- Anthony
Blue hummingbird microphone review will tell you everything you need to know about this popular microphone. If you are looking for a quality microphone that will help you record great audio, this is the one for you. The blue hummingbird microphone is known for its clear sound quality and ability to pick up even the softest sounds.
Keep reading for more information.
Contents
Pros And Cons
Pros
- It is reasonably priced.
- There is little noise.
- Overall, the audio performance is excellent, with a smooth but detailed high end.
- The swivel head aids in the resolution of positioning issues.
Cons
- There are no pad or roll-off switches.
Blue Hummingbird Microphone Reviews
The Most Important Characteristics
- A small-diaphragm condenser microphone based on the company’s B1 capsule.
- A 180° rotating head provides precise microphone location for drum overheads and close-miking of a hi-hat, snare, toms, acoustic guitar, strings, and other instruments.
- Blue Microphone Hummingbirds come with a Hummingbird condenser microphone with a small diaphragm.
- Sturdy plastic carrying box with foam inside.
- The windscreen is constructed of foam with a microphone clip.
- For precise microphone location, spin the head 180 degrees.
- This cardioid condenser capsule is based on the Blue Bottle B1 capsule.
- Unrivaled sonic accuracy and frequency responsiveness in the industry
- The Hummingbird has an incredibly fast transient response and can tolerate high SPL levels.
- Condenser with Pressure Gradient Transducer
- The most prevalent Polar Pattern is Cardioid.
- 20Hz – 20kHz frequency response (frequency range).
- The sensitivity at 1000 hertz is 15mV/Pa (1 Pa = 94dB SPL).
- The output impedance is 50 Ohms.
- Load Impedance: At rated load, not less than one kOhm
- SPL maximum: 130 dB SPL S/N dB-A ratio: 85.5 dB (IEC 651)
- When A is weighted, the noise intensity is eight dB-A. (IEC 651)
- Dynamic range of 129.5 decibels (2.5 kOhm)
- Power Requirements: +48V direct current Phantom Power (IEC268-15)
- The item’s weight is 212 g. (7.5 oz.)
- 6.7 inches by 1.1 inches by 1.1 inches in size (170 x 27 x 27 mm)
- The polar pattern has a cardioid axis.
- To be used in the studio and on stage.
- The diaphragm is well-tuned, and the frequency response spans 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
- SPL of 130 dB and 0.1 second transient response time
- A microphone clip and a foam windscreen are included.
- Sturdy plastic carrying box with foam inside.
The Physical Features
The Hummingbird is a small steel device with a cylindrical body that looks like a bird. It has a metallic grey finish that makes it strong enough to use for live sound and recording in the studio.
This device has a head that tilts and has the same diameter as the body. It is only about 36mm long and 27mm wide, with most of the inner width taken up by the capsule.
As expected, when the capsule is pointing straight forward, the mic is 170mm long, and it has an XLR balanced output at the other end of the body. A normal 48V phantom power source is required for operation.
Blue’s literature claims a lightning-quick transient response and SPL management of up to 130dB. The Hummingbird is compatible with a wide range of acoustic instruments, as mentioned in the provided handbook. These instruments include pianos, acoustic guitars, drum overheads, and other percussion instruments.
The Hummingbird is made with a tight manufacturing tolerance and a low manufacturing error (less than 2dB response). This means it can be used in stereo pairs and for main and supporting voices, while still maintaining a consistent sound.
Blue gave us a set of headphones to test in exchange for our feedback. They also gave out a guide with helpful information about where to put the microphone for different instruments.
When you receive the microphone, it comes in a strong, semi-rigid zip-up case. The case has molded foam inserts that hold the microphone, the provided stand clip, and a foam windscreen securely in place.
Nonetheless, its technical specs indicate how it could sound: frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz, a normal sensitivity of 15mV/Pa at 1kHz, and a dynamic range of 129.5dB. The manufacturer claims that the EIN noise value is 8.5dB. (A-weighted).
