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Samson Q1U Handheld USB Microphone

Perfect for entry-level recordists and home podcasters, the Samson Q1U USB microphone features high-quality electronics for supreme sound quality.

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Product Description

zZounds is an
authorized Samson dealer

Samson made the first USB studio condenser, now they've made the first professional dynamic USB mic! The Q1U features a smooth-sounding neodymium element, capable of handling high SPL, cleverly interfaced to an onboard high quality microphone pre-amp, Analog-to-Digital converter and USB output. Just plug in the supplied USB cable, launch your DAW and start recording.

The extended frequency and fast transient response insures an accurate reproduction with linear characteristics from bottom to top. The Q1U faithfully reproduces a variety of sound sources including vocals, acoustic instruments and overhead cymbals, and can handle high SPL perfect for use on drums or in front of a loud guitar amp.

The Q1U is perfect for recording your music, Podcast or any acoustic audio source on your favorite computer based DAW (Digital Audio Workstation).

Features
Dynamic handheld microphone with USB interface

Plugs in directly to any computer with a USB input

High quality A/D converter with 16-bit, 48kHz sampling rate

Super-cardioid pickup pattern

Compatible with any computer based digital audio workstation

Tripod desk stand and carry pouch included zZounds is an authorized dealer of Samson products.

Samson Warranty

Samson Warranty

If you have additional warranty questions, please call the manufacturer at 631-784-2200

zZounds is an
authorized Samson dealer

Our extended 30-Day 100% Satisfaction Guarantee applies on this product. Buy it, and if it isn't just right for you, return it!

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What Our Customers Are Saying About zZounds "You can shop with confidence at zZounds. They take great care to make sure you are always well informed about the status of your order." - customer on May 10, 2013

Customer Reviews

4 out of 5 (10 ratings) Rate and Review This Product

Read 2 Samson Q1U Handheld USB Microphone Reviews

"Absolutly amazing. You have to get one."

Sound: It sounds great, but of course could be better. Feature: Other then the USB output there isn't really all that many special features. Ease of Use: Couldn't be easier, just plug it in and go. There is no software at all. As soon as you plug it in, it automaticly installs the drivers which takes maybe 5 sec. and your recording. Amazing ease of use I would rate it a 15 if I could. Quality: Very reliable, sturdy, strong, and well built. Sound quality is of course a littl lower then a studio mic, but still definetly not bad. Value: Amazing value. You can't find quality like this for that price. Manufacturer Support: Havn't had to deal with support. The Wow Factor: I guess it's not really "amazing" but it definetly looks good. Overall: An absolutely amazing product. Definetly a must-have for any home recorders. Wow I love this thing.

Style of Music: Hip-Hop

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"excellent principle, but very disappointing results."

