Razer Seiren Pro – Tech Review
Up until recently I have always felt that a Microphone is just a microphone and as long as I bought a fairly well-known brand it will all be ok. But with my recent endeavors into the world of Podcasting and video reviews I thought I needed something a little better, something with a bit more panache. My gaming headset was fine for gaming but it just wasn’t cutting the mustard for other tasks. This is when the Razer Siren Pro landed in my lap and boy am I glad it did.
Right away I was impressed by this chunky piece of gear. The mic is clearly made of high quality metals and plastics. It has a nice weight to it and to quote Boris the Blade “heavy is good, heavy is sign of reliability.” There is not a cheap or dodgy looking part on the whole package. Even the box was nice and sturdy. It seems to me that this was put together by a company that takes pride in what it does and is not trying to simply pump out a cheap option.
As far as testing goes I ran it through quite a few of my normal mic uses. The good news is that it came through with flying colours no matter the test I threw at it. It worked well during gaming, even if this sort of mic is a little awkward for that purpose, but where is shone was in recording situations. Podcasts and video reviews all came out sounding great with a minimum of fuss. I even used it to record our latest podcast on the show floor of EB Expo. With six people all speaking into the mic and the background noise from the show there wasn’t a problem with the sound quality at all.
I think the key to this is the simple settings for multiple situations, all explained in plain English that even a sound numpty like me could follow. Setting it for a single person, interview or even group was simply the matter of turning a dial. Background noise could also be adjusted on the fly which made the mic practical in my noisy house chock full of televisions, kids and pets. With a turn of the knob all that noisy carry on in the background disappeared giving me crystal clear recordings.
These inbuilt features are useless without good software support and once again I am pleased to report that the Seiren Pro comes up trumps. The simple Razer Synapse interface works well and allowed me to keep my settings consistent over multiple computers which is a god send for someone like me that works over 3 different computers. The mic also worked beautifully with a range of software including Audacity, Skype and Windows Movie Maker. I couldn’t find a program that the mic didn’t work with. I tested the mic on a Windows 7 computer, a Windows 8.1 laptop and my Windows 10 gaming rig and didn’t encounter a single problem with the mic.
The only problem I can see with the Razer Siren Pro is the price. At over $400 this isn’t a cheap recording solution and that amount is sure to make a lot of people baulk. I can’t say I could blame them either as that is a lot of coin but there is no doubt that this is one of those cases where you are getting what you pay for. Quality costs and that is clearly the case here.
In all I am extremely happy with the Razer Seiren Pro. It meets all of my needs and then some, providing crystal clear voice recording for all of my podcasting and video review needs. With the build quality as good as it is I can’t see me needing to replace this in the near future either. If you have a spare chunk of money that you wish to put towards a great microphone then look no further than then Siren Pro. It is sure to meet all of your expectations. If you are an audiophile check below for the full specs but even if you have no idea this microphone’s easy to use interface with bring a smile to your face. This is how voice recording should be.
Features:
HD recording with outstanding clarity
4 adjustable recording patterns (Cardioid, Stereo, Omni ,Bi–directional)
Quick controls for pattern switching, headphone volume and mic gain
Built in headphone amplifier with zero latency output
Recording via XLR or USB connection
High-pass filter – filters frequencies below 100 Hz
Specifications:
Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz
Sensitivity: 4.5mV/Pa (1kHz)
Max SPL: 120dB
Headphone amplifier
Impedance: > 16ohms
Power output (RMS): 130mW
Frequency response: 15Hz – 22kHz
Signal-to-noise ratio: 114dB