FIFINE Ampligame A8 Microphone Review
As the co-host of a podcast*, a microphone is my key bit of kit. You can have the best speaking voice, have the greatest, most well thought out ideas and free recording software, but if your microphone reduces your mellifluous tones to tinny scratches reminiscent of the AM radio days listened to on a tiny transistor, you’re in big, big trouble.
Happily, I’m reviewing the FIFINE Ampligame A8 microphone, a wonderful piece of kit that handily supplants my trusty, if aged, Yeti Snowball. The Ampligame A8 is a remarkable piece of design – almost fully plastic, it still has weight and heft, giving you a great sense of security that it won’t fly off your desk as you wave your arms around making a really smart point while recording a podcast or dunking on your mates during Fallout 76.
Ampligame A8 comes with fold out instructions that clearly and efficiently explain how to get the most out of your new microphone. Effectively, the Ampligame A8 is a plug and play device – insert your USB, allow the software to update, and you’re off to the races. Great for gaming and podcasting, the Ampligame A8 provides the user with a number of features that instantly improve your recording (and listener) experience.
Of special interest is the three lighting modes allowing up to 9 kinds of RGB light colour, perfect for customising the mood of your gaming session. Indeed, it will also allow you to set the vibe nicely for any Zoom meetings you might have – a fun and bright colour for a meeting that needs it, perhaps?
Now to the guts of the Ampligame A8. There are a number of settings: Bi-directional allows for recording at the front and back of the microphone, ideal for an in-person chat with your host or guest on your podcast. Stereo allows for a left and right channels to capture sound on a wider scale – ideal for instrument practice or even a choir. Omni-directional picks up sounds from around the microphone – this is ideal for a start up podcast, where every crowds around the microphone sitting on the coffee table, before everyone starts buying their own microphone. And finally, the Cardioid setting, which allows the sole speaker to record their voice unimpeded, perfect for monologuing, or even audio book recording (subject to how you’ve set up your space to minimise external sounds, of course).
While the build is solid, and the aesthetics pleasing, you’re all asking, how good is the sound quality of the Ampligame A8?
Bloody good.
I recently recorded a five minute monologue for a podcast I was guesting on. While my Yeti Snowball has done the job well over the last ten years, the Ampligame A8 is totally next level. Never have I ever sounded so real, so impactful, than I have thanks to the Ampligame A8. There’s no echo, no tinniness. I emerge from it sounding natural which is of great benefit to the listening experience. As a user, you really will reap the benefits of how clear and authentic you sound, making your frantic dialogue with your gaming buddies even more exciting, or the podcast listening experience even more immersive.
Final Thoughts
The FIFINE Ampligame A8 is a sturdy (despite its almost all plastic design) microphone that comes with pop filter and shock stand. It’s durable, looks great on your desk, and best of all, provides a superior recording experience. Go the extra distance and spend a few bucks on the arm for a next level recording experience. My trusty Yeti Snowball has now been retired to the back of the cupboard – it’s Ampligame A8 FIFINE all the way!
*42 to Doomsday, Australia’s longest running and surprisingly good Doctor Who podcast!
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