Who doesn't have a dual-connectivity podcaster-focused microphone these days? It seems like every company vying for a spot on our list of best gaming mics is trying to woo us with dual-connectivity when the entire point of a USB gaming mic is that it can connect to your PC without an audio interface (unlike XLR). Anyway, it looks like we can add one more to the pile with Razer's Seiren V3 Pro, which launched today.

The Razer Seiren V3 Pro is an end-address cardioid microphone with a sleek-if-boring design, a built-in swing mount, and one of my favorite features on any peripheral — a capacitive-touch tap-to-mute button that works flawlessly. It supports both USB-C and XLR connectivity, and it has a headphone jack for zero-latency monitoring, plus an on-mic gain control wheel. It records audio at 32-bit / 96 kHz resolution, and supports 32-bit float — though, only through its Synapse app on Windows.

It's not the first time we've seen a mic like this, but they usually don't support 32-bit float (even though, to be fair, very few people need 32-bit float support). The Seiren V3 Pro isn't unique, but it's certainly rare. It's also on the pricier side, at $249.99 (available now).

Design and Comfort

The Seiren V3 Pro is a fairly standard cylinder-shaped mic housed in a relatively solid matte black zinc unibody. It comes mounted on its own built-in swing arm, which can be attached to the included desktop stand or to a boom arm via a 5/8-27 threaded mount (it also fits 3/8-16 threaded mounts). It has a removable pop filter, which slides off easily (perhaps too easily) to reveal a black grille surrounding the capsule, which has an integrated shock absorber.

Razer's text logo is subtly printed on the left side of the mic in shiny black; otherwise the design is fairly understated (though there is, of course, a thin, customizable RGB light ring around the center. There's also an oval tap-to-mute button on the front (or top, depending on how you end up mounting it). It's a decent-looking mic, but it doesn't do much to stand out aside from looking like it's trying to emulate the Shure MV7+ (and every other mic that's also trying to emulate said mic). The all-black finish is sleek enough as long as you don't touch it; as soon as you do, you'll find it's very susceptible to fingerprints.

You'll find the ports on the bottom / back of the mic: USB-C, XLR, and a 3.5mm headphone jack for direct, zero-latency monitoring. There's also a small wheel that controls the mic's adjustable gain by default — though this can also be set (in Synapse) to control headphone volume instead.

The Seiren V3 Pro is larger than similar cylinder-shaped end-address microphones — the mic itself is 8.39 inches (213mm) long, not including the built-in swing arm. The mic and swing arm together have a maximum length of just under 10 inches (254mm). The mic alone measures about 2.25 inches (57.15mm) in diameter, but is approximately 3.55 inches (90mm) wide with the swing arm.

The microphone is fairly sturdy, weighing just under 1.5 pounds (670g). This makes it about half a pound lighter than the Rode PodMic USB (1.9lbs / 900g) and a quarter of a pound heavier than the HyperX FlipCast (1.26lbs / 571.5g).

In the box, the Seiren V3 Pro comes with a flat, round desktop stand and a 10-foot (3m) braided USB-C to USB-A cable with a USB-A to USB-C adapter attached.

The stand measures approximately 4.75 inches (120mm) in diameter and weighs just over 7 ounces (200.5g). It's also made of metal, with a matte black finish and a 5/8"-threaded mount in the center. The bottom is covered in soft non-slip rubber with five small rounded, raised "feet" (for better shock absorption, I assume). The stand is sturdy and stable and attaches securely to the mic; the only caveat is that it does end up sitting quite low on your desk. This isn't too much of an issue, as the mic is fairly tall, but since it's also pretty quiet — even with the gain turned all the way up — mounting it on a boom arm is probably the best option.

Specs

Performance

The Seiren V3 Pro is an end-address dynamic capsule microphone with a cardioid polar pattern and both USB-C and XLR connectivity. It features a large 30mm capsule with an integrated shock absorber and a built-in advanced audio DSP. It records audio in 32-bit / 96 kHz resolution and it also supports 32-bit float through Razer's Synapse software. It has a frequency response rate of 50 - 16,000 Hz and an adjustable gain of 40dB.

My voice sounded pretty good over the Seiren V3 Pro with its out-of-the-box settings: Full, warm, and clear, though there was definitely some sibilance. The foam pop filter did a decent job of keeping plosives at bay, though it had some trouble as I moved closer to the mic (as you might expect). People I talked to over voice chat thought I sounded about the same as usual — like I had a solid, studio-quality end-address mic, but they didn't think it stood out against the other studio-quality end-address mics they normally hear my voice over.

The on-mic controls were decent — the tap-to-mute button worked flawlessly, muting and unmuting with just a light brush of my finger. Both the button and the light ring turn red when the mic is muted, so you have a decent visual cue when your audience can't hear you. The gain control wheel, which has a textured metal surface, is smooth and easy to roll even if it's a bit awkwardly placed on the back / bottom of the mic.

I did find that this mic was relatively quiet, even with the gain turned up all the way — it wasn't too quiet, but I found myself needing to speak louder than I did with other mics. This seemed to be due, in part, to the mic's off-axis rejection — which Razer boasts is "enhanced" to better suppress ambient noise and room reflections without relying on processing. The off-axis rejection definitely did seem to be enhanced, as very little of the ambient noise in my room was picked up (even when I had the AI noise suppression turned off). But it also meant that if I moved out of line with the mic, it was much harder to hear me. This is definitely expected behavior from an end-address mic, but the Seiren V3 Pro was a little less flexible than, say, the HyperX FlipCast. Just a little, though.

Features and Software

The Seiren V3 Pro is configurable via Razer's Synapse peripheral software. The mic has an on-mic gain control wheel that can be configured in Synapse to control headset volume instead, but that's the only on-mic control aside from the tap-to-mute button. For everything else, you'll need Synapse.

While Razer says the Seiren V3 Pro is designed to work without needing software, there's actually a lot in Synapse that you'll probably want to take advantage of with this mic. There's a parametric EQ with a handful of presets ("Podcast," "Arena," "FPS - Callout," and "Studio"), as well as EQ effects such as a De-Esser, Vocal Bass, Vocal Exciter, and a High Pass Filter.

There are also several other effects you can play around with, including the AI noise suppression and a noise gate (plus a compressor, a limiter, and reverb control). The AI noise suppression did a good job of suppressing some noise without too much processing or losing my voice, but it also didn't suppress that much noise. The noise gate worked a little better at suppressing noise, but it also ended up suppressing my voice, even on low settings.

Razer also includes a Stream Mixer, which is essentially a virtual mixing device for mixing various audio channels on your PC — stream, playback, headphone, and mic. I didn't have much time to play around with this, but it seems about as user-friendly as a virtual mixer can be (that is... not very, but what can you do).

You can also customize the Seiren V3 Pro's light ring with Synapse — you can either use one of Razer's preset "quick effects" or you can set up advanced effects in Razer's Chroma app (which is part of Synapse... sort of?). The light ring has 12 independent RGB zones.

Bottom Line

The Seiren V3 Pro is a sturdy, sleek-looking end-address mic aimed at creators of all kinds — whether you're just starting streaming or you've got millions of people tuning in each day. Its dual-connectivity means that you'll be able to use it with both your PC and a dedicated audio interface, and the 32-bit float support is a nice touch if almost certainly not necessary for the majority of the audience.

However, this mic isn't exactly revolutionary, especially at its $250 price point. The HyperX FlipCast is very similar — it even has a light ring and a Shure-inspired chassis — but it has much better on-mic controls. The Rode PodMic USB has no on-mic controls, but you can't beat the quality of the PodMic's proximity effect. I was impressed with the extra features this mic has in Synapse, but software-based enhancements (especially when the software is Synapse) are just a bonus, not the foundation.

HyperX has long dominated our list of best gaming microphones with its impressive QuadCast (and DuoCast, and SoloCast) lineup of standalone USB mics. But those are just USB mics — convenient to use, easy to set up, and pretty impressive considering the limitations. But a truly professional setup uses XLR, which gives you a more balanced signal (especially over long cables), better audio quality, and is much better for certain types of tasks, such as recording multiple people in one room (e.g. for a podcast).

But XLR setups aren't exactly convenient: an XLR signal needs to go through an audio interface to convert its signal to a digital one, meaning you can't just plug it into your computer. And audio interfaces are complicated (and, often, expensive), and sometimes you just want to plug your mic into an open USB port and start talking.

Enter the HyperX FlipCast: an end-address microphone with both XLR and USB-C connectivity built in, so you don't have to choose. This mic features a cardioid polar pattern and records up to 32-bit / 192 kHz (over USB-C), and has tons of on-mic controls as well as a highly customizable RGB light ring. It looks and sounds good, but it's on the pricier side with a retail price of $229.99.

Design of the FlipCast

The FlipCast looks like most end-address mics: it's a black cylinder measuring approximately 6.75 inches (171.45mm) long by 2.25 inches (57.15mm) wide, bisected by a bright, customizable RGB lightstrip. It has a metal chassis with a matte black finish, and built-in wind foam that covers the actual microphone. It sports HyperX's HX logo on one side (in silver), and attaches to a sturdy metal swing arm on the other side.

The FlipCast comes mounted on its own swing arm, which has a threaded attachment point for mounting on a boom arm or microphone stand. It doesn't come with a desktop stand (or boom arm) in the box, so you'll need to make a separate purchase if you don't already have one lying around. This isn't particularly surprising, as similar end-address mics typically do not ship with desktop stands, but since it's at least somewhat aimed at casual PC users with its USB-C connectivity, I would have liked to see some sort of option to get you going out of the box.

The FlipCast feels fairly sturdy — it weighs 1.26 pounds (571.5g), so it's not very heavy for a microphone (the Rode PodMic USB weighs 1.9lbs / 900g), but it seems well-built and the integrated swing mount is also pretty solid.

The FlipCast has a few on-mic controls, including a tap-to-mute button and a multi-function wheel for adjusting gain, headphone volume, and monitor mix. The tap-to-mute button sits on a slightly raised platform with an LED level meter that's angled toward you, so you can see it while you're using the mic. The mic has a colorful RGB light ring around its center that turns off when the mic is muted (the mute button and the LED meter also turn red). On the back, underside of the mic, there are also two switches that control onboard audio filters — a 150 Hz high-pass filter (for reducing low-frequency background noise), and a presence boost (for adding clarity to vocals).

I like the FlipCast's tap-to-mute button (I've long been a fan of HyperX's tap-to-mute functionality), but the placement is a little awkward — it's right on top of the mic, and it's very sensitive, so you can definitely accidentally activate it when you're moving the mic or holding it to adjust settings. It's not that big of a deal, I guess, as you're probably not speaking when you're moving the mic around (or, at least, not speaking to an audience), but still.

The ports are on the back of the mic — a three-prong XLR port in the center, a USB-C to the lower right of that, and a 3.5mm headphone jack for direct, zero-latency monitoring, to the lower left.

In the box, the FlipCast comes with a couple of accessories. There's the integrated swing arm, which comes pre-mounted, as well as a soft cloth drawstring bag for protection. There's also a 10-foot (3m) braided USB-C to USB-C cable with a USB-C to USB-A converter attached to one end. The extra length is nice, albeit fairly standard — you'll need the extra length when you're threading the cable through the boom arm you'll have to buy. There's no XLR cable, which makes sense, as you need more than just an XLR cable to get an XLR setup working.

Specs

Performance of the FlipCast

The FlipCast is an end-address dynamic capsule microphone with a cardioid polar pattern and both USB-C and XLR connectivity. It records audio in 32-bit / 192 kHz resolution and has a frequency response of 20 - 20,000 Hz, and it has several on-mic controls for adjusting things on the fly (or, well, without software). It's definitely not the first mic with dual connectivity options — Rode has been putting both USB-C and XLR connectivity into their consumer mics for a couple of years, now.

I suspect most people aren't going to buy the FlipCast because they plan to primarily use the XLR connection, since an XLR-only mic would be much cheaper. So the target audience here seems to be mid-range streamers and podcasters who think they're likely to graduate to an XLR setup in the future. Well, that, or people who want a USB mic for convenience but who also occasionally need to record hi-res audio.

Vocals on the FlipCast sound very good over the USB-C connection, although perhaps not quite as good as I expected to hear over this type of mic. My voice sounded warm, full, and it had that broadcast-level quality you can only get with a standalone mic, but it didn't get the powerful proximity effect I get from the Rode PodMic USB — the proximity effect was there, yes, but it just didn't sound as intimate. Perhaps it was the built-in wind foam — the PodMic USB comes with a removable wind foam cover.

The mic also picked up a lot of plosives when I got too close to it, though it did much better when I put a metal pop screen in front of it. The built-in high-pass filter does a pretty decent job of filtering out low-frequency background noise, but the software-based AI noise reduction is what you really need to keep the sounds at bay. I was impressed with the AI noise reduction — it did a very good job of filtering out background noise, such as fans and traffic, and it even reduced my typing to a manageable volume level, without taking too much away from my voice. While my voice still sounded fuller without the AI noise reduction turned on, the difference was mostly noticeable side-by-side.

I'm a big fan of the FlipCast's on-mic controls. The tap-to-mute button, while a little over-sensitive, is very well-implemented and works perfectly without disrupting the audio even slightly. The multi-function wheel is also very convenient; clicking the wheel switches between functions, of which there are three: mic volume, headphone volume, and mic/headphone monitor mix. The mode is indicated by color (pink for mic volume, yellow for headphone volume, and blue for monitor mix) as well as symbols — the mic symbol lights up for mic volume, the headphone symbol lights up for headphone volume, and both light up for monitor mix, which is actually very intuitive.

Features and Software of the FlipCast

The FlipCast is configurable through HyperX's Ngenuity software, which is officially out of beta. While you don't need Ngenuity to use the microphone, especially as the mic has a built-in high-pass filter and presence boost, the software does let you fine-tune some settings — it includes a parametric mic EQ and a handful of effects, including AI noise reduction, a compressor, and a limiter.

You can also use Ngenuity to change the lighting on the RGB light ring, which is surprisingly customizable. It has 13 individually-customizable light zones, in the event you want to layer different lighting effects. It's not quite as customizable as the lighting in some peripheral apps, such as Razer's Chroma suite, but it's significantly more customizable than it needs to be. You can turn off the lighting here, too — turning off the light ring will not turn off the sound meter or the red mute indicator.

Bottom Line

The FlipCast is a great-sounding microphone that will work in both professional and casual setups, thanks to its dual USB-C and XLR connectivity. It's got a lot of handy on-mic controls, including a built-in level monitor and a built-in high-pass filter, and the tap-to-mute button works flawlessly. This is very different from, say, the Rode PodMic USB, which has dual-connectivity but no on-mic controls, or the HyperX QuadCast 2 S, which has all sorts of controls and lighting but no XLR connectivity.

But at $230, the FlipCast is kind of pricey for what it is — the PodMic USB may not have the on-mic controls, but it sounds better and retails for $30 less (and is currently on sale for even less — $188 at Amazon). And if you don't need the XLR connectivity, the QuadCast 2 S sounds just as good and costs $100 less (and is currently on sale for $107 at Amazon). So the FlipCast — which, by the way, is also currently on sale, for $190 at Amazon — ends up being a somewhat niche product.

Even a budget-priced gaming mic can drastically improve your audio setup — and the best gaming mics start at just $60. While HyperX's newest budget-friendly contender, the SoloCast 2, isn't the most exciting mic on the market, it's pretty impressive for the price.

The SoloCast 2 is a standalone USB gaming microphone with a cardioid polar pattern and a condenser capsule that records at 24-bit / 96 kHz. While its specs aren't wildly different from those of the original SoloCast, it has a brand-new build that feels much sturdier, features a clever built-in stand, and adds a large tap-to-mute button on top. Not bad for $60 (available now, in black).

Design of the SoloCast 2

While the original SoloCast looked like a pretty traditional condenser microphone, the SoloCast 2 is a sleek, solid black cylinder with a novel built-in stand. HyperX's second-generation budget-friendly USB microphone is a pretty neat-looking update: the mic is housed in a matte-black plastic chassis that measures 6 inches (152.4mm) long by 2.08 inches (53mm) in diameter. The upper half of the cylinder features a matte black metal grille with HyperX's signature honeycomb pattern. Under this grille, there's a foam pop filter and an internal shock mount — the 14mm electret condenser capsule is suspended inside the chassis to prevent any interference from desk vibrations (as it is, after all, a desktop microphone).

The SoloCast 2 might look like a solid cylinder, but it's actually got a unique, integrated desktop stand. There's a hinge at the back of the cylinder that lets you tilt the microphone back 40 degrees — angling it so it's directed at your face, if you're sitting at a desk. That stand part of the cylinder is nice and hefty — the full unit weighs about 12.9 ounces (365.7g), and the bottom is lined with non-skid rubber material just to guarantee the mic isn't slipping around your desk.

There's a bright red indicator light at the bottom of the mic (tilting the mic up also angles this light toward your face, so you won't miss it) that tells you whether the mic is muted or recording. It's red when the mic is recording, which threw me off... quite a bit, honestly, as many gaming microphones with RGB lighting default to red when they're muted. I realize that red for recording makes sense, and that red is HyperX's color, and that this is an issue most users will not have. But, still.

Aside from its neat little built-in stand, the SoloCast 2 is pretty simple. There's a large, flat, tap-to-mute surface on the top of the mic — I'd expect nothing less from HyperX, as this is definitely my favorite feature, and there's a USB-C port on the back of the mic, near the hinge. On the bottom, there's a mounting point that's compatible with both 3/8" and 5/8" threaded mounts, so you can fold the microphone up and mount it — stand and all — on a boom arm or mic stand.

The SoloCast 2 is a simple, straightforward mic with a built-in stand, so it includes only one accessory in the box — a 6.5-foot (2m) USB-C to USB-A cable.

Performance

The SoloCast 2 records sound at a high-res 24-bit / 96 kHz bit-depth / sample rate (recording studio level), but so does the original SoloCast thanks to a firmware update HyperX pushed out in 2022. Like the original SoloCast, the SoloCast 2 has a cardioid polar pattern — perfect for one speaker located directly in front of the mic.

This is essentially a plug-n-play mic, and it sounds pretty good out of the box. Vocals sound full and rounded, though not quite as clean as they sound on the Logitech Yeti Orb. My voice had a decent amount of depth and detail in both recordings and streams, and the mic also offers a nice proximity effect (though the built-in stand is too low for this to be comfortable). The SoloCast 2 has a built-in internal shock mount and pop filter, but they're both on the weaker side: the mic picked up both desk movement and plosives very, very easily in my testing. In other words, we definitely recommend mounting this mic on a boom arm.

The mic does pick up a lot of background noise — my fans were ever-present in my testing, but vocals still came across strong and clear. There are some settings you can tweak in HyperX's Ngenuity Beta software that work pretty well to reduce noise and clean up the sound in general, but that has its own issues. However, mounting the mic on a boom arm did a lot to at least reduce any noise from desk movement and typing.

Specs

Features and Software

The SoloCast 2 works with HyperX's Ngenuity Beta software, which gives you a handful of options for adjusting the mic's tone. This is where you can adjust the mic's gain (there's no on-mic gain control, unfortunately), and turn on a handful of software-based improvements, such as high / low pass filters and AI noise reduction.

You can also adjust the mic's sound using a simple 10-band equalizer. You can add and save as many EQ presets as you want; the software doesn't come with any built-in presets.

It's important to point out that the Ngenuity Beta software is definitely still in beta. The settings do not save to the microphone; they don't even save to the software. So the frequency filters, noise reduction, and EQ will only work when the software is running. (The software does save EQ presets, but you'll need to turn the EQ on and select the preset every time you open it.) I assume this will be fixed at some point, but there's no timeline at the moment.

Bottom Line

The SoloCast 2 isn't the most exciting microphone on the market, but it's pretty impressive for $60. It's a solid follow-up to HyperX's original SoloCast, with a much sturdier build and a tap-to-mute button that the original was definitely lacking. At $60, it's the same price as the Logitech Yeti Orb (the Yeti Orb debuted at $60 in 2023 and received a price increase to $70, but is currently back at $60 on sale). While I do like the Yeti Orb's out-of-the-box sound better, the SoloCast 2's tap-to-mute is a much more convenient feature — especially as the Yeti Orb has no on-mic controls. Assuming you're using this mic for more casual chatting with friends, teammates, and coworkers, this is likely to be pretty essential (so long as you remember that red means recording).

This is a deal that I can personally stand behind, because I bought the Hollyland Lark M2 Wireless Lavalier Microphone back in December 2024, and it wasn't this cheap!

The kit comes in a charging case, with two microphones and a receiver. You can get versions with Apple's lightning connector, as well as a shoe connector for DSLRs. For me, I chose the USB Type-C version for use with my Android phone, and via a USB Type-C to USB Type-A adapter I use it for team meetings and for presenting our show, The Pi Cast. I just clip the microphone to my shirt using the magnetic back and I am ready to go. All the while resisting the urge to tap the microphone like a communicator from Star Trek: The Next Generation.

I bought these microphones with content creation in mind. The dual microphones are exceptionally useful for conducting interviews in the field. With noise cancellation the microphones capture just the voices of the myself and the interviewee and none of the background noise. Audio quality is clear and punchy.

To control the microphones, there is a single button that turns on / off noise cancellation. For more features there is an accompanying Android / iOS app that enables individual control of audio levels, and noise cancellation.

The Hollyland Lark M2 Wireless Lavalier Microphones come with a kit bag full of extras. Lanyards to hold the microphone magnetically, wind muffs (also known as dead cats) to block wind noise, magnetic lapel clips, and weirdly some colorful stickers to hide the microphones. When not in use, the two microphones and the receiver are contained in a plastic case with onboard LiPo battery charging, just like Airpods. When you are done with them, throw them in the box and they charge ready for the next interview.

I primarily use the Hollyland Lark M2 Wireless Lavalier Microphone with my Windows 10 PC for meetings and for hosting The Pi Cast. But I have an issue. My PC only has only one USB Type-C port and it is on the back of the case! Armed with a trusty USB Type-C to A adapter I can plug the receiver into any spare USB port on my desktop and Windows 10 will instantly recognize and switch my audio input.

I genuinely love these microphones, they are much easier to use than clunky wired mics, and I can use them across many different devices without the need for drivers.

Elgato's stylish, all-white Neo line is designed to be a simple, straightforward, affordable line of plug-and-play (ish) streaming accessories. The current lineup includes five products — a microphone, a webcam, a stream deck, a key light, and a capture card — all priced under $100, except for the capture card, which is $119.99.

The Wave Neo is a simple, attractive white standalone USB mic with a (too) large and (too) sensitive tap-to-mute button, a sturdy-feeling but only half-actualized metal desktop stand, and an interchangeable pop filter (that Elgato sells, optionally, in five pastel colors).

The Wave Neo is small, lightweight, and designed to make you sound good right out of the box. And while it does make you sound pretty good out of the box, it's a bit of a stretch to say it works well out of the box. The Wave Neo is, as it turns out, a pretty good example of how a mic's sound is only one aspect of how well it works.

The Wave Neo retails for $89.99, but we've seen it on sale recently for as low as $64.99. And even at that price, we'd recommend one of our best gaming mics — the Logitech Yeti Orb — over the Wave Neo in almost every situation.

Design of the Wave Neo

The Wave Neo is a small, pill-shaped USB microphone, housed in a white plastic chassis with an interchangeable foam pop filter, a large tap-to-mute button, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The microphone alone — without the stand or arm connected — measures approximately 4.78 inches (121.7mm) high by 2.08 inches (52.8mm) wide, and is 1.68 inches (42.6mm) deep. It weighs just 2.82 ounces (80g), though this jumps to around 6.65 ounces (188.5g) with the swing arm connected. The swing arm, which is metal, measures approximately 3.43 inches (97.5mm) long and attaches to the included stand or a boom arm (it supports 1/4", 5/8", and 3/8" mounting threads).

The black foam pop filter is designed to be easily removable — it's attached to a ring of plastic that you can just pull off to replace. Elgato sells additional pop filters for the Wave Neo on its site for $15 in pastel pink, blue, green, lavender, and light gray. Overall, the microphone feels just a little... cheap. Not only is it made of plastic, the seams around the tap-to-mute button and the replaceable pop filter don't quite line up with each other — a minor detail, perhaps, but this is a $90 mic. Logitech's Yeti Orb — which is also plastic, and retails for just $60 — looks better put together.

Still, it's a nice-looking little mic that will fit better in a lot of setups than aggressively gamer-oriented USB mics like the HyperX QuadCast 2 S.

On-mic controls are limited to tap-to-mute, which is better than nothing — the aforementioned Yeti Orb has zero on-mic controls. There's also a 3.5mm headphone jack on the back of the mic, just above the USB-C port. The USB-C port is recessed, and the mic comes with a special USB-C cable that fits nicely into that empty space. (It will also work with other USB-C cables, it just won't look as pretty).

The microphone comes with a sturdy metal desktop stand that consists of a flat, round base that measures approximately 3.6 inches (92mm) in diameter and is 0.31 inches (7.9mm) thick and a riser extension measuring 3.93 inches (100mm) tall. The overall setup — mic, stand, and riser — measures around 11.1 inches (182mm) tall and weighs 1.17 pounds (530g).

The riser extension screws to the base and the microphone simply drops onto the riser. This sounds like it would be very simple, but it ended up being sort of finicky — screwing the riser onto the base was trickier than I expected, as it was difficult to keep the riser aligned with the alignment pin on the stand (okay, this wasn't a major imposition, but it definitely wasn't as "plug-and-play" as an already-mounted mic is). Dropping the mic onto the riser is convenient but not particularly stable — the mic wobbles on the stand and I also kept forgetting that the parts were not screwed together when I picked the mic up to move it on my desk.

In the box, you'll find the microphone and its stand — base, riser extension, and connecting hardware — as well as a 5-foot (1.5m) white braided USB-C to USB-A cable.

Although Elgato advertises this microphone as being "one mic for everything" and talks about how it can seamlessly work on every device from a PC to an iPhone, it comes with a USB-C to USB-A cable — and that's it. So you'll need to get some adapters to plug it into an iPhone — or any phone; I don't think any phone has ever had a USB-A port. But also, you can plug just about any USB mic into a phone if you have an adapter, so this is hardly something notable about the Wave Neo.

Specs

Performance of the Wave Neo

The Wave Neo has a condenser capsule with a cardioid polar pattern that records audio at a maximum sample / bit rate of 96 kHz / 24-bit — hi-res audio, which you won't find on all budget mics (but also isn't too difficult to find on budget mics these days). For example, while our favorite budget mic, the $60 Logitech Yeti Orb, records 48 kHz / 24-bit audio, the $99 HyperX DuoCast records 96 kHz / 24-bit audio and is currently on sale at Amazon for just over $60. Also, this isn't the right mic if you're recording audio where a 96 kHz sample rate will make a difference.

The Wave Neo is a side-address microphone, which means you speak into the side (the front, where the tap-to-mute light is), not into the end (like you do with the Rode PodMic USB). It can be mounted on a boom arm, but it’s more likely you'll use the included desktop stand, which is designed to place the mic at an ideal distance from your mouth when it's placed on your desk / table top.

