25 Most Asked Blue Yeti Microphone Questions Answered

In this Blue Yeti FAQ, I have compiled 25 frequently asked questions about the Blue Yeti USB microphone and provided answers based on my use of this iconic creator microphone. I hope I’ve included all the questions you need answered.

Feel free to read all the way through or click on specific questions in the table of contents.

Last update on 2024-03-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Can you plug a Blue Yeti into a DSLR, Mirrorless Camera, or Camcorder?

To use a Blue Yeti microphone, it must be connected to the USB port on a computer, smartphone, or tablet. The connected device provides 5V power and makes the microphone’s headphone output circuitry active. The other prerequisite is that the camera should have a 3.5mm audio input socket.

With the Blue Yeti connected to the USB port on a computer or mobile device, use an AUX audio cable to connect from the Blue Yeti’s headphone socket to the camera’s audio input socket. The recording level can be set by using the gain and headphone controls on the Yeti and the audio level control on the camera.

Does the Blue Yeti headphone output include my voice and computer audio?

Depending on how you have set up your sound settings on your computer you will either just yourself when you plug in headphones into the Blue Yeti, or you will hear a mix of your voice and the computer’s output. The latter setup will let you make Zoom calls and hear the other person on your headphones or lay down song lyrics as part of a multitrack session in Adobe Audition.

To hear both yourself and the computer audio in your headphones go into your sound settings and choose the output to be Speakers Yeti Stereo Microphone.

Is the Blue Yeti a condenser or dynamic microphone?

The Blue Yeti is a condenser microphone with an array of three 14mm premium-tuned condenser capsules. This enables the Yeti to be switched between 4 different polar patterns or blue yeti modes. These include cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional, and stereo.

Can I monitor the Blue Yeti output on Bluetooth headphones?

The Blue Yeti does not have wireless connectivity, so you cannot connect to Bluetooth headphones or earbuds. The Blue Yeti’s headphone output is via the standard 3.5mm TRS jack connector on the base of the microphone.

It might be possible to rig up wireless connectivity by linking the headphone output to a Bluetooth wireless transmitter. However, when I tried to do this, I did not have much success. Furthermore, a separate USB power supply is usually required.

Can a Blue Yeti record speech from 2-3ft away?

Since the Blue Yeti is a condenser microphone, and therefore very sensitive, it can pick up speech from 2 or 3 feet away. However, this will not allow you to capture good-quality audio. At that distance, your voice will sound “off-mic” and the microphone will also pick up the room ambiance and any background noise.

If getting closer to the microphone is not an option, you can improve the audio quality by recording in an acoustically treated room, switching to the cardioid polar pattern, and ensuring the sensitive side of the Yeti faces you.

Do you need a pop filter with a Blue Yeti microphone?

The Blue Yeti is not immune to voice pops; however, the amount of popping depends on how you use the microphone. If you are more than 10-inches from the Yeti and speak normally, very few pops will be recorded.

However, if you are speaking forcefully and excitedly, or speaking within 6-inches of the microphone, then it is likely the Blue Yeti will pick up several pops. The other factor you must consider is how professional you need to sound. Are you merely using the Blue Yeti on Zoom calls? If yes, the occasional pop may be acceptable. But if you are recording a podcast or YouTube video, you need to eliminate every pop.

Using a pop filter with a Blue Yeti microphone certainly wouldn’t do any harm.

What are the best Blue Yeti pop filters?

Although there are several designs of pop filters available, they are not equally effective at stopping voice pops.

Cheap foam windscreens or covers provide basic protection and are most useful at protecting the microphone from saliva but are not very effective at preventing pops. A better option is to use a circular fabric mesh filter. The ones with a double layer of fabric with an air gap work well and can cost less than $20. I have found that the best Blue Yeti pop filters are the circular metal screen pop filters. These are more expensive but very effective.

Can I use a longer USB cable than the one provided with the Blue Yeti?

You can use a longer USB cable than the 6ft cable included with the Blue Yeti, but there are limits. The Blue Yeti uses the USB 2.0 standard, which sets a cable length limit of 5m (16ft 5in). This can be extended by adding a powered USB hub between cables, giving a 10m (33ft) reach.

You could keep adding powered USB hubs and 5m USB cables, but the theoretical limit is 5 powered hubs, giving a total length of 30m. Although this might work, it isn’t a practical solution since each USB hub will require power. Furthermore, you would have several potential points of failure to investigate should anything go wrong.

Why does the Blue Yeti have a threaded hold on the bottom?

The hole on the bottom of the Blue Yeti is for mic stands with 5/8-inch (27 tpi) connectors, commonly used in the United States. Two adapters are included, one for 3/8-inch (16 tpi), and another for ¼-inch (20 tpi) microphone mounts.

The Blue Yeti can be mounted in any orientation. This can be with the grille end pointing upward, the microphone on its side, or inverted when slung from a boom arm. The important thing is that you speak into the side that has the Blue logo.

