Logitech Is Acquiring Blue Microphones For $117 Million In Cash (theverge.com) 79
Logitech announced late Monday night that it is acquiring Blue Microphones for $117 million. The company known for USB condenser microphones, such as the Snowball and Yeti, will join Logitech's existing portfolio of brands. The Verge reports: Founded in 1995, Blue sells microphones that range in price from $60 to over $4,000 (for studio-grade hardware), and they're used by podcasters, musicians, and any other consumers who need higher-fidelity audio than what they get from the built-in microphones on their devices. Now, after dropping a heap of cash on the company, Logitech will do its best to make sure Blue's devices become just as essential as its own wireless keyboards and mice. "For Logitech, this is a new space," the company wrote in a blog post. "But, at the same time, it's not at all. Gamers are already using our Logitech G webcams to stream. People are video calling with friends and family thanks to Logitech every day. And in business, our audio and video know-how is apparent every time a video meeting takes place at the office. Joining up with Blue and their microphone lines is a logical adjacent opportunity with great synergies."
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Re: In cash? (Score:1)
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"In cash" here means that they're not paying it with stocks, like some acquisitions are done.
captcha: currency
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They're making pretty damned good microphones e.g the Yeti is very popular among serious streamers.
I'd suggest if anyone is interested in getting one, do it before the deal takes serious effect, Logitech isn't what it once was.
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They're making pretty damned good microphones e.g the Yeti is very popular among serious streamers.
Video blogging is not exactly what you need a "pretty damned good" microphone for. You want a reliable USB interface, that's all (and that basically precludes using more than one microphone at the time, anyway). The microphone capsule shouldn't suck too bad, but you don't need to worry about excellent SNR ratio or off-axis coloring or extended frequency range or transient response.
Basically it's a small step up from budget headset quality. Which indeed puts it into Logitech ballpark.
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Complete nonsense. You don't need a "pretty damned good" microphone, but when the majority of value you provide to your viewers is your appearance and voice, you want a "good" microphone.
I'm surprised at the number of streamers / Vloggers / Youtube channels where they have a ridiculously expensive microphone, yet still get lots of really distracting popping because they are basically eating the microphone. I've had better results using dollar store microphones for naration.
It's actually funny how many people have really expensive gear, but no clue how to use it, or not even very good content.
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That's it, then (Score:3, Funny)
"Joining up with Blue and their microphone lines is a logical adjacent opportunity with great synergies."
So, doomed to failure, then... ;-)
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They have a reputation for making priced crap, kinda like Beats headphones... Kinda like Logitech used to be, in fact.
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Kinda like Logitech used to be, in fact.
It's all crap. All input devices are made like poop, except maybe saitek joysticks. (I used to use a thrustmaster f22 pro... those are crap too. they break springs regularly FFS.)
I'm still using a Logitech T-BB18 (IIRC, can't read the bottom sticker any more) trackball, the original "trackman usb wheel" thumb ball. I have to replace the crappy Omron microswitches every year or two, but otherwise it's still the best mousing device I've ever owned. The rest of it is great, only the microswitches (which they d
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I have been using the same Samsung PS2 optical mouse since about 1999. No replacement parts.
For modern stuff Elecom do some good mice.
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I don't get it.
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On the other hand, such a venture could dynamically incentivize ubiquitous experiences while intrinsically maintaining resource-maximizing customer service.
Probably a good buy (Score:2, Informative)
They are known for the Blue Yeti, one of the best value for money microphones out there for streamers. Also have other quality ones.
Re:Probably a good buy (Score:5, Informative)
Might be a good buy for Logitech but it will be an awful buy for everyone else. Just like Harmony they will destroy a vibrant company serving a niche market.
Harmony was producing new models and innovative remote products, then Logitech bought them and all new development stopped. The Harmony division hasn't produced a product that wasn't developed premerger. Blue Yeti will experience the same, logitech will cheap out in design products, ramp them then stop all development.
Just like harmony who was producing new products every year they will halt all new development, fire all the designers and developers and milk the product while it stagnates and dies.
Re:Probably a good buy (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Probably a good buy (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: Probably a good buy (Score:2)
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Roccat's LEADR (wireless Tyon) beats every programmable multi-button Logitech mouse I've bought since the MX-518 from 2005.
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For 140 dollars, it'd better be a good mouse.
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For that money, I would expect a cat!
