Technologies

Logitech Blue Sona Review: All the Mic You Need

The Blue Sona XLR microphone is an outstanding choice for budding podcasters looking to get more serious and pros who want a simplified setup.

Logitech’s goal with the Blue Sona dynamic XLR microphone is straightforward: Give people an accessible option for pro-level audio no matter what it’s plugged into. Whether you’re an experienced producer or just starting out, you’ll get amazing sound with minimal effort.

I fall into the «just starting out» user category, so I got testing help from former CNET podcast producer and audio engineer Bryan VanGelder to ensure the Sona lived up to Blue’s claims. Ultimately, we both arrived at the same conclusion: The Blue Sona makes it extremely easy to get clean, clear audio regardless of your experience level. It does come with a pro-gear price of $350 (£299, AU$530 converted), but you get a top-quality mic in return.

Logitech Blue Sona XLR Microphone

$350 at Walmart

If you’re new to XLR microphones, they use an analog three-pin connector and are the standard for professional audio. Unlike a USB microphone, an XLR mic must be plugged into an audio interface with an XLR cable to convert the audio from analog to digital before connecting to a computer. You can get a USB mic that is as good as an XLR mic, but XLR is needed to connect to other pro audio gear, such as a mixer. It also lets you connect multiple mics simultaneously through a single audio interface into a computer.

To test the claim that you’ll get pro sound regardless of what audio interface it’s plugged into, we went with the cheapest option we could find on Amazon, the $30 Xtuga Q-12. If you’re investing $350, you’ll probably want an interface that’s even just a little better. But the Xtuga proved the Sona can get you great results with the most basic audio interface. The interface you go with does need to support 24- or 48-volt phantom power.

Blue Sona microphone with its foam screen removed. — The mic capsule has two diaphragms, one to capture voice and another mounted in reverse to cancel vibration.

Josh Goldman/CNET

Best of both worlds

The Sona is a dynamic microphone that handles loud voices and noises better than a more sensitive condenser mic might. That means it’s good for game streaming or anything where you might have audio spikes, as it will help with distortion and clipping.

The mic also has a tight supercardioid pickup pattern that focuses on what’s in front of the mic while rejecting background noise. Combined with Blue’s ClearAmp technology that gives the mic an additional 25dB gain, the Sona has the greater sensitivity needed to boost quieter sources, functioning like a condenser mic. ClearAmp also means you don’t need to add a preamp gain like a Cloudlifter to your setup.

Logitech Blue Sona microphone in front of a laptop screen. — Tone controls are hidden under a magnetic cover on the back.

Josh Goldman/CNET

Again, the sound from the Blue Sona is clean with excellent clarity. Even the din of an open office and the HVAC blower over my desk was kept quiet. Bryan noted its robust low end and that it took a fair amount of effort to overload it. He put the Sona on par with the popular Shure SM7b. He also said the built-in high-pass filter and presence toggles on the rear of the mic make a noticeable difference in clarity too. They’re definitely worth experimenting with to get the tone you want from the mic.

Lastly, the Sona’s build quality is exceptional. The metal body gives it a professional look and feel. There’s an internal shock mount for the mic capsule. If you tend to get a bit animated when you talk or are concerned about bumps or vibration, the mount helps keep it all under control. Plus, the single-knob design allows it to rotatefreely to use sitting on a desk or mounted on a boom.

Logitech Blue Sona microphone in an office. — Black and red foam windscreens are included.

Josh Goldman/CNET

In the box with the mic are two foam windscreens that magnetically click into place, making quick swaps simple. There’s also a 3/8-inch mic stand adapter. That’s all though, so if this is your first XLR mic, you’ll need an XLR cable and audio interface to connect to a computer.

Though it requires more investment than a USB mic, the Logitech Blue Sona’s straightforward design and features make it a superb choice if you’re ready to graduate to an XLR mic. And the built-in gain also means you need one less piece of equipment to buy and clutter up your workstation. Something to remember if you’re launching your podcasting career from a tiny desk in your apartment or if you’re a pro in need of a simple, space-saving option.

Technologies

Bishop Takes Rook: You’ll Be Able to Learn Chess on Duolingo Soon

The course is in beta now but will be available to everyone in a few months.

«Hola, ajedrez» means «Hello, chess» in Spanish. You’ve always been able to learn Spanish on Duolingo. And you’ll be able to learn and practice chess on the language learning app soon. Duolingo announced on April 22 that beta testers can practice the centuries-old board game in Duolingo now, and others will be able to learn the game on the app in a few months.

Chess will be the first new Duolingo course since the app began offering math and music lessons in 2023. And Duolingo hopes that to bring the classic board game to more people of all experience levels.