Does the Blue Yeti include background noise cancellation?

The Blue Yeti does not have noise cancellation. If you are recording in a noisy environment, such as a busy office or family home, the best choice of microphone would be a cardioid dynamic mic. This would be much less sensitive than condenser microphones, like the Blue Yeti.

If you do not have the option of recording in a quieter location, turn down the microphone gain and get closer to the Yeti. You will become the dominant sound source and the Yeti will pick up less of the background.

You may also find that the Blue Yeti benefits from being mounted on a mic stand that is not in contact with your desk. This will prevent the Yeti from picking up bumps and vibrations from you touching or knocking the desk.

Keep in mind that a home bedroom or office is probably not going to be an ideal recording environment. Although you can try to make the room sound OK, there is a reason why recording studios and broadcasters spend a substantial amount of money on their studios.

You can install sound insulation, acoustic panels, and foam acoustic tiles but don’t expect this to make your bedroom sound perfect and solve your background noise problems. Microphones designed to record quality voiceovers or vocals are designed to be sensitive to sound, whether is you or dark barking outside your window.

Will a Blue Yeti pick up the sound of my computer keyboard?

The Yeti is a very sensitive microphone, and if necessary, it can pick up the sound of a voice from across a small room.

There are some strategies you can try to reduce the keyboard noise, although you may never be able to eliminate it.

First, use a soft touch keyboard instead of the standard kind. Second, use the cardioid polar pattern on the yeti to help reject sound from the rear of the microphone. Third, place the microphone on a boom arm to avoid the mechanical transfer of sound through the desk to the microphone. An alternative is to place an insulating layer of foam rubber (the thicker the better) between the microphone and the desk.

Can the Blue Yeti USB microphone be connected to an iOS or Android device?

Yes, you can connect the Blue Yeti to an iPhone, iPad, or Android phone/tablet. I have connected my Blue Yeti to an iPhone and iPad using an Apple adapter, although a powered USB hub may also be necessary. I cover this in detail in my article How to connect and use a Blue Yeti to an iPhone or iPad.

I have also used my Blue Yeti with a Samsung A53 5G Android phone by replacing the standard USB mic cable that came with the microphone with a mini-USB to USB-C cable. In all cases, I was able to record with the Yeti in various apps on my smart devices. I explain how to do this in my article How to connect a Blue Yeti USB mic to an Android Phone.

Does the Blue Yeti work on a Linux computer or a Chromebook?

The Blue Yeti will work on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers as well as on a Chromebook. The microphone works as expected on any of these platforms and I have used it with Audacity and OBS on Windows and Ubuntu laptops.

Can the Blue Yeti Plug into an audio interface using an XLR mic cable?

The standard Blue Yeti, the various special editions of the Blue Yeti, and the other consumer-level microphones produced by Blue Microphones/Logitech are USB microphones. They are designed to connect directly to your recording device via the USB microphone cable. They are not designed to plug directly into an audio interface. Having said that, you can take the analog headphone output from your Blue Yeti and feed it into the combi XLR/1/4-inch jack input of your audio interface.

So, generally, a Blue Yeti USB microphone will not work with an audio interface, but there is an exception, and it’s the Blue Yeti Pro. This Blue Yeti has both USB and XLR outputs. Although the “1967” model is still available on Amazon in the USA and UK, the Blue Yeti Pro does not seem to be available from the Blue Microphone website. The sad truth is you can find other brands of microphones with USB and XLR outputs for less.

Can the desktop stand on the Blue Yeti desktop be removed?

The Blue Yeti is designed to either use the desktop stand or be attached to a conventional microphone stand. To take the Yeti off the desktop stand turn the two screw knobs on either side of the desktop stand. I recommend you turn the screw knobs with one hand while holding on to the Yeti with the other hand. The first time I removed the desktop stand, the Yeti fell when I wasn’t expecting it to.

There is a 5/8-inch mounting point on the base of the microphone and it can be mounted upright or inverted.

Can a Blue Yeti be used to record the audio for YouTube videos?

The Blue Yeti was the first affordable USB microphone that allowed creators to record good-quality audio. It has therefore been used by countless YouTubers for the last decade or more.

The Yeti connects to your computer via a USB port and can be selected as the audio source in apps such as Audacity, and Adobe Audition, plus streaming software such as OBS and Logitech Capture.

If you are recording your voice with a Blue Yeti the best polar pattern to choose is cardioid. Make sure you speak into the side of the microphone that has the Blue logo.

Can the Blue Yeti be used as part of a mobile recording setup for a travel vlog?

In principle, yes it can. Because it is a USB microphone it is designed to work with a laptop computer. Furthermore, with an appropriate adapter, the Yeti will work with a tablet or smartphone.

The downside for mobile recording is the Yeti and desktop stand are heavy and large. The Yeti is not designed to be handheld or carried around while traveling or backpacking.

