HyperX ProCast review

Since the QuadCast came out in 2019, HyperX microphones have come a long way. Since then, the company has made an impressive and affordable mic for almost every type of content creator. This time, HyperX is hoping that its first XLR microphone, the HyperX ProCast, which costs $249, will attract users who want professional-level sound.

The HyperX ProCast is different from its best USB mic because of what’s inside it. It has a gold-plated large diaphragm condenser capsule, which is a feature of many professional musicians’ and podcasters’ XLR microphones. The result is vocals that are deeper and more full than with a standard USB microphone.

$250 is a lot to spend on a microphone, but if you compare it to other large diaphragm condenser microphones that aren’t made for streamers, you’ll find that it’s a competitive price. I’m interested to try out Elgato’s new $100 XLR dynamic mic and see how it compares to the ProCast, but the Elgato Wave DX has already gotten pretty good reviews.

When we compare it to HyperX’s other “cast” microphones, I’m surprised by how few features and extras it has. But damn, does it sound good. ProCast gives you the great sound quality you’d expect from an XLR, which is a big reason to think about spending the money.

HyperX ProCast review: Design

It’s easy to tell that the ProCast is a HyperX microphone just by looking at it. Like the QuadCast and QuadCast S, it is tall and cylindrical, and its upper half is mostly made up of a honeycomb grille. It doesn’t look as cool as those microphones because it doesn’t have colored lighting (which isn’t possible over XLR) or much color other than the red bands on the shock mount. It’s kind of boring, to be honest.

The mic’s all-metal body makes it feel solid in your hand, but it doesn’t feel like it could survive a fall. It is surprisingly light at 0.83 pounds (376 grams), and even though it has a metal cage, the capsule inside floats on a thin stem that a good bang could easily break. It is made to sit on a stand, which is sold separately, and stay there.

HyperX ProCast review: Connectivity

When doing this review, the Neat King Bee II was the first mic that came to mind. At $170, it has even better sound quality, is built better, and looks a lot different. The Blue Spark SL sounds just as good as the ProCast, but it costs $50 less and feels more premium.

Suppose you don’t mind switching to a dynamic microphone, which is probably better for most home streamers anyway. In that case, the Shure MV7 is another great option that has a lot more features: Connectivity via USB or XLR, touch controls, automatic gain detection, app support, and much better noise cancellation. You can buy this microphone from its official website.

HyperX ProCast review: Sound Quality

When it comes to sound quality, the HyperX ProCast doesn’t lose any points. There, it’s just as good as the original QuadCast. The problem is that it isn’t good enough to be worth the $249 it costs to join. At its current MSRP, it is up against a lot of devices that also have great recording quality but can be bought for less money.

When doing this review, the Neat King Bee II was the first mic that came to mind. At $170, it has even better sound quality, is built better, and looks a lot different. The Blue Spark SL sounds just as good as the ProCast, but it costs $50 less and feels more premium.

Suppose you don’t mind switching to a dynamic microphone, which is probably better for most home streamers anyway. In that case, the Shure MV7 is another great option that has a lot more features: Connectivity via USB or XLR, touch controls, automatic gain detection, app support, and much better noise cancellation.

HyperX ProCast review: Performance

This frequency is needed to make high-definition audio content that is full of detail, includes all layers of sound, and most importantly, the quality of the sound source – for humans. By the way, this frequency is typical for the price of the microphone. The ProCast microphone works with all sound frequencies that humans can hear, from 20Hz to 20KHz.

The microphone worked perfectly when we tried to record in WAV and MP3 codecs and make calls through Telegram and Discord. I’ve never heard sound that was so clear and real. This is because of a huge gold-plated capacitor with a full size of 1 inch and a sensitivity of 383dBV. I wasn’t surprised to hear that the SNR was 75 dB after I realized that there was almost no noise.

HyperX ProCast review: Price

The price is the main thing that bothers me about the ProCast. At $249.99, it’s not cheap by any means. Things are made worse by the fact that the QuadCast S is often on sale. HyperX doesn’t do itself any favors by always offering such a good USB microphone. Even though it’s USB, it manages to record great sound.

Even though we love the QuadCast S, we have to admit that the ProCast and its XLR connection are better. When you want to step up your audio game, being able to pair the mic with an audio interface, processor, and other accessories is a big deal. But these extras cost money as well, so $250 is just the beginning price for a ProCast setup.

HyperX ProCast review: Conclusion

First of all, do you really need this high quality of sound? If you don’t stream or make content, the most likely answer is “no.” There are headsets, like the Drop PC38X, that give you great sound and a microphone that is way better than you need for FPS or MOBA chat, and they cost less than this microphone. And that’s not even counting the cost of a mount, an interface, a mixer, etc.

If you do stream, I still think you should think more about whether or not this mic is right for you. I think this $250 price is close to being a “gamer tax.” I’ve used a $100 XLR mic for many years that sounds almost as good as the HyperX ProCast. If you’re interested, you can find out more about it in the section below called “Alternatives to consider.” But it’s a very ordinary mic that doesn’t look at all “gamey.”