Design, build, unboxing impressions

From first impressions, the PD200X looks like a miniature studio accessory with a distinct ‘gaming’ style, which is in line with current trends. A solid all-metal cylinder with a clean matte finish and a subtle RGB LED ring near the top make for a quality, sturdy build. It has a premium feel despite clearly being a budget device. The box includes the mic, a somewhat light shock-mount, a long USB‑C to USB‑A/C cable, and a screw adapter for mounting on various arms or stands​. The included shock-mount is actually plastic​, so it’s not as solid as the mic itself — BUT it’s still functional and provides a good deal of the vital shock absorption that the older PD400X model lacked. This mic comes in classic black or a crisp white variant​, but either design looks modern and will probably look great on any desk considering the customizable LEDs.

Maono PD200X includes a few handy controls on its body: a one-click mute button (with LED indicator), and a 2‑in‑1 knob that toggles between microphone gain (green light) and headphone volume (blue light)​. Please be mindful and memorize which color is which, or you might end up muting yourself by mistake! A hidden 3.5 mm headphone jack at the base means you can plug in headphones for real-time zero-latency monitoring​. All in all, the PD200X unboxing feels juicy, and almost like a professional setup, kek. However, you’ll need to provide your own XLR cable if you want the analog output for your audio interface because it’s not included.​

Audio quality and performance

The PD200X sound is tuned just about right specifically for voice work. It leans towards a slightly warmer bottom and a clear top, making it especially effective for speech-focused content like streaming, voiceovers, or podcasts. Its dynamic capsule captures vocal detail while naturally rejecting room noise—ideal for untreated spaces where ambient sounds can become a problem. Now, with the addition of its cradle shock mount and its decent pop filter, you won’t have to worry about keyboard taps or fan hum bleeding into your recording—this mic has all the mechanisms to keep things tight and controlled.

The overall sound is clear, with a gentle low-mid lift that keeps vocals from sounding too thin. Thanks to the dynamic capsule, it doesn’t sound ‘chirpy’ or brittle; fairly crispy and no mid- scoop like on some cheaper mics, so what you get is a grounded vocal presence—easy to shape with EQ or just leave as it is. There’s a good balance already out of the box.

Plosives are handled well with the included foam, and louder passages stay smooth rather than spiking or clipping—thanks to the mic’s natural ability to absorb level shifts without introducing those awkward distortion effects. Like most dynamic mics, it works best up close—typically within around 5–8 cm, or closer if you want extra intimacy. Pulling too far away takes some body out of the voice, so keep in mind your distance and adjust based on your mood and energy, not just ‘raw’ volume.

When placed right, the PD200X gives you a solid, broadcast-style vocal that stays clear and composed—without relying on any DSP tricks or artificial sheen. In USB mode, the mic is plug-and-play with no setup required. Gain can be pushed fairly high—often around 80–100%—without introducing hiss, thanks to a quiet onboard preamp. On XLR, performance remains equally clean, though some interfaces may need near-maximum gain to reach optimal levels. That’s expected for a dynamic mic and not a flaw in the unit.

The overall tone doesn’t aim to feel larger than life or impress with an exaggerated sparkle—it just keeps things simple, clean, and natural, while also offering some resilience to slight changes in axis or distance. So you don’t have to worry much about mic technique just to stay consistent. There’s some warmth in the character, yet it keeps a natural tone in the midrange—crucial for keeping your voice consistent. Overall, I find it easy to work with, and it’s been working reliably so far.

Features, usability, software & applications

The PD200X packs a lot of handy features for the money. On the mic body you get intuitive controls: the big knob is the standout – press it to toggle between adjusting mic gain and headphone output​, and the LED color (green vs. blue) shows you which mode you’re in. There’s also a one-touch mute button with a little LED on top, and as mentioned a headphone output at the base for direct monitoring. Everything is “plug-and-play” friendly – you just connect it to your computer via USB‑C and it works immediately, no driver install required​. This makes setup a breeze on Windows or Mac (and reportedly it can even work with some Android devices out of the box, though more testing is needed​).

The Maono Link software is a really nice bonus—free for PC and Mac, and it unlocks advanced controls in USB mode. With this you can tweak the EQ (there are presets for flat, high-pass filter, presence boost, etc.) and even add a digital limiter or compressor​. In short, you can tune the PD200X’s tone and dynamics virtually, without extra hardware. The mic’s RGB ring is also software‑controllable: you get 9 color options to light up the body​ (press a small button on the bottom to cycle them, or switch the LED off entirely). It’s mostly cosmetic, but it does let you match your PC/gaming rig lighting or just add some pizzazz to your desk.

In everyday use, the PD200X proves highly versatile. It’s perfect for podcasting, live-streaming, voiceovers, video calls, YouTube—basically any scenario where clear spoken audio is key. It’s also great for casual gamers or content creators who want professional sound on a budget. The 3.5 mm monitoring jack is handy, and the plug-and-play USB mode works seamlessly with PCs and laptops. You can also use it with iPads or phones via USB‑C adapters. And for those with pro gear, the XLR output connects to studio mixers, audio interfaces, and whatever else you’ve got.

Conclusion

Overall, the Maono PD200X punches well above its weight for podcasting, streaming, and general voice work. It’s especially compelling if you need both USB and XLR in one package and don’t want to break the bank. It’s also a great choice if you’re after that dynamic ‘broadcaster feel’ on a budget, or just tired of condensers that can sound too hot or overly sibilant sometimes. Its strengths—sound clarity, solid build, and ease of use—make it a smart pick in the sub‑$100 mic class. Great value for money, and the quality is about as good as it gets in this range!

- Reviewed at $69.99

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Design and Build

All in all the Lark Max feels like it’s built to last – a very solid kit, unlike most of those flimsier, budget lav mics around there. Each transmitter is a small, rectangular clip-on unit with a metal clip on the back and a stylish woven mesh windscreen. The mics are easy to handle and fairly rugged – the metal mic guard is stronger than the delicate capsules on some rivals even when the same price range is considered. Although it still does use plastic in its design, because obviously you don’t to wear a cement brick on your collar – yet it looks well made and of high quality, so no issues here. The charging case is surprisingly sturdy: it’s like a large AirPods case with new features, and of course it charges the transmitter batteries. And there is an interior pocket for all the cables and a second set of windscreens.

