It outputs at 16-bit resolution and supports sample rates of 8, 11.025, 22.05, 44.1 and 48kHz. The 'digital' tag refers to the fact that it has a built-in analogue-to-digital converter and interface, enabling it to connect to a computer workstation via USB rather than the more usual analogue, balanced XLR cable. The applet featured three options which can be found both in your Operating Systems settings as well as in your recording software.By Paul WhitePhoto: Mark EwingIf you want the simplest possible computer recording setup, it doesn't come much more straightforward than this: a mic that plugs straight into your Mac or PC's USB ports.Samson's C01U USB condenser microphone is a 'digital' version of their entry-level C01 back-electret, medium-diaphragm studio microphone. Samson Sound Deck Problems 6,2/10 436 votes The SoftPre Applet is no longer available, as it is not necessary. Sound Deck uses Digital Noise Reduction algorithms to minimize recurring background noise from loud environments, ensuring only clean, natural sounding vocals.We also recommend you check the files before installation. The download was scanned for viruses by our system. The version of the Mac program you are about to download is 1.2.1.This would be most undesirable, so Samson's engineers have added a two-stage variable analogue gain cell inside the microphone prior to the converter. Singing at an average level, a couple of inches from the C01U, resulted in a peak level of around -20dB, which with a fixed gain structure would knock at least three 'bits' off the available 16-bit resolution. The main limitation of most basic 'digital' microphones of this type is that the internal preamp has a fixed gain prior to the analogue-to-digital conversion stage, so you only get full resolution when the microphone is hearing the maximum signal level it can accept without clipping, but Samson have been quite clever in their design.
![]() ![]() Samson Sound Deck Mac Or PCThose running older versions of Mac OS X can choose the mic as their default audio input. Mac users running OS 10.4 need to create an Aggregate Audio Device in the Audio MIDI Setup utility so that the Samson's input stream will be added to that of any existing audio interfaces. Photo: Mark EwingThe Mac OS X Soft Pre applet is currently available as a free download from the Samson web site, although the Windows version was still under development at the time of this review. Up to +48dB of additional gain is available, and the applet also provides metering, variable-frequency low-cut filtering and a phase invert switch.The downloadable Soft Pre applet allows software control over the C01U's gain cell and other attributes. It is especially useful for those who are.However, as documented in the manual, you can also download a control panel applet, called Soft Pre, from the Samson web site, and this can be used to control the internal gain of the mic. A green LED on the mic confirms that USB power is being received.Once I'd connected the mic, I found there was a slightly higher latency than I expected for the chosen buffer size, and at 44.1kHz, I could still perceive a hint of delay when Logic 's Audio Devices and Drivers page was set to 128 samples, although I think most singers would find this within acceptable limits. There are no pad or low-cut switches on the mic, although the applet does provide a very effective low-cut filter with variable cutoff frequency. Its maximum SPL is quoted as a perfectly adequate 136dB, but there are no noise specs and, as I recall, one of my concerns with the original C01 was that it was a little noisy by comparison with more costly studio mics unless used for close-miking fairly loud sounds. The design follows that of a typical 'classic' side-entry vocal mic and the frequency response is quoted as being flat within 1dB over the audio range. It uses a 19mm cardioid back-electret capsule with a three-micron diaphragm, suspended on an internal shockmount. Samson tell me they have succeeded in running multiple C01Us via a USB hub, which opens up some interesting possibilities for the future.Mechanically, the microphone is finished to a very high standard and feels reassuringly solid. First aid 2017 pdf redditIt could certainly be used to record a very respectable vocal track, albeit without the transparency and shimmer of a top-class microphone.Although unashamedly entry-level, the C01U is quiet and clean enough to record vocals and instruments to a very acceptable standard, provided that they are close-miked, and its performance is well above that of any multimedia mics I've tested. Switching to my G4 iBook confirmed that the digital noise was gone.Tonally, the mic is fairly neutral, translating transient details rather better than a similarly priced dynamic mic would. I asked Samson's UK distributors, Sound Technology, about this and they found they could replicate the problem on some (but not all) tower G5s, whereas all other Macs seemed quite happy. The noise is more evident on quieter instruments or voiceover work, but for typical studio applications the C01U can give good, clean results.Far more worrying, however, was a significant level of digital background clutter riding above the hiss when I tested the mic on a dual-processor Mac G5. Photo: Mark EwingLike the original C01, this mic does produce a low background hiss from its integral circuitry, although not enough to worry about when close-miking loud instruments or strong vocals. ![]() The views expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the publishers.Web site designed & maintained by PB Associates & SOS. Great care has been taken to ensure accuracy in the preparation of this article but neither Sound On Sound Limited nor the publishers can be held responsible for its contents.
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