Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Samson G-Track Pro Professional USB Condenser Microphone with Audio Interface

Top positive review

As good as it gets without going into professional grade microphones

Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2021

This microphone is one solid microphone both in its weight and physical construction. There is nothing consumer grade about it as every feature and element is made to commercial quality.

Physical Construction:
 - First thing you notice is how massive this microphone is as it weighs a lot. It has a circular base with rubber padding so it will not move easily once it is positioned.
 - The position of the mic moves on arms held in place by two hinges. There is no adjustment but the position is held with no issues if you want to tilt the mic position to your preference.
 - The three knobs on the front for mic gain, instrument gain and headphone volume level all have knurling on it which makes setting adjustments easy. In addition, the face of the knobs have a contrasting color to the pointer showing exactly what position your adjustment is set at.
 - The mute button is small, unobtrusive and operates smoothly and silently
 - The green LED is front and center and turns to amber when the mute button is pressed to indicate the microphone is off.
 - The slide switch for mic input pattern, mono/2 track input as well as the monitor on/off on the back of the microphone have a solid click to them. This is commercial grade feature and works cleanly and you know exactly what feature you have selected.

Audio Performance and Frequency Response:
 - For voice recordings, the Cardiod pattern, mono input were chosen.
 - Mic input gain was set at 75% - this mic required quite a bit more gain compared to the FiFine for voice recordings for the output to be a comparable levels. Quite surprising to turn the mic gain up this high. The audio output was clean, clear and crisp without any artifacts.
 - No discernible differences between this and the FiFine K678 mic - the voice recordings has a slightly different pitch but I cannot say that this mic is significantly better than the FiFine mic. In a blind test, it would be hard to separate the two.
 - There is a 3.5mm headphone jack on the back of the mic with volume controlled by the volume knob on the front and this feature works well for you to monitor your own audio into the mic.
 - The green LED on the front of the mic may momentarily turn red if the input level exceeds the maximum threshold as you get into clipping range. I think this is an excellent feature that isn't found on many other mics giving you a real time visual indicator when you are clipping.
 - The G Track Pro has a high sensitivity to popping sounds being picked up by the mic when you speak directly into the element. I used it without a pop filter. To solve this problem without a pop filter, I turned the mic 90° so it was facing my cheek and spoke across the front face of the mic.

Microphone Application:
 - The G Track pro was used for VoIP phone calls and nothing else.
 -No issues in using computer speakers 16" behind the mic as the Cardiod mic pick up pattern prevents feedback. The Figure 8 and Omni settings were not tested but I'm sure they'd do just fine in the intended applications.

Final Thoughts:
This is one serious consumer microphone built to commercial grade level. There is nothing on this mic that is substandard and the audio output is as good as it gets without spending 10X more. I did not get this mic for gaming, podcasting nor music recording but I'd think it would do well in them all as the dynamic range is really there. If you want to get the same audio performance at lower cost without many features this mic offers, look at the FiFine K678. Otherwise, this mic deserves a front and center spot on your desk whether your are an aspiring recording artist or a corporate raider who wants to be heard on all those conference calls.

11 people found this helpful

Top critical review

Critical reviews›

Jowie

Great mic at first, does not age well

Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2023

I've had this microphone for almost 2 years now, upgrading to the G-Track Pro after my original G-track gave out after 4+ years of solid use. This one has given me almost the same issues, but at a faster pace than the last one.

Never dropped or damaged, this microphone is having problems with keeping a solid connection with it's OEM USB cable. At this current state, if I fully plug the cable into my mic, it will not turn on. It must be halfway in to turn on and work. Before this issue, on occasion just brushing against the cable will cause the microphone to behave abnormally. For example; my microphone is used as a shock mounted mic for casual gaming. On a bad day, lightly brushing the cable to the microphone will keep the mic on, but not pick up my voice. This will as well cause issues with my audio driver and anything with playback streaming (Youtube, Spotify, etc) will malfunction and not play, even video, until I unplug my mic and re-plug it so it may "restart" so to speak. That issue happened a year after purchasing the mic.

