MSI Immerse GV60 Streaming Microphone Review

There are a lot of great microphones out there, but finding the right one for you is not as easy as you might think, at least for those uneducated on the different types of microphones, interfaces, recording formats, etc. Thankfully, if you're just wanting a great microphone for online chatter or content creation, MSI has got you covered. Their new Immerse GBV60 looks to be a solid solution that's plug and play ready for newbies, with enough extra features on top for the more serious audio enthusiasts to enjoy too. Given most major brands have a similar product, it's certainly up against some interesting competition too, with the likes of HyperX, NZXT and others having competition products. MSI Immerse GV60 The microphone has four pick up patterns, these include Stereo, Omnidirectional, Cardioid, and Bidirectional. That means it's ideal for just about anything! Singing, instrument recording, voice-over/podcasting, conference calls, and face to face interviews. There's zero-latency monitoring thanks to the built-in 3.5mm jack, and built-in on-the-fly controls for quick and easy customisation too. Features High Resolution Digital Audio – Lossless recordings captured with the sample rate of 24bit/96kHzAll-in-One Microphone – 4 pickup patterns to capture in any situationReal-time Monitoring – The 3.5 mm headphone jack allows zero-latency playbackOn The Fly Controls – Dedicated dials to adjust the volume and a mic mute buttonRecord Your Way – Mount on a boom arm with built-in threading, a 3 meter USB cable, and a pop filter with easePlug & Play - Plug & record straight away on any platform For more information, please visit the official product page here. What MSI Had to Say "Great voice content starts with GV60. This sleek matte-finished aluminium microphone instantly turns any setup into a studio for you while delivering uncompromised recording quality with a high-resolution sample rate of 24bit/96kHz. Empowered by multiple condensers, the GV60 provides the versatility to adapt to any situation with 4 different pickup patterns to capture singing, podcasts, interviews, meetings, and game streaming with ease." - MSI Packaging & Specifications The box is quite large, and fairly heavy too, so I suspect this is a fairly large product itself. There's a great photo on the front of the box, and all the specifications are on the side. On the back, some marketing stuff about the amazing quality and features, but that's what I'm here to test too, so let's dig into the box! In the box, you'll find another box. Let's dig deeper! Foam. Deeper still! Alas, a gorgeous looking microphone is in the bottom set in a durable cardboard and foam coffin. You'll also find a manual, foam cover, some rubber bungs for unused ports, and a rather long USB Type-A to Type-C cable. A Closer Look This is one seriously gorgeous looking microphone, but at £100, I suppose it looking like a premium product is no bad thing as that's a fair chunk of change, and people want a quality product in return. What does surprise me is the build quality, it's all made from metal, and it looks and feels infinity better for it. It feels pretty heavy, but that's a good thing, it's not going to wobble around and it'll withstand occasional knocks and bumps with ease. Right in the front, you'll find all the main controls easily labelled and laid out for you. The buttons have the same premium quality feel as the rest of the microphone. The dials have a weighted and smooth action that prevents you from moving them too quickly, and even the button at the bottom has a nice linear action to it. It's hard to really describe, but they do feel nice to twiddle and press. The head of the microphone is metal too, with a gorgeous dull metallic finish that looks great, but it won't be particularly reflection or distracting while you're filming/recording/streaming/etc. The base is fully metal too and comes with a set of tensioners on the side. This means you can easily adjust the angle to suit your needs. However, optimally the microphone should be upright and you would change the pickup pattern to suit your needs, but depending on things like angle and elevation, some tilt could come in handy. Too much tilt?! Nah, it's fine. These do come off though, allowing you to remove the stand completely. There's a large screw mount on the base, so you could mount it on your own stand, or an overhead boom if you so desire. The 3.5mm port is great, as it allows you to directly monitor the audio with zero delay. There's a built-in sound card too, so you can actually listen to PC audio through this port too thanks to the USB-C connector. Don't expect to travel with this one in your laptop bag though, it's big, it's heavy, and in the right hands, it's pretty much a deadly weapon; don't drop it on your foot either, ouch! Performance Setup could not be easier. Just plug it into your PC and you're good to go. Windows 11 detected it immediately, Discord and Skype both asked me to set this as the new communications device straight