EPOS B20 review: A solid streaming microphone

Our Verdict

Every bit a general gaming and streaming microphone, the EPOS B20 is like shooting fish in a barrel to use and finely crafted. We're just not convinced that's enough for the money.

For

Great blueprint
Crisp, clear sound
Multiple recording patterns

Against

More expensive than competitors
Onboard controls could be refined

Tom's Guide Verdict

Equally a general gaming and streaming microphone, the EPOS B20 is easy to apply and finely crafted. We're just not convinced that's plenty for the money.

Pros

+
Bang-up design
+
Crisp, clear audio
+
Multiple recording patterns

Cons

-
More expensive than competitors
-
Onboard controls could be refined

Microphones similar the EPOS B20 show how low the barriers to streaming have become. In that location'south no technical broadcast knowledge required — merely a halfway respectable PC and some plug-and-play peripherals.

EPOS B20 specs

Price: $199

Connexion: USB

Ports: USB-C, 3.5mm aux out

Condensers: 3

Directional patterns: Cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional, stereo

Size: 9.4 x four.1 x 4.1 inches

Weight: 1.1 lbs

Or at least, microphones kind of like the EPOS B20 prove that. This is actually 1 of the more expensive USB mics I've tested, so it'south non exactly a device for first-time streamers. Instead, it's for those looking to upgrade their production values. Equally our full EPOS B20 review volition explain, in that location's plenty raw quality here to earn a spot on our best gaming microphones list, simply you should consider the competition earlier going live.

Our picks of the best microphones overall
The best USB microphones for simple setup

EPOS B20 review: Price and availability

$199 from multiple retailers
Available in black only

At $199, the B20 doesn't veer into professional microphone territory, but it's definitely pricey past the standards of desktop USB microphones. The ever-popular Blueish Yeti, by comparing, has dropped as low as $99, while the excellent JLab Talk launched at $99 and has gone on sale for just $56. The Rode NT-USB Mini besides but costs half as much as the B20.

The B20 is bachelor at present from Amazon and Best Purchase.

EPOS B20 review: Design

Mature artful
Lots of controls, but no volume/gain markers

For all my reservations near the cost, the B20 makes a excellent first impression. The slim proportions, the metal structure, the matte blackness cease — this is equally close to chic as a gaming or streaming microphone can get.

The stand is flexible as well. Not so much in the conventional sense — pivoting is the simply adjustment choice — simply yous can detach the support stalk from the base, which then lets you attach it to a gaming-friendly smash arm stand. While a lot of USB microphones let yous swap in your ain stand, they unremarkably put the mountain on the microphone itself. By mounting to a separate stand via the support, you lot can keep its pin indicate, for even easier aligning.

EPOS B20 review — (Epitome credit: Future)

Flipping the B20 around also provides quick access to the underside, where you'll detect the USB-C port (a USB-C to USB 3 cable is included) and a 3.5mm output. The latter is for microphone monitoring, so you tin can hear what you audio like — very useful for setting upwardly.

The B20 also matches the Blue Yeti and JLab Talk in providing 4 distinct recording patterns: cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional and stereo. In theory this could brand the B20 viable for group podcasts or panel recording, though for gaming and streaming you only need cardioid. This records from directly in forepart of the mic to minimise groundwork noise.

The 4-way pattern switch is placed on the rear, next to a gain dial, while the forepart features a mute push button and a volume command for monitoring. Information technology'south a highly practical set of controls, specially because cheaper mics similar the Blue Yeti Nano don't have gain dials at all.

However, both Blueish and JLab have implemented these controls meliorate than EPOS has on the B20. There are two problems with the volume and gain dials here: they tin can plough infinitely in either management, and they don't have level markings. Together this makes it incommunicable to tell what your levels are at a glance, including whether your settings have been changed since the last time you recorded.

This led to slightly embarrassing situations when I'd jump on Discord and accidentally deafen my friends, having unknowingly nudged the proceeds likewise loftier, and had to ask them to say "when" as I gradually lowered information technology to less eardrum-rupturing levels. Even the cheap Talk has an idiot-proof LED ring to display volume and gain levels, so for the B20 to rely purely on monitoring is disappointing.

EPOS B20 review: Audio quality

Clear and counterbalanced
Picks upward some background racket, but not much
Still but similar to much cheaper mics

At least when your settings aren't askew, the B20 sounds practiced. Very good, even: I was impressed past how much particular in my vocalisation was picked up past the cardioid mode, and fifty-fifty if you don't get equally much use out of them, the other patterns perform their roles well.

Bidirectional and omnidirectional modes spread the quality around equally, different how the JLab Talk favors the front-facing speaker, and there'southward a articulate left-to-right soundstage in stereo recordings.

There was some reverb when I recorded in my laminate-floored living room, so y'all can't ignore the acoustics of your own room, but this is true of most consumer-grade USB microphones. Serious streamers should consider sound dampening with near whatsoever mic they choose.

In-game, my friends too reported a high level of quality and clarity, and apparently couldn't hear background noise like my TV (which was playing nearby) or my mechanical keyboard. I constitute this intriguing, equally I could hear my keyboard clacking in my local recordings, though obviously y'all tin can use game sound to drown information technology out.

For most general gaming communication and live streaming, then, the B20 undoubtedly sounds good plenty. But does information technology sound skillful for the price? Equally effective as this microphone is, retrieve that it costs twice as much as the JLab Talk, or the Blue Yeti if you lot catch information technology in a auction. But I tin can't say information technology sounds significantly better; if anything I slightly prefer the warm, more intimate quality of the Talk. And I can't mess up the gain on that ane.

EPOS B20 review: EPOS Gaming Suite

Adds various audio tweaks
Useful for streamers, but not mandatory

To be fair, there is one way of fine-tuning the mic levels, and a few other aspects too: the EPOS Gaming Suite app. This software isn't necessary for the B20 to function, but does grant desktop access to gain control, additional vox profiles and fifty-fifty an adjustable dissonance gate.

EPOS B20 review: EPOS Gaming Suite — (Image credit: EPOS)

It'due south worth installing if you're a streamer, and its mic test feature is particularly useful for ensuring your settings are all correct. Though I didn't get much mileage out of the seemingly more than advanced features: fifty-fifty the "Warm" voice profile mainly just emphasised unwanted reverb, while the dissonance gate might be decent for cut out the quietest of background noise, it couldn't silence my keyboard without also cutting my vocalization out.

EPOS B20 review: Verdict

The EPOS B20's overall design and core sound quality make it a good gaming and streaming mic; I'm still one-half-tempted to Sharpie on some level indicators to the dials, simply this oversight tin can at least exist compensated for via the app. And the audio quality is more than adequate, even if y'all never touch the Gaming Suite.

The bigger problem is, again, the toll. If the B20 cost the aforementioned as the Blue Yeti, choosing betwixt the two would be a lot more hard; at $199, it'due south difficult to see where the extra coin actually goes. Wait for a sale, or choice up ane of the B20's much more affordable rivals instead.

More: Check out the best headphones with a mic for phonation and video calls

James is currently Hardware Editor at Rock Newspaper Shotgun, merely before that was Audio Editor at Tom's Guide, where he covered headphones, speakers, soundbars and anything else that intentionally makes noise. A PC enthusiast, he likewise wrote computing and gaming news for TG, usually relating to how hard it is to find graphics bill of fare stock.