Blue Yeti and HyperX Quadcast are two popular mics in the industry if you want to buy a high-quality USB microphone at an affordable price.
Both mics provide excellent audio quality, ease of use, and performance. The choice between these two can be difficult for beginners and professionals.
This article will look at HyperX Quadcast and Blue Yeti to see how similar and different the two mics are. We will see both mics in detail to analyze different features, so you have a better idea of which one is better for what specific work.
Blue Yeti VS HyperX Quadcast Comparison
USB Connectivity
Both Blue Yeti and Hyper X Quadcast are USB condenser mics. USB mics offer a simple setup and ease of use.
Both Blue Yeti and HyperX Quadcast are pretty easy to use, being USB mics. You don’t need any intermediary device to record with these mics. All you need to do is plug in the USB cable into your device, and you are ready to go.
Whether you are a gamer, a podcaster, or a live streamer, no mic has simpler use and functions as a USB mic. It allows you to start with the minimum. Unlike XLR mics, you don’t need a separate mixer or audio interface.
Build Quality
Both mics have a rugged build.
Blue Yeti weighs more than HyperX Quadcast, and in this regard, HyperX takes the lead. HyperX weighs less than Yeti, and that makes it a better mic to travel with. You can pack it easily in a handbag and keep using it on the go.
Besides weight, the Yeti comes with a better elegant look. It looks modern, and despite its bulky looks, it provides a mic presence that looks very cool in videos. It has a stylish black finish that makes it blend in any interior perfectly.
The HyperX features a modern and stylish look as well. It also has a very prominent presence that looks very good in videos. As it is more of a game-oriented mic, it features RGB lights as well. The RGB lights give a vibrant and playful effect. This is especially true for streaming where the lights on the Quadcast can give off very beautiful effects to make your stream stand out.
However, if you are not someone who likes the RGB lights in the microphone, you can dial those down in the settings.
Shock Mount and Pop filter
Blue Yeti and Hyperx Quadcast differ in the number of accessories that they come with.
For Yeti, no shock mount of the pop filter is provided. This is disappointing as both are essential accessories for any recording setup. Without a shock mount, any vibration, hiss or even taps on the desk can disrupt the audio quality.
You need a shock mount that keeps the mic stable in case of an accidental push or tap of the hand. The mic stays stable, and vibrations do not affect the audio quality.
A pop filter keeps the audio free from puff sounds or plosives. While recording, if you have a mic too near your mouth for better audio capturing, ps and fs’ sounds disturb the audio quality.
HyperX Quadcast covers all your needs in this regard. It comes with both a pop filter and a shock mount as well. A quality shock mount and pop filter cost you somewhere around $30-$40, which makes the Quadcast a more complete package.
So that is where HyperX Quadcast takes the lead. It provides both a shock mount and pop filter. You can buy these separately for the Blue Yeti, but a decent quality pop filter and a shock mount obviously adds to the cost of setting up the Blue Yeti properly.
With that being said, the Yeti is on sale more often than the QuadCast, which may or may not make either option a better deal.
Polar Patterns
Both Yeti and Quadcast come with four polar patterns. That makes these microphones versatile and multipurpose. Four patterns are:
- Cardioid polar pattern: Cardioid pattern picks up the mic from the front. It is suitable for a single speaker.
- Omnidirectional: Picks up audio from all around. It captures sound from all around and suits discussions or conferences where you have many people around the microphone.
- Bidirectional Pattern: The bidirectional pattern picks up the audio from both the front and the rear.
- Figure8: Figure 8 pattern picks up the audio from both left and right sides.
The four patterns make both the Yeti and the Quadcast an excellent option for studio recordings, podcasts, and live streaming.
Audio Quality
Both the Blue Yeti and HyperX Quadcast provide excellent audio quality. They are high-quality studio mics, and both give a broadcast quality sound that seems very fitting for studio recordings. It adds a depth like radio transmission to your audio. This type of audio is perfect for podcasting and live streaming.
Both Yeti and HyperX Quadcast are quite similar in the audio output. They both feature the same frequency range that is between 20 to 20K Hz.
The mics also come with a high pass filter that gives 20 dB attenuation. It takes the shrill off the loud noise and does well in eliminating the unwanted noise from affecting your audio.
Real-Time Monitoring
Both mics allow you to monitor the audio in real-time. They have featured a headphone jack for connecting headphones. You can monitor the audio in real-time, and a button under the mics also allows you to adjust the volume in real-time.
Onboard Control
Again, here too, both mics are similar. Both provide all the monitoring options on the mic. As USB mics have a simple setup, all options are available on the mic. The four different polar patterns are easy to choose, and you have to touch the button on the mic to change the pattern.
Both mics feature a mute button under the mic. You can press the button whenever you want to pause the recording or don’t want to record audio, for example, while talking on the phone while recording.
