USB Mics: Recording/Audio Engineering’s New ‘Starter Drug’

Unlike most – many, really – of our dealer surveys which exhibit quite a bit of parity, this month’s poll found a lot of similar responses coming from all over the country, and even the world.

USB microphones – made up of the same components as “standard” condenser mics, but with built in A/D converters and onboard pre-amps – haven’t been around for all that long (15 years, give or take), but do present many upsides to the consumer: no need for phantom power, generally low-cost, and overall “ease of use.” Nearly everyone who participated in this month’s survey characterized the typical USB mic customer as a young or inexperienced user, hoping to enter the world of home recording or to experiment with podcasts and the like.

Due to the relatively low profit margin of these units, as well as even less expensive options available online, some feel it’s a product segment that can’t really help a retailer much: “It is only a low-end market or a portable convenience market, which is a small one,” observed Neil Crosier of Music Junkie in Leicester, UK. “My expectations are very low for this sector.”

However, others express excitement about the myriad of applications – both present and future – that might employ USB microphones, while still more pointed to the clear upside of any technology that creates more music makers. As Marc Rabins of Port St. Lucie, Florida’s Audio Design & Instruments observes, “USB mics will lead to bigger sales as the customer gets more into recording.”

An interesting, very young, and still evolving product sector…
 

Does your MI retail operation sell USB mics?

Yes: 75.2%

No: 24.8%
 

If “yes,” what percentage of total microphone sales (volume, not revenue) do USB units account for?

Between 1-5 percent: 60.6%

Between 6-10 percent: 18.2%

Between 11-25 percent: 14.0%

Between 26-50 percent: 6.0%

More than 50%: 1.1%

“Less than 1%. As a small retailer, USB mics are typically sold online for less than I can buy them for. I order them for customers who buy from me regardless of price, so they get help with the product.”

Don Saxton

Sioux Falls Music

Sioux Falls, S.D.
 

For how many years have you been stocking USB microphones?

Less than a year: 2.9%

1-5 years: 65.7%

6-10 years: 28.6%

More than 10 years: 2.9%

“Samson introduced USB microphones to us with their C01U, and we’ve grown the category with mics from Audio Technica, Blue, Samson and MXL.”

Jeff Simons

Watermelon Music

Davis, California
 

Compared to this time last year, sales of USB mics in your store are:

Up: 22.2%

Down: 27.8%

Level: 50%
 

With respect to USB mics, what price points are doing best for your store?

Low: 62.9%

Intermediate: 36.1%

High-end: 1.0%
 

What brands of USB microphones are strongest sellers for your operation in 2015?

Audio-Technica: 55.6%

Blue Microphones: 25%

CAD: 19.4%

Samson: 38.9%

MXL: 11.1%

Aphex: 2.8%

Nady: 2.8%

Shure: 19.4%

AKG: 11.1%

Behringer: 5.6%

Zoom: 2.9%

Rode: 8.4%

Apogee: 1.1%

Gem Sound: .9%

Audix: 5.6%

Other*: 13.9%

*The brands most mentioned in this category were, in order: Galaxy Audio, Chord.
 

Describe the typical USB microphone customer at your store (age, skill-level, intended application, et cetera).

“Any age, just starting to explore the world of recording.”

Marc Rabins

Audio Design & Instruments

Port St. Lucie, Florida

“16-30 years old, beginners, using them for making music.”

Roger Strosnider

Shenandoah Music, Inc.

Winchester, Virginia

“Younger adults and teens, home project users.”

Dave Clark

CA House Music

Parkersburg, West Virginia

“Teenager, very little skill, looking to ‘start recording’ – usually singer/songwriter stuff.”

Zach Rodamaker

Mozingo Music

O’Fallon, Missouri

“We have basically two customer groups: Younger persons wanting to record, and older customers using [USB mics] for Internet radio and ham use.”

Dan Patterson

Roger’s Music

Fort Payne, Alabama

“Young, with computer but not audio experience, for use in podcasts and personal multi-track recording.”

Mark Logies

Arrowhead Music Corp.

Mentor, Ohio

What trends have you been noticing with respect to USB microphones (price-points technological developments, buyer demographics) and what are your expectations for this market segment in the coming months?

“USB mics have picked up especially with YouTube channels and live video blogging. I see this trend continuing.”

Chad Clausen

Brass Bell Music Store

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

“The price point is getting lower, sales dropping (cheap, cheap, cheap online junk taking over), but also home recording needs are changing a little to instrumental mics as the fashion is acoustic songwriting with uke, guitar, and cajon.”

Derrick Brooke

Nilam Music

Hereford

Herefordshire

UNITED KINGDOM

“Buyers are still having a hard time actually getting the USB Mic to work with their computer and whatever software they have downloaded from the Internet.”

David Randall

Field of Dreams Music

Fairfield, Iowa

“More females who are singer/songwriters just looking to hear what they sound like seems to be on the increase.”

Mandel Kingwood

Guitar Center

Kileen, Texas

“We saw growth this year with USB microphones. For 2016 we think we are going have even more growth.”

Franky Dedeyne

Key Music

Sint-Niklaas, OVL

BELGIUM

“We see more people seeing it as a podcast quality option and not a serious recording option. High-end solutions are not as popular as buying a good audio interface and mic for the same cost. Therefore it is only a low-end market or a portable convenience market, which is a small one. My expectations are very low for this sector.”

Neil Crosier

Music Junkie

Leicester

UNITED KINGDOM

“Most of the end-users are looking for entry level product. About four out of five customers that come in looking for a USB mic end up with an interface/mic package.”

Michael Kay

Ted Brown Music

Tacoma, Washington

“I feel if we could target video gamers and get them into music stores for better quality audio set ups which would work with their streaming and speech applications easily, we would see an increase in the market.”

Kathryn Irving

Sound of Music

Abbotsford, BC

CANADA