Logitech USB Desktop Microphone (silver)

Manufacturer: Logitech Inc. Part number: 9801860403

CNET Editor rating:
3.0 stars Good
Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 1 review

More product information:: Editors' review; User reviews; Specifications; Manufacturer info

Bottom Line:: For beginning podcasters and voice chatters, the Logitech USB Desktop Microphone offers good sound quality for a very palatable price.

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CNET editors' review

Logitech USB Desktop Microphone (silver)

price range: $19.60 - $30.99

Reviewed by: Michelle Thatcher
Reviewed on: 03/06/2007

The good: Extremely easy to set up; small footprint saves desk space; decent sound quality for the price.

The bad: Movie narration sounded canned; not great for speech recognition.

The bottom line: For beginning podcasters and voice chatters, the Logitech USB Desktop Microphone offers good sound quality for a very palatable price.

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With a stylish and compact design, the Logitech USB Desktop Microphone looks like minimalist sculpture. Rather than being a mere desk ornament, though, the noise-cancelling, adjustable-angle microphone records vocal tracks that sound rich and full--when played back through a computer. We were less than impressed by the sound quality when we recorded vocal tracks for a DVD narration, and the mic's performance with speech-recognition software left a bit to be desired. For anyone looking to get started in podcasting or voice chatting, though, the $30 Logitech USB Desktop Microphone provides good sound quality and easy setup for a remarkably low price.

Featuring Logitech's signature silver-and-black color scheme, the USB Desktop Microphone will blend in gracefully with other accessories on your computer desk. The base, 3.5 inches square, takes up minimal space; the microphone itself stands 8 inches from the base and about 9 inches from the desk surface. A single large on/off button glows green when recording, creating your own "on air" light. Unfortunately, there is no mute button to let you discreetly duck out of voice chats--your only option is the on/off button, which has an audible click.

Setting up and using the Logitech USB Desktop Microphone is beyond easy: no software installation is necessary; just plug the microphone into a USB port and turn it on. We were able to immediately use the mic with Sound Recorder on Windows XP and Windows Vista, as well as with GarageBand on a Mac. We like that you can adjust the microphone's angle, pointing it toward you or away to pick up the sound of another speaker in the room. Unfortunately, angle adjustments must be made carefully if you're in the midst of recording, otherwise the mic picks up the movement.

In fact, the Logitech USB Desktop Microphone proved sensitive enough to clearly pick up our quiet speech from 10 to 12 inches away--which means it also was sensitive enough to record our mouse clicking and our PC fan. (Moving the computer under the desk solved the fan problem, and the microphone's lengthy cable easily accommodated the move.) Noise-cancelling features on the microphone minimized, without completely canceling, such outside noises as a neighbor's leaf blower--a helpful feature for home users who lack a soundproof studio.

To test the microphone's sound quality, we recorded a snippet of narration for a home movie as well as some of the more conversational speech typical of podcasts; we also tested it with Windows Vista's speech recognition software. In the recorded samples, our voice sounded full and clear through headphones and through our laptop's speakers, making the Logitech USB Desktop Microphone a great choice for beginning podcasters or voice chatters. However, the movie narration suffered when we transferred the movie to a DVD--the vocals sounded much more canned when played through a DVD player and a home theater system--so we can't recommend the mic for serious home movie makers. Likewise, the microphone proved less than ideal for use with Windows Vista's built-in voice commands and speech recognition; it took multiple tries to get the computer to "hear" our voice, and we had to repeat ourselves often. (Microsoft recommends using a headset with the Vista speech recognition tools.)

Logitech backs the USB Desktop Microphone with an industry-standard, one-year limited warranty. The company's support Web site offers user forums, a knowledge base, and an e-mail form to contact the company.

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User reviews

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Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 1 review
My rating: 0 stars

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7 stars

Great Bargain for Beginning Podcasters

by i_stainbrook on February 16, 2006

Pros: USB, great price, good sound, mic moves back and forth

Cons: Noise-cancelling technology isn't the best

Summary: I picked up this microphone to begin my own podcast, and it has served me well. I especially love the USB connection. The noise-cancelling feature is okay, but probably not ...

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Summary: I picked up this microphone to begin my own podcast, and it has served me well. I especially love the USB connection. The noise-cancelling feature is okay, but probably not enough for serious podcasters.

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1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

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Specifications

Manufacturer: Logitech Inc.
Part number: 9801860403
Description: No drivers to download and no worries... that's easy plug-and-play, and that's what you get from the Logitech USB Desktop Microphone. You also get true digital quality and a noise-canceling technology to filter out unwanted background noise and deliver better voice recognition, better voice command, better voice recording, and more. Sleek, compact, and attractive, it's perfect for any desktop.

General
Product Type Microphone
Recommended Use PC multimedia
Additional Features Noise canceling circuit, Mute button
Headphones
Headphones Type None
Microphone
Type External
Microphone Operation Mode Mono
Connectivity Technology Wired
Sensitivity -47 dBV/Pascal
Response Bandwidth 100 - 16000 Hz
Remote Control
Type None

Connections
Connector Type USB
Miscellaneous
Cables Included Microphone cable - 8 ft
Included Accessories Microphone stand
Power
Power Device None
Battery None
Manufacturer Warranty
Service & Support 1 year warranty
Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 1 year

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Manufacturer info

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