If you’re tired of being just another drab presence on conference calls or online gaming tournaments, maybe it’s time to bring the party. No, we’re not saying you should send everyone jello shots beforehand. But you might try a sassy RGB microphone like the one in today’s featured MacBook Pro and Studio Display setup.
And it’s not just for fun. The product designer who uses it said it’s perfectly loud and clear on Zoom and Discord calls.
This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.
M1 MacBook Pro and Studio Display costar with flashy HyperX QuadCast S RGB microphone
Product designer and Redditor Areilan showed off their workstation in a post entitled, “My little WFH corner.”
It features an M1 MacBook Pro open on a stand. The laptop drives a new Studio Display via the included Thunderbolt cable. A BenQ Screenbar Plus Monitor Lights sits atop the display, casting an even, glare-reducing light.
The Studio Display features a 27-inch 5K Retina display. It uses an A13 Bionic chip — same as what’s in an iPhone 11 — to manage a 12MP Ultra-Wide camera with Center Stage, a three-mic array for recording and a six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio.
And on a more technical level, the brilliant screen has more than 14.7 million pixels, 600 nits of brightness, a P3 wide color gamut, as well as support for over 1 billion colors. True Tone technology in the device automatically adjusts the display to the lighting conditions in your environment.
Input device threesome
For input devices, Areilan goes with a commonly seen trio: Logitech MX Keys wireless keyboard and MX Master 3 wireless mouse, plus a Magic Trackpad.
A commenter who uses the same mouse and is thinking of adding a trackpad how often Areilan uses theirs.
“Rarely to be honest,” Areilan replied. “I only use it during Zoom meetings to discreetly multitask with my mic on.”
HyperX QuadCast S RGB mic brings the party
The eye-catching device sitting to the left of the Studio Display is a HyperX QuadCast S RGB USB Condenser Microphone. You can get it for 25% off at $119.99 right now on Amazon (link below).
For many microphones used for gaming, streaming, podcasting, videoconferencing and so forth, there is no light show. But that’s not the case here. With this one, you can “personalize stunning RGB lighting and dynamic effects for an eye-catching shot of customizable style,” the company said.
It features a built-in anti-vibration shock mount, a tap-to-mute sensor with LED status indicator and a gain control dial. You can choose from four polar patterns –stereo, omnidirectional, cardioid, bidirectional — to focus on certain sounds.
You can personalize your RGB lighting and effects with the HyperX Ngenuity software.
And compatibility may not be an issue, as the mic works with Mac, PC and PS4. It’s certified by Discord and TeamSpeak, and works on major streaming platforms like Streamlabs OBS, OBS Studio, and XSplit.
“Talk to me about the HyperX QuadCast,” someone asked. “Does it pick up your voice from that far away without noise?”
Here’s Areilan’s helpful reply:
Surprisingly, yes and very clearly. My use case is Zoom and Discord, people haven’t complained. When I asked, they said they could hear me fine. I do have the bottom dial turned to the highest setting marked. You can go past the marked dots, but I don’t need to. Actually, there are times when I’m on my bed (5 feet away) and I’m speaking and my friends can all still hear me on Discord.
And if you like the desktop wallpaper showing on the displays, it’s from the Aenami wallpaper pack.
Shop these items now:
Computer:
Display and accessories:
Input devices:
Microphone:
If you would like to see your setup featured on Cult of Mac, send some high-res pictures to info+setups@cultofmac.com. Please provide a detailed list of your equipment. Tell us what you like or dislike about your setup, and fill us in on any special touches or challenges.
