We are here looking at the Cherry Xtrfy NGALE X, an XLR/USB hybrid dynamic microphone that is ready for creators of all kinds. Last year, we were surprised by Cherry with the release of their first microphone, the Cherry UM 9.0 Pro RGB Microphone. Moreover, we were surprised that the first mic from a company not known for these types of peripherals was the quality that it was. Now, under the Cherry Xtrfy brand, they have released two new microphones that are very different from each other and satisfy different sets of needs.
In the box, you get the Cherry Xtrfy NGALE X with foam windscreen, mic stand, braided cable and quick start guide. The build quality of the NGALE X is solid, with a nice metal casing and a metal cage around the capsule, plus a somewhat inconspicuous RGB ring that doesn’t stand out when it is not lit up in XLR mode but looks great when lit up in USB mode.
The foam windscreen doesn’t stay on the microphone as securely as I would like, having observed it fall off of the mic several times as I moved it around. On the back of the NGALE X, you have a knob that, when in USB Mode only, mutes the mic, controls headphone volume and your RGB, along with a USB port and 3.5mm headphone jack for zero-latency monitoring.
Also on the back of the Cherry Xtrfy NGALE X is a low-cut switch that reduces those low-frequency hums on board the microphone. When connected via the USB cable, with your headphones plugged in, that switch, which sits between the knob and those plugged-in cables, is virtually unreachable. This may not typically be an issue as you would likely set it once and never switch back, but if you need the low cut occasionally because the AC kicks in or something along those lines, you will likely need to unplug your headphones just to get to it, a less than ideal solution.
“I will say that the Cherry Xtrfy NGALE X did a better job on the design side than some other hybrid microphones…”
When in XLR mode, you connect the Cherry Xtrfy NGALE X via the XLR connection at the end of the mount, à la the Shure SM7B, which is a much more slick way of connecting to a mic with cable management in mind. All controls on the mic are now superfluous as they do not work without being powered by USB, so any controls and monitoring would be done from your Audio Interface (I tested with the BEACN Studio for this review).
I will say that the Cherry Xtrfy NGALE X did a better job on the design side than some other hybrid microphones in hiding that certain features were going unused for any viewers you may have. Putting the RGB ring at the end of the mic, rather than the centre, which stands out so much more that it isn’t on.
Audio quality was an interesting thing to test on the Cherry Xtrfy NGALE X as it is one of the few that had significant differences between USB and XLR modes, mainly because of the lack of any kind of on-board pre-amp and ability to boost the gain on the mic itself. I found that while in USB mode, you had to max out the gain on the microphone, allowing more ambient noise in, essentially negating one of the main purposes of a dynamic microphone.
The use of an audio interface in XLR mode allowed for more wiggle room with the game, thanks to the pre-amp in the interface. Much less ambient noise was heard and it was an overall cleaner sound. In either mode, you get a fairly typical vocal profile with a little more bass and that warm, podcasty voice.
At $189.99 USD on their website (and $130.99 USD on their Amazon Store), the Cherry Xtrfy NGALE X is definitely not the most expensive dynamic microphone on the market, but I would argue that there are some brands out there that make better versions of this mic that are even more affordable, some coming in under $100 while still being USB/XLR hybrids.
Ultimately, I would have recommended that this microphone not include USB connectivity at all and just remain focused on being a solid XLR microphone, despite the current meta in the microphone market of offering hybrid mics, seeing as they released a USB microphone at the same time. The Cherry Xtrfy NGALE X is a decent microphone but has flaws that could have been eliminated by eliminating one of the connectivity options on the microphone.
- Studio-quality sound recordings: The microphone offers both professional and aspiring creators outstanding sound quality. With XLR and USB outputs, it’s ready for your mixing console
- Versatile use: Enjoy warm, rich voice recordings across the entire frequency range of the microphone for voiceovers, podcasts and other recordings
