Blue makes modern microphones with retro touches and interesting designs that are not merely for visual flourish.
Beginning with the Blue Bottle back in the 90s, the company's offerings have been used in pro studios around the world, and in recent years, Blue's more affordable mics have become favorites of home studio musicians and podcasters.
The Raspberry is a $199.99 USB microphone.
In testing, we found it to be bright, clean, and ideal for podcast scenarios—particularly a single-speaker setup.
Its smaller build also makes it more mobile-friendly than most of the USB mics we test.
And there's no DSP (digital signal processing), which is good news for those seeking a pure, clean signal.
For these reasons, it earns our Editors' Choice for USB mics.
Design
The Raspberry's ($284.99 at Amazon) look is, like many Blue microphones, inspired by the mics of yesteryear—partially because it's always been a cool look, and partially because most of the iconic mics from the '40s, '50s, and '60s are still getting good use by professional studios today.
Its contour almost looks like plastic, which is not exactly alluring, but it is in fact aluminum.
The red base covering has a grain leather patina and features the Blue logo.
The front face also houses the power LED indicator, as well as the grille, behind which there is a 14mm electret condenser capturing the audio.
The mic's pattern is cardioid, so it is addressed from the front, or slightly angled off to the side.
There are two identical knobs on either side panel—the left knob controls the headphone volume levels, and the right knob controls the gain for the mic.
The back panel houses a 3.5mm headphone jack, and the micro USB port for connecting to your recording setup.
The Raspberry ships with a micro USB-to-USB cable, as well as a micro USB-to-Lightning cable for iOS devices.
The mic is built into a stand, and it swivels to point in just about any direction.
Not only can the Raspberry swivel 360 degrees, it can also be tilted forward or back.
The stand has rubber feet to prevent movement, and the mic can also be unscrewed from it and, with the included adapter accessory, mounted on a different mic stand.
The mic is plug-and-play as far as setup goes—but using it with recording software will require minor adjustments depending on the platform.
We used the Raspberry with GarageBand, and setup was simple.
Pro Tools doesn't readily accept USB mics, but there are workarounds that make this possible—Google search "aggregate device USB mic ProTools" and you'll find some descriptions of the process, which is merely annoying, but not terribly time-consuming.
Internally, the mic also has some patent-pending acoustic treatment material that resembles the padding and diffusers you might see in a concert hall or a recording studio.
This might seem a little gimmicky, but if it works to cut down on reflections from nearby surfaces and even within the enclosure, there's no reason to argue with its inclusion.
The Raspberry operates at either 16 or 24 bits, 44.1kHz or 48kHz, has a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz, and a maximum sound pressure level of 120dB SPL.
As for compatibility, you need Windows 7,8, or 10 or Mac OS 10.75 or newer, as well as USB 2.0 (or newer) and 64MB RAM, minimum.
In addition to the aforementioned cables and the mic stand adapter, the Raspberry ships with a soft suede carrying pouch.
Performance
Before we discuss sound quality, let's talk about the built-in stand.
It's not that the stand isn't sturdy—it is—but on a typical desktop, the mic will be far from your mouth, regardless of how you angle it.
It's probably a bit too far away for recordings not to get some room sound in them, which is not necessarily a bad thing...unless you're going for a close-mic, dead room sound, or unless the room you're in sounds awful.
We highly recommend, therefore, that if you're using this mic for podcasts, or any seated recording scenario, that you invest in a desktop mic stand.
Ideally, you want a stand that gets the mic to about chin level when placed on a desktop—remember, once the mic is mounted on a stand, it loses its ability to be angled, as that is built into the included stand.
However, you can always spring for a mic stand with a boom arm.
Recording using the built-in stand, we found the audio to sound a little distant and roomy—the mic performed far better when closer to the speaker's mouth, about five to seven inches or so.
Obviously, getting the right gain levels is crucial here.
Once the ideal gain level is set, the Raspberry sounds like a professional studio condenser mic.
It's got some brightness to it that could lead to sibilance issues if you were to EQ it heavily, but its own pure signal merely sounds bright and clear.
The mic sounds best when addressed dead-on, five to six inches away, with the mouth and grille lined up.
If your vocalist lacks solid mic technique, however, you'll need a pop filter between the vocalist and the mic, as it's quite easy for plosives to cause problems from this distance.
