Best daily deals

All products featured are independently chosen by us. However, SoundGuys may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links. See our ethics statement.

A photo of the HyperX Quadcast microphone.

HyperX QuadCast microphone review

Step your streaming game.
By

Published onOctober 3, 2022

8.8
HyperX Quadcast
The bottom line
The HyperX Quadcast is an ultra-credible USB mic that takes aim at other units in the sub-$200 price range. Despite its technical limitations, it can credibly record a podcast, stream, or other vocal-centric application short of professional recording. The red lights also make it abundantly clear when you're live, and when you're not.

HyperX Quadcast

The HyperX Quadcast is an ultra-credible USB mic that takes aim at other units in the sub-$200 price range. Despite its technical limitations, it can credibly record a podcast, stream, or other vocal-centric application short of professional recording. The red lights also make it abundantly clear when you're live, and when you're not.
Product release date
March 25, 2019
Price
$139.99 USD
Dimensions
21cm (without stand)
25cm (with stand)
Weight
254g (without mount or stand)
364g (total)
Model Number
HX-MICQC-BK
Waterproof
No
What we like
Great response
Easy to use
Obvious when it's muted
Decent quality
What we don't like
USB-only
Boosts sibilants
Adds light
8.8
SoundGuys Rating
8.7
User Rating
Rating Metric
Our Rating
User Rating
Durability / Build Quality
8.0
8.4
8.0
Value
9.0
8.7
9.0
Design
9.0
9.1
9.0

Gaming peripherals have had one hell of a renaissance with the growing popularity of streaming. While it is true that most gamer-centric accessories bear some sort of obnoxious or 90s-esque extreme branding, the fact of the matter is that this segment has matured into its own beast. People want gaming headsets and mics to become the next big thing on Twitch.

However, headset mics just aren’t good enough to keep an audience happy, especially given their penchant to sound a little less-than-professional. As your audience grows, the less you can get away with a crappy system. The answer is to get an actual standalone mic.

Editor’s note: This HyperX QuadCast microphone review was updated on October 3, 2022, to include more alternative recommendations and again on August 23rd, 2024, for formatting.

What is it like to use the HyperX QuadCast?

A photo demonstrating the mute switch of the HyperX Quadcast.
On the top of the capsule is a mute toggle—which will also turn off the lights behind the grill.

Like most USB condenser microphones, the HyperX QuadCast is very easy to set up—and a little difficult to get exactly right. By that, I mean you won’t run into trouble on setup, but you’ll find that your gaming station may be a pain to reconfigure so the microphone doesn’t pick up your screaming graphics card when you run Overwatch on Ultra settings. It’s a problem all condenser mics have, so don’t worry too much.

The microphone looks a lot like a hairbrush sans bristles, and it’s held up on a tilting stand with a relatively robust dual-shock mount. On the bottom of the capsule is a gain dial to increase or decrease the sensitivity, and on the back is a knob to swap your pickup pattern. If you don’t know what to do with it, we can help you below.

A photo of the gain knob on the HyperX Quadcast.
The gain knob on the bottom of the capsule is very intuitive.

When you first plug in the microphone, the sound output and the microphone input will default to the QuadCast on your computer. That’s because there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack on the back of the unit through which you can pass your computer’s output. You’ll probably want to use your own setup, but the option exists if you want it.

If you’re living with family or roommates, a dedicated mute touchpad on the top is a godsend. Just tap to toggle the mute function; that’s it. Additionally, the microphone has lighting behind the grill—so you’ll never speak on a hot mic without getting an ultra-visible reminder that you’re live to the world.

Do you need a pop filter with the HyperX QuadCast?

A photo of a man using the HyperX Quadcast.
You don’t need to be very close to the mic, though it helps to be within 14 inches.

You do not need a pop filter with the HyperX QuadCast. There’s a foam-like material immediately beyond the grill that does a decent job of breaking up the pressure spikes associated with plosive sounds (p, pf, etc.) that can damage more delicate mics and make you a real nuisance in a Zoom or Teams meeting.

What is the HyperX QuadCast compatible with?

Even if you’re not streaming, wanting a better microphone to play with is only natural. The HyperX QuadCast is compatible with PS4, PC, and Mac systems via the USB cable.

A photo of the rear ports on the hyperx-quadcast.
The mini-USB and 3.5mm headphone ports.

For most systems, the drivers will auto-install once you plug the unit in. You also do not have to use the type-A to type-C USB cable included in the box, but it’s the most convenient.

What are the best settings for the HyperX QuadCast?

Like any product, there’s no one best set of settings, but there are a few best practices you should follow with any standalone mic. For example, condenser microphones don’t need a dedicated interface to work. They are much more sensitive to sound than, say, dynamic microphones like the Shure SM58—so they’ll pick up just about everything around you.

A photo of the polar pattern switcher knob of the HyperX Quadcast.
The polar pattern knob allows for four separate pickup patterns.

In that case, you’ll want to turn down the gain as much as possible while still being heard. You’ll also want to bring the microphone closer to you and away from anything that could reflect sound back towards the microphone to avoid echoes.