away. Albeit, Windows sets it as the output device too, so you want headphones connected to the microphone for that. Just change the setting in Sound Control Panel in Windows to switch output to whatever you desire, and while there, ensure the full 96 kHz 24-bit mode is set, as this may not be the default. The heavy design, as well as a rubber base, make for a sturdy microphone. This means it's not susceptible to smaller knocks and vibrations that could cause unwanted sound on your recording. Typing on a mechanical keyboard for example, is no problem. However, unlike some microphones which come with suspended shock mounts, it could still pick up lower frequency noises like you banging your knees against the desk legs. As said before though, you can use your own mount. Just, uh, get something robust. While there's a pop filter built into the head, there's also this foam wind cover for some additional noise-pop prevention. Handy for those of you who tend to spit while recording too, I suppose. Multiple pickup patterns are a handy thing to have. However, while each one does have a specific usage scenario, from my experience, sometimes the wrong one works best. Factors such as your voice or instrument you're recording, echo in your room, and other interferences are all factors. However, for the most part, the standard Stereo or Cardioid will work best. For recording a whole room, the omnidirectional mode, and the interview mode if you're putting the microphone between two people. Again, just tinker with them, as the difference can be pretty drastic. The self-monitoring is great, and the sound quality is really good too, but the zero-latency makes it more natural to track yourself. Running into your PC and back out another device could introduce a delay that can be off-putting. Having volume controls here is welcome too, as you can adjust on the fly, without needing to tab out to additional software. The microphone is live when the light is blue, and muted when it is red. So save that comment on how your fans all suck until AFTER you press mute, AFTER! Running through the features of the microphone, it's clear that the audio quality is really excellent. If you think it sounds a bit off, I'm sorry that's really how I sound... it's why I write most of my content. Alas, the microphone works well throughout the modes with just some minor issues. Switching modes results in a small "thump" noise from the dial, and tapping the mute button results in some noise being generated too. Personally, I'd set the pickup pattern and leave it for the session so you don't pick up unwanted noise. I'd also use a push to talk or other mute feature on my system rather than the microphone switch anyway, but I'd mute on the microphone as a master cut-off when my recording session is over. Potential loudness warning!!! Especially on the gain tests, so turn your speakers/headphones DOWN when I start increasing the gain in increments, as 100% gain could damage your speakers or hearing. How Much Does it Cost? The MSI Immerse GV60 Streaming Microphone is available now from most major computer retailers. It's on OCUK for just £99.95, and while that is a lot of money, it's a lot of microphone too. It's pretty much the same price as the Elgato Wave:1, Razer Seiren V2 or Seiren X. However many of the ones that record at 24-bit and 96 kHz are often closer to £150, so it's certainly competitive in that regard. Overview I think this is one of the best looking microphones on the market, and while I know aesthetics have bugger all to do with the audio performance, I feel that's still important. It's going to be on my desk all day, every day, and for many of you, it'll be on show to your viewers if you're streaming or recording video. Having something stylish is certainly nice and it makes you look more professional compared to some of the more garish gamer gear that's out there. The design is nice, and the build quality is even better. The all-metal base and housing really feel robust and most of the rival products in this price range are plastic. It feels heavy and like it'll last, and I appreciate that a lot.The stand is very sturdy, but at least if you do want to use your own mount or a boom arm, it's capable of this also. The microphone quality is excellent. Having a choice of four pick-up patterns is awesome too, as it makes it considerably more versatile. Plus, it's all on-board controls too, meaning there's no software to fuss around with, which I really like. The microphone does pick up some unwanted noise from the controls if you're a little heavy-handed with them, but really, it's often something you would configure before your stream/recording, not while you're doing it. There's not really a lot more to say about this one. It's a competitively priced microphone, the build quality is better than expected for this price range, it records at 24-bit 96 kHz, and it has a great range of built-in controls and line monitoring that make it extremely versatile. If you're looking for a quality desktop microphone, this one is going to be tough to beat.