The stand, while sturdily and solidly built, is also somehow not that sturdy. It's designed to be used with the included riser extension, which screws into the base and uses an alignment pin to prevent it from wobbling or spinning around. This part is fine — the riser secures pretty tightly to the base, though the alignment pin did still allow for a very small amount of wobble. However, once the riser is secured to the base, the swing arm just kind of drops onto the riser, which means more wobble and a stand that keeps coming apart whenever you pick it up to move it. I suppose you can set up the stand without using the riser extension — giving the mic a total height of just under 7.5 inches (190.5mm). However, this is even less stable. Although the swing arm does have a notch for the alignment pin on the riser extension, this notch does not work with the alignment pin on the stand (though it seems like the idea behind the design was that the alignment pin was supposed to work with both the riser's and the swing arm's notches). In other words, if you set up the stand without the riser, you end up with a wobbly, spinning mic and a scratched-up base.

Don't get me wrong — I like the look, feel, and built-in cable clip on the Wave Neo's stand, but the overall implementation made me wish for the Yeti Orb's less sleek, but stabler plastic tripod.

Stand aside, vocals on the Wave Neo sound pretty good out of the box. It's not the best-sounding mic on the market, but it's also not trying to be. Vocals are consistent, clear, and on the warmer side by default, which isn't a bad thing. The warmth adds a full, round, friendly tone to your voice, and is probably what I'd call the ideal sound profile for this type of plug-and-play mic. Side-by-side, it's pretty easy to tell that the Wave Neo is a standalone USB mic and not a headset mic, but it's not necessarily going to be the audio upgrade you may have been hoping for. My colleagues were thoroughly unimpressed with the Wave Neo's sound, stating that it sounded "...like a microphone." Indeed.

The Wave Neo's pop filter is also pretty flimsy, and plosives end up reverberating through the whole mic if you're closer than about 6 inches (152.4mm). The mic has a cardioid polar pattern, which means it only picks up noise from one direction, but it still picks up a decent amount of background noise unless you turn on some software-based noise cancellation.

The mic has a large, oblong tap-to-mute sensor / light on the front, which is white when the mic is unmuted and red when the mic is muted. The actual sensor area extends past the light, however, so it's easy to accidentally tap the sensor when you're trying to adjust or move the mic (especially if you fumble the mic when you pick it up because you forgot that the stand is in two pieces), but that wasn't a big issue for me. What was an issue, however, was that the mute sensor seemed to mute itself at various times, for various reasons. I couldn't figure out all the situations in which the mute sensor accidentally triggered, but I did notice that it seemed to happen frequently when the mic's USB cable was at certain angles and/or was touching things like cables or my PC case, and also when any part of the body of the mic (even the back) was touching things. This didn't happen every time, but it definitely happened too often — I love a tap-to-mute button on a mic, but I wish I could disable the Wave Neo's tap-to-mute and just mute the mic through software.

There's also a 3.5mm headphone jack on the back of the Wave Neo, which Elgato says is for zero-delay system audio — not mic monitoring. While you can turn on mic monitoring through the headphone jack in the Wave Link companion software, it is software-based monitoring, not direct, zero-latency monitoring.

Features and Software of the Wave Neo

The Wave Neo works with Elgato's Wave Link audio software, which is essentially a virtual mixing studio — pretty useful software if you're streaming or otherwise trying to mix audio sources, but not quite as useful if you're just trying to sound good over a regular video call. However, it does tie in to Elgato's online marketplace, which lets you add audio plugins: equalizers, compressors, de-essers, noise suppression/cancellation, effects, and voice mods.

The Wave Link screen is for the virtual mixer, which lets you add different sound input sources (e.g. microphone audio and game audio) and mix them together to create a balanced, stream-friendly output. While this main screen is mainly for mixing audio inputs and monitoring outputs, this is also where you'll find the option to mute the mic and add effects. You'll need to open up the mic's settings, however, to do things like check for firmware updates and adjust the mic's gain, headphone volume, and LED brightness.

As usual, I have some issues with this software. First, it's a hassle to set up. To install it, you can't have any compatible Elgato products plugged in (which isn't that much of a hassle, I suppose, but is an unusual requirement), and it requires a restart once it's installed. But second, and more importantly, it doesn't always fully recognize the products — the Wave Neo would show up in the software (the software can only be used if you have at least one eligible Elgato product plugged in — just, not while you install it, apparently). But I found that I often wasn't able to adjust any of the mic's settings or mix audio unless I restarted the software and/or unplugged the mic. Also, this was, luckily, the extent of what I needed to do to get it working — I did a cursory search when I first encountered the problem and saw that Elgato's own customer service advised an AppData reset.

Bottom Line

The Elgato Wave Neo is a compact, plug-and-play, budget-friendly USB mic that sounds pretty good out of the box. It doesn't require any software tweaks, though there is, of course, Elgato's companion Wave Link software for those who are looking for more control. The included stand works a lot better in theory than it does in reality, but the good news is that this is a very small, very lightweight mic that you can mount on any dirt-cheap boom arm from Amazon without issue.

That said, the Wave Neo retails for $90 — though we've seen it on sale for as low as $65 — which is closer to mid-range rather than budget-friendly. So, unless you've already bought into Elgato's ecosystem (the Wave Neo does work well with Elgato's other streaming products, such as its stream decks), the Logitech Yeti Orb is a better option: It also sounds great right out of the box, and it retails for $60 but can be found on sale for around $50. The Yeti Orb lacks the Wave Neo's hi-res 96 kHz sample rate, but neither of these mics are what we'd recommend for recording hi-res audio anyway. It also lacks an on-mic mute and a 3.5mm audio jack, but the Wave Neo would probably be better without the on-mic mute (and it would be the same without the audio jack, which is for system audio — not direct monitoring).

HyperX's original QuadCast is still one of our favorite gaming microphones — it sounds great out of the box, has a great tap-to-mute feature, and it's packed with stream-ready lighting. The company introduced a very minor update to the mic in the form of the QuadCast S, but it was mostly a color update. One of the best gaming mics, the QuadCast S added colorful RGB lighting in place of the aggressive all-red, and updated the port to a USB-C port, but otherwise it was the same great gaming mic under the hood.

Now HyperX has finally decided to give the gaming mic a real update with the QuadCast 2 and the QuadCast 2 S, which feature a minor redesign to both the mic itself and the shock mount, as well as some audio upgrades. The new QuadCast 2 S, which is what we're taking a look at in this review, records audio in 192 kHz / 32-bit format, which is quite a step up from the original QuadCast's and QuadCast S's 48 kHz / 16-bit recording. The QuadCast 2 records audio in 92 kHz / 24-bit format, which is the same as the HyperX Duo Cast. Otherwise the mics largely remain the same, which isn't necessarily a bad thing — they still sound great out of the box and feature four selectable polar patterns and HyperX's excellent tap-to-mute feature.

Both mics are available now; the QuadCast 2 S retails for $200 but is currently on sale for $150, while the QuadCast 2 starts at $150.

Design and Comfort of the QuadCast 2 S

The QuadCast 2 S is a desktop condenser microphone with four selectable polar patterns. It features a cylindrical design very similar to its predecessor, the QuadCast / QuadCast S, and comes with its own built-in (but removable) shock mount, which is attached to a sturdy desktop stand. The QuadCast 2 S currently comes in only black, but knowing HyperX we assume we'll also see it in white soon enough.

The microphone looks a lot like the original QuadCast / QuadCast S. It's the same size as its predecessor, measuring 8.375 inches (212.73mm) tall by 2.125 inches (53.98mm) in diameter; when it's mounted on the included desktop stand it stands just under 11 inches (279.4mm) tall, while the base of the stand is about 5 inches (127mm) in diameter. Like its predecessor, it has an internal mesh pop filter surrounded by a metal grille with a honeycomb pattern, and when it's plugged in the mesh lights up with bright, customizable aRGB lighting — just like the original QuadCast S. The less expensive QuadCast 2 features all-red lighting, like the original QuadCast.

The microphone is on the lighter side: it weighs 12.16 ounces (344.7g) alone, and just over 1 pound (488g) with the shock mount. The stand weighs an extra 9.7 ounces (275g). It's heavier than the original QuadCast / QuadCast S, however, which weighs just 11.9 ounces (336g) with the shock mount. HyperX's Caster microphone and camera boom arm is basically designed for this mic, as it supports up to 2.2 pounds (1kg) and not much more (I tried putting the Rode NT1 5th Generation mic on the Caster arm with the SM6 shock mount, which weighs around 2.47 pounds, and it almost immediately fell over).

Speaking of shock mounts, HyperX has redesigned the QuadCast 2 S's to make it easier to remove. The mic now attaches to the shock mount via two spring-loaded pins, so all you have to do to remove it is twist and pull (the shock mount on the previous QuadCast / QuadCast S screwed into the mic). The shock mount does have a boom arm attachment that fits most mic stands / boom arms (3/8" and 5/8" threading), so I don't see a lot of people removing the shock mount unless it needs to be replaced, but it's nice that you can remove it without unscrewing anything.

On the front of the mic there's a multi-function knob that lets you adjust gain, monitor volume, monitor/playback mix, and switch between polar patterns. The default function of the knob is mic gain — simply twist to adjust the mic's gain up or down. Monitor volume and monitor/playback mix only come into play when you plug headphones into the mic's 3.5mm direct monitoring jack, and you can cycle through them by pressing the button: monitor volume is yellow and lets you adjust the volume of what you're hearing through the headphones you have plugged in; playback/monitor mix is blue and lets you adjust how much of the mic you hear (vs. how much of the PC audio you hear), and gain is pink.

You can change the mic's polar pattern by pressing and holding the button to cycle through them. The light ring around the top of the microphone displays the selected polar pattern visually: the red area indicates which direction the mic is currently taking input from. It's actually a very clever and intuitive way to indicate polar pattern, versus the traditional symbols we saw on the original QuadCast / QuadCast S. When you aren't using the knob to adjust settings, the light ring around it acts as a VU meter.

The QuadCast 2 S also has a tap-to-mute button on the top, which is, as always, very well-implemented — all you have to do is lightly touch the top of the mic and it mutes (the lights turn off to indicate that it's muted).

On the back of the microphone you'll find the USB-C port and a 3.5mm headphone monitoring jack; the ports are slightly offset from the center so the mic stand doesn't interfere with your cables, which is thoughtful.

In the box, the QuadCast 2 S comes with a built-in shock mount and a desktop microphone stand, as well as a 9.8-foot (3m) braided USB-C to USB-A cable.

Specs

Performance of the QuadCast 2 S

The QuadCast 2 S's big draw is its ultra-premium 192 kHz / 32-bit sample/bit rate, which is a big jump up from the original's 48 kHz / 16-bit recording. But realistically, almost nobody is going to use the QuadCast 2 S to record audio at a 192 kHz / 32-bit resolution — and most gamers won't even need more than 48 kHz / 16-bit resolution if they're streaming and chatting with friends. So while the 192 kHz / 32-bit sample/bit rate sounds impressive, it's overkill on a microphone that is still, at the end of the day, very clearly designed for streamers and gamers, not studio-level mastering.

Sample/bit rate aside, the QuadCast 2 S performs very well — as you might expect, given that not too much has changed from the original QuadCast / QuadCast S, both of which were excellent gaming microphones. Vocals on the QuadCast 2 S are crisp and clear, with just enough warmth to make you sound friendly, but not so much that it sounds like the mic is changing your voice. The cardioid polar pattern combined with the built-in shock mount and sturdy desktop stand did a decent job of minimizing consistent background noise, such as my PC's noisy fans, but only did a passable job at minimizing inconsistent background noise, such as typing (even on a relatively quiet keyboard). The mic does have an internal pop filter, but you'll probably want an external one as well.

The QuadCast 2 S's four (quad) polar patterns are also a plus in a world where most gaming mics are cardioid or hypercardioid. While it's always good to have multiple microphones if you have multiple speakers, having the option for omni- or bi-directional recording can definitely be useful in a pinch, and also allows you to capture different types of audio, such as room ambiance or musical instruments.

Features and Software of the QuadCast 2 S

The QuadCast 2 S can be configured using HyperX's Ngenuity software, which can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. I usually ding peripheral software for having too many unnecessary features (nobody needs a virtual pet when all they want to do is change their mouse DPI, Asus) but Ngenuity is perhaps a little too light on features. Ngenuity lets you adjust the same settings you can adjust on the mic: gain ("mic volume"), monitor volume ("output volume"), monitor/playback mix, mute, and polar pattern. It also lets you turn on a high pass filter... and that's it.

Well, that's it insofar as audio/recording adjustments — the main thing you'll use Ngenuity for with the QuadCast 2 S is to customize the microphone's lighting. The mic comes with a default rainbow wave pattern set, but it has several patterns that you can customize and mix for just about any lighting combo you like. You can also turn the lighting off, if you want, but if you're not looking for a light show you probably shouldn't be looking at this mic.

Bottom Line

The QuadCast 2 S is a great gaming mic — it sounds and looks great (assuming you like lots of colorful RGB lighting) out of the box, and it doesn't really need any software at all thanks to the intuitive, easy-to-use on-mic controls. But nobody needs 192 kHz / 32-bit resolution in a USB gaming mic.

The QuadCast 2's 96 kHz / 24-bit is much more reasonable, but the QuadCast 2 is limited to all-red lighting — so what you're really paying $50 for is the pretty, colorful RGB in the QuadCast 2 S. If you're absolutely determined to push the boundaries of audio recording resolution, I'd at least recommend a mic like the Rode NT1 5th Generation, which features 32-bit float recording as well dual USB / XLR connectivity.

HyperX is finally updating its flagship gaming mic — and it's a real update, this time. 

The QuadCast 2 and QuadCast 2 S, announced today, will get a boost in recording quality — the QuadCast 2 will record audio at up to 24-bit / 96 kHz, while the QuadCast 2 S will record audio at up to 32-bit / 192 kHz. The two mics have also been minorly redesigned and will feature a multi-function knob for mic gain control, headset playback volume, monitoring volume, and switching between the mics' four polar patterns.

They also look a little different, with redesigned shock mounts (that appear to be easy to remove) and less-rounded ends, and the QuadCast 2 S now has addressable RGB (instead of just regular RGB). 

The original QuadCast has been one of our favorite gaming microphones since its debut in 2019 — it's just a great all-around mic in terms of both performance and usability. It comes with a built-in shock mount and a sturdy desktop stand, has four selectable polar patterns for a variety of recording situations, and features on-mic controls: gain adjustment and the best tap-to-mute around. It received a very minor update in 2020 with the QuadCast S, which swapped the micro-USB port for USB-C and added (a lot of) RGB lighting — but it was otherwise the same mic, just wrapped in a very colorful package. 

The QuadCast 2 and QuadCast 2 S are not the same mic, however. The QuadCast 2 has the original's all-red color scheme and supports audio recording at up to 24-bit / 96 kHz, while the QuadCast 2 S has aRGB (with an LED VU meter) and supports audio recording at up to 32-bit / 192 kHz, which, as HyperX points out, is the highest recording resolution found on a consumer USB gaming microphone at the moment (and might just be overkill).

Aside from the bump in recording resolution and the new multi-function knob, the mics are otherwise pretty similar to their predecessors. They both feature four polar patterns (cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional, stereo) and have 3.5mm audio jacks for direct, zero-latency monitoring. They also have HyperX's excellent tap-to-mute feature, and come with a detachable shock mount that can attach to an included desktop stand or a boom arm (or other stand) via 3/8 and 5/8 inch threading. 

HyperX didn't say much (or, well, anything) about the mic's condenser capsules. According to the specs, both mics will have three 14mm electret condenser capsules, like their predecessors, so that probably means they're the same. The mics will be compatible with HyperX's NGENUITY peripheral software, which includes a 10-band EQ and a new AI-powered noise reduction feature. 

Okay, it's not totally different, but it's definitely more of an update than we saw in the QuadCast S — and high-res 24-bit / 96 kHz recording was basically all we were looking for in the QuadCast (especially after we saw it in the HyperX DuoCast). 

The QuadCast S is available now for $149.99 and the QuadCast S 2 is expected to be available in November for $199.99.

There's a lot of competition for capturing your voice for streaming, podcasting, work calls, or just chatting with your friends. Some people are perfectly happy using a cheap headset or desktop mic, but if your use case involves streaming or producing content for an audience, you really have to up your game in the quality stakes if you want your audience to grow and keep listening. People aren't going to stick around if they can constantly hear every background noise or your keyboard clicking away. 

Available on Amazon in a limited-time deal, Logitech's G Yeti GX USB microphone hits an all-time low price of $119. Saving $30 off the usual MSRP price of this microphone, this deal lets you upgrade your setup with a dynamic cardioid microphone that's not only easy to connect but looks good on your desk and uses some of the best voice software available. 

The Logitech G Yeti GX uses the Yeti name... and why not? It use the tech and knowledge learned from one of the original mainstream USB podcasting and streaming microphones that brought the quality of a dynamic cardioid mic and a USB connection together. Mixed with a design that's more fitting with the G-Brand of Logitech's gaming peripherals, the Yeti GX looks more modern than the traditional Yeti's and adds more RGB for the gamer aesthetic.

Using the Logitech G Hub, you can use LIGHTSYNC to control the Yeti GX's RGB. The microphone has two separate RGB light zones, and if you also own any other compatible Logitech peripherals, you can sync them together.

You have access to the Blue VO.CE software that can enable the Enable Smart Audio Lock and other studio tools, as well as the Logitech G Hub. This lets you avoid sound clipping and also uses an expander to reduce the ambient background noises such as your keyboard clicks. With other studio tools offering VFX and samples for use on your streams and other content.

The best gaming headsets have some pretty impressive built-in mics these days, but they're built to multi-task — they won't deliver that professional-grade clarity you hear on the radio. A standalone mic will not only make your voice sound better and clearer to your teammates, coworkers, and viewers, it can also be used for other things (such as podcasting or recording music).

You don't need to go full-on audio nerd and get an XLR mic (though you can) to upgrade your voice comms — a spare USB port or mic jack is usually all you need for an interface. If you've already upgraded to one of the best gaming keyboards and one of the best gaming mice, it's time to pick up a standalone gaming mic.

The Quick List

The Best Gaming Microphones You Can Buy Today

Best Gaming Microphone for Most

Rode’s NT-USB+ retains the sturdy, professional design of its predecessor — the NT-USB — but adds some pretty impressive upgrades, including enhanced circuitry, Rode’s Revolution Preamp technology, and an internal DSP (as well as USB-C connectivity).

This condenser microphone produces excellent vocals with a solid low end and very little self noise — giving you broadcast-quality sound in an easy-to-use, plug-and-play package.

The NT-USB+ comes with a 9.8-foot (3m) USB-C to USB-C cable, a plastic tripod desktop stand, a detachable metal mesh pop shield, and a detachable ring mount that can be easily mounted on a boom arm (or a different stand). It features a 3.5mm high-power headphone output for zero-latency monitoring on the mic, as well as two dials to control mix and headphone volume level.

It does not have a gain dial or a mute button. The NT-USB+’s internal DSP allows for advanced audio processing, which can be activated using one of Rode’s apps — Rode Central, Rode Connect, or the Rode X Unify software.

The NT-USB+ improves upon the NT-USB — already an impressive USB microphone — to deliver fantastic-sounding, clean audio with a low noise floor. If you’re looking for a mic that will make you sound great while you’re chatting with teammates or streaming over Twitch, look no further.

Read: Rode NT-USB+ Review

Best Gaming Microphone for Streaming

HyperX's QuadCast 2 S is the most recent update to the iconic gaming mic, and it's still a fantastic mic for gaming and streaming. While the mic's 192 kHz / 32-bit sample/bit rate is definitely overkill for a gaming mic, it makes you sound great right out of the box and features bright, attractive, highly-customizable aRGB lighting that's perfect for showing off to your streaming audience.

The QuadCast 2 S looks a lot like its predecessor, the QuadCast S, with a cylindrical shape and a built-in shock mount. Both the mic and the shock mount have been redesigned, however — the QuadCast 2 S now has a multi-function knob on the front to control gain, monitor volume, playback/monitor mix, and polar pattern selection, and the shock mount has been reworked so the mic is now extremely easy to remove.

The mic comes with a sturdy desktop stand, but the shock mount can also be mounted to any mic stand or boom arm with 3/8" or 5/8" threading. The mic does retain its predecessor's tap to mute button on top, which is still the best mute system I've seen on any gaming mic.

The QuadCast 2 S's big update is its recording quality, as it can now record in the wildly unnecessary 192 kHz / 32-bit resolution. While I can't imagine anybody using this mic to record in that resolution, it's nice to at least see the step up from the QuadCast S's 48 kHz / 16-bit recording.

While the QuadCast 2 S does best when it's used for picking up one person's voice, it does have the option to record in four different polar patterns, which makes it more versatile than most of the mics on this list.

Read: HyperX QuadCast S Review

Best Gaming Microphone for Talking

The HyperX QuadCast S is another gamer-oriented USB mic that’s been around for a while (the QuadCast S is a refreshed version of the original QuadCast). The QuadCast S will work for a variety of situations, thanks to its large capsule, which features an internal pop filter and four polar patterns. It comes with an attached shock mount and a desktop stand, and — as of the most recent refresh — in black and white colorways.

It has on-mic gain control and a surprisingly unique touch-sensitive mute button that eliminates the audible pop you get when muting mics with mechanical buttons/switches.

The mic’s capsule is fully-lit with bright, colorful RGB lighting (which might be a tad ostentatious for some); this goes red when the mic is muted, leaving no ambiguity as to whether people can hear you. (In other words, it’s perfect for conference calls.)

The QuadCast S’s main downside is that it’s limited to 48 kHz/16-bit recording — which is fine for voice chats and streaming, but not great for podcasting or recording music. If you don’t need four polar patterns, the HyperX DuoCast records audio in 96 kHz/24-bit format, and is smaller and less flashy than the QuadCast S (same tap-to-mute, though).

Read: HyperX QuadCast S Review

Best Budget Gaming Microphone

Logitech's Yeti Orb is the soft successor to the classic Blue Snowball: a round, ball-shaped USB condenser microphone with a cardioid polar pattern and a frequency response rate of 70 - 20,000 Hz. Featuring customizable RGB lighting, a removable desktop stand, and a softer, more modern-looking design, this perfect plug-and-play mic sounds fantastic for its budget-friendly $60 MSRP.

The Yeti Orb is simple by design. It only has one polar pattern (cardioid), but it records audio at 24-bit / 48 kHz and has a relatively wide frequency response range. It comes with a sturdy (if slightly short) plastic tripod stand and has two mounting points that let you mount the mic either straight on or at an angle.

It works very well out of the box, offering up full, relatively warm vocals and keeping plosives at bay, but it does do best when it's optimally positioned (i.e., not behind your keyboard). It works with Logitech's Blue Vo!ce software, which features real-time voice modulation as well as a 3-band EQ, a high-pass filter, noise reduction/noise gate, a compressor, a de-esser, and a de-popper, as well as vocal effects and a sound sampler library for streamers.

The Yeti Orb doesn't have any on-mic controls, but it does have customizable RGB lighting that can be set to change color when the mic is active/idle. The RGB lights up the Logitech G logo on the mic's band, but it features a hood that lets you see the color even if the logo is facing away from you.

Read: Logitech Yeti Orb Review

Best Budget Gaming Microphone Alternative

HyperX's second iteration of its budget-friendly SoloCast microphone is pretty impressive for its $60 retail price. This USB condenser mic comes housed in a sleek, solid-feeling chassis with a clever built-in stand that can also be mounted on a standard boom arm. It also features a large tap-to-mute button on the top of the mic, as well as a bright red indicator light that tells you when the mic is muted vs. recording.

It's a pretty straightforward mic, featuring a 14mm electret condenser capsule suspended inside the chassis on its own internal shock mount. It records audio at a high-res 24-bit / 96 kHz bit-depth / sample rate, and features cardioid polar pattern — perfect for recording a single speaker located directly in front of the mic.

It sounds good out of the box, though we did (slightly) prefer the Logitech Yeti Orb's out-of-the-box sound — the SoloCast 2 makes your voice sound full and rounded, but the recording isn't quite as clean as it is on the Yeti Orb.

However, the SoloCast 2's on-mic controls (or, well control) might just give it the push it needs to surpass the Yeti Orb (at least, for some people) — being able to mute the mic with a simple tap instead of having to go through software or whatever video call app you're using is definitely a big advantage.

Read: HyperX SoloCast 2 Review

Best Gaming Microphone for Podcasting

Rode has updated its popular PodMic with USB-C connectivity alongside its traditional XLR connectivity. This makes the PodMic a viable option for most gamers and streamers where the original PodMic wasn't (as XLR microphones can't be plugged directly into a PC).

The PodMic USB is a sturdily-built end-address dynamic mic with a cardioid polar pattern and an integrated swing mount. It features 48 kHz/24-bit recording over its USB-C connections (the XLR connection is, of course, only limited by the audio interface), which is great for chatting and streaming.

While the PodMic USB's USB-connectivity adds convenience to this mic, it's still not the most convenient mic for new streamers to pick up, as it doesn't come with a stand — and you will need a stand. Instead, it comes with a swing mount that can be attached to a stand (or, more likely, a boom arm).

And it's a heavy mic — it weighs 1.9 pounds (900g), so you'll need a pretty sturdy stand or boom arm. It also comes with a removable foam pop shield and an extra-long 9.8-foot (3m) USB-C to USB-C cable. You'll need to supply your own XLR cable.

The microphone features an internal pop filter and produces clean, warm vocals thanks to its end-address design and Rode's incorporated Revolution Preamp technology. It's the perfect mic for podcasting, as it offers that perfect proximity effect that every podcaster tends to (over) use.

In addition to the USB-C and XLR ports, the PodMic USB also has a 3.5mm headphone jack and an on-mic volume wheel for zero-latency monitoring.

Read: Rode PodMic USB Review

Other Gaming Mics We Tested

Elgato Wave Neo

Elgato's stylish, budget-friendly Neo lineup of peripherals is designed to be plug-and-play, and the Wave Neo is a simple, standalone USB gaming mic with a sensitive tap-to-mute button, metal desktop stand, and an interchangeable pop filter.

It's a small, lightweight, and easy-to-use condenser mic with a cardioid polar pattern that records audio at a maximum sample rate of 96 kHz / 24-bit.

While you won't find hi-res audio like that on most budget mics (the Neo retails for just $89.99), this isn't really the mic I would recommend recording hi-res audio on in the first place. The Wave Neo makes you sound decent out of the box — vocals are warm and crisp — but don't really stand out aside from that. Also, the mute button on the front of the mic is far too sensitive, and the stand, while solid (it is made of metal) is still somehow pretty wobbly.

The Wave Neo is a nice-looking plug-and-play microphone, but there are better (and cheaper) budget options.

Read: Elgato Wave Neo Review

How We Test Gaming Mics

First, we inspect each mic's build quality, which takes into account size, weight, and the materials used. We consider the mic's overall design, including general aesthetic, on-mic controls (mute, gain, etc.), and whether it has a headphone jack for direct monitoring.

We also take a look at accessories, which should include a desktop mount and an adapter for attaching the mic to a boom arm. We look for sturdy, adjustable desktop stands and built-in shock mounts and pop filters.

We then use the mic in a variety of situations to assess performance, including voice chatting over several standard meeting/chat apps (Google Voice, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Discord), recording vocals, music, and silence via Microsoft's Sound Recorder app, and using the mic in virtual routing environments such as Rode's UNIFY software and SteelSeries' Sonar app.

