Practical testing …
Similar to a TFT monitor, the stand can be mounted using a thick screw that can be turned by hand. There is no doubt that tipping over is rather unlikely with this solid construction. Weighing in at just under 300 g, the Microphone stands at a hefty 560 g. Four knobs on each side provide the necessary slip resistance.
As promised, the microphone can be placed in a stable sideways position. The model can also be tilted slightly backwards if required. When using the stand, the upright position is certainly common, while the tilt angle can be advantageous on a swivel arm (which NZXT does not supply). With a length of 2 meters, the USB cable can be laid neatly.
While the backlighting, which can be modified using CAM software, is at best only visible to viewers watching a live stream, the color code on the front serves a useful purpose. White stands for idle and red for mute. A gradually filling “bar” in purple or green indicates the adjustment of the volume level of the microphone or headphones.
Here is a shot with the 15cm undercut.
And here is a shot with sufficient seating distance.
Background noise …
In terms of the cardioid characteristic, the exclusion of unwanted background noise can be confirmed. Footsteps from a well-lit stairwell remain there and do not end up in the recording. Closer noises such as a mouse click can still get through in the standard setting if the mouse and microphone are roughly in line. CAM software can be used to attenuate background noises even further or, conversely, to include them more strongly.
In general, the recommended sitting distance of at least 15 cm should be maintained, as otherwise small smacking and overmodulation can hardly be avoided even with the best technology.
Ideally, the microphone should be placed in front of the keyboard, otherwise the distance may be too great. At least the microphone is not too globular in the upright position. Initially, the positioning may take some getting used to when things get heated in video games and keyboard keys need to be reached quickly.
Gaming …
Counter Strike 2 is probably a classic application for this product. Gamers are familiar with the crawling and crackling transmissions from their youth with cheap headsets.
The noise suppression actually works very well and this can improve concentration on the actual action in team games.
As far as the voice reproduction itself is concerned, no differences to a tried and tested headset could be determined. The human voice is therefore not suddenly emphasized and simply appears “clean”.
The user with the necessary prior knowledge could at most try to change their actual voice using equalizer settings in CAM.
NZXT Capsule Elite Overall impression …