Cherry XTRFY Ngale R Microphone: Sounds as good as it looks

The Cherry XTRFY Ngale R and its big brother, the Cherry Ngale X ($149), are the German video game maker’s first foray into the world of microphones. With its retro-inspired RBG exterior, the Ngale R is the coolest and youngest member of the family. The Ngale R’s lower price tag comes with lighter specs, and the most notable difference from the X is the lack of XLR connectivity and lower audio sensitivity.

But that doesn’t mean the Ngale R is a poor mic: it just has a different purpose. While the Ngale X would be suitable for a professional streamer, podcaster, or content creator, the Ngale R is a great entry-level mic for someone who wants to improve the quality of their content without spending more than $100. But is it one of our best micsOr should you shell out more for the Ngale X?

I particularly liked the Ngale R’s retro RGB aesthetic, ease of use, and on-mic controls like a low-cut filter to minimize ambient noise. But is it worth $96? Find out in my Cherry XTRFY Ngale R microphone review.

Cherry XTRFY Ngale R Review: Cheat Sheet

What is this? A retro-inspired streaming mic with impressive RGB detail
How much does it cost? $96 on Amazon United States and $99 on Amazon UK
Who is it for? Beginner streamers who only need a microphone with USB connection
What do we like? The aesthetics are perfect, the setup is foolproof and it has two recording modes
What don’t we like? Since it comes without earmuffs, the mic picks up a lot of mouth noises

Cherry XTRFY Ngale R Review: Technical Specifications

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Price	$96 / $99
Connectivity	USB-C to USB-A
Audio sensitivity	4.7 mV/PA
Polar diagram	Unidirectional (cardioid)
Weight	1 book
Dimensions	3.4 x 7.6 x 3.9 inches
Sampling rate	96 kHz
Colors	Black (RGB panel)
Compatibility	macOS, Linux, Windows

Cherry XTRFY Ngale R Review: Price and Availability

A small retro-inspired microphone with a large RGB sound capsule is photographed against a blue background

(Image credit: Future)

The Cherry XTRFY Ngale R is $96 on Amazon US And £99 on Amazon UKwhich makes it $50 cheaper than the Ngale X ($149) and $30 cheaper than our best overall microphone, the iconic Blue Yeti ($130). That’s about the same price as the JLab Discussion ($99), but the Ngale R has a neat touch panel on top of its head for instant muting and unmuting.

Cherry XTRFY Ngale R Review: Design and Controls

The gain dial of a small, retro-inspired microphone with a large RGB sound capsule is photographed against a blue background

(Image credit: Future)

This is where the Ngale X really shines. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a mic this cool. The mic features a large RGB panel in the center that has a color-changing control next to the USB-C port. The colors are crisp and vibrant, and look so stylish through the retro-inspired mesh enclosure. It looks like something you’d see Debbie Harry singing on a vintage TV show. And now you can bring that vibe effortlessly into your bedroom, your office, anywhere you record.

A small retro-inspired microphone with a large RGB sound capsule is photographed against a blue background

(Image credit: Future)

And it’s not just a pretty face. The Ngale R feels well made, with a sturdy base and adjustable screws on either side of the mic’s face. There’s a gain control knob on one side, and a USB-C connection, headphone jack, and color-changing button on the other. Just above the mic is a raised logo, which doubles as a touchscreen for muting and unmuting, and a switch to toggle between full-range and low-cut mode.

Unfortunately, the sturdy base doesn’t have height adjustment, so you may need to rest the mic on a stand if you’re gaming, or hold it in your hand if you’re podcasting.

Cherry XTRFY Ngale R Review: Features and Connectivity

A small retro-inspired microphone with a large RGB sound capsule is photographed against a blue background

(Image credit: Future)

The Ngale R has something in common with the $279 model Shure MV7+. And it’s a touch panel for instant mute and unmute. As I mentioned earlier, right at the top of the microphone is a discreet raised mute icon—blink and you’ll miss it. You can tap it to mute your mic, and tap it again to unmute it. I love this feature, but I wish it was more clearly marked; I’d like to see a small RGB panel instead of a raised icon, so you can mute without having to search for the right spot.

