At the beginning of February, I was lucky enough to receive the new Seiren BT microphone from Razer, a product officially released on March 10th.
It comes in a small square box, in the usual black and green colors of the triskelion brand. The main features, highlighted on the front, are: omnidirectional microphone, powerful & customizable noise cancellation, clip-on & wireless design. In addition, the back gives more information: the possibility of having a portable vlogging system, two wind protections and optimal compatibility via a Bluetooth connection.
The box opens like a box, with different small boxes inside. Above is the traditional note on clear tracing paper from Razer's founder (Min-Lian Tan) explaining the intent behind the product. This Seiren BT microphone is part of the "Broadcaster" line, allowing you to record and transmit excellent quality broadcasts, in any situation. Mentioned is this microphone, a camera and a capture card. I know I should also have tested a Key Light, you know those LED light panels that are handy for illuminating a dark recording area. As the product was delayed, it will be the subject of a future independent article.
The mic itself is surprisingly small, a six-by-one rounded-edge rectangle. The sound recording is done on one side, a USB-C input is on the other to charge it (a mini USB-A to USB-C cable is provided). The clip occupies the entire largest face, enough to hang it on a T-shirt or shirt. I had done the test first with a hoodie, and the clip does not have enough opening to hold properly on too thick fabrics. A mini LED lights up at the base, indicating by color or flashing a charge in progress, a full charge, pairing in progress or pairing completed.
The anti-wind protections are to the measure of the whole, miniature, one with lots of hair, the other in foam. They slide easily onto the top of the microphone and hold well, but they lack a small pocket to store them. I admit that in mobile use, I'm a little afraid of losing them. Strange thing that I discover by installing one: the headphone jack is located under the protected area. I admit that I don't quite understand the logic, maybe the engineers at Razer lacked the space to place this socket a few centimeters lower?
Bluetooth detection is immediate, my phone (iPhone 8 with iOS 15) accepts it without any difficulty. You will need at least iOS 13 or Android 8.1 Oreo for it to be the same at home.
Software is available, knowing that as I received the product before its official launch, the application was provided to me by direct download, in a non-final version. However, it is confirmed that it will be found on the App Store or Google Play. Anyway, even in my alpha version, I already have enough to activate the microphone, check the charge level and modify a few parameters: AI of the microphone, gain, sidetone and low latency.
As there is a headphone jack, you should know that the phone automatically adopts this output channel as soon as the microphone is paired. You will have to go to the options to redefine the usual speakers of the phone as the output device. I admit that it's a bit annoying, and not necessarily easy to find how to do it, especially since in the end, once a protection against the wind is installed, this headphone socket is unusable. Note that, if you are interested, the microphone can then serve as a remote control for audio and manage incoming calls. I hope the app will disable this output.
My tests were then carried out with FiLMiC (premium application essential for filming with a telephone) and the dictaphone of the iPhone. During my various tests, I was amazed by the noise cancellation, which filters out ambient noise very effectively to prioritize the voice. Of course, when the noises are also other voices (like TV), it works a little less well, with the mic having trouble choosing among the different audio sources. Here is a poem, told by my son (totally taken by surprise), and you will notice that his voice is clear, and that we cannot be heard rummaging around.
Sold for €109.99, this new mic is a must have for any content creator who loves their mobility. Featherweight, the Seiren BT fits in a pocket, and offers good capture quality, enough to carry out interviews quite correctly, even in a noisy environment. Omnidirectional, once the parameters have been adjusted, it becomes an ambient microphone, which will also be able to satisfy the basic needs of sound recording.
