A gaming microphone with RGB? Here you have the review of this Newskill

Index

Characteristics and technical specifications

The Newskill Apholos PRO is a recording microphone designed to provide professional grade audio transmission. This mic is of the type back electret condenser has 4 different sound pickup patterns, which we can easily select by means of a selector integrated in the microphone itself. The different types of polarity that this Apholos PRO offers us are:

• Cardioid
• Bidirectional
• Stereo
• Omnidirectional

Newskill’s Apholos Pro offers us a -36dB sensitivity, with a variance of +/- 2dB (0dB = 1V / Pa at 1KHz). Response from frequency ranges from 30 Hz to 18kHz, has an output impedance of 32 Ohm and offers a mic gain from -12dB to a maximum of 12dB. The maximum SPL of this model is 130 dB. Voice sampling is done in high fidelity, 24 bit at 192 KHz.

This mic has a very elegant RGB effect with color change, as well as with an Eco mode or an ambient mode to adapt to every need (be it a game, a streaming or a work meeting). Among the controls that we can find on the micro itself, we can highlight, above all, a button to deactivate the micro, to turn it off, and a polarity selector that will allow us to switch between its 4 different modes. The selected mode can be known thanks to the LEDs on the upper part of the micro.

To avoid unwanted noises and sounds, this mic features a removable supersolid metal stand. This support allows us to adjust the recording angle, and the mic is designed to withstand small impacts without being damaged. This will be attached to the support by means of rubber bands so as not to make contact, not generate noise due to friction or movement and offer the best possible quality.

The mike is Plug & Play, so it will be enough to connect it to the computer to have it up and running in seconds, without configuration and without the need to install anything else. In addition, thanks to its mini-jack audio connection we can connect our favorite headphones.

External analysis of the Newskill Apholos Pro

The Newskill Apholos PRO comes in a fairly large cardboard box, in which dark colors predominate. On the front of it we can see a photo of the microphone in question, with its lighting. Meanwhile, on the back, we will have the detailed technical specifications of this complete professional microphone.

Inside the box, the first thing we will see is the micro instruction manual, along with a cardboard envelope. Inside this we will find the typical Newskill merchandising, such as, for example, a sticker, a code to register in your club and a door hanger.

And, under a good block of foam (to protect) we can find the mike. This is perfectly protected from all kinds of blows and possible damages that may appear during transport.

In addition to the microphone, we will also find the USB-C cable to connect it to the computer, and a screw that we can use in case we want to place it, for example, on an arm to have it at the top.

As we can see, the microphone is completely black. The manufacturing material of this micro is plastic, as well as that of the structure that surrounds it. However, the base of this is metal, which offers excellent strength and stability. In addition, the mike is never in contact with any surface, but is “in the air”, avoiding possible unwanted noises.

At the back we will find a gain regulator, thanks to which we can adjust the sound of the microphone to the optimal volume. We can also press this regulator to switch between the 4 operating modes of this mic.

Also behind, at the bottom, we will have the USB type C connector, as well as a mini-jack to connect headphones and be able to listen to the music from the PC through them. We will also have a small regulator to raise or lower the volume.

At the top we can see a series of LEDs that will allow us to know at all times the type of mic we are using. And also a touch button from which we will be able to mute the microphone.

Finally, at the bottom of the microphone we will find a button from which we will be able to regulate the lighting. Each time we press we can change the color, and if we keep it pressed we can turn it on or off.

Testing: How does it work?

One nice thing about this mic is not having to rely on any software to set up and use the mic. Absolutely all its possibilities (from the mode to the gain or the lighting) can be controlled by means of the buttons that are included in the micro itself. All we have to do to start it up is to connect it to a USB port on the computer and wait a few seconds for Windows to automatically install the drivers on the PC.

As we have already explained, this micro has 4 modes of operation. The first of these is the Cardioid mode, a mode designed mainly to record voices (in a stream, or a podcast) or instruments. Records only sound sources that are directly in front of the mic. And we can see that it is activated when we only have one LED on at the top.

The second of the operating modes is stereo. This is designed to record mainly the voice and any instrument. Use the left and right channel to capture a wide and realistic sound. We can know that it is activated when we see two LEDs lit horizontally.

The third of these modes of operation is bidirectional. This is designed to record instruments and, above all, interviews. When we have it activated, the mic only records from the front and the back, but not from the sides. Therefore, we can see it indicated at the top with the two LED indicators lit vertically.

And finally, we have the omni mode. This mode is designed to record telephone conferences or other events in which we want all the sound to be recorded without problems, wherever it comes from. In this mode, the mic picks up the sound from all 4 sides, and, therefore, it will indicate it to us when we have the 4 LEDs on the top of this Newskill Apholos Pro lit.

We can see some of its specific features from the Windows sound manager itself. To do this, we will simply open the Settings menu, and go to the System> Sound section. From here we can change the source (in case of having several microphones connected), see the volume and do a sound test from the «Device Properties».

From Windows we can also open the advanced properties of the device to see in more detail all its options. As we can control everything from the micro itself, here we will not have many options to configure, although we will have some interesting sections such as, for example, seeing the volume of the micro, and having the possibility of configuring the sampling of the captured voice (which, by default, comes at maximum quality).

Now we are going to see a quality test of this mic. For her we have connected it to the computer through its cable, we have it placed on the table at about 25 cm and we have it in medium gain and in cardioid mode. During the test we will be testing the different gain levels and the different capture modes.

In addition, we can use this mic without problems, and without any additional configuration, in any other recording program. For example, the Newskill Apholos PRO is ideal for use with programs such as OBS or Audacity, since by not depending on any other software we make sure that these recording programs can have full control over it.

Conclusion: How is the Newskill Apholos Pro?

Of course, Newskill has done everything to offer us a mic that lives up to expectations. The Apholos PRO has everything we can look for in a mic for streaming. Starting, of course, with its quality. As we have seen, this mic offers us excellent quality when it comes to capturing our voice.

Thanks to its selector we can choose at any time the type of mic we want to use, being able to adapt to all kinds of needs without having to change the mic over and over again. The gain regulator is also an excellent addition thanks to which we will be able to make sure that we are heard without problems at all times, or adjust it to eliminate unwanted background noise.

Broadly speaking, we have not found any negative points to this mic, although it is true that we have come up with some improvements such as, for example, an indicator that shows us the gain volume at the top, or an anti-pop filter , since it is not included. Nor would any other effect on the RGB lighting have been bad. But, otherwise, we are facing an outstanding unit. In addition, its price (100 euros) is more than adjusted to be a microphone that has little to envy others that cost two or three times more.

For all this, we have decided to give this Newskill Apholos PRO our award of gold.