After reviewing a fair few gaming headsets in recent years, I've learned what to expect from their microphones. Usually they'll be plenty clear enough for gaming chat, but that's about it. If you want your voice to have any sense of quality or tone, most headset mics will be found wanting. It's the reason so many streamers go with a separate mic setup, often complete with boom mic and a mixer if they're feeling really fancy. Audio-Technica is looking to change this with its new StreamSet gaming headset.
Audio-Technica is a brand known for making high quality audio products. If you want a very nice pair of cans or a capable mic, Audio-Technica is a brand well worth your attention, which it proved this with the ATH-GDL3 gaming headset, offering crystal clear sound with great immersive properties.
The new StreamSet gaming headset is looking to be a bit different. Instead, it's taking the ATH-GDL3 and combining it with the recording tech used in the Audio-Technica 20 series microphones.
The ATH-GDL3 is known as a lightweight yet capable wired headset weighing only 220 grams. They're on the cheaper side, and are said to feel it, but otherwise are a great opened-back headset with sound as a clear priority. Plus, this variant will include multiple earcuffs to try to help with comfort for long-term gaming.
The mic on these headsets is thought to be capable with an included pop-filter, but that's about it. Like most gaming headsets the mic certainly wasn't a selling feature and is unlikely to compare to a decent desktop mic. Chucking in a condenser based on the 20 series of mics has to be a big win for your voice recording quality.
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It's good to see this push for a better inbuilt condenser because there are a lot of benefits to a good headset mic. This one has a flip-to-mute boom, which is always appreciated. Nothing feels cooler than telling all your friends to hang on for a sec and then dramatically flipping your mic upwards.
It's also handy for streamers who may not be close enough to the desktop mic. That moment of overexcited jumping around should still be caught crystal clear thanks to the mic never moving from your face. You don't have to worry about accidentally moving out of range, plus a worthy headset mic is one less thing to worry about buying and then setting up on your desk.
