Roccat Torch test: what is this micro streaming worth for a tight budget?

An all-in-one USB microphone, plug and play, with three pick-up modes, designed for streamers and other content creators, all for less than €100! This is what Roccat offers with its very first dedicated microphone: the Torch.

Streamers must juggle a large number of parameters to produce a quality live where webcam, video capture and audio must be at the top. Why not take the weight off your hands by opting for a fully plug & play microphone? This is the whole point of the Roccat Torch, a USB microphone that targets more beginner content creators like simple gamers. But can it really offer a quality rendering at this price? That's what we wanted to know.

Roccat Torch: its technical sheet

The Roccat Torch is:

design and conception

The Torch is recognizable at first glance and does not break with the particular and usual aesthetics of the peripherals of the German brand. It's a fairly simple-looking microphone, mounted on a plinth adorned with various controls and a small display with two indicator lights linked to the state of the microphone (live and mute).

This design is quite sober and classic, with the exception of the RGB lighting, which you can only notice as soon as the microphone is on. It takes place at the level of the logo and via two parallel bands which indicate the level of gain of the microphone. Apart from the visualization of the gain, the lighting also makes it possible to know if the microphone is cut or not - a function which was nevertheless already fulfilled thanks to the indicator lights mentioned above. Finally, note that it is possible to vary the intensity of the backlight on 4 levels thanks to a button located at the back of the support. An “off” position is also provided.

Without being exceptional, the manufacturing quality of the set is rather good. The base of the stand is made of plastic covered by a small brushed aluminum plate. The microphone grille is metal. The finishes aren't bad either, but could be better. The plastics sound cheap, which we notice in particular at the level of the controls present on the base.

On the other hand, the weight of the microphone with its base gives it very good stability: it will be difficult to knock it over accidentally. Add to that fairly generous dimensions, since the microphone measures a little over 20 cm in height with its support: a sufficient size to position it well on the desk, while its thread allows it to be associated with any articulated arm to microphone.

A simple configuration as pie

Installation, like mic setup, is a breeze. The Torch comes with three cables, a barely 15 cm cable that connects the microphone to its base, as well as two 2 meter cables with USB-A or USB-C output connector to connect the base to the PC .

Just connect its elements to start using the microphone. This is instantly recognized by Windows and available as an audio input and output device. It doesn't take much, not even software, to get the microphone up and running and ready to pick up your voice!

Everything goes through the base on which we adjust the gain of the microphone, the volume of the headphone output, select from the three capture modes of the Torch or simply turn it off. Pressing the "Volume" button also mutes the microphone - a function that duplicates the small touch surface at the top of the microphone, which activates and deactivates "contactless" pickup by passing your hand over it.

The sensitivity of this touch zone is also adjustable on three levels via a push button on the back of the base. We don't have any issues with the last two tiers, the mic mutes nicely and vice versa when we wave our hand over it. On the other hand, the first level simply does not work, even by placing your finger on the surface. It will be considered that this adjustment makes it possible to cut off the tactile zone, even if the symbol associated with it suggests otherwise.

Finally, we must mention Roccat Neon, a software that is still in beta, in its version 0.91.6 at the time of writing this test. For the time being, this software is of very little use. It allows you to modify the RGB lighting without leaving us the choice of color, since it goes through AIMO “intelligent lighting” which synchronizes peripherals between them.

Only the Roccat Torch and the Roccat Syn Pro Air headset are currently supported by this software, and it is not possible to synchronize the lighting of the microphone with the other devices of the brand passing through the Roccat Swarm software. Truth be told, it's not terribly important, as it doesn't take away from retaining the plug and play appeal of this mic. With or without the software, the color of the lighting changes depending on the capture mode chosen, and of course if the microphone is muted, which is more than enough in our opinion.

Capture: is the quality there?

There are quite a few things that make this Roccat Torch very appealing, considering the price tag on it. The choice, on the fly, between three directivities is one of them, as is the quality of the capture, although there are still a few points to raise on this subject.

The cardioid mode is to be preferred if it is a question of playing while communicating. Its directivity makes it possible to pick up the voice as a priority and avoid surrounding noise as much as possible.

The capture is of good quality - but inevitably, without additional processing, we will find a lot of things to complain about on the rendering which undoubtedly deserves that we add certain effects to it. The most annoying thing, however, is the sensitivity of the microphone which still picks up very well the sounds of our movements, our keyboard, and to a lesser extent what is happening behind us. The cardioid directivity would benefit from being tighter. Obviously, the filters on OBS will then allow you to benefit from noise suppression, noise gate, compressors and other limiters.

The Stereo mode is practical for recording, for example, an instrument and reproducing the soundstage more precisely, or even several voices to the left, in the center, or to the right of the microphone. However, you should know that the positioning of the microphone is quite important in this case.

Finally, we will probably have much less use of the “Rocat Whisper” mode on a daily basis. As its name suggests, this one is intended above all to record ASMR, or to communicate despite the fact that you can't speak loudly (and why not).

Roccat Torch: the opinion of Clubic

For 99 €, there is really nothing to complain about the capture rendering offered by the Roccat Torch. Its plug and play operation, the controls integrated into its base or the possibility of attaching it to an articulated arm while keeping the support close at hand are real advantages that offer flexibility and practicality to this microphone. We mainly benefit from three capture modes, and even at this price the Roccat Torch is not satisfied only with the cardioid directivity: a good point for versatility. Of course, the rendering and the functionalities do not reach what a Blue Yeti X offers, but the latter costs almost twice as much as the Torch. What the Torch lacks most is undoubtedly software support that would allow us to have direct access to various audio processing. Perhaps the Roccat Neon software will fill this gap, but this is not currently the case. However, this won't necessarily be a weakness for everyone, as other third-party solutions fulfill this role and this "minimalism" helps keep this mic simple to implement.