Hercules Stream 200 XLR review: Expensive & unimpressive
Hercules Stream 200 XLR is the company’s first real foray into dedicated streaming hardware. However, after some time with it, it stacks up weirdly compared to the competition.
Streaming, if you’ve been under a rock, is major. Content creation is everywhere, and those looking to get into the space should consider a dedicated audio interface.
Better control over your audio is key to separating yourself from the low-quality streams that pollute the space.
It’s a sleek device, but having used a vast variety of complex to simpler gaming-focused audio devices, Hercules might have missed the mark. It’s expensive and feels underbaked in areas.
Key Specs
- Dimensions: 155 x 110 x 115 mm / 4.6 x 4.3 x 3.7 inches
- Screen: LCD, 4.3-inches
- Connectivity: USB-C (to PC), XLR (48V), Optical, Line Out, Line In
- Controls: 4 encoders, 4 action buttons, screen on/off button, panic button, page change button, link button: Creator/Audience button
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Compact on the desk | Software feels underbaked |
| Lots of options | Weird way of handling audio on Windows |
| Not as fully featured as other, cheaper options | |
| No macOS support |
Design
The Hercules Stream 200 XLR is a fantastic-looking device. I love the flat-faced look, with the slight slope for comfortable control. It’s a great option for those concerned with desk space, offering a compact sound mixer.
I don’t like that there’s no tactile feedback on the knobs. When you need to quickly change something on the fly, that lack of physicality can mean deafening an audience or muting a key moment.
The buttons on the front feel mushy too. They’re reactive, but something a little more solid just brings that premium feel. With the Stream 200 XLR priced at $279.99, I just expect a little more from the small things.
It does keep everything tidy though, with all the inputs and outputs positioned at the back. This is perfect for me, who drapes all his cables at the back of the desk.
However, some interfaces opt to have it at the front, like the Scarlett 2i2, but this is mainly because they’re aimed at musicians. Here, the XLR at the back is in the optimum space for streaming video games, removing the clutter from an already cluttered space.
Features
While not a major issue, the first thing I noticed on the Hercules Stream 200 is that there’s no 6.35mm jack. This meant that my high-end headphones couldn’t connect without an adapter. It’s a strange omission because the device includes an XLR pre-mic amp and plenty of other ports I didn’t expect to see.
It’s cool that Hercules included an optical fiber connector. It’s just weird when I can’t get both headphone ports. It’s an odd decision, and I wonder if anyone actually looked into what streamers want from one of these devices.
Software
Nothing shines a light on the knowledge gap more than the software. It’s a cumbersome way to do things and reminded me of when I ran an analog mixer on my PC. It has you, the user, remap Windows audio devices to the different inputs the device can take.
RODE does something similar with its Unify software, but it masks the ugly work to make it functional underneath its interface. Here, Hercules surfaces all of it in software that feels way too early to be the home of this new venture.
Sometimes the software doesn’t look like it’s activated a sound source. However, the device itself will be playing audio just fine. I like the customization on offer, but it’s very much just choosing colors and icons.
Being able to force it to show the audio levels in colors that are easily recognizable – green and red – and move what’s important is great, but a little basic.
However, once everything is set up, the device is legitimately filled with kernels of good ideas and good execution. The easy switch from what the audience hears to your side. I love this, as it makes fixing things on the fly so much easier.
It also can control OBS, everyone’s go-to streaming software. These options aren’t as in-depth as what Elgato offers, but I don’t think it matters for the most part. The Hercules would sit alongside macro pads and other stream control hardware.
Those looking for a true all-in-one solution might need to head elsewhere. Even RODE doesn’t offer this kind of thing, which is something I still have to use Mountain’s macro pads for.
The sound out of the microphone is just fine. It’s crystal clear, but there’s nothing exceptional about what it can do. It’ll ultimately depend on the microphone you have, but you can also use the line-in connection if you don’t have an XLR microphone.
However, I can’t recommend this at all if you’ve no XLR hardware on hand.
Should you add the Hercules Stream 200 XLR to your setup?
If you’re after a compact solution, the Hercules is excellent. If you’re looking for a feature-rich piece of hardware? Then no, the Stream 200 XLR pales in comparison to other options. Depending on what you want to do, I’d still say to look into the RODE Streamer X.
If you’re a solo streamer, it offers multiple ways to listen and record and packs a decent capture card inside too.
The Hercules 200 XLR is robust, but the way that it handles audio feels a step behind the competition.
Verdict – 3/5
It’s Hercules’ first real attempt at this type of hardware. For a company best known for its DJ gear, it’s an admirable attempt. It’s not perfect and it’s definitely messy. However, the compact size and I/O on offer never let me down in test streams.
The space is packed with options, much better options at that. Even cheaper options often offer a similar experience – such as manhandling Windows’ audio routing – without the eye-popping price.