SteelSeries Alias Pro Review – Taking Audio More Seriously

Unboxing the SteelSeries Alias Pro

Starting off our SteelSeries Alias Pro review with the unboxing, this microphone comes in a surprisingly large box clad in their signature gray and orange color scheme. It made me wonder if the microphone is far bigger than the pictures seem to indicate or if it came with a lot of accessories as this is huge for what it is. Inside the box, we found the following items:

• Product Info guide
• Table stand
• Boom arm adapter
• XLR cable (female to female)
• 2 x USB-C to USB-A cable
• Power adapter
• Stream Mixer
• The SteelSeries Alias Pro microphone itself

Specifications

Frequency Response	50Hz to 20KHz
Sample Rate	48 KHz
Bitrate	24-bit
Capsules	1″/25mm ClearCast
Polar Pattern	Cardioid
Power	5 V / 350 mA
Sensitivity	-34 dB (1 V / Pa at 1 kHz)
Max SPL	120 dB
Dimensions	110 x 130 x 230 mm (mic) 110 x 93 x 60 mm (mixer)
Weight	720g with stand 169.5g without stand
RGB	Yes, customizable via software
Connection Type	2 x USB-C 3.5mm Line-Out 3.5mm Headphone port XLR 48V Phantom Power required

Mic Test

In the above two recording, we have the SteelSeries Alias Pro in default and deep voice mode settings. I’m amazed how big of a difference the sound can be as the latter feels more like your studio podcast-style voice that you’d typically get with dynamic microphones when speaking rather close. Unsurprisingly as it’s a condenser microphone, there is a slight echo to my voice as I’m not recording in a treated room.

With the Clearcast AI Noise Cancellation feature enabled, I noticed that my voice got slightly deeper than before. It’s also quieter with room noise mostly eliminated, as if I am recording in a room that has a decent level, albeit not studio-level, of soundproofing.

To test how well the Clearcast AI Noise Cancellation feature works, I played Starry Pop by Snail’s House on speakers to see how much audio would bleed into the mic. With the feature enabled, you can hear a tiny bit of the song when I speak but it’s effectively removed well as you’d really have to go out of your way to hear the background noise. In comparison with the feature disabled, you can already hear the song before I even start talking. The best thing is that this feature is still being developed so we can only expect it to get better with time.

The Good

There are a good number of reasons to consider getting the SteelSeries Alias Pro. For starters, you get everything you need and more right inside the box. You get the table stand, an adapter to connect to a different stand like a scissor arm, an XLR interface / mixer, and all the necessary cables for it. Furthermore, the included table stand (which is pre-installed) also comes with a shock mount. You really don’t need to get anything extra, and the only thing I foresee anyone getting as an upgrade would be a full-fledged mixer like the Rodecaster Pro II or a Mackie DLZ Creator.

Next up, the controls are very simple in nature without sacrificing important functionalities, making it easy for most people to jump into without issues. The microphone itself doesn’t come with any buttons but for the mixer, you get a mic mute button, a programmable mute button, mic gain dial, and volume dial. It’s pretty straightforward and you can get more by using the software. The mixer itself comes with an XLR input, complete with phantom power, along with a headphone monitoring output as well. As an added bonus, you get RGB lighting, and all of the lighting here can be changed via software, which is great.

It’s also worth pointing out that this mixer comes with two USB-C ports, and there’s a good reason for that. This allows the mixer to be used for dual PC setups with one being used on one while the second can be connected to the other. It can appears in sound settings as two different devices so as long as both PCs don’t pick the same one (assuming you have different setups in mind for both like one with background music and the other without for example), it will work flawlessly.

This saves the headache of trying to get additional cables to split audio, which can introduce even more problems down the road. I just wished it had two XLR ports as you can configure two different mics while using the same mixer but this is still good to have regardless.

Lastly, you get a good software suite to go along with it as far as features are concerned. It’s not just a matter of customizing and configuring specific settings but the fact that it comes with a virtual mixer makes it so much better. After a quick setup process which the software will guide you, you can have specific audio playing for specific instances of the devices.

One common example is that you can have a main one for general use which will not filter any audio whatsoever, and one for chat for livestreaming purposes so the audio being fed to your streams can omit certain audio like copyrighted music playing in the background. To be able to do this without Voicemeeter Banana makes this so much easier for beginners to try.

The Bad

As good as the SteelSeries Alias Pro is, it does have its fair share of drawbacks. For starters, I am not a fan of how the buttons feel on the mixer. It’s a cheap, rubber sensation with no tactility whatsoever. Sometimes it makes me wonder if I’m pressing it properly but the RGB lighting at least reassures me if I need to press it down again. For the most part, you can get used to this and not think much about it but I hope to see improvements in this in future iterations so we can have a build quality that’s more apt for its price tag.

Next up, I’m aware that some people have complained about the software being wonky but so far, it’s been working great on my end. What I do want to complain about is that you need to sign in with your SteelSeries account to access its full functionalities. Yes, there is an option to skip when trying to login / register but when you do that, you only have access to adjusting the mic sidetone, toggling phantom power, RGB lighting, and key bindings. This means the virtual mixer, among other features, is locked away as the Sonar for Streamers section requires you to login.

Lastly, the SteelSeries Alias Pro is an expensive piece of audio hardware with a retail price of RM1,799 / $349.99. The overall package feels like a more simplified step up for those who are looking to improve their audio game but the price certainly doesn’t feel that way. For this price, I was hoping the mixer would come with more inputs, buttons or even a physical fader like the classic GoXLR.

The microphone itself sounds great but you’re gonna have to be really sure you still want to stick to condensers as most people would opt for dynamic microphones as they’re more viable for solo creators who don’t plan on turning their room into a studio setup. For a simple comparison, a similar mixer and standalone XLR microphone from a streaming-focused competitor can be purchased for about RM300 to RM400 lesser. It’s at least worth considering when it’s being discounted, that’s for sure but for its full price, it can be a tough sell.

SteelSeries Alias Pro Verdict

Without a doubt, the SteelSeries Alias Pro is what I would classify as pro-grade audio, but I wouldn’t say it’s studio-grade necessarily. For you to achieve the latter, you need to properly cure your room to make the most of it, and people who are looking for studio-grade equipment would look at more full-fledged mixers. It does serve as a great step up from your usual microphones for streamers / content creators who are taking their digital career on a more serious path, but make sure you know that you truly want / need a condenser mic before investing in this, especially given its pricey RM1,799 asking price.

At the end of our SteelSeries Alias Pro review, I award this microphone with our Silver Pokdeward.

Big thanks to SteelSeries for sending us this microphone for the purpose of this review.