Sound: I never noticed the Niagara falls were that close ! The noise level is simply unbearable as soon as you give it some gain (35DB S/N is worse than what you get from the worst PC motherboard soundcard). How can they say it's got a "high quality mic preamp" when, if you look at the PC board inside, they bypassed the preamp and connected directly to the variable gain stage, feeding the output of one channel back to the other channel's input (try to record in stereo and you'll see what I mean). Adding a separate, good quality op amp would have turned this lemon into a very capable device while adding less than 1$ to the production cost. Properly used, the chip itself (an AK5371) would have given average but decent performance. Feature: It came with a desktop stand, a clip, a little carrying pouch and a 10ft USB cable. Good. Ease of Use: On Windows, it works right out of the box with the standard USB audio drivers. It's very simple, but there is a drawback when using the default USB driver. as soon as the machines goes in any sleep mode or screensaver, the volume is reset to a very low level unless the application software continuously sets it to it's intended level. I tried to use it with Dragon Naturally speaking (as a last resort before I decided to send it back) but after entering the screensaver, I had to manually readjust the level every time. The samson "SoftPre" driver / applet is a nightmare ! First, I tried it on a Win2k machine. Despite the software being designed for XP, it installed flawlessly, not even warning me of any incompatibility. Running it gave ... a memory overflow error ! Call that graceful exit. So I installed it on my XP laptop. Everything worked well (except some uncertified driver warnings), with a little exception: the mic was still controlled by the standard USB drivers, and despite many attempts, trying anything I could find on the Samson site, I could never make the mic work with softpre and had to uninstall it. Those problems are very common among Q1U owners (Google is your friend) Quality: The mic itself feels solid and well built, it would certainly deserve a better electronic circuit. It's sold as a handheld mic, but since it uses a standard "B" type USB connector, you can't really use it that way, since the slightest tension on the cable will simply unplug it (or at least make the connection very unreliable). For desktop uses, a condenser mic (or even a low cost electret) gives a better sound. Value: Not better (except the look) than an entry level mic / sound card. It simply does not deliver on it's promise. Manufacturer Support: Too many flaws, I returned it before I had a chance to contact them. The Wow Factor: I definitely want the same (a USB dynamic mic), with decent electronics, working Windows drivers and a lockable connector. Overall: It was not usable as a handheld mic (weak USB connector), had way too much noise when trying to use it as a desktop mic, and it could not even work well as a voice recognition mic (input level reset with Windows driver/"SoftPre" drivers non functional). I finally returned it.

Style of Music: news gathering / interviewer

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Read 2 Samson Q1U Handheld USB Microphone Reviews

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When you checkout, just click the Play as you Pay checkbox to indicate which installment plan you wish to use.

Available on
orders $249+

learn more

Need it now but short of cash? All we need is the first payment up front and the rest in easy monthly payments!

Fast approval.: We approve everyone, with very few exceptions, as long as we can verify your identity.
No interest. Ever.: It's just as if you paid the whole amount up front!
No paperwork. Nothing to track.: No application to mail or fax, no bills to pay. We automatically charge the payments to your credit card.

We'll wait on your money so you don't have to wait for your gear!

When you checkout, just click the Play as you Pay checkbox to indicate which installment plan you wish to use.

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We'll beat any price: Really. It's not a problem for us. In fact, we'll thank you for the chance to live up to our lowest price guarantee!
It's fast and easy: Just tell us where you saw the lower price - another website, an email offer, your local store - and we'll send you our lowest price offer in a matter of hours.
Simply click the Seen it for less? link: Next to the item you want, or give us a call at 800-zZounds (800-996-8637).

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You have 30 days to try your gear at home, in your practice space or studio. If you're not absolutely in love with the sound you're getting, just let us know. We'll promptly arrange for an exchange or a refund without the hassles or hidden charges you face with some of our competitors. If there's something wrong with the gear you bought from us, we'll email you an electronic return label so you can return it easily and free of charge.

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Available on
orders $249+

learn more

Need it now but short of cash? All we need is the first payment up front and the rest in easy monthly payments!

Fast approval.: We approve everyone, with very few exceptions, as long as we can verify your identity.
No interest. Ever.: It's just as if you paid the whole amount up front!
No paperwork. Nothing to track.: No application to mail or fax, no bills to pay. We automatically charge the payments to your credit card.

We'll wait on your money so you don't have to wait for your gear!

When you checkout, just click the Play as you Pay checkbox to indicate which installment plan you wish to use.

on most orders $49+

Just $2.99 on
smaller orders

Really heavy stuff might cost you a
little more

learn more

Why fight traffic and pushy salesmen when we'll bring your gear straight to your home, free of charge?

zZounds free shipping is really free!: No hidden charges or hassles on returns.
Fast, reliable delivery: We have warehouses on both coasts, so most shipments arrive in 3 days or less.
We don't collect sales tax. Bonus!: Only NJ residents pay tax during checkout.

A guarantee so solid, you never have to worry about price when shopping at zZounds

We'll beat any price: Simply click the Seen it for less? link next to the gear you want or call us at 800-zZounds (800-996-8637)
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