The EPOS B20 four-pattern USB streaming microphone is a high quality, digital plug-and-play microphone that will elevate your game. Volume, gain, mute, and pickup pattern dials are built into the microphone together with a headphone jack for real-time monitoring.
The compatibility is what I want to talk about first. The B20 is compatible with PC, Mac® and PS4TM. Yep, a USB mic that you can plug straight into your console.
There are four pickup patterns to choose from, and help the B20 streaming microphones deliver crisp audio for any specific scenario.
You can also monitor your mix in real-time using its built-in headphone jack, although I’ve found that the monitor of my own voice here is pretty low, if you up the gain it distorts a bit, so it’s about finding that balance. I like to have my voice monitor come back at me really loud. I found the monitor not to be as loud as the ”Blue Yeti ”, but the volume is stronger than I found with the Thronmax-mdrill-pro. Each of these devices have pros and cons so it’s really about finding the one that suits you or your situation.
The design is my favourite though and here is why.
The interesting shape of the one arm stand allows you to mount the microphone in virtually any way you want. Most of these usb mics have a stand thread in the bottom which limits your angle especially if you are streaming and want to hang your mic over some monitors without obscuring your view. Because the EPOS mic has this extra arm it takes up less space on your desk when on the supplied base, but also is the most versatile mic for mounting in any direction.
The black / dark grey colouring highlighted by the simple led lights is a really sleek look. There’s no loud statement RGB like the Thronmax but it’s a solid professional build. The choice to use dials to control the features on either side of the mic means they are quick and easy to access and adjust once you remember which one does what.
The quality of the recording is really great, with a sample rate of 48kHz and 24-bits resolution it delivers a really dynamic, clear audio recording that captures the voice superbly. Out of the box it feels a little trebly to my ears but with a few adjustments via the EPOS Gaming suite, you can tweak it to your personal preference. This easy to use software means that you can adjust tiny details in the sound without needing a professional audio engineering knowledge. It’s easy to install and works great with your other EPOS devices like say the GSX300 external soundcard or a pair of premium gaming headphones like the GSP670’s.
Now if you want some nerd specs take a look at these:
EPOS B20
Microphone
Frequency response / 50-20,000 Hz
Pick-up pattern / Cardioid, Bidirectional, Omnidirectional, Stereo
Sensitivity-37 dBV/PA
Microphone Sensitivity Tolerance (dB) +/- 3dB
Microphone technology / Condenser Microphone (3 condenser capsules)
Type / Side-address Microphone
Thread size / 3/8”
Recording sample and bit rate / 24bit – 48kHz
SPL 112dB, 2,5% THD
Speaker
Frequency response / 20-20,000 Hz
Impedance / > 15 Ω
Playback sample and bit rate / 24bit – 96kHz
THD / < 0.5%
Power output / 20 mW/16 Ω
Signal to Noise / 90 dB
RRP: AU$329; NZ$349
The best feature of this device is that it really just works really well straight out of the box. So you can use the simple USB plug and play and get straight into using it to record your podcast, go live with your stream or I’d even record music at home. The versatility of this mic is what sets it apart from the competition.
