Hands-on review: EPOS B20 Streaming Microphone

No stranger to supplying gamers with high-quality audio, EPOS enters the streaming microphone space with the B20 Streaming Microphone.

The B20 comes in two pieces, the main mic with a fixed arm and a screw-in base. This allows the mic to be used with an adjustable boom arm with a standard 3/8" thread.

The mic doesn't have any anti-vibration features, which worried me at first. Epos seems to have sorted this out, though, with the mic ignoring the sounds from me leaning against my desk.

A cable with a USB Type-A connector plugs into a PC or Mac with the other end, a USB Type-C connector plugging into the underside of the mic. There is a 3.5mm phono jack next to the USB socket on the mic for a headset to directly monitor the microphone.

The grey version of B20 that was sent for review looked subtle and very stylish. It's a very professional-looking device as opposed to some of its more colourful (and RGB emblazoned) competitors.

The microphone is incredibly well built, with a metal casing topped with mesh and the classy EPOS logo on the top. With the base screwed in it stands absolutely solid. I did find, however, that even when tightened right up the base did give a little bit when twisted.

There are four knobs on the body of the mic. On one side are the mute/unmute push button and the volume dial. The other side has a dial for gain and another for switching between pickup patterns.

There's a choice of four pickup patterns depending on what the mic is being used for. Streamers will probably want to opt for the cardioid pattern with the sound being collected from just the front of the mic. The stereo and bi-directional pattern work well for picking up audio from twin broadcasters. The omi-directional pattern will pick up sound from everyone if positioned centrally for a group discussion.

The B20 uses the free EPOS Gaming Suite (downloadable from the Epos website) to update and manage both the microphone and any attached headset. The B20 acts as a soundcard in its own right offering the same options as the Epos GSX 300 external sound card for connected headsets. I tested the mic with an Epos H6 Pro headset, the Epos Gaming Suite giving me full control of the audio output with EQ settings and sidetone.

Recording audio into Adobe Audition was a breeze with my voice sounding natural and without the need to really make adjustments. Perhaps not up to the quality of a true studio mic, but more than capable for the average stream or YouTube video.  

The microphone works with the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 via USB. You can use the mic to talk during live streams or when recording gameplay. You will need to adjust the gain with a few tests to balance the in-game audio with your voiceover, but it works really well, giving a more professional voice to your PS5 game streaming. I also connected an Epos H6Pro headset to the PS5 via the B20's 3.5mm socket enabling me to hear both my voice and the game audio.

The EPOS B20 is a very well-made microphone that looks stylish and produces great sound. It's very versatile being suitable for both PC/Mac OSX-based streaming and video production, as well as Sony's consoles.