| User Review | | Sound Quality | | 4 | | Ease of use | | 5 | | Features | | 3 | | Bang for buck | | 5 |
Overall:  4.25 |  Blue Bluebird
Published by MikeTSH
5th December 2011
| | Blue Bluebird
Build
The body of the Blue Bluebird is beautifully constructed, with a sleek silver neck and bottom leading to both the XLR connectors and microphone capsule, with the main body of the microphone colored blue with a rough finish.
Sound
The Blue Bluebird has a wonderfully old-school sounding capsule, with less high end than many of similar prices condencer mics. It seems to be a common trend within the low-budget microphone manufacturing community at the moment to add as much high end response to their microphones as possible, which often leaves the microphones sounding thin, brittle and down-right cheap. The Bluebird, however, is a great exception to the rule, with a more vintage-style offering being what Blue have gone for.
Features
The BLUE Bluebird is hardly featured packed - in fact, far from it. As a cardioid (almost hyper-cardioid) microphone with no roll off or pad features, it may deter a few potential buyers. However, for the price, this definitely out-ranks its competitors in the bang for your buck department.
BLUE are known for their offbeat designs and mostly source-specific microphones. However, over the past few years the Bluebird has shown to be a particularly versatile microphone, a great addition to your microphone cabinet and a welcome addition to the BLUE line of microphones. | | | | | | | Sound Quality | | 4 | | Ease of use | | 4 | | Features | | 4 | | Bang for buck | | 5 | |
Overall: 4.25 | | This mic is a must have in any mic locker. Its mid-range is fantastic and reacts very well on acoustic guitars and male vocals. it picks up just enough low end so that does not make sound muddy but gives it some strength, also this mic has crystal clear highs but at the same time does not have overpowering sibilance. It also has fantastic off axis rejection, which comes in handy a lot because my tracking room is also my control room. this mic can be used on a multitude of sources and cuts through the mix naturally which i couldnt ask more for. Blue got it right with this one.
One thing Blue did not get right was the shock mount however. the turning key for iy broke the first time i pulled it out of the box and i have since had to replace it with an aftermarket one. but that way an easy fix. only negative side about this mic is that it is not multi-pattern. but dont let that stop you. you will find that you use this mic more often than you might think. i know i do. | | |
By
buford
on
6th December 2011
| | Sound Quality | | 5 | | Ease of use | | 5 | | Features | | 2 | | Bang for buck | | 5 | |
Overall: 4.25 | | Packs a punch
This thing is awesome. I bought one off a friend a while back and used it as my go-to mic for my small home studio setup. I used this thing on everything from guitar and vocals to a room mic for a drum kit. When you find the sweet spot with this mic it really sounds amazing. I placed this baby about 15' in front of a drum kit, right where the punch really smacked me in the face. I ended up carving out the low end on the Kick mic to leave room for the lows that I picked up with the Bluebird. What a bombastic sound!
Unfortunately someone jacked my microphones and when I rebuilt my arsenal I opted for the higher-priced (and well renowned) Baby Bottle. I don't regret the purchase, but I definitely miss having the Bluebird. It's a much more versatile mic than the BB and for the price you really can't beat the quality. Fairly flat response, and definitely more "transparent" than the Baby Bottle. Less coloration and a more natural and crisp delivery of the sound source.
It get's a 5 for features because, obviously, you're buying a strictly cardioid microphone with no bells and whistles (no HPF or built in Pad) | | | | | | Sound Quality | | 4 | | Ease of use | | 5 | | Features | | 3 | | Bang for buck | | 4 |
Overall:  4 | | One of the very few good mics under $300
The Blue Bluebird is a very decent mic. It's highs are more pronounced than another mic with a flat frequency response. This is neither a pro nor a con. Sometimes I want the vox to be very bright, so I'll use the Bluebird. It also makes a good over-the-shoulder mic for recording acoustic guitar.
I have no "cons", but one semi-negative comment I have on the mic is that it breaks easily. Blue should reinforce the tiny "neck" better. Another wish is that it had a low cut shoulder/roll-off switch on it. Mics $300 and above can start to have those features on them and it would be nice to have that on a mic that I use for grabbing highs.
