If you’re ready to upgrade from garbled headsets and muffled webcams to something with a bit more flair then the Maono DM30 microphone might be the perfect addition to your streaming setup.
Whether it’s the dulcet sound of a poorly placed headset mic or the distant echo of an integrated webcam add on, microphones are an essential bit of kit for a home desktop. While streamers starting out and home office setups might begin by making do with whatever is at hand, eventually something’s got to give and the Maono DM30 is poised to fill that gap on your desk. The Maono landed on our doorstep a few weeks ago, and comes squarely targeted at the budget end of this particular market. Priced at $59.99 but even on sale for as little as $39.99, this USB cardioid microphone might not cost the same as an Aston Element, but it begins with an unexpectedly premium entrance..
Initial Impressions
The DM30 is marketed by Maono as a gaming device, and the design fits this concept. The audio manufacturer might not normally enter the same market space as Hyper-X , but there’s clearly a similar design cues. The first plug and play mic under the Maono brand slides out of the box almost ready to go. The unitary design brings together all the central components required to support the DM30,and encases them in an solid black cylinder that has some heft to it. The metallic mesh and body that make up the exterior both flow into an attached stand that holds the DM30 aloft by a single leg. It’s a pleasing piece of design and still feels recognizable with only a benign amount of decorative branding added to the overall device. Flipping the DM30 over to expose the bottom face reveals the few sections that isn’t metal with a USB C port, a 3.5mm jack for monitoring, and a button to control the included RGB illumination.
While the plastic components and button are not ideal, they are not overt and aren’t even much of a distraction from a stoic profile. Rather than opt for bright branding, the DM30 comes a different shades so it can blend into a range of desktop configurations. Instead of screaming for attention, Maono takes a little leaf out of the Blue book and delivers a recognizable form and brand identity, even if it’s not nearly as iconic as the Yeti.
Plug & Play
As USB microphone, the DM30 comes with all the relevant parts required to get up and running. As we mentioned in our unboxing , the extra adaptor and 90 degree orientation of the included cable is a welcome forethought that just makes life easier from the outset. Plugging in and jumping on voice comms had us reminding our team that ‘it’s good to talk’ without an iota of frustration or hanging around for things to finish setting up. The DM30 is true to its description and just works from the word go in both Windows and Mac environments. Monitoring is sufficient, and the gain/volume button gives an appreciatively clicky response when turned, and the available software is equally well put together.
While the DM30 works as a simple plug and play device, the available configuration software adds a little more customization to this mix. The Maono Link software opens up some new settings for Mac and Windows owners. A small sampling of tone, EQ, RGB, and volume controls are easily adjusted across a single page. While I’d love to see greater granular control of the EQ and RGB options, Maono has done a good job of giving owners just enough control without being intimidating.
Noise cancellation is a similar scenario. Maono hasn’t bundled in any expensive auto configuration or exposed many settings, but a simple compression and limiter slider provide far more control than a fire and forget headset solution might. The DM30 might be able to set the mood but it will never ask you to conduct the entire orchestra to do so.
Sound
Sound largely falls into a mid-range category. The DM30 doesn’t load up a full suite of settings or drop an arsenal of mic capsules onto the desk. Instead, a single cardioid pickup pattern provides for the most common use cases and does a decent job of it.
You’ll hear from our sample that the default settings for this mic provide clear and reasonably rounded tone. The position of the mic in an office environment means a little mixing could help warm the sound up a bit, but the clarity and tone are worth the RRP. While the DM30 can feel a little flat in comparison to more fully featured mics, it blows away entry level competitors. 24 bit sound is bundled in here, although the sampling rate of 48Khz means it , again, lands in the mid range of the market with decent specs.
Noise cancellation is an entirely manual affair, replying heavily on the pickup pattern of the mic and the advanced settings sliders to keep extraneous noise at bay. Simply sat on a stand, the mic will pick up almost anything thrown at it or the rest of your desk. The solid components and mtal shell don’t do a great job of shielding the mic from the hammer of an angry moba clicker or anything nearby. Removing the included stand and adding a different mounting system to reduce pickup through the stand is possible, thanks to an ingenious screw thread in the shaft of the microphone stand.
More ambient interference, such as air con and background traffic, is less of a concern for owners of the DM30 thanks to the cardioid pickup pattern. As demonstrated by our samples, a few metres movement results in a significant reduction in volume, even for sounds that match the human voice. However, if you’re sat alongside a roaring fan or rowdy neighbours every day, I would consider looking for something with a supercardioid pattern instead
Deskside Opinion
I’ve been using the Maono DM30 for a couple of weeks now for a range of tasks. Overall, I’d consider this a solid first step into USB microphones for Maono. The hardware is functional in the best way. The DM30 doesn’t try to add more than it needs to, giving a solid sounding setup that doesn’t require much more than the ability to plug in and start speaking. That simplicity, however, doesn’t always last long on a desktop. If you’re looking to avoid upgrading almost immediately, then the thoughtful design additions make the DM30 a very compelling choice. The premium feel of the metal shell and extra color options make it look the part. Whether it’s black, pink, white, or blue you’ll want to keep this distinctive piece around.
For in game audiophiles, the single pickup pattern and 48 Khz sampling might not be comparable to the high end Rhodes of this world, but some added software settings, filters, and tone adjustments mean it’s likely to end up hanging around until you find yourself upgrading to something in an entirely different category. The DM30 isn’t a competitor to top end mics. Instead, it’s one of the few alternatives in the middle of the market and serves as a massive upgrade to entry level designs like the Tonor TC-777 or the Razer Seiren Mini. The DM30 isn’t a gaming microphone, it’s a great value piece of audio equipment for streamers who aren’t interested in spending hours in setup and just want to be heard. Check out more on the Maono DM30 on the official website now.