So, both mics provide full control on the mic. You can change patterns, mute the recording, plug in a headphone in its 3.5 headphone jack, and adjust the volume as well. You can also adjust the high-pass filter up to 20 dB.
Price
Blue Yeti and HyperX Quadcat both come at a reasonable price. Both mics are available under $200, and go on sale on Amazon occasionally.
Despite all the similarities, there is a difference between the price of these two mics. The Blue Yeti is priced less than the HyperX Quadcast.
The difference between the two mics can be due to the inclusion of two extra accessories. The HyperX comes with a Shock mount and pop filter. Blue Yeti does not come with any such accessories, and you have to buy it separately.
Pop filters and shock mounts are considered essentials in the recording setup, and unless you already have one, you need to spend some money on these accessories.
You may not need a shock mount if you are upgrading your audio quality. But bear in mind that a shock mount may not fit well with the Blue Yeti, considering its bulky structure.
Advantages of Blue Yeti
Affordability
It is an affordable mic. Some may consider its above $100 price as higher than other affordable mics like Blue Snowball, but these mics are not as versatile as the Yeti. The sound quality is also not as great as the Blue Yeti delivers.
Professional Look
Although Yeti is a bit bulky, it gives a very professional look with its appearance. The mic looks more professional than HyperX Quadcast which is catered more for gamers.
Excellent Audio Quality
As we have already discussed, Blue Yeti gives high-quality audio. It provides broadcast-quality audio, and its multiple polar patterns fit in any situation and help you get clear and detailed audio depending on the situation.
Onboard Control
The Yeti allows you to monitor audio in real-time. It features all mic options and whether you want to change the pattern, mute the button, or adjust the audio right from the mic.
Simple Setup
It provides a simple plug and plays set up, and you don’t need to connect it with an audio interface.
Disadvantages of Blue Yeti
Bulky Mic
Blue Yeti is not a suitable option for traveling. It weighs more than the HyperX Quadcast and has a bulky shape that takes up considerably more space.
No Shock Mount
The mic does not come with a shock mount. You need to buy it separately. The money you save on its upfront price would go to buying a decent shock mount and a pop filter. So it costs almost the same as HyperX Quadcast.
Advantages of HyperX Quadcast
Lighter Weight
HyperX Quadcast weighs less than Blue Yeti. It is easy to carry along due to its lightweight, and might be easier to mount if you are using smaller mounts.
Gaming Microphone
HyperX Quadcast is designed for gaming. It looks like a gaming microphone, and its RGB lights are very appealing for streamers.
Broadcast Quality Sound
Like the Blue Yeti, the HyperX Quadcast gives broadcast-quality audio that makes it an excellent choice for studio recordings.
Onboard Control
Like Yeti, HyperX Quadcast provides all control to the users. All buttons are available on the mic, and you don’t need any intermediary device.
Simple Setup
It is a USB mic and offers a simple plug-and-play setup.
Shock Mount and Pop Filter
The only great difference between the Yeti and HyperX Quadcast is the accessories it brings.
HyperX Quadcast comes as a complete setup. You don’t need any separate accessories for using this one as it comes with a quality shock mount and a pop filter.
True that you can buy these accessories separately, but the ones that come with the mic are compatible and useful. So it is excellent for beginners who can start live streaming or recording once they have the HyperX Quadcast. For Yeti, they need to buy or arrange some separate accessories as well.
Disadvantage of HyperX Quadcast
Less Formal Appearance
The Yeti has an unassuming look that makes it more presentable in more formal settings. The HyperX Quadcast has an appearance that suits the gaming crowd more but does not suit formal broadcasts.
Expensive
Though it is not a big disadvantage as we have already mentioned, the HyperX Quadcast is more expensive than the Blue Yeti. Again, the Blue Yeti does not offer a shock mount or pop filter, so adding that to the price can bring the cost similar to the Quadcast.
Who should buy the Blue Yeti?
The Blue Yeti suits professionals, videographers, live streamers, live debates, interviews, podcasts, and other such applications.
Who should buy HyperX Quadcast?
The HyperX Quadcast suits all these applications like interviews, live streaming, gaming, and even podcasts, but it’s appearance makes it more appealing for gamers.
Final Words
Both Blue Yeti and HyperX Quadcast are excellent choices for live streamers, podcasting, video recordings, and Youtube. Both mics are almost similar in their features and offer simple setup, great functionality, and versatility. The only difference between these two is the number of accessories and price. But that too is not an issue. If you are buying a studio pack, then the Blue Yeti costs almost the same as the HyperX Quadcast. In the end, it boils down to the formal and casual looks and personal preferences.
Jeremy has been running several online businesses behind his laptop for the past 5 years and he has worked as a freelance web developer previously. A trained marketer by profession, he also has Ruby on Rails and web development knowledge. His forte lies in eCommerce, SEO and content marketing. He’s been featured on Vice, Thrive Global, YFS Magazine, Forbes and several other publications. He prefers to connect with people on LinkedIn.
