Gearank

Gearank Recommended

The Snowball iCE appeared on our recommended list for Microphones Under $50 when we published the first edition in February 2018 and it has remained there ever since.

It also appeared on our list for Condenser Mics Under $100 from March 2021 until it was out-ranked by other mics in March 2022.

See our Current Recommendation.

Overview

Not to be confused with its similarly named brother, the iCE version of the Snowball by Blue has a fixed cardioid pattern rather than the original snowball's multi pattern feature.

This omission enables the Snowball iCE to be positioned at an even more affordable price point than its sibling.

The Blue Snowball iCE features a cardioid polar pattern, tripod desktop stand and a USB cable.

It's a plug and play mic that's very easy to set up and get running - basically just plug it into your USB port and you're good to go.

The included stand is a bit flimsy as well as lacking in stability and protection against accidentally knocking it over, so handle with care.

Pops and plosives are easily picked up at close proximity so we recommend the use of a separate pop filter.

Applications

Home Recording, Podcasts, Content Creation, and Streaming.

Features

The Blue Snowball iCE features a cardioid polar pattern, tripod desktop stand and a USB Cable.

Compatibility

Windows: Windows 10 or later with USB 1.1/2.0/3.0
Macintosh: macOS 10.13 or later with USB 1.1/2.0/3.0

For the price, the Blue Snowball iCE is a safe choice for your first USB condenser. With its sound quality, it will be a while before you feel any need to upgrade your setup.

At publication time this mic was recommended in our guide to The Best Cheap Microphones Under $50.

Polar Pattern

Frequency Response