The Profile has a sturdy metal casing and a more flashy design than I would expect from Sennheiser. Don't get me wrong, Sennheiser makes some of the best audio gear in the world, but some of its designs, especially on its headsets, are a little boring.

The USB Type-B Micro/XLR connection will be the big draw for a lot of folks. It gives you the best of both worlds by providing the adaptability of XLR (especially if you use professional audio interfaces) and the versatility of Type-B Micro inputs for recording on the go with laptops and mobile devices. Sennheiser Profile Streaming Set gives you everything you need to start your podcasting or streaming journey. Most creators of content are having to fork out for two devices nowdays: a gaming headset and a microphone. Audio Technica's new ATH-M50xSTS StreamSet headset says hell no to that, spend all that money on me instead.

Razer BlackShark V2 X - White

The Seiren Minis slide out of frame as an audio program appears, flanked by the Seiren V2 Pro and Seiren V2 X. The Shure MV7 is a great-sounding XLR/USB hybrid microphone that'll give veteran podcasters and streamers a serious upgrade.

USB is the simpler of the two, and if you're looking for plug-and-play ease, then it's your best bet. However, that simplicity comes at a cost. It's difficult to record more than one USB microphone simultaneously, and monitoring and adjusting the mix will be done digitally. That still holds true for the 3rd generation 2i2 included in the Studio bundle, which now runs entirely on a single USB Type-C to Type-A cable, even power. Its interface is brighter, cleaner, and more easily navigated than previous models. A separate screen appears across the shot, displaying an audio program which reads: Digital gain limiter.On the software front, well, there isn't any. The Profile is a plug-and-play microphone with no accompanying software for tweaking sound. So, if you want to apply filters to your voice or anything fun like that, you'll need to use third-party apps. Since all the controls are on the mic, I'm alright with not having to install another app for my accessories.

We cut to a shot of the microphone’s body, as a separate screen appears across the shot. It displays an audio program which reads: Noise suppression, inactive. Text appears: Convenient audio mixing via Razer Synapse. Only for Razer Seiren V2 Pro and Razer Seiren V2 X The StreamSet mic is comparable to using a desktop mic only a whole lot easier. I used it during several streaming sessions and am convinced it's less hassle and maybe even a better solution than my desktop mic setup. The 2i2's twin-preamp design lets you run two microphones through a single interface. This has always been a pain point for anyone who tried to plug more than one USB mic into a PC. That value alone is worth the price of admission, but there's a lot more to the 2i2 that we love. The camera zooms in to a cross section of the microphone head, as we see its condenser capsule within.Bit rate is the speed at which a digital and audio file gets encoded. Without trekking too much into audiophile territory, 16 bit and above is considered a good bit rate. What connector do I need? XLR or USB?

On the software side of things, the HyperX Quadcast S uses its proprietary Ngenuity software to handle all things RGB, and that's pretty much it. I mean, you canadjust things such as the mic level and get a description of each polar pattern. But other than that, it's pretty light in options when compared to the Elgato Wave: 3, which comes with a digital audio mixer or Blue Yeti X's Blu! Voice software that lets you apply audio filters. While a pop filter will help reduce plosives, the sound of air escaping violently from your mouth and towards the mic, from making their way over to airwaves to your listeners' unfortunate ear holes. It'll also stop your microphone from getting grubby when you're up-close and sounding sibilants. The AIR switch, once enabled, bolsters the high frequencies by recreating the ISA 110 mic preamp found on the Focusrite Studio Console. That might not mean much to you, but the end result is it helps your voice pop just that little bit more. I also find it helps with clarity in the final recording.Sample rate is the number of samples of audio recorded every second. 48kHz is the most common sample rate you'll see on many microphones, and you shouldn't be any lower than that. The digital gain limiter then turns on as the same voice sample is replayed—this time sounding far clearer and cleaner.