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Razer Seiren X USB Condenser Microphone Review – Convenience Comes with a Price
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Razer Seiren X USB Condenser Microphone Review – Convenience Comes with a Price

by July 26, 2018
Positives

+ Plug-and-play, no software needed
+ Easy to bring around
+ Audio quality is good
+ Doesn't take up much space
+ Built-in shock mount eliminates one major audio problem

Negatives

- There are cheaper alternatives around
- Doesn't sound as crisp as the Blue Yeti or iRig Mic Studio
- Lacks the multiple recording patterns of the original Seiren

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Pokde Rating
Appearance
8.0
Features
7.0
Materials
6.0
Performance
6.0
Portability
8.0
Value
8.0
Bottom Line

The Razer Seiren X may not be the best USB condenser microphone around but for what it is designed for, it works pretty damn good if you adjust the microphone level to the appropriate value.

7.2
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We took the popular Razer Seiren X condenser microphone for a spin. Is this the perfect USB microphone for streaming or should you look elsewhere?

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Razer Seiren X USB Condenser Microphone Review

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Gamers, primarily streamers and gaming content creators, have been spoiled with choices when it comes to microphones. Condenser microphones are the most popular choice as it emphasizes on quality. Not many people have / can afford their own preamps / mixer so they tend to go for the USB microphone route, and sometimes it can be problematic.

The big green gaming company decided to offer, as part of their complete streaming package, their own version of the USB condenser microphone and today, we are going to take a look at their latest iteration of the product, the Razer Seiren X.

Unboxing the Razer Seiren X

If you missed out on our unboxing post, which does have a bit of interesting information, click here to get up to speed. If you just want to watch the unboxing video, we’ve included it right above here.

Appearance

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Unlike the previous microphone that Razer released, the Razer Seiren X is simpler in nature. It’s small, light, yet surprisingly sturdy. Together with its black colour, it’s meant to be as discrete as possible so people don’t need to have this popping up in their stream’s camera view. This might sound weird but if you have seen / used the Blue Yeti, that is the furthest thing from being inconspicuous.

When added together with the fact that you simply need a Micro USB cable in order to use it, it makes the Razer Seiren X a very convenient microphone to bring around. Perhaps if you’re having a LAN party, want to record some stuff elsewhere, or plan to stream somewhere else, this is a good choice.

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Like most condenser microphones, you can see the metal mesh, which serves as a noise protection filter, which is covering the actual thing that is recording your voice / sounds. While this normal for virtually every microphone, what you don’t see inside here is a built-in shock mount, which dampens vibration and either eliminates or mitigates weird sounds being picked up by it.

Upon screwing the microphone to the stand, you can adjust the position of the USB condenser microphone a little. It’s not much but at least there’s a little bit of flexibility in matching up with where your voice / sound is coming from.

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On the front, there is a volume dial and a Mute button. The former is to adjust the volume if you’re plugging a headphone to monitor the audio directly, and the latter is self-explanatory. Keep in mind, the volume dial is not for adjusting the microphone’s gain levels. Then on the bottom of the microphone, you have a Micro USB port and a headphone jack for monitoring audio directly.

While some of you may feel that the Razer Seiren X USB condenser microphone looks bland, I see it as a practical design choice. It’s not meant to stand out, the black colour gives it a look that it means business, and it’s easy to bring around. While a headphone jack for monitoring is great, I would prefer if they had a Gain dial as well. What I’m definitely thankful for is the use of Micro USB instead of Mini USB, as the latter has the tendency to break off / wear out relatively fast. I’ve experienced this with the Blue Yeti USB.

Razer Seiren X Specifications

Type: Condenser microphone made for streaming
Polar Patterns: Super-Cardioid
Audio Jack: Zero-latency 3.5 mm headphone monitoring port
Power Requirements: 5V 100mA
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20,000Hz
Features: Built-in shock mount, Mute button

User Experience

As much as I could just tell you how it sounds like, everyone might have a different interpretation based on my words. Not to mention that people have different perceptions of audio quality so what is considered bad for some is actually good for others. So, we decided to do a microphone test video, which we included right above here, so you can hear what the Razer Seiren X sounds like, unfiltered and unedited.

In all honesty, it’s not the best sounding microphone out there, especially among USB condenser microphones. I believe this is still being held by the Blue Yeti, with the iRig Mic Studio trailing very close behind. However, that is not to say that this microphone is terrible.

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The microphone sounds a little bit maxed out that’s only because the Microphone Level in the Windows Audio Settings is set at 100 by default. At this level, it does give the microphone a bit of range as it can even pick up my colleague typing on his mechanical keyboard about 6-7 feet away (on my right in the video).

It picks up my voice rather clearly and surprisingly, I was expecting quite a bit of white noise or hissing as it is via USB but clearly that’s not the case. If it does happen to you, reducing the Mic Level should solve this quite easily. If you’re a streamer, you can also reduce the microphone’s gain directly on the popular streaming software, OBS Studio.

While some of you may want to consider the Blue Yeti instead since everyone is talking about how good it is, you might want to do that. The Blue Yeti is massive, heavy, and uses Mini USB connection. It’s harder to bring around, you’re limited in terms of microphone stands, and it might just break really fast because of the Mini USB port.

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However, do also keep in mind that the Razer Seiren X is meant for those looking for a simple plug-and-play type microphone. It doesn’t have the versatility in terms of multiple recording patterns (the original Seiren does) and is meant to be used as is. Also, if you plan on using a different stand, you will either need to buy a separate accessory to mount it or use a stand that has a clip-on module.

As far as using it is concerned, all you have to do is simply plug in the Razer Seiren X via USB and you’re good to go. You don’t even need Razer Synapse or any kind of software really, just let Windows do its thing and you’ll be able to use it without any problems.

Disclaimer: If you are experiencing low volumes, this could be an issue related to the microphone not receiving enough power from the USB port. This is common among all USB microphones and it doesn’t necessarily mean you have a bad / faulty product.

Razer Seiren X Verdict

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The Razer Seiren X may not be the best USB condenser microphone around but for what it is designed for, it works pretty damn good if you adjust the microphone level to the appropriate value. It’s small, easy to bring around, and is convenient as it is a plug-and-play microphone.

It does lack the multiple recording patterns of its predecessor, pick up a bit of ambient noise and the quality doesn’t match up with the likes of the Blue Yeti or iRig Mic Studio, but it is still a good microphone nonetheless. If you’re looking for a fuss-free audio solution, this would be a good buy for you. With that in mind, I award the Razer Seiren X USB condenser microphone with our Silver Pokdeward.

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About The Author
Aiman Maulana
Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one. YouTuber, video editor, tech head, and a wizard of gaming. What's up? :)

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