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The Steelseries Alias Professional has obtained to be the perfect desk mic I’ve ever used. With an Australian price ticket of $700, nonetheless, it’s removed from low cost.
The Steelseries Alias Professional Microphone and Stand
I’ve not traditionally been a giant fan of the common-or-garden desk mic. I are inclined to thump my desk and maintain a clicky keyboard, the thwacks and thuds of which vibrate the desk and into the mic. The SteelSeries Alias Professional just isn’t troubled by any of this. It’s additionally able to producing a resonant, podcast-ready sound with minimal acquire tomfoolery, which I definitely admire.
I’ve used this mic for quite a few data now — I used it for an episode of the Vertical Maintain podcast I guested on, I’ve used it for a number of TikTok movies and different to-camera items. I’ve additionally used it for gaming with pals after work. Each single time I’ve used it, I’ve been impressed by it. It is a strikingly good microphone, one which definitely offers my trusty (and inexpensive) Rode Pod Mic a run for its cash. It takes a reasonably well-tuned mic to make my medium-nasal tones sound dulcet and arresting, however this one does the job.
The mic itself is run by way of an XLR microphone cable, which helps guarantee its high-end sound high quality. The energetic recording vary can be preposterously vast, however sounds prefer it’s fairly a slender band. That is right down to an XXL dimension inside capsule, a three-fold dimension improve on competing mics, which means it captures every part. The magic lies in its means to filter that ‘every part’ down to only your voice.
The XLR connects to a desk-mounted mixer. Once I say mixer, it’s actually only a massive quantity knob with a smaller acquire knob subsequent to it. The acquire knob is surrounded by a inexperienced LED that lights up when sound passes by way of the noise gate. Beneath this are a pair of pleasantly chunky buttons for microphone and speaker muting.
Within the occasion that you just actually don’t need the Steelseries Alias Professional sitting in your desk (and it’s truthful, the bottom does have a little bit of a footprint), the microphone itself might be indifferent from the bottom and connected to a increase arm (bought individually, after all).
So, the wrap this part out: are you getting $700 price of microphone right here? Sure. Positively. Maybe the higher query may be ‘Do youparticularly, want $700 price of microphone?’ Solely you may reply that.
Steelseries Sonar and software program
One of many massive attracts of this microphone is the Sonar software program suite that powers its varied capabilities. It could be that I’m merely getting older and know-how is starting to elude me, nevertheless it took me a minute to totally get my head across the Sonar app. Primarily, the app breaks out all the mic’s audio capabilities into separate channels. Moderately than having a transparent Mic In channel, there are seven of them, every with totally different capabilities. For these on Home windows 10 or 11, this creates absolute carnage in your audio gadgets menu as every channel is taken into account its personal bespoke machine. Bewildering, I do know. It makes my eye twitch. Belief the method.
The advantage of the Sonar app is which you can get extraordinarily explicit about your audio setup, and for the tinkerers, this will likely be of nice significance. It’s just like the software program model of a Swiss Military Knife — there’s a instrument for every part. When you prefer to sound a selected manner, you may tweak and tune the mic’s EQ to your liking. You can too tweak the way you’d like your mic to reply to sure situations — perhaps you’d like a selected voice setup for while you’re gaming, a special one for while you’re on conferences, and a 3rd one for livestreaming. This software program will let you create profiles for all three and flit between them on the press of a button.
So, sure, there may be some wrangling to be performed on the setup aspect of issues, however as soon as it’s performed, it’s performed. You’ll be able to merely set and neglect, and also you’ll nonetheless get an ideal sound out of the mic, however you’ll solely be utilizing a fraction of the mic’s full energy when you do. One thing to consider.
In conclusion
Dang. The Steelseries Alias Professional is actual good.
Sorry, I want I had extra nuanced ultimate ideas than that, however I’m actually that impressed with it. It is a do-it-all mic that can make you sound nice in any configuration you care to throw at it. It appeals to the set-and-forget crowd, however actually rewards those who need to dig into the settings and make it dance. It’s additionally a powerful, splashy foray right into a aggressive and crowded market. I anticipate it’ll trigger lots of its opponents to sit down bolt upright and concentrate.
You’ll be able to decide one up from the Steelseries web site, or your native purveyor of wonderful gaming accoutrements.
