(Hello! My name is Elizabeth or “Liz” for short, and this is my first article for Bago. It’s not very long because the Snowball is no longer in my possession, as I now own the Snowball iCE. This article is written purely based on my experiences with both microphones.)
In this day and age, online communication is becoming more and more necessary. From keeping up with friends, to getting a new job, or even making good quality YouTube videos in your spare time; your voice needs to be heard loud and clear. In YouTube videos, you will hear the majority of YouTubers talk about their “rigs” and how they record their videos. It goes anywhere from the software they use into the type of hardware they run to keep their videos pumping out at a steady pace. Microphone wise, the majority of YouTubers will recommend that you will need to have at least a Blue Yeti for commentary game play, otherwise your audio quality will not be up to par.
Honestly though, have you looked at the price for a Yeti? You might as well cut off your right leg, because it’s pretty expensive – unless you can catch a good sale then by all means, pick it up. If the Yeti is too pricey for you, then check out the Snowball or the Snowball iCE. Myself, I have owned both of these wonderful microphones, and haven’t had many issues with them. Close to two years later, I had discovered the Snowball iCE and was stunned at the price difference (though, I can’t complain because my first Snowball was a Christmas gift). So besides the price difference between the Snowball (ranging between $49 – $63 on Amazon) and the Snowball iCE ($35 – $49 on eBay), are there actually any differences in these microphones?
Yes, there are maybe about two main differences between the two microphones. One being that the Snowball iCE has a shorter stand than the regular Snowball. With the Snowball, you have the ability to adjust the height to how you want it, giving the option that you can twist and adjust the stand when needed — with the Snowball iCE, it just comes with this stand that is perfect to just sit on your desk. (Picture on the right is a Snowball iCE.)
The second difference that you will find with these microphones is that the back of the Snowball has three switches that you can adjust depending on what situation you’re recording in. The first switch is for a solo recording/instrument recording, such as covers of songs or just for playing games with your friends. The second switch is for loud voices/instruments. A good example of this is if you’re doing a rage video, or if you’re playing some heavy metal music. Seriously, you’ll need switch two to save some ear drums. Last but not least, switch number three is used for group voices/instruments. If you’re with your grandmother in her church choir or if you’re in a garage band, this is the switch for you.
Also, be aware that these microphones tend to have a high sensitivity level; if you do buy one I recommend that you look into getting a pop filter. A great program to help reduce background noise would be Audacity, which you can download here. The Snowball iCE is perfect for those who just want a good quality microphone without the dodads and knobs. If you’re wanting something simple to use and has amazing quality, go for the Snowball iCE to save yourself some money. If you have a range of videos that differ anywhere between rage videos or just heavy metal instrumentals, I highly recommend the Snowball. No matter which Snowball you choose, you will be pleased with both and your wallet will thank you later.