A feast for the eyes and ears, the Logitech Blue Sona rocks the world of streaming and podcasting as a new, high-quality XLR microphone that looks as good as it sounds. The Shure SM7B was obviously a big influence on its design, but don’t make the mistake of thinking the Sona is a fake—it’s an upgrade in almost every way.
It’s no surprise that it’s the best gaming microphone for high-end users when it costs $349.99 / £299.99, but would you think that’s a great deal? Not only does this bring down the $399 price tag of the Shure SM7B, it also doesn’t require an expensive audio interface or mic amps like the Cloudlifter to operate. Yes, you can use it with an inexpensive preamp and it will still sound smooth.
Designed by Logitech Blue Sona
When you first look at Blue Sona, many words come to mind: bold, modern, elegant. It’s all about looking very different: we’ve replaced the cylindrical case we used to see with a modern rectangular case. Naturally, Logitech wants this microphone to stand out as part of the best webcam.
It’s also unusual to see the mics come in a variety of colors, but you do have the option of a sleek black or off-white body. Both come with a black and red windshield in the box for a variety of color combinations, and you can easily switch between them thanks to their magnetic connectors. Logitech says more colors will be coming soon, but for now we can only judge what’s to come.
I don’t know what pop filters are made of, but the best part is that they don’t attract dust. I’m a cat parent and always felt like the lid on my Shure SM7B needed a separate lid, but the foam that surrounds the Sona Pod barely catches a bit of lint. When it does, it’s easy to clean and maintains a professional appearance.
You’ll need a rod or tripod, as the Logitech Blue Sona doesn’t come with its own stand, but the mounting system is still flexible. The XLR input is conveniently located, it does not conflict with the screw. A threaded ring lets you attach the device to a boom without turning the entire mic in a circle, and a rotary knob locks it in place so you can position it where you want by tilting it 360 degrees.
Handles a wide range of 24V or 48V phantom power requirements thanks to ClearAmp technology, giving you 25dB of extra gaming power. As mentioned above, this makes the Sona a much cheaper investment than something like the Shure SM7B because it works with a wider range of preamps and removes unnecessary accessories from your desktop.
Logitech Blue Sona Performance
The Logitech Blue Sona sounds like butter with a clean and neutral EQ out of the box, which means it doesn’t support any particular frequency. This can make vocals feel a bit cold if you’re used to USB microphones, which often add some bass to the mix, but it’s easier to add warmth to most interfaces than take it away.
Supercardio pickup patterns are notorious for being insensitive, flattering your voice, and leaving background noise where it should be. Logitech doubles down on this technology with a dual-diaphragm approach, pointing one diaphragm toward you to capture your sultry tones and the other away from you to filter out unwanted sounds. That’s what makes it a great gaming and streaming microphone, because no one likes to hear their keyboard click. It can’t work miracles, so you have to be careful where you put it, but I’m pretty impressed with its sound deadening capabilities.
The Sona connects just as easily as an XLR microphone. Once connected to the interface, simply adjust the gain on the preamp. Sona hides two switches under the Logi logo magnetic plate, each of which instantly affects the sound of your microphone. One of these is the “Bass Cut” feature, which is a high-pass filter that works in conjunction with an internal damper to minimize deeper sounds, like accidentally hitting a table. This can make it quieter, so you may want to compensate by adding more gain, but that’s an instant effect. The other is called Presence. This is a feature that helps prioritize your voice in noisy rooms, emphasizing your voice above all else.
While Logitech has addressed compatibility issues with its gain-boosting ClearAmp feature, you’ll need to do some fine-tuning when you first install it. With so much headroom, it’s easy to cut off the audio if you set it too high. The good news is that once you get it set up the way you like it, you won’t have to touch it again.
Logitech Blue Sona Verdict
In this case, calling the Logitech Blue Sona a Shure SM7B killer isn’t just a marketing gimmick. I really don’t see any reason to recommend it over its closest competitor when the Sona is cheaper, more compatible, more versatile, and undeniably better looking.
It’s a hard sell if you already have a Shure SM7B and probably not worth trading in because you already have everything you need. However, those of you looking to upgrade from micro USB to XLR, or upgrade from entry/midrange to high end, should have the Blue Sona on your radar.
$349.99 / £299.99 isn’t a one-size-fits-all price, as you’ll need to provide additional accessories such as an XLR bar and cable, which aren’t included. However, you won’t find this kind of value anywhere else. Logitech has thought about every aspect of the Blue Sona and created a ready-to-use microphone that combines style and functionality.
Advantages:
- universal mounting system
- Superior sound that minimizes background noise
- The built in amplifier makes it a bargain.
Less :
- i need phantom power
- Does not include XLR cable
Check out our guide to the best microphone for streaming and gaming for Logitech Blue Sona alternatives, including cheap champions and trendy flagships.
Logitech Blue Sona review
The Logitech Blue Sona is a sleek, premium XLR microphone that takes the best of the Shure SM7B and makes it even better.
Source : PC Gamesn
