Samson - Satellite iOS/USB Broadcast Microphone

This Samson Satellite microphone has the classic look of a broadcast microphone but the plug-n-play of a modern USB device. On a Windows 10 device it was as simple as plug it in, open recording software and I was up and running. The audio was clear, sharp and 1000 times better than the built in microphone on my laptop. When I hooked it up to my desktop computer and used headphones to monitor, I ended up getting garbled sound and a flashing red light. However, the manual actually has three pages of a step by step guide on what this is and how to fix it and it was a mismatch in sample rates as described in the manual, Once that was cleared everything worked as intended. The pickup patterns that can be switched on the front were surprisingly accurate. I was spinning the mic around just to confirm the patterns and anything not in that particular pattern was well dampened. Though convenient and prevents the noise of a switch, the mute button is touch sensitive, so changing the pattern usually meant accidentally changing the mute as well, so be mindful of the LED color, yellow is muted. The legs give the ability to angle the microphone, but only to a point as it will begin to slip under its own weight. You also need fingernails or a tool to get them out as they fold away to give a slim profile, which is nice if you have a ⅝” boom to use instead. As for sound, I compared this to a couple other microphones and the quality was pretty good. Background noise was minimal as the pickup patterns help reduce sounds not in that pattern, omni-directional gets the most as it is intended to get sound all around. The distance from the mic is really noticeable though. Up close, under a foot, voice was accurate, clear, loud. But, get out about arm's length, 3ft, or the center of a table and everything sounded so distant. The Samson Satellite also picks up any bit of a breeze, so if you have a fan blowing on your or are a breathy talker, you will get a lot of popping. If you want to get more complex with recording, MOTU Digital Performer Lite is available for download and registers using the serial number of the microphone. Like any editing software though, it can be a bit difficult to understand, but had a fair bit of options for a Lite version of the $499 software.

First impressions for myself and my son were the same, which is scary in and of itself. At a minimum it reflects my mental age still being that of a teen. We both looked at the Samson mic and said, “That looks like a light saber.” The beauty of this mic is twofold. First and foremost is the quality of the recorded sound. It truly feels studio quality. I am very impressed with the recordings I have done. As a test of its sensitivity I listed over headphones attached to my work cell while my wife walked and talked in the other room. The mic was hooked up to my personal cell which I had called and I could hear her better thru the mic than I could with it muted. The second biggie is the compact design of this mic. Competitors are much larger in design and in my mind quite bulky. This mic has a stand built into it that allows you to get creative in how you prop it up. I had it sitting at a 45 degree angle while using it and it was perfectly stable. There are 3 modes: Omnidirectional, Bidirectional, Unidirectional. This is consistent with what most studio mics will provide. The mode you select is where you want to record from. Recording a group conversation is easily done with one mic in Omnidirectional. A two way conversation is easily recorded in Bidirectional. A single voice can be recorded with the Unidirectional mode. You can connect headphones to the mic to have audio played back thru the mic connection. This is useful if using as a mic connected to a phone. Now for the great unadvertised portion. This is advertised to work with Windows, Apple and iOS. It works fantastic with Android 10 even though it is not advertised. While a iPhone cable is included with the mic along with a micro-usb to USB A cable,. A USB A to C converter or cable is all that is needed for it to work with my phone. IF you want to use a boom with the mic, it attaches like any other boom mic would. Are there shortcomings? Unfortunately yes. Where the micro usb connects to the mic, that port seems like it could be slightly fragile. The mic is well built, but the way the cord connects the metal is visible and gives me pause. That is the only reason I drop a star. (I uploaded a picture to show the port.)

Important. If you buy this Samson Satellite Microphone (and yes, it's good) don't throw away the box or you will lose the serial number you need for Samson's free MOTU Performer mixing software. More details after the review. I have really wanted a portable microphone for podcasting for some time. Something that I can take anyway so that if I want to record an interview with someone I can do it at their location. The Samson Satellite Microphone is close to perfect for that task but there's some limitations. The good. The Samson Satellite is beautifully built and engineered to be a perfect travel portable microphone, especially with the inbuilt feet/stand (see photos). The Samson Satellite is also crafted with a flat base so it will stand up and maintain balance naturally (see photos). It also has thread mounts so you can mount the Samson Satellite on a microphone stand. So a lot of smart attention to detail. Audio quality is superb and it has 3 microphone settings that are easily managed via a front switch - Omnidirectional (top position), Cardiod (middle position) and Bidrectional (bottom position). If you're using this in a single mic setup then you will want Omnidirectional, if you're using this for gaming (which would be overkill) then used Cardiod. Other buttons on the unit include a mute, as well as a volume control. You use an external monitor/headphones for listening. I would have no hesitation using this as my primary podcasting mic. Samson include two cables in the box. A standard micro USB cable and a lightning cable. It would be great if the Samson was USB C, hopefully they do this on the next version. Connecing and using with Windows was straight forward. It's just plug and go, no driver needed. On iOS the Samson works with an iPad only (tried it with my iPhone Pro but no luck). It's worth noting that the Samson DOES NOT have its own battery so when you're using this on your iPad you're drawing power from your iPad. The Samson Satellite comes bundled with FREE software which you download from Motu.com (registration required). A word of warning. You need the mics serial number which is NOT printed anywhere that I could find on the device itself. It's on the bottom flap of the box. So DO NOT throw the box away or you won't get your free software. The bad. For a microphone that is portable, I wish Samson had included a protective carry bag. I would happily pay $5 more for a case rather than look for something on the aftermarket. I wish it would work with an iPhone as that would make it almost perfect. Wish it was a USB C connector but it's not a deal-breaker. Overall verdict. The Samson Satellite is a great microphone for the on-the-go podcaster. Great audio recording quality, easy controls, and bonus points to Samson for including a lightning cable.