The Blue Yeti sounds like I’m recording in an echo chamber, what can I do?

The Yeti is not adding an echo, it’s already there, you just don’t normally notice it.

A recording focuses purely on the sound of the room, and you will notice things that your brain normally ignores. Furthermore, the Blue Yeti “hears” the room sound in a slightly different way to you. The Yeti effectively hears the sound at a single point, whereas your ears hear the combined sound from two points separated by several inches.

If the echo effect is noticeable, you are probably recording in a room with mostly bare walls and possibly with wood or laminate flooring. These are perfect conditions, especially if opposing walls are parallel, for resonant echoes. These conditions can make it sound like you are in a bathroom.

To reduce the echo, you will need to incorporate some sound treatment. This could be hanging some acoustic panels and foam tiles on the walls, but you do some interior decoration. Lay carpet or rugs on the floor, add soft furnishings, like a couch and cushions, and even stand a bookcase with books against a wall.

Can I record two people with a single Blue Yeti?

It depends on what you are doing and two what level of professionalism you want to take it.

If you are recording two singers or even a choir, a single Yeti would work, but I would recommend using the stereo-polar pattern. You may need to choose the position of the microphone carefully to balance the two singers. With a choir, I would place the microphone above the choir and a little forward.

In the case of an interview or podcast with four people, you could put the Yeti in the middle of a table and use the omnidirectional polar pattern. For two people, use the bi-directional or figure-of-8 polar pattern.

For a more professional approach, provide each person with their own microphone. Normally you cannot select two USB microphones in Windows. However, it is possible if you install additional software, like Voicemeter virtual audio mixer from VB-Software. You can download Voicemeter from the VB Software website by using this link.

What size is the Blue Yeti?

The Blue Yeti can be used on the provided desktop stand, put on a conventional mic stand, or a boom arm. So, I have used a tape measure to find the following dimensions on my Blue Yeti Blackout Edition.  

• Height of the Blue Yeti when vertical and fixed in the desktop stand is about 11.6-inches or 29.5cm.
• Side to side distance in the stand is 4.7-inches (12cm).
• Front to back distance in the stand is 4.9-inches (12.5cm).
• The length of the Blue Yeti, grille to base, is 7.5-inches, about 19cm.
• The distance between the side screw mounting holes and the base of the Blue Yeti is 2.25-inches, about 6cm.
• The height of the mounting holes on the Blue Yeti desktop stand, including the foam base, is 6-inches, about 15cm.
• The horizontal distance between the yoke arms of the blue Yeti desktop stand is 3-inches, about 7.5cm.  

Note these measurements are as accurate as I could make them. Although good enough in most cases, do not rely on them to be exact.

How much does the Blue Yeti weigh?

• The combined weight of the Blue Yeti and stand is about 3.4lb (1.55kg).
• The weight of the Blue Yeti microphone on its own is about 1.2lb (0.55kg).
• The weight of the Blue Yeti’s stand on its own is 2.2lb (1kg).

Does the Blue Yeti come with drivers or other software?

Recording software and Blue Yeti drivers are not included with the Blue Yeti. In fact, you do not need to install drivers for Windows 10 or 11, since your computer will automatically set up the microphone for you. You just need to plug the Blue Yeti into a USB port and it will be ready to use in seconds.  

You can download and install software such as Blue Sherpa and Blue Voice, from Blue Microphones/Logitech, but this is optional.

If you are looking for recording software, you can download Audacity, which is free, or commercial software such as Adobe Audition, which is available as a fully working 7-day trial. Sound Forge Pro is also available as a free trial. But if all you need is basic recording without editing, you could use the Sound Recorder app that is included in Windows.

Does the Blue Yeti need an external sound card?

No. The Blue Yeti does not need an external sound card, since it effectively has one onboard. The ADC in the Blue Yeti turns the analog signal from the microphone capsules into a digital signal. This is then fed through the USB microphone cable into your computer via one of the USB ports.

The electronics in the Yeti also provide zero-latency headphone monitoring, so there is no delay. Depending on your computer’s sound settings, you can also hear the output of your computer.

Can I use a Blue Yeti with Garage Band?

Yes, you can use the Blue Yeti with Garage Band on your computer. I have also used the Garage Band App on my iPhone, however, you may need an adapter. I give full details in this article about connecting the Blue Yeti to an iPhone or iPad, which also includes links to the necessary adapters.

Does the Blue Yeti need external phantom power?

The Blue Yeti does require external power, but it draws this from the USB port of your connected device, usually a desktop or laptop computer. Simply connect the Yeti to one of the USB-A ports on your computer with the included USB mic cable. If you have Blue Yeti Pro things change a little. When used in USB mode the microphone draws the necessary power from your computer. But in XLR mode the Blue Yeti will need phantom power through the XLR microphone cable. The phantom power is normally provided by your audio interface, mixer, or an inline +48V phantom power supply.