We test each mic's ability to cancel out background noises using a variety of noises: typing (we test with both linear and clicky switches), fans, music, dogs barking, and general chatter. We also test each mic's mute feature (if applicable), to see if muting/unmuting the mic makes noise.

We first run our tests without installing software (unless a firmware update is critical) to see how the mic runs as a plug-and-play device. Then we install any bundled software and take a look at what settings (e.g. noise cancellation, EQ, etc.) can be changed.

We run our tests again with the software running to determine how well the mic can sound if you take the time to set it up. We think it's safe to assume that the majority of users looking at standalone USB gaming mics are going to use them with the software, so post-production effects and software tweaks do impact the final score.

Quick Shopping Tips

🎙Polar Pattern: The polar pattern describes the area around a mic where it picks up noise. Some gaming mics offer more than one polar pattern.

🎙Cardioid: The most common polar pattern; best suited for recording one person's vocals. Cardioid mics create a narrow cone around one side — the mic only picks up sound from that cone, blocking out the rest. Variations such as supercardioid or the more extreme hypercardioid pick up sound using even narrower cones.

🎙Bidirectional: Has two fields of polarity — one on either side of the mic. This is better for recording two voices simultaneously, though it's always better to use separate mics to record multiple voices, if possible.

🎙Omnidirectional: The opposite of cardioid — this polar pattern picks up sound from all directions, and is best for capturing room noise and ambient sounds such as reverb from a loud instrument. This isn't the best polar pattern for a gaming mic, but it can be used to record multiple voices in close proximity, if you're in a pinch.

🎙USB Mic or XLR Mic: USB-based gaming mics are not the only option for the streamer, competitive gamer, or home recording enthusiast who happens to play some Fortnite on the side. The other option is an XLR-based studio mic, which requires an audio interface. When used properly, studio mics offer higher quality and more versatile recordings, but don't have an ADC, a built-in digital-to-analog converter (DAC), or built-in noise suppression.

🎙Inline Monitoring: Many gaming microphones offer inline monitoring via a built-in headphone jack, which lets you hear the raw audio, lag-free, directly from the mic. Inline monitoring lets you hear exactly how you sound, so you don't end up accidentally shouting to be heard over background noise that's only on your end.

🎙Frequency Response Range: This tells you the lowest- and highest-pitched sounds the microphone membrane is capable of picking up. The baseline range for a decent mic is 20 Hz - 20,000 Hz — the limits of human hearing.

Some mics go beyond this, and while this may seem unnecessary because you can't hear the extra details they pick up, you can "feel" subharmonics within the low-end frequencies. (The same goes for the other end of the spectrum — you can't hear 22,000 Hz unless you're a Pomeranian, but you can "feel" the extra harmonic details in the high-end tones your ear does pick up.)

This is going to be more important for things like music recording than it is for streaming or podcasting, for obvious reasons.

Savings on the Best Gaming Microphones

Whether you're shopping for one of the best gaming microphones on our list above or a similar model, you may find savings by checking out our lists of Razer promo codes, Newegg promo codes or Best Buy promo codes.

At CES 2024, Asus got back in the microphone game with the Asus ROG Carnyx.  Asus is dubbing a "professional cardioid condenser gaming microphone" in its listing on, and the given specs (as well as our photos from the CES show floor below) certainly suit that description.

One standout feature of the Asus ROG Carnyx is its 24-bit, 192 kHz sampling rate. Our current best gaming microphone picks tend to trend much lower in sampling rate than this. The Rode NT-USB+ peaks at 48 kHz over 24 bits, for example, while the HyperX QuadCast S peaks at 48 kHz over 16 bits. The closest competition from our top picks is likely the Beyerdynamic FOX, but even that can only reach a 24-bit, 96 kHz sampling rate.

Besides the high sampling rate, the Asus ROG Carnyx boasts many premium features. These include a built-in pop filter, a metal shock mount to prevent audible mic rattle, and a "studio-grade" 25 mm condenser capsule. One of its best features versus some competition is a silent tap-to-mute button at the top of the mic— mics without touch-sensitive mute buttons tend to pick up noise when those buttons are used.

The ROG Carnyx also offers real-time monitoring via a headphone jack and a high-pass filter function for filtering noises below 80 Hz that most likely aren't speech. This function can also be disabled with the multi-function control knob, which also manages microphone volume and monitoring volume.

And of course, since this is an Asus ROG product, you can expect full compatibility with Asus Aura Sync RGB lighting, as well as the implementation of angular, refined design sensibilities in the mic stand.

This seems like a fairly feature-complete return to microphones for Asus ROG, and could mark them taking some top spots of their own once the unit actually releases. Pricing information is currently unknown, though, and that's an important factor in such a competitive market.

Rode has upgraded its popular PodMic with the almost identical (albeit, different-colored) Rode PodMic USB. The PodMic USB adds an internal DSP and, as its name implies, USB-C connectivity — alongside the existing XLR connectivity. Like the Rode NT1 5th Generation, which came out earlier this year, the PodMic USB has dual connectivity — expanding not only its functionality and user base, but also its price. 

The original PodMic has been a podcasting staple since it debuted in 2018, and it's not difficult to see why. The end-address dynamic XLR mic is built like a tank, tuned for vocals and podcasting, and is surprisingly affordable at just $99 — perfect for anyone looking to improve their audio setup on a budget. The new PodMic USB adds USB connectivity and the requisite internal DSP, which means you no longer need to go through an audio interface — which can be somewhat daunting if you're looking to upgrade your gaming or streaming mic — to connect to a PC, tablet, or phone.

USB connectivity means the PodMic USB is a great option if you think you might want to upgrade your audio in the future, or if you're just looking for something versatile that you can use in both the studio and on the go. But that extra functionality will cost you twice as much: the new PodMic USB is $199, which is not nearly as budget-friendly as $99.

Design of the PodMic USB

The PodMic USB comes in a very pretty matte black finish and it looks fantastic — this is one of my favorite microphones, aesthetically. It’s almost identical to the original PodMic, except it has an all-black finish (versus the original PodMic’s black-and-silver finish). I think both microphones look good, but if I had to choose I’d probably go for the new all-black finish — it just looks so professional. 

The PodMic USB feels very sturdy and well-made: a hefty weight of 1.9 pounds (900g) makes this microphone feel like it could be used as a small weapon. It measures 4.8 inches (123mm) long by 4.3 inches (110mm) wide, and is 4.2 inches (109mm) high, including the integrated swing mount.

The microphone comes with a great-looking windshield/pop filter made of foam and silicone, which keeps with the overall aesthetic and looks much better than the standard puffball pop filter. The only other item in the box is a 9.8-foot (3m) USB-C to USB-C cable for connecting the microphone to your PC. The mic also connects via XLR, but you’ll need to purchase an XLR cable separately.

The PodMic USB also has the original PodMic’s integrated swing mount design, which is fantastic for positioning the microphone to your liking. However, you will need to find or buy a stand or a boom arm separately for this mic, as there’s no stand included.

Specs

Audio Quality of the PodMic USB

The PodMic USB may look practically identical to its predecessor, but it's only the exterior that's similar. Inside the PodMic USB, Rode has overhauled the hardware and added extra (USB-C) connectivity — which makes it easier to use this mic in a variety of different situations, for either podcasting, streaming, or small studio setups.

The most noticeable difference is the inclusion of a USB-C connection alongside the traditional XLR output. With the XLR output, the PodMic USB needs a traditional 3-pin XLR interface to connect to or a mixer, but with the USB-C connection opens up the option of connecting straight to a computer — or even a smartphone or tablet, for compact recording setups.

The PodMic USB is an end-address microphone with a cardioid polar pattern. This means you need to speak into the end of the microphone and be relatively close to it in order to be heard. The end address orientation means it does a good job of separating out background noise, and the PodMic USB is a good choice if you're in an untreated room and don't want to worry about echo or background noise (such as typing sounds).

I found the PodMic USB to be very quiet at first — it performed better out-of-the-box over the USB-C connection (thanks to the ability to add a little extra gain to boost pickup). When testing via XLR I connected the PodMic USB to a mixing desk with a powerful pre-amp that helped to drive the microphone. The sound quality was nice and warm with a good balance between not having too much bottom and also not going too much toward the high end. I do prefer a little more bottom in my mics for either streaming or chatting on Discord, and I was able to easily play with the DSP settings to achieve the sound I liked on Rode Central when connected via USB-C.

While recording and testing, I was pleasantly surprised at how well the internal pop filter and shock mount in the Rode PodMic USB were able to reduce plosives and knock sounds from the boom arm being bashed by my clumsy appendages swinging about the desk. Plosives were pretty much non-existent right off the bat, and were a thing of the past when using the included silicon and foam windshield and tweaking the DSP. I was very impressed with how clean the recordings came out, and I received multiple comments from friends on Discord about how nice my voice sounded over the PodMic USB.

Features and Software of the PodMic USB

Rode incorporates its Revolution Preamp and APHEX DSP (digital sound processing) technology into the PodMic USB, and this really transforms the PodMic USB into an even better microphone for things like quick-setup podcasts and interviews. You can use the company’s Rode Central software to configure the onboard APHEX DSP, where you can alter a wide range of processing dials including high-pass filters, noise gates, compressors, gain, and top- and bottom-end filters. This lets you tweak the sound to your liking whether you’re recording or live-streaming.

There are no on-mic controls for configuring the DSP settings, but Rode has several software programs that give you varying degrees of control: Rode Central, Rode Connect, and Rode Unify. You’ll need to be connected to a PC via USB-C to access these software-based settings, but they’re saved to the hardware once configured.

The PodMic USB does have one on-mic control: a volume dial for adjusting the volume of the microphone’s zero latency 3.5mm headphone monitoring output. This dial’s functionality depends on how the microphone is connected. When the mic is connected via USB-C and you’re using the Rode Connect or Rode Unify software, you can press the dial inward to mute the mic. However, if you aren’t using the software and/or are connected via XLR, pressing the dial does nothing.

There are some quirks with the dual connectivity of this microphone — they aren’t breaking faults, just slight annoyances. Basically, the XLR output will not work while the USB-C cable is connected. Now, I can see why this is a thing, but it would be nice to be able to have both cables connected and be able to switch sources for the output. This is more of a personal preference, however, and doesn't really impede the functionality of the PodMic USB.

Bottom Line

The Rode PodMic USB not only adds USB-C connectivity alongside the XLR industry standard, it also adds internal hardware updates like Rode’s Revolution Preamp technology and APHEX DSP for excellent sound configuration options.

I love that any settings you make via Rode Connect over USB-C are saved directly to the microphone — so that you can take the PodMic USB with you without worrying about setting up the EQ for the mic every time you record.

However, I’m not a fan of having almost zero controls on the microphone itself — there are no dials for gain or any of the DSP settings. The only dial on the PodMic USB is for the volume control for the headset port, and everything else has to be adjusted via software on a PC/Mac or through a mixer.

The PodMic USB is a quality microphone with great sound, although I used the EQ to get my overall desired effect. The raw mic quality is still good, it just lacks a little bottom-end (but, also, sound is subjective). The PodMic USB is $199, which is twice the price of the original PodMic ($99), but still half the price of a microphone like the Shure SM7B ($399) — and you get a highly versatile, quality-sounding microphone for that money.

In 2018, Logitech acquired Blue Microphones and rolled the company's iconic mics — the Blue Snowball and the Blue Yeti — into its lineup. But it hasn't launched any truly new USB microphone designs until now. And while the original Blue mic designs were (and still are) some of the best gaming microphones around, the new models are even better.

The Logitech Yeti Orb is the soft successor to the Snowball. It is, as its name suggests, a round, ball-shaped USB condenser microphone with a cardioid polar pattern and a frequency response rate of 70 - 20,000 Hz. It ditches the Snowball's retro styling for something a little more modern, and features built-in customizable RGB lighting for streamer appeal (and to indicate recording status). And it comes with its own removable desktop stand. It retails for $59.99 — relatively budget-friendly — and comes with a month of free access to Streamlabs Ultra.

Design of the Yeti Orb

The Yeti Orb has a pretty simple design: it's a ball covered in charcoal gray mesh fabric and has a black plastic band around its midsection. At the top of the band is an RGB-infused Logitech G logo, which is set to light up different colors based on whether the microphone is recording or not (the little hood above the G lets you see the light's color when the microphone is facing away from you).

The microphone comes already mounted on a black plastic tripod desktop stand. It has two quarter-inch, 20 threaded mounting points, which let you mount it upright (it's a side-address mic) or tilted backward at a 45-degree angle. The microphone's USB-C port is located on the back of the mic. 

The included stand is a simple, sturdy matte-black plastic design,m with a base that rotates 360 degrees. It measures about 4.25 inches (107.95mm) tall, and the mic is another 3.5 inches (88.9mm), for a total height of 7.75 inches. It's not adjustable, minus the rotating, though the mic's two mounting points let you change angles. While the mic did a perfectly fine job of picking up my voice when I was sitting normally, I did find myself bending down to be closer to it out of instinct — I would have appreciated a little more height in the stand.

The stand isn't particularly heavy, but it has thick, squat little legs and it feels very sturdy. Logitech lists the mic and stand's combination weight at 8.11oz (230g); our review unit weighed closer to 7.87oz (223g). The microphone alone weighs around 4.22oz (119.5g) and has a circumference of 11 inches (279.4mm). That's about the size of a fastpitch softball (but it’s quite a bit lighter).

The Yeti Orb has no on-mic controls or ports (minus the USB-C port for power/connectivity). That's not terribly surprising given the mic's price point and overall design simplicity, but it would be nice to be able to mute the mic without software.

In the box, you'll find the Yeti Orb mic already attached (at a 45-degree angle) to the tripod stand, and a 6.5-foot (2m) USB-C to USB-A cable. The mic also comes with a code for a 30-day trial to Streamlabs Ultra, which costs $19/month (or $149/year).

Specifications

Performance of the Yeti Orb

The Yeti Orb is a side-address condenser microphone with one unidirectional (cardioid) polar pattern. It records audio at 24-bit / 48 kHz and has a frequency response range of 70 Hz - 20 kHz — wider than the Blue Snowball Ice, but not quite as wide as the standard 20 Hz - 20 kHz you'll find on most gaming microphones. 

The Yeti Orb performed very well for its price range, and its out-of-the-box performance was especially impressive. Vocals sounded full and relatively warm, and the mic did a good job of keeping popping plosives and hissing s-sounds to a minimum, without any software installed. I first plugged the Yeti Orb in hastily before a meeting, and my team thought I sounded fantastic. So, if you're looking for a literal plug-and-play mic, this is it.

You don't need to be right next to the Yeti Orb for it to pick up your voice, though in my experience, you'll probably still want to be... pretty close to it to get the best sound. 

The Yeti Orb did a good job of picking up the nuances of my voice when it was about a foot from my mouth (placed on my desk, on its stand, in front of my keyboard, with me sitting up straight). But it sounded better as I moved closer (read: hunched over because the stand is fairly short). The sweet spot seemed to be when I was around 4 - 5 inches away, so a slightly taller stand certainly would have helped. Also, while the microphone still picked up my voice well at 12 inches away, the pickup started to drop pretty noticeably beyond that. When I put the microphone on my desk behind my keyboard, or about 1.5 - 2 feet from my mouth, the pickup was much quieter and my voice sounded thin and echo-y. So you'll want to make sure this microphone is well-positioned for the best sound. 

The mic didn't do a great job of keeping out background noise without software intervention, and its cardioid polar pattern seemed a little wider than average in my testing. It does work with Logitech's Blue Vo!ce software, though, and you can get some decent noise reduction through that — but you should probably put your extra-loud keyboard away, regardless.

Features and Software of the Yeti Orb 

The Yeti Orb works with Logitech’s G Hub software, which you’ll need to use as the mic has no physical controls. For microphones, G Hub mainly consists of the Blue Vo!ce software, which is a real-time voice modulation software that lets you adjust how you sound when you’re streaming or recording. The software includes a three-band EQ and a high-pass filter, as well as noise reduction/noise gate, a compressor, and a de-esser and de-popper for signal cleanup. If you’re not sure what most of this means, no problem — the Blue Vo!ce software features several preset filters to help you get started.

In addition to presets that will make your voice sound clearer, warmer, or more broadcast-y, the Blue Vo!ce software also comes with more extreme vocal effects for when you want to completely change your voice, as well as a sampler library of sound effects to add color to your stream. (Since the Yeti Orb has no on-mic controls, you'll have to assign sample sounds to macro keys/hotkeys on other Logitech peripherals, however.)

You can also set the Yeti Orb's RGB lighting in G Hub, with different colors for when the mic is idle versus when it's recording. "Recording" just means when the microphone is in use, though — it won't change colors when the mic is muted, for example.

Bottom Line

If you're looking for a great-sounding microphone that you can just plug into your PC and start using, the Logitech Yeti Orb is a very strong option. It's dead-simple to set up and use and it sounds very, very good without any software or settings-tweaking. You will need to be pretty close to the mic to get the best sound from it, but the distance shouldn't be a problem in most setups. The Yeti Orb is a great choice for those looking to buy their first standalone USB gaming mic or those looking for an easy travel option (the mic is fairly compact and lightweight, but the tripod stand doesn't fold up so you may want to invest in a different stand for travel). 

If you're more than just a casual gamer/streamer/meeting attendee and you're looking to further your setup, the Yeti Orb will probably be a little too basic, as it only has one polar pattern and no on-mic ports or controls. It sounds great for its $59.99 price tag, but you can find more versatile mics with better sound and more features once you near the $100 mark. 

For example, one of our all-time favorites, the HyperX QuadCast S, frequently dips to under $120 these days and has four polar patterns, a great shock mount, and an incredibly useful and intuitive on-mic mute button. But if you're looking to dip your toes in the standalone microphone game (and you should, because even an entry-level standalone mic will level up your audio significantly), the Logitech Yeti Orb is a good mic at a great price.

The best gaming microphones aren't even gaming microphones, according to SteelSeries (okay, that's kind of true — they're mostly not). SteelSeries is here to fix that with its newest product lineup of microphones "purposely built for gamers," the Alias (and the Alias Pro). 

The Alias is a USB condenser microphone featuring a large, one-inch condenser capsule with a cardioid polar pattern, a 50 Hz - 20,000 Hz frequency response, and 24-bit / 48 kHz recording. It has on-mic controls for mute, gain, volume, and a 3.5mm headphone jack for monitoring, as well as a five-step LED indicator that helps monitor peak levels. It comes on a custom shock mount and includes a sturdy desktop stand As for what makes it "purposely built for gamers," well... I'm not entirely sure, because it doesn't seem to be significantly more gamer-friendly than most of the gaming mics we've tested.

SteelSeries is "officially" launching the latest addition to its Sonar software suite, Sonar for Streamers, alongside the Alias line. So maybe that's what makes it more gamer-friendly. Sonar for Streamers adds virtual audio routing and mixing to the Sonar software suite, so content creators can route hardware, apps, and create submixes for streams and games — similar to Rode's Unify software (which launched with the Rode X lineup of microphones aimed at... streamers and gamers). 

Anyway, I digress. The Alias is actually a very good USB microphone — it has all the on-mic controls you need, comes with a great shock mount, and it sounds great — it's just not as unique as SteelSeries seems to think it is. And with its MSRP of $179.99, it's also not as cheap as some of its similar counterparts.

Design of the Alias

The Alias looks similar to its pricier XLR-sibling, the Alias Pro — only with on-mic controls, built-in lighting, and, of course, USB-C connectivity. The microphone is a long, pill-shaped capsule with a black plastic casing and charcoal-colored fabric covering the grille. It measures approximately 7.75 inches (196.85mm) long by 2.25 inches (57.15mm) wide, and is about 1.75 inches (44.45mm) deep, not including the shock mount and stand.

The Alias comes with a custom metal shock mount, which is pre-attached to a sturdy desktop stand. While the shock mount is made of metal, the stand is made of plastic — but it's a solid, well-built stand with a circular base featuring anti-slip rubber lining. In my testing, the shock mount and stand combo did an excellent job of reducing desk vibrations from activities such as aggressive typing — noticeably better than flimsier stands, such as the tripod stand bundled with the Rode NT-USB+. For those who prefer to mount their microphone, the box also includes a boom arm adapter (supporting both 3/8" and 5/8" threads).

SteelSeries lists the Alias' weight at 1.65 pounds (750g) with the stand and 7.23 ounces (205g) without the stand or shock mount. Realistically, most users aren't going to use this mic without the shock mount, though, so it's worth pointing out that the shock mount weighs about 6.88 ounces (195g) — almost as much as the mic weighs by itself. The stand's back arm is cut out to allow for cable pass-through and has tilt-adjustability so you can angle the mic toward your face. 

The stand measures about 4.5 inches (114mm) tall, or 9.05 inches (230mm) tall with the microphone attached. Its circular base is 4.33 inches (110mm) in diameter, but the arm juts out slightly past the back — so the total dimensions of the mic and stand together are 9.05 inches (230mm) tall by 4.33 inches (110mm) wide by 5.12 inches (130mm) deep. The microphone itself is relatively slim, but it has an average-sized footprint when you include the shock mount and stand. But it's definitely smaller and lighter than the Logitech Blue Yeti X, and sleeker-looking than the HyperX Quadcast S.

The front of the Alias features a black plastic tab with a volume dial at the bottom (for controlling headphone volume), SteelSeries' logo (printed in light, silvery gray) in the middle, and an indented, touch-sensitive mute button at the top. I didn't find the mute button to be as sensitive as the touch-sensitive mute buttons on HyperX's microphones, nor did I find it to be as convenient. The mute button on the Alias was smaller and required slightly more maneuvering to tap, and it didn't always work the first time — but this was a pretty minor issue overall, as it still ended up working very well (on the second tap, anyway), without making any audible sound on my recordings.  

On the back of the microphone there's another dial, just above the shock mount, for adjusting gain. Just below the shock mount you'll find the mic's USB-C port, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack for mic monitoring.

About an inch above the mute button, the Alias features a five-stage LED indicator for tracking peak levels, which switches to a red 'X' when the microphone is muted. The Alias also features down-facing RGB on the bottom of the mic, which can be configured in SteelSeries' GG software for extra ambient glow.

In addition to the shock mount, stand, and boom arm adapter, the Alias also comes with a six-foot (2m) USB-C to USB-A cable for connecting to your PC. 

Specs

Performance of the Alias 

The Alias is a side-address USB microphone featuring a large, custom-designed one-inch (25mm) condenser capsule with a cardioid polar pattern. It records 24-bit / 48 kHz audio and has a frequency response of 50 Hz - 20,000 Hz, which isn't quite as wide as most of the best gaming mics we've tested — but the Alias didn't seem to suffer much for this, so I'll let it slide.

Vocals actually sounded great on the Alias — full, detailed, and clear, with very low self noise. The cardioid polar pattern still picked up enough background noise (typing, dogs, traffic, etc.) to where you'd probably want to use some software-based noise cancellation in noisier environments, but I was impressed with how clean the recording sounded without routing it through SteelSeries' Sonar software. As I mentioned earlier, the shock mount and stand combo also did a great job of keeping vibrations to a minimum and giving the mic a deeper, fuller sound. 

I didn't make much use of the LED monitoring (other than using it as a visual warning that the mic was picking up sound — which definitely isn't a bad thing, mind you). But between the LEDs and the zero-latency monitoring through the headphone jack, there's no reason your levels shouldn't be solidly under control while using this mic. 

Features & Software of the Alias

To support the new Alias lineup, SteelSeries is officially launching the newest feature of its Sonar audio software: "Sonar for Streamers." Sonar for Streamers isn't a separate program — it's a toggleable feature in Sonar, which is part of the SteelSeries GG software. Sonar for Streamers is a virtual audio routing and mixing tool — similar to Rode Unify — that lets you route hardware and apps, create submixes, and tune everything using Sonar's 10-band parametric EQ. 

Sonar for Streamers doesn't seem to be any more complicated to work with than similar audio mixing software, though I do wish these programs would stop incessantly trying to take full control over my sound mixer (and, yes, I understand why they're set up this way). So long as you're only using one such program and you're willing to take the time to set everything up to your liking, you shouldn't have too many issues. My one issue with Sonar for Streamers, however, was the mic monitoring latency — which persisted as long as I had the "Streamer Mode" turned on in Sonar, even if I had manually changed my inputs/outputs. 

You can also use SteelSeries GG software to change the microphone's lighting — both the LEDs and the down-facing RGB lighting can be customized, though you'll have to change the LEDs in the Engine and the RGB lighting using Prism. If this sounds unnecessarily complicated that's because it is; SteelSeries' Engine and Prism are basically in the same part of the GG software but they're separate... tabs? Programs? I'm not entirely sure. But Prism is sort of like Razer's Chroma, in that it lets you sync up all of your SteelSeries peripheral lighting. 

Bottom Line

The Alias is a very nice plug-and-play microphone — in fact, it's probably better if you plug-and-play and don't bother with the software. It sounds great, has all the on-mic controls you could ever want, and comes with a solid shock mount and desktop stand. And while its specs are on par with many of the best gaming mics — 24-bit / 48 kHz polar pattern, side-address condenser capsule, cardioid polar pattern,  that also means SteelSeries isn't doing much here to set itself apart. 

The Rode NT-USB+ also sounds great and is an easy plug-and-play USB mic, and its starting price is $10 lower than the Alias' (and you can find it for even less). The HyperX Quadcast S has four polar patterns to the Alias' one and can be found for around $120 on sale — it only records audio in 16-bit / 48 kHz, but the cheaper HyperX DuoCast records audio in 24-bit / 96 kHz (and has two polar patterns, which is still one more than the Alias' one).  

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The Rode NT1 is a classic: first released in the early 90s, the NT1 was Rode’s (then Freedman Electronics) first microphone. It was allegedly so popular that its sales were said to have taken off “like a rat up a drainpipe,” earning it the nickname “Rodent-1” — which was then changed to “RØDE NT1.” This unverified story of how the brand got its name is quite possibly apocryphal, but it doesn’t change the fact that the NT1 has been a popular studio mic for over three decades. 

But when you’re looking for the best gaming microphone, a studio mic probably isn’t your first choice. Studio mics are generally analog-only, which means you’ll need an audio interface to use them with your PC. 

Rode’s newest NT1 — the NT1 5th Generation — is the brand’s first microphone with dual-connectivity, which is cleverly implemented: tucked inside the mic’s XLR connector is a USB-C port. Turning a studio mic into a USB mic involves more than just an added port, of course, and the NT1 5th Generation has its own audio interface and digital signal processor (DSP) for high-resolution (24-bit/192 kHz) recording. It also features 32-bit float recording, which allows for virtually unclippable audio (though you’ll need a DAW that supports this). The NT1 5th Generation is available in both black and silver.

Design of the NT1 5th Generation

The NT1 5th Generation looks similar to its predecessors. It has a machined aluminum body in a matte black finish (it also comes in silver), with an internally shock-mounted HF6 capsule under a silver mesh grille. It measures 7.44 inches (189mm) tall with a diameter of 2.05 inches (52mm). 

Like most of Rode’s microphones, the NT1 5th Generation feels robust and well-built, though it weighs less than it looks. The microphone alone weighs 10.86 ounces (308g), which is lighter than both the Rode NT-USB+ (1.2lbs/540g) as well as the compact Rode X XCM-50 (1.08lbs/492g).

