Customer Ratings & Reviews

I find myself fairly impressed with the Satellite as a portable broadcast/recording solution. It's the first condenser mic I've seen that's got decent support for mobile phones, crystal clear recording quality, and a highly attractive yet compact package that you won't mind showing up on camera. The mic has support for most of the features you'd expect, and you can tell a lot of thought went into the design. The mute button is touch sensitive, ensuring that you don't have to worry about the mic picking up mechanical button presses. The built in stand folds up into the sides to expose a threaded socket on the bottom for use with a standard mic stand. Cables are provided for both USB and lightning connections. And the whole thing feels very solidly put together. And best of all, the mic comes with a free copy of Motu Performer Lite, a surprisingly full featured music production suite. While I do occasional recording work, I'll freely admit that I don't have a ton of experience actually setting up and tuning in the gear. I found the mic and the software to be fairly painless to get going, albeit it took some experimentation to get the mic's sensitivity right.

Excellent microphone that is easy to use. I have used the microphone with my MacBook and it is noticeably better quality when talking to others or making recordings. I also used it with my iPhone to create a quick video for my daughter and it worked flawlessly. It comes with the cords you need to plug direct into your phone or USB port and was truly plug and play. No drivers and special settings that needed to be setup. There are multiple settings for capturing audio such as just one person in front of the MIC, two people sitting across from each other or in a 360 degree pattern to capture sounds from all around. The device is small and compact and the legs fold up into it so you can easily store it away or put it in your bag to take with you. I’d highly recommend this microphone for anyone that wants to take their audio recording up a notch without creating a large studio and spending a ton of money.

ear plug jack broke....way too easily. worked good other than that but still disappointed.

This is a pretty sweet Mic that looks right from the movie Men in Black. It has a nice sleek design sitting on my desk. I have used it for some tele-conferences and they heard me loud and clear on the other side. The great option is the included lightning connector for Iphone/Ipad. I have also used it for the same purpose on my Ipad when traveling. There are switches to adjust how many voices you want it to pick up. It also has a monitor jack to connect to so you can hear your self. There is even a connection on the bottom for a mic stand should the need arise. I was very surprised at how useful this is. Will use for years to come. Most of the mic's provided with devices these days are garbage but this is great. Looks nice on the desk also.

Unfortunately, this product never worked once since buying.

Pro: -Portable -Simple to record with iPhone and Windows -Live monitoring -Includes Motu Performer Lite recording software (You need the serial on the box) Con: -No gain control The mic is well built and feels like a premium product. The fold out legs are solid and really stable. It gives the option to adjust the angle of the mic without the bulk. It’s also much easier to pack up and I was able to fit it in my pocket. I can also attach it to a mic arm if needed. I don’t quite like the touch mute button. It’s a bit sensitive and I would often accidentally mute with just a slight touch. The lack of a gain control knob is the biggest drawback and you can only adjust it through your software. On the PC, even without an audio software, I was able to get a good audio quality. You can adjust the gain in Windows audio options. It takes a few steps to setup in WIndows, but the instructions were very clear. I had some small issues when I was doing game captures, and I had to place the mic much closer for it to pick up my voice, but I think it was either Windows or the capture software. On iOS, I tried using this as a bare-bones portable recording setup with only my iPhone and voice memo, and it was super simple and the recording was really good. I was setup and ready to record in a minute. It was outdoors and it was able to clearly pick up the group’s dialogue without picking up too much background noise. There was a lot of clipping, so gain control on the mic would have been better. It does come with Motu Performer Lite software, which you’ll need the serial on the box for, so DON’T throw it out. The software is geared more towards music recording and it was more advanced than what I needed so I haven’t actually used it yet. Overall, this is a really good mic for many uses. It’s good for simple on the go recordings or as a permanent setup while you’re streaming or making content. I wish it had the gain control on the mic itself, but everything else is great.

If purchasing for use solely with an I-phone this is not the right microphone for you.

The Samson Satellite is a really cool product with the added bonus of direct connectivity to iOS devices via the included lightning cable. Everything is self contained, with built in legs and direct 'zero lag' monitoring via a headphone jack on the mic. It has a standard threaded connection on the bottom to attach to a traditional mic stand. Mic sound quality is excellent and connecting it to both Windows and iOS requires zero drivers or extra steps. It is truly plug and play. If you use an iPhone or iPad you now have no excuses for not recording your podcast on the road!

