The Maono PD200W might not be the most obvious pick when it comes to looking for a new podcasting or streaming microphone, but it should certainly be one you at least consider. If you want to get into broadcasting your voice without breaking the bank, the Maono PD200W is a fantastic pick and offers plenty of bang for your buck.
I’ve spent a while testing the Maono PD200W and have some positive sentiments to share about it. Read on for my full take on the Maono PD200W, a ‘hybrid’ microphone that is self-dubbed the ‘world’s first wireless dynamic microphone for podcasting.’
Is the Maono PD200W Microphone Worth $99?
At the time of writing, the Maono PD200W microphone boasted a price tag of just $99, which is more than worth the investment. It might not be a Logitech, a Shure, or a Rode, but it’s brilliant for newcomers who want great sound quality in an attractive enough package without worrying about investing too much money right off the bat.
This tri-mode microphone is an innovation in itself. It can be used on a 2.4GHz band wireless connection, via USB, or XLR. It can also be used fully wirelessly using a dongle, which is nuts. I genuinely noticed very little in the way of audio loss between a wired and wireless connection, which is very surprising indeed.
I didn’t test this, but the battery should last (on paper at least) a whopping 60 hours, and both the broadcaster and receiver are so effective that you can have a 60-meter separation between them with low latency. If you’re on the go and want to keep crystal-clear audio quality in a microphone that looks premium, it makes so much sense to pick the Maono PD200W.
There’s also a 3.5mm jack, which allows you to pass through audio inputs. It’s convenient as heck.
If there’s one complaint I have about the Maono PD200W, it’s that it offers a dynamic microphone build, and I prefer cardioid for the more ‘directed’ input feel. That said, it offers great background noise elimination that can be further tweaked with Maono’s proprietary app, which allows you to further customize the unit.
And yes, that means you can alter the RGB output.
Maono insists the microphone is on par with Shure’s SM7B, one of the most popular microphones for podcasters and streamers.
I paired the Maono PD200W with the company’s BA37 boom arm, which took seconds to set up and is reminiscent of Elgato’s low-profile boom arm, which I already rated quite high.
At $99 for just the microphone or $129.99 for the microphone and the boom arm, you can’t really go wrong with the Maono PD200W. It’s a versatile and durable thing (it has a built-in shock mount and solid pop filter) that has plenty of range and looks great in front of your face on camera.
I tested the Maono PD200W across a range of applications (Audacity, OBS, Discord, Google Meet, Streamlabs) and was generally pleased with the results. The equalization needed tweaking to perfect the voice stream, but it took no time at all.
I’d hugely recommend it to new podcasters and aspirational streamers.
For more Insider Gaming tech reviews, check out our coverage of the Woojer Strap 4
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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