In terms of layout, the receiver is a bit larger than tiny keychain-style units. It has a belt/strap clip and is roughly the size of a camera hot‑shoe (so it can mount on a camera)​. This larger size lets Hollyland pack in an LCD screen, a push/pull dial, a Back button, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. One minor gripe is that the hot-shoe mount on the receiver only works facing backwards, so on some cameras you may need a 90° adapter. Each transmitter has its own single control button and LEDs, and I found them easy to attach to clothing with the metal clip or included magnetic clips. Overall, the package feels thoughtful and road worthy: the magnets on the transmitters remind those of higher-end gear and I mean the pro lavs, and I also like the dead‑cat windshields that fit just right onto the capsules.

Audio Quality

The Lark Max’s headline feature is definitely its sound. In our tests it delivered warm, clear voice capture with very low noise. Once again, it’s not an exaggeration to say that it’s comparable to higher end lav systems, potentially beating more expensive mics when it comes to audio quality too. Because we’ve already previously reviewed their ‘budget’ model and it left us pleasantly surprised, but this? – This is an even bigger step up! Speech comes through natural and crisp, with no obvious distortion even at higher volumes. I didn’t notice any electronic hiss or tonal colorations. Outdoors, the built-in Environmental noise cancellation does an impressive job: background hums and winds are pulled down significantly so your voice stays more dominant. Even something atrocious like a clunky truck passing by or construction noise in the background in actuality has had quite little impact.

When comparing to a camera’s onboard mics, the difference is night-and-day: even at moderate distances the Lark’s 24-bit/48 kHz recording is consistently clear​. Inside a quiet room or studio, it holds up just as well – the frequency response is broad (Hollyland quotes 70 dB SNR and 128 dB SPL handling), so it picks up subtle nuances without clipping. If anything, voice recordings feel slightly fuller than some competitors. And once again another surprise is that even on noisy city streets or busy events, the mic remains intelligible. We also borrowed it to one of our colleagues who noted when shooting downtown with obstacles, the Lark Max “was able to transmit audio clearly” even without a perfectly clear line of sight. So yeah, overall we find the audio performance to be the Lark Max’s strongest suit – consistent with what others would call solid or even impressively clear​.

Wireless Range and Connectivity

On paper the Lark Max promises a very long range: Hollyland advertises up to 250 m (820 ft) line-of-sight​. In practice you’ll rarely need that much. We tested it up to ~200 ft (outdoors, open area) and didn’t drop the link. I also did a quick research to see how consistent our findings with what other users reports and some user on Amazon even described a live 800+ ft range through walls in a glass building​ – though that was a very favorable case with nothing between transmitter and receiver. Indoors or with obstructions, performance is still very good: DIY Photography measured about 60 m (200 ft) reliable LOS.

The Lark Max uses a 2.4 GHz FHSS (frequency-hopping) wireless link – essentially its own Wi‑Fi channel – rather than Bluetooth or DECT. In congested RF environments this seems robust: Hollyland’s tests showed it handled lots of other 2.4 GHz devices with no major dropouts​. In my trials around Wi-Fi routers and cellphones, I didn’t notice any pops or static unless the transmitters went completely out of sight. That said, unlike some pro UHF systems or military-style links, it can potentially struggle if overwhelmed by 2.4GHz noise. The system does include automatic frequency-hopping to try to avoid conflict, and in practice the solid build seems to handle normal use just fine.

By design the Lark Max offers no Bluetooth output – it won’t act as a Bluetooth headset. All connections to cameras or phones are done via wired cables or adapters. It comes with a suite of cables (TRS for DSLR, Lightning and USB-C for phones, USB-C to computer) so it can plug directly into most devices. On the camera end, the receiver has a 3.5 mm mono output (any mic input or TRRS adapter works). There’s also a convenient headphone jack on the receiver for live monitoring. In short, the connectivity is flexible: you can send the mic audio into a camera, phone, computer, or record internally on the device itself. Just don’t expect any wireless smartphone pairings – you must plug a cable into your device or use the internal recorder for capture.

Controls and Usability

The Lark Max is straightforward to use once you learn the menu. The receiver has a color OLED screen and a dial (plus a touch-sensitive wheel) for navigation. On power-up it auto-pairs with both mics (especially once you open the case lid)​. The main display shows battery levels, volume/gain levels for each mic, active modes (Mono/Stereo/Noise Cancelling) and signal strength. You can tap or turn the dial to change gain on each channel, mute, or activate the ENC noise filter right from the receiver without any app.

Each transmitter also has one multifunction button and lights. You can turn them on/off, mute them, or even start/stop their internal recording directly from the mics themselves​. This is handy for solo shooters, since each talent can control their mic. The menus for mode selection (Mono vs. Stereo vs. Safety Channel mode) are logical. In Stereo mode each mic goes to its own channel (useful for two-talkers). In Safety mode the second channel records the same audio at a lower gain as a backup (useful if someone suddenly shouts). These modes are a nice touch – and yes, it’s the first time we’ve seen gain control on a safety track​. In practice I left it in Stereo mode, but it’s nice to know the backup is there.

Setup is mostly plug‑and‑go. You power up, clip on or pin on the transmitters, and plug the receiver into your camera/phone. The receivers/transmitters remember each other’s sync once paired. If anything is confusing at first, the clear on-screen display and logical options make it easy to figure out. I especially liked that the included charging case automatically pairs the devices as soon as you open it, so you’re ready to go by the time you hand the mics to your presenters​.

Battery Life and Charging

Battery performance on the Lark Max is very solid. Each transmitter’s internal Li-ion battery lasts about 7.5 hours per charge​, and the receiver is rated around 9 hours. In my own shooting, a single day’s worth of use (8+ hours) was easily covered. The charging case is the real multiplier: it holds enough power to recharge both transmitters twice and the receiver once, meaning on the road you essentially have 3 full days of runtime in one pack. It takes roughly 2 hours to fully charge the set in the case.