To put it simply, the microphone itself is not bad quality, but the OEM cable (which is a special cable that can't be easily found due to the mic's unorthodox port) and possibly the mic's port causes unreliable functionality and does not hold up it's quality for very long. This would be solved with a better cable or port. It might hold up for seldom uses like for recording sessions, but I'd look elsewhere for an everyday or a more frequently-use mic.

2 people found this helpful

2,237 total ratings, 479 with reviews

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From the United States

GMT888

As good as it gets without going into professional grade microphones

Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2021

Style: Studio MicrophoneVerified Purchase

11 people found this helpful

Helpful

Frank Norton

Excellent value! Great sound!

Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2023

Style: Studio MicrophoneVerified Purchase

I’m not an audio engineer, but I do work from home, play multiplayer online games, and am an amateur musician and songwriter. I have a lot of different needs out of a mic, and this one excels for ALL of them!

The selectable pickup patterns are useful, allowing me to reject audio when I want my voice to shine through, or collect the ambient sound when I’m recording some song samples with voice and guitar. Only thing I haven’t tried is using it as an audio interface for my instruments directly, but I don’t doubt it’ll work just as good as the mic input.

The audio signal is fantastic, sounds clean, clear, no hiss, no compression. Really good sound.

The construction is solid, like REALLY solid. It’s a heavy mic, which I like as it sits firmly on my desk.

I would highly recommend for amateur recording or general mixed use.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Ricky

Great Product!

Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2023

Style: Studio MicrophoneVerified Purchase

I purchased this microphone five months prior to writing this, and I only have positive things to say about. I only use it as a general-purpose mic and not as a musician, so I can't speak to how it handles in that regard; however, the sound quality is great! I had one incident where the cord got pulled and it slammed into a wall exceptionally hard, but the microphone remained functional. Additionally, I really like that the microphone has a physical mute button with an LED indication. Not all microphones have an LED, so it can be difficult to tell whether or not it's picking up audio. Durable product with great quality! 🙂

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Benji in AL

*Upgraded to 4stars*

Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2020

Style: Studio MicrophoneVerified Purchase

Updated Review:
I had a bunch of issues with my first microphone. Samson customer service reps are so so so helpful, though. I reached out to them and they replaced my microphone free of charge. I was without it for about 2 weeks. But, the new mic has zero issues at all. It is amazing. *THIS* is exactly what I was hoping for from the start. The sound quality is rich and complex. The equipment itself is heavy and sturdy. My biggest and really only complaint is the cable input/output on the bottom. There just isn't enough space between the port and the base of the stand, so the cord tends to bend quite dramatically in one spot. And it often slides out just barely enough for my phone to disconnect the mic.its a pain, but well worth the trouble and well worth the upgrade/switch from the blue yeti. This microphone makes the blue yeti sound like a Barbie dream house karaoke microphone.

Original review:
I have been trying to get this microphone for months. So, I was very much looking forward to its arrival. Well, unbox it, set it up... it is beautiful... and heavy... and feels like a quality piece of equipment. But, my mic has an issue with the volume knob that causes it to jump around with no volume to almost a full gain, loudest and most tinny sound possible for no apparent reason. It is so miserable to use it.... because the sound is wonderful when it actually does its job. But, unfortunately this thing has to go back to where it came from... it is being returned.

And, of note, the software is not a really easy set up, and there is little to no explanation about which file you are supposed to download--- in case you are wondering, it's the Performer Lite... not the full version. Signing in and registering the product isn't intuitive either. I had to google where to find the serial number (I thought that it would be ON THE DEVICE ITSELF like every other serial number on every other device ever made)..... It is on the exterior bottom flap of the box it comes in.

As far as sound quality goes, on a plug and play basis with my Samsung Galaxy S9 and Smule (the couple times the mic made it through an entire song without being a POS), it sounded about the same as my Blue Yeti USB mic. So, this was a waste of money and time and hope and excitement for me unfortunately.

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

VsTheWall

Awesome condenser mic for a good price

Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2019

Style: Studio MicrophoneVerified Purchase

After using headsets for more than a decade, I figured it was time to give my setup an upgrade and went with a proper studio mic. The quality on this thing is very good and makes my voice sound sultry smooth. Although I'm not very musically gifted, the audio interface integrated into the mic is a massive plus for anyone looking to get into recording or editing. No substitute for a proper studio setup, but it's a good start for anyone that can't afford the big toys.

