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[letsreview postid=”158693″]
While I haven’t streamed on Twitch in months, I still require a good microphone for my PC setup. Gotta make sure those callouts in Escape from Tarkov are understood by teammates, of course.
Today, we’ll be taking a look at the EPOS B20 streaming microphone to see how it stacks up. While it can be used for simple Zoom and Discord calls, it also packs enough functionality inside to work for streamers, podcasters, and more.
At $199, it might be overkill if you only need it for a couple of online meetings, but if you find yourself needing to communicate via voice often, this is definitely one to keep an eye on.
Features of the EPOS B20 streaming microphone
If you are looking for a USB microphone that can work in multiple ways, this offering from EPOS offers four different pickup patterns. This means that with a simple turn of a knob you can change it from cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional, and stereo.
Essentially, this allows you to switch between capturing audio from one direction, two directions, and all directions. If you are a podcaster, for example, being able to easily switch between bidirectional and omnidirectional is a nice addition.
READ MORE: Review: EPOS H6Pro Open Acoustic gaming headset
There is also a mute button and a gain knob that lets you adjust the mic’s sensitivity, which can be nice when trying to remove background audio like air conditioning or your PC’s fans.
You also get a volume control knob that is used when plugging in a headset to the microphone. This is there so users can monitor their own feedback to better fine-tune their mic output. It comes with a stand, as well, and if you have a boom arm, it uses the standard 3/8” thread.
If there is one note I have about the knobs, is that I wish they had a start and stop point. They are simply free to rotate as much as you want, which can make things a bit confusing at times.
So, how does it sound?
While the EPOS B20 is a sleek streaming microphone, it really comes down to how it sounds, doesn’t it? Overall, audio quality on this offering is solid. It’s not the best out there, but it is far from the worst.
The different audio modes work well, but even with doing lots of tweaks to the gain, often the microphone seems overly sensitive. Nothing deal-breaking, but something that should be noted. With that sensitivity, it does come with clean audio, however.
READ MORE: PreSonus Revelator USB microphone review
It picked up my voice well and according to friends and my own testing, sounds slightly cleaner than the HyperX QuadCast S, my daily microphone.
As with most USB microphones out there, you’ll get the most from the B20 if you spend a little time on the backend. Whether using something like StreamLabs or EPOS’ own Gaming Suite app, making tweaks to noise gates and other options can make the microphone sound even better.
Should you buy the B20 streaming microphone?
At the end of the day, the EPOS B20 streaming microphone is a worthy competitor in the USB streaming microphone field. While it’s not the cheapest option out there, its audio quality and sleek styling make it a winner.
The biggest drawback here is the knobs that don’t have any stopping points or markings. If you aren’t familiar with audio setups, this might end with you spending time tweaking knobs while asking your friends if they can hear you clearly.
The microphone picks up the intricacies of your voice, but it also means that depending on how you have everything set up, it might also pick up those louder mechanical keyboards.
At $199, it sets itself at a comfortable, if not slightly expensive price point.
Editors’ Recommendations:
- Review: Dali Oberon 1 C speakers – who said wireless audio is bad?
- Review: Campfire Audio Honeydew IEMs
- Review: BlitzWolf USB Microphone – a reliable start to your streaming career
- Review: X-Chair X3 – the $1,000 office chair I never knew I needed
Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.
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