A highly popular streamer and former professional player at Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Michael Grzesiek, better known by the name Shroud, is also famous for his gaming setup and equipment. His PC settings and peripherals are believed to be better than most other pro gamers of the time.
Shroud is a Canadian who earned a reputation for himself through streaming on Twitch. He plays a wide variety of games on his streams but prefers first-person shooters and battle royale games over others. Some of his most played games include Escape From Tarkov, Apex Legends, PUBG, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and CS:GO.
Shroud began his career in Counter Strike: Global Offensive with several teams and was signed by Cloud9 in 2014. He helped the team finish first at ESL Pro League in 2016 and at second place in ESL One Cologne 2017. It was in 2018 that Shroud left Cloud9 and retired from pro CS:GO.
After this, he turned to full-time streaming on Twitch, moved to Mixer for a short time, before returning to Twitch again. As of December 2020, Shroud’s Twitch channel has crossed more than 8.7 million subscribers while the YouTube channel has over 6.6 million subscribers.
A lot of gaming enthusiasts are interested in learning about Shroud’s streaming gear and setup. In this post, we talk in detail about his microphone. We also discuss more about other peripherals and settings the streamer uses. These details should give you the inspiration you need to level up your game.
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Shroud Stream Setup – A Complete Guide
Shroud is one of the top streamers on Twitch so everybody knows that he uses some of the best specifications. He owns a high-quality streaming setup that would make any gaming fan jealous.
Just like his gaming choices over the years, Shroud has kept updating his equipment to meet the needs of the time. Let us try to learn more about his hardware and gear that has helped him earn millions of subscribers.
Processor
For optimum gaming performance, Shroud uses one of the best processors in the market – the Intel 9th generation core CPU that comes with 18 cores and up to 4.4GHz of clock speed.
The Intel Core i9-9980XE delivers plenty of power for the CPU, quite important for a seamless experience on intensive games Shroud covers in his streams.
He uses the processor to its full power with multi-tasking as he plays music, streams and explores a lot while playing resource-demanding games.
Monitor
Competitive games demand great precision and a millisecond can make a lot of difference. A monitor with a higher refresh rate would refresh the screen more frequently and allow faster reaction where necessary. As a highly competing streamer on Twitch, Shroud uses some of the highest performing gaming gear. 240Hz monitors are the perfect options for serious gamers like him.
More Detailst at Amazon – BenQ ZOWIE XL2540 24.5 Inch 240Hz Gaming Monitor
Shroud uses the BenQ ZOWIE XL2540 gaming monitor that offers a lightning-fast 240Hz refresh rate performance to deliver a flawless gaming experience. The 1-ms response time of this device eliminates any lag and lets the streamer use his reaction speeds without any limitation. Staying true to his CSGO roots, Shroud prefers the smaller 24.5-inch screen to larger monitors as they may make it harder to focus on the whole screen at the same time. The resolution of 1920×1080 gives him a nice field of view. BenQ XL2540 also has two side shields that help the gamer block external distractions or sunlight hitting the screen.
Graphics Card
When you have so much to do, the best bet is to have the most powerful graphics card that gives the highest settings possible. Shroud uses the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 TI graphics card to make sure he gets the highest FPS throughout his gameplays. With more than 40 FPS and the monitor’s refresh rate, Shroud can respond faster.
More Details at Amazon – NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition
Motherboard
If you are trying to achieve a gaming setup like Shroud, the motherboard is something you should not ignore. Currently, the streamer uses the ROG Maximus X Formula from ASUS for his setup. Pairing this motherboard with the latest processor gives you all the power you want at your gaming fingertips.
Mixer
Most streamers don’t consider a mixer as a part of their streaming setup though a piece of decent equipment helps manage the audio levels easily while allowing you to control multiple inputs at once. Some mixers even help improve the sound quality with in-built elements. Shroud adds to his setup the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 mixer that enhances his stream quality further.
More Details at Amazon – Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Gen)
This mixer offers two high-performance mic preamps with switchable Air mode for a more open and brighter recording sound. You also get two instrument inputs to plug in and play your bass or guitar while recording. The conversion and sample rates of this device are 192 kHz and 24-bit respectively.
Keyboard
Mechanical keyboards are a hit among serious gamers for the low response time that helps react faster, keeping them on the top of the game. Shroud uses the Logitech G Pro X mechanical keyboard designed to the specifications of esports enthusiasts for a blend of precision, speed, and performance.
More Detailst at Amazon – logitech Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
The Logitech gaming keyboard features a tenkeyless, portable design that lets the gamer use more of the desk space for mouse movements. It comes with durable Romer G switches that deliver a much faster actuation as compared to standard switches so that every keypress is instantaneous. It also has a detachable micro-USB for easy connection and convenient transport.
The Logitech keyboard also features three-step angle adjustment as well as rubber feet to provide sufficient stability during intensive gaming sessions. With unbeatable durability, it is probably the best keyboard Shroud could add to his streaming setup.
Headset
Shroud values this part of his setup as he likes to have the latest in technology for headsets. He uses the Logitech G Pro X that boasts an esports-grade Blue VOICE microphone, pro gaming communication, and impressive noise cancellation capabilities. He was using the HyperX Cloud Flight wireless headphones before this.