But what about the polar pattern knob on the back? Stick with the cardioid (heart-shaped) pattern for podcasting or streaming purposes. The reason for this is that this pickup pattern will be the best suited to recording a person speaking while minimizing the noise and echoes of the room around them. By sticking with the cardioid pattern, you’re preventing echoes from your computer monitor or office wall from reaching the mic as much as can be reasonably expected by a feature such as this.

An example of a polar chart detailing the pickup pattern of a cardioid microphone
A cardioid pickup pattern can record sound from the front and sides of the unit.

If you have a really good mic placement, you might have some luck with the hypercardioid or bidirectional patterns (the figure-eight-looking ones). Still, you’ll want to avoid those unless you’re interviewing with two people on either side of the capsule. You’ll only want to use the omnidirectional pattern.

Is the HyperX QuadCast any good?

Here’s the sticky part of the review where we’d typically ask you to take our word on something. But instead of doing that, we’re going to show you as much as we can.

Above is a sample audio clip captured with the HyperX QuadCast. You can tell there’s a little bit of proximity effect going on, but overall, the quality is pretty decent—definitely good enough to stream or podcast with. Of course, you’ll get better results with a treated room, interface, and the whole nine yards—but you’ll get an excellent recording with a fraction of the bill or frustration associated with a professional setup.

A chart detailing the frequency response performance of the HyperX Quadcast microphone.
A flat response like this one is great for capturing all kinds of sounds, not limited to a human voice.

In our testing, we found that this mic bumps sibilant sounds (f, s, sh, etc) a bit over most other voice sounds, so you may want to either step back from the mic a bit or see if you can reduce that band in post-processing if you’re podcasting. I myself have issues with this, so I typically drop everything over 4kHz 10-30dB, depending on the recording with a different microphone.

Like most microphones used over USB, there are certain realities you’re dealing with where quality is concerned. However, considering that many YouTubers still use USB microphones to do voiceover, just be aware that you don’t need a Shure SM7B to get usable results online. Chances are, the bitrates people will have to suffer through will prevent you from hearing a massive difference at the end of the day, and that’s why USB microphones are so common in the streaming scene. Just be sure to manage your environment, and the HyperX QuadCast is a credible USB mic for purposes that don’t include serious music production.

What’s the difference between the HyperX QuadCast S and QuadCast?

The HyperX QuadCast S stands in front of a monitor running HyperX NGenuity.
The HyperX QuadCast S is compatible with NGenuity, which can be used to adjust the color scheme and headphone volume.

The HyperX QuadCast S is basically the QuadCast but with NGenuity software that lets you customize the lighting effects. The PC app also allows you to do other useful things, like adjust the volume, monitor headphone volume, and indicate the selected polar pattern.

Should you buy the HyperX QuadCast?

The HyperX QuadCast is worth the money if you want a solid microphone for the computer that sounds great without too much fuss. If that’s a little steep, the HyperX SoloCast might be more your speed—it doesn’t offer nearly as many features, but it’s less than half the price, simple, and great for talking over Zoom.

Of course, investing in a proper setup and room treatment will net you better results, but the QuadCast represents a point of diminishing returns. We strongly recommend this product for streamers, podcasters, and anyone who wants to improve mic quality but can’t commit to a dedicated recording station.

HyperX QuadCast microphone
HyperX QuadCast microphone
HyperX QuadCast microphone
Great sound response • Simple • Adjustable sound pattern
MSRP: $139.99
Step your streaming game.
HyperX made a fantastic microphone with the QuadCast. Regardless of the price, you'll be hard pressed to find better sound in a package this easy to use.

What should you buy instead of the HyperX QuadCast?

If you want a flashy but professional USB microphone that costs less than the QuadCast series, look into the JLab Talk PRO. You get several onboard controls, four polar patterns, and a mini tripod stand. The direct monitoring function has its quirks, but currently, the Talk PRO retails for just $80 USD, making it a great deal for budding streamers and podcasters. It also may be worth checking out the Quadcast’s little sibling, the HyperX DuoCast, which features some LEDs, cardioid and omnidirectional pickup patterns, and onboard volume and mute controls, all for $99 USD.

If you want to forgo the glitzy LEDs altogether, the Blue Yeti X or Blue Yeti Nano may be more your speed. Both mics have a nice volume knob with a modest LED ring to indicate when it’s muted. You have four polar patterns for the Yeti X (stereo, cardioid, omnidirectional, and bidirectional) and two (omnidirectional and cardioid). This gives you plenty of flexibility regarding placement and use case, though you’ll most likely set either to “cardioid” and call it a day.

Frequently asked questions

Unfortunately the HyperX Quadcast doesn’t work with the Xbox One, or any of the console’s varieties. Only USB audio devices that come with the branding “designed for Xbox” will work on the console, and generally, those devices don’t work with other consoles like the PlayStation 4 or Nintendo Switch.

Don’t need one! There’s material inside the unit that acts as a pop filter between your mouth and the capsule.

You might like