Maono PM450 USB condenser microphone: Review

The Maono PM450 is a USB condenser microphone that is meant to pursue high-quality sound without the hassle of conventional studio equipment. With advanced noise reduction technology, a 3-in-1 adjustable knob for versatility, and sound customization through the Maono Link software, this microphone guarantees studio-quality sound at an economical price. Its zinc alloy build and the PM450 strive to balance durability and looks.

Let's go into its performance, features, and value as a whole in order to assess whether indeed it is an optimum option for those seeking to improve their audio recording experience by way of this review.

Build Quality

Made of Zinc Alloy, the PM450 build is top-notch but I feel it's also something that cannot be utilized harshly. On Mic; there is a 3-in-1 smart knob

In the middle, there is a mute button at the top, and the RGB light control button is at the side. This button has a few various modes for your use:
Mode 1 has RGB Loop – the colors above and below the microphone gradually change. Then Mode 2 which has Monochromatic Breathing Mode – Monochromatic lights turn on and off with a breathing effect. Mode 3 gives Steady Monochrome light mode – The light is always on in a fixed color.

The bottom contains a USB Type-C slot and comes with a long cable. Just plug it in, and you’re good to go. A headphone jack also appears for live monitoring—more on that towards the end.

Maono PM450 Features

The 3-in-1 smart knob in PM450's finest feature microphone gain mode, headphone volume mode, monitor mix, and high pass filter mode.

Mode 1: Microphone Gain

When the mic symbol is lit, rotate the knob clockwise to raise the microphone gain, and counterclockwise to lower. The white indicator light will alter as the gain rises and drops.
Short press the smart knob to turn to "headphone volume mode" and the headphone indicator light will be on.

Mode 2: Headphone Volume

Rotate the knob clockwise to raise the headphone volume, and counterclockwise to lower. The blue indicator light will change when raising and lowering the headphone volume.
Short press the smart knob again to turn to monitor mix mode, and a purple light will be on.

Mode 3: Monitor Mix

Rotating clockwise here will alter the monitoring signal, slowly switching from the microphone to the host device, and the purple light will shift toward the headphones. Rotating counterclockwise will alter the monitoring signal from the host device. The device changes to the microphone and the purple light will shift to the microphone.

Mode 4: High Pass Filter

Press and keep the knob longer than 2 seconds to enable or disable this function. Upon enabling, after turning it on, the light for the high-pass indicator near the knob under the knob becomes illuminated, while upon disabling it, the same light will cease to shine. When in one of the definite modes and during no operation over 3 seconds, the indication of microphone levels appears.

The level meter shows the peak level of the signal in real-time in green, orange, and red according to the volume of sound picked up by the microphone. Green is normal level, orange is slight overload, and red is severe overload. To get a good-quality recording, adjust the microphone gain or your position to ensure that the signal is properly calibrated.

Setup & Maono Link

I primarily use FL Studio. The setup is rather simple: Open Audacity, click the audio setup button, and look for the PM500. Now you’re ready to record.

This program is supported by both Windows 7 and above and macOS 10.14 or above. Real-time syncing of settings is done between the hardware and software, and the software offers recording, monitoring, and light adjustment functions, such as DSP effect parameters, audio processing, and so on.

Sound

Overall, I'm impressed with the mic's clarity and tone, but I hate having to turn the gain up to achieve a reasonable recording level. I was surprised to find this to be quite a letdown.
Secondly, the windscreen provided only did an OK job so you can use an old pop filter if you want.

As far as latency with the headphone jack is concerned, I believe that it is there, might be negligible but it is. A 3-in-1 knob times out when changing modes, so it's hard to tell which mode you're on. It just defaults back to the default setting.

Generally, the frequency response here is really good. I think it can be improved on the balance because I find it slightly heavy in the mids and lows, but it varies, as some may like the bass boost.

Price & Availability

Currently, it is not available in India and you can find it on the company's official website(Maono.com) for $149.

Final Verdict

Maono's PM450 is beautifully constructed, sounding well-mic with plenty of value in the package. The included software is a bonus and ridiculously easy to install and use. Additionally, the 3-in-1 smart knob is nice features but could be delivered in a bit easy way, and the color options surely bring the feel.