MAONO PM422 Podcast USB Microphone Review: All You Need to Know
In search of a home microphone for your work or recording videos, podcasts & more? These days everyone is a content creator to some extent and to make content, recording audio is a key part undoubtedly. However, not every mics are affordable and not every affordable microphone has good quality sound output, to solve this problem, Maono makes some of the industry’s best microphones which most creators trust upon.
Though I am not very much into content making yeah sometimes you do need a good-quality mic to record YouTube videos or even podcasts, so, having this easy-to-use microphone was required. So, Maono send us this MAONO PM422 that comes with Professional Cardioid Condenser Mic and of course, a sturdy arm to hold your mic in any direction you want to.
This MAONO PM422 Podcast USB Microphone retails in India for ₹5,999, which again is affordable pricing for those who want to step up their content creation game, but is it worth it? Let’s find out:
MAONO PM422 Podcast USB Microphone Specifications
- Professional Sound Chipset 192KHZ/24BIT: This USB condenser microphone is designed with the professional sound chipset and 16mm electret condenser transducer.
- Real-Time Monitoring: Just plug your headphones directly into a 3.5mm jack of microphone for zero-latency monitoring that eliminates those distracting delays so you can record and overdub in real time.
- Quickly Touch Mute And Mic Gain Knob: Touch-key mute/unmute your microphone, and the built-in LED Indicator lights to tell you the working status (Green Light: Working, Red Light: Mute).
- Cardioid Mode: Cardioid mode captures sound sources that are directly in front of the microphone. It delivers a rich, full-bodied sound.
- Premium Microphone Arm Sst: High-quality metal arms stand and shock mounts to isolate USB mic from noise. Pop filters and windscreen caps can lower wind and Saliva interference.
- Plug & Play: The microphone has a USB data port, easy to connect with computers. Only select the USB mic as the default input in your software settings. 98in double shielding USB cable reduces interference.
- Wide Compatibility: Compatible with Windows and Mac OS. Well-suited to podcasting, game streaming, Skype calls, vocals and instruments.
In the Box
- 1x condenser microphone,
- 1x adjustable sturdy arm,
- 1x desk mount clamp,
- 1x metal shock mount,
- 1x pop filter,
- 1x windscreen cap,
- 1x USB cable and
- 1x manual instruction
Design & Build Quality
Considering the price at which this MAONO PM422 Podcast USB Microphone comes I would say, the quality of the arm, the mic, the condenser, and the USB cable is quite premium. Obviously, the desk mount clamp could have been better but I won’t complain about the price it comes and the best part is it’s very easy to assemble as well as use to mount it on the table.
Made up of mostly hard plastic, the quality of the microphone is really good and solves the purpose you are buying this microphone for, from the condenser to the arm, the build quality is decent.
The Zinc alloy metal mic frame and high-quality metal arms make it easy for even non-pros like me to use the microphone, also, the amount of accessories that come with this MAONO PM422 Podcast USB microphone is appreciable. Maono’s tagline of just plug and play is evident even when it comes to design & build quality overall, making it easy for anyone to use the microphone.
Microphone Quality and Sound Output
Coming to the quality of this microphone, the MAONO PM422 features a 192Khz 24 Bit digital output through the USB connector thanks to a professional sound chipset and a 16mm electret condenser transducer. The quality of the output is nice, has no distortion of any sort and the overall voice output is much better than the ones in the similar pricing.
Thanks to the cardioid polar pattern, this condenser mic captures sound sources without any background noise and it’s evident in the output. You also have a microphone gain knob to adjust the pitch of the sound output, and I would say, Maono has focussed on the quality of the output and not the loudness of the voice output. This is actually good and to my surprise, the MAONO PM422 is exactly what budget content creators will absolutely want from a microphone in particular.
Particularly Maono has targeted musicians, streamers, podcasters, and other content creators who do not want to overspend on a mic yet have quality sound output. You can also plug your headphones directly into a 3.5mm jack of the microphone for zero-latency monitoring, which is again a nice add-on feature for a mic in this price range, overall, while it’s not the loudest if you need quality at a budget this MAONO PM422 lives up to the expectation.
Easy of Usage
I think the ease of usage plays a big role for this MAONO PM422 Podcast USB Microphone, it is more of a budget-friendly, go-to microphone for everyone who wants to be a content creator. Having the output directly into your PC/laptop saves a lot of time if you do not have to modulate your voice as professionals do, it’s easy to set up and both gain & mute controls are very simple for anyone to use. So, even for a novice, this condenser microphone is a real value-for-money offering.
Verdict
The key takeaway from this MAONO PM422 microphone is that Maono’s target audience is very clear, they want people who want to get into content creation to have a quality microphone which is both professional to some extent and affordable. Though its arm or loudness of the voice is not the best the other good things make it up for the microphone overall, one of the highly rated mics on Amazon, this MAONO PM422 microphone is a highly recommended option if you are desperate for a reliable microphone in the price range.
Buy from Amazon India: https://amzn.to/44X0aNM
