✅ Prednosti
- Surprisingly positive first impression
- Solid build and impression of a more serious product
- Ability to switch between modes
- Sufficiently clear and pleasant recording for gaming
- Built-in noise reduction works well
❌ Nedostaci
- Sound is a bit thin and lacks bass
- Will not meet professional standards
- Design may be irrelevant to some
Let's be honest. Most people don't need a studio microphone.
We’re not recording music albums, producing podcasts for millions of listeners, and we’re not doing voice-overs for Netflix. Most of us need a microphone for Discord, the occasional stream, YouTube video, or online meeting. This is where the White Shark Ektara comes in.
The first impression after taking it out of the box was surprisingly positive. Honestly, I expected a lighter device, but the Ektara feels solid and gives the impression of a more serious product than its price would suggest. The design is quite gamer-oriented, with RGB lighting that some will like, while others may find it completely irrelevant.
What I found interesting was the ability to switch between cardioid and omnidirectional modes. In practice, this means you can adapt the microphone to the situation. If you're recording alone, cardioid mode makes the most sense. If you want to capture more people or more sound from the room, omnidirectional mode has its purpose.
Of course, the biggest question is not how it looks but how it sounds. After several tests for Discord, video recording, and everyday use, the Ektara mic proved to be quite capable for what it is intended for. You won’t get professional studio sound, but you will get a sufficiently clear and pleasant recording for gaming, streaming, and content creation. The sound is a bit thin and lacks bass, but you can improve such things in post-processing.
During testing, I also tried how well it picks up the keyboard and background sounds. As with most USB microphones in this price range, the position of the microphone and settings play a significant role, but the results pleasantly surprised me. I was literally banging on the keyboard, which was not registered in any mode. The built-in noise reduction clearly did a great deal of the work.
So, who is the Ektara intended for?
If you already have a serious audio setup and are looking for a professional tool, you will probably be looking at more expensive options, but if you are looking for your first microphone for Discord, streaming, or a YouTube channel, the Ektara offers a very decent package for relatively little money.
The microphone sample for testing purposes was provided by White Shark
