EPOS B20 USB Microphone – Your Voice Has Never Sounded Better
EPOS has been making waves in the gaming space for a few years now. Their headsets (though on the expensive side of things) have earned a reputation for top-notch sound and excellent build quality. This has created a dedicated user base, that faithfully sticks with the EPOS brand. So it was only a matter of time before EPOS moved into the streaming/Youtuber microphone space, an area that has grown rapidly in recent years. Their first entry into this market is the B20 USB mic and as far as first attempts go, it is a real winner.
The first thing I noticed when I pulled this bad boy out of its box was the size. Significantly smaller than my Yeti Blue, the B20 was sleek, unobtrusive and only took up a small amount of precious desk real estate. A great first impression. Setup was even easier, it is the very definition of plug and play, no extra software or drivers needed. Everything was immediately recognised and there were none of the usual fiddly Windows sound problems that come about due to multiple input and output devices. If you want more control however, the EPOS gaming suite is an easy to use piece of software that allows you to fiddle and finetune the mic.
Construction of the B20 is what you would expect from EPOS, sturdy, designed to last and has a minimalist aesthetic. There are no flashing LEDs or blinking emojis. This is certainly aimed at those that aren’t into the disco colour scheme of computers and accessories that seems to be popular at this time. This of course means if you are living your best LED life then the B20 is probably not going to be your thing, but for the rest of us, the dialled back approach is a nice one. The mic is wonderfully adjustable and comes with a nice stand or the option to attach it to a standard boom setup, making it perfect for standard desks or more professional studio situations.
As for performance, well coming from EPOS you expect a certain amount of quality and the B20 doesn’t disappoint. I used it in a range of situations, from Youtube content to podcasts and the sound was almost perfect. It handled a range of volumes without any issues at all and remained clear and crackle free at all times. Perhaps the most impressive test I put it through however is the fact I used it in the kitchen, a notoriously echo prone location, for cooking videos and it was almost flawless. Check out the video below for proof.
As you can hear, it handles this less than ideal situation with ease, meaning that this mic is perfect not only for small studios but for wide-open spaces as well. Great news for those that want to get into content creation but don’t have a dedicated space to do so.
Sound and build quality comes at a price and this isn’t a cheap mic, running just over $300 at most places. This means it is quite the big outlay for someone starting out in content creation. Therefore I feel like this is the perfect “next step” mic. The upgrade from your cheaper first purchase that can handle a wider range of tasks and give a more professional result. I feel like this is the exact demographic this mic is aimed at and with that in mind it certainly hits the mark.
The EPOS B20 is, like a lot of EPOS products, a little expensive, but as with all EPOS gear that expense buys you a high-quality product. The B20 is the best mic I have ever used in a home environment and is well suited to just about any content creator task you can throw at it. Not only that but the B20 has been designed in such a way that its physical footprint has been reduced while maintaining high build quality. For a first effort in the microphone space, this is a product that is almost impossible to fault. It is easy to see why those that jump on the EPOS train very rarely get off and the brand is fast earning a well-deserved reputation for quality. The B20 only adds to that sentiment.
Specifications
General
Controls: Gain, Volume knob, Mute button & Pickup pattern switch
Cable length: 2.9 m
Connector plugs: USB-C & built in 3.5 mm headphone jack
Compatibility: PC, Mac®, PS4TM
Warranty: 2 years, international
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
THD: < 0.5%
Power output: 20 mW/16 Ω
Signal to Noise: 90 dB
Playback sample and bit rate: 24bit – 96kHz
