For streamers, podcasters, and mainly anybody who needs to upgrade their audio with no full studio backing them, the alternatives are to make use of a easy USB microphone that sounds OK or improve to a full XLR-based setup. The latter is what most professionals use and can ship higher-quality audio. The SteelSeries Alias Pro is the perfect try but to separate the distinction.
SteelSeries, the corporate that has impressed us with a number of high-quality gaming headsets, has entered the gaming microphone market with the Alias and Alias Pro. The former is a USB microphone that comes with a shock mount and RGB LEDs, nevertheless it’s the Alias Pro that turns heads probably the most. The microphone inside is just like the bottom Alias mannequin, nevertheless it makes use of an XLR connection and comes with a dead-simple audio interface.
Innovative Interface
The audio interface is without doubt one of the extra cumbersome hurdles to recover from when studying easy methods to improve audio recording gear. Nearly each different sort of gadget on earth can join on to a pc, however skilled microphones nonetheless require this additional field that simply sits on a desk. What does it do? Why do I want it? How do I get the appropriate one? Can’t I simply use a USB mic?
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There are lots of sophisticated solutions to those questions, and we have defined them a bit more in-depth in the past, however relatively than reply them, the Alias Pro sidesteps them. The field comes with an XLR microphone and an interface—dubbed the Stream Mixer—in the identical package deal. If you do not need to trouble studying why an interface is vital or what sort you want, you do not have to fret about it. Just plug the whole lot in and it’s going to work. If you resolve you need to improve the Stream Mixer interface later, you may swap one other in and nonetheless use the identical Alias Pro mic (or you may swap out the mic for one more). It’s similar to another professional setup.
For avid gamers and streamers, the audio interface is value protecting round. It’s not too sophisticated to make use of in comparison with most different interfaces. There are two dials—one for microphone acquire and one for pc quantity (you may customise them)—and two buttons. The buttons mute both the microphone or pc audio and gentle up whereas muted, so you may by no means marvel if somebody can truly hear you whereas on a stream. The bodily controls are simpler to watch and regulate whereas stay and the LEDs even make for a greater aesthetic in case your desk house is regularly on digital camera.
Streamlining Streaming
The interface comes with +48V phantom energy—a characteristic {most professional} mics have to get a usable audio sign, together with the Alias Pro—and a built-in preamp. If you do not know what these phrases imply and actually do not need to get slowed down within the particulars, then the Alias Pro interface is perhaps interesting to you. It makes XLR help as plug-and-play as it may get.
Unlike most audio interfaces, the phantom energy on the Stream Mixer would not have a {hardware} button you may activate or off. That’s a characteristic professionals would possibly want—like should you’re swapping to a microphone that does not require phantom energy—however for most individuals, you both want it on or you do not (and you may configure this within the Engine part of the SteelSeries GG app). A devoted button for that is a type of options that does not make sense to commit room to for streamers.
