2024-03-02 16:30:00
Last year, I published here on MacMagazine a review of the AmpliGame A8 microphone, from the Chinese manufacturer Fine. In short, this is a very capable microphone, with great value for money. This time, I will analyze its “big brother”, the AmpliGame A8Plus.
Although the changes are subtle, the additions made may be exactly what some users were looking for and didn’t find in the more modest model. Therefore, I will only analyze the aspects that represent new features — details and more examples can be found in the previous review, if you want to delve deeper.
Unboxing e design
Just like its predecessor, the AmpliGame A8Plus comes in a foam-wrapped box and contains the same components: microphone with shock mount, stand e pop filteran adapter for other stands, a USB-C to USB-A cable and your manual. However, she took even more seriously the idea of plug & playbecause the pop filter It is already attached to the microphone support — although it is removable if necessary.
The microphone and stand design remain virtually unchanged from the previous model. The set maintains its stability and features familiar elements, such as its beautiful modern look with RGB lights, the touch-sensitive button on the top to mute/unmute the sound, P2 audio output (3.5mm) and a USB-C port ( for strength) at the bottom.
However, some details were modified to make room for the new functions. Himself pop filter has been redesigned and now features a separate integrated edge that hugs the stand. Additionally, the touch-sensitive button for changing the RGB light pattern is now located on the bottom of the microphone.
The gain volume controller has been moved to the top of the back, while a new controller has been added to the bottom of the back, exclusively for adjusting the volume of the headphones when connected.
Finally, the big difference is the touch-sensitive front circle, which allows you to switch between four new pickup patterns: cardioide, stereo, omnidirecional e bidirectional.
Audio quality
O disclaimer What I had already mentioned in the previous analysis also applies to this one: as it is a USB microphone, the intention is not to compare it with professional XLR microphones, which connect to interfaces and allow for more detailed configuration.
Its role, therefore, is to offer a practical option (plug & play) with sufficient quality for streaming or audio calls that clearly highlight the voice.
To be honest, despite being an improved version of the microphone, I didn’t see significant changes in the quality itself — so, if you want to hear more detailed examples (with or without treatment), I suggest checking out the tests in the previous review. In this one, I focused on testing exactly what changed in this version: its capture patterns.
In the audio below, I performed a test with all the patterns, so that the immediate difference can be noticed more clearly.
Cardioide
When we talk regarding microphone patterns, the most common is cardioid. This means that most of the pickup occurs at the front and the sound is less intense at the sides, with sounds from the rear being suppressed (or should be).
The following excerpt was recorded at 50% gain and did not receive any type of post-processing. I left a brief moment of silence so that it was possible to hear the ambient sound captured (without any acoustic treatment).
Below, I recorded a snippet of the song “Brave”de Rannah Sheevawith the gain adjusted to 25%, keeping the microphone just over a foot away from the mouth and the ukulele positioned just below.
The quality remains very good, allowing you to hear sounds clearly. However, there was no noticeable improvement, which would be desirable in a new version of the microphone, especially in relation to the isolation at the rear (which should capture less ambient sounds in this standard).
Stereo
Stereo recording is very interesting, as this type of capture adds depth to the recording. Below, you can hear how this pattern behaves when speaking directly to the front and then to both sides.
In the next audio, I recorded exactly the same part of the song with the ukulele, keeping the same distance, with the only difference being that the default was set to stereo. It is possible to note that, in fact, for recording instruments and vocals this option seems to be the most suitable, as it captures the nuances of the sounds well.
Bidirectional
In this pattern, the microphone captures sounds from both the front and rear, theoretically with similar quality. However, it is clear that the front capsule captures much more clearly. Still, for those who conduct interviews or podcasts with guests, this would be the best setup option.
I tested the song once more with the instrument and voice, but the difference was the more active pickup on the rear.
Omnidirecional
In order to test, I once more recorded the section of the song with voice and ukulele. As expected, all surrounding sounds were captured (water, car, dog, parakeet, parrot…) and the omnidirectional pattern, which captures all surrounding sounds, was not effective in an environment without proper acoustic treatment.
This type of pattern would be best used to record, for example, choir or orchestra performances, or ambience audio, such as sound effects, natural sounds (waterfalls, birds), among others.
Other features
In the last review, I detailed points such as the mute/enable sound button and the RGB lights with different patterns (or off) — both remain on this microphone, which can be a relief for those who enjoyed these options. However, a major difference was improved: the gain controller was separated from the monitoring controller.
Previously, it was possible to connect headphones to the P2 output and monitor the audio being captured. However, if the volume was turned down, it would also affect the microphone gain. Now, with two individual controllers, confusion has been eliminated: this way, you can adjust the ideal gain for your recordings and, separately, control the volume of the audio being heard through the headphones, allowing a more accurate analysis of your recording.
Something that hasn’t changed is connectivity. This issue was particularly highlighted in the comments on the last post and may indeed be disappointing to many.
This is because the cable continues to be USB-C to USB-A and, considering that many devices today (especially the latest from Apple) use exclusively the USB-C standard, a USB-A to USB-C OTG adapter would be needed to connect it to newer MacBooks or even iPhones 15. Despite this limitation, the microphone would work normally and with the same quality with the correct adapter.
Conclusion
It’s a shame that the overall quality wasn’t improved further — they might have used the opportunity of a new model for that. However, it remains good, especially considering its price range.
Exactly because of this, we can think that the idea of this microphone is not to be compared exactly to more professional and robust options (with great stereo or omnidirectional audio fidelity, for example), but rather to offer more capture options for amateurs or aspiring people.
Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the purchase intention: if you want to start some activity such as recording videos, podcasts or music and are looking for good quality within a limited budget, this microphone is highly recommended. If, however, your activity requires something more elaborate and you can afford it, it may be more advantageous to look into XLR microphones and a good audio interface.
As I mentioned in the other review, it is important to highlight that good audio quality will not be fully utilized without adequate acoustic treatment — which can make all the difference between an excellent recording and a very bad one.
In the end, the practicality of the AmpliGame A8Plus, which allows you to simply plug in a USB cable and access various capture patterns, might be a big attraction for those who have never tried these recording modes before.
The AmpliGame A8Plus microphone is available on Amazon for just over R$370 (note that there is only the black version; the other colors are from another model) and on AliExpress for around R$360.
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