The NT1 5th Generation is a side-address cardioid microphone, so positioning matters: the mic sits vertically and you speak into one side of it. The side you speak into is indicated by a small gold dot on the mic’s neck (this isn’t otherwise readily apparent, as Rode’s logo and the mic’s name are printed on the other side).

The NT1 5th Generation is a dual-connect mic that supports both XLR (analog) and USB-C connectivity, and the bottom of the mic features an XLR connector with a built-in USB-C port. You do need a pretty slim USB-C cable to fit next to the XLR prongs (luckily, Rode includes one).

The mic is pretty simple, overall, with no onboard controls for gain, volume, or mute, and no headphone jack for direct zero-latency monitoring. This isn’t too surprising for an XLR mic (which is what the NT1 has been, up until this generation), which plugs into an audio interface. But many USB mics do have these features — if you’re not planning on switching to an audio interface eventually, you may find the lack of controls frustrating.

The NT1 5th Generation comes with several accessories in the box, including Rode’s SM6 studio microphone suspension shock mount kit ($59 if purchased separately), which features a detachable pop filter. You also get a 9.8-foot (3m) USB-C to USB-C cable, a (bright red) 20-foot (6m) XLR cable, a dust cover, and a wavy blue “XLR ring,” which goes inside the mic’s plug to help secure loose third-party XLR cables.

The shock mount measures about 5.25 inches (133mm) in diameter and is approximately 8.27 inches (210mm) deep. The pop filter is 5.25 inches (133mm) in diameter and attaches to the front of the shock mount, sitting around 2.5 inches (63.5mm) in front of the mic. It has two axes of adjustment and a telescoping arm, which extends for a total height of 10 inches (254mm). The shock mount and pop filter are primarily made of metal and add an extra 1.5 pounds (682g)) to the mic’s weight.

The shock mount is designed to attach to a boom arm or a microphone stand, but the mic does not include a desktop stand. It’s probably worth investing in a boom arm if you’re thinking about upgrading your audio setup anyway, but — if you’re not quite there yet — there are plenty of USB mics on our list of best gaming microphones that come with desktop stands.

Specs

Performance of the NT1 5th Generation

The Rode NT1 5th Generation is a large-diaphragm condenser microphone with a side-address cardioid polar pattern. It has a wide frequency response of 20 Hz - 20,000 Hz, and it records audio in 24-bit as well as 32-bit float (more on this in a moment) at sampling rates of 48, 96, and 192 kHz. This puts its recording quality well above most gaming microphones, which top out at 24-bit/96 kHz (and that’s only a few). 

One of the most notable new features of the NT1 5th Generation is its ability to record 32-bit float audio, which allows for a significantly larger dynamic range than standard 16- or 24-bit audio. The dynamic range of 32-bit float audio is so large that it virtually eradicates clipping, which is a type of waveform distortion that happens when audio is too loud. (“Virtually,” because there are multiple reasons for clipping — not all can be avoided by recording in32-bit float.) This means that the NT1 5th Generation will be able to capture audio at any volume level without distortion, making it ideal for situations where there might be unexpected spikes in volume (such as live events). 

Dynamic range is not the same as resolution, which corresponds to bit-depth. Bit-depth refers to the number of bits of information an audio sample has, or the number of amplitude levels it can capture. The theoretical maximum bit-depth can be calculated by raising 2 to the power of [number of bits] — 16-bit audio can have at most 65,536 steps (2^16), 24-bit audio can have 16,777,216 steps (2^24), and 32-bit audio can have 4,294,967,296 steps. 

The dynamic range is based on the difference between the loudest and softest signal that the mic can record, and this is much larger in 32-bit float than it would be in standard 32-bit. This is because 32-bit float is coded differently — instead of being coded as a fixed point number, it’s coded as a 24-bit number (well, actually, 1 bit indicates sign and 23 bits are for the fraction) with an 8-bit exponent. This doesn’t change the maximum bit-depth or resolution, but it does change the dynamic range. Recording in 32-bit float is useful in some situations, but it’s not objectively better than recording in standard 24-bit in most situations — especially for gamers, streamers, and podcasters in a controlled environment.

The NT1 5th Generation has the same HF6 condenser capsule as its 4th-gen predecessor, so it hasn’t changed much in terms of sound. It was, and still is, a great-sounding mic, especially for vocals: it’s crisp and clear, with a warm lean and a decent amount of depth. You’ll need to be careful with positioning, however, because getting too close quickly results in too much depth (proximity effect), and the mic has a fairly tight cardioid polar pattern.

Features and Software of the NT1 5th Generation

The NT1 5th Generation works well as a plug-and-play device, and it doesn’t require any software to run. It works with three of Rode’s apps: Rode Central, Rode Connect, and the recently-released Rode Unify. You don’t need to download all of these apps, as all will let you adjust the NT1 5th Generation’s advanced DSP settings. Rode Central is just for adjusting DSP settings (and updating firmware), while Rode Connect and Rode Unify include recording and channel mixing tools.

Rode’s apps let you access the NT1 5th Generation’s advanced DSP settings, which include a compressor, a high pass filter, noise gate, and Aphex enhancements “aural exciter” and “big bottom.” In addition to toggling these settings, you can also fine-tune them at a granular level (which you can’t do with Rode’s NT-USB+).

This is, of course, only applicable when the mic is plugged in via USB; none of this applies if you’re using it with an analog XLR connection.

Bottom Line

The Rode NT1 5th Generation is an excellent mic, but so were its predecessors. The big change — and it’s pretty big — is that the formerly XLR-only NT1 is now a USB-C mic that can record 32-bit float audio. I’m not sure how many users need dual connectivity on a mic, but it might be tempting for someone who’s looking to move into a more professional audio setup (though you could also just buy two mics). I want to love the NT1 5th Generation as a plug-and-play USB mic, but it doesn’t have most of the features USB mics come with, such as gain control and an on-mic headphone jack — not an issue if you use it as an analog mic with an audio interface, but not my first choice for a USB mic.

The NT1 5th Generation’s ability to record 32-bit float audio is unique on this type of mic, but it’s not something the average person has much use for. Remember, dynamic range is about volume, not resolution. 32-bit float is most necessary in situations where volume levels are unpredictable, e.g., live concerts, or journalists in warzones — not streaming by yourself (depending on the streamer, I guess).

The NT1 5th Generation is a great mic and it’s very versatile, but most users don’t need that much versatility. The Rode NT-USB+ is an excellent USB mic with on-mic controls that costs $100 less, while the Rode PodMic is a solid XLR mic for just $99, and you could buy both for the price of the NT1 5th Generation. Of course, if you’re looking to record in 32-bit float, this is a fairly budget-friendly option.

HyperX is no stranger to the world of gaming microphones. Its HyperX QuadCast currently holds the top spot on our list of the best gaming microphones, and has since released multiple iterations, like the QuadCast S and DuoCast. It was only a matter of time before HyperX tried its hand at an XLR microphone to target streamers and content creators clamoring for a more professional audio solution. 

The time has finally arrived. I’ve spent the last two weeks with the XLR-powered HyperX ProCast, a side-address cardioid condenser microphone designed with more serious creators in mind. It features a rich, natural sound, sturdy build, a built-in high-pass filter and -10dB pad, and useful accessories like a shock mount and pop filter. It’s a decent microphone, but at $249 it’s much too expensive to actually recommend buying.

HyperX ProCast Specs

Design of the HyperX ProCast

The ProCast is immediately recognizable as a HyperX microphone. Like the QuadCast and QuadCast S, it features a tall, cylindrical design with a honeycomb grille that takes up most of its upper half. It lacks some of the visual pizazz of those microphones, lacking colored lighting (which isn’t possible over XLR) or much color outside of the red suspension bands on the shock mount. It’s a bit boring, honestly.

The mic feels sturdy in the hand thanks to its all-metal body, but it doesn’t feel like it could survive a fall. At 0.83 pounds (376 grams), it’s surprisingly light, and even with its metal cage, the capsule inside floats on a narrow stem that could easily get damaged from a good bang. It’s designed to go right on a stand (sold separately) and stay there.

You’re not likely to be doing gymnastics holding your XLR mic, so what really matters is the technology inside the chassis. The ProCast is a large diaphragm condenser mic. (The diaphragm is the circular disc mounted inside the grille that actually captures the sound). Large diaphragms are more expensive to manufacture but can also deliver better, richer recordings, which is exactly why they’re found in recording studios around the world. Side by side, the ProCast delivers a noticeably fuller sound than the small-diaphragm Blue Yeti, for example.

When it comes to specs, the capsule is able to capture the full range of human hearing: 20Hz to 20,000Hz. It’s quite quiet with a signal to noise ratio of 75dB and has a wide dynamic range of 123dB. The maximum sound input level is 140dB, loud enough where you’ll need earplugs to prevent hearing loss. The sensitivity is -38 dbV/Pa, however, which means it will pick up just about any surrounding noise in your room.

It uses a cardioid pick-up pattern and is built for side-address. That means you’ll be talking into its face versus the end of the cylinder like a traditional broadcast microphone. That polar pattern focuses pick-up directly in front of the mic, so sounds coming from the back and sides are quieter and sound thinner. It’s not a good fit for recording interviews or multiple hosts talking across a table, but is perfect for single-host podcasts and streaming to Twitch or YouTube.

One of the benefits the ProCast offers is its very natural, true-to-life sound. To accomplish that, it’s tuned to be quite sensitive to surrounding noise. Your keyboard and noisey roommates won’t be as loud as your voice, but they’ll still be audible and make their way onto your stream or podcast. Most people won’t need to worry about sound treating your room with this mic, but if you have a lot of reflective surfaces or your recording space is naturally echoey, its reflections could still make their way into the mic.

Around the back of the microphone, HyperX has included a pair of switches that adjust the sound and sensitivity of the ProCast’s capsule. One switch acts as a -10dB “pad,” which is audio-speak for volume reduction. Turn it on and your loud source instantly comes through -10dB quieter. 

The second switch enables an 80Hz high-pass filter, which cuts low frequencies below 80Hz. If you have a naturally deep voice, it helps to remove some of the extra boominess you may be experiencing. It can also help filter out any low droning sounds in the background, like an HVAC system, but it didn’t do anything for the fans on my PC.

At $249, it’s an expensive gaming microphone, but HyperX does increase value by providing a shock mount and pop filter right in the box. The shock mount is screwed directly to the microphone, but works pretty well at isolating the mic from minor vibrations and bumps. The pop filter is a simple metal mesh but also works quite well to block plosives.

The ProCast doesn’t come with any kind of stand like HyperX’s other microphones, so you’ll need to purchase one separately. The shock mount comes with 5/8-inch threading but doesn’t include a 5/8-to-3/8-inch adapter and may not work with all stands. Since most aftermarket mounts include one in the box, it shouldn’t be an issue, but you’ll definitely want to double check before ordering a desk stand or boom arm to make sure it will fit.

And, like all XLR microphones, you’ll need an audio interface in order to connect it to your PC. For my purposes, I used the Elgato Wave XLR but it also worked fine with my RodeCaster Pro 2 and Presonus Studio 26c. The mic requires 48V of phantom power to run but isn’t gain hungry, so even budget-friendly audio interfaces should work well with it.

Sound Quality on the HyperX ProCast

The sound on the ProCast is the star of the show. HyperX’s microphones have always impressed with their recording quality and that continues to be the case here. Over the two weeks I spent with it, I tested it with everything from isolated test recordings in Audacity, to gaming with friends, calls over Discord, virtual conference calls, and even recording acoustic guitar. The ProCast managed to sound good through all of it. 

The large diaphragm did a great job of picking up on the lower frequencies in my voice. I don’t have a natural radio voice and often have to speak very close to it to get enough bass presence. Here, I was able to sit back a few inches and still have the same full, natural sound I need for recording work. When I did lean in, the microphone didn’t become boomy with too much proximity effect.

I was surprised to find that the high-pass filter had an audible effect on my voice without also making it sound thin. It cut out some of the lows but left the recording sounding a bit more “clean” instead of anemic. 

The pad, on the other hand, I didn’t find much use for. In a normal recording setting for streaming, I just didn’t find much use for it. Simply adjusting the volume on my interface was enough and made the pad an unnecessary extra. It works: testing in Audacity made it clear. So, if you do want to mic a guitar cabinet or drum set, it’s a nice value-add. 

I was also impressed by just how quiet the mic was. Setting my levels to capture my voice at a standard -12dB, there was hardly any audible noise coming through. That low noise floor makes it easier to hear tiny details and to create more true-to-life, high-resolution recordings. 

What wasn’t so great is off-axis noise rejection. The cardioid pattern tries to isolate sounds coming from directly in front of the microphone (and a very small window behind it due to how the technology works). Sounds coming from the back and sides are thinner and a bit quieter but still come through very easily. 

That design can be a good thing if you don’t want the mic directly in front of your mouth. For streaming, being a little off-position is common and the ProCast is forgiving of that. At the same time, every click of my mouse and clack of my keyboard made their way through into my recordings. The same was true of my case fans, especially when the CPU cooler would kick into high gear while benchmarking. 

The ProCast is a great sounding microphone but it works best in very quiet environments. 

Sound Sample for the HyperX ProCast

Have a listen to how it sounds below.

The HyperX ProCast doesn’t lose points for sound quality. There, like the original QuadCast, it impresses. The problem is that it’s just not good enough to justify its $249 cost of entry. At the current MSRP, it faces stiff competition from devices that also offer great recording quality, sometimes for much less.

The first mic that came to mind conducting this review was the Neat King Bee II.  At $170, it offers even better sound quality, more robust construction, and a much more unique look. The Blue Spark SL is easily on par with the ProCast in sound quality, feels more premium, and costs $50 less. If you don’t mind swapping to a dynamic microphone (which is probably better for most home streamers anyway), the Shure MV7 is another excellent alternative that offers far more features: USB or XLR connectivity, touch controls, automatic gain sensing, app support, and much better noise rejection.

With all of that in mind, it’s not that the HyperX ProCast is bad, it’s just a bit bland, feels too light in the hand, and demands a premium because… well, I’m not exactly sure why. At $150 or even $180, this microphone would be worth considering. At $250, it’s just not.

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Australian microphone brand Rode has decided to make a play for a spot on our list of best gaming microphones — under its brand new gaming and streaming division, Rode X. Rode X launched last month with two USB mics — the XCM-50 and the XDM-100 — both of which sport familiar designs (but in gamer-friendly black and red). 

The Rode X XCM-50 is a compact condenser mic that takes its outer aesthetic from the Rode NT-USB Mini. This small, sturdy side-address cardioid mic features a full-range 20 - 20,000 Hz frequency response, records 24-bit/48 kHz audio, and sounds great out of the box. It has a built-in swing mount and can be mounted on a boom arm, though it also comes bundled with Rode’s premium Tripod 2. 

For its Rode X update, the $149 XCM-50 has had its capsule “tuned” for streaming and gaming, and it also has a powerful internal DSP that allows for advanced audio processing, which can be controlled in the new Rode X Unify software. Unify is Rode’s virtual answer to audio mixing and processing — it’s basically a software version of the Rodecaster Pro II — and it comes bundled with all Rode X products. 

Design of Rode XCM-50

The Rode X XCM-50 is a small-but-mighty condenser USB microphone with a built-in pop filter and 360-degree swing mount. It’s compact and simple, housed in a black and red chassis consisting mostly of metal (and some plastic). Including the swing mount, the mic measures 4.65 inches (118 mm) tall, 2.44 inches (62 mm) wide and 1.65-inches (42 mm) deep.

Despite having a smaller footprint than the average smartphone, the XCM-50 weighs just over one pound (1.08 pounds / 492 grams) — this mic is built like a tank. On the front of the XCM-50, you’ll find two status lights and a headphone volume dial. On the back, there’s a 3.5 mm headphone output for zero-latency monitoring, as well as a USB-C port for power and device connection.

The dial on the front of the mic is clickable and toggles the mic’s zero-latency monitoring mode (indicated by the first status light).

If you’ve looked through Rode’s catalog before, the XCM-50 might look familiar — very familiar, as it is almost identical to the Rode NT-USB Mini. In fact, the only visual difference between the XCM-50 and the NT-USB Mini are the XCM-50’s red accents (even the X on the XCM-50 looks slapped on after the fact).

But while the XCM-50 and NT-USB Mini may look similar on the inside, they’re different on the inside. The mic capsule on the XCM-50 has been “tuned” for streaming and gaming. The XCM-50 also houses a “much more powerful” digital signal processing chip, which will unlock a “new world” of processing, according to Rode — at the moment, this means advanced Aphex audio processing, but the company says it may add more functionality in the future.

The Rode X XCM-50 ditches the NT-USB Mini’s static magnetic base and comes packaged with the Rode Tripod 2, which has a 1/4-inch to 3/8-inch thread adapter that attaches to the XCM-50’s swing mount. 

The Tripod 2 has long, sturdy legs that spread into a wide base — a little too wide for the average desktop setup (with an approx. diameter of 9 inches/23 cm), but you can also twist the section right above the legs for a higher locking position (approx. diameter: 7.25 inches / 18.4 cm). When folded, the legs form a comfortable, ergonomic handheld grip.

The XCM-50 also comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable and a headphone extension cable, both of which are 9.8 feet (3 meters) long.

Specs of Rode X XCM-50

Performance of the XCM-50

The Rode X XCM-50 is a condenser microphone with a tight cardioid polar pattern. Like the NT-USB Mini, the XCM-50 records 24-bit/48 kHz audio and has a frequency response rate of 20 - 20,000 Hz. It’s largely designed to be plug-and-play, with an on-mic headphone output for zero-latency audio monitoring and playback (plus a volume dial), and a capsule “tuned” for streamers. It comes with access to Rode’s new Rode X Unify software, but this mic works perfectly out of the box, no software necessary.

Vocals on the XCM-50 sound excellent — natural, warm, and full. The condenser capsule picks up nuance and detail without getting too gritty, and the mic has an internal pop filter that does a pretty good job of reducing plosives.

Rode says the XCM-50 has been “tuned” for gaming and streaming, but didn’t elaborate on what, exactly, this means. Raw recordings on the XCM-50 did sound different from raw recordings on the NT-USB Mini; the difference isn’t huge, but it’s there. 

The most notable difference was that the XCM-50 picked up more volume — while retaining a relatively low noise floor — than the NT-USB Mini. (This may be partly due to the NT-USB Mini’s included desktop stand, which, while sturdy, places the microphone very low on your desk.)

The Rode XCM-50 can be a little finicky when it comes to connection ports. A handful of times during my testing, it stopped working abruptly and I was unable to get my PC to recognize it. 

This seemed to be an issue with either the port it was plugged into or perhaps the number of USB devices I had plugged into my PC overall (...a lot). This was easily fixed with a restart and some cable shuffling, and it didn’t happen too frequently — but it happened more than once, so it’s worth noting.

Features and Software of Rode X XCM-50

One of the most streamer and gamer-oriented features of the XCM-50 is its bundled access to Rode X Unify, Rode’s new audio mixing and processing software. All Rode X products include lifetime access to Unify, which can also be purchased as a separate subscription ($5/month, $45/year) if you want to use it with different devices (including regular Rode devices that are not part of the Rode X line).

Unify is a virtual mixing deck that lets you connect, route, and control multiple audio sources (virtual and not). Unify lets you connect up to four microphones (or other audio input devices) and control six virtual audio interfaces (system, chat, music, game, browser and virtual), which it creates on your PC.

Once you’ve set up the virtual interfaces (via the volume mixer in the Windows’ Sound Settings menu) and connected your devices, you can use Unify to fine-tune the balance of your audio sources. 

You can create multiple sub-mixes and assign them to different outputs — e.g., stream, headphones, chat. This is useful if you want your stream audience to hear some elements, such as your voice and your game audio, but not others, like your team chat.

Unify looks and operates like a virtual version of the Rodecaster Pro II (Rode’s multi-channel audio mixer and one-stop podcasting device). Its main screen has channel mixers on the left and a scroll-through bank of buttons (eight buttons across eight pages, 64 total) on the right. 

The buttons can be programmed to play sound effects (which can be loaded or recorded) or toggle voice effects. The first eight buttons are pre-programmed with basic sound effects including applause, laughter, crickets and more.

Thanks to its internal DSP, the XCM-50 can also access advanced Aphex audio processing through Unify. This includes a compressor, noise gate, high-pass filter, and Aphex’s “legendary” Aural Exciter and Big Boom enhancements. Unify grants you granular control over each of the parameters within these processors, so you can create the perfect custom sound.

Unify does a pretty good job of streamlining multiple audio sources in a virtual mixing deck, with sub-mixes, sound effects, and advanced audio processing. It also has a built-in recorder and supports multi-track recording. It can’t replace the hardware elements of the Rodecaster Pro II, but it’s a pretty powerful app for streamers and gamers looking to level up their audio with mixing and processing.

The software isn’t immediately intuitive, even if you’ve used the Rodecaster Pro II or other hardware decks previously. You’ll probably need to take a look (or three) at the user guide and video walkthroughs to get everything set up. But once it’s configured, it works pretty seamlessly.

Bottom Line

The Rode X XCM-50 is a more impressive update to the Rode NT-USB Mini than its minimal redesign suggests. It’s an excellent USB gaming microphone for beginners, producing full, natural vocals out of the box, and it offers plenty of advanced features for professionals, thanks to its internal DSP and bundled access to Rode’s Unify software. 

At $149, the XCM-50 is on the pricier side, but it at least feels worth it with its solid, study build and premium accessories (extra-long cables and a versatile tripod mount). Plus it’s compact, making it perfect for traveling (or small desks).

Rode’s NT-USB microphone is a solid, great-sounding condenser microphone — but it was first released in 2014 and is definitely overdue for an update (it uses a USB-B cable). Enter: the Rode NT-USB+.

The NT-USB+ retains the NT-USB’s sturdy, professional design on the outside and adds some pretty impressive updates — such as enhanced circuitry, Rode’s Revolution Preamp technology, and an internal DSP — on the inside. (Oh, and it also has a USB-C port.) The Rode NT-USB+ comes with a detachable pop shield and a tripod desktop stand, and features a headphone jack for direct, zero-latency monitoring. It’s one of the better-sounding USB microphones we’ve heard, and is a solid contender for our list of best gaming mics.

The NT-USB+ is available now for $169.

 Design of the NT-USB+ 

The NT-USB+ is almost identical in design to the original NT-USB. The NT-USB+ is housed in a solid, black metal body with Rode’s logo printed neatly across the front in light silver. Under the mic’s black metal mesh grille is a blue mesh internal pop filter — the blue is the biggest aesthetic difference between the NT-USB+ and the NT-USB.

On the right side of the mic, there’s a 3.5mm high-power headphone output for zero-latency monitoring, as well as two dials to control mix (between the mic’s direct output and your PC’s playback) and headphone volume level.

The NT-USB+ comes with a 9.8-foot (3m) USB-C to USB-C cable, which attaches to the USB-C port on the bottom of the mic. It also comes with a detachable pop shield — a rounded metal screen with a plastic frame that sits about one inch in front of the mic — as well as a black tripod stand.

The stand is plastic — relatively sturdy but pretty lightweight, and it definitely has the potential to tip over if you’re not careful. It does an adequate job of holding the mic up, once balanced, however. With no heft or padding, it also doesn’t do much to dampen desktop noise, though it’s not much worse than most desktop stands. The mic comes with a detachable ring mount that can be easily mounted on a boom arm (or a different stand).

Specs

Performance of the NT-USB+

The NT-USB+ is a side-address USB microphone with a cardioid polar pattern. It records 24-bit/48 kHz audio — a step up from the NT-USB’s 16-bit bit depth — and has a frequency response of 20 - 20,000 Hz. It’s USB-C powered and features a headphone jack for direct, zero-latency monitoring. The mic works well as a plug-and-play device, though it doesn’t have on-mic gain control or a mute button/switch.

The NT-USB+ produces excellent vocals — rich and detailed, with a solid low end and very little self noise. It features Rode’s ultra-low-noise, high-gain Revolution Preamp technology, which allows it to pick up louder, cleaner, crisper audio with a lower noise floor, and the difference is definitely audible.

One of the issues I’ve found with the NT-USB is that its gain is pretty high and it has trouble recording audio from louder sources, such as instruments, without clipping. While this isn’t as much of an issue for streaming, gaming, or video conferencing, it’s worth noting if you’re looking for a mic that can be used beyond the PC. The NT-USB+ does better with this, but it’s still not amazing — and it would be nice to see an on-mic gain control to help with balancing.

Features and Software of the NT-USB+

The NT-USB+ is largely plug-and-play, but it does feature an internal DSP that allows for advanced audio processing — which can be activated using a number of Rode apps, including Rode Central (the brand’s mic companion app), Rode Connect (the brand’s free podcasting and streaming software), and the newly released Rode X Unify software.

At the moment, the compressor, noise gate, high pass filter, and Aphex enhancements (“aural exciter” and “big bottom”) can be unlocked but cannot be adjusted or otherwise configured like the brand’s new Rode X microphones.

Bottom Line

The Rode NT-USB+ adds Rode’s Revolution Preamp technology, an advanced internal DSP, and USB-C connectivity to what was already an impressive USB condenser microphone — it’s a very good (and somewhat overdue) internal update to the NT-USB. 

The NT-USB+ retains its predecessor’s solid, sturdy build, and delivers fantastic-sounding, clean audio with a lower noise floor — if you’re looking for a mic that will make you sound great, look no further. It still struggles a little with louder audio sources, however, and its bit depth/sample rate is studio-quality but not high-res. If you’re looking for a mic for both streaming and recording, a high-res mic such as the Beyerdynamic Fox Studio microphone might be a better choice.

Elgato is one of the biggest names in the streaming world, and after its debut Wave:3 became one of the best gaming microphones you could buy, it was only a matter of time before it tapped into the higher-end XLR market. The time has finally come and the Wave DX is upon us.

Compatible with any XLR interface, but enhanced by Elgato’s own Wave XLR, the Wave DX brings with it an upgrade path that just wasn’t possible with the USB-based Wave line-up. It’s a microphone that can grow with your setup over time and connect to professional audio gear instead of just your USB port. It can be used with more than just your PC, and has good enough sound quality that streamers, podcasters, and YouTubers can all find it useful. 

At $99, it’s also surprisingly cheap, but don’t let that fool you. You’ll still need to spend extra on an audio interface to connect it to your PC, but if you already have one or are in the market for a wholesale upgrade from USB, this microphone is worth a look.

Elgato Wave DX Specs

Design of the Elgato Wave DX

The Elgato DX is the definition of minimalism, so don’t expect it to attract a lot of attention on stream. It’s an end-address microphone, so its rectangular body shotguns directly at your mouth. It’s solid black, finished with a matte coating so it won’t reflect light. Since it uses an XLR connection without phantom power, there’s no lighting. The only bit of trim to be found is a removable Elgato logo that can be swapped between sides when you switch the mounting bracket.

The same kind of minimalist design applied to the Wave:3 which we reviewed back in 2020. Even that mic had a bit of flair with its RGB lighting ring. The philosophy here seems to be strip back, fade into the background. It’s all about the content, man. (At least, that’s what I imagine this mic would say if it could talk.) 

That’s not to say it doesn’t have some tricks up its sleeve. Hidden inside its hardened steel shell is a dynamic microphone capsule selected in partnership with Lewitt Audio. Lewitt is a respected brand, and microphones are at the heart of all it does. Its products can be found in recording studios all around the world, are subject to numerous glowing reviews, and the team did a great job when they partnered with Elgato on the original Wave mics. It’s reasonable to expect good things when all history points to Lewitt knowing its stuff when it comes to microphones. 