More Detailst at Amazon – Logitech G PRO X Wireless Lightspeed Gaming Headset with Blue VO!CE
The gaming headset comes with a USB sound card to facilitate competition-level audio quality. It has memory foam pads that sit comfortably on the ears for long hours without any discomfort. Logitech lets you customize the experience with pre-set EQ profiles from the software or create your own. The 7.1 surround sound system delivers amazing clarity for audio to enjoy greater awareness during the gameplay.
Unlike other models, this headset features a lightweight and durable aluminum construction for a decent look and convenience. Shroud does not use the headset mic but prefers a higher-quality, external microphone for narration.
Webcam
Shroud has switched from the popular Logitech Webcam C920 to Sony Alpha A6000 for a high-definition look at his face during the streams. Using this powerful camera as his webcam boosts the stream’s overall quality. The Sony A6000 is half the size and weight of a regular DSLR, making it an ideal tool for streamers as a webcam.
One of the best features of this 24.3MP camera is the low-light sensitivity that lets the streamer capture a high-quality image with lower light as compared to other devices. Availability of WiFi allows controlling the video capture for high-quality footage for viewers. With a converter, you can record from an HDMI input and capture, record, or upload from the camera to any place.
Shroud Microphone – What Mic Does Shroud Use?
Shroud has a soothing, deep voice that requires a microphone capable of accentuating each small detail when talking to the stream. For this reason, he has chosen one of the most popular mics on the market, the Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic as a part of his streaming setup. Though most gaming headsets today include a high-quality microphone that makes it unnecessary to own an external mic, one cannot neglect the difference a studio-grade microphone makes to sound when it comes to streaming.
Shure SM7B is one of the best options for a streaming mic and helps achieve the best possible sound quality for sound live recording and broadcasting. It features a flat, wide-range frequency response to deliver natural, clean music reproduction. It uses an internal air suspension shock isolation component to prevent the transmission of mechanical noise, thereby allowing listeners to experience Shroud’s crisp voice.
More Details at Amazon – Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone
The Shure microphone has a high-end noise attenuation technology that preserves the natural beauty of the sound while keeping away any noise that could affect its quality. An effective pop filter eliminates the need for any additional protection against breath sounds, facilitating uninterrupted close-up narration.
The SM7B microphone comes with a detachable windscreen to reduce distortion from popping sounds, giving a warmer tone when talking close. It features a rugged, durable construction and cartridge protection for reliable performance. Yoke mounting with captive stand nut lets you mount and dismount easily for precise position control.
Microphone Mount
Shroud uses the RODE PSA1 Swivel studio microphone mount that facilitates a complete 360-degree rotation to avoid taking up any unnecessary space. With a smooth, durable spring mechanism, it is a breeze to adjust the angle of the microphone. The mount offers a slim, rugged structure that is strong enough to hold heavy mics as well.
More Details at Amazon – RODE PSA 1 Swivel Mount
This mount also comes with a boom arm to help ensure the right distance between the mic and the mouth to achieve the optimal quality of sound with a natural posture. This premium product is sure not to disappoint you when you add it to your setup like Shroud.
What Mousepad Does Shroud Use?
Like other pro gamers, Shroud uses a big mouse pad that offers sufficient area and excellent precision. Shroud’s gaming setup includes the Logitech G640 cloth mouse pad. It measures 15.75 x18.11 x 0.12 inches which is much similar to the XXL size mouse pads available in the market. As he prefers low DPI levels, such a mouse pad size gives more gliding space for the mouse.
The Logitech G640 cloth gaming mouse pad provides the right friction for low-DPI gaming and improves cursor precision and mouse control. With this pad, abrupt starting, stopping and direction changing are no longer a problem. It features a consistent texture that enhances sensor performance, particularly when used with gaming sensors.
This mousepad is preferable for its soft material that delivers improved comfort as you move the wrist back and forth. Moreover, it has a rubber base that keeps it firm when playing high-intensity games.
What Gaming Mouse Does Shroud Use?
Shroud has selected to add to his setup the Logitech G Pro, a high-rated wireless gaming mouse on the internet. Wireless mouse was not a preferred option among gamers a few years back because of their higher response speed and the risk of running out of battery. However, this device offers a response time at a level similar to a top-quality wired mouse.
During the professional gaming time, Shroud used another Logitech mouse, G303, which helped him played so well when with Cloud9. The G Pro features the company’s most precise sensor to date. It is a top pick among pro gamers and streamers because the sleek design fits most gaming setups nicely.
The Logitech G Pro wireless gaming mouse used by Shroud is specifically designed to work in professional gaming and e-sports setups. It is a pro-grade device that offers a quick response rate and a wireless report rate of 1millisecond. It has a lightweight design that makes it super easy to move during the game, resulting in less wrist strain. It is also built to be ergonomic and durable and features 50 million clicks. Moreover, it has an accuracy of up to 16,000 DPI which is much more efficient as compared to other wireless devices.
Conclusion
With all the gear and equipment picked thoughtfully, Shroud has an excellent streaming setup that any serious gamer would want to replicate. All the components of the setup are surprisingly affordable though high-quality and powerful. Shroud’s gaming history in CSGO and his Twitch streams has made him a celebrity with a huge following.
The PC build and gaming setup Shroud uses in his games and streams are an inspiration for serious gamers and pro players and worth giving a try.
