At $53.99, the Syntech GlowMic comes in at a lower price tag than the Dark Matter Sentry and manages to offer up similar audio quality while also fixing some of the problems thanks to the inclusion of a metal pop filter.
For newcomers looking to get into YouTube content creation or Twitch streaming on a budget, the GlowMic makes its case easily. It’s a budget mic paired with high-quality materials, with a cute capsule design that elevates. It won’t rival the pricier offerings like the go-to HyperX Quadcast S in terms of audio clarity, but given the low-cost nature of the mic, that’s perfectly acceptable.
Photo Credit: Wesley Copeland for RetroResolve.
Audio Quality
Before I dive into what I think, have a listen to the two audio players below. The top one is recorded with a gain of 50 percent, while the bottom one turns the gain up to 100 percent.
For the price, the quality is solid. P and S sounds normally cause massive spikes in cheaper mics, but here I’ve not had anywhere near the same levels of problems I did with the Sentry Dark Matter mic. My only concern with the GlowMic is how quiet it is by default.
I use Audacity to record audio, and while it is possible to raise the volume of the recording to a listenable standard, it has the potential to go awry. I’ve not had any problems raising the volume myself, but it’s something that’s worth keeping in mind.
As you’d expect, the HyperX Quadcast S offers up the more warmer sound profile. But given the Quadcast costs double the price, that’s to be expected. The GlowMic, for me, isn’t for people with money to burn. It’s for newcomers looking to get into content creation without breaking the bank. And – again – for the price, it’s a steal.
Ease of Use
The GlowMic doesn’t hide its features. On top of the mic is where you’ll find the mute button, while the back houses the USB-C in, headphones jack, and a touch button to change the RGB lighting pattern. On the front of the mic is where you’ll find the gain dial.
The advantage of going with something like the GlowMic is the capsule design lets it angle forward and backward, meaning you can position it to pick up your voice based on how you’re sitting. The main stand can also be taken off if you want to eventually fix it to a mic arm. The pop filter is removable as well, should you want to upgrade to a foam-based solution.
Listening Modes
This is the part that is sure to put some potential owners off. The GlowMic only features a cardioid polar pattern. What that means in simpler terms is it’ll only pick up sound that’s directly in front of it. That isn’t a bad thing, but it does limit what the mic can be used for.
For podcasts with more than one person, you ideally want either omnidirectional (picks up audio from all sides) or bidirectional (picks up audio from the front and back). As I say, though, this is only an issue for podcasters. If you’re streaming or making YouTube videos solo, chances are you only need a cardioid polar pattern. Going back to the Quadcast S as that’s what I use for YouTube, that mic has more polar patterns but I still exclusively use the cardioid option. So, it all depends on what you’ll be needing the GlowMic for. If you’re like me, I wouldn’t hold the lack of patterns against it.
Verdict
The GlowMic from Syntech is an excellent mic that’s perfect for newcomers to the content creation space or those on a budget looking for clearer audio than their current budget headset. Its audio quality is the best for the price, it has style for days thanks to its capsule design, and at $53.99 is a steal.
Disclosure: Review unit provided by Syntech| To learn more about our review policy click here. | Alternatively, click here to find out why you can trust me.