As a result, we can say that the battery life also makes a very strong point, with 22-hour battery life (counting the case top-ups), it is a pro to be highlighted. To give context, Hollyland’s own blog compares it to DJI’s system: Lark Max’s 7.5h TX per charge beats DJI Mic’s 5.5h, and with the case yields about 15 hours of continuous TX power. Practically speaking, I could shoot all morning on one charge, pop the units back into the case at lunch, and head out again for afternoon interviews. The case is light and has clear LED indicators so you always know when everything is topped off. And btw, if you use the auto-record safety feature, you can even have the mics start recording on boot, so you never miss a take​.

Internal Recording & Safety Features

A unique aspect of the Lark Max is its built-in recording capability. Each transmitter can record locally to its 8GB flash as a backup​. If the wireless link were to drop, you still have your audio on the mic. Transferring those files is easy – just plug the mic into a computer via USB and it appears like a flash drive​. In my tests I recorded to the camera and to the mics simultaneously (the auto-record mode can do this), giving me two identical WAV files to match in post. For professional use especially this safety net is extremely valuable: I bet many would call it a “life saver” to have two copies of audio.

The receiver also offers a dedicated “Safety Channel” mode: this records the same mic signal at a lower gain on channel 2, so if channel 1 clips on a loud outburst, channel 2 can still have a clean take​. This was a first for me on such a small kit and is a clever professional feature. Overall these safety features (dual-track recording and internal backups) give great peace of mind. And it’s not just marketing – in recording some of our samples it has shown how even with a loud noise or partial dropouts, the Lark Max still preserved usable audio on the alternate track.

Practical Use and Performance

In real-world shooting, the Lark Max proved flexible and reliable. Clipping on the tiny mics is simple (the 32 g transmitters are hardly noticed by the wearer) and the magnetic mounts are convenient for shirt, collar or lapel. Switching between on-camera use and phone is just swapping cables; I plugged it into my DSLR for an interview and it worked flawlessly. Out in a busy street, noise cancelling mode made voices pop out of the ambient noise, then tried it in a busy cafe and once again it left me surprised in a good way, so for those who wonder, it’s not just mechanical or machinery noise that it is able to cancel out.

During an event Lark Max’s receivers quickly auto-paired when I opened the case lid – and by the time people had cameras on, the system was synced and ready. The OLED display lets you confirm levels on the fly and I found it handy. Monitoring via headphones was straightforward as well; I could adjust a transmitter’s gain from the receiver while watching input meters. In a wedding shoot, for example, I clipped one mic to the groom, one to the videographer, and got very clean audio on both​. For podcasters or livestreamers, it even works as a ‘USB mic’: if your Zoom calls sound like crap, you’ll find this really impressive as your voice turns crisper and sharper​. Finally, the included carry case is tight and protective, so I could toss it in a camera bag without worrying, integrating it very easy into my typical setups.

Conclusion

After using the Lark Max extensively, I can say it lives up to the buzz. It delivers studio-like audio with very few compromises, at a budget-friendly price. Setup is plug-and-play and the extra safety features like internal recording, safety channel and noise cancel are real-world game‑changers that you usually see implemented this well only in more expensive gear. Leaving us impressed, The Hollyland Lark Max earns its high ratings, and for an average user this is going to translate to no less than simply exceeding expectations​. In short, it’s a standout wireless lavalier system for filmmakers, vloggers, and podcasters alike. Highly recommended for anyone needing reliable two-person audio on a budget!

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Lark M1 features

• Small footprint
  Lark M1 is so small and compact – it’s almost unreal. The nowadays popular Rode Wireless GO looks simply atrocious and bulky in comparison, and provides no real benefit unless paired with an expensive after-market lavalier. Yes, Lark M1 transmitters also weighs almost nothing… you may forget you’re wearing one.
• Rechargeable case
  It comes with a charging case so that your reciever and trasmitters are being charged when not in use. There is a 4-bar LED on the case that shows it’s battery level. Inside the case there are 3 more LEDs for the status of each device. Also, it is barely the size of a computer mouse so it’s very convinient. Aside from the case, each device has its own USB-C port and can be charged separately.
• Furry windshields
  A small but nice addition, the mics have custom windshields that can be snapped on for recording outside, helping to negate the wind noise. They have rubber bands underneath and fit tightly onto the mics.
• Noise reduction
  Clicking the yellow button on a transmitter activates the noise reduction mode while the LED status changes to green. Switching to this mode on one transmitter also broadcasts to another transmitter. It’s quite useful for noisy environment outside as well as indoor HVAC noise such as air-conditioning. Both modes with or without noise reduction are actually clean and are capable of producing a high quality audio regardless.
• Volume control
  There are basically 3 discrete output levels: -0 dB, -6 dB and -12 dB. Simply clicking +/- buttons on the receiver does the adjustment. I personally used it with my computer realtek line-in, input levels adjusted to 100% in sound settings and -0 dB on the device. This gives me a pretty good gain and I’ve never experienced clipping so far.
• Mobile connectivity
  Aside from connecting to cameras and computers via 3.5mm TRS to TRS cord, you can also connect to cellphones using the included TRS to TRRS cord. Lark M1 also comes with two additional cables: TRS to USB-C and TRS to Lightning. Having an Android phone I found the TRS to USB-C is the most convinient method, that allows me to use the remaining 3.5mm output for headphone monitoring.

Sound and quality

The sound quality of Hollyland Lark M1 is very good for a budget wireless lavalier mic. It does lack definition and clarity compared to professional standalone lavaliers, but the audio it produces is just as clean and the self-noise is minimal. For miniature and especially budget mics it’s one of the most important factors that makes all the difference between sounding professional and amatuer, because if the mic is noisy it is not easy to clean up the recording. Lark M1 is not particularly bright, nor does it have a lot of low end, which is why I like applying some EQ. It sounds fine for recording conversations out of the box though and it isn’t overly sensitive or ‘hot’, so it works fine in less than ideal or noisy environments.

