Totally impressed.

This is the best value & quality desktop mic on the market to date! I really hope that Samson doesn't change a thing about this product moving forward into the future. (except 'maybe' giving it 96K sample rate capabilities? but really NOT a big deal to not have it. 48K sample rates are MORE than adequate for recording & mixing) I already had a Blue Yeti mic, but I now have a home recording studio and I needed an audio interface for my instruments and a good vocal mic. I was already familiar with Samson's mic quality since I've used a Samson C01 mic in the past to record vocals for 2 songs I made a while back. That mic sounded great with my voice, so I decided I wanted a newer one. I was originally looking for an Audio interface to buy, & was going to by the new version of the C01 separately. But then I stumbled on to the Samson G-Track Pro by accident. An Audio Interface for instruments AND more than decent vocal mic in ONE device!?! for LESS than $300 bucks(CAD)!?! Unbelievable. And here's the Bonus: I'd been using the Blue Yeti as a gaming mic for the last several years, and of course it's been doing an amazing job for that. no complaints at all. But the Samson G-Track Pro sounds 100 times better than the yeti does for gaming, running it completely dry with no compression or gate on it whatsoever, straight into the game. When gaming with the Blue Yeti, I used to get asked once a week by other players if I was a streamer or youtuber (cause of how good the mic sounded). But now with the Samson G-Track Pro, I get asked that question while gaming literally EVERY DAY. It's kind of annoying now lol. Now where recording with it is concerned, I've been using this as an interface into Cakewalk by Bandlab (formerly known as Sonar 8 SE). I plug my guitar straight in, balance the gain so there's no clipping, hit the record button & lay my track. Sounds great. No artifacting, buzzing, popping, etc. Just a nice clean quality guitar track with tons of headroom left for further processing, editing, mixing, etc. within my DAW. And the vocals I get out of the mic are every bit as good, if not better, as what I got with the Samson C01. You just have to learn your dynamic distancing while singing. If you're going to sing very loudly, back of the mic a bit & you won't clip. For singing normally, give yourself about a foot (12 inches) of distance and of course, always adjust your gain on the mic itself so you don't clip. You'll get a nice crisp warm vocal track. (if you find it too 'warm' for your tastes, you can easily scoop out the related frequency in the DAW's EQ in less than a minute. Personally, I think the warmth it has is perfect. not too much. just enough to help your vocals cut through any mix.) This is hands down the best desktop mic on the market to date. I strongly recommend this to Podcasters, PC Gamers, Streamers, Youtubers, Vocalists, Home Studio Producers & Engineers, DJ's, Radio Broadcasters, and ALL of the above. Even if you only game on PC, you should still strongly consider investing in this mic. It's build quality is just as amazing as its audio quality & feature set. It's all solid metal, & really should last a lifetime. Hope this helps someone out there. Cheers.

It's good, bought it in sale

音はクリアーで申し分ない。ライン入力でエレアコを繋いだら、しっかり出てくれたし出力も問題ない。 コンデンサーもラインも独立したつまみがあるので、やれることが増えて他のUSBマイクと違って拡張性が高い。 アイフォンでXのスペースで配信に使ってみたが、全く問題無かった。もちろんカメラアダプター接続。G-Trackマイクにヘッドフォンをつないでコンデンサーの音を聞きながら演奏できるので、内蔵マイクやイヤフォン、ヘッドフォンで配信するよりも音に没頭できるのが良い。その時なぜかスペースの他のスピーカーの声もG-Trackマイクに接続のヘッドフォンから聞くことが出来たが、偶然なのかそのへんのところはいまいち良くわからない。 唯一の難点は、おそらく大きくて重いところ。でも机に置くなら付属のホルダーはかなり安定している。もうひとつ付属のアタッチメントが付いてるので、それでブームマイクスタンドに取り付けたら安定してくれて、大体の位置はカバーしてくれるので、かなり自由度は広がったので重さのストレスはほとんど感じなくなった。思い立ったらマイクスタンド持って家の中や庭とか、好きな場所で手軽に録音・配信できるようになったのがなにより良かった。