Razer has been putting out a variety of products in recent years. Like TV pilots, some go on to succeed and others fade away. What is important in this pursuit, however, is that Razer is a company not afraid to branch out and try new things. The Hydra motion controller, for example, had terrific 1:1 motion translation – it just lacked developer support. Branching out into the world of high quality USB microphones, they have rolled out the Seiren. The Seiren has a host of features which readily lends itself to the podcaster, Twitch streamer, or YouTube filmmaker. In terms of its looks, the Seiren is very classy with a black aluminum body and metal grill, as well as a glowing Razer logo which is always a nice visual touch on their products (Note: You can turn this light-up logo off via a button on the bottom of the Seiren). Additionally, there is a built-in OLED display on the microphone which serves as a display for things like volume and what polar audio pattern the microphone is using.
Retailing for $179.99, the Razer Seiren is a high quality USB microphone with three 14mm condenser capsules and four polar audio patterns: cardioid, stereo, omnidirectional, and bidirectional. You can switch between these polar audio modes by way of an easy-to-use control knob on the microphone itself. Razer’s Seiren microphone also features a nifty mute toggle-button which glows green or red depending on whether it is enabled or not – this is very handy for those dimly-lit recording studios out there.
The Razer Seiren also features a built-in 16ohms headphone amplifier in case you want to plug in a monitor – something the prosumers and musicians out there will enjoy greatly. For those of you who don’t know what a monitor is, it is a pair of headphones or small speaker that outputs exactly what the microphone is picking up. For musicians, this can be a life saver as it is easier to hear your own pitch and performance so you can adjust on the fly. If you want to take your Razer Seiren even further, you can purchase an optional shock mount and pop filter. Anyone serious about clear audio should consider this option as hissing and popping can put a damper in your audio recording day. The Razer Seiren is compatible with the Razer Synapse 2.0 control suite and that is where you will find the options to change the microphones sampling and bit rates.
Microphone Specifications
- Power required / consumption: 5V 500mA (USB)
- Sample rate: 192kHz
- Bit rate: 24bit
- Capsules: Three 14mm condenser capsules
- Polar patterns: Stereo, cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional
- Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz
- Sensitivity: 4.5mV/Pa (1kHz)
- Max SPL: 120dB (THD: 0.5% 1kHz)
- Headphone amplifier
- Impedance: > 16ohms
- Power output (RMS): 130mW
- THD: 0.009%
- Frequency response: 15Hz – 22kHz
- Signal-to-noise ratio: 114dB
Razer has even created the Razer Sponsored Streamer Program out there to help budding podcasters, streamers, and musicians get their content online. This is a three-tier program, each tier dependent on your current level of experience and popularity. The first tier allows beginners to pick up the Razer Seiren bundle and non-pro Razer headphones for 25 percent off. With that, you also have a change of getting your stream/content featured on Razer’s social media channels for more exposure. You can click here for more information on the Razer Sponsored Streamer Program.
Overall, the Razer Seiren USB microphone is an excellent choice for geeks looking to stream on Twitch, host videos on YouTube, or create their own podcasts. The range of audio profiles available just by turning a knob offers a “keep it simple, stupid” approach that even a beginner can pick up. Its audio quality is excellent and the microphone easily holds its own against competitors from Blue, AT, and Rode.
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