HyperX – QuadCast 2 S Wired Multi-Pattern USB Electret Condenser Microphone

The HyperX QuadCast 2 S is a high-quality condenser microphone that great sound for a reasonable price. Having used the QuadCast 1, which was already a good microphone, there is an obvious improvement in sound and design. Using the 32-bit/192kHz audio capability, the microphone is very crisp and clear, and it can pick up my voice clearly while avoiding excess background noise from being heard. The shock mount is very sturdy and holds up very well. It is easily detachable, so you can use the microphone with a boom arm. It has good features, including the output headphone jack to plug your headphones directly into the mic. This allows for direct mic monitoring. Another great feature is the tap to mute on the top of the microphone, indicating which microphone mode you are on. The easy-to-use multifunction knob allows you to change the microphone gain, the audio out, and both with ease. The multifunction knob also allows you to switch between four different polar patterns: Cardioid, Omnidirectional, Stereo, and Bidirectional. These can all be changed easily using the HyperX NGENUITY app. You can also customize the aRGB LEDs on the microphone through the app, and it is highly customizable, allowing you to even video capture your screen and paste it onto the aRGB LEDs. Overall the HyperX QuadCast 2 S is an amazing microphone for its price, with many features that will continue to be top-of-the-line for many years.

The Hyper X QuadCast 2 S, is a full-sized condenser microphone that has a wide range of uses for online content creators, gamers, interviewers, podcasters, and more. It’s consumer-grade and priced, but definitely has semi-professional features and uses. It’s simple overall to set up, plugging into your computer via USB, and includes what’s called a shock mount that lets you attach it to other tripods or extender arms with a 3/8 and a 5/8 thread. A table stand is also included if you want to keep it simple and just set it on your computer desk to use it that way, but the stand is not extendable in height.
The main stand out with the Hyper X is that is has multi-direction recording. You can select an Omnidirectional mode where it records from four directions (good for rooms with multiple people), Bidirectional from the front and back only (good for interviewing people), Stereo from both sides (good for recording music or singing), and Cardioid which is just the front, in case it’s just you, and you want to use it for social media recording, podcasting, and activities like that. Recordings are 32-bit/192 kHz, so are clear. Tapping the top acts like a mute button, and a LED ring around the top shows you which mics are on or off.
What makes this even more unique compared to most other USB microphones, is that it has over 100 “aRGB LED” lights that can be customized to light up in a variety of colors, themes, and can sync up to the beat of music being played with more than 16 million color combos possible. Think of it perhaps, as a cool retro disco ball, modernized, in microphone form. You might ask WHY someone wants lights on a microphone? But again, this isn’t JUST for sound recording. Many podcasters like to also take video, so this adds another level of atmosphere to it, and of course gamers would want to crank up the lights while gaming, too. It’s an interesting take on a device like this.
The multifunction knob on the side allows you to adjust mic levels, gain, mixing, mic pattern, and headphone volume if you decide to plug in some gaming headphones via the port on the side. Using the downloadable HyperX NGENUITY Software will give you more ability to customize more settings like noise reduction, color controls, etc.
A 6ft USB-C to USB-C cable comes with it to attach to your computer, but they do include a USB-C to USB-A adapter (thank you!) for those who may have older machines with a lack of newer ports on them. It’s a nice quality braided cord, too. It does work on both PCs and Macs, by the way.
I’m not a heavy gamer, but I’m experimenting with voiceover work, and perhaps some “voice-to-book” type of work. So far I’ve been using it to do some test readings, and the audio quality is excellent. For times when the readings are of something dramatic, I have turned on the LEDs, and it helps me mentally rev up to the moment when I have to read something exciting or energetic. A useful visual tool, and not just for fun! Being able to direct the microphone just towards my mouth while turning off the others helps to make sure there are no other household noises being recorded when you don’t want them to be.
My one possible complaint, if I’d call it that, is that the Hyper X set does not come with a foam covering, or a “pop shield” – things you can use in front of, or over, a microphone so that when you are close to it, it helps with sound quality and to eliminate certain sounds you get when you say a P or B word. These can be bought online separately and generally they’re only a few dollars, so it’s not the end of the world, but it would have been nice to see something like this included with the microphone. Well, one more – it would be nice if the table stand were extendable so it could be taller, but that’s more of just a want than a complaint.
Overall I give the Hyper X Quadcast really high marks. It’s worth the money, easy to set up and use, and should give you great results. I definitely recommend it.

Bottom line…the HyperX QuadCast 2 S sits atop HyperX’s current microphone lineup for good reason: it takes everything people really liked about the earlier QuadCast models and makes it even easier and more engaging to use. The interface is more informative and intuitive, the LEDs are more arresting and customizable, the hardware is slightly more capable, the design is more physically forgiving and approachable, and the shock-mount has been redesigned for even easier disassembly. Streamers and content creators operating just a *hair* below the professional level will undoubtedly appreciate the mic’s simplicity of operation and ease-of-use coupled with its stellar audio quality.
