I thought I found my audio. Before I started reviewing graphics cards and gaming monitors, I worked in a recording studio, and got my start in the world of reviews with pro audio equipment. I’ve touched on microphones that you can get in cheap boxes for $50, and microphones that cost more than a car. SteelSeries’ new Alias and Alias Pro are a bit different.
They don’t sound any better than microphones that cost thousands of dollars – not even close – but they are much better than what I’ve seen from USB microphones. After using them for a while, it’s clear that they’re even better than my current audio setup, which consists of a Shure SM7B (the gold standard for broadcast microphones) and a GoXLR Mini,
Not only are they better, but the SteelSeries Alias Pro is also about half the price of that setup, and the base Alias is about a quarter the price. The Elias and Elias Pro are still expensive at $180 and $330 respectively, but compared to the next step in the world of audio equipment they seem like a perfect deal.
However, before going too far, it is worth comparing the three. I would suggest listening to the comparison below with high-quality headphones to know the difference. The Shure is certainly flashier, but the two Elias models have more body than them. These were recorded in a large room without any carpet or soundproofing material, and were held about four inches from my face.
Assuming you’re at least close to the mic, the Alias and Alias Pro will sound pretty much the same. Sure is a different story. It is a dynamic microphone, while the two Elias models are condenser. Dynamic microphones are prone to proximity effects. That is, as you get closer to the microphone, it will pick up the low-end frequencies. This can be a positive thing, If you want to get very close to your microphone For the best sound, but not ideal if you don’t like constantly adjusting your mic arm.
Condensers are much more forgiving. You’ll see them instead of dynamic microphones, which are used to record vocals in most cases, with some singers standing several feet away from the mic. Alias and Alias Pro fall into that camp, though they’re far more sensitive to noise. It has a useful AI-powered noise cancellation feature that I’ll find out about soon that may help, thankfully.
The big plus side of condensers is that they require 48-volt phantom power, which provides excess Hot signal out of the gate. Dynamic microphones, which can be used to mic things like drum kits or blistering guitar cabinets, are quietly coming along. This is especially a problem for the Shure SM7B, as you’ll need to invest in something like the $150 CloudLifter. Decent sign. I’ve had plenty of Discord and Teams calls where I get the “You’re so cool” comment, despite having everything messed up on my shunt.
This is not a problem with the Alias Pro, which with its XLR connection and external preamp is a true competitor to my Shure setup. Its closest competitor is the Logitech Blue Gold, which is a dynamic microphone with a gain-boosting preamp built in. However, it uses an XLR connection, which means you will need an external solution to connect it to your PC.
This is one of the most attractive aspects of Alias Pro. It comes with the interface you need. For any other XLR microphone, you’ll need to pick up something like the GoXLR Mini, elgato wave xlror like a standard audio interface focusrite scarlett 2i2, Despite this, you’re adding anywhere from $100 to $400 on top of the price to connect the microphone to your PC.
However, Alias Pro’s preamp is not just a connection interface. It includes a large gain and volume dial along with a dedicated microphone and speaker mute buttons. However, the secret sauce comes later. The Alias Pro offers two USB ports so you can connect the microphone to multiple PCs. This becomes almost a ton of headaches if you have a dual PC streaming setup.
I’ll admit, devices like the GoXLR Mini and the Razer Audio Mixer offer dedicated sliders for multiple channels of audio, and I prefer that setup for quickly adjusting the audio of games, Discord chats, and music streaming apps. However, considering how cheap the Alias Pro package is, it’s a fair deal to make.
I’ve focused primarily on the hardware here, but a major component of Alias and Alias Pro is software. Bringing this audio solution together is the SteelSeries sonar as well as a modified sonar for streamers. SteelSeries introduced this app with the launch of the Arctic Nova Pro headset, and it remains one of the most powerful software audio solutions available.
A big part of this is routing. You can have up to five audio channels that will appear as separate channels in Windows. You can have Spotify on one, Discord on another, your games on a third, etc. — and manually adjust the volume of each, all in one app. Sonar for streamers takes this a step further and allows you to maintain a personal mix and a stream mix. For example, maybe you want music in your ears, but don’t want to go out of your groove.
SteelSeries Sonar is far more powerful than just routing. Each channel comes with its own EQ, equipped with either SteelSeries presets or your own custom curve. There are 72 games with dedicated EQ curves, many of which were created by the developers themselves. Diablo IV The curve comes from the blizzard, destiny 2 Curve comes from Bungie, and rainbow six siege Curve comes from Ubisoft. I’ve probably used a dozen of them, and they all sound great.
There are some additional options for output, like spatial audio and dynamic volume adjustments, but the more interesting settings are in the microphone section. You get an EQ, but also Clearcast AI noise reduction, a noise gate, and (this is the big one) a compressor. A good compressor goes a long way in preparing your microphone for sound transmission, and the single slider available in Sonar gives you a taste of what it’s like without forcing you to learn how to actually use a compressor.
A few years ago, connecting a broadcast microphone to any reasonable quality PC was something that would cost you upwards of $500 and easily close to $1,000. For a lot of setups, you’ll still have to spend the same amount. SteelSeries Alias Pro solves this at a much lower price point while being backed by world-class software.
Even if you don’t have the cash to spare, the good news is that SteelSeries Sonar is free, and it works with any speaker and microphone. I’m also using it with my Shure setup. However, if you’re looking for a microphone upgrade, adding Sonar to the Alias Pro is definitely a way to go.
