HyperX is finally updating its flagship gaming mic — and it's a real update, this time.
The QuadCast 2 and QuadCast 2 S, announced today, will get a boost in recording quality — the QuadCast 2 will record audio at up to 24-bit / 96 kHz, while the QuadCast 2 S will record audio at up to 32-bit / 192 kHz. The two mics have also been minorly redesigned and will feature a multi-function knob for mic gain control, headset playback volume, monitoring volume, and switching between the mics' four polar patterns.
They also look a little different, with redesigned shock mounts (that appear to be easy to remove) and less-rounded ends, and the QuadCast 2 S now has addressable RGB (instead of just regular RGB).
The original QuadCast has been one of our favorite gaming microphones since its debut in 2019 — it's just a great all-around mic in terms of both performance and usability. It comes with a built-in shock mount and a sturdy desktop stand, has four selectable polar patterns for a variety of recording situations, and features on-mic controls: gain adjustment and the best tap-to-mute around. It received a very minor update in 2020 with the QuadCast S, which swapped the micro-USB port for USB-C and added (a lot of) RGB lighting — but it was otherwise the same mic, just wrapped in a very colorful package.
The QuadCast 2 and QuadCast 2 S are not the same mic, however. The QuadCast 2 has the original's all-red color scheme and supports audio recording at up to 24-bit / 96 kHz, while the QuadCast 2 S has aRGB (with an LED VU meter) and supports audio recording at up to 32-bit / 192 kHz, which, as HyperX points out, is the highest recording resolution found on a consumer USB gaming microphone at the moment (and might just be overkill).
Aside from the bump in recording resolution and the new multi-function knob, the mics are otherwise pretty similar to their predecessors. They both feature four polar patterns (cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional, stereo) and have 3.5mm audio jacks for direct, zero-latency monitoring. They also have HyperX's excellent tap-to-mute feature, and come with a detachable shock mount that can attach to an included desktop stand or a boom arm (or other stand) via 3/8 and 5/8 inch threading.
HyperX didn't say much (or, well, anything) about the mic's condenser capsules. According to the specs, both mics will have three 14mm electret condenser capsules, like their predecessors, so that probably means they're the same. The mics will be compatible with HyperX's NGENUITY peripheral software, which includes a 10-band EQ and a new AI-powered noise reduction feature.
Okay, it's not totally different, but it's definitely more of an update than we saw in the QuadCast S — and high-res 24-bit / 96 kHz recording was basically all we were looking for in the QuadCast (especially after we saw it in the HyperX DuoCast).
The QuadCast S is available now for $149.99 and the QuadCast S 2 is expected to be available in November for $199.99.
