Samson Q9X Review (vs Q9U, Q2U, MV7X, PodMic)
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- Опубліковано 15 вер 2024
- Does the Samson Q9X sound like the Q9U? Does it sound like any other broadcast style microphone (MV7X, PodMic, etc.)? And why would you buy it? Gear made to use this video available via kit.co/rayortega
The Samson Q9X is a barrel style, cardioid, dynamic microphone. Take a listen to hear how it sounds on my voice but of course it will sound different on yours. So what can you tell about this microphone from this video? The low end is very present in that it will sound muddy or dark or muffled on most voices. However, while it leans towards the low end of the frequency range, it also doesn't boost the higher end therefore eliminating some of the toughest esses in many voices. If you have a sibilant voice, this mic. is likely to be a good choice. In fact it's only feature is a mid frequency boost and since this is mid instead of high, you might still be able to use it to get rid of some of the muddiness while also not enhancing esses. Results of course will vary. I do like how the mid boost sounds on my voice. That said, a low frequency cut would of, like on the on the Q9U, would of been a really nice feature so that you could remove some mud while also leaving the mid to high frequencies unboosted.
The Q9X is XLR only and seems to be built really well with all metal construction. When compared to the Q9U with no cuts of boosts, the two mics sound almost the same although I think the Q9U may be even "darker" sounding. However, when engaging the mid boost on both mics, the Q9X sounded a little brighter and better on my voice.
The yoke mount is also all metal with a nut for tightening onto mic stands which is very handy although I'm unsure it's working properly. It seems to come loose easily. Also, it doesn't appear that you can tighten the screws where the yoke meets the microphone. This may be some kind of "permanent mount" meant to stay tight but it's new to me and I would have liked nuts to tighten the mic if necessary. Time will tell if this version is better than the alternative.
Using this mic in my studio/office presented a problem with RF interference. I have a large amount of RF in my space and this mic is not able to fully reject the noise. I don't have this issue with my SM7B so it does seem like this mic is less protected against RF than some others. The Q9U however does not have this problem so it may just be the particular microphone I got. However in most cases, this will not be an issue for other people.
Overall I like how this mic sounds on my voice when the mid boost feature is engaged. It protects well against plosives and sibilance but also comes with a large windscreen to help with either of these issues if needed.
I compared the way this mic sounds on my voice against the Samson Q2U, Rode PodMic, and the Shure MV7X, all mics in a similar price range with similar features. All mics were brighter than the Q9X and if you are someone with lots of sibilance when you talk, the Q9X seems like a better option for reducing the impact of hard esses. I think that is the person who would be most likely to buy the Q9X.
Great video Ray!
I’ve seen other creators mention the same issue and I have that issue in my recording space which is why I stayed away from the Q9U.
I adore my Q2U but the Q9U was awkwardly sensitive so I went the SM7B route for my upgrade.
Great video again, glad to see a video from ya!
Thanks, Diana! Interesting to hear some others experienced the interference with the Q9U.
Yeah it picked up enough electrical noise from my computer's GPU that I couldn't use it in my setup, unfortunately. That aside, sounds good, but bothered me too much. None of my other mics in the same position have an issue. I let them know the issue and they said they'd let their engineering team know and stuff...hopefully something comes of that
I know this mic (or, more specifically, the Q9u) is polarizing, but I think this one sounds pretty splendid on your voice, Ray.
Thanks, T.J. I also like this one on my voice once the lower frequencies are compensated for, that mid-freq boost really helps.
Hay you are back! Nice! And I see the bass in the back 🤘
Thanks! Definitely playing more bass than I am recording videos;)
@@RayOrtega Haha I'm expecting a bass video now 😉🎸
Dude I've always enjoyed your content, this was fire!
Carlos, good to see you and thanks for the compliment!!! Happy 2023!
The RF interference is strange. I had that issue in the Q9u in USB mode when using anything other than the cable it came with (that cable has a ferrite core in it). Never had any XLR interference though, thankfully.
I think an electrical wire is running too close to the foil wrapped on my insulation in the ceiling which is frustrating cause it’s almost the only issue I can’t really fix, not without extreme measures. And if I did rip open the ceiling and that wasn’t the issue, well that’d suck;) So🤷♂️.
good video, you can definitely push all this content in 10 minutes instead of 20
Thanks, I'm always editing as much as possible and seek to make this as short as they can be but also keep things as long as they need to be. Doing this long enough to know what content has to be in there, what questions people will ask OR they'll complain in the opposite direction.video too short, missed this, missed that LOL. It's a push and pull you never win but trust me, I'm always looking to trim. Appreciate the view and the feedback!
Yeah, Ray! Welcome back!
Thanks, Chris!
The Q2u has been my go to WFH/gaming mic for the last several years. Shame they missed the target on this one
He's back in the game! :D
One video a year is the new strat. All the kids will be doing it ;)
@@RayOrtega Can’t wait for Mr. Beast to go to one video a year next year!
But good to see you back, Ray
Welcome back!
Thanks!!
Thank you
Great to see you after a year, Ray!!!
Thanks, Mario! I'm still here! ;) Really appreciate the support.
Does this mean that Podcasters Roundtable will be back too? :)
Yes, in 2023, more Roundtables! Thx for asking!
Did you have any sort of interference with the Podmic? I am returning my MV7X because I kept hearing interference.
I don't think I had interference on the PodMic but it's always hard for me to tell cause my space is very tricky. It all feels very specific to any one space so if you're getting interference, you probably have an issue like mine and just need to find which mic will work in your space. Definitely worth giving the PodMic a shot. Try to buy it somewhere you can return it.
If they sent you this mic, and watched video, have they comment on the emf hum issue? Maybe you got a faulty unit? The mic sounds great but if it picks up emf it is unusable for most people!
They didn't give me any direct feedback that I recall. I have a very difficult space so that's probably the issue however like I show in this video, the USB version faired a lot better so it may indeed have been a bad mic. If the mic is of interest to you or others, I would just make sure there is a return policy (have to read specifically for mic returns) and then test it in your space. Most people likely won't have the same issue.
How are those Senal headphones? Look very Sony-ish
So definitely not a microphone for Michael when recording TWiM
Ha you're good. A couple of the others could stand for some easing of the esses;)