A small retro-inspired microphone with a large RGB sound capsule is photographed against a blue background

(Image credit: Future)

This icon also switches between full-range and low-cut mode. You need to hold down the mic icon for three seconds, until the volume dots under the capsule flash green and blue. Green means full-range mode is active, and blue means the low-cut filter is active.

Where I was most disappointed with the Ngale R was its lack of earmuffs. I know similarly priced mics like the JLab Talk ($99) and the The Blue Yeti Nano ($99) also omits a sleeve, but it would have been nice of Cherry to have added one, especially considering the sleeve on the Ngale X ($149) is excellent. You’ll need to purchase your own sleeve or pop filter if you’re prone to pops and hisses, which will add to your overall outlay.

A small retro-inspired microphone with a large RGB sound capsule is photographed against a blue background

(Image credit: Future)

There’s no companion app for the Ngale R, which means you’ll have to do things like add reverb and vocal tones in your editing software like Audacity Or Adobe Audition. Which, given the Ngale R’s lack of mute, shouldn’t be a problem if you’re editing out your plosive pops and fricative sibilances anyway.

In terms of connectivity, it’s as simple as that: plug the USB-C cable into the mic and plug it into your computer, just like with any best usb microphones. Load up your recording software (I used Audacity) and you’re ready to go. It’s that simple. The lack of an XLR cable means you may lose some audio quality when recording, but unless you’re a professional, this difference will usually be imperceptible.

Cherry XTRFY Ngale R Review: Audio Quality

A small retro-inspired microphone with a large RGB sound capsule is photographed against a blue background

(Image credit: Future)

I recorded a condensed version of the verdict below using the Ngale R’s full range mode. Listen to hear the warmth and depth of my voice in this mode.

I think the Ngale R’s wideband mode is phenomenal. The mic’s sensitivity range isn’t as diverse as the Ngale X’s, but if you’re using this mic solely for podcasting or gaming, that won’t be an issue. I couldn’t identify any major differences between the Ngale R and the Ngale X during testing, beyond the X’s noise floor.

I also tested the Ngale R’s low-cut filter, which is aimed at gamers who want to minimize keyboard clacks and mouse clicks in their videos. It does, however, make the vocals lose some depth. You can hear my vocal recording with the low-cut filter enabled below.

Now, if I were using this mic for content, I would probably only use the full-range mode. The low-cut filter sounds a little tinny in places and loses the edge you get with the full-range mode. That’s not to say the low-cut filter sounds bad, but the full-range mode just sounds supreme. You can hear a longer recording of me in full-range mode below.

I recorded these songs early in the morning, so I think the wideband mode does a great job of making me sound awake and professional. The proof is in the pudding, or the proof is in the MP3 in this case.

Cherry XTRFY Ngale R review: verdict

A small retro-inspired microphone with a large RGB sound capsule is photographed against a blue background

(Image credit: Future)

The Cherry Ngale R microphone is excellent at what it does. The full-range mode is fantastic for translating the natural warmth of a human voice and would sound great on gaming videos, podcasts, or voiceovers for social videos. While the low-cut filter makes some sacrifices to minimize ambient noise, the full-range mode sounds so good that the Ngale R is forgiven.

It is worth considering the lack of a pop cover, which means that the microphone tends to pick up plosive and fricative sounds and you may have to get used to removing them after recording. However, you can buy pop filters and pop covers separately, which should not be a hindrance in any case.

The Ngale R is a fantastic mic for beginner or amateur content creators looking to add some pizzazz to their videos, but don’t want to commit to paying over $200 for a Shure MV7+. For under $100, it’s a real game changer.