--- SETUP --- The setup for the Satellite iOS/USB Broadcast Microphone is quick and easy. It is plug and play, so you can use it right out of the box. This model comes with two cables, a micro-USB to USB for computer/MAC use and a micro-USB to lightning for iPhone use. If using it on iPhone, you must have an app that can track audio and mics such as N-Track. You do need to connect earbuds/headphones to the mic if you want to instantly hear what you recorded. --- FEATURES --- The key feature of this microphone is its portability and self stand. It receives power from the source you connect it to, even your phone. You have 3 options for recording, cardioid, 360, and bi-directional. Additionally, by plugging in headphones, you can monitor your voice. You can use it with a mic arm, as there is a hole for screwing one. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with a carry bag, which would have been nice, but that’s not something to knock it down for. --- PERFORMANCE --- The performance of this microphone is excellent. During my use with it, I definitely got a better recording sound than from my phone itself. It’s sleek, modern look will grab attention if you are traveling and whether you are recording by yourself or with a group of people, you can set just the right settings to capture the audio required. --- EXPECTATIONS --- The product surprised my expectations. Having the ability to record away from your computer with just your phone opens up more possibilities for YouTubers, streamers, and influencers. My wife and I have always wanted to start reviewing restaurants and places we travel. Carrying a tripod, a laptop, and additionally a mic always seemed excessive, but this is the perfect solution for that. In the box, it says that you can download a free lite version of a software called MOTU. On my Mac, I couldn’t get it to install because the software is out of date, as per the message I got when trying to install it. It worked flawlessly with Final Cut Pro, recognizing the mic immediately. --- VALUE --- The price for the Mic in terms of value is great for those wanting a mic that works on the go and at your home with your computer. --- APPROVAL --- I highly recommend this product for people who want a higher-quality audio recording when away from home.

THE BREAKDOWN: Let me start by saying that I love the old school broadcast microphone look, very classic. The packaging was very simple with nothing extra. This is a plug and play device so, after unboxing, I plugged the laptop into a windows laptop and I was up and running in just second. This microphone does come with two cables, a micro-USB to USB for Windows based computers and lightning cable for MAC/iOS users. The design and feel of the microphone for me was great. The two main stand out features is that it is portable and it has fold out feet. The power to this device actually comes from the device you plug it into. There were 3 modes or selections that you can use with this microphone: cardioid, 360 and bi-directional. Just to note that to monitor your voice you can plug headphones into the headphone jack. There was a hole in the bottom of the device which I can assume that you attach a boom or a stand. The performance I felt was great. I felt it was far superior on my Windows desktop, MacBook and my phone. I felt the pickup patterns of the mic worked as intended. The 360 did pickup sound from around the room, but that is what it is intended for. PRO’s: -Sleek and Compact -Compatible with Mac, PC, iPhone or iPad -Folding legs -Microphone mute switch -Headphone out -3 different modes CON’s: -Could have came with a storage/carry bag SUMMARY: Overall, I feel that this product worked very well and I would recommend this to a friend if they are in the market for device like this.

