Why do Japanese streamers only introduce microphones made overseas?

──A story about wanting domestic audio manufacturers to really give it their all

As a streamer and video creator, there is something I always think about.

When I watch videos introducing audio equipment on YouTube, the names that come up are almost always overseas manufacturers.

For microphones, it's famous overseas brands. For plugins, it's overseas manufacturers. Even when talking about audio interfaces, compressors, or mixing, the names of overseas manufacturers are still the most common.

Of course, it's not that those manufacturers are bad.

They have history. They have a track record. They have legendary gear that has been used in studios all over the world. There is also the fact that the culture of music production and broadcasting has developed primarily in the West.

So, I can understand why overseas manufacturers are strong.

But even so, I still think.

I want Japanese audio manufacturers to step forward more.

Honestly, it's frustrating.

Japan has legitimate audio manufacturers.

There is Audio-Technica. There is Yamaha. There is Sony. There is TASCAM. There is Roland. There is ZOOM. There are also manufacturers like Fostex and TEAC.

Looking back at the past, there were also manufacturers like Sansui that made great amplifiers.

Japan has a history of creating sound. It has the technology. It has the trust earned from being used in professional settings.

And yet, when I watch equipment introduction videos on YouTube or recommendations for streamers, I sometimes feel that the presence of domestic manufacturers is weak.

This is a huge waste.

Moreover, I personally love Audio-Technica products.

A lot of the equipment I own is from Audio-Technica.

That is exactly why it makes me even more frustrated.

"Why don't they push this more to the front?" "Why don't they promote it more strongly to Japanese streamers?" "Why do only overseas manufacturers and Chinese gaming gear stand out so much?"

I sometimes think about that.

It's not that Japanese manufacturers aren't making good products.

In fact, there are good ones.

The problem, I think, is how they present them.

Japanese manufacturers tend to lean heavily toward explaining specs and quality.

High sound quality.
Low noise.
High durability.
Professional grade.
Reliability.
Frequency response.
Performance differences.
Numerical superiority.

Of course, that is important.

Since it is audio equipment, performance is important.
Numbers are also necessary.
For professionals to make judgments, explanations of specifications are indispensable.

But that is not all that streamers and YouTubers want to know.

What they want to know is,

How will my voice change if I use this microphone?
How much easier will it be to listen to compared to smartphone recording?
Can it be used in a six-tatami mat room?
Is it okay if there is room echo?
Will my voice come through clearly even if I record in a whisper in the middle of the night?
Will my voice get buried during game streaming?
Will it make my voice easier to hear in commentary videos or narration?
How should I set it up in OBS or editing software?

These are the kinds of things.

In other words, they want to know not just about performance, but "how my videos will improve."

This is where overseas manufacturers are clever.

Overseas manufacturers don't just sell products; they sell the image of what it's like to use them.

If you use this microphone, your voice will sound professional.
If you use this equipment, your streaming environment will be complete.
If you use this plug-in, you can get closer to the sound of a classic machine.
If you use this brand, you feel like you've leveled up as a creator.

They are good at creating that kind of worldview.

On the other hand, Japanese manufacturers are serious, for better or worse.

They explain performance.
They explain quality.
They explain specifications.
They accurately convey what can be done.

That in itself is not bad.

However, that alone is not enough for the current YouTube era.

People do not buy things based on specs alone.

They are convinced by specs, but they want things based on the image.

I think this is important.

For example, with a microphone,

just saying "It's a high-quality condenser microphone"

is not enough.

Instead,

saying things like "Your voice will stand out more than with smartphone recording," "Japanese narration will become easier to hear," "The 's' sounds won't be too piercing, making it less tiring to listen to for long periods," or "It's easier to adjust your voice for videos even in a normal room"

is more effective at reaching streamers.

This is not an exaggeration.

It is a translation of value.

I think what Japanese manufacturers lack is not technology, but this translation.

In particular, they could do much more to market their products to people who create Japanese content.

Japanese has its own way of being heard.

Vowels are clear. 'S', 'shi', 'chi', and 'tsu' sounds can sometimes be piercing. Low voices can easily sound muffled. If you speak quickly, the clarity can easily break down. In narration, the clarity of the words is important.

There are plenty of reviews and setting examples from English-speaking countries.

But there is still more to explore regarding acoustic environments used by Japanese video creators for Japanese viewers, using Japanese voices, in Japanese rooms.

I think this is an area where Japanese manufacturers should naturally be strong.

Microphones for Japanese narration. Audio sets for commentary videos. Domestic streaming sets for game commentary. Recording environments for VOICEVOX or Yukkuri video production. OBS setting examples. How to use them with PowerDirector or Cakewalk. Microphone positioning that avoids failure in a normal room. How to make even quiet recordings easy to hear. EQ settings that prevent 's' sounds from being piercing.

I want to see this level of detail in official content and sponsored videos.

Instead of just introducing products,
I want them to show how to get good sound with those products.

Not just saying, "This microphone is good,"

but saying, "Here is how to make your video's audio easier to listen to,"
and "This domestic equipment can help you achieve that."

I want them to go that far.

In this day and age, audio equipment is not just for professionals.

YouTubers.
Streamers.
Game commentators.
Podcasters.
Cover singers.
Narrators.
Explainer video creators.
Political video creators.
Educational video creators.
Short-form video creators.
VTubers.
Creators using AI voices.