A smoothed response graph shows strong presence humps at 3.5kHz and 10kHz. However, they barely contribute two or three dB of boost at those frequencies. At the low end of the frequency range, below 100Hz, there is no low-cut filter and no pad switch. Instead, there is a set moderate roll-off.
Performance
The microphone was tested with an acoustic guitar to try different microphone positions using the swivel head. This test supported Blue’s claim that the microphone can capture transient information with a high degree of clarity.
The sound is lively and open, and it doesn’t have the lower-mid congestion that some mics do. However, if you move too far away from the microphone, the deep bottom end may be reduced, which is not typical for a flat-response microphone.
Given the fixed LF roll-off, this is to be anticipated, and it shouldn’t be a problem in most applications. Most of the time, this is all you need to keep a mix-sounding clean. If you want more depth, you can add just a touch of EQ to get the right balance of tones.
It’s important to mention that even though the highs are sharp and clear, they still sound smooth. Additionally, the mids have a pleasing warmth that enhances the overall clarity of the sound.
Being able to rotate the microphone head is useful when trying to find the best position for an instrument. This feature allows you to test various positions without having to adjust the microphone or stand.
This flexibility to place the mic into odd areas comes in handy when working over drums inside a kit. My hand–percussion test recordings with a Turkish darbuka drum validated the competent transient handling.
The darbuka is a good instrument for mic testing since it has a good depth of tone but also a lot of intricacy due to its metal shell. All of the small rings and pings you get from playing what are essentially rim shots with your fingertips translate quite well.
As with the guitar, the sound of the darbuka is clear and has a lot of different tones. However, at a distance of about 300mm, the deep lows were much harder to hear than with the Sennheiser MKH40 I had set up nearby to compare.
When working with toms, positioning the microphone body horizontally and angling the head down towards the drum can help address accessibility issues. This is especially useful when the cymbals are located close overhead.
But the lack of a pad switch makes me nervous when the drummer hits the snare and toms very hard. I’d feel safer if the maximum SPL handling could have been raised to more than 140dB. Of course, this isn’t a problem when utilizing a pair of these microphones as drum overheads since the distance is considerably larger.
The Hummingbird can be used as a vocal mic if a pop shield is put in front of it. The proximity effect can be used to control how much extra warmth is added to the sound. As with any solo voice, it all boils down to whether or not the microphone matches the specific voice you’re attempting to capture.
When recording a single voice, the final outcome is always more important than the technical specifications. However, when recording a chorus or vocal group in stereo, using a pair of microphones is a safe choice.
The Hummingbird works well for a mid-priced pencil–style mic, with the extra benefit of a swiveling head. This microphone performs well when compared to others in its price range.
However, It doesn’t have the same polished sound quality and sharp focus as a high-end small-diaphragm microphone, though. I can say that you receive a well-made microphone capable of producing flawless results in a variety of situations.
Why Should You Get The Blue Hummingbird?
Blue’s claim that its microphone can capture transient information with clarity was validated during testing.
The microphone was tested using an acoustic guitar and the swivel head was used to analyze numerous mic location choices. The sound may be vibrant and open, with none of the lower-mid congestion that other microphones suffer from.
When you move away from the microphone, the proximity effect no longer has an impact. This results in a deep bass end that is lower than what you would expect from a flat-response microphone.
Given the preset LF roll-off, this shouldn’t be a problem in most applications. To maintain a clean sound in a mix, using EQ to add a bit of extra depth may be necessary. This will help restore the proper overall tonal balance.
While the highs are crisp and well-defined, they also seem rather smooth. The mids have a melodic warmth that doesn’t detract from the overall sense of clarity.
When searching for the best location to capture an instrument, this function can be extremely helpful. It allows you to experiment with various positions without having to move the microphone or stand.
It’s easy to work over drums in a set, and my test recordings with a Turkish darbuka drum showed that the mic is great at handling sudden changes. The darbuka is a good instrument for testing microphones because its shell is made of metal and its sound has a good amount of depth and variety.
When you wear headphones, it’s nice to hear the small sounds like rings and pings that are made when you shoot rim shots with your fingertips.
