The Maono DM30 is a USB microphone, with programmable features and stylish RGB lights, priced at budget price of £29.99 on Amazon.
Design and Set-up
The first thing about the Maono DM30 that jumps out at me is the extremely simple set-up. The microphone is all attached and ready to go straight out of the box, with a simple USB-C lead that requires zero effort to plug-in. The simplicity is more of a plus than a negative, in my opinion, as you can literally plug-in and play, with no fiddling around with endless wires.
Granted, at only £29.99, we can expect that the simplicity in set-up suggests a lower quality of mic, and that is certainly backed up by the lack of gizmos attached to the DM30. Despite this, there is a knob in the familiar position of the front-middle of the mic, which has a nifty light system to say whether the mic is live and on-air, alongside a light to indicate the headphone status.
The DM30 has a stylish-looking stand that is slim, sturdy and has a premium feel to it. It’s made out of a strong metal material that certainly feels more expensive than the £29.99 price tag suggests, which is testament to Maono for making an affordable mic that feels and looks like it exceeds its price.
RGB Lighting
The RGB system on the Maono DM30 is a very positive element of this impressive little microphone. The DM30 can cycle through all the basic colours by users clicking the button on the underside of the mic, or users can simply let the RGB’s do their own thing.
This “own thing” that I mention is the RGB’s slowly fading between different mix-ups of colours, which looks really good illuminating through the various holes and slots that allow light through. Overall, I’m glad that they added a highly premium-looking makeup of RGB’s as it certainly takes the mic from looking rather budget to looking more high-end.
Sound Quality
The Maono DM30 continued its impressive performance in the sound department too, once again baffling me as to how this microphone was only £29.99. Of course, I don’t want to overhype it. The quality was very good, clear and crisp, with a standard cardioid pattern that didn’t try too hard to perform, casually delivering a high standard of sound quality.
The biggest element of praise when it comes to the DM30’s sound quality is its ability to make sure your voice is heard above all else, with my voice being especially clear when gaming or when doing an activity with background noise. This makes it a great option for people who want to plug-in and play without the worry of the mic sounding like there’s a tornado in your room.
Despite the impressive clarity on my voice and the suppression of background noise, the background noise wasn’t completely silenced, with my friends who I tested this mic with noticing a slight knocking sound when I moved around in my chair or if my controller was being smacked a tad more in the more intense games.
However, factoring in the low price of £29.99 on Amazon, I can’t complain too much as the sound quality is too good for me to complain too much about small knockings, although if you are someone who can’t stand any background noise, you may need to look at the more expensive brands such as Rode or Razer for the best of the best.
Maono Link Software
Although the Maono Link software isn’t vital to getting a good experience with the DM30, it certainly helps give it a leg up. The main thing users can do with the Moano Link software is adjust EQ levels, which allow you to make your voice even more prominent, or adjust the bass levels so it’s a more equal spread of sound.
Whilst users can edit all of this manually, there are 4 pre-sets that users can simply switch between, consisting of Legacy, Bright, Natural and Deep. The difference between the 4 modes isn’t massively noticeable, however it seemed to me that Legacy delivered the best formation of EQ edits, although this is mainly depending on personal preference.
Maono DM30: Worth It?
Taking everything into account, I think the verdict on the Maono DM30 is pretty straightforward. It is the epitome of value for money, with a surprisingly impressive level of sound quality at a budget price of £29.99. The DM30 is a great option for beginner streamers, University students who need a microphone for a project, or simply audiophiles who want to sound good on a budget when gaming.
Factor in the stylish RGB features, the solid Maono Link software and the extremely simple and easy-to-use setup that lets you quite literally plug in and play straight from the box, the Maono DM30 is most definitely a microphone that I would recommend.
| Product Rating |
Design: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars
Ease of Use: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Maono Link Software: 3.5 out of 5.0 stars
Sound Quality: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Value for Money: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Overall ranking: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars – 4.5-star rating
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