Blue Blackout Spark SL Review

Blackout Spark SL

Blue

The Blackout Spark SL by Blue is one of Blue’s newest microphones and if you happen to be a content creator, you might have this microphone in mind.

Blue has been advertising and pushing this product as a mic that will be good for streamers whether that’s on Twitch, YouTube, Mixer and etc. The mic itself comes equipped with a -20dB slider that will allow your voice to stay clear and crisp no matter what is going on in the game you’re streaming. A similar switch exists in the 100Hz high-pass filter that will allow you to block out the noises coming from your desktop.

I can say that although this mic comes with a hefty price tag of $200, it is definitely a high-quality product that should be considered. If you are familiar with Blue’s product line at all, you know you’re getting a good product. With that said, if you already own a Blue microphone, such as the Yeti, this might be a tough sell. It’s not because this product is bad but it’s because the Blue Yeti is one of the best mics on the market.

The Blackout Spark SL is not a simple plug-and-play USB mic like the Yeti is but will instead need a source of phantom power before it can get going. This can come from products like the Blue Icicle or anything else that will give you phantom power. You might be a little wary of this if you’re on a budget because all that ends up doing is adding to the cost of the setup. However, once everything is finally up and running, the sound quality is practically unmatched.

On the positive side, the XLR connection just provides an all-around better sound than the typical USB connection does so you’re getting what you pay for. Your voice will come through much clearer on the Blackout Spark SL if compared directly to the Yeti. One glaring flaw for me, that might not be a flaw to others, is the Blackout Spark SL doesn’t have a mute button on it. If you want to mute your audio, you’ll have to do it from your desktop instead of having a button for it like the Yeti has.

For any content creation I do in the future, I will be sure to use the Blackout Spark SL. I’m not just saying that because I was sent one but I truly believe this mic has excellent quality. Everything about the mic has been enjoyable so far, right down to the wooden box it shipped in. Unfortunately, this mic is pretty hard to get in a comfortable spot on your disk without the use of mounting arm. Where the Yeti could sit, rather largely but sit nonetheless, on the your desk, the Blackout Spark SL will have a hard time doing that due to its shock mount. This isn’t a deal breaker by any means but it is something to keep in mind.

I haven’t gotten around to actually recording and videos with the mic itself but I’m sure it will add a noticeable boost in sound quality to any future streams and videos I do. Through testing, I can certainly tell the difference. I’m looking forward to testing this mic more in the future and I hope I’ve been helpful in helping you make a good decision in buying a mic.

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