The mic also sounds pretty solid at roughly the same distance, but with the vocalist addressing it just above the grille or angled to the side—this makes the need for a pop filter a little less necessary, but you do lose a little bit of crispness.
That said, some might find the mic a little brighter and crisper than they need it to be in the first place.
We noticed no major difference in audio quality when recording using the USB cable versus the Lightning cable for iOS devices—the software you use is more likely to be the differentiator in these scenarios.
The lack of DSP is what sets the Raspberry apart from some of the similarly priced competition.
The Shure MV51 has four DSP settings for various scenarios, and a flat, DSP-free mode, but we found the Shure's flat mode to sound slightly less clear and pure than the Raspberry's signal.
That said, if you think you could use some DSP to help prevent distortion while recording, or to take care of EQ and compression so that you don't have to, the MV51 is a flexible mic that takes a lot of the guesswork out of the process for those with less experience.
The Raspberry is more for users who relish the experimentation involved with finding the proper mic placement, gain levels, and after recording is done, applying any necessary EQ or compression manually.
Conclusions
If an XLR mic isn't going to work for you because it requires more of a traditional studio setup than you're interested in or able to afford, the Blue Raspberry provides a solid alternative that is plug-and-play ready.
It offers a quality recording experience, from ease of use and portability to the clean signal it provides.
It's also an ideal podcast mic, particularly if you have a single speaker at a time, and it's also an excellent mic for singers or acoustic recordings.
We're also fans of the Beyerdynamic Fox, the aforementioned Shure MV51, and the more expensive Sennheiser MK 4 Digital, and for far less, the Blue Snowball Ice is a solid alternative.
But in this price range, the Blue Raspberry earns our Editors' Choice.
Pros
Crisp, clear signal that uses no DSP.
Desktop stand is detachable allows for angling and swiveling.
Ships with cables designed to work with mobile devices, iOS lightning cable included.
Small, portable build.
View More
The Bottom Line
The Blue Raspberry USB microphone offers a clean, DSP-free signal and has a brightness that will appeal to plenty of vocalists.
Blue makes modern microphones with retro touches and interesting designs that are not merely for visual flourish.
Beginning with the Blue Bottle back in the 90s, the company's offerings have been used in pro studios around the world, and in recent years, Blue's more affordable mics have become favorites of home studio musicians and podcasters.
The Raspberry is a $199.99 USB microphone.
In testing, we found it to be bright, clean, and ideal for podcast scenarios—particularly a single-speaker setup.
Its smaller build also makes it more mobile-friendly than most of the USB mics we test.
And there's no DSP (digital signal processing), which is good news for those seeking a pure, clean signal.
For these reasons, it earns our Editors' Choice for USB mics.
Design
The Raspberry's ($284.99 at Amazon) look is, like many Blue microphones, inspired by the mics of yesteryear—partially because it's always been a cool look, and partially because most of the iconic mics from the '40s, '50s, and '60s are still getting good use by professional studios today.
Its contour almost looks like plastic, which is not exactly alluring, but it is in fact aluminum.
The red base covering has a grain leather patina and features the Blue logo.
The front face also houses the power LED indicator, as well as the grille, behind which there is a 14mm electret condenser capturing the audio.
The mic's pattern is cardioid, so it is addressed from the front, or slightly angled off to the side.
There are two identical knobs on either side panel—the left knob controls the headphone volume levels, and the right knob controls the gain for the mic.
The back panel houses a 3.5mm headphone jack, and the micro USB port for connecting to your recording setup.
The Raspberry ships with a micro USB-to-USB cable, as well as a micro USB-to-Lightning cable for iOS devices.
The mic is built into a stand, and it swivels to point in just about any direction.
Not only can the Raspberry swivel 360 degrees, it can also be tilted forward or back.
The stand has rubber feet to prevent movement, and the mic can also be unscrewed from it and, with the included adapter accessory, mounted on a different mic stand.
The mic is plug-and-play as far as setup goes—but using it with recording software will require minor adjustments depending on the platform.
We used the Raspberry with GarageBand, and setup was simple.
