Capture both audio and the spirit of postwar America with Gibson's newest microphones.
Neat Microphones, a brand created by Gibson Guitars, just launched its Widget series, an affordable line of stylish desktop mics, Gizmodo reports. The three mics, which are sonically identical, are available at a variety of electronics and music stores to pre-order for $99.
All three mics offer a simple plug-and-play USB setup, while height adjustment comes courtesy of the tracks the mic is mounted on. Skipper Wise, president of Neat Microphones, touts that the mics can record professional 24 bit/96kHz audio, in a video from the National Association of Music Merchants convention January 2015
In keeping with the theme of simplicity, the Neat Widget doesn't require drivers or additional software to work. The stylish base also acts as a shock-mount, isolating the microphone from any unwanted vibrations.
Gibson Guitars launched Neat Microphones in December 2014, with its first line of products, called the "bee line" because of its color scheme, shipping soon after. Wise and Chief Technical Officer Martins Saulespurens are co-founders of Blue Microphones, one of the most popular manufacturers of desktop microphones.
The Widget halves the price of entry for Neat Microphones, putting it squarely in the crosshairs of the Blue Yeti, one of the most popular, well-received affordable USB microphones. Until we get our hands on a Widget we don't know if it's better than the Yeti, but the Widget clearly wins on looks.
Indeed, the options for USB microphones in this price-range are rather conservatively styled, so one has to give credit to Neat for injecting some space-age fun into the segment. It's a smart segment for Gibson to get into, too. Podcasting is en vogue right now and the ascendence of YouTube stars makes affordably recording good audio a must for many.
We'll just have to see if it can beat its more bland-looking rivals.
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