Closer Examination

In line with its price, the Fifine AmpliGame AM8 has an all-plastic body, which is affixed to a very stable metal table stand. The microphone can be swiveled to any desired angle. Which side of the microphone is the front one? Fifine doesn't specify, letting you decide whatever works better for you instead.


This is made possible by the fact that the AM8 is a top-address microphone, meaning that the capsule is facing "upward," and you're supposed to talk into the top part of the microphone rather than either of its sides. Removing the supplied pop filter reveals a metal mesh, covering the capsule. The pop filter should be kept on at all times though, as it's important both for the aesthetics and performance of the AM8.



One side of the microphone has a touch-sensitive microphone mute button. The microphone mutes as soon as you touch the distinctive green or red LED, informing you about the microphone's status (green – open, red – muted). I approached this feature with a fair amount of skepticism but ended up liking it a lot; the button is very quick to respond, and it does so reliably. Just as importantly, there are no annoying popping noises when muting or unmuting the microphone.


The other side has two knobs, with the upper one controlling the microphone capsule gain (volume of the microphone, in simpler terms), and the bottom one adjusting the volume of the headphones connected to the microphone's bottom 3.5 mm audio output. Both these knobs only work in USB mode. If you're connecting the microphone to an audio interface via XLR, the knobs won't do anything. The knobs themselves are marked with microphone and headphone icons, but they're all but impossible to see. You can make them out under direct light, but you're best off simply remembering which is which.


Above the aforementioned knobs is another touch-sensitive button. This one controls the colors of the LED strip, located at the bottom of the microphone's body. The button basically cycles between static colors (red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple, and white) and two dynamic effects (flowing and breathing). Holding the touch-sensitive button turns RGB effects on and off. The microphone remembers the last color or effect that you used, so if you want to have the RGB lighting system active during streaming but off while the microphone is just sitting on the table, that's certainly possible. This too is a USB-specific feature that doesn't work when the microphone is connected via XLR.


All three connectors are found on the bottom of the Fifine AM8. The largest one is of course the XLR output, followed by the USB-C port and the 3.5 mm headphone output. Most users will opt for a USB connection because it's the simplest, requires no extra gear, and keeps the microphone's controls fully operational. XLR is a nice option for more ambitious setups, although it's safe to assume not many will opt for a $50 microphone after unloading a handsome sum for an audio interface and a boom arm.


The microphone is attached to a round table stand. It's made of metal and has a thin layer of rubber on its bottom, protecting your table surface from scratches. The base can be easily unscrewed, and that's exactly what you have to do should you want to mount the Fifine AM8 to a boom arm. The supplied mount has both 3/8" and 5/8" threads, ensuring compatibility with just about any boom arm on the market.