HyperX SoloCast 2 USB Microphone Review

The world of content creation has come a long way in the last decade or so, with plenty of opportunity to showcase passion projects online. From streaming on Twitch to longer form YouTube videos, having a jig on TikTok or starting a podcast, there’s always an essential must-have piece of tech: the microphone.

Many viewers can ignore poor quality video, with shaky camera footage from someone riding a skateboard on a pebble peach able to hit numbers. What does cause a viewer to quickly move on is poor quality audio. Sounding like a walkie-talkie doused in water is not great. The challenge: getting started in the world of recording does come with investment in a decent quality setup to get going. With a market saturated with microphones, where to begin?

HyperX has been a dabbling in the peripherals space for over two decades now, with a range of headsets, keyboards, mouse and even fully fledged gaming systems now donning the brand’s signature emblem. A recent recruit to the line-up is the HyperX SoloCast 2 – the successor to a budget microphone that delivered on price, but not so much on recording quality. Does the SoloCast 2 improve on sound and maintain a wallet-friendly price?

At first glance, the upgraded HyperX SoloCast 2 microphone certainly looks the part. The design takes on a sleek, almost seamless look that fits perfectly into a modern space. Compared to its predecessor, it has a more premium finish – echoing the more professional range, like the Quadcast 2, at a fraction of the price. Yes, it’s plastic, but looks the part.

It’s also now got a fair bit of heft to it, too, coming in at 368g. That’s mainly due to a nifty weighted base – fully integrated into the unit, providing a solid presence on the desk. Toppling onto the floor during a heated game of Mario Kart World is a thing of the past. Supposedly.

Of course, looks are only one aspect – it’s the inside that truly counts, right? Mechanically the SoloCast 2 has a lot of overlap with its older sibling, with the same 14mm cardioid condenser capsule, but additional tweaks help deliver a richer sound with less interference. A new internal shock mount, together with the sturdy stand, does do well in reducing desk rumble – especially for PC gamers who might be hammering a keyboard. A built-in pop filter is also a handy inclusion, useful for tackling those pesky plosives for podcasters and video creators. Having tried both, there is certainly a more stable and consistent overall sound, though plosives are more reduced than fully blended out.

The biggest appeal of the HyperX SoloCast 2 is that it is plugin-and-play, delivering a rich, balanced tone from the moment the USB cable slides in. Test recordings sounded clean, with depth and warmth out the box. It may not make you sound quite as striking as Cubed3’s resident vocal maestro, Adam Riley, with the default settings – but for creators starting out and not wanting to tinker too much, the SoloCast 2 is certainly delivers on clarity.

A nifty touch-to-mute button and LED also helps keeps recording and live conversations seamless, plus 3/8″ and 5/8″ threads allow the unit to be mounted on a boom arm. It is a shame, though, that this model doesn’t boast a physical gain toggle – a feature that is notable on the brand’s more premium devices.

For those wanting to kick it up a gear, the HyperX range of devices also have dedicated – but optional – software called NGENUITY. Both the current and beta versions offer adjustments to the microphone gain, plus built in digital effects – like an equaliser, compressor and AI noise reduction. The equaliser option is handy to have, especially when it would apply across various games and apps. It is, a shame, though that HyperX don’t include a handful of pre-built presets – it’s very much create your own.

AI noise reduction? Best leave it turned off, unless your vocal preference is a robot on a poor 4G connection. It’s also worth noting that NGENUITY is only available on PC/Windows-based operating systems, so can be limited for some users.

USB-based microphones do also run the gain gauntlet. Some do have ways of increasing the microphone gain, or volume – but others rely on having to do so manually in individual recording or streaming software. Without the NGENUITY app, the HyperX SoloCast 2 gain sits down the middle. It’s not whisper quiet but is on the relatively softer side. Usable for those not wanting to install additional software, but for full gain – NGENUITY will need to be installed, or another equaliser.

When cranking up the dial in the app, fortunately clarity is preserved – even when pushing the volume to its limits. It’s something that will certainly be useful for those who may not be physically close to the microphone or just want a bit more overall presence.