Innovation has long been an impressive feature of the human spirit and imagination. The Samson USB G Track Mic is a wonderful example of this innovation. This is not your father's microphone. Not in any way!

Firstly, this is a usb mic, meaning there is no need to acquire any xlr devices whatsoever. Simply plug this microphone directly into your pc or Mac's usb port... and away you go!

This makes the microphone portable, provided you own a laptop computer, which means you can record in nature, on the city streets, at a meeting, or even in your vehicle... with a large diaphragm condenser mic!

In addition, the Samson USB G Track Microphone and Audio Interface allows you to plug your guitar, keyboard, drum machine, or any other instrument or device device directly into the mic and record to your computer. This eliminates the need to purchase an M-Box or other such audio interface!

This mic also comes with a headphones jack for no-latency monitoring.

Each function has independant gain controls, so in essence, this one device can perform several different tasks in a single, surprisingly affordable package.

The Samson G Track Mic is available at both offline and online retailers, but I'll give you a quick rundown of why I believe getting music gear online to be a much better option:

1. Online retailers face far greater competition than does your local music store. This drives the prices down big time.

2. You can shop a lot stores in a short time span, without wasting your day... or your gas!

3. No need to haul gear... it's delivered right to your front door!

4. Some online merchants even offer free shipping!

Okay, now for the downside of the Samson G Track USB Microphone.

There is a small compromise in the overall quality. I've read a few customer reviews on this microphone that indicated the sound to be a bit "tinny," lacking warmth, and peaking too easily.

Ultimately, this leads me to believe that this is a great mic for amateur musicians, podcasters, interviewers, and anyone else who doesn't require a completely polished, studio-like sound.

The microphone sells for under $140, which is a great price, in my opinion, especially when you consider the money you will save yourself by not having to purchase a seperate audio interface.

Again, if you are a professional musician looking for a USB mic that will give you a warm, rich, accurate sound - and you still want to pay less than 150 or 200 bucks - I would recommend you go with the MXL 007 USB, the Audio Technica AT2020 USB, or the Blue Microphones Snowball.

However, if you just want to get some stuff recorded and are on a budget, the Samson G Track Mic is a fantastic option, as you get so much functionality out of one single device.

This is the lazy musician's dream come true!