Logitech Creators Blue Yeti USB Microphone

5 Stars for the product itself. 0 stars for the fact Logitech told me once it is out of warranty there is no way to repair these Blue Yetis, nor does Logitech have spare parts for them, nor does Logitech have any repair center at the moment. And Logitech told me they try to stretch and behinder any warranty claim as much and long as possible to not be held liable. So these are throw away products once out of warranty and within warranty it is a Tug-o-war struggle with Logitech to get an replacement. May look for another brand like Audio-Technica, Shure, Fifine or else since Logitech is not even able themselves to repair these. They told me they brag themselves of longevity products and high quality which I believe them but I see on eBay tons of these Blue Yetis with an broken USB connector or something else. Once it breaks it is beyond repair according to Logitech. The Blue Yeti works but it works only as well as other mics from other brands do as well. I was buying this just because of its easy way to disassemble and thus I assumed it is repairable. Now this that even the manufacturer tells me they do not have spare parts. On Linux the Blue Voice software is not available. Thus you have to rely heavily on an Equalizer as in Audacity to get a good sound. This other mics do as well and for cheaper if they are anyways throw away products. Then on Windows the Blue Voice software can block your Blue Yeti since it checks the s/n for even be able to use the software. Logitech could block you the access of your mic eventually through the Blue Voice software by installing firmware which disables the Blue Yeti. I bought 2 of these but once they fail who is going to repair them? These are to expensive to just throw away. This works without the Blue Voice software only as good as any Fifine K690 30$ mic which btw suppose to have the same condensers built in as the Blue Yeti. Buy another brand which offers you repairability, CS and less struggle with the warranty. In my experience, Logitech warranty is only on the paper and impossible to claim in real life. Now to the product itself. The Blue Yeti has an distinctive advantage: It has an physical gain knob and 4 pattern manual knob. But that has the one Fifine model as well which tries to replicate the Blue Yeti, the Fifine K690. I maybe would try the Fifine K690 instead which costs 60$ or less. I never tested the Fifine K690 but that model supposed to have the same capsules in it as the Blue Yeti. The Blue Yeti would be perfectly repairable by even the customer himself if spare parts would be available. On Audacity (EQ) you can replicate the Classic Radio settings very close since Logitech only manipulates 3 sound waves on that setting: High pass at 75 Hz (set on Audacity the line below 75 Hz to zero. 160 Hz they put at +10 dB, 900 Hz they put at -12 dB and 4000 Hz they put at +7 dB plus several other filters like limiter, compressor, de esser, de popper, noise canceller which I am not able to replicate. It gets somewhat close enough. The other setting which works is Warm and Vintage which is High pass a 40 Hz, 140 Hz at +10 dB, 800 Hz at -6 dB and 4000 Hz at +6 dB. That gets you close as well plus again the rest of the filter which is a bit complicated for me to replicate on Audacity. Basically, on EQ there are only 3 basic waves important: 200 Hz for full rich bass sound 9set to +dB at will), 300 to 500 Hz which is the boxy chamber sound which you wanna put to somewhat zero or most time -dB, and 5000 Hz to 20000 Hz which is the crisp clear sound which you wanna put on +dB. And an 4th wave is there which is the 1000 Hz to 2000 Hz which is the voice presence (pronounced foreground voice) which is held slighly +dB or zero since overdoing this creates nasal snorring effects. May have this to +1 dB in the range of 1000 Hz to 4000 Hz (remember this is the wavelength of nasal sounds). These are the most important wave lengths you could manipulate - leave the rest on zero neutral. The Blue Yeti works as well on Linux. On Windows 11 you do not need the Blue Voice Logitech software except for these 2 settings of Classic Radio or Warm and Vintage settings. The Blue Yeti has no problem with background noises on cardioid. It allways cancels reliably as well without the Blue Voice software all background noise. You never hear background noises like running fans or stuff, like room fans or PC fans. On Audacity there is an noise canceller as well which works very well. So this works on Windows 11 and Linux. The Blue Yeti Classic has an weak USB port so make sure to strap the cord with 3 straps onto the stand as such as the cable can not be pulled. Tighten well the mounting