Offering duel USB/XLR connectivity, the PD200X dynamic microphone sit's in the camp currently dominated by the ridiculously high end Shure SM7B, and the more wildly accessible FiFine K688 - but can Maono tempt you over with their £108.99 alternative?
**The PD200X was reviewed using hardware provided and sent to us by Maono, but in no way influenced the review.
The PD200X comes in a slick wrap around sleeve concealing the Maono yellow box with minimalistic black logo, whilst inside you'll find the PD200X, and pre-attached shock mount, a USB-C to USB-C cable with intergrated USB-A adapter, a thread adaptor for boom arms and stands as well as a user manual.
The body of the PD200X is all metal, with the exception of the dial and the shockmount which are both plastic, but overall it has a really nice heft to it. Visually, it's very similiar to the aforementioned Shure SM7B and FiFine K688, but what sets it apart is the built in controls and RGB ring - these only function when connected via USB and not XLR, but it's worth pointing out the gain/monitoring dial is very close to the shock mount, so accidental bumps are going to play a part when using them.
There is also a mute button and this also only works when connected via USB.
At the bottom of the PD200X you'll find the USB-C and XLR ports, as well as a button to turn on the RGB ring, and a headphone port for audio monitoring.
Sound wise, plugging the PD200X into my Behringer U-PHORIA UMC204HD via XLR, I was pleased with the relatively natural and warm sound, but it can be little too flat - but using filters like compression, limiter etc within Adobe Audition, Audacity or OBS (or any other software you're using) will yeild you better results.
Connecting the PD200X via USB will give you access to the RBG light ring and the gain controls on the mic itself, but my biggest gripe with this, is there is no way of telling you where the dial is sat, so you'll need to use both your ears and something like OBS to see where your gain dial is currently situated, and if it's too low or too high.
USB connectivity also gives you the ability to use Maono's free software, Maono Link, and this allows you to control certain aspects of the PD200X:
Equalizer
Limiter
Compressor
Microphone monitoring
Headphone volume
Microphone gain
4 mic tone options(Legacy, Deep, Natural, Bright)
RGB lighting customization
As with similiar mics in this category, because the capsule isn't fully recessed from the grille, it means it doesn't reject plosives quite as well at times, but with proper microphone technique and position, this can be rectified.
Using the button to switch between headphone and gain also gives an audible bump when pressing as well, so be mindfull of this when you're using it.
Something that should be talked about more is the versatility you get straight out of the box - the included USB cable allows you to connect the PD200X straight to your PC or Mac, but also any phone or tablet with USB-C (so most devices!), allowing you to use the PD200X for your mobile content.
Overall, this is a terrific microphone, it sounds great, it has a lot of versatility, and it allows USB users to upgrade further down the line if they wish to move into XLR territory. Maono have released some excellent microphones over the last few years, and I'm pleased to say the PD200X is another great addition.
★ Maono PD200X at Amazon - https://shorturl.at/fhmxX
★ Maono PD200X at Maono - https://shorturl.at/oAOSW
