What about this mic?

For general computer discussion & help, come here

Moderators: Bakhtosh, EvilHomer3k

Post Reply
User avatar
Daehawk
Posts: 63525
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:11 am

What about this mic?

Post by Daehawk »

I used to have a very nice Sennheiser set of headphones with a built in boom mic. Wife could watch tv behind me while I gamed and talked. But now all I need is a mic. I need to hear the world around me. My dog, the phone, the door. I have an old 90s lapel mic that the clip broke off and I used to use a clothes pin to stick it to my shirt. Lol. I bet it sounded horrid.

So Ive got my eye on a Hyper X SoloCast for gaming. It would let me keep my speakers and yet still talk online to my buddies or throw shade at my enemies hehe. It seems a quality mic and at a low price point of around $40 - $50. When I get one Id get that mic.

Amazon has it at two different price points and different Amazon naming. One Is like $42 and from Amazon and Amazon Warehouse. The other is $50 and from Amazon. com.

Is it the same place and same mic just the price is diff? Ones not a scam / sham seller is it?

https://www.amazon.com/HyperX-SoloCast- ... 175&sr=1-4

https://www.amazon.com/HyperX-SoloCast- ... 175&sr=1-3

Enlarge Image
--------------------------------------------
I am Dyslexic of Borg, prepare to have your ass laminated.
I guess Ray Butts has ate his last pancake.
http://steamcommunity.com/id/daehawk
"Has high IQ. Refuses to apply it"
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43495
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

Re: What about this mic?

Post by Blackhawk »

The warehouse version is renewed (aka, used refurbished.)
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
User avatar
TheMix
Posts: 10904
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 5:19 pm
Location: Broomfield, Colorado

Re: What about this mic?

Post by TheMix »

I hope you are planning to use Push-to-talk. Though even then...

My best friend uses speakers and a separate mic. I hate it. Every time we play a game, I basically have to turn off my sound when NPCs are talking. Or I hear everything twice. Usually his is louder, even.

Be aware that your friends will not appreciate this move.

Black Lives Matter

Isgrimnur - Facebook makes you hate your friends and family. LinkedIn makes you hate you co-workers. NextDoor makes you hate your neighbors.
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43495
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

Re: What about this mic?

Post by Blackhawk »

No kidding. Or even worse, you hear your own voice echoed back to you, which makes it almost impossible to talk (literally - it's been used by police and the military to disperse crowds - you echo speaker's words back at them with a split second delay.)

Those are generally intended for either recording audio (like a podcast) or for use with headphones as an upgrade over a headset mic. And they're generally intended to be used in a quiet environment.
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
User avatar
TheMix
Posts: 10904
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 5:19 pm
Location: Broomfield, Colorado

Re: What about this mic?

Post by TheMix »

We almost weren't able to play Dead Space 3 co-op because everything I said was echo'd back a second later. Luckily we were able to find the bizarre place that the developers put a mute option.

Black Lives Matter

Isgrimnur - Facebook makes you hate your friends and family. LinkedIn makes you hate you co-workers. NextDoor makes you hate your neighbors.
User avatar
The Meal
Posts: 27987
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 10:33 pm
Location: 2005 Stanley Cup Champion

Re: What about this mic?

Post by The Meal »

You can use a mic or speakers, but not both.
"Better to talk to people than communicate via tweet." — Elontra
User avatar
Daehawk
Posts: 63525
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:11 am

Re: What about this mic?

Post by Daehawk »

I always use push to talk.
--------------------------------------------
I am Dyslexic of Borg, prepare to have your ass laminated.
I guess Ray Butts has ate his last pancake.
http://steamcommunity.com/id/daehawk
"Has high IQ. Refuses to apply it"
User avatar
TheMix
Posts: 10904
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 5:19 pm
Location: Broomfield, Colorado

Re: What about this mic?

Post by TheMix »

Just don't talk if there is anything going on in the game, then. :D

Black Lives Matter

Isgrimnur - Facebook makes you hate your friends and family. LinkedIn makes you hate you co-workers. NextDoor makes you hate your neighbors.
User avatar
LawBeefaroni
Forum Moderator
Posts: 55316
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 3:08 pm
Location: Urbs in Horto, outrageous taxes on everything

Re: What about this mic?

Post by LawBeefaroni »

Either get a cheap headset with mic or get Blue Yeti for $90 if your really want to do the speaker thing. It will have hardware adjustable input volume/gain and a headphone jack for when your friends demand it.

Don't get that knockoff mic at $50.
" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General
"No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer." -Stigler's Law of Eponymy, discovered by Robert K. Merton

MYT
User avatar
Kasey Chang
Posts: 20750
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 4:20 pm
Location: San Francisco, CA
Contact:

Re: What about this mic?

