Attack of the Daleks? Nope, just two brilliant microphones, side by side. We review a lot of gaming microphones, podcast mics, and everything audio-capturing in-between, and these two HyperX units have impressed us for some time now. Right now they're both on offer for Prime Day, but which one to pick?
I've found them both on discount at Amazon, and at these prices I reckon they're both great buys. The real question is whether plain ol' red is good enough for you, or whether you crave flashy lighting effects to give your setup some RGB spice?
Quick links
- HyperX QuadCast -
$139.99$85.49 at Amazon (save $54.50) - HyperX QuadCast S -
$159.99$113.96 at Amazon (save $46.03)
HyperX QuadCast
If all you want in your next microphone purchase is something reliable, fully-featured, great-sounding and, err, red, then the HyperX QuadCast is for you. It's a USB microphone with four polar patterns to choose from (stereo, omnidirectional, cardioid, bidirectional), meaning that you've got the flexibility of recording yourself, two speakers, or an entire room should you so choose.
There's also a handy gain adjustment knob, tap-to-mute functionality, and an anti-vibration shock mount to prevent bumps and taps showing up as ugly noises on your audio. All in all it's a very well-featured mic, and I haven't even got to the actual sound yet.
This particular HyperX mic is clear and distinct in its tone, and it's capable of picking up and reproducing quite a bit of volume, so that gain knob will come in handy. Still, it's not the shy and retiring type, and that color choice reflects that principle nicely. Currently available for just over $50 off at Amazon, it's a pretty decent discount on a very good mic.
It's a mic that likes to stand out from the crowd. But if you really want to dazzle on your next stream, how about its much flashier sibling?
HyperX QuadCast S
So, headline specs here: This is a USB microphone with four polar patterns (stereo, omnidirectional, cardioid, bidirectional), a handy gain adjustment knob, tap-to-mute, and...deja vu? Yep, the HyperX QuadCast S is virtually the same mic, just with some RBG effects. And while it might seem silly paying a fair bit extra just for some lighting, the QuadCast S really does stand out from the crowd.
Y'see, microphones like this will do fine at a distance, but they'll sound really good on a boom arm close up. And, that being the case, if you do decide to mount either the QuadCast or the QuadCast S on an arm (both feature the correct socket to do so, by the way) then you'll likely be getting it in shot with a webcam.
That means looks matter—and while the original QuadCast certainly looks striking in red, the QuadCast S is capable of dazzling thanks to its adjustable RGB. It's genuinely quite mesmerising, and if you're thinking about dipping your toes into the streaming waters, this is a mic that's sure to make your visuals stand out. That's why we've chosen it as our best looking gaming microphone, and anyone who's seen one in action will likely agree.
And for $114 at Amazon? Well, it might be a fair bit more expensive than the regular QuadCast, but really whether that price difference is worth it is up to you. One things for certain though—the QuadCast S has substance and style, and that can be a rare combo in a microphone.
Both are worthy mic choices to grace anyone's desk at full price, but for this sort of money I reckon they're even better buys. The choice is yours, dear Reader. To RGB, or not to RGB?