Pro Tools doesn't readily accept USB mics, but there are workarounds that make this possible—Google search "aggregate device USB mic ProTools" and you'll find some descriptions of the process, which is merely annoying, but not terribly time-consuming.
Internally, the mic also has some patent-pending acoustic treatment material that resembles the padding and diffusers you might see in a concert hall or a recording studio.
This might seem a little gimmicky, but if it works to cut down on reflections from nearby surfaces and even within the enclosure, there's no reason to argue with its inclusion.
The Raspberry operates at either 16 or 24 bits, 44.1kHz or 48kHz, has a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz, and a maximum sound pressure level of 120dB SPL.
As for compatibility, you need Windows 7,8, or 10 or Mac OS 10.75 or newer, as well as USB 2.0 (or newer) and 64MB RAM, minimum.
In addition to the aforementioned cables and the mic stand adapter, the Raspberry ships with a soft suede carrying pouch.
Performance
Before we discuss sound quality, let's talk about the built-in stand.
It's not that the stand isn't sturdy—it is—but on a typical desktop, the mic will be far from your mouth, regardless of how you angle it.
It's probably a bit too far away for recordings not to get some room sound in them, which is not necessarily a bad thing...unless you're going for a close-mic, dead room sound, or unless the room you're in sounds awful.
We highly recommend, therefore, that if you're using this mic for podcasts, or any seated recording scenario, that you invest in a desktop mic stand.
Ideally, you want a stand that gets the mic to about chin level when placed on a desktop—remember, once the mic is mounted on a stand, it loses its ability to be angled, as that is built into the included stand.
However, you can always spring for a mic stand with a boom arm.
Recording using the built-in stand, we found the audio to sound a little distant and roomy—the mic performed far better when closer to the speaker's mouth, about five to seven inches or so.
Obviously, getting the right gain levels is crucial here.
Once the ideal gain level is set, the Raspberry sounds like a professional studio condenser mic.
It's got some brightness to it that could lead to sibilance issues if you were to EQ it heavily, but its own pure signal merely sounds bright and clear.
The mic sounds best when addressed dead-on, five to six inches away, with the mouth and grille lined up.
If your vocalist lacks solid mic technique, however, you'll need a pop filter between the vocalist and the mic, as it's quite easy for plosives to cause problems from this distance.
The mic also sounds pretty solid at roughly the same distance, but with the vocalist addressing it just above the grille or angled to the side—this makes the need for a pop filter a little less necessary, but you do lose a little bit of crispness.
That said, some might find the mic a little brighter and crisper than they need it to be in the first place.
We noticed no major difference in audio quality when recording using the USB cable versus the Lightning cable for iOS devices—the software you use is more likely to be the differentiator in these scenarios.
The lack of DSP is what sets the Raspberry apart from some of the similarly priced competition.
The Shure MV51 has four DSP settings for various scenarios, and a flat, DSP-free mode, but we found the Shure's flat mode to sound slightly less clear and pure than the Raspberry's signal.
That said, if you think you could use some DSP to help prevent distortion while recording, or to take care of EQ and compression so that you don't have to, the MV51 is a flexible mic that takes a lot of the guesswork out of the process for those with less experience.
The Raspberry is more for users who relish the experimentation involved with finding the proper mic placement, gain levels, and after recording is done, applying any necessary EQ or compression manually.
Conclusions
If an XLR mic isn't going to work for you because it requires more of a traditional studio setup than you're interested in or able to afford, the Blue Raspberry provides a solid alternative that is plug-and-play ready.
It offers a quality recording experience, from ease of use and portability to the clean signal it provides.
It's also an ideal podcast mic, particularly if you have a single speaker at a time, and it's also an excellent mic for singers or acoustic recordings.
We're also fans of the Beyerdynamic Fox, the aforementioned Shure MV51, and the more expensive Sennheiser MK 4 Digital, and for far less, the Blue Snowball Ice is a solid alternative.
But in this price range, the Blue Raspberry earns our Editors' Choice.
Pros
Crisp, clear signal that uses no DSP.
Desktop stand is detachable allows for angling and swiveling.
Ships with cables designed to work with mobile devices, iOS lightning cable included.
Small, portable build.
View More
The Bottom Line
The Blue Raspberry USB microphone offers a clean, DSP-free signal and has a brightness that will appeal to plenty of vocalists.
