Which MAONO microphone to buy for streaming: PD100X, PD200X, PD300X, PD400X and the wireless ones
By Elan Harpaz · Published 2026-08-31
MAONO sells a dozen mics that all look similar on a search page. This is the line-up sorted by what each one is for, from the $33 DGM20 to the PD400X, with the interface and headphones that pair with them.
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| Component | Pick | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camera | Elgato Facecam MK.2 Premium Full HD face cam built for streaming, with a true 1080p60 sensor. Buy on Amazon | $99.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| Audio | MAONO PD200X XLR/USB Dynamic Mic The budget answer to the Shure MV7: dynamic, RGB, USB today and XLR when the interface arrives. Buy on Amazon | $72.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| Interface / Mixer | MAONO P1 USB Audio Interface One XLR input with 70 dB of gain, enough for an SM7B without a booster, and an auto-gain button. Buy on Amazon | $99.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| Mic Arm | AA Audio Accessory Low Profile Mic Arm A low-profile arm rated for heavy dynamics, at half the Elgato price. Buy on Amazon | $49.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| Headphones / Headset | MAONO MH700 Studio Monitor Headphones Closed-back monitors for hearing the mix, with a coiled cable and 50 mm drivers. Buy on Amazon | $49.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| Software | OBS Studio Free, open-source broadcast software. On a PC it is also your encoder, up to 4K with a decent GPU. Learn more | Free | Learn more |
The MAONO microphone to buy for most streamers is the PD200X: a dynamic capsule that ignores the room, USB today and XLR later, and a price that competes with USB condensers. Go down to the PD100X if $40 is the budget, up to the PD400X for the headphone jack and onboard EQ, and sideways to the DGM20W or PD100W only if the cable to the desk is the problem you are solving. The rest of the line is condensers and kits, which suit a quiet room and a first setup.
| Capsule | Connects | Best for | Tracked price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DGM20 | Condenser | USB | First mic, quiet room | About $33 |
| PD100X | Dynamic | USB or XLR | Cheapest room rejection | About $42 |
| PD200X | Dynamic | USB or XLR | The default pick | About $73 |
| PD300X | Dynamic | USB or XLR | Bigger capsule, same idea | About $110 |
| PD400X | Dynamic | USB or XLR | Onboard EQ, headphone jack | About $120 |
| DGM20W | Condenser | Wireless receiver | No cable to the PC | About $57 |
| PD100W | Dynamic | Wireless receiver | Wireless and room rejection | About $63 |
| PM500 | Condenser XLR | XLR only | Treated room, interface owner | About $142 |
| A04 Gen2 | Condenser kit | USB or XLR | Everything in one box | About $62 |
Dynamic versus condenser, in one paragraph
A condenser hears everything, which is lovely in a treated room and a disaster next to a mechanical keyboard and a PC fan. A dynamic hears what is close to it. Streamers talk over game audio in untreated rooms, so the PD line (dynamic) is the right default and the DGM, DM and A04 line (condenser) is the right choice only when the room is quiet. This is the same reason the Shure SM7B is the studio mic of Twitch, and the PD200X is the cheapest honest version of that idea.
The one to buy if you read nothing else. Dynamic, RGB you can switch off, USB now and XLR when you add an interface, and the Maono Link software for EQ and a limiter.
The PD200X with a headphone jack for zero-latency monitoring and onboard EQ presets. Worth the difference if you monitor through the mic instead of an interface.
The budget dynamic. Tap to mute, USB or XLR, and it rejects the keyboard for $42.
Sits between the PD200X and PD400X with a larger capsule. Pick it over the PD200X only if you want a warmer low end on a deep voice.
The wireless ones, and when they make sense
MAONO puts a USB-C receiver in the box with the DGM20W and PD100W so nothing runs to the desk. The catch is the same as every wireless mic: a battery to charge and a 2.4 GHz link that shares air with the headset dongle and the mouse. On a desk stream the cable is rarely the problem. On a couch stream or a treadmill stream, it is, and the PD100W is the dynamic to pick there.
Dynamic capsule, wireless receiver, one-button noise reduction. The wireless MAONO to buy for a room with fans.
Six thousand ratings and a receiver that also plugs into a phone. The wireless condenser, for a quiet room.
The condensers and kits
The $33 USB condenser people rate well. A first mic that will be replaced, and that is fine.
The kit: mic, arm, shock mount, pop filter, and now an XLR output as well as USB. Twenty thousand ratings on the family.
A 34 mm large-diaphragm XLR condenser for a treated room and an interface with phantom power. The studio pick, not the streaming default.
What to plug them into
The USB models need nothing. For the XLR side, MAONO makes its own interfaces: the P1 has 70 dB of gain, enough for any of the PD mics without a booster, and the P2 adds a second XLR input for a co-host and connects to a PC and a phone at once. Wear the MH700 or MH601 closed-back headphones to hear the mix without leaking it back into the mic.
One XLR in, 70 dB of clean gain, an auto-gain button. The interface for a single PD mic.
Two XLR inputs and simultaneous PC plus phone, for a two-mic desk or a stream that also goes out from a phone app.
Closed-back monitors with 50 mm drivers, so the music bed stays in your ears and out of the mic.
Frequently asked
Is the MAONO PD200X good for streaming?
Yes. It is a dynamic USB and XLR mic that rejects keyboard and room noise, with software EQ and a limiter, at a price that competes with USB condensers. It is the MAONO most streamers should buy.
MAONO PD200X vs PD400X: what is the difference?
The PD400X adds a headphone jack for zero-latency monitoring, onboard EQ presets and a gain knob on the body. The capsule and the USB or XLR flexibility are the same. Buy the PD400X if you monitor through the mic rather than an interface.
Do MAONO mics need an audio interface?
Not over USB. Over XLR they do, and the MAONO P1 or P2 provides enough gain for the PD series without a Cloudlifter.
Is a MAONO condenser or dynamic better for streaming?
Dynamic (the PD line) for an untreated room with a keyboard and a PC fan. Condenser (DGM, DM, A04, PM500) only for a quiet, treated room.
About this guide. Written by Elan Harpaz. We do not lab-test hardware. Every quality verdict on this page is a planning budget computed from a published model, and every price is a tracked estimate rather than a live one. How the numbers are derived: methodology. How picks are chosen: editorial policy.
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