NZXT Capsule marks the foray of NZXT into the microphone segment. The brand is known for their PC peripherals such as the Kraken line-up of AIO CPU coolers, PC Chassis, ATX power supplies and even motherboards. The NZXT Capsule is clearly targeted at gamers and video game streamers and is set to compete against the likes of Corsair’s Wave 3, HyperX Quadcast and Solocast, Razer Siren X, Blue Yeti among others. The NZXT Capsule USB Microphone is priced at USD 129.99 and there’s a compatible Boom Arm that can be purchased for USD 99.99. [1]

Figure 1. The USB microphone for streaming: NZXT Capsule

Figure 1 shows The NZXT Capsule is a unidirectional microphone which is set to a cardioid polar pattern so more of the user's voice will be picked up while discarding sounds coming from the opposite end. The frequency calibration is suited towards vocal clarity. It reportedly also has an internal shock mounting mechanism. The base even features a quick-release mechanism that allows the user to quickly swap the base mount the mic onto the boom arm.

The NZXT can record up to 24-bit / 96 kHz audio with a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The Total Harmonic Distortion is 0.1% at 1 kHz and it uses a USB Type-C interface much like other gaming-focused microphones that it competes against. The front face has two adjustment knobs, one for varying the microphone gain and the other for headphone volume control. With the stand, the entire unit weighs 883g and about 314g without the stand. The NZXT Capsule is available in Black and White colours. [2]

NZXT Capsule Features, Specifications

The NZXT Capsule’s design seems inspired by Blue’s Yeti mic. It has a clean design with a bold dual-tone finish. For those looking for a completely subtle look, it is also available in an all-black version. The mic is made from aluminium and ABS shell. The Capsule can easily connect with any boom arm.

The mic has a frequency response range of 20Hz – 20KHz. It has a sample rate of 96KHz and a bit-depth of 24 bits. As per the press material, the Capsule has a cardioid polar pattern. It is designed to pick sounds from the front and sides but not from the rear. Moreover, it is tuned to focus on speech, so you don’t have to worry about your mechanical keyboard’s clattering or AC’s whirring noise.

The mic’s grille is marked with the best position to speak into. It comes with dedicated knobs for fine-tuning the volume output and sound quality. To get around the distortions caused by plosives such as P and B, NZXT has baked in a pop filter. [3]

References:

1. https://techilive.in/nzxt-capsule-usb-microphone-launched-for-usd-129-99-digit/
2. https://www.digit.in/news/audio-video/nzxt-capsule-usb-microphone-launched-for-usd-12999-60900.html
3. https://onsitego.com/blog/nzxt-capsule-usb-microphone-launched/

Cite this article:

Thanusri swetha J (2021), USB microphone for streaming: NZXT Capsule, pp. 40