The mic itself feels substantial and exceptionally well-built. The heavy metal base locks down for a rock-solid hold and the (admittedly cool-looking) crisscross bungee suspension-style shock mount collar is compatible with any other standard 3/8” or 5/8” hardware. There is a sturdy and generously long 3m braided USB-C to USB-C cable in the box with handy USB-A to USB-C adapter included to fit all types of plug-and-play scenarios and devices. Do you also want to be able to pull the mic from its mount and hold it newscaster style? You can *easily* do that, too–just a simple twist of the mic’s body within the shock mount collar releases a few spring-loaded pins and the mic lifts effortlessly out of the stand.
Speaking of the stand, kudos to HyperX for a simple design tweak to the mic that keeps cables and connectors from colliding with the vertical arm. The previous QuadCast design had USB and 3.5mm audio connector ports directly at the back of the mic. For hookup, you had to snake the cables through a cutout in the stand to properly route them to the microphone itself making it awkward sometimes to manipulate, move, or plug/unplug the cables. Here, the USB-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack are slightly off center making it stupid-easy and convenient to reach the ports without risking any cable strain or interference between the mounting arm and a particularly long or beefy audio or USB connector.
HyperX also gave the QuadCast 2 S some enhanced stage/screen presence with more than 100 addressable RGB LED lights ringing the outside of the microphone’s upper shell. You can create a static or dynamic light pattern/brand image for your audience (or just to entertain yourself) or let the RGB lighting respond in real time as an active VU meter. More complex lighting customization requires use of the NGENUITY companion app; an easy-to-use, if relatively limited, companion app that allows for a little more adjustability of some of the mic’s functions. The only caveat here is that the NGENUITY interface suggests much greater resolution and detail in the RGB effects than you can realistically expect to be rendered on the surface of the mic itself. For example, the app will indicate blank spaces/lines that are easily 2-3 unlit LEDs wide on the preview screen, but the light-diffusing material that covers the mic’s interior spreads out the RGB effects so much that you lose all the pinpoint detail/contrast you might have been shooting for. Those of you with visions of rendering a detailed logo or legible words on the exterior of your QuadCast mic may be slightly disappointed.
In terms of all other critical functionality (you know, like its performance and usability in areas *other* than behaving like an addressable RGB disco ball), the HyperX QuadCast 2 S microphone really takes the crown on several fronts. For example, muting and unmuting the mic is effortless, requiring just a single tap to the top panel to toggle between active and mute status. When muted, all the accompanying outside RGB lighting instantly blanks to give a clear visual indicator (for you or your viewers) that the mic is definitively muted.
The bottom-mounted gain control dial from the old QuadCast mic has been replaced here by a smaller front-mounted volume control-style multifunction knob with a surprisingly informative LED display that encircles it. While in mic mode, a little microphone icon lights up in the lower left near the multifunction knob while the surrounding LEDs serve as an active VU meter with color-coded signal strength indicators ranging from green to red. When you want to change the gain level, rotating the knob (or a quick press of the knob itself) briefly changes the LEDs to purple to indicate the current/selected gain level. Once you plug in a set of headphones to the 3.5mm jack, you can also cycle various levels with additional quick presses of the multifunction knob. A yellow LED meter and yellow headphone icon in the lower right means you are adjusting headphone monitoring/volume level, while the blue LED display is the mode needed to adjust the monitor/mic mix levels. And another little bit of helpful usability design, the small microphone icon in the circular LED display will also illuminate red in any adjustment mode if the mic happens to be muted at the time—nice!
Aside from the customizable RGB lighting, the other big star of the show here is the 4-way selectable polar microphone patterns that allow the QuadCast 2 S to fit a variety of recording environments/scenarios. With a long press of the multifunction knob, you can cycle through cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional, and stereo polar patterns giving you a flexible recording solution that is optimized for podcasts/streaming, multi-person recordings/conference calls, face-to-face interviews, or musical performances/ASMR production. This feature alone isn’t unique to HyperX as several other competitors’ offerings give you selectable polar patterns, but where HyperX really takes the guesswork out is the accompanying visual feedback for each setting. As you long-press to the next polar pattern, portions of the LED ring around the tap-to-mute button top also illuminate to indicate the direction(s) of the optimal or favored recording zone(s). Select cardioid and a single red LED segment lights up facing you; select omnidirectional and the entire top ring lights up; the stereo setting illuminates the right and left sides of the LED ring; etc. It’s a helpful and remarkable intuitive way to indicate recording mode and is SO much better than trying to translate some obscure combination of icons/LED colors.