I have quite a collection of microphones that I accumulated throughout my life. Unless a mic breaks, there is no reason to throw it out. I own handheld mics, shotgun mics, wired and wireless lavalier mics and many old computer mics. I have never had a good quality mic that plugged directly into my iPhone, iPad or MacPro. Yes, my mics would plug into the MacPro through the analog jack but it never sounded very professional. This Samson Satellite mic sounds great on all platforms. It has a Mini-USB jack on the side of the mic that I can plug the included Mini-USB to Lightning cable so I can connect to the iPhone or iPad and doesn't require additional power, it draws it's power from the iDevice. It also came with a Mini-USB to USB-A so I can plug it into my MacPro or my Windows computer. Using my own adapter, I can even plug it into my USB-C Windows notebook. There is a standard ⅜ inch stereo jack on the side of the mic that I can plug my headphones into and a knob to adjust the volume to my headset for live monitoring or playback from the recording. When using it on the iPhone or iPad, it doesn't require any additional drivers, All the audio apps I tried recognized the mic automatically. They also supply you with a link to the Performer Music Production Software from MOTU for free software but once again you can use whatever software you are already using. The mic has a switch that allows you to change the polar patterns of the mic: Omnidirectional, Unidirectional and Bidirectional. There is even a touch sensitive mute button on the mic as well. One unique thing this mic has that I never saw on another mic i a built in stand. There are 3 legs that you unfold to stand the mic up in front of you as you record a podcast or a lecture or if you want to put the mic on a stand, fold up the 3 legs and screw the mic onto a standard ⅝ inch microphone stand. Now get this, it actually came with a paper manual that's large enough to read and I didn't have to download the PDF to read. The last device I bought came with a manual so tiny I gave up trying to read it and just downloaded it and read it on the screen. The most important thing about the mic is that it sounds great. I'm not an audio engineer, just a video producer and for my productions, this mic sounds great. For the price, I don't think you could get a better mic than this.

Ok so I received the Samson Satellite microphone a couple weeks ago for review. Eager to try something new and possibly get into streaming (yes, I’m late to the whole streaming genre), I figured this would be a nice microphone to get started with. This microphone is billed as a great mic for streaming, podcasting, gaming and/or recording music. It is compatible with macOS, iOS, and Windows PC. Along with the microphone in the box is the user manual, a micro-USB cable that connects to a PC, and a micro to lightning port cable. The microphone is very sleek and has a nice solid build quality to it. The mic can be used as is with the legs closed up, or out, as well as fitted on another trip or boom arm. Samson did an amazing job with the look and feel of this product. After plugging it in to my laptop, I was up and running. Tried demoing stream on a couple of my favorite sites (since broadcasting/streaming are all the rage these days); everyone said the sound quality was amazing and with no noticeable lag. Not really a gamer so I will most likely use this for streaming and possibly podcasting as well. This mic is very easy to use and will complement any PC or gaming setup. It also comes with Performer Lite software to be downloaded via the website on the box. I recommend this mic for anyone starting out and its priced really well.

Solid build quality. Easy plug-and-play setup process. Easy to access directional settings (single, dual, group). Kinda obtrusive mute button (but noticeable as it lights up yellow when mute). For a little clarity, the placement of the tactile mute button is right at the base. Anytime I go to move the mic, pick up, rotate, whatever, I seem to always hit mute. The legs are quite sturdy and allow for good placement of the mic. Overall, this is a great mic for any podcaster, streamer, or any content creator. The bundled software seems to have everything you’d need. My only complaint with it, and it might be a configuration issue on my end, is scaling within the software. Under the view tab there’s a couple settings to attempt to fix it but it doesn’t. This was tested in a gaming rig connected to a 65” TV, not a monitor. While still on the topic of the software, another issue I have with it is that the performer lite software isn’t an all in one package. It requires an additional install of a serial authenticator to activate. This should all be rolled into a single application. Shouldn’t need to fill my start menu with multiple apps for the same software. Overall, this is a great mic for any level of experience with the small caveat of bloatware packed in.

This is a great mic for recording on the go. It comes with 2 cables. One for connecting to standard USB devices, and one for connection to Lightning devices like the iPhone and iPad. Unfortunately, it does not come with a USB-C cable or adapter for connecting to the newer iPad Pro’s and MacBooks. You will need a USB to USB-C adapter in order to use it.The build quality is top notch. The housing is made of metal and it has foldable legs that allow you to stand the Microphone up. It has a touch sensitive button for muting the Mic. With it being touch sensitive you just touch it, while not having to physically push in a button. This eliminates any button click noises during your recording, and it also keeps the microphone from moving. I wish it came with a storage bag for carrying the mic and cables. It comes with a lite version of Motu recording software. The download link is on the outside of the box. When I downloaded the 2 GB file, I was not able to open it on my Mac, because I received a warning saying that the software could not be confirmed as being malicious. Overall this is a great mic for recording with your iPhone, Mac, or PC. The quality of the mic sounds much better than the mic that’s on my computer.