Since you get two mics – they can be used in stereo mode, so I decided to make an experiment and record some music from my speakers for testing. Above are the results after tweaking the EQ curve. It actually did quite well, although I shouldn’t recommend it for music or other applications that require a lot of detail and accuracy. It is just to show that it works and it’s not bad, especially for a wireless mic. Now when it comes to price, and considering all the features it provides I would rate its performance as excellent. Hollyland Lark M1 is a tough competitor that comes on top in terms of price, quality and footprint. The only drawback being the transmission distance, which is not as good as some of the previously reviewed mics.

- Reviewed at $129.00

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Features & specs overview

Maonocaster E2 audio interface features the following effects:

• Sound bank: allows recording and playback of sound samples.
• Reverb: applies real-time reverberation effect with different presets and customization options.
• EQ: basic 3 band equalizer, which can be used for applying low-cut and presence boost for your mic.
• Auto-tune: adds synthetic tones to your voice from a selected note scale, it is not very stable but could still be useful.
• Pitch shift: another toy feature that will make you sound like an alien or a chipmunk.
• Denoise: a useful feature for reducing background noise, but ineffective when it comes to the preamp’s self-noise.
• Levels: a visual display of the sound levels, poorly implemented and does not relay any useful information.

Additional features and specifications that sums it all up:

• Battery: has a built in battery and does not draw power from the USB device it is connected to, can also output via 3.5 mm. Requires another cord for charging and powering up.
• Input/output: plenty of input and output options, 2x 3.5mm headphone jacks, 2x 3.5mm live output and 1x 3.5mm speaker output. 1x XLR / Line input, 1x additional 1/4 inch instrument input, 1x 3.5mm aux-in, 1x 3.5mm mic input and a Bluetooth input. The inputs are mixed together and cannot be separated during recording.
• Gain: the device can supply phantom power for condenser mics. It has a 3-stage gain, allowing for up to 60 dB amplification, sufficient for any known mic. However, the gain is not the cleanest; when you are not speaking, you can hear the preamp noise that adds quite a bit of hiss.

My experience with features

I have given a general and concise overview of the Maonocaster E2 in the inroduction, and further iterated over the facts about features and specs in the second paragraph, so by now you should have a pretty good idea about the product. In this section, I will share my final remarks and subjective experience of using it, once again by iterating and expanding on the above mentioned features:

The sound bank has a space for 3 longer tracks that can be looped and 8 shorter tracks. It’s nice to have some good samples ready to throw in for entertainment. However, the implementation is not ideal. It takes practice to record a well-timed sample. I have to hold the button for one second with one hand, and simultaneously use my other hand to click playback on my computer. It may take several tries especially if it’s in the middle of a video. You can’t edit or crop it once it’s recorded; though you can still control the playback volume. All in all, this isn’t something I would want to be doing on a daily basis, but if you aren’t planning to shuffle your samples too often – then it’s totally fine.

I personally like the reverb effects on E2, I always found the reverb filters in my DAW a bit too complicated. With Maonocaster I don’t have such problem, it’s very easy to apply and at the same time it offers a good degree of customization, including different presets, depth and decay time. If you are recording a YouTube video, or something else using DAW you definitely do not need the reverb; nevertheless, I believe it’s a nice and interesting effect to throw in occasionally while streaming.

The Equalizer may seem underwhelming at first and it’s true that it doesn’t offer a lot of flexibility. If you hold the mic upside down, don’t expect you could fix that too with EQ. The band separation is rather wide and isn’t too aggressive. However, it’s just not meant for mixing the musical compositions. In my opinion it serves a specific purpose, which is adjusting the mic’s presence and applying a low cut… it does that just fine and with a good degree of customization, compared to an on-off switch – so for me it’s a win.

The Auto-Tune is more of a toy feature, it is not very stable and I found it fluctuating a lot on a low timbre voice. It seems to work much better with a higher pitch. I would occasionally use it just for fun, and find it satisfying when getting the notes right. It’s still far from perfect but at least Maono have put a lot of thought into the note scales, allowing you to choose from any major and minor scale. I can also see it being used for instrument tuning and warming up for singers but do not expect too much from it.

The Pitch shift is another entertainment feature that never gets old, it’s fun and can dramatically change your voice. There are about 10 different pitches you can dial with the knob, it’s not linear but applied in steps. Not meant to be used for music or singing… Still a win, because I love the chipmunks voice, and the low pitch darth vader too.

The Denoise feature works great for things like ceiling fan, air-conditioning and other background noise. However, you can’t adjust the threshold, which is a minus. When the noise is just about on the threshold of activation it may trigger on and off repeatedly, which I personally find annoying. Still, while reducing some external noise, the preamp of E2 may introduce the noise itself when high gain is applied. I only use this feature when necessary.

The levels display is a fail. Although there are many segments, the way it is implemented is just bad. It does not convey any useful information. The scale appears to be linear as opposed to logarithmic and only targets roughly the last 30 dB, so you won’t even know that something is connected unless it captures a strong signal. Moreover, the red LED triggers every time when you are close to 0 dB, but it does not indicate clipping. There is no way to tell if the signal is just loud or if it’s actually clipping.

Remarks on preamp

As mentioned earlier, Maonocaster E2 provides plenty of gain. This is great so you can plug in any type of mic, including the SM7B and expect it to work. However, the preamp is just not the cleanest. It is not meant for professional audio. I found it to introduce quite a bit of hiss, whereas my SSL2+ was completely quiet with matching levels of gain. A solid audio equipment should always be wrapped in a thick layer of metal to shield from EMI on audio frequencies. E2 on the other hand is just plastic and feels very light, which could be one of the reasons too. Even when connecting Maono PD400X (a hybrid USB/XLR microphone from the same manufacturer), I found the mic sounds cleaner when plugged directly into computer via its own USB interface, compared to when connected via XLR cable to Maonocaster.

