Logitech Yeti 2: a worthy successor to a legendary microphone
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Logitech Yeti 2 Two-Minute Review
It’s been 17 years since Blue released the original Yeti, and it didn’t take long for it to become a fan favorite in the world of consumer desktop microphones. There have been tweaks and tweaks here and there, but few major changes, even after Logitech bought Blue in 2018. Until now, that is.
I’ve been using the first Yeti for years, so I was intrigued to see how the new model compared. The good news is that while there is a lot to love about the original Yeti (after all, it became a household name for a reason), the Yeti 2 is even more impressive. It is one of the best streaming microphones available right now.
Place the two microphones together on a desk and you’ll find that the Yeti 2 is a little more compact, but still retains the Yeti’s distinctive aesthetic. The most noticeable thing when you pick them up is the weight: At 995g (2.19lbs), the Yeti 2 is almost 50% lighter than the 1.4kg (3.09lbs) Yeti.
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Another thing that immediately catches your eye is the Yeti 2’s built-in LED display, which sits above a singular dial that can be pressed like a button. This display is a new addition and, combined with the dial, essentially replaces the volume, mute, gain, and polar pattern controls on the old Yeti.
This allows you to change microphone settings and monitor your audio levels on the screen, all without needing Logitech’s G Hub app. It’s a useful feature if you want to make quick adjustments on the fly, although we found the pressure dial to be a bit fiddly at times, where pressing it occasionally wouldn’t do anything. Still, it’s useful for quick changes if you don’t feel like diving into the G Hub app.
If you do However, if you want to do that, there are plenty of audio presets to choose from, including those for interviews, singing, speech to text, different instruments, and more. You can make manual adjustments to EQ levels, enable gate, compressor, and more, and work with input gain settings, then save your settings in the app or to one of the five built-in profiles. Those profiles can also be set to activate automatically when specific games are launched.
That said, G Hub probably isn’t the deepest experience you can find. However, for beginners, all you will need is to change the polar patterns and adjust the built-in noise cancellation.
The most important part of any microphone, of course, is its audio quality. And here, the Yeti 2 really delivers. Compared to my long-time Yeti, the Yeti 2 sounded much crisper and clearer. The Yeti wasn’t bad at all, but the latest model shows strong signs of improvement, no doubt helped by the upgrade from 16-bit to 24-bit audio and the addition of software noise cancellation.
Part of this is due to the new auto-tracking polar pattern that detects where sound is coming from and automatically adjusts the pickup area accordingly, ensuring input is optimized, wherever you’re sitting. You can still set a manual polar pattern if you want, but auto tracking is effective enough to be the best option for most people.
Another useful aspect of this voice proximity sensor is its impact on gain. Now, the Yeti 2 can automatically decrease or increase the gain as you move closer or further away from the microphone, ensuring that the input volume remains level at all times. This feature isn’t perfect – I noticed my voice picked up more echo the further I got – but it’s much better than what you got with the first Yeti, where you would get quieter the further away you got.
As you’d expect from Blue/Logitech, the build quality of the Yeti 2 is top-notch. The main body is made of metal and feels rock solid. The included metal stand has a soft padded base to prevent slipping, while the lugs that hold the microphone screwed to the base are rubberized to minimize bumps and shakes while recording. This looks beautiful and feels like it’s made to last.
There’s a thread on the bottom to attach the Yeti 2 to a boom arm, in case you prefer to use it that way rather than upright on its stand. The screen can also be rotated 180 degrees, making reading much easier when mounted this way.
There’s not much to dislike about the Yeti 2. The single-press dial didn’t seem to be the most reliable feature, and merging multiple buttons into one means it takes a little longer to scroll through settings than the dedicated dials. We are also disappointed to see that the price has increased compared to the original Yeti. But all of that is impressive compared to what matters most to you about a microphone, namely its audio quality, which is as good as a consumer microphone.
Logitech Yeti 2 review: price and release date
- Available to buy now
- Priced at $159.99 / £139.99 / $249.95 AUD
The Logitech Yeti 2 is available now on Logitech’s website or from third-party retailers. It is priced at $159.99 / £139.99 / $249.95 AUD.
It’s more expensive than the original Yeti, which recently sold for $139.99 (and is currently on sale for $109.99 on Logitech’s website), but the Yeti 2 isn’t overly expensive. It also offers a lot for the price.
Logitech Yeti 2 review: specifications
Swipe to scroll horizontally
|
polar patterns |
Auto tracking, stereo, cardioid, figure 8, omnidirectional, hypercardioid, supercardioid, custom |
|
Frequency range |
20Hz – 20kHz |
|
Connectivity |
USB-C |
|
Audio bit rate |
24 bit |
|
Sampling Rate |
48kHz |
Should you buy Logitech Yeti 2?
Swipe to scroll horizontally
|
Attribute |
Grades |
Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Characteristics |
Smart new LED display makes adjusting settings quick and easy |
5/5 |
|
Performance |
Pitch-perfect audio makes it the ideal consumer microphone |
5/5 |
|
Design |
The Yeti 2 looks sleek and discreet while being built to last. |
5/5 |
|
Worth |
The slight cost increase is disappointing, but it’s still reasonably priced. |
4/5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
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How I tested the Logitech Yeti 2
- I tested the microphone’s performance during gaming and calls with friends. I also made test recordings and compared them to the original Yeti.
- I also spent time testing the microphone software features in the Razer G Hub app.
I spent a week testing the microphone on my PC. I called friends to test its performance during gaming sessions and made audio recordings where I directly compared its audio quality to that of the original Yeti microphone.
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