For only $99, that expectation is handily met. I’ll dive deeper into specific sound characteristics in the next section, but Lewitt and Elgato have crafted a mic that manages to sound rich and full of presence while also sounding natural and detailed. Affordable microphones are often one-trick ponies — stage, broadcast, or instrument — but the Wave DX manages to cross those latter two boundaries with impressive ease.

Still, this is a dynamic microphone with most of the usual benefits and drawbacks. It has a compressed frequency response range of 50Hz to 15kHz. The condenser capsule in the Blue Yeti X extends that on both sides, coming in at 20Hz to 20kHz. The original Wave:3 is a bit less at 70Hz to 20kHz, but obviously the range the DX is able to capture is less. Elgato compensates for that with a tuning that emphasizes the treble more than competing dynamic mics, giving it a more natural, detailed sound.

And in truth, those frequency response ranges don’t mean a whole lot when you’re recording vocals. What you need to know is that the Wave DX makes your voice sound slightly crisp. There’s a pleasant edge, similar to what you hear on the Shure SM7B or the more affordable Rode PodMic. It’s not over-done. My voice didn’t sound crunchy in the same way it did with the PodMic. But there’s a slight  “radio voice” quality that’s very appealing.

Alongside the capsule, Elgato has implemented a built-in shock mount and pop filter. These are usually add-on purchases that drive up the bill, so it’s a pleasant surprise to find that the pop filter in particular is quite good. The shock mount lets through a bit too much noise, however, so you may still want to look for another solution there.

Returning to the outside of the mic, the chassis is peppered with a 360-degree grille except for a strip on the right side. You’ll still need to talk into the end of the microphone for the best quality, but you don’t have to be quite so spot-on to be heard well. Elgato knows streamers tend to move around a lot in their seats, so as long as it’s generally centered in front of you, your quality will be just fine.

The only other features are the rear XLR port and the mounting arm to attach to a stand, which isn’t included. The port is completely standard, but the mono arm is a pretty neat addition. Instead of connecting directly to the microphone, the mono arm screws into the stand. It attaches to the mic with its own adjustment knob, allowing you to angle the mic to meet your mount. Since there’s no external shock mount or u-bracket to contend with, you can make adjustments without bunching up the XLR cable in the middle of your content.

Broadly speaking, the Wave DX is a well-made microphone that does its job well, but it’s not perfect. Even though it’s made of hardened steel, I was surprised by how light the mic felt. It comes in just under a pound, less than half the weight of the Rode PodMic. The grille also has a bit of give when pressed on, and I have no doubt that it will dent easily if hit or dropped. It doesn’t feel cheaply made, but it lacks the tank-like quality of the PodMic.

Sound Quality on the Elgato Wave DX

The Elgato Wave DX offers a full-bodied, broadcast-style sound signature. As a dynamic microphone, its capsule applies a bit of crunch to the voice, giving it radio-like character while still maintaining high resolution, natural-sounding vocal capture. The sound is warm, so your voice has presence, but doesn’t sound dull or over-compressed. This makes it a good fit for vocal work, such as podcasts, voiceover, and of course, streaming.

Even though it has the unmistakable character and enhanced bass of a dynamic broadcast microphone, Elgato has tuned it to bring out a bit more treble detail. This lends a bit more airiness and natural timbre to the sound. Its tuning allows it to be a more versatile recording tool and better for recording instruments on music streams.

It’s worth comparing to the Rode PodMic here, because both mics retail for $99 and both are competing for your upgrade dollars. For tuning and character, the PodMic sounds great when recording vocals but struggles to make guitars and pianos sound completely natural (though you can address this a bit in post-processing). The Wave DX was able to record my acoustic guitar very well without any tweaks whatsoever. I might add a little reverb in my DAW of choice, Reaper, but I would have no hesitation using it to stream live music.

While Elgato’s claim that it can “pick up detail like a condenser,” might be slightly overstating things, it does act as an effective middle ground between the two microphone types. Condensers are still, in my opinion, king of the hill when it comes to clarity and natural tone, but the simple fact is that dynamic microphones are still going to be the best fit for most people due to their excellent noise rejection and insensitivity (PC fans, keyboards, and noisey roommates won’t be nearly as audible as a competing condenser). The Wave DX gives you a blend of both worlds: excellent noise rejection and enhanced clarity at an affordable price.

The integrated pop filter also works very well. I’m usually disappointed by in-built filters, but the Wave DX does a great job of blocking plosives. Even speaking very close to the mic, I wasn’t able to get it to distort with any kind of plosive test using normal speech. Peter’s peck of pickled peppers is safe with this one.

The built-in shock mount isn’t nearly as good. Small taps of the desk and minor bumps of the boom arm all make their way directly into the microphone. The Wave DX is compatible with aftermarket shock mounts that will do a better job, but you’ll need to remove the swivel mount to do so, which impacts how easy it is to position.

There is a bit of self noise to be aware of, but it’s not bad. Underneath your speech is a tiny amount of white noise. It’s typical to microphones at this price, and is easy to remedy with even a very minor noise gate or noise suppressor, but is still something to know about going in. It’s small enough that you might not even mind, but if you want total silence for voice-over work, a suppressor or gate will be necessary.

Have a listen to how it sounds below.

Software for the Elgato Wave DX

As an XLR microphone, the Wave DX does not connect directly to a PC and has no software of its own. It finds itself in a unique position, however, because the Wave line-up is known for its rich software effects and custom audio routing, so the name itself carries some expectation of customizability. Elgato also makes no secret of the potential of its Wave Link software.

The problem is that the actual microphone does not support any of these things because it cannot without a data connection. To access them, you’ll need to purchase the Wave XLR audio interface (another $160) or download third-party software to access VSTs with a competing audio interface.

Should you purchase the Wave XLR, Wave Link allows you to create custom audio channels with both real and virtual inputs. For example, for game streaming, you may want game audio and your Spotify playlist to mix with your microphone feed. Likewise, you can remove sources from specific channels without completely muting them in your own ears.

You may, for example, want to drop your Discord call from the Audience mix so you’re not broadcasting your strategy to the competing team (or have the world hear your friends get too blue). It’s very similar to what we saw with the GoXLR and the Beacn Mic and is a powerful production tool for a one-host streaming set up. If you don’t have a Wave XLR interface, Wave Link is inaccessible.

Available to all interfaces (and you’ll need at least one to use the Wave DX), are plug-ins known as VSTs. These can be loaded into your streaming or recording software to provide additional audio effects. Elgato has created its own easy-to-use Elgato EQ plug-in, but there are numerous others to add compression effects, noise suppression, and de-essing to remove sibilance for your recording.

These can be effective solutions to enhancing the sound of the microphone and tailoring it to your own voice, but they’re not as seamless or as user-friendly as I would like. When accessed from inside Wave Link, VST plug-ins open in additional windows, which feels a bit messy when you’re streaming. They also usually require at least some background knowledge to use them effectively. They tend to use audio lingo that may not be familiar and don’t always explain their settings well, if at all. Prior research will be necessary if you’re not already familiar with vocal effects.

Bottom Line

The Wave DX is a great microphone in a lot of ways. It sounds rich and full, perfect for vocal capture. It also gathers a generous amount of treble detail, so you can record instruments and still have them sound natural while not losing the noise rejection that makes dynamic mics such a good fit for untreated rooms and noisey environments.

But without the Wave XLR, it feels incomplete. Purchasing both together more than doubles the price, and triples it if you also want Elgato’s mic arm and XLR cable. Picking everything up as a bundle is much cheaper than buying them separately ($299 versus $379) but it still feels expensive.

The Wave DX has the benefit of growing with your setup over time, but if you don't see yourself adding external mixers or accessories, some of the best gaming and streaming microphones still come with normal USB connections. If you like the potential of the Wave Link software, and don’t mind the sound difference of a condenser, the Elgato Wave:3 is an excellent alternative that will save you big at checkout. For a USB choice with even better sound crafting, the Beacn Mic is also worth considering.

Even without its software, the Wave DX still offers impressive sound quality and versatile performance for the price. If you don't mind picking up some extras, it's worth a closer look.

It feels like HyperX took a look at its microphone lineup and thought it might be able to carve out a mid-range niche with its new HyperX DuoCast.

The $99 DuoCast sits right in the middle of HyperX’s existing mic lineup: It’s a step (or three) up from the brand’s basic, budget-friendly SoloCast — and a half-step down from the flashy, high-end QuadCast/QuadCast S (which remains one of best gaming microphones we’ve tested).

Like the SoloCast and QuadCast, the DuoCast is named for the number of selectable polar patterns it features (two, in this case — cardioid and omnidirectional). The DuoCast also supports 96kHz/24-bit recording, and has a built-in pop filter, user-friendly controls, and comes with a low-profile shock mount. The DuoCast sports a slim RGB strip that will satisfy your craving for pretty lights, without shoving a blinding neon festival in front of your face.

The DuoCast might be the perfect compromise for gamers, streamers, and podcasters who want QuadCast-quality at a slightly lower price. But its $99 price might’ve felt more mid-range if the QuadCast wasn’t already a few years old (the QuadCast S was mostly an aesthetic upgrade). A $99 DuoCast isn’t quite as enticing when the company’s premium flagship product is often on sale for $20 more (or even $10 less).

HyperX DuoCast Specifications

Design of the HyperX DuoCast

The HyperX DuoCast lands squarely in the middle of HyperX’s product lineup,in both function and form. It’s even medium-sized, measuring 8 inches (203mm) tall (including the stand) — larger than the 7.1-inch SoloCast and smaller than the 9.5-inch QuadCast.

Design-wise, the DuoCast looks like a smaller, less flashy, slightly-cheaper version of the QuadCast. It sports the same honeycomb-perforated capsule-shaped body (in matte black plastic, rather than the QuadCast’s more-premium aluminum), and comes with a low-profile version of the QuadCast’s shock mount.

The DuoCast is all-black, minus the slim RGB lightstrip wrapped around its middle — a toned-down version of the QuadCast’s full-body pop filter light show.

The top of the DuoCast features a touch-sensitive tap-to-mute button — one of HyperX’s best design features. Tapping this button mutes and unmutes the microphone flawlessly — with none of the audible popping and shuffling that often accompanies a physical mute button/switch. Muting the microphone also shuts off the RGB lightstrip for easy visual confirmation.

The DuoCast also has a gain control adjustment knob, which, when pressed, doubles as a multi-function button for switching between the mic’s two polar patterns. This knob is located on the back of the mic, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB-C port. The DuoCast comes packaged with a mount adapter that supports both 3/8-inch and 5/8-inch thread sizes, and a 6.5-foot USB-C to USB-A cable.

Performance and Sound Quality on the HyperX DuoCast

When it comes to sound quality, the DuoCast doesn’t disappoint — it does an excellent job of capturing clean, crisp audio (vocal or otherwise). I tested the DuoCast alongside the QuadCast. Most of the people I spoke to couldn’t tell I was switching between two mics, and my husband — who has probably written sonnets to the original QuadCast — thought I sounded better with the DuoCast.

The DuoCast is built around dual electret condenser capsules and features a built-in pop filter, a 20Hz - 20kHz frequency response, and two polar patterns — cardioid and omnidirectional.

Cardioid, or unidirectional, is best for picking up sound from one direction — directly in front of the microphone. You’ll use this polar pattern if you’re alone and talking directly into the mic (podcasting, singing, intimate heart-to-hearts over video chat). Omnidirectional, on the other hand, picks up sound from all directions. You’ll use this polar pattern if you’ve got sound coming from multiple sources — a multi-person podcast/stream, multiple musical instruments, etc.

You can switch between the DuoCast’s polar patterns by pressing and holding the multi-function dial on the back of the mic. The RGB light strip will light up briefly to indicate the current polar pattern — a full circle of light to indicate omnidirectional, or a single light at the front to indicate cardioid.

The DuoCast supports 96kHz/24-bit hi-res recording, which will provide “high quality” and “crystal-clear voice capturing” and “capture accurate, low-noise recordings,” according to HyperX. It’s a step up from the QuadCast, which is now the only microphone in the lineup limited to 48kHz/16-bit recording (a recently-released firmware update also upgraded the SoloCast to 96kHz/24-bit hi-res recording).

Software on the HyperX DuoCast

The DuoCast pairs with HyperX’s NGENUITY software suite, where you can configure audio options and customize the DuoCast’s RGB lightstrip. You only need to download NGENUITY if you want custom RGB colors and effects; you can configure the DuoCast’s audio options using the mic’s physical controls (which are easier to use and more intuitive to navigate than the NGENUITY software, anyway). NGENUITY isn’t terrible, as far as companion software goes — the lighting section lets you pick custom colors, adjust opacity, and add and layer effects, which is fun to play with but not exactly functionally essential.

Bottom Line

The HyperX DuoCast checks all the boxes: It’s sturdy, well-built, delivers excellent sound quality, has intuitive controls, dual polar pattern versatility, hi-res 24-bit bit-depth, etc. It’s even pretty attractive — sleek, black, minimalist — but I’m just not sure it’s a necessary product. It doesn’t stand out (probably because it’s designed to fit in). 

It’s an excellent microphone, but its $99 price tag feels a little too high when you can pick up a higher-end, more feature-rich microphone for $10 - $20 more. The broadcast-friendly MSI Immerse GV60, for example, features four polar patterns, a hi-res 24-bit/96kHz sample rate, and frequently goes on sale for less than $120.

Beacn is a new brand in the world of content creation, but there’s a good chance you’ve seen this team’s work before. The creative minds behind the GoXLR and GoXLR Mini broke off to form Beacn, and today we’re looking at its first products: the $279 Beacn Mic and $199 Mix Create mixer. Made by and for content creators, these products deliver next-level customization and sound crafting. Taken as a pair or individually, they’re evolutionary, and expensive, products that show what’s possible when designers truly listen to the wants and needs of their audience.

Beacn Mic Specs

Beacn Mix Create Specs

Design of the Beacn Mic and Mix Create

The Beacn Mic takes its inspiration from classic broadcast microphones like the Shure SM7B and updates it with a 2022 sense of style. Available in black or white, its long, cylindrical body is composed half of zinc alloy and half of the foam pop filter hiding the dynamic microphone capsule within. Its two sides are split by a customizable RGB light ring. It’s hardly subtle, but is exactly the kind of accessory that pops on camera and ties nicely with the RGB lighting common in streamers’ setups. Along the sides is a U-bracket that attaches to any standard microphone arm and allows the microphone to tilt to address your mouth.

The microphone includes everything you’ll need except for that arm, and Beacn doesn’t make one (yet). It comes with a long, 11-foot cable that easily routed behind my monitor and into the back of my PC. While that length seems excessive, it makes sense when you consider the different ways it may need to snake around different desks and monitor setups, and still provide easy movement on a boom arm. There’s also a 6.5-foot headphone extension cable intended to route along that arm and plugs into the back of the mic for zero-latency monitoring. You can also just plug headphones in directly if you don’t mind some dangling wires.

The Beacn Mic is a dynamic microphone, which is still uncommon in the streaming market. They’re a good choice for streamers whose rooms aren’t sound treated or that create content in shared spaces with outside noise. Dynamic capsules are less sensitive than the condenser capsules found in some of the best gaming microphones like the Blue Yeti or HyperX QuadCast, which makes them better at blocking outside noise that would otherwise make its way onto your stream (such as the clack of one of the best gaming keyboards or a noisy case fan). They also have a reduced frequency response compared to condensers, which can make them sound less true to life but an easier match for the “radio voice” many streamers seek.

The magic of the mic has less to do with its capsule and more to do with its built-in processor and accompanying software. The Beacn Mic is a USB microphone, which allows it to utilize an advanced signal processor and handle effects like noise suppression directly on the microphone, saving CPU cycles that might otherwise tax your system. Combined with the Beacn App, it allows you to apply a whole suite of audio effects to completely tailor the sound to your voice and elevate its sound quality.

I’ll talk more about the Beacn App in the next section, but it’s important to understand just how critical it is to the performance of the Mic. The out of the box sound is decent but has ample room for growth — which is exactly where the app comes in. The Beacn App features an advanced equalizer, bass enhancer, noise suppressor, expander, compressor, and more. Each of these effects improves the sound quality the microphone is able to provide. The Mic can be plugged in and used plug-and-play but shouldn’t be. There are better, cheaper microphones if all you want to do is plug in and record.

The Mix Create, on the other hand, is Beacn’s answer to the GoXLR. It’s small, only about seven inches long, and its screen tilts upward allowing it to take up less than four inches of depth. Instead of having physical faders, it displays the levels of each audio channel on its five inch LCD screen and uses knobs to control volume. The screen can display up to four channels at a time, but a pair of paging buttons on the right allow you to navigate to any additional channels you might create.

All of the audio channels the Mix Create controls are handled through the Beacn App. There are no physical inputs whatsoever. This design means that you can control any audio device connected to your PC, including USB gaming headsets, which is great functionality if you’re not ready to move to a standalone mic.

Using the app, you can assign any audio source to any of the existing channels, or create your own, and then customize independent mixes for your own headphones, your audience, and even a VOD track for archiving videos to Twitch. It’s a powerful piece of hardware and game changing in the same way the GoXLR was when it was released for users used to stock Windows audio and OBS plug-ins.

On the other hand, if you already use an XLR microphone, the Mix Create won’t be nudging the GoXLR off your desk anytime soon. That’s disappointing, because in that scenario, the Mix Create isn’t going to save space, it’s going to take up more. The lack of an XLR input is a glaring enough omission that it’s clearly intentional, and I can only hope Beacn releases an XLR model in the future.

Despite that, it’s just as potent of a streaming product as the Beacn Mic is. If you’re not already using a GoXLR and don’t plan to upgrade from a USB mic or gaming headset, it provides an excellent pathway to consolidating your audio control. For content creators, the ability to create personalized audio tracks with separate, physical controls means that you don’t need to Alt+Tab in the middle of a game to make adjustments and can instead be much closer to a producer, who also happens to be the star of the show.

It’s nice enough, in fact, that Beacn also sells a simplified version of this device called the Beacn Mix. This lacks the advanced routing effects and instead focuses purely on advanced volume control. Having physical knobs for different sources is just plain better than clicking around in Windows.

Software for the Beacn Mic and Mix Create

While the out of the box sound of the Beacn Mic is good, but not great, it comes to life when used with the Beacn App. More importantly, the software is required to access all of the features both devices have to offer. It’s quite powerful, and offers some of the best customization options ever seen in a content creation device, but it’s also in active development. New features and updates roll out regularly, but anyone buying these products should be prepared for occasional bugs.

With that in mind, it’s no exaggeration to say that the software is the absolute heart of these products. It is what sets them apart from competing devices like the GoXLR Mini and Razer Audio Mixer. For the mic, the app offers powerful processing and visualization features that make tailoring the sound of your mic approachable in a way that’s just not possible elsewhere.

For the Mix Create, crafting the perfect mixes is more complicated but remains ridiculously customizable and clearly crafted by people who create content themselves.

After plugging in the Beacn Mic, a new tab will appear that holds an almost overwhelming amount of options. The top half of the screen displays a real time waveform that reacts to your voice as you’re speaking. The bottom half shows a line level, with a visual guide to let you know when you’re too loud or too quiet. Both of these are important for adding effects and EQ profiles and seeing how each impacts the sound of your voice.

The top half of the screen is dedicated to equalization and tone. The software comes with different presets for “high broadcast” and “low broadcast” but you can also dial in your own custom EQ profile if those aren’t to your liking. Seeing where your voice actually lands on the frequency spectrum takes out the guesswork of tweaking bass, middle, or treble sliders as with the GoXLR. As you’re changing different settings, you can also glance down below to see how it impacts your overall amplitude.

Alongside the EQ presets are three different effects to further dial in your sound: a de-esser, a bass enhancer, and an exciter. The de-esser removes the sharp “s” sounds from the upper end of your voice. The bass enhancer does what it sounds like, but allows you to choose from four different styles that each target slightly different areas and levels of the bass register. The exciter hits the other end of the spectrum and adds crispness to the upper-end, adding clarity to your voice without re-adding the sharpness you just removed with the de-esser.

Moving down below, you have even more settings and effects: a noise suppressor, an expander, a compressor, and a tab dedicated to your monitoring headphones. Each of these are staples in the recording world, but with the exception of noise suppression, this could be the first time a content creator might encounter them. Every single one features a detailed tooltip breaking down what they do and exactly how to find the right setting for your environment.

As a guitar player, I can tell you from first-hand experience that audio companies usually do a terrible job of explaining audio effects to newcomers, especially when they’re considered staples of the industry. Beacn doesn’t make any assumptions about its users, and the detailed explanations are incredibly useful. Even as someone who has used these effects, I walked away feeling like I had a better grasp of what they actually did and how to set them up appropriately.

These effects are also key to making the Beacn Mic sound its best. Out of the box, its sound is decent but falls short of the $279 price point in clarity and noise floor. Using the software, you can eliminate any residual noise and bring out the best sound for your individual voice. It’s important enough that anyone not willing to really learn this software should simply avoid the mic. It doesn’t justify its price without it.

While the microphone section of the software is very well explained, the Mix Create software is not. It’s no less powerful, but unless you’re already experienced with a tool like the GoXLR, you’re going to need to watch a setup guide and tutorial. Beacn provides these on its YouTube channel, but there’s a much steeper learning curve than with the Beacn Mic.

The Mix Create tab takes the form of a virtual mixer and is mirrored on the device’s LCD screen. There are existing tabs for the microphone, chat, music, and system audio feeds. You can also add your own with preset options for common channels like browser audio, hardware audio, or auxiliary line-in. Each channel has a separate volume for your own headphones and what goes out to the audience or the ability to add each independently.

Beneath these are the audio sources assigned to that channel, which is customizable to be able to tie whatever source you like to a given audio feed (separate from your microphone). This allows you to tie a physical fader to a group of audio sources. The volume level for what you hear versus the audience can also be linked or unlinked, so if you want to turn down music and chat at once, or any other combination of sources, you can, either for your headphones or the stream itself.

Below this you have master volumes for personal mixes out to up to two audio sources and the mix your audience hears, but what’s more interesting is the routing table. Here, you’ll find an easy to interpret grid showing which sources are going to each mix, and the ability to turn any of them on or off on the fly. This also includes a VOD track for Twitch, so if you want to play copyrighted music during your livestream, but not risk a strike on the archived video, it’s as easy as clicking a single icon.

The complicated part comes in assigning and arranging all of these sources and then making sure they all work correctly. You’ll need to visit the Control Panel, sort through the multiple virtual audio sources the Mix Create creates, and select your default audio and communications devices, set your output devices for each app in the Windows sound mixer, and then set and level all of those sources inside the app itself. It’s… a lot. But thankfully, after you do it once, the biggest setup is only done once and then revisited in bite-sized pieces for any other changes you want to make.

The software is what makes these products shine, but it’s also filled with bugs. During my month or so of testing, I found myself having to close and restart it due to intermittent glitches. When it works, any changes you make to the Mix Create reflect in real time on the display, but sometimes those updates wouldn’t apply without restarting the software. Other times, the software would have trouble recalling which channel I had assigned an app to, forcing me to minimize the game and add it to that channel over again. These aren’t gamebreaking issues, but are certainly reflective of an app in progress.

Sound Quality on the Beacn Mic

The Beacn Mic is an interesting product because its out-of-the box sound falls short of its high price. But, when it’s customized using the software, many of those shortcomings are alleviated. Usually, mediocre out of the box sound would be a hard pass from me, but since the Beacn Mic is such a package deal with its software, it’s not intended to be used plug-and-play and it is hard to imagine anyone doing so. The combination of its software and onboard processing is the biggest reason to choose the Beacn Mic, so its out of the box sound matters less than it would virtually anywhere else.

With that in mind, that stock sound is only alright. It features the crispness you would expect from a dynamic microphone, but the low-end body falls short, and it sounds compressed and a bit boxy. Off-axis noise rejection is good, as you would expect from a dynamic capsule, and the pop filter does its job well at blocking plosives. Volume levels are also good thanks to its custom-made preamp, but there’s a noticeable amount of white noise at the bottom of recordings that needs to be filtered out. It’s hardly the worst mic I’ve heard, but you would never want to use it this way.

Instead, most users will take advantage of the multiple software options that solve these issues and offer enhancements that can be personalized for your own voice. Using the noise suppressor and expander, that white noise can be completely removed. Adding a custom EQ, applying bass enhancer, and turning on the exciter expand the dynamic range of the microphone, lending body and clarity to your voice. The de-esser effect can round out any sharpness and eliminate sibilance. The compressor then comes in, allowing you to sit further back from the microphone and ensuring that any loud outbursts (like shouting at a lost match) are capped and don’t clip.

The end result is a microphone that sounds quite good and is custom matched to your voice. It doesn’t have the same iconic character as the Shure SM7B or Electro-Voice RE-20, but costs far less and includes effects and amplification that would usually add hundreds of dollars of extra purchases on top of the microphone itself. It’s more than up to the task of streaming and voice over, and just as importantly, delivers a great sense of satisfaction once all of your settings have been dialed in.

Bottom Line

The Beacn Mic and Mix Create are both great choices for content creators, but they come at a high cost and have a handful of important caveats. The lack of XLR support on the Mix Create is disappointing and means it can’t completely replace the GoXLR. The Beacn Mic, on the other hand, is excellent — as long as you take the time to learn and customize its software features to elevate its sound.

No matter how you look at it, these are expensive products aimed at people who crave a higher degree of control than the average user. If you’re shopping for a great USB mic and don’t need such in-depth sound crafting, the MSI Immerse V60 is a great option for only $129. Or, if you’d rather make the jump to XLR and have a mic that can grow alongside your setup, the Neat Microphones King Bee II delivers outstanding sound quality.

If you are that kind of user, however, these products deliver all-in-one solutions for mic’ing and mixing with next level panache. You’ll need to deal with lengthy setup and intermittent software bugs, but both remain impressive examples of what’s possible when developers truly understand the needs of their audience.

The Roccat Torch puts all of its controls at your fingertips with its mixer-style audio base, and with its intelligent and functional use of RGB lighting, it also ensures that your settings are always discernible at a glance. There is also no need to install Roccat’s unfortunately unfinished NEON software to get the full experience. It’s a shame that this software is incomplete, but it’s great to use the mic right out of the box, and the features that work do so very well.

Conversely, the gesture-based, contactless muting feature is neat when it decides to work but frequently makes errors. Thankfully, like the software, this gimmick can be safely ignored without compromising the overall functionality of the Torch. Roccat has created a solidly priced mic with good audio and some delightful convenience that makes it easy to like despite some flaws in overall execution.

Roccat Torch Specs

Design

The Roccat Torch is a slim and tall mic that mounts to its own included mixer style stand and can also be easily mounted to a boom arm using standard threads. The front of the mic features an RGB-lit Roccat logo and the back has the more understated, non-RGB logo next to a single USB-C port that connects the mic to the base. Roccat also includes a short cable for when the capsule is mounted to the stand and a long cable for use with a boom arm. 

