Blue Yeti User manual
yeti
Ultimate USB microphone
for professional recording
Congratulations on your purchase of The Yeti, the most advanced and versatile multi-pattern USB microphone
roaming the wild today. The Yeti is the ultimate tool for creating amazing recordings, no matter what the source
or environment. Best of all, this Yeti can capture anything! The Yeti features Blue’s innovative triple capsule array,
allowing for recording in stereo or your choice of three unique patterns, including cardioid, omnidirectional, and
bidirectional, giving you recording capabilities usually requiring multiple microphones.
The Yeti utilizes a high quality analog-to-digital converter to send incredible audio delity directly into your
computer, a built-in headphone amplier for zero-latency monitoring, and simple controls for headphone volume,
pattern selection, instant mute, and microphone gain located directly on the microphone so you are always in
control of your recording. The Yeti’s exceptional performance and delity have earned it the distinction of being the
rst THX Certied microphone, a validation of Yeti’s incredibly low distortion, high delity, and balanced frequency
response. There are no drivers to install — simply plug the Yeti into your PC or Mac, load up your favorite recording
software, and record something amazing.
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Getting to know your Yeti
Triple Capsule Array • Three condenser capsules in an innovative conguration to enable great recordings in most
any situation.
Multiple pattern selection • You can quickly select from each of Yeti’s four pattern settings (stereo, cardioid,
omnidirectional, bidirectional) by simply rotating the pattern selector knob. See pages 12-19 for more details and pat-
tern suggestions.
Microphone gain • Use this knob to control the gain (sensitivity) of Yeti’s microphone elements. Begin recording
with this knob centered. If you are experiencing digital distortion with a very loud sound source, simply decrease the
gain counterclockwise. If you desire higher sensitivity, simply increase the gain by turning clockwise.
Blue logo • The Blue logo indicates the front of the microphone.
Set screws • Turn each of these knobs clockwise to tighten and secure the microphone at the desired angle. To
remove the microphone from the included desk stand, simply unscrew both set screws entirely while supporting the
microphone with your hand. Carefully remove the Yeti microphone by lifting directly up and out of the desk stand.
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Mute button/status light • Press this button to mute the output from the microphone. When the mute button is
ashing, the microphone is muted and no signal will be sent to the computer. To end microphone muting, simply press
the button again. The status light will illuminate solid during normal operation to indicate proper function.
Headphone volume control • Easily control the volume of Yeti’s headphone output by adjusting the volume knob
— no need to click through software menus to nd the right headphone volume.
Headphone output • Yeti includes a standard 1/8” (3.5mm) headphone jack for monitoring and playback. You can use
Yeti’s headphone output to monitor your microphone recording in real-time, without latency delays. Or, use the Yeti’s
headphone amplier to reproduce music, movies, or tracks from your computer with the incredible delity and detail
provided by the dedicated headphone amplier and high quality digital-to-analog converter.
USB connection • Yeti connects to your computer with one simple USB cable. Plug the mini USB (small connector) into
the USB port on Yeti, and plug the other end into an available USB port on your computer. To perform at its best, Yeti
should be plugged directly into a powered USB port, so avoid connecting through USB hubs or other USB multipliers.
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Standard thread mount • If you would like to mount your Yeti to a standard microphone studio mount, remove Yeti
from the included desk stand and thread in a standard threaded mount for maximum versatility.
Ge t t in g Sta r ted with Yeti
After unpacking your Yeti, rotate the microphone 180 degrees so that the Blue logo and headphone volume control is
facing you. Tighten the set-screws on the left and right of the base after adjusting the microphone for your desired angle.
Connect the Yeti to your computer with the supplied USB cable (avoid plugging Yeti into USB hubs or multipliers — plug
directly into your computer for best performance). See below for installation instructions for your operating system:
Windows Vista
1. Plug the microphone into the USB port on your computer using the provided USB cable.
2. From the start menu, select the control panel.
3. From the control panel, select the “Sound” icon.
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4. Select the “Recording” tab. Select the “Yeti Stereo Microphone” from the list.
From this screen, you’ll want to adjust the computer’s internal microphone gain (volume) settings. Select the “Proper-
ties” button, then select the “Levels” tab. As a starting point, set the microphone fader at about 80%. If you decide
you want to record something that is very loud, like a drum set, or a band practice, you will want to turn this setting
down. If you are recording something that may be quiet, like an interview with a person who speaks softly, you may
want to turn this setting up.
5. Select the “Playback” tab. Select the “Yeti Stereo Microphone” from the list.
From this screen, you will also want to adjust the computer’s Master Volume. As a starting point, set the computer’s
master volume to 100%. Once you’ve selected the Yeti as your output device, you can control headphone volume with
the volume knob on the front of the Yeti.
Also, from this screen, you will want to adjust the microphone monitoring volume. You can adjust this by moving the
fader labeled “microphone” to the left or to the right.*
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*NOTE: The microphone monitoring volume is different than the microphone gain control. The microphone monitoring volume is the
amount of sound from the microphone that is sent to your main computer output. The microphone input volume is the control that de-
termines the amount of sound from the microphone that goes into your computer. If the microphone input is distorting, the microphone
input volume should be adjusted accordingly.
Windows XP
Plug the microphone into the USB port on your computer using the provided USB cable.
1. From the start menu, select the control panel.
2. From the control panel, select the “Sounds and Audio Devices” icon.
3. Select the “Audio” tab.
4. Select “Yeti Stereo Microphone” from the “Sound Playback” pull-down menu.
5. Select the “Volume” button within the “Sound Playback” area.
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From this screen, you will want to adjust the microphone monitoring volume.* If there is NOT a visible fader for micro-
phone output, select “Properties” from the Options menu. Make sure that the box labeled “Microphone,” within the
“Show the following volume controls” window, is checked.
*NOTE: The microphone monitoring volume is different than the microphone gain control. The microphone monitoring volume is the
amount of sound from the microphone that is sent to your main computer output. The microphone input volume is the control that de-
termines the amount of sound from the microphone that goes into your computer. If the microphone input is distorting, the microphone
input volume should be adjusted accordingly.
From this screen, you will also want to adjust the computer’s Master Volume. As a starting point, set the computer’s
master volume to 100%. Once you’ve selected the Yeti as your output device, you can control headphone volume with
volume knob on the front of the Yeti.
6. Select “Yeti Stereo Microphone” from the “Sound Recording” pull down menu.
7. Select the “Volume” button within the “Sound Recording” area.
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From this screen, you’ll want to adjust the computer’s internal microphone gain (volume) settings. As a starting point,
set the microphone fader at about 80%. If you want to record something that is very loud, like a drums or a band prac-
tice, you’ll want to turn this setting down. If you are recording something quiet, you may want to turn this setting up.
Apple-Macintosh OSX (10.4.11 or higher)
1. Plug the microphone into your computer’s USB port using the provided USB cable.
2. From the main Apple menu, select the “System Preferences.”
3. Select the “Sound” icon.
4. Now select the input tab and select “Yeti Stereo Microphone.”
As a starting point, set the “Input Volume” to about 80%. If you decide you want to record something that is very loud,
like a drums or a band practice, you will want to turn this setting down. If you are recording something that may be
quiet, like an interview with a person who speaks softly, you may want to turn this setting up.
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