The Samson Q9U dynamic mic is a good podcasting model that offers both USB and XLR connections.
Covid lockdowns have given a big boost to the podcasting industry. Many of us have been stuck at home these past 15 months and we’ve turned to podcasts for our entertainment, news and information. During this time, many people also started their own podcast to talk about their passion or hobby or simply for reaching out to customers and stakeholders at a time when businesses couldn’t be open as usual.
All this podcasting demand has also boosted the market for podcasting equipment. Over the past year or so we’ve some affordable and good quality podcasting mics and accessories hit the market. I recently reviewed the excellent Shure MV7 dynamic podcasting microphone and went on to sell incredibly well.
This month I’m looking at the MV7’s main rival, the new Samson Q9U hybrid microphone designed for home and professional use thanks to its inclusion of USB and XLR connectors. The Samson Q9U was due out earlier last year but its release was held up and the mic has been in short supply. However, I’ve managed to get my hands on a Q9U to find out if it’s the microphone that can beat Shure’s M7V.
With the choice of XLR or USB interfaces, the Samson Q9U dynamic microphone doesn't require 48V ... [+]
The Q9U is made from zinc alloy with an aluminum grille and has the same stirrup-style mounting bracket used on the Shure MV7 so it can be mounted upwards on a desk stand or hanging down from a microphone boom using its 27mm thread. It’s a hefty lump of metal, weighing in at almost a kilogram, and has a matte black finish that makes it look like a serious microphone. The build quality is impeccable and the sturdy mounting bracket makes the Q9U feel like it could stand up to life in a busy studio.
Unlike the Shure MV7, with its tapered conical design, the Q9U has a cylindrical shape and is supplied with a large foam windshield that makes it look like a great prop for use in video podcasts. Like the Shure MV7, the Q9U is a dynamic design with a humbucking coil that makes it more resistant to interference from other electrical equipment. With its cardioid polar pickup pattern, the Q9U is designed to be addressed head-on.
Dynamic mics are great for people who aren’t recording podcasts in an acoustically treated room or a proper studio. They won’t pick up every sound in the room, especially noises coming from the side or rear of the mic. The other advantage of a dynamic mic is how they don’t need a 48V phantom power supply to work properly.
At the base of the Samson Q9U there are two switches for Mid and Low Cut to shape the sound.
The Samson Q9U can be connected to a conventional mixing desk or USB audio interface using an XLR cable or it can be plugged into a computer using the supplied USB cable. XLR is the professional’s preferred way of connecting a microphone to a recording device, especially when using multiple microphones for recording two or more guests on a podcast. Podcasters or musicians recording at home won’t necessarily want to use an XLR setup. When connected via USB, the Q9U appears as a regular input and output audio device in the computer’s audio settings.
At the rear of the Q9U, there’s a 3.5mm stereo jack for connecting a pair of headphones to monitor what the microphone is picking up. The headphone jack also relays the audio coming from the computer being used to record. This is ideal when doing two-way interviews over the internet of laying down multiple tracks by listening to tracks already recorded and playing along with them.
Because it has an XLR connection, the Q9U can work with a professional recording setup with an audio interface or a mixer desk. Shure’s MV7 also offers the same hybrid choice of XLR and USB interfaces, although the controls on the MV7 for USB are more advanced. For example, the MV7 includes a volume control for the headphone output plus a control for blending the playback between the microphone and computer audio. The Samson Q9U has no volume control and no blend control. I’m slightly surprised Samson left out these two important features as many USB mics include them and they are genuinely useful.
Weighing in at almost 1kg, the Samson Q9U needs a robust boom.
The microphone also has a physical mute button on its body which is useful if you’ve ever been broadcasting live and suddenly found yourself developing a tickly cough or an unwanted sneeze. I’ve come across quite a few USB mics without a mute button, but I’d recommend getting a mic that has one.
The Q9U can be plugged into an audio interface or a mixing desk using the XLR connection. If you do decide to go down that route, don’t forget to turn off the phantom power switch on the interface as it can affect the Q9U’s sound as I noticed some bubbling hiss that wasn’t there when I turned off the phantom power. This is something to consider if you’re thinking of using the Q9U with a mixing desk or interface that only has a global phantom power switch.
