Razer Seiren Mini Review, Ultra-compact Condenser Microphone

Razer Seiren Mini Review

Razerthink – The Razer Seiren Mini This compact microphone is reasonably priced and is an excellent option for podcasters and green streamers. Because gaming microphones can be very expensive and often include bloated software, unnecessary features, and challenging designs. While this can be good for some, not everyone wants to spend hundreds of dollars on flashy equipment.

There are plenty of excellent USB microphone options available, but it’s safe to say that when you drop below the $50 line, the number of quality options starts to dwindle. The Razer Seiren Mini, priced at $50.00, aims to be one of the few super affordable options worth recommending. The Seiren Mini has no DSP (digital signal processing) and no gain button or headphone jack. Despite its no-frills design, the Seiren Mini is easy to use and aimed at live-streaming gamers but is also perfect for podcasting or basic vocal recording.

While there are plenty of desktop microphones to choose from, most of them high-end affairs, their eyes are on gamers, streamers, and podcasters who want a premium audio experience. Most microphones are played at the deep end of the pool. Razer’s Seiren Mini is relatively new to the streets. This simple miniature microphone is a competitor to the Blue Snowball iCE., one of the few desktop microphones that cater to streamers on a budget.

Design and features

Razer Seiren Mini Available in black, pink, or white, the Seiren Mini has a pill-shaped shape, with a built-in desktop stand that tilts towards the person speaking and also tilts slightly to the side. Like 360 ​​degree action from a joystick. The top of the microphone is entirely the speaker grille, with the micro USB port hidden on the back panel “micro USB-to-USB cable included.” The front of the microphone has a minor status LED that lights up when the Seiren Mini is connected.

The Razer Seiren Mini looks like a prop you’d put in a late-night talk show diorama. The base is 3.5 inches in diameter, and the microphone stands at 6.5 inches. Behind the grille, the microphone uses a 14mm condenser capsule with a super-cardioid frequency and a pattern range of 20Hz to 20kHz. The sample rate goes up to 48kHz, and the bit depth is 16 bits. According to Razer, the Seiren Mini also has built-in shock protection mounts.

What is missing?

Well, for $50, it’s hard to complain. No polar pattern selector, no gain control, no headphone level control, no real-time headphone monitor input. There’s no headphone jack for live monitoring, nor are there any gain or control buttons. All recording and listening levels need to be set in your streaming or recording software. And also, the setup manual claims that the Seiren Mini is only compatible with Windows 7 or higher, without mentioning macOS.

No polar pattern selector? Probably not a problem if you’re streaming or simply recording just a single super-cardioid pattern is all you need. But the lack of gain control means you’ll have to do it with your recording software. Ditto for mute. That’s frustrating, whether you’re on a budget or not. Finally, it’s cool: The adapter for attaching a microphone to a boom or microphone stand, if you want to do that, is a rod that connects the microphone to the base. Just unscrew the base and attach it to your 5/8 inch mount, done and done. While I always appreciate it when microphone manufacturers include a separate adapter, I quickly lose it. This one is part of the design until you need it.

Performance

You don’t have to overthink about using the Razer Seiren Mini—all you have to do is plug the included cable into the back of the microphone and connect it to your computer. You can easily use this microphone for video conference calls and gaming sessions. The Razer Seiren Mini is sleek and sleek, with a pill-shaped chassis that hides cables flush with the back of the microphone. The microphone is arguably very light and fits in the palm of your hand—but doesn’t feel smooth or flimsy in any way. Because it’s small and compact, it sits on your desk without being intrusive, and you can take it with you on the go.

Razer’s published specifications claim that this microphone has a frequency response range of 20Hz to 20kHz, which is solid, with a maximum sample rate of 48kHz at 16-bit. Razer positions this microphone as an affordable entry-level model that doesn’t skimp on sonic quality, and only the max SPL stands out a bit. The Seiren Mini only delivers 110 dB, while other streamers do much better. The Blue Yeti reaches an SPL of 120dB, and the Elgato Wave:3 boasts 140 dB, so it’s not impossible that you can produce some distortion with this microphone if you’re not careful.

One of the most significant drawbacks of this mic is the trunk. The stems are less than three centimeters (one inch) long, and you can’t extend them, so the entire unit is only about 15 centimeters (six inches) tall. While this makes the microphone portable, it does mean that if you are positioned correctly on your desk, the microphone will likely not point directly at your mouth. Razer Seiren Mini holds even if you tilt it back on the swivel stand. Apart from the super-cardioid polar pattern, this creates a less directional and more “hollow” sound. If you have a boom arm with a 5/8″ thread, you can attach a microphone to it for better placement.

Razer includes:

• A condenser microphone.
• A small round table stand.
• A rod for screwing into the bottom of the microphone.
• A micro USB to USB-A cable.
• Some documentation.

From 13 inches away, mid-tones are thin and overall levels are low. I fixed the second issue with again tweak on the desktop, but the first problem persists – the microphone is acceptable at a distance but doesn’t live up to its full potential. When I got close and recorded from a few inches away, the Seiren Mini came alive at this distance with an excellent tone and incredible fidelity. Razer optimized this microphone for spoken words rather than music because it treats my voice with warmth and authenticity. I like the results when I have the opportunity to use the mic in close quarters.

Pros

•  Pill-shaped Design
•  Just $50
•  Great sound

Cons

• No Mute button
• Proprietary micro-USB

Price

The Razer Seiren Mini  is now available on the Razer website for US$49.99

Overall

The Razer Seiren Mini is not for everyone; the barebones microphone is easy to operate. The price is its best feature, but it’s also a forgiving microphone. Hence, users with less common recording and audio experiences are likely to get solid results even if they don’t have a DSP training wheel. Like all microphones, they sound different based on how close you are to them, but the Razer Seiren Mini is generally remarkable for its price and quality.

The Razer Seiren Mini doesn’t have the best sound quality globally, and its limited recording pattern has its drawbacks. This feature-deprived microphone isn’t an exceptionally versatile option, but it might do well as a simple solution to the table warrior microphone problem.