Thus, if you want a clean audio rather than abundance of features look elsewhere, and ideally at a higher price range. However, if your focus is streaming on Twitch or doing Zoom calls, and you’re looking to spice the things up with a number of realtime sound effects, we can definitely recommend Maonocaster E2. For these applications the drawback in audio quality is negligible, and yet nothing offers as many features for such an affordable price. Though if you are really worried about the noise floor with your setup, there is a solution for you to consider. It’s called the Cloudlifter, a portable, ultra-clean audio preamp made in USA specifically for this purpose.

- Reviewed at $120.99

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Sound & quality

Maono PD400X as a broadcast [or rather podcast] mic delivers a quality low end and bestows you with what I call a “broadcaster effect”. It does sound rich without being artificial or puffy – this is the type of voice you will often hear on radio or TV. Although it does have a bit of proximity effect too unlike for instance a more advanced Electro Voice RE20, the frequency at which it occurs is well beyond the normal vocal range so it does not color the vocals. It is the same principle as with LDC (condenser mics) that makes them so popular. In terms of comparison, it’s probably not the richest – Rode Procaster will easily sound deeper.

Maono PD400X doesn’t have any hype, it is as natural as it gets and unlike the former it doesn’t need any additional EQ, making it easier to stream or podcast from get go. Maono also offers basic EQ presets for low cut and high boost. Low cut helps reducing proximity, popping, mechanical noise and HVAC. The high boost’s main purpose is to give it even more air in order to compensate for when you are using a foam that comes with the mic. Speaking of which, the foam is somewhat bulky, it makes the mic look way bigger (in comparison to SM7B) so I wouldn’t use it by default, but it certainly does what it’s supposed to do. Still highly optional; I can easily breathe into the mic with no foam on, without any consequences, whereas my condensers would clip.

What I like about PD400X is its high sensitivity and relatively high gain, which usually isn’t the case with dynamic mics. You don’t have to be on top of it – at 5 inch distance you would still have a decent gain for your streams. The crispness of the high end paired with its high sensitivity makes it comparable to condensers but without the inherent disadvantages. I like that extra bit of brightness there, it beats the industry standard SM7B on transients and offers more clarity too, which is amazing for its price. However, while SM7B may lack a bit of punch (and by the way also require a lot of external gain), it still remains my preferred though for different reasons.

Application

Maono PD400X is quite susceptible to mechanical noise, so in order to get the best out of your purchase you must ensure your application does not involve banging it directly as well as the things around you. If you are frequently moving around or having lots of desktop activity, such as typing, the audience will hear those thuds, bumps and keyboard strokes. It can get annoying for some – for others absolutely not crucial. If you are streaming it will largely depend on your audience. On the other hand, for podcasts where you can sit quietly and just talk, this mic can do wonders. Voiceovers is another good application that comes to mind. Simply using a boom arm will provide some noise mitigation, but there is no way to eliminate it completely.

USB interface, Maono app and features

For those who wonder about the built in USB interface, it’s actually quite good. The USB bus and RF noises are minimal. It has slightly more white noise, somewhere around 3 dB higher than a top quality dedicated USB interface that I used for testing, but that’s really nothing. This is still much better than most of the USB mics out there. Also you get an access to EQ presets, such as low cut and high boost. You can control the gain, headset volume and “in the mix” while using the direct monitor. This mic has a handy touch mute feature too that changes LED to red while on mute. In Maono app, aside from the above you can also configure a limiter and compressor. It’s useful when you occasionally scream, sneeze or burst in laughter.

Conclusion

Maono PD400X is an excellent value for money broadcast microphone. It does everything you would expect from an XLR mic, except there is also a USB interface with all its corresponding features. Dynamic cardioid capsule in this type of mic provides good side rejection with little proximity up close, it is also more forgiving than condensers. The digital interface provides high gain and EQ presets, and that’s all you need to start streaming. It brings the best of two worlds, getting kudos for innovation …and did I mention the price? Overall, the mic is perfectly suited for podcasting. It can handle any voice with clarity and the audio quality is ideal for the purpose. However it is susceptible to mechanical noise. Those who like to rumble are probably better off with mics that can use shock mounts.

- Reviewed at $149.99

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Sound and quality

The overall audio quality you’ll get from this setup will for the largest part depend on the quality of the mics you are using. It does not depend much on the transmitter in this case, since the noise produced by the system itself is much lower than that of any lavalier mic. Therefore the strategy for improving quality comes down to upgrading your mics. Importantly, Rode does give you this option. You can experiment and easily replace your external mic or fall back to built-in. The other two things of interest with Rode Wireless GO II would be – the stability of transmission and susceptibility to radio interference.

Built-in / mic options

Since personally having many options to works with, some of which are quite expensive, I didn’t expect much from the built-in. Also being a mic reviewer I’m usually a bit sceptic whenever the price seems too attractive like in this case with Rode Wireles GO II. However, I was pleasantly surprised as it produced very little noise on it’s own. Sure enough, the built-in here isn’t better than any $50 mic: despite the claimed smooth frequency response you can hear some colour and other imperfections. Yet, because of low self-noise you can easily make quality YouTube videos using it. Let’s hear some samples (keep in mind mpeg compression has been used):

I believe it’s pretty decent for starters. Once again, there may be a some sibilance, a little distortion and a lack in transparent, extended response but it can get the job done. What’s awkward however is the placement. Even though the transmitter is quite small, it still stands out and weighs your shirt down. Therefore it is much better to just buy some cheap $50 plug-in mic even if that doesn’t provide any improvement in sound quality. If you want to improve the sound though, aiming for professional audio, just get yourself a quality lavalier. For instance you could use Sennheiser MKE 2, available on Amazon – it has a compatible connector.

Wireless signal & interference

The claimed range for this system is actually a whooping 200 meters, although in reality this would need a perfect weather, open space and direct line of sight. So what happens is, other wireless devices as well as different circumstances may affect the range. Having concrete walls between the receiver and transmitter is what usually greatly inhibits the range. But thinking of it, it’s not like you could possibly film someone behind a concrete anyway. Still, the distance is impressive and the signal propagates much further than any wi-fi router.