Overall, if it were stolen, I'd probably buy again because it is the best mic under $300 that I've found and quite versatile if you need to pick up highs. | | | | | | Sound Quality | | 4 | | Ease of use | | 4 | | Features | | 4 | | Bang for buck | | 4 | |
Overall: 4 | | Microphones Blue Bluebird
I’m not going to waste your time with all the spec you can look those up yourself. When I was looking for my go to vocal microphone for my voice I tended to get mics that were either very good with highs or very good with lows but for those males who have mid/tenor to alto voice and mildly sibilant at times it is hard to get a mic that doesn’t expose the shrillness of the upper mid to high range as well as exposing the sibilance. However for me, this mic did the trick. As far as character this mic does not color the sound very much it is very clean. I have learned that this pretty much gives you a blank canvas to do whatever you want with the sound. Also especially with vocals they boost in presence quality that allows it to cut through the mix better then my AT-4040. I didn’t have to put much gain on my preamp as the mic is pretty well driven on low and it good for studios that do not have the best acoustic condition as it has extremely low self noise. Also I experimented around with position and because of the detailed mid response of the mic it also provides and very flattering proximity effect that is smooth that is good for males with higher voices As far as other features the shock mount I received with mine was not very durable and I ended up having to use on from my AT mics. Also there is no dedicated high pass filter but I didn’t find this a deal breaker. Since most of my application was mostly male vocals I can’t really comment on much else but this mic has very detailed mid and is a go to for any males seeking more detail in the mids and taming sibilance while giving an uncolored sound that you can play around with. | | |
By
Vcru
on
30th January 2012
| | Sound Quality | | 5 | | Ease of use | | 5 | | Features | | 4 | | Bang for buck | | 4 | |
Overall: 4.5 | | So I received this microphone as a gift and it has been put to phenomenal use. This microphone has been used from acoustic guitar, to female and male vocals, to rap, and as a plain old room microphone. It is one of the most versatile microphones I have used. It is a very clear microphone and has been my go to for all the above applications.
Great sensitivity allows me to get a decent working distance from the mic. Voices have a real presence to them, like you are talking right into someone's ear. Outstanding midrange, good lows and the highs are clean without carrying over into the brittle range. What more can you ask for?
The down side of this microphone was the shock mount that came with it. Thought it looks great and performs it is not sturdy enough for the weight of the mic. The bolt that controls the angle broke. It was not made to last. However, without a problem Blue was able to promptly send me a new one and the problem was solved. Since that I have had zero problems with this lovely mic. The other thing is that the pop filter that comes with it is pretty useless for most artists that I have worked for but I believe that is expected with microphones. Overall, I would definitely recommend this microphone! | | |
By
modok
on
29th February 2012
| | Sound Quality | | 4 | | Ease of use | | 5 | | Features | | 3 | | Bang for buck | | 5 | |
Overall: 4.25 | | Great versatile mic for a small studio
In my small homestudio, my Bluebird mic is my go to mic for just about everything. I have a fairly full baritone voice, but sing across a wide range, and wanted a mic that would capture the nuances of my performance without breaking the bank. The Bluebird performs admirably in this regard. The bonus is that it makes everything else sound great too. I use it to record acoustic guitar and mandolin, and they really jump out of the mix. I do find that I have to experiment with mic placement to get the full-bodied sound I'm after, but that is to be expected. For an under $300 mic, I am very happy.
On the downside is something I've found to be true on other Blue's as well, which is the flimsy shockmount. It seems downright impossible to get it tight enough. I broke the key off on another Blue mic trying to get it tight enough, so I've been careful here not to do the same. This is one case where looks did indeed come at the cost of functionality.
Another thing that would have been nice would have been some some high or low pass filters but that is not a deal breaker at all, because I really like what I get out of the Bluebird and can always EQ to taste. | | | | | | Sound Quality | | 4 | | Ease of use | | 3 | | Features | | 5 | | Bang for buck | | 4 | |
Overall: 4 | | Blue Bluebird (American Made Model)
I bought my Blue Bluebird used from a band who used it to record an album. Unfortunately it was stored inside a house that was constantly filled with cigarette smoke. However, there doesn't seem to be any audible damage from residing in a smoking environment. 
All that being said my model is the American made edition. I believe this microphone used to go for $500 when it was American made. The new Chinese Bluebird goes for only $300 now.
I am extremely pleased with the sound this microphone provides. I primarily use it for voice over work but have produced great results on acoustic guitar too. This microphone can really handle proximity effect well. I have some other microphones in this price range and they don't tend to handle a voice riding up on the microphone so well. The Bluebird has a nice punch and low end that compliments my voice greatly. For being a "cheaper" mic it doesn't sound too bright or shrill. It definitely does have some bight and crispness on the top end but it's mostly desirable.
Unfortunately the shockmount this microphone ships with is very low quality. I have to be honest here sorry. The adjustable handle has snapped off and the overall shockmount is just cheap and flimsy. What's even more disappointing is that a replacement shockmount is $80! Certainly not worth replacing.