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Blue (Score:4, Interesting)
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Wel seeing as xlr is kind of the standard foe anything byr consumer gear (at keast when ir comes to analog) I don’r see a big problem, and you say double price, comared to what? I quess you ment comared to interfaces with 3.5 mm plugs thst produce the same sound quality
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Wel seeing as xlr is kind of the standard foe anything byr consumer gear (at keast when ir comes to analog) I don’r see a big problem, and you say double price, comared to what? I quess you ment comared to interfaces with 3.5 mm plugs thst produce the same sound quality
GP is presumably referencing the Yeti [amazon.com] (USB only) vs the Yeti Pro [amazon.com] (USB and XLR connectivity).
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Typical market segmentation. They charge a lot of money for features that are essential to professionals but not as important for consumers.
I don't really see a problem with that. Companies have to make money. And that way, consumers get good stuff for an affordable price and pros get the features they need for the price they are ready to pay. The alternative would be too expensive for consumers, unusable by pros, or not profitable enough for the company.
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but never the top quality in its price range.
Are you implying that beats is somewhere near the top quality in its price range with that sentence? You sound like a very glass half full kind of guy who's too kind to label the frigging horrible waste of money for what it is.
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But I like my AT2020 :(
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Bought the brand (Score:1)
More than the customer base.
Logitech is a consumer brand, driven by volume. Higher quality items don’t bring the same revenue, it’s N units X $P. 50 units / mo at $2000 doesn’t excite Logitech, but a few such products are a nice stable way to fund a meaningful part of the burn rate of an SME.
10kpcs/mo of a $79 product is more like what they are interested in.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyV_UG60dD4
Re:Who cares (Score:5, Interesting)
I've got a Yeti myself, and so does a friend of mine that runs his own business. He bought his after hearing how mine sounded, it can provide that rich "radio announcer" voice that people like to listen to. (in addition to the audio clarity, I also really appreciate its directivity and noise-cancelling selectable sampling patterns) He ended up re-dubbing all his existing instructional videos for his product line with the Yeit because of how much better it sounded.
I really don't know why you'd describe them (all?) as "crap mics", without anything to back up what you say, you don't sound very convincing. Cheap webcam mics are my idea of crap because that's what they sound like. And I'm speaking with over a dozen years of radio experience under my belt.
And no, you don't see them in hardly any big studios, because that's not what they are. They're high end consumer mics, not professional recording studio mics, at least not ones like what I got. The Yeti is one of their best values / most affordable small-studio-grade mics and is a great choice for smaller outfits like podcasters, streamers, and small businesses.
I get the impression you've never spent any time with a Blue mic and are just kicking the brand for some hidden agenda, or just snobbing it because "that's not what my friend the PRO uses".
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I used to use a Blue Yeti for screencasting but got rid of it. They tend to perform horribly in untreated rooms because they pick up everything.
You can usually get a much better result with a dynamic mic for any type of recording where you're not moving around and it's just you talking. Not only will you reduce background noise, but you'll also get a great tone. A $70 AT2005 dynamic mic (which has both USB and XLR connections) outperformed the standard Blue Yeti in my case by a huge amount.
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You need a big microphone (Score:4, Funny)
Unlike TV, you need a big microphone if you are going to make a YouTube video, everybody knows that. And it should be placed directly in the middle of FOV.
Of course that is after you have placed your musical instruments and apple products casually in the background.
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The backround, hou mean berwen the “talent” and the green screen? Ot depends on the yotuber I suppose, but mi imporesson is that streamers tend to get a gren screen quite fast, i gues they want the flexibility of adding other content (Screen caprure other video etc) and still have their fase and possibly other atributes on screen at the same time, but what do I cnow not beeing a content creator.
Am I right in thinking thar a green screen (well lit) us the easyesr way of achiving this?
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I think with today’s cameras a green screen is usable way of keying it. I have just been playing a bit with it for fun and had some problems around hair and a bit of green reflecting back on the shoulders. But when it is just a small window on the stream that is not noticeable at all.
That being said, I am not an expert at all, I just play with it because it because it is something I don’t know anything about and was curious. It is interesting what you can create with a consumer camera and a comp
Quality trend (Score:1)
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Blue has been making very decent studio-quality mics for over 20 years. No, they are not up there with Neumann, but the large-diaphragm condensers have a very acceptable sound and that's a good alternative to other studio mics for those who want that sound. I like AKG in that price range and have always liked Shure and Audio Technica in the lower price ranges. I have not used their USB mics and don't have a need. For those who really like the studio mics, this could end up being like CBS purchasing Fender in 1965. It will take a while, but commoditization will drive out the things that made the products what they are.
I can second this. Their non-podcasting, studio grade mics have a good reputation within the recording community.
Great, now how about bringing back the Marble FX? (Score:2)
deja vu (Score:1)
Jake: You traded the Bluesmobile for this?
Elwood: No, for a microphone.
Jake: A microphone? Okay, I can see that.