On top of the mic is one of the Torch's more interesting features – a contactless, gesture-activated mic mute sensor. It's very cool to mute or activate your mic without touching the unit, but in practice, gesture detection and sensitivity are a bit of a mixed bag. I often found myself flailing my hand at the sensor, hoping that something would happen to no avail. Out of a mixture of frustration and embarrassment, I would often opt to use the physical mute button instead. The sensor's location can pose issues when adjusting the mic's position as well, as it will often read the proximity of your hand as a gesture input and mute the mic against your wishes. This can be particularly problematic when the mic is mounted to a boom arm.

The Torch's base features a pickup pattern selector, a notched monitor volume knob with a push-button mute function and a gain slider. The back of the base features two USB C ports (one for connecting the Mic to the base and the other for connecting the Base to your PC), a 3.5mm headphone jack for latency-free monitoring, a brightness level button and a three-position slider that allows you to adjust the proximity range for the contactless mute sensor or turn it off altogether. 

The mic itself has a solid feel, featuring a metal body and grille. However, the base is made of hard plastic and feels cheap compared to the mic. While the rubber feet on the base do a good job of keeping it from wobbling and shifting about on your desk, the mic mount itself wobbles with the slightest of movements. Unfortunately, you can't fix this as there's a certain point beyond which it can't be tightened unless you're fond of the mic being backward.

Sound Quality

The Torch provides good sound quality for its price range, with a wide frequency response, clear audio reproduction and a built-in pop filter that helps eliminate those annoying peaks when making consonant sounds. While the sound of your own voice through the Torch isn’t going to blow your mind with its level of fidelity, it is certainly in line with what you should expect out of a $99 mic. 

What sets the Torch apart from similarly priced mics is the variety of available pickup options. Via a conveniently placed dial on the front-mounted mixer panel on the Torch’s base, you can switch between Cardioid, Stereo and Roccat’s proprietary “Whisper” pickup pattern. If you’re streaming solo, Cardioid is what you’re going to be using most due to its narrow focus, helping to eliminate ambient noise. Stereo is a good option for podcasting with a friend or any situation where you’re trying to capture more than one source at once, but it should be avoided if you’re going it alone as it picks up far too much room noise. Both of these options should be familiar to most streamers or podcasters.

Where things get interesting is in the addition of Roccat’s “Whisper” pickup pattern. Aptly named, Whisper greatly boosts the mic’s sensitivity so it can pick up your voice clearly at very low volumes. This setting is ideal for streamers with roommates or family they don’t wish to disturb while active or for folks with naturally quiet speaking voices. Whisper is certainly not ideal for every situation as its extreme sensitivity can easily drive speech at normal volumes into distortion. Still, it is nice to have an option like this available at the twist of a knob.

The Torch also scores high marks for making its lighting more than just a gimmick. Instead of being there purely for aesthetic appeal, the RGB lighting employed by the Torch provides helpful visual cues. For example, your gain settings are indicated by how high up the lighting travels on either side of the mic – turn it all the way up, and the side lighting will reach the top of the capsule. These lights also change color to show which pickup pattern you’ve selected. The mic also glows red to indicate when it is muted. This is an extremely helpful way to read your settings at a glance and a thoughtful application of RGB lighting that I’d like to see more of from competitors.

Features and Software

The vast majority of features present in the Roccat Torch can be experienced with no additional software. The Torch does not work with Roccat’s SWARM software, but it is compatible with Roccat NEON, which is currently in Beta. So what do you get with Neon? Well, practically nothing, to be honest. In its present state, NEON only serves as a way to turn AIMO dynamic RGB lighting on and off and to send Roccat a support ticket – both of which are actions you can take without ever taking the time to install the software.

Bottom Line

Roccat’s first entry into the world of streaming mics is both a little bit more and a little bit less than what you’d expect – it is a well-built mic with a sturdy metal frame and grille attached to a plastic base, and it is overall more useful than it is attractive. Audio reproduction is solid and in line with what is generally acceptable for a mic in this price range – what takes the Torch a step beyond is its three selectable polar patterns, including the very useful “Whisper” mode. However, the most standout feature of the Torch is RGB lighting that is actually useful. Instead of just looking pretty (which it certainly does), the Torch’s lighting allows you to see what your settings are at a glance. Since RGB lighting isn’t going anywhere, let’s hope we see more creative and thoughtful uses of the effect like what the Torch has to offer.

Where the Torch doesn’t shine as brightly is in its software package, some design quirks and half-baked features. At least at the time of this writing, Roccat Neon is pretty much useless – offering nothing apart from the ability to turn the lighting on and off and send an email to Roccat. Sorry, chums, but both of those things can be accomplished without installing more driver software that I don’t really need. The Torch’s mixer-style dock is also useful from a control perspective, but the plastic construction feels underwhelming compared to the mic itself. The mic also never seems to screw into the dock tightly – it wobbles at the slightest touch. In my case, it can’t even hold still when I’m typing away next to it. It’s also odd that the Torch needs to be connected to its base via USB-C whether it is docked or not – the short connector cable included for use when the mic is docked can be awkward to wrestle into position.

The Torch’s biggest sin is its gesture-controlled mute feature. In theory, it’s great to be able to mute and unmute your mic with a Jedi-like wave of your hand. However, in practice, it can be quite irritating, because the sensor can occasionally be picky and indiscriminate when it comes to which gestures it will recognize and at what range. It’s a neat idea that is ultimately more troublesome than it is useful, often activating when it is not wanted or refusing to cooperate when it is needed. Thankfully, you have the option to turn this feature off completely. Use it and thank me later.

Where does this leave the Torch? It’s certainly not perfect, but at this price point, it doesn’t need to be – it needs to deliver a solid user experience and punch in its weight class in terms of features and audio quality. Despite its shortcomings, the Torch does that and offers a little bit extra, too, making it well worth a look.

Razer’s updating its desktop microphone lineup again this year, this time focusing on its higher-end devices now that the Razer Seiren Mini has the cheaper and more portable end of the spectrum covered. That means a new V2 model for the Razer Seiren X, which has been carrying the torch of the original Razer Seiren since it launched in 2019, plus a cheaper version of the Razer Seiren Elite called the Razer V2 Seiren Pro. Since our main complaint about the Elite when we reviewed it was its $200 MSRP, a price cut puts it in easy contention for the best gaming microphones.

Both of these microphones are less cylindrical than their predecessors, instead taking on the egg cup shape you’ll find on the Razer Seiren Mini and competitors like the Blue Yeti and Blue Yeti X. We also complained about the Razer Seiren Elite being a little cumbersome when we reviewed it, and it’s possible that this more modern design could help with that issue.

The new specs are what give these microphones their new V2 monikers, though. The Razer Seiren V2 X, for instance, still has a supercardioid pickup pattern (focused mostly in front of and a little behind the microphone) and a 25mm condenser mic but now has a 24 bit-rate frequency response. The Razer Seiren V2 Pro, meanwhile, also has a 24 bit-rate frequency response but maintains the Elite’s 20Hz frequency. It also uses a dynamic microphone, which makes it more resistant to distortion— great for live broadcasts.

Razer was hesitant to share other physical specs with us ahead of time (we’ll edit this article as more information becomes available), but both microphones also claim to have improved high pass filters to block out unwanted low frequencies plus improved analog gain limiters to prevent voice distortion. They also promise greater audio control and voice isolation.

Alongside the Razer Seiren Mini and speciality microphones like the Razer Seiren Emote, these microphones aim to allow Razer to satisfy almost all dedicated audio capture niches. The emote is a special case aimed specifically at streamers, while Razer suggests the Mini for beginners, the Pro for intermediate users and the X as a stepping stone in between those two skill levels. It’s odd to see Razer not claiming to have an expert microphone option yet, given that other premium gaming competitors like Elgato already have extreme high-end options like the Elgato Wave:3.

Both the Razer Seiren V2 X and the Razer Seiren V2 Pro are now available at Razer.com and at authorized retailers. The Seiren V2 X costs $99, while the Seiren V2 Pro costs $149.

Streamers, I think this is it — I think we found the one: an easy-to-use, minimalist mic that isn't super-expensive and provides studio-quality sound. NZXT hasn’t been in the audio or mic game for a few years, and the Capsule is a serious comeback that's built to compete with the best gaming microphones. At $129.99, this mic isn’t as budget-friendly as options like the HyperX SoloCast, but with the option to sit in a stand or a boom arm and a cardioid polar pattern, starter and seasoned streamers alike can enjoy the Capsule.

NZXT Capsule Specs 

Design of the NZXT Capsule

If you like all black everything, you'll be happy to know that the Capsule comes in a black, or a white colorway. Either option is very minimalist. There are only two buttons and a ring light on the bottom of the mic. The top knob controls the microphone gain, and the bottom knob is the volume button for the headphones. 

On the very bottom of the mic there is a USB-C port, a thread to connect to a boom arm and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The rubber-wrapped cord connects to a USB C-port on the microphone and has USB-A on the other end. 

The thread on the bottom of the mic is for an adapter that connects it to a three-eighths inch boom arm or the stand included in the box. The microphone gain button has five circles ascending small to big — because this version is black it is harder to see the circles. It’s the same for the volume button, the glossy black notches are hard to see except when they catch a glimpse of light. 

The good news is, no matter which way the mic is facing, whether it’s in a stand sitting on the desk or a boom arm turning the dials clockwise always means more gain and volume. But both buttons infinitely scroll, which isn't the best, and there are no ticks or bumps or other feedback to indicate how far the dials are being turned.

The microphone is encased in a matte finish, and a light circling the mic is embedded in the bottom of the case. The light is a visual indicator for being on a hardware-based mute. It turns red when it’s muted and white when it’s unmuted. Pushing in the volume button mutes and unmutes the mic. 

The stand that comes with the mic is weighted. Both together weigh 1.9 pounds, and the mic weighs 0.64 pounds by itself — the stand is heavier than the mic. The stand is connected with two cogs on both sides, which are connected to a strap that nestles into the microphone. Loosening the cogs followed by pressing a button on the back of the strap removes the mic from the stand. The stand isn’t just smooth, well-built, and heavy — there is also a built-in shock mount to minimize the sound if you accidentally bump into your mic.

Sound Quality on the NZXT Capsule

This is what really matters in NZXT’s newest mic. The company claims it's designed to be simple to use, minimize background noise, and with a cardioid polar pattern. 

When I first plugged in this mic, I thought I was being slick while in a Zoom meeting. I started getting a loud screeching sound through my headphones and I had to remain calm on camera while internally freaking out while hosting and recording the call. I can only hope the recording didn’t pick up the screeching. I did some troubleshooting after I got off the Zoom call and I found out that you cannot use this mic with a USB extender because it doesn’t give it enough juice. 

I had to switch away from my usual headset, which uses USB Type-C to connect to my computer, as the Capsule provides audio out through a 3.5 mm jack. Having the volume button in close proximity made it easy to adjust the headphones output as necessary. 

Testing this mic on Zoom calls while my husband was 25 feet away was a little disappointing. He, like me, works from home, so when he gets loud or excited about something everyone in a Zoom call will know it. I even tried testing the noise gate; I said something and then asked him to say something 2 seconds after I spoke.He was cut off a bit but was still audible — which sucks.

My next experiment happened through Google Meet, I only needed to tweak the gain just a bit. However, that’s annoying because depending on where my meeting is my microphone needs different settings, so I'll always be adjusting. The volume menu bar in Windows automatically turned down and muted itself any time I tried to slide it up to 100. 

This mic does best when it's directly near you. A convenient way for enthusiasts may be to have a boom arm. The closer I was to the mic, the more sultry and full my voice sounded. You can’t tell I have high ceilings and the train roaring by all but disappears. If I get too far away from the mic, however, my voice can sound shaky and distorted. When I figured out the perfect setting for the gain I still got a good studio sound when I was less than two feet away from the mic. I didn’t experience my voice dropping nor cutting in and out. Even if I started whispering and trying to give my listeners some impromptu ASMR, everything picked up beautifully. When I was right up on the mic and speaking it sounded like spreading butter on a warm brioche bread roll. 

Most importantly, my game stream’s audio is a lot crisper. The audio for my YouTube videos don’t sound like their echoing, clipping, or empty — quite the opposite.

Software on the NZXT Capsule 

The issue NZXT set out to solve is the high learning curve of audio software and to minimize error. Although there isn’t software required to use the Capsule don’t think for one second that that minimizes pilot error. Here’s the proof, because there isn’t any software I can't see where the gain is set. Since the buttons don’t have indicators on how far they’re being turned, the only way I can tell is by asking the person on the receiving end or monitoring my levels by plugging in the headphones into the mic. Using different software is going to call for different gain levels. 

Many mics like the Razer Seiren Emote come with software to help you view gain and volume. XLR Microphones with interfaces like Focusrite give you a lot more control over gain and volume.  

NZXT does not come with any software so any tweaking I need to do happens with the gain button on the mic and in Device Properties in Window 10 audio settings. This is actually how I found my sweet spot. I turned down the mic to 54 percent and turned the gain dial clockwise to turn up the gain get more details in my voice — it’s perfect. 

Even with mics that do come with software, I still find I have to adjust Windows settings to get the best quality, so this isn't a deal breaker by any means.

Bottom Line

I really enjoyed using this mic once I started to find the sweet spots with the gain and the volume in Windows 10 settings. I seamlessly transitioned from a Twitch livestream, to a Facebook livestream, to Discord voice chats without having to touch any dials.

The microphone is stylish, whether you prefer a black-and-white or all black look, and the metal stand feels solid. The knobs, however, which spin endlessly without much feedback, weren't on the level. 

But if you're a streamer looking for something that's more or less plug-and-play, this is one to keep in mind.

In the upper echelons of streamer mic, it seems, there are two ways to play it. The first is to emulate the look and feature set of analog recording mics as closely as possible and rely on the convenience of that USB input as a selling point. The Beyerdynamic’s Fox is the gold standard for this approach, for example. The second approach is to go all-in on the gamer appeal. Guess which approach the HyperX QuadCast S ($160 as of writing) opts for? 

It only takes the time for the power to make its way along the USB cable and up to that huge RGB lighting zone to figure that one out. This refresh of the existing HyperX QuadCast, which had been one of the best gaming microphones, is meant to give the likes of Razer’s Seiren Emote a run for its money on pure streamer setup aesthetic appeal. But if you look beyond all the flashing color there’s actually plenty here in common with more studious studio mics too. A lot of it inherited from the original Quadcast, we hasten to add. Don’t lose sleep if you bought the original just before this S variant came out. You’re not missing out on anything other than potential migraines; the specs are nearly identical.

If you weren’t already a QuadCast owner though and are looking for a serious USB mic, there’s a lot to like in the QuadCast S.

HyperX Quadcast S Specs 

Design 

The QuadCast S is far from a drastic redesign of the original QuadCast, but there are differences. Small ones. The elasticated cord around the QuadCast S’ shock mount is now gray instead of the original red, for example, and the USB input connection is now USB Type-C instead of USB Type-A. We did say they were small differences.

Otherwise, you’re looking at the same unit. You get a large capsule housing three separate diaphragms to offer four polar patterns and a dial to switch between them at the back, a headphone monitoring input below that, a touch-sensitive mute at the top and a smooth and satisfying gain control dial at the base of the mic. 

We’ll tackle the different patterns and the sounds they create below in the sound quality section, but let’s cover those other design features. The QuadCast S’ headphone monitoring is clear and doesn’t run too hot for higher gain settings, so there’s very little breakup until you start shouting or getting close to the capsule. 

As with the QuadCast and HyperX SoloCast, the QuadCast S’ mute touch button is a nice design that alleviates that audible popping sound you sometimes get from depressing a physical mute switch on other mics. Meanwhile, the mute button’s lighting leaves you in no uncertainty as to whether you’re muted or not. 

The gain control feels really well built, but its travel considerably exceeds the visual indicators on each side. So unless you like your output set at between 30%-70%, you won’t be able to get a visual on your preferred setting.

Sound Quality 

The QuadCast S is a refresh of an existing mic, so you know what’s coming: The sound characteristics are unchanged, as far as these ears can discern. 

And they didn’t need to change. Boasting four polar patterns and three separate mic membranes was something of a party trick for the original QuadCast, so much so that it obviously informed the product name. And while the Blue Yeti X can tick those same polar pattern boxes, there was a gulf in sound quality between the two. So it goes with the QuadCast S we’re reviewing. 

There are a couple of provisos, though. Our first is that the QuadCast S comes frustratingly close to being a good low-budget studio mic with all those polar patterns, but since it’s limited to 48K Hz/16-bit recording, it doesn’t quite spread its wings and get there. 48KHz/16-bit is ample for a streamer mic’s intended usage, of course, where the audio will either be heavily compressed at the source or by the platform. But if you have a stereo / omnidirectional / cardioid / bidirectional mic available to you, perhaps you’d be tempted to use it for some home recording and music production. In those situations, it’s nice -- not essential, but nice -- to have a higher sample rate and bitrate to play with. 

Today’s high-end streamer mics all exist within a very narrow gamut with ready-to-go-audio, and the QuadCast S fits the profile. Like Razer, Elgato and cheaper Blue models, there’s definitely a slightly scooped EQ hat boosts low mids, suppresses mids and accentuates high-end frequencies for clarity of speech. That means your recordings sound professional, rather than natural; the mic is doing a bit of EQ and compression for you. 

Blue’s Yeti X still offers the happiest compromise between natural and broadcast-ready to our ears compared to the QuadCast S and other high-end mics, but these are fine margins between models we’re talking about.

Features and Software 

You know the drill by now with RGB devices. Cometh the lights, cometh the accompanying software app. In this case, it’s HyperX’s NGenuity software that acts as a gateway to customizing the QuadCast S’ two lighting zones (top and bottom), colors and behavior, and it makes doing so pretty simple. 

There’s not much tweaking to be had on the audio side though. Gain, mic monitoring and headphone volume are controllable via software, but there are no EQ presets or noise cancellation options. Small footprint software is a plus for some people, of course, but if you were looking to sculpt the mic’s sound without going into a DAW and applying plugins, you should look elsewhere. 

For anyone resistant to installing yet another peripheral manufacturer’s app onto their C:/ (this reviewer included), it’s worth noting that customizing RGB behavior is just about the only thing you can’t do without NGenuity installed. You can do everything else, from muting to choosing polar patterns, with physical dials on the unit. That may sound like a given, but with some  budget mics, like the Razer Seiren Mini, jettisoning all physical controls, perhaps it’s worth stating explicitly. That leaves the physical unit much more feature-rich than the software, which does its best to act useful when you load it up. But when part of the screen’s devoted to showing you which settings you’ve already selected using physical controls, (such as the polar pattern), you get a clear sense that this isn’t essential software.

Bottom Line 

The HyperX QuadCast S brings a gamer-fied aesthetic to the already great mix available in the HyperX QuadCast, with flexibility and out-of-the-box sound quality. There’s not much to complain about, but if you have the standard QuadCast there’s not much to get excited about either. 

If you’re specifically drawn to the QuadcCast S for its four polar patterns and the potential for home recording, consider an analog XLR mic or the Beyerdynamic Fox for its higher sample and bitrate. 

If you’re happy to keep things CD-quality when you’re recording however, the QuadCast S will see you right. 

Things are getting ultra-competitive at the budget end of the streamer mic market. Blue, Razer and HyperX all have some chips on the table here with small capsule, feature-light, low-cost spins on their higher-spec models, and all of them sound closer than you’d expect to the pricier version.

And if we’re playing our cards too, the differences between each manufacturer’s offerings are subtle. This isn’t 2012, and you won’t find noisy, scratchy devices that leave your Discord buddies wondering why you’re talking to them from inside a jet engine, not from any of the big players at least.

Instead, picking out a mic from the budget market is about your own specific setup scenario. The inexpensive and stylish Razer Seiren Mini, for example, sounds great but doesn’t feature a single knob or dial, leaving you handling levels and muting at the software level. Blue’s Snowball iCE has a choice of polar patterns, but is that what you really need?

If the HyperX SoloCast ($60 as of writing) has a unique selling proposition in the realm of such subtlety and specific catering for needs, it’s that it offers a relative sweet spot in compromise between sound, on-mic features and price. In other words: it’s tiny and sounds sweet as a nut, but it also has a mute button.

If we want to determine whether that’s enough to proclaim it the best gaming microphone in the budget category though, we’re going to have to delve a little deeper.

HyperX SoloCast Specs

Design

While other streamer mics could be accused of peacocking (Razer Seiren Emote, looking at you), HyperX takes a very different tack here. If you were being charitable, you’d call it a grown-up, professional look. If you were being less so, you’d say it looked a bit ‘Amazon Prime electronics department.’ Just a bit.

There’s just nothing to catch your eye and prompt you to notice the design. And this obviously isn’t a lapse on the industrial design team’s part. HyperX knows how to make products that look and feel great. This is obviously one of the trade-offs the SoloCast makes in order to hit its $60 price point.

Construction materials are dominated by utilitarian matte finish black plastic, and although aesthetic touches, like the gloss finish ring around the mic mute touch pad on the top of the mic capsule are present, they can’t hold a candle to Razer’s cheaper Seiren Mini and its glorious finish.

Like all USB streamer mics though, a stand is supplied with the mic capsule itself in the box. This one’s weighty enough at the base to keep it upright if you knock it during a particularly expansive hand gesture mid-stream. And, unlike its contemporaries, the SoloCast offers a variety of angles and positions, including a vertical tilt angle that lets you point the mic upward to your mouth if you’re using it on a desk. The cradle also rotates at 45-degree angles and offers 180 degrees of rotation in total, so it’s a much more lithe model than we’d expect for the money. Unfortunately, our review sample tends to droop downwards if it’s arranged horizontally and tilted upwards, but truthfully we’d never calibrate it in that way in the first place.

Due to the small size of the stand and the absence of a shock mount, we’d say fitting it to a boom arm instead is borderline essential to get the best sound out of it. The SoloCast’s small stature is good news for anyone who wants to use it with a low-cost boom arm. You know, the ones that tend to droop back down into your face if you overload them with weight. You’ll have no such trouble with the SoloCast, and with threads for both 3/8-inch and 5/8-inch boom mounts, you’ll have no drama getting it onto a boom. The SoloCast is 3.1 x 3.1 x 7.1 inches in its stand or 3.1 x 3.1 x 5.1 inches without the stand, making it just a bit larger than the Seiren Mini (2.2 x 3.5 x 6.4 inches in its stand).

Sound Quality

Here’s the real surprise: the SoloCast sounds pretty close to its bigger HyperX QuadCast brethren, and also to the Seiren Mini, our current favorite budget mic. Once you factor in the quality loss from the broadcasting platform itself, whether that’s Discord, Twitch, YouTube or Soundcloud, it’d take a very keen pair of ears to tell the difference between the mics. Thanks to the hotly contested nature of the streamer kit market, you really don’t need to throw a lot of money at your audio setup to get a great mic sound at the moment.

There are differences though, at least at unprocessed audio level, between all three aforementioned mics. The Seiren Mini’s hypercardioid polar pattern means it’s a bit pickier about where its recording ‘sweet spot’ is, producing a thinner sound unless you’re facing it directly with your mouth a few inches away. Both HyperX models are a bit more forgiving in this regard, but the tradeoff here is in added room noise an -- that pariah of gaming broadcast -- mechanical keyboard clatter. When using the SoloCast on its supplied stand, the latter seems to carry through the desk and pick up on the mic more clearly than the shock-mounted QuadCast or hypercardioid Seiren Mini.

With that said, the SoloCast does offer a warmer sound that these naturally subjective ears find preferable to the $50 Seiren Mini. Does the SoloCast sound $10 better? If you want a vocal sound that comes out more neutral and with less harshness to sibilant sounds, yes.

For its part, the bigger and more expensive ($140 as of writing) QuadCast definitely offers more warmth and a fuller sound than the SoloCast while also delivering a more natural sounding low-end. This may be due to the increased capsule size and diaphragm the QuadCast has over our review focus.

Features and Software

As you might expect for an entry-level mic, there isn’t a lot to tweak here at a hardware or software level.

Where the SoloCast has a definite advantage over the Seiren Mini is the addition of a physical mute button, at the top of the mic capsule itself. Instead of a click-down switch it’s a touch-operated pad which produces much less perceptible noise when you operate it, so hats off to the design team on that one. A single indicator light will emit constantly when unmuted, or intermittently when muted. That’s another point scored against its contemporaries, since it’s not de rigueur to include such an easy method of keeping track. Other than the aforementioned two threads for different sized mic mounts and the adjustable stand, that’s all she wrote on the hardware features front.

And mercifully, the SoloCast doesn’t need any software to function correctly. Anyone whose headset, keyboard and mouse are all made by different manufacturers each with their own profiling software will know just how much of an imposition it seems to install yet another program just to tweak some mic settings. And with the honorable exceptions of Blue and Elgato, which offer some really tight presets for broadcasting and recording in their software, these apps don’t tend to add much value. In the case of the SoloCast, you can tweak away to your heart’s content by running the mic into a DAW and applying plugins to the track.

Bottom Line

It wasn’t long ago we were swallowing Razer’s little pink pill and proclaiming its Seiren Mini the best entry-level pick for streamer mics, but with the arrival of the SoloCast we’re not so sure. HyperX’s increased features (most importantly a mute button) and warm tone more than justify spending an extra $10.

Which means if you want to be really specific about how much you spend on a streamer setup, there are now really strong picks at either price point; you don’t lose out whether you choose to spend $50 or $60.

That’s where the “cult of Razer” marketing kicks in. The Seiren Mini just looks and feels a little more refined, and distinctive -- quintessentially Razer. Contrastingly, the SoloCast looks utilitarian, and you’d have a tough time guessing which manufacturer made it if it wasn’t for that brand logo on the front. These are small details, but the look of your setup matters if you’re streaming or recording on camera, so they’re not inconsequential ones. Decide which one makes your eyes happier, and make your pick accordingly.

Today, Razer released the Seiren Mini, its first small form factor budget external microphone. Meant to compete with other similar external microphones like the $49 Blue Snowball Ice, this is a simple-to-operate 6.4 inch tall condenser microphone that’s meant to make the type of audio quality you’d find on the best gaming microphones more affordable for entry-level streamers and home office use.

The Razer Seiren Mini is plug-and-play out of the box with minimal controls. Differing from other mics in Razer’s Seiren lineup, like the Razer Seiren X, Razer Seiren Elite and Razer Seiren Emote, the Seiren Mini doesn’t take up much desk space. It comes in at just 6.4 x 3.5 inches and weighs 0.60 pounds. Meanwhile, the similarly small Blue Yeti Nano is 8.3 x 3.8 inches and weighs 1.39 pounds.

Razer equipped the Seiren Mini with a supercardoid pickup pattern, which means it focuses on recording sound coming from directly in front of it, and strives for a flat audio curve to keep voice representation accurate. The Blue Snowball Ice, meanwhile, has a cardoid pickup pattern, which lets more side noise in but is less susceptible to interference from behind the microphone. Razer claims the Snowball Ice also has a more uneven audio curve, though this is something we’d have to test ourselves before making any declarations on it.

In line with its simplistic nature, the Seiren Mini also lacks a tilting stand. Audiophiles may be thrown off by this, as well as with the microphone’s lack of knobs or buttons, but the Seiren Mini’s many color variants (the press materials show off black, white or pink options) make it clear that this is a casual microphone, as does the price.

The Seiren Mini is available now at Razer’s website and select retailers.  

