Aloha friend and Welcome aboard!!
Before we get into the Blue Yeti vs. Razer Seiren comparison, grab a snack, sit back and relax because…
You’ve come to the right place!!
What I will bring you in this review
Today I will outline the Razer Seiren and then compare it with the Yeti towards the end. 🙂
- Ratings/Price
- Specifications
- Summary
- Pros
- Cons
- Video Review
- Who this mic benefits?
- What you will need?
- Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
- Consensus/Conclusion
- Similarities & Differences
- Final Word
Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!!
Razer Seiren
Ratings/Price
Specifications
- Power Required/consumption: 5V 300mA (USB)/48V DC (analog)
- Sample Rate: 192kHz. Bit depth vs. Sample rate
- Bit rate: 24bit
- Capsules: Three 14mm condenser capsules. What is a cardioid capsule?
- Polar patterns: Cardioid, Stereo, bidirectional, omnidirectional.
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
- Sensitivity: 12.5mV/Pa(1kHz)
- Max SPL: 120 dB. What is SPL?
Headphone Amplifier
- Impedance: ≥ 16ohms. What is Headphone Impedance?
- Power output (RMS): 130mW (@16 Ohms)
- Frequency Response: 15Hz – 22kHz
- Signal-to-noise ratio: 114dB
Summary
The Razer Seiren is a USB condenser microphone that does well in most voiceover situations. It’s marketed as a gaming microphone and works well in that regard too. It has 4 polar patterns, with a screen on the front indicating which pattern you’re in. Keep in mind size. This thing will leave a big footprint on your desk, so prepare accordingly. You may need to invest in a boom arm like the Rode PSA1; it’s expensive but worth it! Also, remember that the Seiren isn’t really for the casual consumer and the price is quite steep.
One of the main drawbacks was the fact that people didn’t think it was really worth the asking price. There isn’t anything significant that stands out above the Yeti that would indicate it’s worth more.
Pros
- Crisp highs.
- Good frequency range.
- Has a hi-pass filter which a lot of people loved.
- Great sound quality. Clean and natural sounding.
- Built like a tank.
Cons
- Lights flicker/won’t stay on.
- Windows won’t recognize it.
- Issues with the XLR chord that comes with it.
- Razer Synapse is useless.
- Even on low gain, with a pop-filter and shock-mount, there’s too much noise/background hiss/whine.
Video Comparison
Who this mic benefits?
Good for:
- Streaming
- Podcasting
- Recording interviews
- Phone/Video conferencing
What you will need?
The only thing you will need is a good pop-filter, as the Seiren tends to pick up the background noise. Also, Acoustic Sound Treatment never hurts anyone!
Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
- Apparently, you have to download a program called Synapse to make this work, which may or may not work/help. The updates haven’t been a help to some people either.
Steps taken to get the device to work:
- Plugged and unplugged it.
- Installed Razer Synapse.
- Installed device drivers.
- Disabled USB 3.0 in BIOS because sometimes USB ports can muck things up.
- Seems to have about the same specs as the Yeti, but is much more expensive.
- Has a hi-pass filter on the bottom which is supposed to eliminate the ambient noise.
Thoughts continued:
- Supposedly works well with the Auphonix 6 inch Pop-filter.
- It has a micro USB connection which some people thought was odd.
- The biggest caveat is that yes, you will be getting a good microphone. But is it better than something more affordable? Probably not. It’s really not worth the price in the long run. One guy mentioned that he couldn’t tell the difference between the Blue Snowball’s quality and the Seiren’s. One other person said it sounded slightly better than the Yeti, but to me that doesn’t justify an $80 increase.
- The braided cable seems to really help with wear and tear.
Consensus/Conclusion
A good-sounding mic with some quality control issues. The price tag is a bit high for what you’re getting, especially since the Yeti does all of the same things for a lot less.
Similarities & Differences
Similarities
- Both are very sensitive and need a pop-filter.
- Both are very large.
- They both have the same features, including no latency headphone monitoring. What is Latency?
- Both can be mounted on separate stands.
Differences
- The Blue Yeti has a standard USB connection, while the Seiren comes with a micro USB.
- Shape/Aesthetic. The Yeti is rounded off while the Seiren is more of a square. 😛 I would say that the Yeti gives off more of an old-school vibe while the Seiren is more modern, and dare I say contemporary.
- Cable. The Yeti has a traditional cable while the Seiren’s is braided.
- Ease of use. The screen on the front of the Seiren makes it much simpler to know what pickup pattern you’re using. The gain setting is also easier to use because it’s on the front. With the Yeti they are on the back so it’s harder to know what you’re adjusting. So the Seiren does have the edge here in terms of simplicity.
- Sound. Although the sound is very similar in a lot of ways, there are some subtle differences. The Yeti seems to be more analytical and articulate, while the Seiren is boomier and warmer. You can hear more bass and “oomph” if you will.
Final Word
As the fella in the video points out, you will have to make up your own mind when deciding if the cost increase of the Seiren is worth it over the Yeti. In my opinion, it’s not. The ease of use factor is nice and does win out, but the fact that it’s more expensive and has about the same sound doesn’t make it worth the asking price. I actually prefer the Yeti’s crisper tone. I feel like the Seiren is a bit warmer with more bass emphasis, but not necessarily more articulate. However, you might disagree and that’s okay! Another thing is that the Seiren seems to be prone to breaking down in various ways. That said, I love the Yeti for a ton of reasons!
Would you like to learn more about my favorite USB mic??
CLICK HERE FOR MY OFFICIAL BLUE MICROPHONES YETI REVIEW!!
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Blue Yeti vs. Razer Seiren comparison.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
Have you convinced the Yeti is the way to go?? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
Be sure to check out my Reviews and Resources page for more helpful and informative articles!
