Does the Samson C01u Just Suck?

[SaKe]

*r/musicproduction removed my post for no reason so I'm posting here and r/UTAU too*

For the past year or so I've used my laptop's built in mic, which was alright and pretty crisp but I thought the audio sounded too noisy and kind of flat compared to other people's UTAU voicebanks. I bought a used Samson C01u and, when it arrived, it had some black bits on the top of the body, like it was burnt, and a line of yellow-ish paint seemingly sprayed onto the actual microphone webbing (I don't know what it's called). First there were volume problems, which I fixed by raising its volume in system settings. Then I recorded a test voicebank and it sounded incredibly muffled.

First one is the text, next one is the one I recorded with my computer mic.

So, is there any way to fix it, or am I cooked? If I'm cooked, my budget is 150$ and I'll take any recommendation. Should I just do XLR or try another USB mic? I've been looking at the Behringer C1U and the AT2050.

 

[Kiyoteru]

An audio interface is a great option if you're planning to use it for various projects, such as XLR for mics and line for instruments like guitar. A basic interface with 1-2 inputs should only run you about $50. This will also give you the flexibility to try out a wider variety of microphones than the ones made for USB only. Even the cheapest XLR mic will sound about on-par with the average USB mic if you're plugging it into an audio interface. You'd also be able to swap things like the XLR cable when those break down instead of having to replace the entire setup.