Having some range allowance is also beneficial as it converts to signal stability and reduces the probability of dropout. I have not personally tested the maximum range, but the reviewer in the video claims that both Wireless GO and GO II proximately worked up to same range of around 150 meters, while the range of latter was only slightly superior. As for EMI, I haven’t experienced any, even after boosting the audio and specifically checking for it. It is important however to make sure you are using the right cable.

If an external mic has a modular cable, then using a wrong one, e.g. TRRS-TRS instead of TRS-TRS or even TRRS-TRRS or vice-versa… or plugging the wrong end could inevitably lead to RF interference simply because different cables wire the ground (or shielding) differently.

Wireless GO vs Wireless GO II

As mentioned, both have the same audio quality. The only difference is in added features and functionality. If you don’t need that functionality then you could as well just buy the first generation, provided you can buy them cheaper. I will leave that up to you to decide, but personally I would choose GO II simply because of the on-board recorder.

GO II can record up to 40 hours of 24-bit audio. Which means you don’t need a Zoom recorder anymore, besides it is much more compact than previously popular Zoom recorders. The idea of using a recorder is that you get a better quality audio than when plugging into a phone or camera. The drawback is having to sync audio later, but the improvement is worthwhile especially for cellphones.

Wireless GO II features:

• Wireless GO II has a connectivity to a Rode Central app where you can access features and settings. In contrast, Wireless GO does not have this functionality.
• It has an on-board recorder, storing up to 40 hours of audio.
• The availability of Safety channel or stereo mode.
• Safety channel outputs -20 dB padded audio in a secondary channel, which you can fall back to in case of clipping.
• The stereo mode allows recording from two channels or transmitters simultaneously.
• Wireless GO II claims improved transmission stability and range.
• It has a flexibility of gain control, which can be tuned by small increments.

* If you’ve looked at the pictures of GO II, you will usually see two (2) transmitters:
Makes perfect sense… however, if you don’t need two transmitters for some reason – there is another option to buy Rode GO II with a single transmitter, which is also available on amazon. Just do some search and maybe you would be able to save money.

Overall design

By glancing at the pictures, it is easy to miss just how small and compact the whole system is. Go ahead and measure it – it’s just a size of a matchbox! Needless to say, its footprint is miniscule, in fact it is the smallest professional wireless transmitter and receiver pair that I know of. Rode Wireless GO II also scores high in terms of durability, the only moving parts there are the hinges and they are well protected. Other than that, it is comparable to a cellphone. It has a very responsive, color display that shows when you might be clipping or about to clip. The screen is glued to the body in a similar manner, which prevents water getting through. Not waterproof but water-resistant for sure.

Same applies to internal batteries. It supports quick charging just like your cellphone, and I guess the life-expectancy of a battery should be similar too. What I mean by that, well I can recall my Samsung S8 battery started to deteriorate after 4 years of daily use, which translates to almost 1500 charge-discharge cycles. If you don’t use it daily, it could potentially work for a decade. However, in an unlucky scenario things could still go wrong so that you would need a battery replacement. And there is no easy way of doing that, other than sending the mic back to Rode for battery replacement. This might be the only con so far, otherwise it’s almost perfect.

- Reviewed at $263.24

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WARNING! MAKE SURE YOUR AMAZON SELLER IS AUTHORIZED: https://rode.com/en/support/where-to-buy

Sound quality

When talking about sound quality, first there are few things we need to consider. Pixel Finch is a budget mic, it is supplied from Hong Kong and is offered at a very competitive price. It makes little sense comparing it to the professional lavaliers that usually worth over $300, not only because of the price difference but also due to the fact that none of those professional microphones are compatible with iPhone. Second, sound recording is not a simple task, so more often than not, poor quality is a result of lousy recording technique rather than a mic problem. Finally, iPhone users often do have unrealistic expectations about quality.

Having cleared those misconceptions, we can now say that Pixel Finch is actually quite good, for what it offers. It doesn’t fall short in terms of specs compared to any other budget microphone. Moreover, they actually reveal their specification, such as self-noise, etc. So you certainly aren’t buying a pig in a poke, which cannot be said about other similar-priced products. Talking of noise, Finch actually addresses this problem quite well: the cable it uses is well-shielded and the direct connection to phone helps to eliminate issues such as grounding or poor contact, compared to solutions that use adaptors and/or multiple connectors.

Overall, the sound quality is fine, however this mic isn’t particularly crispy or transparent. Especially alongside a professional lavalier it sounds rather muffled. Still, personally I would use it any time instead of the in-built mic, which often produces unacceptable artefacts making the speech unintelligible. For an average user though, you don’t necessarily need a professional equipment to produce a decent quality video. Also, in order to truly appreciate the difference between two mics you may need to use quality monitors, not like you will be able to notice it while using the same phone’s in-built speaker.

For professional video, I wouldn’t recommend this mic, but for making vlogs on Facebook or Youtube I find it quite convenient and the quality is just about right. There is no hiss, artefacts or electromagnetic interference, just a bit lacking in high-end in regards to details. Others may even find this beneficial as it helps to attenuate the background, reducing the amount of distractions for the listener. One application to be cautious about is ASMR: do NOT use this mic if you intend making ASMR videos because instead of accentuating those sounds, it kind of does the opposite.

Build quality & application

There are also few things to be said about the build quality and the actual user experience with iPhones. Pixel Finch lavalier does pass all the check marks when it comes to quality of the build and the materials used. The cable here, probably being the biggest advantage. Not only is it long and durable, it is actually quite soft and bends well. Neylon braiding isn’t something that you usually see on microphones but it does feel good. (Professional mics however do often reinforce cables beneath the rubber without looking fancy). The connector quality is also good, you can’t see it on the picture but the contacts are of a different metal. They have a quality nickel plating that gives a nice shine and makes them resistant to corrosion.

