Maono PD100X and MAONOCASTER G1 NEO Review

PD100X and G1 NEO are respectively a dynamic microphone and an audio mixer for game streamers. The products come with comprehensive manuals detailing installation, setup and all the functions. Neither requires downloading any drivers and they are fully functional after they are plugged in. 

The PD100X microphone can be connected directly to your PC with a USB-C cable or to an audio card/mixer with an XLR cable. Included is a USB-C cable with an attached C to A adapter but an XLR cable needs to be bought separately. The included base is quite stable and the mic can be easily screwed onto another mount. It fit nicely on the generic microphone arm I used with my RØDE NT-USB+ and the included USB cable was suitably long for my setup. The microphone also features a headphones jack, a switch for RGB lights, a mute button for USB mode and a volume knob which can switch between controlling the microphone and plugged in headphones when pressed on. The mute button quite ingeniously reacts to a light touch, minimising the chance that the mic will pick up the sound, however almost as if to compensate the volume knob is big and chunky and sounds like a knock whenever pressed to switch between modes.

In terms of recording quality, I found the PD100X comparable to my RØDE mic but less sensitive due to it being a dynamic type. This, however, worked out well for me due to the reverb in my current studio which the Maono mic didn't pick up as much of, making it a good choice if you have issues soundproofing your room.

The Maonocaster G1 NEO was the first time I used an audio mixer and I found the experience pleasant. The mixer comes with a 3.5mm TRS Audio Cable which can be used to connect an audio source like a smartphone or music player with a matching port. Like the mic, we also get a USB-C cable with an optional C to A add-on, although I found that one to be a bit shorter which didn't work for my PC setup. The mixer itself is quite compact and can connect to a bunch of other hardware with an XLR input for a condenser or dynamic microphone, multiple 3.5mm inputs for headphones, headsets, AUX IN for an external audio source like a smartphone, Line Out for dual PC streaming setup and two USB-C ports for connecting your streaming PC/phone and optional external power source.

The most essential feature of an audio mixer is definitely the ability to control the volume and quality of the sound and while the settings here aren't very deep they are easy to use and allow for some neat things with some extra features. The XLR microphone or an external audio source can be tweaked with volume faders, a gain knob, a reverb knob and mute buttons. In addition, two levels of noise reducer are very handy, at the push of a button stopping the microphone from broadcasting mechanical keyboard noises or background sounds. G1 NEO also features a 48V phantom power switch for condenser mics, which while a useful function the manual warns of using it with a mic which does not require it, making me think it should be placed somewhere at the back of the device rather than the front to minimise the chance that someone might press it by accident during a busy stream.

Of the extra features, I was most interested in the four soundpad buttons which allow recording and playing back sound effects. Up to 20 seconds for each button can be recorded using the connected microphone or the playback from the connected phone/PC through the Bluetooth feature. The process is explained in the manual but it still took some trial and error as well as a little research. Alternatively to the soundpad, the device connected through Bluetooth itself can be used as a soundboard through a website or an app, giving you some options. I was a bit disappointed with the four voice changer settings on the mixer, especially the “male” and “female” ones. They are quite generic and not very subtle, coming across as a cheap gimmick that I probably won’t use often.

Overall I thought both products were really solid, serving their main purpose very well and some versatility in the case of G1 NEO. They have some flaws but if those kinks aren't a complete deal breaker for you I think the relatively low price makes up for them. Both are also quite compact and lightweight.