You can’t look anywhere on the internet these days without stumbling
on a personal friend or acquaintance announcing that they’re “going to start
streaming”. Broadcasting your play sessions and showcasing top gameplay moments
in real time is simply becoming more alluring. Usually, though, plans are
halted when the high price of tech becomes a barrier. That’s why USB
microphones aiming to offer crystal-clear clarity are incredibly popular now,
acting as an all-in-one plug-in-and-play solution that can get any would-be Twitch
star set up quickly.
The newly released B20 Streaming Microphone from EPOS is
hoping to neatly slot into this category, being a cost-effective solution that
allows you to edit audio output on the mic itself (as well as in EPOS’ own software
later). Does it deliver on this promise? You bet. And providing you’re okay
with a slight lack in flexibility, the B20 Streaming Microphone offers a lot of
benefits to the average Twitch streamer or those just starting out.
The first thing to mention is just how incredibly
sleek-looking the B20 Microphone actually is. Whereas other USB mic options
like the Blue Snowball looks like something from outer space, here EPOS has
engineered a classy, cylindrical design that won’t feel out of place on anyone’s
desk. What’s more, the metal stand is also built into the microphone itself, making
it easy for you to instantly get started without having to invest in other accessories
or attachments.
All of the B20’s different features like Mute, Volume and
Pickup patterns are also easily accessed on the microphone itself, removing the
need for a separate audio interface. While you might think that squeezing so
much into such a smart package would be cumbersome, it’s all been designed so that
streamers can adjust gain and pickup levels on the go. My only real gripe with
the mic’s built-in functions is that the gain knob doesn’t have a definitive
start and finish, which can make knowing if you’re raising or lowering it a bit
of a gamble.
The B20 seeks to deliver studio quality sound on a budget,
and in this realm it largely succeeds. This I know because it’s easy for you to
monitor audio in real time, thanks to a dedicated 3.5mm jack in the bottom of
the microphone that allows you to plug in a wired headset. It’s proper Radio DJ
type stuff! And even without a pop filter “P” sounds never came over as too
harsh in any of our tests, providing that you sit around a foot away from the
mic. This shouldn’t be a problem for most people, though, and means that any
user can be well underway and sounding great on Twitch in less than 20 minutes.
Don’t be worried if the B20 isn’t quite sounding clear as
crystal when you first plug it in. Chances are you haven’t got the ideal pickup
pattern set on the microphone itself. Four are included in total: stereo,
omnidirectional, bidirectional and cardoid. The latter option will be your best
friend if it’s just you podcasting or streaming alone in a confined space.
However, groups who wish to record more than one person’s audio in a space can
experiment with the three others. Omnidirectional, for instance, worked pretty
well when recording a song on acoustic guitar, despite this scenario not being
marketed as the B20’s main intention.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that when picking up the B20
Streaming Microphone, you also gain access to the EPOS Gaming Suite software.
It’s in here that you supposedly can adjust equalisation levels, adjust gain
even more so, as well as other edits. We say supposedly because we had some
trouble getting the software to work. But having said that, the B20 is recognised
easily and instantly by our preferred choice of audio editing software: Audacity.
Should you fail to get the software to open like we did, rest easy knowing that
the integrated audio functions on the mic still offer good flexibility.
The B20 Streaming Microphone from EPOS is a solid choice for
any budding Twitch streamer hoping to soon make waves on the internet. The sound
quality might not quite be to the same level of what you’d receive from a more
studio-like setup, yet it’s still impressive and crisp considering the big
reduction in price. It retails for around £150-£199 here in the UK, which is
just a tad more expensive than what other, less flexible USB microphones would
likely cost. You’ll be able to accomplish crisp sound with just a few tweaks of
the built-in mic settings – and that’s not to be sniffed at.