With that being said the microphone itself is amazing for the price. I'm very satisfied with this microphone especially since I bought it used for only $150! | | | | | | Sound Quality | | 3 | | Ease of use | | 4 | | Features | | 2 | | Bang for buck | | 5 |
Overall:  3.5 | | Perfect for Acoustic Guitar
I got one of these as a package deal when I bought a focusrite ISA One. At first glance the microphone is pretty, it looks good, feels good, and looks really really cool. However, when I first tried it out I was sorely disappointed. It has a sharp spike in the high frequencies which I thought sounded terrible and a bit harsh on vocals, then I tried it out on an acoustic guitar. Placed 6 inches from the 12th fret slightly slanted towards the soundhole and it actually sounded really amazing. The guitar came out nice and clear and full sounding. I haven't tried this mic out yet on many other instruments as the highs are just too harsh sounding for my palette, but on acoustic guitar it really shines. It's now the only microphone I will use on acoustic guitar. Would I recommend this mic? Only if you get a deal on it, otherwise spend another $100 for an AKG C414 which will be much more usefull. (On a side note oktavamod does have a mod for this mic, but it's another $300, which you might as well spend that money on a $600-$700 microphone.) | | | | | | Sound Quality | | 4 | | Ease of use | | 4 | | Features | | 4 | | Bang for buck | | 5 | |
Overall: 4.25 | | Sound Quality: I used the Blue Bluebird as a vocal mic for a television show with acoustic solo artists. Each performer played an acoustic guitar while singing into the Blue Bluebird. Other mics were used for the guitars and they blended well with the vocal tracks. The Blue Bluebird sounded great and was able to adapt well to male and female singers. In some ways it acts more like a dynamic than a condenser in that it doesn't pick up unwanted room noise in an untreated room. This mic also works well on acoustic guitar. I have a friend who makes a living doing voice-overs and this is one of his "go to" mics.
Ease of use: Adjusting the shock mount can sometimes be awkward. Attaching and adjusting the wind screen can be awkward.
Features: Another complaint is that the wooden box provided, while O.K. For storing in your home studio, is not road worthy. A simple case like the one provided by the Heil PR-40, while not as unique, would be much more practical in the long run.
Bang for the buck: I paid $200 for this mic when it was a Musicians Friend “deal of the day”. A bargain in my opinion. | | | | | | Sound Quality | | 4 | | Ease of use | | 2 | | Features | | 2 | | Bang for buck | | 4 |
Overall:  3 | | would I buy it again - probably yes!
I searched for a mic that was under 300€. I read some reviews and finally bought the Blue Bluebird. Sonic Wise I was pretty happy the first month. Recorded mostly Acoustic Guitar and Male Vocals. The First Female Vocal Recording made it clear, that in most cases, I will not use it again for female singers. It was too harsh in the top end. On some Female Vocals the mic sound to me, like the high end distorted. So, sometimes I try it for women but in most cases it don´t work.
Also the Shockmount is, as others stated as well, not very good. I broke mine 3 to 4 times and my new one also broke. I will not renewed it again.
But the mic has it strength. I like it a lot on acoustic guitars. The low end is nice and also the highs are sweet. On Male Vocals some Sssses may pop out, which I get rid of with the Sonnox Supressor. So, I would probably buy this mic again. | | | | | | Sound Quality | | 4 | | Ease of use | | 5 | | Features | | 5 | | Bang for buck | | 4 | |
Overall: 4.5 | | Great look
In my opinion one of the best looking microphones, was never "impressed" by the microphone, I think because it was pretty transparent. But it lacked low end and had something kind of a harsh high end, It was still a great mic but at the price range I've found alot smoother microphones, I'd still recommend it for a backup or secondary microphone just not a go to mic. | | | | | | Sound Quality | | 4 | | Ease of use | | 5 | | Features | | 4 | | Bang for buck | | 5 | |
Overall: 4.5 | | Versatile LDC at a great price. Looks good, sounds good. I have owned one for years and used it on almost every project I’ve recorded.
My favorite uses for the Bluebird:
-Drumkit front, a few feet out, a few feet up, pointed somewhat down toward the kick. Adds a lot of life to the kit.
-Male or female vocalists. As long as they’re not too sibilant—for some performers the presence/high-end boost can be a little much.
-Medium-bright acoustic guitars, above the player’s head, especially in conjunction with an SDC or two in front.
-Bass cabinets, on-axis with the cone and about 3-4 inches from the grill.
-Guitar cabinets when capturing a smooth, clean tone.
-Room mic for just about anything.
Sources I have been less pleased using the Bluebird on have been saxophone, violin, very bright acoustic guitars, and sibilant singers/rappers.
Also, as others have mentioned, the shockmount that comes with it is garbage. They have changed it for the better; a friend of mine has a newer Bluebird that is better than the one mine came with, but it’s still not great.
Overall, a very useful microphone to own, and particularly if you’re just beginning to build your collection its versatility comes in handy often. | | | | | | Sound Quality | | 4 | | Ease of use | | 5 | | Features | | 3 | | Bang for buck | | 5 | |
Overall: 4.25 | | Excellent microphone. Perfect for vocals. Run through a good pre-amp, it hits the spot. We use this mic all the time in the studio. Just does the job very well. Satisfying to record with and very reliable. Recommended.
-------------------- www.planckmusic.co.uk www.facebook.com/weareplanckmusic | | | |
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