Razer is hitting the game-broadcaster market hard with its recent product launches, and that continues with its new Seiren Elite USB microphone. This $200 mic is shipping now, and Razer is positioning it as a USB alternative to expensive pro setups that use XLR mics, mixers, and other equipment.
The Seiren Elite features a number of features that should appeal to streamers frightened of XLR cables. It uses a recording pattern to capture the warmth of your voice, but it also has its own dedicated high-pass filter to minimize room noise and the whirring of PC fans. That puts it up against the Blue Yeti, which is $130 and accomplishes many of the same goals. But the Seiren Elite could fill a gap in the market between the the Yeti and a full XLR setup — that will depend on how it sounds.
“Most professional-grade microphones require additional recording equipment, like mixers and converters, that you need to get your sound onto your PC,” Razer chief executive officer Min-Liang Tan said in a statement. “The Razer Seiren Elite solves that problem, letting broadcasters focus on their content and letting the Seiren Elite handle their audio.”
The Seiren Elite joins Razer’s other streaming products including the excellent Kiyo camera and the Seiren X microphone. I recently reviewed the Seiren X, and you can read that here or listen to how it sounds in the video below.
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The appeal of this product is obvious. Livestreaming games to video sites like Twitch and YouTube is a growing hobby with the potential for people to earn some extra cash. And as more people are seeing dollar signs, they are looking for ways to improve the production values of their content. When it comes to audio, you can get a USB microphone like the Yeti, but an XLR micrphone and mixer will get you a huge improvement. If Razer has found a way to get something that is closer to pro sound exclusively through USB, expect to see a lot of these devices on streams in the future.