The mic itself is quite sizeable, having a length of 40mm and 11mm in width. Both the body and alligator clip are metal, which is all fine and looks durable. The foam however I find annoying, because it is loose and sometimes slips off the mic, which shouldn’t be the case for a factory new device. Perhaps they should have used the same rugged texture for the tip so it doesn’t slip. My final remark is about iPhone. Somehow it recognizes the plugged-in device as a headset, and essentially turns off the speaker during playback unless you unplug the device. This can be quite inconvenient if you intend to record and playback a large number of samples.

- Reviewed at $39.99

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Sound & quality

The frequency response of the Fifine K780A remains a mystery, because obviously you won’t find it published anywhere. Well, for me this usually raises a red flag, but comparing to the previously reviewed Blue Snowball, Samson Meteorite, CAD U37 and bunch of other trash, I must admit it easily blows them out of the water. It does have some coloration, so it’s not entirely neutral but turns out pretty okay for the spoken word. The low-end is a bit off – I was expecting a richer sound thinking the medium sized diaphragm would pay off. Still much better than the snowball though this comparison feels skewed: despite similar price, a form factor is different.

The high-end actually turns out much better – here the larger diaphragm works out to smooth some imperfections but it does not eliminate the resonances within, so compared to a decent condenser it might be getting a bit harsh quite often. This is especially the case if you drive it to the point of clipping, because obviously there isn’t any compressor circuit to prevent that from happening. What I like about the mic is that it’s not very hot. Often especially cheap condensers are so sensitive to the highs that they become unusable, picking up every little noise and amplifying it instead of attenuating. The Fifine USB does provide some dampening while still being crispy up-close.

The setup

There are numerous advantages of the mic’s included accessories, which complement this condenser very well. Without them, it would barely make any sense. For instance, if you just placed it on a table without the shock mount and tried speaking, it would be a disaster. The point being, that the accessories are very important. However, what I hate about the mic is its size. With such an advanced setup, one could expect a pristine studio sound from their recordings but it only sounds more or less like a regular USB mic, far from worst but not the best either and which could have been made much more compact as well. Now throwing that huge ass pop filter into the mix is like putting a cherry on top of a shit cake.

Needless to say that a big mic, may initially sound like a cool idea but when you actually start using it, you are going to realize that it is obstructing your vision. Even setting it aside is difficult because personally I don’t have any free space on my table. Then, aside from blocking off your monitor, it’s also going to obstruct your face when you’re shooting videos. There are tricks to hide the footprint but the boom arm isn’t very flexible for that, for example you can’t easily fix it horizontally. And with a large pop filter like that it may be difficult to stay on top of the mic, so maintaining a bigger distance could make the noise in the recording more apparent. In that sense, the setup is more appropriate for a studio as opposed to a home setting.

Overall

Should you buy Fifine K780A? – It is quite a valid candidate! At the time of writing, I actually have it ranking above the Blue Yeti, simply because of the accessories. You get a nice package that complements the mic perfectly. Everything, even the foam is a good addition, but still all combined, it would never beat our top ranking USB mics. And it leaves quite a footprint, of which you may quickly grow tired. If this is not an issue and you’ve got lots of space and a spacious room too, ideally, and if you aren’t too obsessed with quality then by all means, go ahead and make a purchase. However, I would personally prefer something with a smaller footprint, and if it has to be big, it’d better give me the highest possible quality.

- Reviewed at $64.99

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Sound & quality

The frequency response of Maono PM500 is remarkably flat as if it was a reference mic – only the highs are lifted slightly before they start rolling off. This happens after 10 kHz, so the higher end doesn’t have as much air as let’s say a typical SDC. However, the roll off is gentle and the overall curve is smooth and while being actually flat up to that point, this contributes to a natural sound. Unlike some other LDCs, it doesn’t have any sudden bumps in response, which is notable. Thus, you will never hear any harsh resonance or anything like that. On the other hand, the reduction in airy part of the spectrum and the fact that it’s an LDC are responsible for its mellow character.

By mellow I don’t mean ribbon-like when it’s taken to extreme. Rather, it presents itself with feeling less of open air or space. It is certainly not as hot as condenser mics are in general. It will still pick up the background in absence of speaker but it doesn’t amplify those sounds further. In fact, rather the opposite is true. In terms of crispiness, it is definitely crisp and detailed when talking in front of the mic. Not as crispy of course as say an SDC with brightened response, which also tend to be hot, but more like a good dynamic mic, or even a broadcast mic. On the other hand, PM500 is not susceptible to sibilance (which is a very common issue) even when high shelf is applied.

When it comes to lower end, I find it even more interesting. It is rich and extends very low to 30 Hz, but what blows me away is the absence of proximity. Even when speaking up close it gives me a natural sound, ready for production, without introducing any bloating. Of course, one may say this is expected of a large diaphragm mic, for a fact it is so. However, this is definitely unexpected from a mic of this price. For this money, you could barely even buy a cheapest SDC like an AT2020 and even when you do, you would end up having to deal with that… puffy AT2020 sound, which isn’t easy to EQ because the proximity boost is not constant and varies highly with distance.

I am not trying to demote AT2020 of course, but I find it handy for comparison in regards to the proximity effect where Maono PM500 clearly comes on top. I also find it amusing comparing PM500 with broadcast mics because of some semblance in the way they sound. Particularly in the lower end, the female voice sounds almost exactly as when spoken. The male voice may be getting a little bit of a broadcaster effect – if there is a boost, it must be gentle, but I would say it just naturally reproduces the richness of your voice and does it much more accurately than a typical directional SDC – it never gets puffy or bloated and the sound is ready for production.

Application

I will now talk about the application of the PM500 microphone. First, I shall briefly cover the possible usage for instruments and then move on to vocals in more detail. In order to get the best out of this mic please be mindful of these three considerations: it has an above average self-noise, it is mellow in character and the maximum SPL is 120 dB. On percussions for instance, SPL could play a limiting factor; for cymbals, it could be too warm, though it depends. In general, if you can get a clean signal from your instruments without the need for gain, it should work just fine. Particularly I believe it would work for guitars (up close), brass, pianos, pipes and bass cabs.