Whether you’re a streamer, gamer, creator, or just have a Skype call once in a while, most people can get good use out of a decent microphone. Although it’s not the top-tier model, Razer’s Seiren X is currently on sale this Black Friday on Amazon for $59.99, whereas it normally retails for $100.

Razer’s Seiren X comes with a frequency response of 20 Hz through 20 kHz, and it can pick up sounds across a narrow pickup pattern to ensure no unwanted noises are recorded. It plus into a USB port, so having a good sound card to use to its best potential isn’t a requirement at all.  

The build quality of these microphones is also known to be excellent, coming with a black anodized aluminum housing. The base comes with vibration absorbing fabric and the main unit has a hidden built-in schock absorber, so unless you slam your desk really hard while typing, it shouldn’t pick up too many loud thuds.

It also comes with a built-in headphone jack, meaning you’ll be able to listen to your stream in real-time with zero latency.

Streamers often interrupt their broadcasts to respond to new subscribers, donations and messages from their audience. But it seems like Razer thought those interruptions weren't enough, because the company today announced the Seiren Emote microphone, which features a built-in display used to show pixellated emoticons.

Razer said the Seiren Emote is "the world's first professional-grade microphone featuring an emoticon display," and that it "synchronizes the emoticons displayed on the microphone to on-stream events." That syncing occurs via the new Emote Engine in the Streamer Companion App for Windows.

That app can be used to decide which emoticons are shown on the 8 x 8 panel display when certain things happen on-stream. Razer said it offers "more than 100 static or animated preset emoticons" with the app. Streamers can make their own emoticons, too, with an editing tool built into the Streamer Companion App.

Speaking of the microphone: Razer said the Seiren Emote "utilizes a hyper-cardioid pickup pattern" that's supposed to better reduce background noise than its non-hyper counterpart. It has a built-in shock mount, too, that can muffle contact with the mic's stand. An interchangeable gooseneck (non-biological) allows the microphone's height to be customized.

The big question, of course, is if this will catch on with streamers rather than existing tools to respond to streaming audiences, including overlays and other special effects. This is certainly a creative effort, but we'll have to see if streamers take to it.

Razer said the Seiren Emote is available now from its online store for $180; it's expected to be available from resellers in the fourth quarter of 2019. More information about the microphone can be found on the company's website. 

The HyperX QuadCast is a great mic for streamers and podcasters at its normal $139.99 price. We gave it our Editor's Choice award for its intuitive controls, excellent sound clarity, versatility. The latter is due in large part to the mic's three internal diaphragms. Easy to recommend at full price, this mic is arguably an insta-buy at its Amazon Prime Day price of $99.99--$40 off.

• Get the HyperX QuadCast Mic on Amazon for $99.99 ($40 off)

You can mount the QuadCast either via its included desk stand, or use the (also included) adapter to mount it on a boom arm. And the desktop stand incorporates a shock mount, which should keep accidental bump sounds to a minimum. The mute button is conveniently mounted on the top of the mic, and accompanied by a red light. So you'll know at a glance when to shout those expletives you don't want everyone to hear.

For more savings, check out our list of best Amazon Prime Day deals and best pc hardware deals overall as well as dedicated lists of current sales on ssds, cpus, gpus, gaming laptops and Raspberry Pi stuff.

With respect to the Blue Yeti, its era of desktop mic dominance is starting to draw to a close. The USB mic market has gathered real momentum in the past year or so, and earning a spot on the best gaming microphones has become that much harder.

Additionally, the spec sheets of newer models are increasingly blurring the line between enthusiast USB models and studio equipment that has traditionally carried a much higher price tag. That's been helped along by manufacturers, such as Beyerdynamic and Audio-Technica, bringing their own USB offerings to market, bringing along decades of studio know-how with them as they do.

But if you're a streamer, gamer, or podcast creator, how much do you really need from your mic? And how much is just there to pad the specs sheets? Well, in the Audio-Technica AT2020USB+'s case, it takes its cues from seminal early noughties pop-punk album All Killer No Filler, from Sum 41, while delivering tones that are definitely easier on the ear than Deryck Whibley's vocal performances. That is to say, this is a well-put-together package that comprises everything you might reasonably need for recording vocals or instruments in a streaming or home recording setup. Nearly everything, at least: There's no pop shield included with the AT2020USB+, even in the more expensive podcasting pack bundle, which also includes a pair of headphones and a boom arm. That's not a deal-breaker, though, since pop shields are at least cheap to buy separately.

Priced at £120/$150 at time of review (or $199 for the podcasting pack), the AT2020USB+ slots into a bustling market where the Blue Yeti, Razer Seiren, HyperX Quadcast and our personal favorite, the Beyerdynamic Fox, already reside. What's more, it's got some skin in the game; the first version (sans '+') was released in 2017 with a slightly more modest spec sheet and a lack of headphone monitoring, so what this latest model represents is a refinement of a mic that already garnered a decent reputation.

And were it not just slightly outperformed by the Fox on the spec sheet and the ear test, that reputation would be that of the best on the market. As it stands, it's a highly competitive alternative to the Fox.

Design

Like most USB mics that enter our offices, the aesthetic of this Audio-Technica model owes more to the studio than it does to gaming peripherals. Frankly we couldn't be happier about that. The last thing we want when we're recording is a dizzying array of RGB lights putting us off whatever we were about to say or play.

The desktop stand adopts a tripod design, similar to those you'd use with a kick drum mic like AKG's D112. It might look a little bit fragile, but the locking tripod arms are stable in practice so you need not worry about the mic taking an unexpected tumble midway through your WWE podcast. It's slightly fiddly to adjust and balance though, due to the number of hinges and screws involved - we prefer the simpler options presented by Razer and Beyerdynamic in which a great big slab of metal forms the base stand.

On the mic itself are gain and volume controls, along with a headphone monitoring input and a monitoring level adjust, all fitted around the middle of the USB microphone via thumb wheels. Within the AT2020USB+ (couldn’t someone think of a better name?), a small blue led turns on to let you know it's getting power via USB, the connector for which is at the very base of the device. There's also an adapter for boom arms, and a generously padded leather carry case which looks suitably "pro." Bust it out near someone reading Sound On Sound magazine and watch their gaze be drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

Similar in size to other mics we've tested recently like the Beyerdynamic Fox, it's unobtrusive enough to fit between your keyboard and monitor in a gaming setup, and the tripod lifts it high enough off the ground to nestle in close to a speaker cabinet for recording music.

Specifications

Audio Quality

This is a medium-diaphragm condenser with just a cardioid polar pattern available, so It's designed as an all-rounder, and performs wonderfully as such. When recording spoken vocals, it has a warmth and clarity when you're right up to the diaphragm, and doesn't start to sound roomy until you're about four feet away. With a 44KHz sample rate and 16-bit depth, it falls in line with the specs of most other mics on the market, offering CD-quality audio as the audio signal is converted to digital.

What we loved about the Beyerdynamic Fox when we tested it recently was its higher bit depth and sample rate, which gave it a warmth and subtlety and placed it in line with higher-priced studio mics. In all honesty, despite offering only CD-quality audio, this mic doesn't fall too far behind. It's robust enough to record booming guitar signals through a 2x12 cabinet without distortion even at ear-rattling volume, but also capable of capturing those transient details of a softly delivered vocal up close to the mic.

There are only two drawbacks in fact, and they're slight. One is that the cardioid pattern is broad enough that you have to put some time and effort into positioning it at just the right angle to avoid the dreaded keyboard clicking sounds. This isn't really a failing on the AT2020USB+'s part, but perhaps more of a by-product of its proclivity to capture some room noise, which actually enlivens a lot of vocal and acoustic guitar recordings. You could always --shudder -- use a quieter membrane keyboard if this bothers you.

The second issue is a slightly insubstantial low end which we're not sure what element to pin the blame on for. It might be a function of the analog-to-digital conversion, since there's no reason a mid-sized diaphragm like this one shouldn't be able to capture some authoritative bass frequencies. We are talking slight, though. It's the kind of thing you notice while listening to wav files of different microphone recordings specifically to hear their differences, not during everyday use.

The headphone preamp for latency-free monitoring is quite capable at high volumes too without breakup creeping in. This might not be a big selling point for the typical streaming setup, but if you are looking to capture some musical performances in which tracks need to sync up to a metronome, or just with each other, it's a definite plus. The breakup on the Beyerdynamic Fox's headphone preamp was the only real chink in its armor, so Audio-Technica wins back some ground on its rival with that one.

Accessories

It's a generous package overall that the AT2020USB+ arrives in. We're big fans of the carry-case and its frankly ludicrous levels of padding beneath a smart leather exterior, and the tripod stand works well once you have everything tightened and balanced just as you need it. We'd have liked to see a braided cable included for the USB connection to avoid knots and tangles down the line, though.

Plaudits are won for the boom mic adapter, and for the sensibly laid out thumb wheels on the mic itself. There are only so many accessories a microphone needs to shower you with, and save for that aforementioned pop shield the AT2020USB+ puts ticks in boxes.

Features and Software

This being a class-compliant device, you can expect both Windows and MacOS devices to recognize and start using the mic without the need for specific drivers. That's especially handy if you're on the road and looking for a very literal plug-and-play solution, and it's also nice to avoid the bloatware that sometimes creeps into your systems with the addition of a new mouse, keyboard, or headset. It's only a matter of time, we suppose, before someone offers some bundled software suite that changes your voice into that of Terry Crews or a Minion. Until that day comes, we'll enjoy the extra drive storage space.

Bottom Line

There's very little to find fault with here. Audio-Technica's streaming- and podcasting-friendly AT2020USB+ is built with the same sturdiness and quality you'd find in its studio mics, with a USB interface and tripod stand that makes for an easy streaming setup. If you regularly stream or record podcasts as a duo, a mic with a bidirectional polar pattern like HyperX's Quadcast might be more suitable, but for solo recording this model's a dream.

Scrub through the recordings and you can hear a slight absence of chunky, powerful low end compared with our current favorite Fox from Beyerdynamic. But what the AT2020USB+ lacks -- just narrowly -- in overall tone, it gains back in the clarity and headroom of its monitoring via the headphone input. This is a mighty contender for anyone looking to do more with their USB mic than the odd stream.

Image Credits: Audio-Technica

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Who wants to be a streamer? At the moment, it seems like that answer is just about everyone. In days gone by, kids grew up dreaming of one day stepping out onto the turf of a premier league football team (that’s Soccer for the US guys out there) for their day job. Now, childhood aspiration is often about donning a snapback hat and asking “what is up, you guys?” to an audience of millions.

Perhaps a microphone review isn’t the best home for a debate about the merits and dangers of such a preoccupation with broadcasting ourselves, but it is the place to say that if streaming’s a fad, it’s one that’s lasted many years and changed the face of PC gaming peripherals. Amidst the arms races contested by gaming mice, keyboards, headsets and even chairs, a fascinating little scrap is happening in the mic space. And when products like this Beyerdynamic Fox, one of the best gaming microphones, pop out of it, everyone wins.

Design

The Fox is an enthusiast-level mic with pro-audio cred. You can see it on the spec sheet in its 96KHz, 24-bit recording quality, and in the look of the mic itself. This isn’t a ‘gamer’ aesthetic, but instead a look similar to Beyerdynamic’s many respected studio mics, which have graced professional recording environments for decades. Interestingly, it seems to take its visual cues from the TG series of supercardioid mics used for recording drums, despite its intended purpose for vocal recording, but nonetheless it looks inarguably "pro." And happily, the pro look goes deeper than just the surface. By and large, the Fox really can straddle the worlds of gaming and pro audio.

Included in its reasonable £120/$150 price is a large diaphragm condenser mic with a USB-C connection, a smart braided USB-C cable, a clip-on pop shield which sits 1 ¼ inches from the mic, and an adjustable stand. On the front, volume and mix controls sit above a headphone input, and above all that is a mute button which flashes when enabled so that you’re sure when you’re off air. There’s just one control at the rear, above the USB-C connection: a slider which flips between high and low input modes for recording near or far away from the mic.

Those package contents sit in line with other market competitors we’ve tested recently from Logitech, Razer, and HyperX. And like HyperX’s Quadcast for example, it can be fitted to a boom arm if you don’t want to use the supplied stand. The inclusion and design of the pop shield sets it apart in our minds though -- it’s a simple clip-on design that literally couldn’t be easier to take off and on as the occasion calls for it. And unlike cloth mesh designs which rip and -- there’s no pleasant way to say this -- absorb a lot of spittle over time, this metal mesh design can easily be cleaned. We’d never advocate eating while recording into a mic, but if you absolutely must choke down a pizza while shoutcasting, at least you have the option of cleaning up after yourself pretty effortlessly.

The desk stand can be tilted at an angle, and stays in place once you’ve adjusted it thanks to a sturdy design and good-quality construction materials. It’s a little easy to knock off balance if you need to make adjustments to the controls if you do have it tilted back, though. There’s definitely potential for hitting the mute button and knocking it over.

Specifications

Audio Quality

Happily though, when using the desk stand the Fox isn’t overly sensitive to knocks and bumps against your desk. It filters out unwanted sounds without adding that artificial, heavily noise-gated sound to your vocals. Mechanical keyboard clicks do still creep in, but they’re less prevalent than in other mics we’ve tested.

It was that 96KHz, 24-bit recording quality which really caught our eye when the Fox turned up, though. Previously, our primary reservation with USB mics from gaming peripheral companies was that for all their ease of use and great sound quality when recording vocals at a certain distance, they were a bit limited compared to studio mics. If a new mic came along that could maintain that ease of use while also tackling a broader range of recording scenarios and hitting studio-quality recording fidelity, that would surely be the holy grail.

The reality? Yep, the Fox is pretty much that. This mic isn’t quite a studio mic capable of displacing an MC840 studio condenser at ten times the cost, don’t get us wrong. But compared to the other USB streaming mics we’ve tested, this one’s much more comfortable recording instruments and musical performances than its peers.

96Khz sample rate and 24-bit depth is important in the studio because it ensures minimal compression or clipping while all the subtleties in the sound are preserved. The reality of broadcasting your voice over platforms like Twitch and YouTube is that anything above CD-quality (48KHz, 16-bit) is a bit of an irrelevance since the signal will be compressed so much as it travels to your viewers. But if you want to do more with your mic -- and why shouldn’t you since you paid for it and it’s sitting there on your desk -- that’s when the virtues of higher fidelities make themselves known.

During our testing, we found the Fox is great at recording vocals both close up and at distance. Just a flip of the high/low input control at the rear ensures the signal doesn’t come in too hot and start distorting when you’re belting, and that the whispery high-end quality isn’t lost when you come up close for a more intimate ASMR-like vocal delivery.

The Fox is capable of recording instruments and vocals with decent results, too. Just whack the input up, take a step back and you bring a little room sound into the mix along with the vocals and, for example, acoustic guitar.

We pushed the Fox still further out of its comfort zone by placing it at the speaker cone of a 2X12 amplifier cabinet and blasting out some electric guitar, and it captured that pretty well, for a single polar pattern cardioid condenser. Shure’s SM57 can sleep easy at the end of the day when it comes to recording guitars in the studio, but as an all-purpose mic with a super-handy USB connection the Fox makes a great ringer.

Features and Software

Monitoring the sound from the headphone jack is a bit tricky, however, because the audio tends to distort much quicker through the cans than it does in the recording itself. We found that recordings that sounded clipped while we were monitoring them actually came out fine in DAW playback, with no evidence of clipping on the waveform.

Based on our experience, we’d say the built-in headphone preamp is a bit lacking compared to the rest of the package, but it’s easy enough to circumnavigate. You might opt not to monitor recordings while you perform them, or do a bit of fiddling in your DAW to listen to the track through headphones/monitors connected to your PC. And this is specific to more demanding recording scenarios. It’s unlikely that you’ll be shouting so much during a Twitch stream that you’d hear clipping through the headphone preamp, or indeed that you’d be listening at all.

Bottom Line

Back to the more fundamental purpose for the Fox: recording spoken vocals from about a foot or so away, on a PC desktop. Simply put, this mic sounds fantastic for that. It has the high-end sparkle and light-touch DSP wizardry to make your voice sound professional and broadcast-quality. But compared to the Quadcast, Razer Seiren and even the hallowed Blue Yeti, it retains a little bit more richness, too. You really have to listen out for it -- we’re not talking about a night-and-day difference. But it’s there.

There’s only one drawback here, and it obviously exists in order to deliver the stellar quality the Fox achieves: There’s just one polar pattern. Cardioid is a great all-rounder mic technology, and with careful placement it can manage a few different recording tasks. But what it can’t do is record two voices easily for a podcast or a dual-streaming setup. Most of its competitors offer a choice of narrower, broader, or two distinct polar patterns for these scenarios. So it would have been ideal to flip to bidirectional mode and get that same great vocal recording without having to smush cheeks with your company like the Beatles.

Our experience with the Fox has been simply fantastic. We’d been hoping for a USB mic that takes on a bit of pro audio capability, and along it came with fundamentally great vocal recording sounds, a sturdy build, sensible controls and 96KHz / 24-bit recording quality. Sure, the headphone monitoring isn’t the best since the preamp breaks up much earlier than the mic itself. But in most cases that won’t prove a problem. Its absence of a bidirectional polar pattern is the only lasting negative we can level at Beyerdynamic, although perhaps it paves the way for a later model with a second diaphragm.

Image Credits: Tom's Hardware

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The gear gods have been advocating it for years, and pro streamers couldn't do their job without it. But going with a dedicated desktop mic for gaming is still a bold move in 2019 despite its obvious benefits: higher broadcast quality than headset mics, a broader choice of headphones, and a 'pro streamer' aesthetic that a certain audience is willing to pay a premium for. The Seiren X mic from Razer aims to hit that audience while also addressing the chief stumbling block for those still using headset mics: price.

Available for £99.99/$99.99, the Seiren X is one of the best gaming microphones and a lower-budget offering than Razer's full-blooded Seiren Elite dynamic desktop mic, which sells for just under £200/$200, and the HyperX Quadcast, available for just under £150/$150. The idea here is that the X variant strips away some frills while delivering a recording and broadcast quality broadly equivalent to pricier competitors. Available in that classic black (with obligatory Razer green accents), a blue and black scheme for the PS4 edition and an additional quartz-pink model, the Seiren X offers a decent range of aesthetic options for a microphone. And fits nicely within the company's streamer-focused range of broadcasting equipment which now includes capture cards, lighting and cameras.

If you're so inclined, you could go all-in for an entire streaming setup carrying Razer branding. We're not advocating that, but as a moderately priced step toward a better-sounding game stream, the Seiren X isn't a good option.

Design

Like the majority of gaming-focused broadcast mics on the market, this model sports an electret condenser with a wide diaphragm and substantial shock protection, anchored by a nice heavy stand. Volume and mute controls live on the mic itself, while the cables run down through the stand, which is a slightly awkward arrangement in the name of neatness. That tiny issue aside, it's a handsome looking piece of kit that doesn't go too hard on the 'gamer' look and is all the better for it. We really like the simplicity of the aesthetics, and if you're worried about its appearance not popping out on your streams as you'd like, the pink option is bound to get noticed.

It's a strikingly small microphone, this one, coming in at around half the dimensions of its big brother, the Seiren Elite, and dwarfed by the HyperX Quadcast and the Blue Yeti, which is still the go-to USB mic company for many gamers. The size is handy for those pushed for space on their desktops, and it's unlikely to impinge on your beautiful face on camera.

However, microphones with larger capsules hold the advantage of being able to protect the delicate diaphragm more effectively with a larger shock protector. There's also the issue of the diaphragm size itself--some say larger diaphragm condensers convey a richer sound quality when recording vocals while generally keeping self-noise to a minimum, while others prefer the natural articulation and agility of smaller diaphragm condensers. Since the Seiren X is a completely different mic than the dynamic Seiren Elite, this isn't just a matter of shrinking the diaphragm down however. The upshot for the end user is more likely to be increased pickup of unwanted desk noises like knocks and scratches.

With all that said then, the ideal application for the Seiren X is on-the-go streamers. If you need a streaming setup you can fit into a suitcase and set up on the go, this mic is a sensible choice for you.

Specifications

Audio Quality

There's just one polar pattern available here, and it's supercardioid. Essentially, this is a tighter pickup area than the traditional cardioid, the idea being that the Seiren X picks up only what you want it to--in most instances, your voice, while falling deaf to unwanted background noises like ambient room noise, keyboard and mouse clicks, or trains rolling by on the railroad outside your window that you didn't notice when you first looked around your apartment. That's the theory, anyway. In truth, to our ears it sounds as through the Seiren X picks up just about as much mechanical keyboard clatter as HyperX's Quadcast using the cardioid polar pattern. Considering this is your sole choice of polar pattern, that tendency to pick up high frequency noise is a bit limiting.

It's a shame not to have a couple more options here for podcasting or group streaming, too. Our only bugbear with gaming mics across the board is that they're limited in usage, often for no good reason. USB interfaces are convenient but they mean you can't run a gaming mic into an audio interface, which limits their home recording potential.

However, when recording a vocal in isolation, the Seiren X performs really well. It's able to pick up the little details in the higher frequencies, and produces a "breathy" quality that we really like. Low end does lack a bit of authority, but it's there enough to cut through a mix and when you run a compressor over the vocal recording, there's real punch and clarity to it.

Truth be told, it's not quite as warm or full in tone as the Quadcast or the Blue Yeti, but considering the price difference between the Seiren X and those pricier mics, that tradeoff feels reasonable. It does reinforce that this is a mic with a specific usage scenario though, for on-the-go streamers who'll be happy to compromise outright sound quality for easy transport and quick setups and packdowns.

The Seiren X is also a little more prone to picking up those knocks and bumps on the desk and the mic itself during recording, which means you have to take greater care when the proverbial red light's on than when using other mics. Likely that's again down to its small size.

Features and Software

This is a no-frills, no fuss package from Razer, although as always, the packaging itself that the Seiren X arrives in is luxurious and owes much to Apple's decadent product presentation. Open up a Razer product box, read the proclamation welcoming you to "The Cult of Razer" and try to tell us otherwise. But in terms of added extras, there's little here. You'll find the mic and stand in there, the cable, and a setup guide. It's possible to fit the mic to a shock mount and boom arm, but you'll need to buy the mount separately. We'd advise doing this, despite the additional outlay. It'll minimize any audible pickup of those bumps and bangs that are bound to happen from time to time while you're streaming, and by placing the mic in an elevated position you're moving it further away from that noisy keyboard and mouse. We'd have liked to see an adapter included for using a boom arm. HyperX throws one in with its Quadcast, but that mic costs about 50% more.

Bottom Line

We're of two minds about the Seiren X. On one hand, it offers a sensible and very usable compromise between full-size, full-price gaming mics both within and outside the Razer fold, delivering great clarity and fundamentally clear and bright recording quality while minimizing setup fuss. However, since gaming mics are themselves a bit of a compromise versus XLR studio mics, this is a compromise of a compromise. It's not that the product itself fails to deliver on any of its specs or intended purposes, but rather that these are quite narrow in the first place.

Even if you are a streamer looking for an easy and portable setup, it's definitely worth considering spending a bit more money on an audio interface and a studio mic. Doing so opens up many more possibilities to you, and although your viewers probably won't notice the difference over Twitch or YouTube's compression-happy platforms, it'll also open up better recording quality.

Ultimately it would be unfair to penalize one well-made and high-performing product for our wider grievances with the market. So now that we've said our piece about microphones in general, let's say this: for £100/$100, here's a mic which vastly better sound quality than any headset mic will offer, and it's smaller than a can of soda. There's not much to complain about there, is there?

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Gaming microphones might have seemed like an unnecessary decadence just a few years ago, but with the advent of Twitch comes a totally different mindset about PC gaming. No longer purely a performance equation, the ideal gaming setup is as much about broadcasting high-quality audio and video--and looking good doing it--as it is about frame rates.

That's important context around which to frame the arrival of Kingston's HyperX Quadcast, a $140/£120 dedicated mic that's earned the title as one of the best gaming microphones out now. That's thanks to Twitch-ready looks and well-placed controls that allow for quick gain changes and muting while you play. 

Design

In reality, a mic like the HyperX Quadcast isn't exactly a transformative experience in multiplayer gaming versus a headset with a swingarm mic--except perhaps for your buddies who might have grown weary of your tinny voice. Instead, it's a broader proposition, for those interested in streaming while they play, or in multimedia creation like YouTube content or podcasts.

Going for a dedicated mic also opens up new possibilities for your headphone setup. Since you’d no longer require a built-in mic on your cans, the audiophile space beckons for those with pockets deep enough to pay the entry fee. Top-quality gaming headsets are genuinely wonderful today, but they can’t compete with a pair of high-end headphones running into an amp. In other words, in that time-honored PC-gaming tradition, opting for a dedicated mic like this is a great excuse to spend more money on better-sounding headphones.

The numbers on the HyperX Quadcast's spec sheet might not jump out at you. In part that might be because microphone spec sheets aren't generally scrutinized in the PC gaming enthusiast space, but nonetheless this is a mic designed specifically for up-close vocal recording and background noise cancellation, and the Quadcast executes on that mission brilliantly.

The mic’s built around an electret condenser design, which is broadly the same as the mic on the end of most headset swingarms: A diaphragm translates changes in sound pressure levels into electrical current using a backplate, which holds static charge, and an amplifier. There’s an electrical field between the diaphragm and backplate because the diaphragm is conductive, so when it’s pushed back by sound pressure levels, the electrical field narrows and a louder signal is sent to the amplifier. When the sound pressure level (SPL) gets quieter, the diaphragm (or three of them in this mic's case) can move back to their normal position and the electrical field widens again, lowering the signal sent to the amplifier.

Where the Quadcast differs from those tiny headset mics is in the size and plurality of the diaphragm. Mics fitted into small devices like headsets and phones are great at articulating fast changes in SPL like explosive sounds, but they can’t accurately translate low-end frequencies into audio signal because the diaphragm isn’t physically big enough to react accurately. That's the reason (or at least one reason) every phone call you've ever had sounds so thin and scratchy. There’s no such problem with a mic this size, which takes its looks from those classic Neumann and Electrovoice studio mic designs of the past. It's able to pick up the subtler details of your low-end register and commit them to electrical signal accurately.

The same’s true of other gaming microphones like Razer’s Seiren series, of course, but it’s important to mention that it’s this increase in real estate that really gives dedicated mics the ability to bump up the sound quality exponentially from what a smartphone or a headset is capable of.

Adding to the Quadcast’s studio cred, there are four polar patterns listed on the spec sheet: cardioid, bidirectional, stereo and omnidirectional. We’re not sure what Kingston means by ‘stereo’ here as that isn’t a recognized polar pattern in itself, but clearly it makes use of the Quadcast's very unusual three-diaphragm design. The results don't sound very different to the bidirectional setup to our ears, but it's another option at least.

What that array of options means in terms of usability is that in addition to picking up just one source in front of it using the cardioid setting (you, generally) it’s capable of listening to the whole room at once, or two different sound sources at different sides of the mic. The latter is especially handy for anyone looking to record a podcast as a duo, although it’s still always preferable to use two separate mics so that you’re recording two separate signals for EQing, compression and mastering.

