If you’re thinking of building a fancy streaming setup, one item you might be looking for is a mixer. This allows you to accommodate a dual PC setup, mix multiple audio sources, or use a microphone with an XLR output, which is typically reserved for higher-tier peripherals, like the Razer Seiren V3 Pro.
Fortunately, I’ve got the perfect solution. If you don’t want to break the bank on an expensive, over-the-top audio mixer, you can opt for a budget-friendly alternative from Maono – the G3 Audio Mixer. It’s a no-frills thing that’s attractive on the surface and adaptable to every situation you might put it in.
Here’s my full review of the Maono G3 Audio Mixer.
Is The Maono G3 Mixer Worth It?
If you’re trying to build a streaming setup on a budget and want to control the cost of tertiary peripherals like an audio mixer, the Maono G3 is perfect for you. It will cost you just $99.99 (£74.97 in the United Kingdom), and it’ll do everything you need in the mixing space.
It can accommodate four audio inputs, each with unique sliders that feel durable to the touch, and individual mute buttons. You’ve got an AI-driven noise reduction function that works pretty damn well, and four buttons that you can customize to do whatever you want. You can adjust gain and balancing directly from the unit, and it has a nice splash of RGB to brighten things up, which competing devices don’t necessarily offer.
The Maono G3 boasts a 57dB clean gain range, but, being honest, I’m not entirely sure what that means. I received the Maono G3 Audio Mixer to test with an XLR-capable microphone. As I mentioned in the intro, that’s the Razer Seiren V3 Pro.
Everything went as expected, fortunately. The G3 served the purpose perfectly, letting me skip standard USB connections and use a superior XLR input.
What’s more, when you combine the Maono G3 with the company’s proprietary app, ‘Maono Arena’, you get even more customization out of the thing. That said, the software isn’t great. It’s unintuitive and not as advanced as something like Razer Synapse or Logitech’s G-Hub application, for instance.
For $99.99, you won’t get anything better than this. It comes in a couple of colorways, has everything you need to get started right out of the box, and if you need more equipment, you can pick up a Maono bundle and get a microphone, boom arm, and headset, all included in one relatively low price.
Do you think the Maono G3 is something for you? Let us know your thoughts on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
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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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