The Steelseries Alias Pro has got to be the best desk mic I’ve ever used. With an Australian price tag of $700, however, it’s far from cheap.
The Steelseries Alias Pro Microphone and Stand
I’ve not historically been a big fan of the humble desk mic. I tend to thump my desk and keep a clicky keyboard, the thwacks and thuds of which vibrate the desk and into the mic. The SteelSeries Alias Pro is not troubled by any of this. It’s also capable of producing a resonant, podcast-ready sound with minimal gain tomfoolery, which I certainly appreciate.
I’ve used this mic for numerous records now — I used it for an episode of the Vertical Hold podcast I guested on, I’ve used it for several TikTok videos and other to-camera pieces. I’ve also used it for gaming with friends after work. Every single time I’ve used it, I’ve been impressed by it. This is a strikingly good microphone, one that certainly gives my trusty (and affordable) Rode Pod Mic a run for its money. It takes a pretty well-tuned mic to make my medium-nasal tones sound dulcet and arresting, but this one does the job.
The mic itself is run through an XLR microphone cable, which helps ensure its high-end sound quality. The active recording range is also preposterously wide, but sounds like it’s quite a narrow band. This is down to an XXL size internal capsule, a three-fold size increase on competing mics, meaning it captures everything. The magic lies in its ability to filter that ‘everything’ down to just your voice.
The XLR connects to a desk-mounted mixer. When I say mixer, it’s really just a big volume knob with a smaller gain knob next to it. The gain knob is surrounded by a green LED that lights up when sound passes through the noise gate. Beneath this are a pair of pleasantly chunky buttons for microphone and speaker muting.
In the event that you really don’t want the Steelseries Alias Pro sitting on your desk (and it’s fair, the base does have a bit of a footprint), the microphone itself can be detached from the base and attached to a boom arm (sold separately, of course).
So, the wrap this section out: are you getting $700 worth of microphone here? Yes. Definitely. Perhaps the better question might be ‘Do you, specifically, need $700 worth of microphone?’ Only you can answer that.
Steelseries Sonar and software
One of the big draws of this microphone is the Sonar software suite that powers its various functions. It may be that I am simply getting older and technology is beginning to elude me, but it took me a minute to fully get my head around the Sonar app. Essentially, the app breaks out all of the mic’s audio functions into separate channels. Rather than having a clear Mic In channel, there are seven of them, each with different functions. For those on Windows 10 or 11, this creates absolute carnage in your audio devices menu as each channel is considered its own bespoke device. Bewildering, I know. It makes my eye twitch. Trust the process.
The benefit of the Sonar app is that you can get extremely particular about your audio setup, and for the tinkerers, this will be of great importance. It’s like the software version of a Swiss Army Knife — there’s a tool for everything. If you like to sound a specific way, you can tweak and tune the mic’s EQ to your liking. You can also tweak how you’d like your mic to respond to certain scenarios — maybe you’d like a specific voice setup for when you’re gaming, a different one for when you’re on meetings, and a third one for livestreaming. This software will allow you to create profiles for all three and flit between them at the press of a button.
So, yes, there is some wrangling to be done on the setup side of things, but once it’s done, it’s done. You can simply set and forget, and you’ll still get a great sound out of the mic, but you’ll only be using a fraction of the mic’s full power if you do. Something to think about.
In conclusion
Dang. The Steelseries Alias Pro is real good.
Sorry, I wish I had more nuanced final thoughts than that, but I’m really that impressed with it. This is a do-it-all mic that will make you sound great in any configuration you care to throw at it. It appeals to the set-and-forget crowd, but really rewards those that want to dig into the settings and make it dance. It’s also a strong, splashy foray into a competitive and crowded market. I expect it will cause many of its competitors to sit bolt upright and pay attention.
You can pick one up from the Steelseries website, or your local purveyor of fine gaming accoutrements.
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