Searching the vast reaches of the internet for a decent gaming or podcasting mic can be daunting, especially if you are looking for a budget microphone. The market is filled with hundreds of options and figuring out which ones are decent can feel like a gamble. I can’t promise you that the Fifine Ampligame AM6 is the best in class without spending my life trying out every option, but it does the job and has some cool features built in.
The AM6 is a USB condenser mic and I conducted my testing and review on a Windows PC. I record a podcast for GamingTrend, shoutout Tabletop Throwdown, and regularly play Counter Strike with friends where I rely on a microphone for communication with my team. For me, a mic doesn’t need to do much to be effective.
Most important is that I need to be heard clearly and at a normal speaking volume. A lot of microphones in this price range of less than $100 don’t include any option to adjust your gain, or basically the sensitivity of your microphone. Usually you can fiddle with the internal audio setting of your PC, but the AM6 has a gain dial built right into the mic. This makes dialing it in on the fly really quick and easy. I ended up turning it up pretty high but I am also fairly soft spoken. Fifine recommends placing the mic no more than 6-12 inches away from you and during testing I found that to be accurate. Any further and my friends would have trouble hearing me at my normal volume. For me, that means I have to put it between me and my keyboard or else it’s too far away. Depending on your desk space and your speaking volume, it may be harder to get it in the right place for you.
The AM6 also has an AUX port so you can plug headphones directly into it and control your output volume with another built in dial. That can be handy if you don’t already have another way to manage your headset volume. The real benefit to plugging your headset into the mic though is the Game/Chat dial on the front of the mic. This is the feature that really makes the AM6 standout and be worth checking out of other options in the same price range. This dial allows you to adjust your output volume to emphasize the game or chat on the fly. Sure you can adjust those settings in the in-game settings but it can be tricky to get right and changes with every game. The ability to adjust it on the fly right on the mic is super convenient, especially in games like Counter Strike or Valorant where team communication is so important. You may want to boost team chat at certain times or shut your team up so you can focus on footsteps and clutching at other times. A quick spin of the dial lets you customize your volume to the moment and that is pretty cool.
Other features include a noise cancellation button, customizable RGB lights, tap to mute, a pop filter, and ability to mount on an included stand or not included boom. I wasn’t able to test the noise cancellation effectiveness but it’s there if your setup is somewhere with some kind of steady background noise. The RGB lights have a lot of options with solid colors, two tone colors, and shifting patterns so you can get it to match the rest of your setup if that is important to you. Muting the mic is as easy as tapping the top of it and the front LED will change from green to red to let you know if you are on mute or not. This works great when the mic is mounted on the included stand and right in front of you but if you have it hanging from a boom, it’s a bit awkward to engage. The pop filter does its job and is included so that’s great.
The included stand is nice and sturdy. It’s got a wide base to prevent tipping and allows the mic to pivot so you point it right at your mouth. If you prefer to mount it to a boom, it can be unscrewed from the base and mounted to whatever you want from there.
For price, the AM6 comes in at $58 direct from their website or on Amazon. It comes with a 30-day return policy when purchased direct and a two year warranty. The warranty policy on their website is a bit unclear and being a Chinese company, dealing with overseas customer support may or may not be an issue for you. If you do choose to check it out, I’d recommend going with Amazon for ease of returns if required.
Overall, the AM6 performs well for a budget microphone. Sound quality is great and the game/chat dial is a really cool feature. You’re not going to get studio quality audio out of it but you shouldn’t expect that for $58. As long as your expectations are realistic, it’s a solid option for gaming and basic audio recording.
A life long video gamer, Mark caught the Tabletop itch in college and has been hooked ever since. Epic two player strategy games are his favorites but he enjoys pretty much everything on the tabletop, just no Werewolf please. When he gets a break from changing diapers and reading bedtime stories he can usually be found researching new games or day dreaming about maybe one day having time for a ttrpg. Some of Mark's favorite games are Star Wars: Rebellion, A Feast for Odin, and Nemesis.
The AM6 Condenser Mic from fifine performs admirably for its $60 price point. Audio comes through clear and the added game/chat volume dial is a really cool feature that is actually pretty useful in competitive games. With customizable RGB lights and a sturdy design, its a great addition to your desktop without breaking the bank.
PROS
- Game/Chat volume adjustment on the fly
- Customizable RGB lighting
- Lots of features for its price point
CONS
- Has to be fairly close to be effective
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