For vocals, the usage is broad. It can be used for voice-overs because it provides a good sound quality and rejects the background noise. The same applies for podcasting, and the fact that any post-processing is optional makes it easy to set up. Also viable for streaming, the trick here is to position the mic in such a way that it doesn’t obstruct the view. I was able to achieve this by rotating the mic up +20°, so that the bottom of the mic faces the keyboard (which also helps to reject the key strokes). The metal pop-shield that attaches to shock mount is quite compact, I point it next to my mouth and it isn’t seen by the webcam positioned on top of my monitor.

Naturally, you may want to connect this mic to a computer in order to record, stream and make videos on the go. Nowadays all you would need is an audio interface, a cheapest Focusrite or Presonus would do, and that will cost you only about $100. Considering the Maono PM500 is quite cheap as well, you can end up having a commendable audio quality at home for just about $200. Compared to the sound of an average USB mic that plugs directly to a computer, the difference in sound quality is simply too big to ignore. Here is a sample recorded in a noisy background environment for the purpose of demonstrating the sound in a typical home setting.

maono-pm500-sample

The audio interface I used is actually SSL2+, which is rather luxurious but the two brands mentioned above could do just fine. Nice thing about SSL is that it has a ‘4K’ mode, which boosts highs just a little, and can be quite useful with this mic. Some basic form of high shelf is probably the only form of EQ I would consider applying to PM500. This is because the included pop shield is metal and I believe it dampens the higher frequencies, also speaking off-axis to an LDC will reduce the highs, so that’s a good way of compensating for that. However, this is a versatile mic; you can also speak more on axis and use a regular pop-filter instead to achieve the same effect.

Conclusion

Maono PM500 is ideal for home studio, be it recording of vocals, voice-overs, podcasting or even streaming, and would also work for most musical instruments. Flat on-axis response and minimized proximity effect result in a very natural, rich sound while the off axis response with a large diaphragm gives it a mellow character. This mic has a good clarity but is not as crisp as smaller diaphragms; thus also not as hot to the background. It doesn’t seem to be affected by sibilance or harsh resonances. The sound is ready for production and doesn’t really need any post-processing. Priced so absurdingly low, it also comes with a free shock mount and pop shield.

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Sound & quality

The sound quality of the microphone is very good overall – performing alike units twice and triple the price, it just destroys anything under $100. There are many aspects to it but we shall start with the frequency response. By the way, all the specs are readily available in the documentation, for which lots of kudos to Maono, because usually producers hide this info when it comes to budget mics. So, the frequency response of HD300T is actually flat, it has very little coloration and therefore gives you a quite accurate tonal representation. It could be described as neutral with just a touch of warmth, working very well for announcements and vocals.

The roll off starts at 90 Hz and goes 10 dB / octave meanwhile upper highs receive some boost in the 7-10 kHz region, giving it more presence and clarity, and even extend to 15 kHz. This is a very good curve for a dynamic mic, and especially for a USB mic… The highs are transparent, silky and smooth; the mid-tones are neutral and the lows are just natural. Condensers, in comparison may sound a bit more detailed but usually also harsher, which is not ideal especially for the beginners who have not yet mastered their recording techniques. On the other hand, HD300T does not fall behind in terms of clarity either, and everything contributes to easy use.

There are actually even more advantages compared to condensers: you can stay right on top of it without overloading the mic or causing some unpleasant proximity effects – Maono handles it very well. And the closer you are to the mic, the higher signal to noise you get against the background. Condensers usually like a bit more distance thus also picking up more background. Another advantage is that it handles the wind very well. This may sound irrelevant at first, but in reality blowing into mic while singing or even breathing is very common. Compared side by side with Shuve MV5, there is a night and day difference in this regard.

Comparison

There are however some disadvantages too with the HD300T. Those aren’t even about the quality of the recording, but rather regarding its utility. The first thing you’ll notice is that it doesn’t have that much gain compared to more common condenser mics. For speech, you may want to keep the gain slider at 100% and only when singing up close will you have to lower it. If you can always be on top of the mic, this isn’t a problem at all. However, if you like to lean back leaving it on your desk – this will not work. It simply won’t have enough gain to pick up the sound from afar. There is no way to set it above 100% and since it’s only 16-bit depth, boosting in DAW may not be lossless either.

Another issue is that the real-time monitoring output does not provide the best audio quality. It does get quite loud in comparison to that of the ALC887 in my motherboard, so I was able to hear myself clearly while recording. However, it just isn’t the best sound if you are trying to master or your recording, even applying EQ is going to be out of the window. So as soon as you’re done recording, you want to use a better DAC or switch to your studio monitors. My headphones have 16-Ohm impedance, so when I plug them into the mic, there is not enough power to drive them. As a result, I found the low frequencies, such as 50 Hz were non-existent during playback.

For comparison, Audio-Technica AT2005USB has the exact same drawbacks: potentially lacks gain and provides even less power from the DAC into low impedance loads. Those things aren’t deal breakers of course, but it’s always good to understand what you are getting beforehand to keep yourself from dissatisfaction. The Audio-Technica mic by the way has a brighter response, more appropriate for stage use rather than home recording, whereas Maono is mellower-sounding. Since it also comes with shock mount and pop filter, I’d say Maono actually takes the upper hand. I am a big fan of accessories, because in the end they help improving the sound at no additional cost.

Durability

In terms of durability, HD300T looks very solid but once you hold it in your hand, it will feel even more solid. It weighs no less than the regular XLR vocal mics and has a full aluminum, metal body. The grilles also look nice, so I suppose it has to be durable, or at least its dynamic component. When it comes to the USB and active components, we may need a little bit more feedback from the users because this review is ahead of the actual release. One thing that concerns me is the unjustified use of the USB-C port, which feels a little bit wobbly and I wouldn’t want to strain it. Just to be on the safe side I’ve come up with a cable management loop, luckily the cable is long enough to allow this.

- Reviewed at $69.99

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