If you’ve got yourself a Blue Yeti mic, then you’ve likely noticed that this highly rated USB microphone is prone to some sound issues when recording.
One of the big problems that a lot of new users notice is that the background noise that it picks up is too high.
Fortunately, you can easily reduce the background noise on Blue Yeti mic, if you know how, that is.
Below we’ll give you some step-by-step instructions on cleaning up that pesky background noise problem.
Steps To Reducing Background Noise On A Blue Yet Mic
So, how do you remove or reduce the background noise on a Blue Yeti mic?
This is something that is super easy to clean up. And, there’s more than one way to do it.
Use A Pop Filter
If you’re not already using a pop filter, then definitely get one of those for your home recording studio.
Pop filters do more than block out lip smacking and those hard “P’s” and “T’s.”
They actually work well for blocking out background noises also.
Fixing The Gain
The gain is basically just the sound level that the Blue Yeti records as input.
It is how much sound the mic allows in and then sends to the computer for your recording.
You can think of gain as a volume button – if you turn the gain up too high, then you get a lot of background noise recorded, and if you turn the gain too low, then the microphone barely picks up any sound at all.
Or, think of it like a gas pedal in a car, the more you press on it (higher) the faster (more sensitive) the microphone is.
It’s all about finding the sweet spot for the gain.
Here’s an easy way to fix the gain:
- Connect your headphones to the microphone so that you can hear the sound level without any other outside noises.
- Adjust the gain (use the knob on the mic) down until you notice that the background noise is gone.
- Make sure that the Blue Yeti is selected as your input device on your computer.
- Lower the gain on the actual microphone (the knob) all the way down to basically 3%.
- Right click sound in windows, Recording Devices, right click the microphone and open properties. Under “Levels” set the level to 50 – 60.
If you’re using OBS software on your computer for your recording, then you can actually fix the gain in OBS.
Here’s how to fix the gain in OBS (keep in mind you can tweak the settings below to meet your preferences):
- Noise Suppression (Obviously it helps to suppress background noise)
- I have mine at -29, adjust to your liking.
- Noise Gate (stops air con and other things from “turning back on” the mic; once you stop talking the mic should turn off so no sound is heard on stream or recording)
- Close: -48
- Open: -38
- Compressor (keeps you at basically the same volume level and when you yell it makes it so people don’t go deaf from you blowing out their ear drums. Also works to keep the room air con unit sound out of the recording)
- Ratio: 10
- Threshold: -27.30 (adjust if needed be)
- Output gain: 10.00 ( ^ )
This is what I’ve found makes the Blue Yet mic sound the best without allowing all background noise to come in (air con hum and whatnot).
After this, there is still a decent chance that you’ll have some remaining issues with sound coming through.
The truth is that Blue Yeti seems to picks up every little (and not so little) noise and you can’t stop it fully.
But this goes a long way in fixing the problem.
Move The Mic Closer
In addition to fixing the gain, it’s also a good idea to move the Blue Yeti closer to your mouth.
Just be careful not to get it too close, or you’ll end up with a recording that also sounds terrible.
By moving the mic closer to your mouth, you end up picking up less background noise simply because your voice is louder.
Yeah, I’m obviously not a scientist or engineer, but all I can tell you is that this seems to work.
But I can tell you with certainty that moving the Blue Yeti closer to your mouth won’t fix this problem alone – you also have to fix the gain for this to work.
Reduce Background Noise
This one should be a no-brainer, but just in case, here it is.
You should know that Blue Yeti mics are notoriously sensitive, meaning they like to pick up every little background sound.
So, you gotta get to work on eliminating as many of those sounds as you can before recording.
Notice what that background noise actually is – what is the Blue Yeti picking up?
Is it a fan you have on in the room? Then, turn it off while you’re recording.
Basically, you need to take steps to create a quiet recording space, or as quiet as possible.
Once you start paying attention, you’ll be amazed by how many things in your home make audible noises – the refrigerator hum, the sound of your computer’s fan, the rumble of the clothes dryer in the laundry room, etc.
Also, don’t record near a window because a surprising amount of noise leaks through windows.
You should also be thinking about reverb and trying to record in a place that has a lot of soft surfaces to absorb sound.
I actually use an empty closet that I’ve filled with sound absorbing acoustic panels.
Honestly, working on reducing background noise by itself may be enough to give you a clean recording.
Record In The Proper Mode
The Blue Yeti mic has more than one recording mode that you can use, so you gotta make sure that you’re using the right one for you.
I find that cardioid mode is the best mode for reducing background noise when I’m recording at home.
The cardioid mode records sound sources that are directly in front of the microphone, delivering rich, full-bodied sound.
This mode is ideal for podcasting, streaming, music recording, voice overs and instruments.
Final Word
Out of the box, the Blue Yeti mic doesn’t have great sound, which you’ve discovered with the background noise problem.
However, with a little bit of tweaking your part, you can get some crisp audio recordings that are free of background noise with your Blue Yeti.
Hopefully the tips above have you well on your way to background noise-free audio recordings with your Blue Yeti mic.