Streaming is all the craze in the current state of the gaming world and players need to be as clear and precise as possible for their viewers. Razer is offering a new streaming microphone that goes above and beyond for the ones that are streaming. TheSeiren Emoteis a microphone that features a hypercardiod condenser to help deliver the clear audio. What it does to stand out from the competition is include an 8-bit LED screen that is built in that allows for the use of emojis. This can help during the heat of gaming for when a viewer interacts and is just a cool touch to have. Outside of these two major features, is there enough here to justify the price?
There is a lot to like about the Seiren Emote. The microphone screws together and either features a short connector or an extension. This extension allows for the microphone to bend and be flexible to adjust to the streamer’s needs. Bending too far will make the microphone fall over, but this is if it’s sitting on a desk. If you attach the microphone to an extension that hangs above you, this should only help more. The microphone, itself, includes two sides for audio input but it will catch audio no matter what. In a medium-sized room, I was able to go to the opposite side and have no issue picking up audio.
The hypercardiod aspect of the Seiren Emote allows for capturing voices extremely well. I ran a couple of streams and went back to review the audio and the vocal audio stands out. It doesn’t catch background noises at all and there is a clear difference between the vocals and the ambiance of the room. If your room lacks proper acoustics, you’ll get some reverb. The audio does a good job of standing above the in-game sound just by default. The Seiren Emote is configured through a separate Razer application you will need to install. There were a few issues with this including interference with other Razer devices and Chroma. The microphone does allow for a background LCD display and leaving it for an extended period of time would cause the background to give out. This seems to be more of an issue with the software as Windows still recognized the microphone. Hopefully these issues can get ironed out.
The Seiren Emote is connected with a micro-USB connection and allows users to plug in a 3.5-mm headphone for audio feedback. The rear of the unit includes an audio dial for that headphone output and a mute button that illuminates green. Only including these two aspects is a bit disappointing. The Blue Yeti includes a dial on the rear for selecting different audio modes on the fly. The Seiren Emote doesn’t necessarily include those modes, which is another disappointment for the price, but there could be a dial for microphone gain. The audio level is controlled through the Razer Streaming Companion app and it’s bare-bones in terms of sound options. I expected some more options to tinker with for what this microphone retails for.
Closing Comments:
The Razer Seiren Emote is an excellent microphone for streaming thanks to its hypercardiod technology that provides clear voice to an audience. This microphone can be used with multiple people and at a distance if needed. What it lacks brings the cost into question. The Seiren Emote retails for $179.99 and having recently bought a Blue Yeti that included a game for $100, I feel that microphone offers more detail and options and at its basic level, the Yeti offers the same type of audio quality. The emojis are a cool aspect, but if you’re a casual streamer, that aspect is thrown out the window if you don’t plan on having a lot of viewers. This microphone is surely geared towards high-traffic streamers that gives a cool aspect with the emojis and the ability to create their own emojis. If you are just looking for a good streaming microphone without the flash, there are better options for the price. If you are a big time streamer, then the Seiren Emote will be useful for you.