Duolingo chess lessons aim to be friendly to beginners

I spoke with a Duolingo rep about the upcoming lessons. He said the company wants to continue expanding what people can learn through the app, and chess was an early contender.

Chess is «one of those things that … any age group can learn … but then also something that takes the 10,000-hour theory to really master,» Edwin Bodge, a senior product manager with Duolingo, said. «We thought it would fit with the Duolingo medium really well.»

When I asked why people would use Duolingo over other chess learning sites and tools, Bodge said a lot of other chess content is geared toward advanced users, not newcomers. «We really saw a great opportunity to try and cater to more of a beginner, medium (player) and try and increase access to the game,» he said.

The chess lessons are slightly different from others you might find on Duolingo, like Spanish and math, but the progression system is similar. And from what Duolingo showed me, the lessons really do start at square one, or A1 on a chessboard.

Chess lessons feel similar to other Duolingo lessons

When you start, Duolingo asks how much you already know about chess, like in other lessons on the app. Duolingo will then adjust the lessons according to your response. If you say you’re brand-new to chess and have no knowledge of the game, early lessons will focus on how each piece moves before moving on to capturing other pieces and checking the king. Other lessons are similar to mini-puzzles where you might be asked to capture different pieces using a single piece, like your knight or rook, in four moves or fewer.

You can access hints for each lesson, but if you get something wrong, your opponent will react to show you you’ve left a piece open for capture, like in a real match. And if you keep getting something incorrect, Duolingo will show you what to do. «If you get it wrong multiple times, eventually we’ll show you an arrow that shows you exactly where to move,» Sammi Siegel, a software engineer with Duolingo, said.

If you are subscribed to Duolingo Max and make a mistake in a language lesson, the app can explain the mistake — and what the right solution is — with a feature called Explain My Answer. However, that feature won’t be available with the chess lessons for now. It’s not always easy to explain why something is right or wrong in chess because there are so many millions of different moves.

«We want to get better at fuller explanations,» Siegel said. «There is some mix of AI and model training that we’re hoping to use to better explain why a certain move is wrong.» Because there are so many moves in chess, it’s possible to make moves that could be correct but aren’t the best options. In such instances, Duolingo will show a banner that lets you know that a move isn’t wrong but isn’t necessarily the best move.

Duolingo also said each section represents a range on the Elo rating system, the method by which a chess player’s skills are calculated. As you progress, your lessons will be tougher and more challenging. This is similar to the CEFR language proficiency levels attached to the different language sections in the app.

You’ll also have the opportunity to have «mini-matches» or full-on games against Duolingo’s chess coach, Oscar. These matches will scale in difficulty to challenge you as well, so you aren’t facing a grandmaster-level chess player after your first week of playing the game. But that doesn’t mean you can slack off and play sloppily. If you make a mistake, like leaving your queen open to capture, Oscar will take advantage and leave you scrambling to recover.

While playing against Oscar is good practice, you won’t be able to face off against other players when these chess lessons launch. But Duolingo said matches against other people are something they are looking into, so you might be able to play against a friend over the app in the future. «One of the big reasons why we’re doing this is we think we can get a whole generation of people interested in chess,» Bodge said.

Duolingo’s new chess lessons are now available in the beta version now and will start rolling out on iOS in English in May. Duolingo said it is working to bring these lessons to Android devices and more languages in the coming months.

For more on Duolingo, check out how well the free version prepared me for a trip to Italy and our review of the language learning app. You can also check out our best language learning apps.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Sunday, April 27

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 27.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword isn’t too much of a stumper. A lot of words contain A and E, for some reason. Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Outdoor spot to people-watch, maybe
Answer: STOOP

6A clue: Big name in health insurance
Answer: AETNA

7A clue: Broadway theater helper
Answer: USHER

8A clue: Easy to understand
Answer: CLEAR

9A clue: When many show up to a job interview
Answer: EARLY

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: What «salsa» literally means
Answer: SAUCE

2D clue: Electric car maker since 2003
Answer: TESLA

3D clue: «… in one ear and out the ___»
Answer: OTHER

4D clue: Tatum ___, youngest-ever Oscar winner (at age 10, for Best Supporting Actress)
Answer: ONEAL

5D clue: Defensive maneuver in fencing
Answer: PARRY

How to play more Mini Crosswords

The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 27, #216

Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 216, for April 27.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Connections: Sports Edition might be a breeze, as long as you know your sports-league commissioners. Read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Dunk it.

Green group hint: Get it moving.

Blue group hint: They run the leagues.

Purple group hint: Like house, kind of.