Was happy to put this microphone through its paces both via an iPad and through a PC. In terms of PC usage, the huge plus is that it allows you to connect a pair of headphones. Now it's not the specific advertised use for this mic, BUT it means you can use your audiophile level headphones on the computer and have this as the mic for gaming. Clarity worked well for this purpose. In terms of using it on a laptop/iPad, I felt like the recording quality was more than adequate. It doesn't reach the level of having a true pro mic with shock mount but the portability alone makes this a worthwhile purchase. I did notice another reviewer mentioned the antiquated micro-usb and definitely agree that it would have been nice to see usb-c AND if they had included a cable for android phones.

I have been looking at these for awhile, but with all of the choices available I wasn't sure where to start. I ended up deciding to give this Samson mic a try because it seemed to have a lot of the same features as more expensive studio mics with the ability to work with a multitude of devices, and travel easily. So what's the verdict? It's great! The build quality, and functionality of the mic are excellent for the price. You can use it freestanding, with its built in stand, or attach it to a boom. Most importantly the setup is simple (on my windows 10 computer I literally plugged it in and that's it), and the sound quality of the recording is AMAZING. This unit comes as advertised. Lots of options, easy to use, and it comes at a very reasonable price. The kids have already expressed an interest at using it to help out in their Youtube videos. I can't wait to see all of the creative ways this allows us to express ourselves. Overall this is highly recommended.

This mic has a lot to offer in such a small package. It’s made for use with both PC/Mac and IOS. It’s quick to connect and offer clear and loud recordings with little to no interference. A very slight hum can be heard but that’s to be expected from a mic that isn’t independently powered. When using it through an iOS device it does well, though you will need a pair of wired headphones for monitoring otherwise you will come across a delay in the sound. I guess my only complaint is that you may want to invest in some type of carrying case or padded bag because the microphone doesn’t come with anything to transport it in. Considering it’s seemingly made to be portable this lack of carrying case seems counterintuitive.

This is such a great mic! I have really enjoyed playing around with it. I got this to be able to stream, maybe record some music, and it is clear as a bell. It is easy to manipulate and does exactly what it's supposed to. It connects right to a smartphone so easily.

Whether you're doing podcasts, Facebook Lives, or anything else that requires a solid yet inexpensive microphone, the Samson Sattelite microphone should definitely be in your arsenal of production toys :) Regardless of hookup -- via iOS device or PC, for example -- you'll get similar-sounding results from this mic: crystal-clear audio that sounds like it should be coming from a syndicated radio host. There are three sound fields that can help the microphone hone in on regarding sound origination: cardioid for single-subject audio, figure-8 for one-subject interviews, or omni when you want full-surround audio, all three settings easily selected via a slider on the side of the mic. Plus, an extra mic jack to monitor how the audio sounds as you're getting set up or in the middle of recording. Overall, this is a great mic that's worthy of being used in most semi-pro situations.

This works great for your phone and computer. Easy to use and compact enough to carry around in your bag if needed. My voice is clear as day! It also includes cords for an Apple or android device. I was surprised with the Apple lighting adapter. The only thing which disappointed me is that I cannot use this microphone and a wireless headset on my ps4. If I use the microphone I have to plug headphones through it which I don’t want to do and doesn’t work with my wireless headset. This might be more of a PS4 problem but I should be able to do both. Not sure what other models have to offer for gaming. Over all though it works as anticipated and more.

Overall this microphone is great, it was easy to set up on my macs and overall the quality is amazing. The sensitivity was great I don’t have to be close to it for it to pick up my voice, and it doesn’t pick up a lot of background.

The Samson - Satellite iOS/USB Broadcast Microphone is great phone any recording project you are working on. This microphone works great for recording singing, podcast (group conversations), voice-overs, and more. The voices are always clear and distinct. It's really an awesome microphone! Moreover, the microphone is extremely versatile. You can use it with your computer, laptop, tablet, and mobile phone (thanks to the supplied lightning adapter) to add voice tracks to movies and audio projects while at home or on the go. The durable and compact design make it pretty easy to take this microphone with you where ever you go. I am looking forward to using this microphone for many years to come. I am super happy with the Samson - Satellite Broadcast Microphone.