BallaTW is an established broadcaster, who got his start by grinding his way up the casting and analyst rungs shortly after Fortnite released. He is also known as a skilled fps player in his own right. Below, we have composed a brief overview of the peripherals that have been included in BallaTW’s gaming setup so as to enhance both his production quality and gameplay.
WHAT MOUSE DOES BALLATW USE?
BallaTW uses a Logitech G Pro X Superlight mouse. The Logitech G PRO X Superlight is the newest addition to the Logitech G Pro product range. It is slowly gaining popularity among content creators, with some owners including Albralelie, xChocobars and LeTsHe, among others. Its name is based on its main selling point, namely it’s ultra-light weight of just 63g (2.2oz.) It has a wireless design with a Hero 25K optical sensor that provides a range of 100 – 25,400 DPI. The mouse has the capacity to store up to five DPI profiles. These can be set increments of 50 through the software. There are also toggleable poling rate options of 125Hz, 250Hz, 500Hz and 1000Hz. It has a maximum acceleration of 40G and a maximum tracking speed of 400 IPS.
In order to reach its low weight, it is made from plastic and there are no lighting options. It has five programmable buttons, comprising of the clickers, scroll wheel and two side buttons located on the right thumb side. Although it does not have a dedicated dpi button, the side buttons can be assigned this function. It is possible to store up to 5 macro profiles onboard.
It is also fitted with 100% PTFE feet to increase tracking speed and decrease carbon emissions. It is compatible with Windows 8 or later and macOS 10.11 or later, but not console devices. Although it has an ambidextrous shape, its button placement makes it more suitable for right-handed users.
WHAT KEYBOARD DOES BALLATW USE?
BallaTW uses a Corsair K65 keyboard. Ballawtw didn’t specify which iteration of this keyboard he uses, so we are going to assume that it is the RGB LUX version. It is an 87-key, wired mechanical gaming keyboard that features Cherry Mx Red switches that are soldered to an anodized brushed aluminum frame and topped with removable large-font, plastic keycaps. The switches provide linear feedback and actuate at a force of 45G with an actuation point of 2mm and a total travel distance of 4mm. There are also polling rate options of 1,000 (1ms), 500Hz (2ms), 250Hz (4ms) and 125Hz (8ms.) They also boast 100% anti-ghosting and full N-key rollover.
It is designed with gamers in mind, which is why it comes with an extra set of MOBA keycaps and has per-key RGB backlighting that can be set through its iCUE software. It also comes with a detachable wrist-rest. You can save up to one macro profile onboard the device itself, with more on the software. It measures 3.81 x 15.24 x 35.56cm (1.5 x 6.5 x 14″).
WHAT HEADSET DOES BALLATW USE?
BallaTW uses Sennheiser HD555 headphones. BallTW’s gaming setup includes one of Sennheiser’s older headphone models. The HD555 is a dynamic, stereo device with an open-backed, wired design. Their neodymium drivers provide a frequency response range of 15-28,000Hz at a nominal impedance of 120Ω and a maximum SPL of 103dB. It is mainly constructed of a light plastic that puts its weight at 258g (9.1oz.)
Although the earcups do not rotate, their velour-covered padding is soft enough to provide comfort even to eyeglass-wearers. It is compatible with a variety of devices thanks to its 6.3 mm stereo jack with 3.5 mm adapter.
WHAT MICROPHONE DOES BALLATW USE?
BallaTW uses a Shure SM7B microphone. BalaTW’s gaming setup includes one of the most popular microphones among Twitch broadcasters, with other users being Diegosaurs, Mendo and Muselk. This is unsurprising given that the major draw of is stream evolves around vocal communication. It is a dynamic microphone that inputs at an end-address. It has a frequency response range of 50-20,000Hz that operates at a nominal impedance of 150Ω, an SNR of 33dB (1kHz@1Pa), and sensitivity of -59 dBV/Pa.
Its cardioid polar pattern helps to reduce interference from unwanted background noises, while its internal pop-filter stifles plosive sounds, and its internal shock mount reduces interference from desk bumps and similar force sounds. There is also a presence boost button and high press-filter switch located on its base to further improve the audio quality by boosting mid-range frequencies and to suppress unwanted low frequencies. It is powered with an XLR cable, which means that it also requires a suitable audio-interface device. However, the Shure SM7B does not use phantom power, so that will not be a necessary feature in the audio interface.
WHAT WEBCAM DOES BALLATW USE?
BallaTW uses a Sony A5100 camera. The Sony a5100 is a compact mirrorless camera that is integrated with a 24mp Exmor CMOS sensor that can shoot in Full HD 1080/24/60P video3 up to 50MB/s at 6fps. It offers an ISO range of 100-25,000 that can be expanded with a Sony E-mount compatible lens. It also as 179 autofocus point which helps to reduce blurring during high-speed recordings. This is further improved by its shutter speed of 1/4 000 second to 1/4 second (1/3 EV step.)
It is good for casual use and as an entry-level hobby camera for still images. It has a 3″ LCD screen that can tilt 180°, thereby making it useful for selfie and vlogging purposes. There are many other useful features besides. While these may be useful for an established streamer who is largely focused on podcasts and VOD analyses, it is probably beyond the needs of a basic gaming streamer who is just starting out. This is especially true considering that there are even top-tier streamers such as KingRichard who still opt for a basic plug-and-play (and much cheaper) webcam.
WHAT MIXER DOES BALLATW USE?
BallaTW uses a Focusrite Scarlett Solo (2nd Gen) audio interface with a Cloudlifter CL-1 mic activator. This device is for solo recording purposes and is capable of inputting a single microphone that utilizes either an XLR connector or 6.3mm (¼”) jack connector. Its first channel has an XLR slot that can provide phantom power of 48V, and also features a gain control nob. This nob will glow green when it is properly connected and red if there not.
Next to that is second channel’s section. This can input a 6.3mm (¼”) jack for a microphone or an instrument. Its input setting can be toggled between with the instrument/line switch. It also has its own dedicated gain control knob. The third and final section has a 6.3mm (¼”) output slot for headphones, as well as a large volume control knob and on/off switch. On its back is a USB connector as and two RCA output ports. It is compatible with Mac OS X 10.10 and higher, as well as Windows 7 and higher.
The Cloudlifter is a small preamp activator for XLR microphones. It is able to provide the microphone with a boost of up to +25db of ultra-clean gain, while simultaneously optimizing the microphone’s transformer.