After spending some time shopping around and comparing sound quality from other similar mics (Blue Yeti, Hyper X, Razer, etc), I found this mic to have the best sound for my tastes. Although it is more pricey than a majority of it's competitors, you get a very high quality and very durable feeling mic. Plus, the audio interface alone makes this an obvious winner compared to others in this price range.

Only downsides I can really say are that this thing is more than a bit heavy. If you're using a boom setup like I am, make sure the arm can support at least 5 lbs without folding.
Being a condenser mic, I highly recommend getting a shock mount and a pop filter as well because this thing is crazy sensitive and will easily pick up vibrations from typing on a keyboard or even moving the mouse around.
If you're buying this mic for gaming like I have, make sure to spend some time messing with the sensitivity. It takes a bit to find a setting that won't pick up every little keyboard clack.

44 people found this helpful

Helpful

Theophilus

The BEST podcasting mic. Radio quality. (And 26,000 daily listeners agree).

Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2020

Style: Studio MicrophoneVerified Purchase

The Samson G-Track is absolutely phenomenal, and would be a deal at twice the price. I get radio quality sound in my home studio. In 2012, we launched the Through the Word podcast - then moved it to an app. I used the original G-Track for seven years with outstanding results - and it never broke down. Now we're at 26,000 daily listeners on the app - but we still use the G-Track. Check out the audio quality on any of our audio guides at throughtheword.org. I upgraded to the G-Track Pro and it's even better. I can switch from cardioid to figure 8 or omni (to record an interview) - all great. We get comments all the time on the audio quality. I record on Garage Band and set up in a closet or office with a pop filter and a good size microphone isolation shield (the big shield is the key to reducing echo!) - plus Samson SR-850 headphones (also studio quality for under $50 - and lasted me years!), then a few large pillows and comforter to cover hard surfaces. The real trick was getting the settings right on Garage Band. Once that was locked in, we were recording like pros. (Note - I've never tried the instrument plugin - we only record voice). We recently launched a new podcast called the Sole Podcast - we have four people in conversation, so we decided to rent a professional radio studio in off hours. And I actually like the sound on our G-Track better! Anyway, this is literally one of the best products I've ever purchased - and recording audio is my primary work now. Hope you like it!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Ryno Reviews Stuff

SOLID

Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2021

Style: Studio MicrophoneVerified Purchase

This is one BIG microphone. Solid and HEAVY. The base that comes with it is nice and sturdy with a foam rubber bottom. The rest is all metal. I have mine mounted to the SP04 on a hefty arm, though. I like to be able to move it wherever I need it without dragging a cable or having table noise.

Has three different polar patterns - omnidirectional (all around), cardioid (in front) and bidirectional (front and back). Knob is easy to switch between the settings. For 90% of my uses, I'll be sticking with cardioid, but having the options to use this in an interview or when recording a music session is really nice.

Has built in controls for the line in (IT HAS A LINE IN! WOO!), the mic gain, and the monitoring volume (IT HAS A LINE OUT!) Didn't get any lag from mouth to ears, so completely comparable to more expensive mics and much better than expected. No issues with monitoring.

Also has a mute button that is very quiet and easy to press. Probably the coolest built-in feature, though, is the LED. Not only do you know when your mic is powered on (green), but also when it is on mute (orange), AND when you're audio is peaking (red). THAT IS AWESOME.

The sound quality is better than anything within fifty bucks of this price, for sure. My voice is deep and rich without doing anything in post. There's no line noise, no background hum, no clicks or pops. It just picks up what I need and sounds fantastic. The Line In on the back works well and my guitar sounded just fine. Was able to do stereo recording so I had the guitar on one track and my voice on another. Work on each independently in post to get the best possible sound.

This is the same price I paid for the podcast mic I bought a couple years ago and the G-Track Pro just blows it away in every possible way. I love the size, I love the heft, I love the features, and I love the audio. Definitely a sound investment. Pun intended.

Will try to add a video review later so you can hear it in action. Totally impressed.