screws as such the Blue Yeti does not turn suddenly on its pivot. Allways use an wind screen on top of the capsule. Then if used without the Logitech Hub software, use another pop screen since it picks up pops easily without an round pop screen. I put an cul-de-sac showering towel over the pop filter (the Blue round one on top) in order to protect it from spits and saliva. The sound is not muffled using this as bag sown together towel. Put the round pop screen about 2 to 5 inches away from the capsule (which has an pop screen as well). Then speak directly with your lips against the shower towel on the round Blue pop screen. On Windows 11 leave the system gain at 100% and the microphone gain at around 40% (the knob on the Blue Yeti). That works same on the speaking distance as on Linux where you leave the Blue Yetis 40% gain as is but turn down the Linux system gain to around 55% in order to avoid overdrives. Same speaking distance close to the capsule with the round Blue pop filter which has the shower towel over it as spit protector. I have no radio voice but it works on my YT channel. With the Blue Voice Logitech software you do not need an additional pop filter except the pop filter on the capsule to keep out dust, particles and saliva. Since the settings already de pop everything efficiently. But without the Blue Voice software that round additional pop filter is needed at close speech distance to the capsule grid. After all it is a microphone with inexpensive condenser capsules inside so why it should then cost +100 USD is beyond me. If it would be repairable it would be well worth the 100 USD. The height of the Blue Yeti is perfect for me as it reaches my underlip. Maybe Logitech should sell this for the same price with the boom arm exclusively in order to have no limitations of positioning. But for me it works with this table stand height wise as well perfectly. It records as dozens of the competition mics do as well. 16 bit 48 kHz is good enough for YouTube. At least it does 20 Hz to 20 kHz which covers the human hearing. The Blue Yeti is perfectly usable without the headphone monitoring. Just do allways an sound recording test and have an eye on the sound bars of Audacity while recording. I never managed to get an classic voice of the average Youtuber on my YouTube channel. Even with the best settings on Logitech G Hub Blue Voice Classic Radio or Warm and Vintage I sound not like the average Youtuber. Logitechs CS clearly tries to shrug off me on Chat and eMail and they have a tendency to blame the customer (me). However I get a sound on my channel and it is so so even with all tweaks but it sounds not like the average YouTuber. I did not try other microphones but rest assured any built in laptop mic could with tweaks on Audacity sound similar to the Blue Yeti. For an simple to set up audio recording device this Blue Yeti is fine. And I have not had issued with echoeing or room sounds so the Blue Yeti does an very good job of cutting off noises even in an untreated room like mine. I have the gain setting on 40% on the Blue Yeti for all this recording. These are not worthed the 130 $ MSRP at all but rather at best should cost 69$ or something due to the imposiblity to get the voice similar to other YT channels even with the Blue Voice software. If you use the Blue Voice software that already uses a ton of other tweaks like compression, limiter, etc. which should get any voice to an average YouTube voice - but it does not. I tried to record an song played back on my speakers of the PC with all settings like surround and 8 figure but that sounded horrible. Even with gain up I wonder how the Blue Yeti will be able to record an interview in an decent quality where the speakers are sitting across table about 1 yard away. At least the replay of the song recorded from the PC 5.1 sound system at an distance of 30 cm sounded bad and not even close as it came from the speakers. And the 4 pattern settings are the main selling point of these Blue Yeti mics. You may buy these Blue Yeti but I do not know! I does not sound like an YouTube voice, and it does nothing an 50$ Fifine would not do or even heck an integrated webcam mic or laptop mic does. These mics may not be what people expect from out of the box voice sound but they record and have an very nice noise cancelling on cardioid. Buy it but over 100$ this is overpriced IMHO and in all cases they should include an pop filter for the mic and round pop filter. You can mitigate an pop filter as well if you put an heavy winter sock on top of the metal grid dome and on top of that an shower towel. That will control all your pops and not sound muffled. The Blue Yeti records, but not much more.