Page 2 - Physical Look - Hardware
The AVerMedia VERSATI go AM310G2 comes in three parts to make a free-standing USB condenser microphone. The top head is a black cylindrical metal shell. It is aluminum and does not have any easily flexible parts, which is a good thing in this regard. The sides have AVerMedia's logos and branding on it, but the rest of the body is clean. The body is quite compact and, compared to its competition, is on the smaller side. In terms of dimensions, the AVerMedia VERSATI go AM310G2 has a diameter of 57mm and a length of 117mm. Without the base or the swiveling tripod mount, it weighs 291.9g. Putting everything together, this item weighs 500.4g, which is hefty enough to stand on its own and not topple over. With the tripod attached, you can adjust the height based on how wide you spread the three legs or swivel the top.
Taking a closer look at the user-facing side, you can see the grille pattern where users should speak into. This circular hole pattern is meant to allow sounds like your voice to easily pass through while still maintaining its structure. The front mesh-like grille protrudes slightly out and does not easily flex under pressure. Behind this metal grille, there is a fabric membrane to protect the internal capsule from wind noises. Internally, the AVerMedia VERSATI go AM310G2 contains a condenser capsule with a cardioid pickup pattern. This records 24-bit audio at a 96kHz sample rate with the USB output, which is pretty good and comparable to other microphones like the Neat Bumblebee II. We do not know the size of the capsule inside, but the VERSATI go AM310G2 features a -38dB sensitivity and frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz. We also have a maximum sound pressure level of 110dB. In addition to the capsule, we also have a trio of red LED indicators.
The bottom of the AVerMedia VERSATI go AM310G2 capsule is where the inputs and outputs reside. First, there is a volume wheel with a defined minimum and maximum rotation. It is independent of the system. The wheel solely controls the output of the 3.5mm audio output on the other side. This headphone jack acts as an audio out on your computer. I did not notice any background buzzing when using this connection. In the middle, we have a large and clicky mute button with an LED indicator light above it. When mute is not active, the light will glow green, while the lights behind the front capsule glow red. However, when you mute the VERSATI go AM310G2, the back indicator light glows red and the lights at the front turn off. I do appreciate how easy it is to tell when the microphone mute is active or not. Otherwise, according to AVerMedia, this is compatible with Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS mobile devices over USB Type-C.
To mount the AVerMedia VERSATI go AM310G2 to its included tripod, you first need to attach the top capsule to a rotating swivel mount. The cylinder has a 3/8" mounting hole in the body. You can rotate the attached microphone and tilt it back on the ball head. You can use the side screw with a plastic handle to tighten or loosen the socket. The bottom has a 5/8" opening that attaches directly to the tripod. Moving down, the tripod opens to a very wide base. This ensures stability on the VERSATI go AM310G2. At the bottom, each leg has a rubber tip to keep the whole base in place and prevent any unintentional movement. It also folds up nicely into a compact tube, making it easy to store when it is not in use. If you want to use the AVerMedia VERSATI go AM310G2 with a different mounting arm, there is also an adapter for a 5/8" to 1/4" size. It is great to see support for all these sizes.
Just to note, I did try to use the AVerMedia Streaming Center utility, but I found any adjustment I made did not actually change the capabilities of the VERSATI go AM310G2. While the software would install and run, the settings I would apply to the VERSATI go AM310G2 did not apply outside of their application. As such, I ended up not using the software.
Moving to the mounting arm, the AVerMedia FLEXI go BA311L is all folded up to show this can be a compact unit. The mounting arm is four distinct parts with swivel mounts in between all of them. It is black with primarily aluminum parts. Again, there is some branding on the tube structure with the AVerMedia logos. The whole thing feels quite sturdy while providing a broad range of motion. In terms of dimensions, it depends on how you extend the arms, but AVerMedia provides numbers of 680mm in length, 85mm in diameter, and 60mm in height. In terms of weight, the whole unit weighs 964.9g. In addition, AVerMedia states the maximum weight capacity is 1.5kg, which is useful for not only microphones, but other potential streaming items such as lighting or a camera. You could also mount mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets, but you will need to acquire your own holder to install on the 1/4" threaded screw.
Starting from the top, we have a 1/4" threaded mounting head that sits on a ball mount. The VERSATI go AM310G2 does come with its own 1/4" to 5/8" adapter, but the FLEXI go BA311L also includes one, which is reasonable given these are separate products. Otherwise, you can loosen the head mount with a plastic knob. Next, we have a straight metal tube that measures approximately 270mm. This attaches to a swiveling head that rotates beside the lower arm. It is an interesting mechanism, but it provides 360-degrees of motion in one plane. Once again, another plastic handle holds this in place. One neat aspect is that you can pull the handle out and rotate it without changing the tightness, so that you can reposition the knob and twist it again easier. The next arm down the chain measures another 270mm with the ball socket. Finally, there is a bottom C-clamp with a ball socket here and you can adjust movement with a similarly repositionable handle.
The steel C-clamp holding the AVerMedia FLEXI go BA311L to your table secures with a single twisting clamp underneath. The opening allows you to hold onto surfaces that are up to 55mm thick, which should be sufficient for most desks. The bottom part of the clamp has a rigid plastic bottom, while the top has a foam top. This does a decent job of keeping everything in place without scratching or leaving marks on the surface it is secured to.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware
3. Recording Performance Tests
4. Conclusion