Samson Satellite is a USB/iOS microphone that you can easily transport with you and stream or record professionally in mobile settings. The plug and play broadcast quality microphone is designed to work with the computer—both MAC and PC, and with iPhone and iPad. There are no drivers required; just plug and record 24-bit/96KHz high resolution audio. The design itself is simple, straight forward and functional. The mic is made of sound, quality materials and the design folds to be easily transportable. The mic comes with two cables, a micro-USB to USB for computer/MAC use and a micro-USB to lightning for iPhone use. Included with your purchase is access to music production software by Motu; however, I tried on three different occasions and could never get this software to install on my desktop without an error. I believe this error and failure to install was in part, or largely in part, because I had just performed several emergency window updates on my desktop. I do have other music software and the Samson Satellite microphone performed well and immediately with it without any errors. You will need the Serial Number which is only on the box in order to register for the Motu musical software download, so be sure that you retain this when setting up your microphone. The design has tripod legs that fold upward and rest in grooves on the microphone itself. They have flexibility in that if your sound is greater by tilting the mic away from you at a 30-40-degree angle, then you can do so. Or you can balance the microphone perfectly vertical. On the front of the mic, is the ability to set the microphone on one of three audio recording pattern modes to better allow you to capture the sound of your recording. If the recording is by one person and needs to be unidirectional, then the switch should be set to the Cardioid position. For two people in conversation, there is a Bi-directional setting and if the desired sound is to be of 360 degrees, the Omnidirectional position should be set. Above this switch, a small green light is steady if the microphone is picking up the sound adequately. If the sound is too loud or distorted, the green light will turn red and flash red. When this happens, there is a small knob under this switch that should be turned until the light radiates a solid green again. A simple touch of a button in this control mutes the microphone and this is indicated with the green light turning yellow. Toward the bottom of the mic on the left is a headphone jack and a switch to monitor the headphone on the front, also toward the bottom. Toward the bottom of the right side of the mic is the micro USB connection. It has probably never been easier to create a professional broadcast video/audio on the go. For the price, this mic is a great choice. It delivers a strong, clear sound that is superior to using the microphone on the iPhone or iPad, it is made well, designed to be aesthetic and functional, and it opens the door to additional recording opportunities. Appropriately named, Satellite, I recommend that you look at this when in need of a new recording microphone. It is transportable but is also designed to be attached to a stand if needed.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure to keep the box, because you will need the URL and serial number on it to download the free software that comes with this (MOTU Performer Mixing software). The only place you will find the URL and serial # is on the side (URL) and bottom (Serial #) of the box. I wrote them down in case I lose the box. I would consider this microphone of good quality. It is made of strong plastic and seems well made. It has the status indicator, pattern switch, mute button, headphone volume, headphone on/off switch. These all on the microphone itself on the front. The headphone output and USB jack (to hook up to your computer or phone) are on the back. It even has tripod style legs built into the base with rubber tips on the ends to help keep it from sliding around your desk. If you would like to use this microphone on a mic stand, there is a 5/8” thread mount on the bottom to screw into one. Microphone Patterns: Omnidirectional – A few people can sit around the microphone and chat or sing and all be heard. Bidirectional – This is more for face-to-face use in between two people, such as sit down interviews, etc. Unidirectional – This is used more for direct voice into microphone. It only picks up the speaking or singing from one side. Set Up: Directions on how to set up the microphone with a computer, iPad or iPhone is in the owner’s manual. Set up is fairly easy. Simply plug the microUSB plug into the port on the microphone and plug the other end into your computer, iPad or iPhone. Place it on your table or desk, set the pattern switch to what you want, connect the headphones (if you want). With a Windows 10 computer, once you plug the microphone into it, Windows will set it up for you. Con: I set this up with my iPhone XS Max and gave it a try. I personally do not find this useful, because you need a stand for your phone, otherwise you are holding your phone the whole time you are videoing. In my opinion, an iPad might be more user friendly. Pro: I am going to have so much fun using this for singing, vlogging, interviewing and whatever else my imagination can come up with.

This microphone is the perfect travel device, considering the size and how easy it is to throw it in a bag and completely forget that you have it with you. If you are a video/audio creator and like to travel a lot, you can store this microphone in a bag, and it doesn’t add any extra heavyweight because it is small. Right out of the box, you get all you need to start recording. It includes two different cables: (1) USB to computer and (2) mic to iPhone/iPad cables. What might attract many mic users is that it works great with iOS mobile devices. The settings included on the mic are (1) 3 types of pick-up patterns, (2) mute, and (3) dial/bottom to monitor the headphone volume (this is just for the headphone/output and not the mic). The three pick-up patterns included are (a) Cardioid, (b) Omni, and the (c) Bi-directional (also called figure-of-eight). Bi-direction is the pattern I use the most, and it does work pretty well when I record two or more people (interview style). To control the input settings is only possible using the computer software or the iOS app, such as the desired sample rate and the bit depth. It is excellent for mobile recording; there is no need for additional devices to have an excellent recording. The manual provides the link to Samson’s free performance music production software. It is straight forward to use, and you can start recording immediately. This microphone is perfect if you are a gamer, podcasting, for interview setup (two people across each other) and for those who would use it while traveling. My son is an avid gamer, and he loves it when he gets to use it. It functions well on a desk with its tripod legs that can be easily adjusted to direct the microphone to the desired angle. The windscreen/grille and the casing is metal, with chrome and black matte finish. The entire casing feels well built. It has the optional stand mount, which is the standard ⅝ thread mount. Overall, I am satisfied with how the microphone records and how it is easy to take when traveling.