The darbuka’s sound is articulate and nuanced, much like the guitar’s. When compared to the Sennheiser MKH40, the deep lows generated by the microphone were more restricted at around 300mm. The comparison was conducted in the same room.
When working around a drum set in a tight space, setting the mic body horizontally and angling the head down toward the drum may make it easier to get to. This is particularly important while working on toms since the cymbals are typically close to the drum.
In situations where the drummer hits the snare and Tom hard, I am concerned about the lack of a pad switch.
I would feel more confident if the maximum SPL handling was increased to over 140 dB. This isn’t a problem when utilizing two of these mics as drum overheads since their distance is much greater.
You should have no problems using it as a vocal mic as long as you use a pop shield in front of the Hummingbird. You may also utilize the proximity effect to control the degree of warmth added to the recording.
As is usually the case with solo voices, the most important thing is whether or not the microphone is right for the sound you are trying to record.
When recording a choir or vocal group in stereo, using a pair of microphones should work well. However, in solo vocal applications, the specs sheet tends to be prioritized over the subjective outcome.
The Hummingbird from Blue Microphones is a highly versatile, precision-engineered Class-D dynamic microphone. A small-diaphragm microphone is small enough to fit in tight areas and can be moved quickly when other microphones can’t be moved.
Because of its pivoting head, which can be rotated 180 degrees, you may record at any angle without changing the tripod base.
The Hummingbird microphone, which is based on Blue’s popular “B1” cardioid capsule, is well-suited for recording drum overheads, acoustic guitar, strings, and other instruments with fast transients and rich overtones. It provides a balanced character and enough high-end for use in both studio and live performance settings.
The new Blue Hummingbird small diaphragm condenser (SDC) is like many other SDCs in that it says nothing about itself. It includes a small-diaphragm capsule, a compact cylindrical container (based on Blue’s famous Bottle B1), no switching filters or pads, and Class A electronics without integrated circuits. Regardless, the capsule turns 180 degrees!
These microphones have a cardioid pickup pattern and use pressure gradient condensers. They have a full bandwidth response up to 20 kHz, a one-kilohm load, and an extremely low A-weighted self-noise of 8.5 decibels.
Hummingbirds are utilized for several purposes (quite good for an SDC, which is comparably noisy). Each Hummingbird is around 6.7 inches long (a little longer than many SDCs).
The Hummingbird has a superb bottom end and detailed imagery while singing. This equilibrium works especially well with acoustic instruments. By putting one Hummingbird on the guitar’s body and the other at the neck/body joint, you may be able to get a clear sound with little EQ.
The microphone provides a full and accurate bottom end without any artificial exaggeration. The mids are precise in capturing transients and the top end naturally conveys vivid detail, vision, and motion. Not to mention that it has a low self-noise, a pop filter, and rotatable caps, all of which help its overall performance.
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FAQ
Is Blue A Good Microphone Brand?
Blue Microphones was started in 1995 by Skipper Wise, who is from the United States, and Martins Saulespurens, who is from Latvia. Compared to most other well-known companies, this makes them one of the youngest on the market. It’s amazing how much they’ve grown in just over 20 years.
Are Blue Microphones Made In China?
The first BLUE microphone was developed in Riga, Latvia, in 1995. It was the iconic “Baby bottle,” which is still produced in 2021. From 1995 to 2004, BLUE mics were made in Latvia. Starting in 2005, microphones were made in China, but some were still made in the United States.
Is Blue Microphone Good For Singing?
When it comes to capturing singing, one brand is unrivaled – Blue Microphone. Blue has built its name on making high-quality microphones, so the Blue Yeti USB Mic is the most popular choice for serious home recording.
Where is the Blue Snowball Manufactured?
China
Blue is known for making microphones with odd shapes or retro looks. These microphones are usually designed in California and made in Latvia. On the other hand, the Snowball is made in China, as are many of its rivals.
Conclusion
The blue hummingbird microphone is a great choice for anyone looking for a quality microphone. It offers excellent sound quality and is very easy to use. Thanks for reading!
