Red has announced a new division dedicated to audio equipment designed to meet the needs of the gaming and streaming community. The Australian audio company has dubbed this new sub-brand “Red X” and the lineup is launching with three products: two new microphones and a virtual mixing solution called Unify, designed for streaming and gaming.
The unite Software allows users to route and mix up to four USB microphones and up to six virtual audio sources (including game, chat, music and browser applications) through a single interface. The software can remove background noise and otherwise improve the quality of your audio using compressors, noise gates, and high-pass filters.
Unify is free when you buy a Rode X microphone (but not with products from the red product line) and is different available to buy as a subscription, either monthly (AU$7.99 / approximately $5) or annually (AU$69.99 / approximately $45). All subscriptions are billed in Australian dollars and may not be available in all areas.
The XDM-100 is a dynamic cardioid microphone with USB-C connectivity, featuring a pop filter, shock mount and a three-meter headphone extension cable. The design includes a headphone output with level control and a mute button. Removing the pop filter reveals a red and black color scheme that will look familiar to those who passed the “edgy” phase of gaming hardware in early 2010. The XDM-100 can be purchased now for $249 and requires an arm or stand to complete the installation (sold separately).
If you want a more affordable alternative, the Red X XCM-50 is a compact USB-C cardioid condenser microphone with a price tag of $149. It has a boxier design and includes a shock mount and internal pop shield, and it has a built-in level control and mute button. Customers also get a desktop tripod in the box.
Both microphones have a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz and have a minimum operating system requirement of macOS 10.12 or Windows 10 to run.