Okay, all that sounds great on paper…but how does the mic actually perform? In a word: wonderful. Yes, you can absolutely work your way to better quality recordings, but it’s probably gonna take some extra effort, gear, and expense to get there. Here, recording resolution is supported all the way up to 32-bit/192kHz…that’s probably overkill for a streamer/podcaster, but if you have visions of eventually recording vocals, music, or producing some truly sublime ASMR material, you may be thankful for having all that extra headroom resolution. The mic also features a built-in pop filter to help tame some of those pesky plosives coming through your recordings–though I have read that it may feel a little under-powered if you have an especially breathy or forceful voice. Finally, the NGENUITY client gives you a high-pass filter to help cut out intrusive hums and low-frequency background noise. It’s unfortunate there aren’t a few more advanced sound-shaping options in the companion app (de-esser, noise gate, voice effects, etc.) to help elevate the QuadCast 2 S into serious prosumer microphone territory, but for what you have here, you’re going to be hard pressed to find a better plug-and-play solution that still meets a variety of recording needs. Well-done HyperX—definitely recommended!

While this mic is on the higher end of things, it is definitely worth the price.
Build Quality:
The build quality is excellent and matches what you would expect from a microphone in this price range. It looks really nice sitting on your desk. You can remove it from the included stand to attach it to an arm. I, however, didn’t test this as it works well on my desk, and I don’t have an arm to use. It is good to know it is there in case I ever decide to buy an arm.
Connection:
This has a USB-C connection. Plug it in, select it as the default device, and it just works without any fuss. While this works most of the time, occasionally there is one problem where even though it is my default mic, it selects a different device. I have a mic as part of my web cam. I set the HyperX as my default mic which works most of time, but occasionally it switches to the web cam mic when I reboot my computer. I then must select the HyperX again as my default device. It doesn’t do this often, but I must check the sound settings before I use it to make sure it is selected. Probably something to do with my computer, but worth mentioning.
Sound Quality:
The sound quality is crystal clear and sounds exactly like the original source. I had tested this both with a recording and with an online meeting. Positive feedback from people in my meetings. There is a slight echo, but it is not perceptible unless you are really looking for it. Again, this is the sound quality I would expect from a mic in this price range, and it doesn’t disappoint and is worth it just for this. There is something they call Polar Pattern which allows you to set the direction from which you want to listen to the sound. The four settings are bi-directional (front and back), stereo (left and right), omnidirectional (all directions), and cardriod (everywhere except the front). I tried changing the settings on this and I honestly couldn’t tell the difference. It always seemed to record from all sides. This may be because it is very sensitive even at a lower mic volume setting. Because of this, it also tends to pick up background noise.
Controls:
There are two controls on this. Touching the top of the microphone mutes and unmutes it. The other control is a combination button dial. Pressing the button changes the meaning of the dial and cycles through mic gain, headphone volume, and monitor mix. Turning the dial changes the LEDs surrounding the dial which shows the current setting. This is well designed as you can use a single control for multiple settings and the LEDs work well representing the current setting. The LEDs also act as a UV meter when not using it on setting mode. This looks nice, but because the mic is so sensitive, it often pegs out even with background noise.
Lights:
The lights on this mic are absolutely beautiful. They exist around the entire mic and a loop on the top. It looks great on your desk, especially if you have other RGB lights. The lights are set from the app. There are a few default light settings to choose from and there are plenty of settings to enhance the effect such as color, angle, speed, brightness, and opacity. You can also change the selection of LEDs you want to show the RGB on if you don’t want to see it on the entire mic. Even the top LEDs look great following the pattern of the main LEDs. One of the really nice things about it is that in the app, when you go to select an effect, changing it in the app changes it right away on the mic so you can sample your changes in real time before committing them. The app also has a graphic that shows a representation of what the lights look like on the actual mic. It does look nice but if you have the mic in front of you, and you presumably do, I’m not sure there is real value to the graphic, but it is there.
App:
The app used for this mic is called Ngenuity and it installed without any problems. When running it, it immediately detected my mic and there was no set up required to add it as a device unlike other similar types of apps. In addition to setting the lighting effects as mentioned above, you can also set things like the mic volume, Polar Pattern, and enabling a high pass filter (which actually seems to compress the sound for some reason). There is a microphone test that will record your voice and play it back to allow you to tweak the settings while you are in the app. Overall the app works perfectly and is very well laid out and easy to find things. The real time changes are a huge plus.
Conclusion:
Overall, there isn’t anything bad I can say about this, especially the sound quality. There is a slight echo but not really noticeable, and the sensitivity picks up background noise. The lights are gorgeous, and the app works great and gives you all the control you will need. Yes, this is on the expensive side but given the quality and all the positive things I have experienced with it, it is well worth it.