The cardioid pattern is the one that matters, though, and it works well to bring out the subtle details of your voice without drawing in unnecessary background noise. There’s a clarity to the high end, a "breathiness" that it’s able to capture, which we found really commendable at this price point. A note for mechanical keyboard users though: The Quadcast does pick up the clicks in that cardioid setting, so it’s worth running your signal through a noise suppressor if possible. You might also get around it by isolating the frequency those clicks sound out at, running your signal through an EQ and setting a narrow q value at that frequency to kill that signal. It's not the Quadcast's fault--Cherry switches are loud, and they generally live right next to where you'd want to place a mic. Having said all that, the mechanical keyboard noise is less noticeable than when using a lot of gaming headset mics, at least.

Specifications

Audio Quality

Elsewhere on the Quadcast’s vital statistics, the stats of note are a 20Hz-20KHz frequency response range and 48Khz/16-bit sample/bit rate. We have absolutely no reservations about that frequency response given the intended purpose. You might run into trouble if you’re trying to capture whale song, but really that’s on you for bringing a gaming mic to an aquatic mammal. The full EQ frequency range of your voice, however, is going to come across beautifully and that’s somewhat more pertinent.

Regarding the sample and bit rate, 48KHz and 16-bit is CD quality audio is sufficient for most common gaming-related scenarios. But that spec really highlights that the Quadcast isn’t pro audio equipment, and can’t be used as such. Most likely that comes down to the USB interface, which is certainly more convenient than trying to find somewhere on your PC to plug in an XLR jack. So the trade off of convenience makes sense for a gaming product. 

Accessories and Compatibility

There are two physical placement options on offer here, and they’re both great. The first is the shock mount and desktop stand supplied with the mic, which keeps it suspended above the surface it’s placed on. This is a big deal for streamers, since bumping into your desk or getting in the way of a clumsy hand is bound to happen while you’re recording at some point. Ordinarily those bumps and bangs are picked up by the mic through its stand. This design minimizes that annoyance, while remaining sturdy enough to stay put.

Secondly, there’s an adapter supplied in the box which allows the mic to be fitted to a boom arm. Going that route would be effective at minimizing keyboard clatter, too. It also demonstrates an awareness on Kingston’s part of how streamers actually like to play--more often than not with a boom stand off to one side rather than a central desk mic stand.

We also love the way the Quadcast's mute and volume controls are implemented, using a simple push button at the very top for muting, and by rotating the body at the bottom to change volume. We're not pro gamers or Bop-It experts here, but even we can handle that while we play.

It's become a fact of life that the mic mute button is placed somewhere obtuse on gaming headsets and that you have to break stride to find and operate it, so tapping the top of the Quadcast to mute feels liberating. There's no clicking or popping audible when muting, and a handy, unmissable red light comes on to indicate when you're going silent.

You shouldn't generally need to adjust the volume on the fly, since there's always a danger of running your signal so high it starts peaking. However, should you need to make quick adjustments it's a very easy task when the mic's fitted to its desk stand. Twisting the bottom is a bit trickier when using a boom arm, though.

Bottom Line

There's nothing really to dislike about this mic, so long as you're using it for its intended purpose. The nearest we can come to it is in its limitations as a studio device. If it had an XLR input, the Quadcast could take on high-fidelity recording tasks, but we understand that most gamers won't want the hassle of interfacing with XLR.

The bottom line is that this is just about the best gaming mic we've heard. There's very little in it, but while the mighty Blue Yeti might convey more warmth, the Quadcast has a high-end clarity that makes voices cut through game audio with a really polished sound. Razer's Seiren X isn't far behind either but for now, consider Kingston's HyperX Quadcast your go-to dedicated gaming mic.

Image Credits: Tom's Hardware

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HyperX’s Legendary Cloud II Gunmetal Headset is on sale for £60 in the UK

When it comes to finding a solid gaming headset deal, there’s few better out there than HyperX’s Cloud II. Although now pushing four years old, these world renowned cans are well known for their impeccable audio reproduction, stylish looks and comfort, they’ve won more awards than the Lord of the Rings has won oscars. It’s that audio that’s the key here, with a frequency response peaking just above the standard human hearing at 15 Hz - 25 kHz, and powered by a set of 53mm neodymium dynamic drivers, they’re perfect at creating crystal clear sound without cutting off any of the upper and lower frequencies off those notes. Whether it’s music, films or that latest AAA title, the HyperX Cloud II gaming headset won’t disappoint on PC, Mobile, or any console you throw at them.
 

• Pick up the Gunmetal Cloud IIs at Amazon.co.uk for just £60 (£25 / 30% off RRP).

So how did HyperX land on this design to begin with? Well it all comes down to a fantastic heritage founded with the launch of the original Clouds. Back in the early 2010s Kingston approached a small Swedish company called QPad, and asked to partner with them in the creation of its own gaming headset. QPad obliged, and used its already award winning QH90 headset design as the basis for the original Cloud. Kingston added its HyperX branding, tweaked the packaging, and a few other details, and then sold the headset far below the standard price of the QH90s. Although that may sound insane given the quality of these headphones it allowed Kingston to develop its HyperX brand into the separate entity we know it as today. Soon after that the HyperX Cloud IIs followed, an in-built in-line sound card, adding in-line volume control, 7.1 audio, and USB support as well, followed by the refreshed Cloud Alpha gaming headset last year.

Specs

Thoughts?

But wait there’s more. Just kidding. But if those leather ear cups aren’t your thing this bad boy also comes with velour cloth models instead. There’s also an airline adapter (making these ideal for travel with their closed back, leather design), and a carry case for them as well.

Ultimately it really is hard to pick fault with HyperX’s Cloud II. It’s a headset that holds so much weight within the community with such a grand reputation, that they’re the most recommended headset out there. Hell, we’ve even bought these as gifts for family and friends alike. It might not hold the same sales figures as the impressive Razer Kraken does, but honestly in this reviewer’s humble opinion, it’s leaps and bounds ahead of the competition, especially for £60.

• Best US Tech Deals

Blue Microphones announced today its latest product made just for streamers, podcasters and YouTubers: the Ember XLR.

The Ember XLR features a cardioid XLR condenser with a “proprietary, hand-tuned custom condenser capsule” designed to isolate the audio someone wants to record from ambient noise. Combine that with other Ember XLR features and you have a microphone custom-made for at-home studios.

That is kind of Blue’s jam. The company has been around for 20 years, but it’s best known for its Yeti microphone. That model has for a long time been the go-to option for people looking to record quality audio without having to break the bank. Yeti has remained popular for a few reasons: it’s relatively cheap at roughly $100, it’s easy to use and it connects via USB, so users don’t have to worry about the more complicated setups used by professional recording studios. Sound quality is good for the price too, making it perfect for most amateurs.

So it’s no surprise that Blue took a look at the Yeti’s playbook with the Ember XLR. It'll cost $99 when it debuts in February—half the price of Blue’s next-cheapest XLR mic—and probably won’t be much more complicated to use than Yeti. But there is one key difference: the Ember XLR doesn’t connect via USB.

That distinction is probably obvious to audiophiles—the fact that this microphone uses an XLR connection is right in its name. Others might want to note, however, that this means the Ember XLR is something of a step up from the Yeti despite the similar price tag. It requires more equipment, too.

Using the Ember XLR will require an XLR cable that connects to a digital audio workstation (DAW) or mixing console that in turn sends the audio to a connected system. Most DAWs or mixing consoles start around $100 and quickly rise from there depending on what the recording studio requires.

All of which means the Ember XLR’s $99 price is likely meant to position it as a step up from the Yeti, not a competitor, thanks to the cost of the other equipment. That makes sense—some people are bound to want to upgrade from the Yeti without having to spend $200+ on a mic and $100+ on a DAW.

We’ll see how many of those people there are when the Ember XLR officially debuts in February. Pre-orders are open now; details can be found on the microphone’s product page.

Blue was acquired by Logitech in July 2018. In the months since, the company has introduced the Yeti Nano as well as the Ember XLR. Like we said when the Yeti Nano made its debut: it looks like Logitech plans to keep making microphones for the foreseeable future after the buyout.

Blue Microphones offers a variety of microphones to suit the varying budgets, requirements and preferences of people who talk for a living. Today, the creative space mainstay announced the Yeti Nano, a smaller version of the popular Yeti model that an untold number of creatives have long used as an entry-level microphone, as its first new product since Logitech acquired it at the end of July.

Logitech is said to have paid $117 million in cash for Blue. At the time Logitech said it was buying the microphone maker to find a new way to grow "with additional synergies related to our existing gaming, PC webcam and audio categories." But the Yeti Nano shows no sign of any synergy with Logitech; chances are decent that Blue developed Yeti Nano before the acquisition closed.

The Yeti Nano appears to live up to its namesake by offering many of the same features as the Yeti proper. It sacrifices one of the proprietary Blue condenser capsules, bringing the total down to two, so it might not offer the same recording quality as the Yeti. The Yeti Nano does maintain the USB plug-and-play ease of use that made its predecessor so popular, though, and it still supports 24-bit/48kHz recording. That should be fine for casual use.

The diminutive microphone also supports multiple recording options--cardioid mode picks up sound from the front of the mic, omnidirectional grabs everything around it--but the Yeti Nano lacks the stereo and bidirectional options present in the Yeti. Those options pick up sound on the left and right sides or front and back, respectively, for recording music or conversations. However, how much those limitations matter depend on the Yeti Nano's intended use.

It seems like the $99.99 Yeti Nano targets people who want a microphone but aren't willing to spend more than $100. The mic should satisfy that need--most people don't need a bunch of recording options or condenser capsules for video calls, viewer-less streams, or very basic recording. The Yeti is the jack-of-all-trades; the Yeti Nano is the apprentice that has picked up a few basic tricks.

One of those tricks is support for the new Blue Sherpa app (kudos to both companies for staying on brand). In Logitech's announcement today, it said Blue Sherpa "features quick and direct control options from your desktop to help you get the most from your mic" by letting you "mute and unmute your mic and headphones, fine-tune gain and levels, switch polar patterns and change sample rates." It can also automatically download firmware updates.

People willing to spend an extra $30 would probably be better off buying the original Yeti, which is supposed to get Blue Sherpa support in the future. For anyone who'd rather keep that money, however, the Yeti Nano is a smaller step down than Blue's $69.99 Snowball. The Yeti Nano could also make an appealing traveling microphone; smaller dimensions matter a lot more in a bag than they do on a desk.

Blue releasing a new microphone with Blue Sherpa support less than a month after Logitech acquired it is a good sign. It lends credence to the idea that Logitech doesn't simply plan to use Blue's technology in its products and let the brand fade into obsolescence. Podcasters, streamers and others loyal to the Blue brand needn't fear yet.

Everyone used to be working on a novel. Now it seems like everybody wants to make a podcast, stream, or YouTube channel. All of those categories of content require a decent microphone, while video creators often need some kind of webcam. Logitech wants to be the main source of equipment for becoming the next viral sensation, which is why it acquired Blue Microphones for a reported $117 million in cash.

Blue is basically the purveyor of gateway audio equipment. Its microphones aren't the best in the market, but they are easy to set up and offer better sound quality than most of the entry-level competition. For years, the reigning advice to aspiring creators has been to buy a Blue Yeti, start your project and then graduate to higher-end microphones and other audio equipment if you find any success.

Logitech CEO Bracken Darrell said in a blog post that Blue's position in the creative market is exactly why his company wanted to snap it up:

“Logitech’s acquisition of Blue Microphones will accelerate our entry into a growing market and offers another way for us to help bring people’s passions (from music to blogging) to life. Joining with Blue is an adjacent opportunity for us – a new way to grow – with additional synergies related to our existing gaming, PC webcam and audio categories.”

Blue said in its announcement that joining Logitech makes sense from a product standpoint. Blue claims to sell the most popular mic used by streamers and said that Logitech sells the most popular webcam as well. Now, instead of having people buy that equipment from two sources, the companies will combine their efforts to make sure their products take up as much space on a podcaster or streamer's desk as possible.

Logitech isn't the first company to see the synergy between peripheral makers and streaming equipment companies. Corsair acquired Elgato earlier this year for the same reason, and NZXT announced today that it bought Forge, a "pioneer in creating tools for capturing and sharing PC gameplay." The distinction between "gamer" and "content creator" is disappearing; why shouldn't companies take advantage of that shift?

Razer has two new peripherals for those who want to improve their broadcasting setup. There’s another Seiren microphone available and a new webcam that should help with any lighting issues.

The company markets the Seiren X as the most compact microphone in its lineup. Unlike the other two microphones in the Seiren series, which have four different polar patterns to pick up sounds, the Seiren X features an enhanced cardoid pattern to pick up more sound at the front at a tighter angle. With such a sensitive microphone, Razer also added shock mounts inside so that it doesn’t pick up additional disruptive noise during a stream. The lengthy specs on the Seiren X are available on Razer’s website.

Whereas its previous webcam, the Stargazer, focused on depth of field, the new Razer Kiyo is focused on lighting. The compact camera includes a ring light, which improves the illumination on your face during a livestream session. Razer said that it features 12 brightness levels so you  can find the right lighting intensity without blinding your eyes. You can get footage up to 60 frames per second at 720p, but at 1080p it’s restricted to 30 frames per second. Out of the box, the Kiyo is compatible with the Open Broadcaster Software and XSplit apps.

The Kiyo and Seiren are both available on Razer’s online store now for $100 apiece. If you can’t buy from the company website, you’ll have to wait until sometime in Q4 to get your hands on these new peripherals.

Last week I reported on my hands-on experience with Antlion's ModMic 4.0, a microphone that can be easily attached to any pair of over-the-ear headphones to convert them into a gaming or communication headset. Before trying out the ModMic, I also had the opportunity to speak with the founder and his business partner about the company, how it began, and what to expect next from Antlion Audio.

Antlion Audio is based out of Portland, Oregon and was founded by Jimmy Console in 2011. The ModMic came to be when Jimmy wanted to use a better set of headphones, that didn't already have a microphone included, during some multiplayer gaming with friends. I was told that he has always been a tinkerer, and so he decided to make his own microphone to use for this purpose. The first prototype ModMic was created in 2009, and it took nearly two years before it was on the market.

In the early days of the company, Antlion was a one-man show, and the ModMic was available only through Amazon. Within the first year, he brought on Eli Wisneivitz as his Vice President, and between the two of them, they shared the work to get the company to where it is today.

Jimmy is the CEO of the company, but he primarily handles product development. Eli is the company VP, and unofficial COO. He handles customer service and manages much of the sales contracts, as well as marketing for the company. For most of the first three years of its existence, Antlion Audio was operated entirely by the two partners. Only in the last nine months has the company started hiring other employees. Throughout 2015, Antlion has hired four more staff to help with the day to day work, as Eli and Jimmy focus more on what's next for the company.

Before joining Antlion Audio, Eli Wisneivitz became a Portland Master Recycler, and he takes pride in bringing a waste-conserving attitude and focus when considering packaging options for Antlion products. The company has always tried to limit waste in its packaging. For the ModMic 4.0, the company opted to use the carrying case as the majority of the shipping packaging, rather than make a whole box for the product.

Beyond keeping the waste materials to a minimum, Eli has been working to ensure that Antlion Audio does its part as a good corporate citizen. Now that the company has been established and is making money, Eli and Jimmy are looking at ways the company can give back to the community. Antlion has not yet sponsored any charities, but I was told that the company is looking into organizations to contribute to. Eli did say that an upcoming event, "Rise Up Gaming Run," will be the first charitable event to which Antlion Audio will contribute.

When I asked what was next for the company, the partners were reluctant to say what was coming, but they did confirm that Antlion will be working with some partners that will offer bundles with ModMics and high-grade headphones together. They weren't willing to speak on the record about any new products coming from Antlion, but they mentioned that Antlion will be on site at Twitch Con 2015 on September 25 and 26, where the company will be demoing a new product for the first time.

Follow Kevin Carbotte @pumcypuhoy. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.

Great audio quality can be a great boost in the gaming experience, but the best quality headphones don't include microphones, which make them less suited for online gaming. Antlion's ModMic 4.0 aims to solve that problem.  

When gaming online, one of the most helpful devices you can have is a microphone for communication. More and more, especially with competitive gaming only increasing in popularity, voice communication is becoming a necessary component of many teams. To make that happen, gamers essentially have two choices: use a desktop boom mic, or wear a headset with a built-in microphone.

Boom mics have been falling further and further into obscurity as more and more gamers opt to use headsets for their gaming needs. There are numerous headsets in various price ranges available, but few of them offer true high fidelity audio, which can be a problem for audiophiles. If high quality audio is a priority to you, even the most high-end gaming headset won't compare to a top quality pair of headphones.

This is where the Modmic 4.0 from Antlion comes in handy. It is an easy-to-attach microphone add-on for any pair of headphones, which lets you create your own gaming headset with your favorite headphones, or if you happen to have a headset already but the microphone is broken, the ModMic 4.0 is an easy way to keep using it. 

ModMic 4.0 Up Close

Antlion ships the ModMic 4.0 in very simple packaging. The microphone has a reinforced soft case with a zipper around it to keep it secure when not in use. The company has capitalized on the fact that the case is reinforced, and rather than pack it up in a box, Antlion simply slips a cardboard sleeve around it and ships it like that.

The ModMic 4.0 is a fairly simple product. It is basically just a microphone with a pop filter on a flexible boom. The body of it is a flexible material that remains in the position you place it in, which lets you bend it to fit your face perfectly. The rear end of the ModMic 4.0 has a U-shaped bend in it which directs the cable downwards when the mic is in use.

To attach the ModMic to a pair of headphones, Jim Console, the founder of Antlion, came up with a simple yet clever mechanism: The microphone attaches using magnets. One magnet is attached to the microphone's body, and another one gets glued to the headset. The company calls the portion that gets attached to the headphones Base Clasps, and the mic comes packed with two. The base clasps are covered in double-sided 3M tape on one side, and on the other side is a magnet flanked by four triangular spikes.

The magnetic clasp comes pre-installed for use on the left ear, but it can be easily configured for use on the right. These triangular spikes have two purposes: They aid in stabilizing the microphone in a standard position, and unlike a single unique key that would have only one possible position, the consistent pattern allows the ModMic to be positioned in multiple ways. This makes it possible to have the mic in an upright position when not in use, or disconnect it all together. In practice, this works surprisingly well.

The magnetic nature makes it easy to completely remove the ModMic when it is not needed, and with additional base clasps, it can easily be used with multiple pairs of headphones if you have a collection of them, or you can find other things to attach a microphone to, like your desk, to use it as a desk-mounted boom mic.

Installing The ModMic

The first thing you need to do when you get the ModMic is decide which ear the mic will attach to, and which pair of headphones it will be used with. Not all surfaces will hold the mic, so be sure to verify that you have a suitable mounting surface. If the right ear is desired, the clasp has to be repositioned. There is a cap on one end of it that needs to be removed. (It is threaded like a screw, so don't just pry it off.) Under the cap, there is a slot that the microphone slips into. Flip the mic over, then reinstall the cap to lock the clasp into place. 

Before gluing the base clasp to the headphones, it is important to attach the two magnets together so that the microphone position is taken into account when positioning the base clasp. Next, use the included alcohol swab to clean the desired area and with the mic still attached, glue the base clasp where it gives the best microphone position. I attached my ModMic to a pair of SteelSeries 7H's with a broken microphone, and the whole process took less than two minutes. Antlion suggested waiting a full hour before using it after gluing it on. I actually didn't get back to it until the next day.

Living With The ModMic

I wouldn't consider myself an audiophile, but I definitely have a good use for the ModMic. Recently, the microphone on my own headset starting giving me trouble, so this was the perfect opportunity to give Antlion's microphone a whirl. 

One of the first things I noticed while using the mic is that it has an incredibly long cable, which can certainly come in handy in some cases, but I would have preferred to see a much shorter cord with an extension included. If you use front-mounted jacks, you'll have several feet of slack. This is fairly minor as complaints go; I would rather have a longer cable, than one that might be a tad too short, any day. 

My other gripe with the ModMic 4.0 is, again, fairly minor: The magnet could be a bit stronger. I realize it needs to be fairly weak to allow for easy removal, but I found that the mic would fall off a bit too easily. It never came off while gaming, but it did while it was attached in the upright position. It also fell off on multiple occasions when I hung the headset on the edge of my desk. It would be nice to have an attachment that isn't defeated by a slight bump combined with the force of gravity when hung upside down.

Antlion claimed that the magnet is powerful and won't fall off, and I found this to be true even when shaking my head around to try and make it fall off; it hung on despite my shaking, but then I found it on the ground below my headphones on a few occasions when I returned to my desk. I believe the mic was bumped before the mic came off, and it should be noted that it only happened when the magnets were positioned parallel to the ground, which would never happen while wearing it.

Complaints aside, the ModMic 4.0 did exactly what it set out to do. It provided an easily attachable microphone that isn't permanently fastened. The quality of the sound that was recorded with it is somewhat subjective, and I do not consider myself an audiophile, but I was impressed by the quality of the test recording that I did to compare with another microphone. The sound felt much deeper and had a studio-like clarity to it. 

Antlion sells the ModMic 4.0 in four different variations. There are omni- and uni-directional microphone options, and each one offers the choice to include an in-line mute switch. The versions with mute sell for $49.99, and if you choose the muteless iteration, you'll save yourself $7. They are available at ModMic.com.

Follow Kevin Carbotte @pumcypuhoy. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.

Vesper, the leader in advanced acoustic-sensing technology, launched the VM101, a piezoelectric MEMS (microelectromechanical system) microphone that achieves typical signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 68 dB.

According to Vesper, this is currently the highest acoustic performance of any commercially available MEMS microphone and almost twice as high as the 65 dB performance of the closest competitor. VM101 is the first piezoelectric MEMS microphone, which means it converts sound pressure into an electric charge.

The VM101 solves many current device problems, including Internet of Things (IoT) devices and smartphones, especially as voice becomes a critical feature of many "smart" devices around us. We're just now starting to use voice to control smartphones, TVs, set top boxes, cars and smart appliances, and this trend will only grow in the future.

However, all of those voice enabled devices need both good software that can identify what you're saying as well as a good capability to capture that sound as clearly as possible. This becomes even more important if you're not in a completely silent room or speaking right into the device itself.

Next-generation devices and microphones will need to capture your voice even if you are farther away (such as in the case of a set top box or smart TV) and even if there are other sounds in the background. If there are multiple people speaking at the same time, it would also be useful if the device knew how to identify only your voice. This could become more important as these technologies move to recognizing more conversational, rather than fixed, commands.

"Voice is expected to supplant touch as the dominant user interface in consumer products. This makes higher-performance MEMS microphones increasingly critical because they are right at the beginning of the audio signal chain," said Matt Crowley, CEO at Vesper.

Vesper's VM101 solves a large part of this issue by being an ultra-high SNR microphone as well as by supporting a feature called "audio zoom," which allows devices to focus on someone's voice, not unlike a camera would focus on a person's face. By forming arrays of up to four microphones, OEMs could also double the distance at which sound can be captured.

Unlike capacitive MEMS microphones, which are made up of multiple membrane layers that trap air between them, the VM101 is made up of a single membrane that can create the strongest signal possible.

The VM101's simpler design is also what makes it highly reliable and resistant to water, dust or shock damage. According to Vesper, the second biggest reason for smartphone returns, after cracked screens, is a microphone that stopped working or functioning well. This usually happens due to water or dust damage, so a microphone such as the VM101 should be highly appealing to smartphone manufacturers that may want fewer costly device returns.

"You can actually drop VM101 into Boston Harbor or bury it in sand at the beach, and it will still work properly," said Crowley. "With microphone failure, the second most common reason for smartphone returns after cracked screens, reliability is vital. Having such a robust microphone potentially alleviates major headaches (and returns) for manufacturers."

Compared to capacitive MEMS microphones, the Vesper VM101 manages to maintain its performance even after water damage or being covered by dust particles.

The VM101 has a 10,000x faster startup than capacitive microphones, which means it's ideal for "always-on voice," and it consumes less power, too (150 μA typical power consumption).

In a few years, Vesper believes that its microphones, which will be used in smartphones, wearables and IoT devices, will have better audio quality and performance than much more expensive professional microphones that exist today. The piezoelectric MEMS microphone technology is still in its early days and could be further improved by 10 or 20 times in the future, according to the company.

Vesper has already started sampling the VM101 to interested customers and will begin mass production in Q4 2015.

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When we got the official word that Razer announced a microphone capable of recording at studio-grade quality, we couldn't help but snicker a little bit, but after examining the materials, we're more convinced that this might actually be a very capable product. Meet the Seirēn, which is pronounced "sigh-ren."

The microphone looks like a high-end studio microphone, featuring a black anodized aluminum body and a large aluminum desk stand. It also has an LED-lit Razer logo that faces away from the user.

Razer also separately sells a filter to reduce hisses and pops when certain letters are spoken, along with a shock mount that reduces the noise brought into the microphone from external movements in your furniture.

The microphone has three 14 mm condenser capsules, and it responds to frequencies ranging from 20 Hz through 20 kHz. It has a sensitivity of 4.5 mV/Pa at 1 kHz, and it has a maximum SPL of 120 dB with a total harmonic distortion of no more than 0.5 percent at 1 kHz.

For monitoring, the microphone also comes with a built-in headphone amplifier. This one has an impedance output of 16 Ohms and a maximum power output of 130 mW, and it will play frequencies ranging from 15 Hz through 22 kHz with an SNR of 114 dB.

The microphone is powered by a USB interface, and it has a 192 kHz sampling rate with a bit-rate of 24 bits.

The microphone has four different controls: a microphone mute button; a button to change the recording polar recording pattern (with cardioid, stereo, omnidirectional, and bidirectional options); a microphone gain control; and a volume knob to adjust the playback volume of the headphones.

Razer aimed this product at streamers, hoping to appeal to the YouTube and Twitch communities. Whether this microphone will live up to the standards of professional musicians remains questionable at best, but it should certainly be more than adequate for streaming applications on YouTube and Twitch.

"Platforms like YouTube and Twitch are a big part of how people experience their media today, and they shape how we interact with each other," said Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO. "Tuned for a professional-style setup and able to be assembled and transported quickly and easily, the Razer Seirēn is a microphone designed specifically for streamers and YouTubers."

Pricing sits at $179.99 for the microphone alone and $229.99 for the bundle that includes the shock mount and pop filter. The two accessories are available separately for $49.99 each.

Follow Niels Broekhuijsen @NBroekhuijsen. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.

Recently ASUS launched a new gaming headset called CineVibe, borrowing from console controllers by incorporating a rumble feedback feature, staying true to the "Vibe" portion of its name. Even more, CineVibe requires no drivers or special in-game settings on the PC or Mac end thanks to its USB-based plug & play compatibility.

"ASUS CineVibe is a USB gaming vibration headset and its ear cups conforms to a user’s ears for an enhanced bass experience," the company said. "This special feature gives listeners unbelievably live audio during gaming and movie watching." Apparently the rumble vibrators are actually tuned to low frequency sounds, making it less of a rumble feedback device and more of an audio enhancer.

Built for long gaming sessions, the CineVibe comprises of "breathing," anti-biotic leather cushions, a head-band made with high-density Styrofoam, and a foldable design for easy portability. A control box connected to the USB cable allows the user to set the correct speaker volume, various levels for the integrated microphone, and the amount of vibration. The headset also features a 30-mm sound driver, and comes in black or white models.

The ASUS CineVibe headset is currently on sale over in Europe for £58.99 ($93.69) and supposedly available at various online retailers (although availability looks rather slim). We're still waiting on a general availability in North America.