At the rear of the Q9U, there are two EQ switches. The first is a mid-boost that lifts the mid-range of the audio being picked up by the microphone. The second switch is a low-cut filter that cuts low frequencies by up to 3dB at 200Hz. If the sound coming from the mic lacks clarity or sounds a little bass-heavy, this low-cut filter can fix that. The Shure MV7 microphone uses software to do the same kind of sound shaping, but the Q9U mimics the classic Shure SM7B microphone by having physical EQ switches. I like the ShurePlus MOTIV software used by the MV7 as it can store more than one audio profile for recording in different acoustical spaces.
The Samson Q9U looks even more impressive with its large foam windshield fitted.
I plugged the Q9U into my affordable Behringer U-PHORIA UMC-204HD audio interface and found that this is quite a demanding microphone to drive. I had to turn up the gain and, boost the headphone output to get the kind of sound I’m used to getting with my usual microphone. With the headphone turned up I could hear the sound floor of the mic which made a slight his in the background.
The microphone also has a physical mute button on its body which is useful if you’ve ever been broadcasting live and suddenly found yourself developing a tickly cough or an unwanted sneeze. I’ve come across quite a few USB mics without a mute button, but I’d recommend getting a mic that has one.
I’m not so convinced that the Q9U is as well suited for recording instruments as it’s not the most sensitive of microphones. The lack of sensitivity works in the Q9U’s favor when it’s being used to record podcasts or when taking part in live broadcasts. The dynamic design means the mic won’t pick up much of the room sound as a conventional condenser mic might. If you are recording in a large room, a mic like the Q9U is a great way of canceling that empty noise and echo that large rooms with problematic acoustics have.
Verdict: I loved the build quality and design of the Samson Q9U microphone. It’s a solid performer and tough enough to withstand the punishment dished out by daily use. Compared to the Shure MV7, it’s not quite as sophisticated in USB mode. That said, it’s slightly more affordable than the MV7 and that could be important for anyone starting in podcasting. The lack of a volume control on the monitoring output and the absence of blending mode means the Q9U loses out to the Shure MV7 when used in USB mode.
As an XLR microphone, the Q9U has more strengths, although I sensed a bit more floor noise that meant the feed wasn’t quite as clean as more expensive microphones. The inclusion of the mid-boost and low-cut switches is a nice touch and a nod towards the classic Shure SM7B used by the likes of Joe Rogan. I give the Samson Q9U a cautious approval because I think this microphone could have been slightly better with a bit more thought on how the USB function was implemented. That said, this is a solid dynamic microphone that’s both versatile and rugged. It’s well worth an audition to see if it suits your voice because different microphones can pick up voices quite differently.
Pricing: £199.99 / $209.95 / €199.99
More info: www.samsontech.com
Tech Specs:
- Element type: Dynamic with Humbucking Coil
- Frequency response: 50Hz–20kHz
- Polar pattern: Cardioid (unidirectional)
- Impedance: 250Ω
- Max sensitivity: XLR -57 dBV/Pa (1 kHz)
- Max sensitivity: USB -16 dBFS/Pa (0 dB gain, 1 kHz)
- Self-noise (USB): +23 dBSPL(A) (max gain)
- Max. SPL: >140 dBSPL
- Bit depth/Sample rate: 24-bit/Up to 96kHz
- Power requirements: USB bus-powered/170 mA
- Analog output: Male XLR
- Digital output: USB-C
- Headphone output: 3.5mm
- Impedance: 16Ω
- Headphone power: 38mW @ 32Ω
- Output Controls: Mute button, Low Cut switch, Mid switch
- Construction/Grille: Zinc Alloy/Steel
- Accessories: 2m USB-C to USB-C cable, USB-C to USB-A cable, foam windscreen
- Dimensions: 3.12” x 7.02” diameter (79.5mm x 178.5mm diameter)
- Weight: 2.13lb (.97kg)