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

Ashley Brown

Noise Supression

Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2024

Style: Studio MicrophoneVerified Purchase

This Mic is one of the best for its price. It has noise suppression and it knows my voice from far away in case I want to continue talking while walking away. I love it!

Helpful

Justin Hinton

Used for Videos and Streaming

Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2020

Style: Studio MicrophoneVerified Purchase

I gave this 4 stars solely because I do not record any instruments or voice for singing, so I can not fully give 5 stars since I am not using those functions. Everything else is great though.

I found the sound quality on the Samson was better when I applied filters and adjusted the sound for both equally. I use this for making videos and streaming, and the mic coming with its' own stand is great. This thing is HEFTY, it is thick and a good 4.5-5 pounds of metal. The buttons do not feel cheap, but the mute button does feel odd. I say odd because the switches for the voice patterns, mono or 2 track, and monitor on or off feel like switches with a sound response. The mute button does not give a sound response, instead it gives a light response in the form of a green light (not muted) and yellow (muted). When it is threaded into its' stand you can rotate it fully upside down. It will be difficult to find a proper shock mount and boom arm that can hold at least 5 pounds for this though. If you are fine with the metal stand on your desk than those are not needed. I personally use a controller for gaming videos and streaming so It does not bother me with using just the stand.

PLEASE NOTE! If you are using Streamlabs OBS for recording you have to have the Decibels the exact same for your mic volume and your game volume. If you do not do this you will see a constant red flashing on the G-Track Pro and you can't record your voice. I'd recommend finding a good volume for the 2 audio tracks to match, and use filters to adjust the volumes for your videos, or adjust the gains of each track separately in post-editing.

For filters in OBS, the ones I use are Noise suppression at -21
Compressor: Ratio=10 Threshold=-21 Attack=6 Release=60 Output Gain= -.5
Noise Gate: Close Threshold=-33 Open Threshold= -20 Attack/Hold/Release= Default
Gain: 1.5
These can be used to go off of. The biggest filter is Noise Gate. I use a Scuf with 4 paddles so the clicking of those paddles, for me, must be silent when recording. As well as the Keyboard/Mouse clicks must be as silent as possible. So those filters work for me.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Ben Hardee

Awesome mic, awesome customer service.

Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2018

Style: Studio MicrophoneVerified Purchase

First, the good. This microphone has some gravity in it, and seems to be very solidly built, feels like die cast zinc. It's also pretty big, see attached photo for a size comparison with a standard Coke can. The sound quality is very good, and will suit the needs of a YouTuber or streamer. The bit depth and sample rate is better than a Blue Yeti, though for voiceover work you might not notice the difference. The base is solid and hefty, with enough friction to keep the microphone in place. The latency-free monitoring is as advertised, and can be switched off if you want. Connecting to Windows via USB is literally plug and play, no drivers necessary. Get a decent pop filter and you're set.

Now for the bad. The controls feel somewhat flimsy. The mute button feels mushy and lacks a satisfying click, and the potentiometer knobs on the front have a lot more play than you'd think they should. The switches have a very satisfying click, though you can press them in a surprising amount. Still, given that this is only $150 and I normally handle industrial-grade tools, this is probably nit-picking. If you don't abuse it, I expect this microphone to last for a long while.

There also does not appear to be a shock mount available from Samson for this model. The Samson SP04 is specifically noted by Samson to NOT work with the G-Track Pro, only the base model. Which makes zero sense to me, if you're going to call it the "pro" model, then it should be able to take the same shock mount the base model can. Finding a third-party mount that will work is like hunting Bigfoot.

EDIT: 9/26/2018
I previously had an issue where the mic stand adapter wasn't in the box. The customer service rep I talked to explained that some of these were packaged without the mic stand adapter for certain retailers. I won't hold that against him as that's obviously over his head, and I sometimes have no idea what the executives were thinking at my job. In any case, they're sending the missing part in the mail for free, so I'm adding a star back for solid customer service.

4/5, and it would be 5/5 if I could get a shock mount. For what you get in the box (assuming it's all there, of course), this is a fantastic value. Don't reef on the controls and you'll be good to go with this mic.

11 people found this helpful

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