The number of people using their voices is increasing tremendously.

In other words, the gateway to audio equipment is widening.

Yet, it is frustrating that overseas manufacturers and Chinese gaming gear are the only ones standing out at that gateway.

Of course, Chinese gaming gear is strong in terms of price and flashiness.

They light up.
They look flashy.
They look great in thumbnails.
They are inexpensive.
They are easy to sponsor.

These are strong points.

But Japanese manufacturers should have a different way to win.

Not flashiness, but clarity.
Not just low price, but the peace of mind that comes with long-term use.
Not just looks, but the practicality of refining the audio in a video.
Not a longing for overseas brands, but optimization for Japanese-language content.

I want them to push this aspect more to the forefront.

For example, for Audio-Technica, they could say:

"Make Japanese voices easier to hear."
"Avoid mistakes with your first streaming microphone."
"The impression of your video changes with your voice."
"Domestic microphones that are easy on the ears."

I think they could market it like this.

As for Yamaha,

“Intuitively adjust your stream audio with knobs.”
“Create your first stream audio with the AG series.”
“Handle voice, BGM, and sound effects in a single environment.”

This is the kind of presentation they can offer.

With TASCAM or ZOOM, on the other hand,

“Properly capture the sounds you record outdoors for your work.”
“Capture field sounds that a smartphone cannot pick up.”
“Recording tools for video creators.”

This is the direction they can compete in.

In other words, I think Japanese manufacturers should sell more
as a production environment rather than just as individual products.

“Please buy this microphone” is weak.

“With this microphone, you can refine the voice in your videos.”

That is a stronger way to put it.

“This equipment is high-performance” is weak.

“You can reduce the frustration of your voice getting buried in your stream.”

That is a more effective way to communicate it.

“This product is professional-grade” is weak.

“Even beginners can get closer to a clear, easy-to-hear voice.”

That is a way that reaches the user better.

Japanese manufacturers possess the technology.

However, what is needed now is not just showing off that technology.

It is showing how that technology changes things for the user.

This is not just a problem for audio manufacturers.

I believe it is a challenge for Japan as a whole.

Japan has the ability to make good products.

However, it is not good at communicating them in a way that makes people want them.

Presenting numbers.
Presenting performance.
Presenting track records.
Explaining quality.

That is necessary.

But that alone does not move people.

People are moved when they feel something is relevant to them.
when they feel it relates to them.

"I might need that."
"It relates to my problems."
"If I use this, my videos might get a little better."

Only when they think that do people first become interested.

That is why I want Japanese audio manufacturers to get closer to the problems of creators.

Streamers do not just want a good microphone.

They want to make their voices easier to hear.
They do not want viewers to leave.
They want to reduce noise.
They want to suppress room echo.
They want to make editing easier.
They want to give their voices more persuasiveness.
They want to improve the impression of their work.

I want them to be close to those needs.

It should be possible to broadcast to the world with domestic products.

Japan has anime.
It has games.
It has VTubers.
It has Vocaloid.
It has 'utaite' covers.
It has commentary videos.
It has a streaming culture.
There are people creating content in Japanese.

The equipment that supports those voices does not have to be only from overseas.

Of course, I do not want to deny overseas manufacturers.

Good things are good.

Neumann has its own merits.
UAD has its own merits.
The history and sound design of overseas manufacturers should be respected.

But apart from that,
I want Japanese manufacturers to come out to the forefront more as well.

The voices of people broadcasting in Japanese,
supported by Japanese manufacturers.

Japanese manufacturers should answer
the concerns of those recording in Japanese rooms.

Japanese creators should
broadcast to the world using domestic equipment.

I think there should be more of that trend.

As it stands now, there are good products that go unnoticed.

That is what is most frustrating.

I don't believe we are losing in terms of technology.

I think where we are losing is in how we present things.

We aren't losing in sound quality, but
we are losing in the narrative.

We can compete with our products, but
we haven't integrated into the context of the YouTube era.

That is exactly why I want Japanese audio manufacturers to give it their all.

I want them to let YouTubers get their hands on the gear more.
I want them to release more comparison videos for streamers.
I want them to provide more setting examples specialized for Japanese voices.
I want them to create better paths for beginners so they don't get lost.
I want them to show more of the sound that can be created with domestic equipment.

Making good products is no longer enough.

I want them to show the path to achieving great sound as well.

If they can do that, I believe Japanese audio manufacturers can still compete.

And there are surely many people like me who love and use domestic manufacturers.

That is why I want to say this.

I want Japanese audio manufacturers to step forward more.

As a brand that supports the Japanese voice.
As tools that support Japanese video creators.
As a foundation for broadcasting to the world with domestic equipment.

I truly want them to go after that market.

As a postscript, and to avoid any misunderstanding as this may be repetitive, I do not mean that Japanese manufacturers are weak in the world of musical equipment.

TAMA, YAMAHA, Roland, BOSS, ZOOM, TASCAM, Audio-Technica.

Japan has manufacturers that have supported musical instruments, recording, streaming, and sound production.

Especially in the music scene, the presence of Japanese manufacturers is by no means small.

The problem, I think, is that this strength is not sufficiently connected to the context of YouTube, streaming, and individual creators.

It reaches those who make music.
But it hasn't fully reached those who use sound to broadcast.

This is truly a waste.