Samson Q9u Review: A Near Perfect XLR/USB Microphone?

There’s no such thing as an objectively perfect microphone, but as an XLR/USB mic with great sound quality at a reasonable price, I think the Samson Q9u comes very close. This is my in-depth review of the Q9u along with comparisons to the PodMic, SM7B, and MV7.

While I really do like the Shure MV7, in my mind, the Q9u is everything the MV7 should have been and it addresses all of the criticisms from my MV7 review (keeping in mind I'm more interested in XLR functionality than USB).

As you’ll see in the video, I did find one potentially major flaw: when I connected the Q9u to my M1 Mac Mini via USB, I started to get a high pitched whine in the XLR recording on my Rodecaster (this is most easily heard when wearing headphones). This only happened when plugged in to the Mac Mini, and I couldn’t replicate the sound on my MacBook or under any other circumstances. The Shure MV7 never had any issues with interference.

Finally, Samson sent this mic to me at no cost and with no commitment for a review or video. Please take a minute to check out my Ethics Statement to see how I handle any sort of brand collaboration: https://himynameistom.com/ethics

•Samson Q9u
https://geni.us/swq9u (Sweetwater)
https://geni.us/samsonq9u (Amazon)

•Samson Tabletop Mic Stand:
https://geni.us/Ayyv (Amazon)

•Blue XLR Cable:
https://geni.us/bluexlr (Amazon)

Check out my in-depth Shure MV7 Review:
   • Shure MV7: An Awesome Microphone for ...  

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••••More Videos About Microphones••••
•Shure Unidyne Showdown:    • Sound & Style: Shure Unidyne Retro Mi...  
•PodMic vs. SM7B:    • Rode PodMic vs. Shure SM7B (with the ...  
•PodMic Review:    • Rode PodMic Long Term Review - Still ...  
•Budget USB Mic Review:    • How Good is this Budget USB Mic? (Fif...  

•Chapter Markers:
0:00 - Intro & Disclosures
1:53 - Features & Build Quality
4:14 - Plosive Test
5:09 - Mid & Bass EQ Switch Test
6:25 - SM7B Comparison
6:46 - Gnarly Knurled Knob
8:07 - Cloudlifter Comparison
9:54 - My Few Criticisms
11:14 - MV7 Comparison
13:03 - The MV7's Plosive Problem
15:41 - THE Q9U'S USB PROBLEM (Headphones Recommended)
17:54 - USB Sound Quality Test
18:20 - More USB Interference Tests
21:28 - Conclusion & More Mics

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——————————— MUSIC ———————————
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——————————— VIDEO GEAR ———————————
•Canon EOS R (main camera): https://geni.us/0jnes1y (Amazon)
•Sigma 24 1.4 Art (main lens): https://geni.us/uvi3Fy (Amazon)
•Canon RF 50 1.8: https://geni.us/Zw30tt5 (Amazon)
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——————————— AUDIO GEAR ———————————
•Rodecaster Pro (for podcasts): https://geni.us/9MKJ (Amazon)
•Rode PodMic: https://geni.us/EHeTTM (Amazon)
•Rode Videomic NTG: https://amzn.to/2ZKrHTh (Amazon)
•Rode Boom Arm: https://geni.us/shr0 (Amazon)
•Rode Wireless Go: https://geni.us/LvzUSM (Amazon)
•Shure MV7 USB/XLR Mic: https://geni.us/shuremv (Amazon)
•Shure Super 55 Mic: https://geni.us/ulcA (Amazon)
•Shure SM7B: https://geni.us/tepsm7b (Amazon)
•Cloudlifter Signal Booster: https://geni.us/b26l (Amazon)

——————————— LIGHTS, TRIPODS, & GRIP GEAR ———————————
•Nanlite Forza 200 (Key Light): https://geni.us/9Ofr (Amazon)
•Aputure Light Dome Mini (for key light): https://geni.us/vf5O (B&H)
•Falconeyes Flexible LED Light: https://geni.us/j4ENw (Amazon)
•Small Nanlite RGB Tube Lights: https://geni.us/nanlite (Amazon)
•Aputure MC RGB Light: https://geni.us/IuE4 (Amazon)

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– Who Am I? –

Hi! My name is Tom Buck. As a lifelong A/V nerd, I’m here to help you level up the audio and video quality of your streams, podcasts, puns, and videos. I was a high school Digital Media teacher for 11 years, and I started this channel in 2017 as a project to share my enthusiasm for digital media and teaching others while having fun along the way.

New videos are uploaded every Thursday morning, and more often when possible!

Episode 230: Samson Q9u Review: The Perfect XLR/USB Mic?
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#Microphones #Podcasting #Q9u
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