Post by Kasey Chang »

If you do get a mic, get an arm as well. You'll wonder how you'd ever gone without it.

I have both my webcam and my mic on separate arms.

On these mic, you do have to choose. Basic, portable, or multi-purpose. The multi-purpose ones, like Blue Yeti, have multiple pick-up patterns which results in different sound. You can make it only pickup yourself, pickup 360 surround, pickup you and your guest (say, interview) and use single mic to generate stereo signal. The basic ones don't have all that. The portable ones are meant to be mounted on a portable platform (such as modern digital camera) or boom, not really for indoor use.

If you don't need fancy patterns, then the cheaper Snowball model will do.
My game FAQs | Playing: She Will Punish Them, Sunrider: Mask of Arcadius, The Outer Worlds
User avatar
Anonymous Bosch
Posts: 10512
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 6:09 pm
Location: Northern California [originally from the UK]

Re: What about this mic?

Post by Anonymous Bosch »

Keep in mind, you really do not require a dedicated 'gaming headset' with a boom mic, flashing lights, and go-faster decals.

To keep costs to a minimum, just grab some Koss KSC75 on-ear headphones ($19.69) along with a Movo PM10 lavalier mic ($14.95). For just shy of $35, these provide for a perfectly functional gaming set-up, with a quality of staging, imaging, and clarity that will easily outperform the vast majority of flimflam Chinese 'gaming headsets' with boom mics and such.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." — P. J. O'Rourke
User avatar
LawBeefaroni
Forum Moderator
Posts: 55316
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 3:08 pm
Location: Urbs in Horto, outrageous taxes on everything

Re: What about this mic?

Post by LawBeefaroni »

Anonymous Bosch wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:25 am Keep in mind, you really do not require a dedicated 'gaming headset' with a boom mic, flashing lights, and go-faster decals.

To keep costs to a minimum, just grab some Koss KSC75 on-ear headphones ($19.69) along with a Movo PM10 lavalier mic ($14.95). For just shy of $35, these provide for a perfectly functional gaming set-up, with a quality of staging, imaging, and clarity that will easily outperform the vast majority of flimflam Chinese 'gaming headsets' with boom mics and such.
Yeah, this.

I use these as backup for phone calls and laptop zoom/chats. Work great.
" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General
"No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer." -Stigler's Law of Eponymy, discovered by Robert K. Merton

MYT
User avatar
Daehawk
Posts: 63525
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:11 am

Re: What about this mic?

Post by Daehawk »

Since its in the future Ill probably go for that higher cost Yeti one then. I just dont really need it much so that price will hurt. And also remember I dont want to wear headphones anymore.
--------------------------------------------
I am Dyslexic of Borg, prepare to have your ass laminated.
I guess Ray Butts has ate his last pancake.
http://steamcommunity.com/id/daehawk
"Has high IQ. Refuses to apply it"
User avatar
Blackhawk
Posts: 43495
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Southwest Indiana

Re: What about this mic?

Post by Blackhawk »

Daehawk wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:40 pm Since its in the future Ill probably go for that higher cost Yeti one then. I just dont really need it much so that price will hurt. And also remember I dont want to wear headphones anymore.
We get that. But for the most part, microphones plus speakers just doesn't work.
(˙pǝsɹǝʌǝɹ uǝǝq sɐɥ ʎʇıʌɐɹƃ ʃɐuosɹǝd ʎW)
User avatar
Daehawk
Posts: 63525
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:11 am

Re: What about this mic?

Post by Daehawk »

I had a cool mic that came with my Sound Blaster Z. Its some type of focused mic. Its supposed to sit on the monitor and have a cone of hearing to it right in front of you . Wont pick up the speakers or anything. But I cant get it to mount on my thin LED monitor bezel and to be fair it is a cheap mic. Its like a cone of voice pickup thingy.
--------------------------------------------
I am Dyslexic of Borg, prepare to have your ass laminated.
I guess Ray Butts has ate his last pancake.
http://steamcommunity.com/id/daehawk
"Has high IQ. Refuses to apply it"
User avatar
Kasey Chang
Posts: 20750
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 4:20 pm
Location: San Francisco, CA
Contact:

Re: What about this mic?

Post by Kasey Chang »

Daehawk wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 6:25 pm I had a cool mic that came with my Sound Blaster Z. Its some type of focused mic. Its supposed to sit on the monitor and have a cone of hearing to it right in front of you . Wont pick up the speakers or anything. But I cant get it to mount on my thin LED monitor bezel and to be fair it is a cheap mic. Its like a cone of voice pickup thingy.
Use a clamp to pin it on a microphone / webcam arm if you don't care about making it look good. Arms are under $20 each even new. Or just velcro it to your LED monitor.
My game FAQs | Playing: She Will Punish Them, Sunrider: Mask of Arcadius, The Outer Worlds
User avatar
TheMix
Posts: 10904
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 5:19 pm
Location: Broomfield, Colorado

Re: What about this mic?

Post by TheMix »

Dae,

I make no comment on performance, but Woot has a "gaming" microphone today: https://computers.woot.com/offers/altec ... microphone

Black Lives Matter

Isgrimnur - Facebook makes you hate your friends and family. LinkedIn makes you hate you co-workers. NextDoor makes you hate your neighbors.
User avatar
Daehawk
Posts: 63525
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:11 am

Re: What about this mic?

Post by Daehawk »

Thanks mix thats nice of you to think of me but Im dead out of money again until next month. The well pump wiped out all of it but the little food and gas I got today. Then next month is car exhaust. So mic will have to wait longer. Im used to that np.
--------------------------------------------
I am Dyslexic of Borg, prepare to have your ass laminated.
I guess Ray Butts has ate his last pancake.
http://steamcommunity.com/id/daehawk
"Has high IQ. Refuses to apply it"
User avatar
Kasey Chang
Posts: 20750
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 4:20 pm
Location: San Francisco, CA
Contact:

Re: What about this mic?

Post by Kasey Chang »

I think I have an older mic with "tripod" stand that should still be usable, should be USB port. Let me look in my closet again.
My game FAQs | Playing: She Will Punish Them, Sunrider: Mask of Arcadius, The Outer Worlds
User avatar
Anonymous Bosch
Posts: 10512
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 6:09 pm
Location: Northern California [originally from the UK]

Re: What about this mic?

Post by Anonymous Bosch »

Keep in mind Daehawk, if you are bound and determined to use speakers and a microphone for gaming (not headphones), you ought to aim for a cardioid microphone to minimise echo, feedback, and reverb.

Because if/when your speakers are too close or loud, your microphone will pick up the audio from your game and play it through your speakers. This makes it possible for others to hear your regurgitated game audio in mic or hear an echo to your voice whenever you talk, which becomes exasperating for those you play with for the reasons TheMix & Blackhawk aptly observed earlier. Omnidirectional microphones are designed to pick up sound from all around, which tends to only accentuate this issue. But cardioid microphones are designed to only pick up noise from directly in front of 'em, so are better suited for cancelling out the audio from your speakers. But alas, desktop cardioids of decent quality do tend to be pricier (hence my suggestion above, considering your significant budgetary constraints).
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." — P. J. O'Rourke
User avatar
Victoria Raverna
Posts: 5013
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 2:23 am
Location: Jakarta

Re: What about this mic?

Post by Victoria Raverna »

For microphone review, this channel has a lot of them from very cheap ones to super expensive ones:

https://www.youtube.com/c/Podcastage
User avatar
Daehawk
Posts: 63525
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:11 am

Re: What about this mic?

Post by Daehawk »

Thanks all. Seems I got time to read while I save.
--------------------------------------------
I am Dyslexic of Borg, prepare to have your ass laminated.
I guess Ray Butts has ate his last pancake.
http://steamcommunity.com/id/daehawk
"Has high IQ. Refuses to apply it"
User avatar
Kasey Chang
Posts: 20750
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 4:20 pm
Location: San Francisco, CA
Contact:

Re: What about this mic?

Post by Kasey Chang »

FWIW, Amazon has marked down the SoloCast to $35 for Labor Day. If you buy it, I'll ship you a practically new mic arm. Just beware, it's the "unscrew the joint to pose" instead of the "spring tension just push/pull to pose" kind. However, it does come with a trumbone arm (can be pushed / pulled to extend/retract) so it's not as bad as it sounds. I thought it was a different one, and I don't like to return things on Amazon when it's my own fault. (It may not come with all the accessories, as I'm horrible at unpacking and keeping everything together)
My game FAQs | Playing: She Will Punish Them, Sunrider: Mask of Arcadius, The Outer Worlds
User avatar
Daehawk
Posts: 63525
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:11 am

Re: What about this mic?

Post by Daehawk »

Thanks Kasey but due to life and its problems a mic is now out of the picture probably for good ..along with anything else id planned..cant even get a haircut now.
--------------------------------------------
I am Dyslexic of Borg, prepare to have your ass laminated.
I guess Ray Butts has ate his last pancake.
http://steamcommunity.com/id/daehawk
"Has high IQ. Refuses to apply it"
Post Reply