Fast, I am running presentations or participating in the meetings of Microsoft teams from my desk. Therefore, it became time to improve the sound setup in my workstation. Maono is a respected name in the field of microphone, and so his PD300x seemed a great option for me, but how did it rent?
Although I sometimes produce short videos for these reviews – if you cannot hear what is the matter of reviewing a microphone – I don’t consider myself a YouTuber. Therefore, I am not eager to spend several hundreds of pounds (in UK) on unnecessarily advanced gear.
Recently, I reviewed a mono wireless luxury microphone. I was appropriately affected and therefore was more happy than the risk of trying to try them PD 300x Microphone Combined with Ba37 Boom Arm,
First see PD300X Microphone
In an arbitrary manner, the mike and boom arrived in cardboard packaging, but a foam was useful for storage in the boom.
The microphone is made of a multi-coated aluminum alloy. Covering the capsule is a foam pop filter. It has a muted button behind it, and then a multi-function rotating push button. It acts as MIC gain control, headphone volume and monitor mixer. Then, there is an XLR output, a USB-C socket, as well as a 3.5 mm headphone jack on the back of the microphone. The mike is secured in a rubber shock mount, on which the stand adapter is attached.
First see BA37 Boom Arm
Like the mike, the stand is almost completely made of metal. It is strong and fit with a heavy spring. On the base, a G-clamp secures the hand on the desk. Three elbow joints are incorporated in the hand on the base and, at the top, can also rotate and tilt the microphone.
Establishment of rig
I rarely read the instructions. I am very good to work how things are kept together and I am a fan of simplicity. If I need to refer to the instructions, a device is often unnecessarily complicated. It was simplicity to build it. Mike and hands were out of boxes and were installed on my desk within five minutes.
The boom arm was supplied with two velcro cable tidies and had channels to feed the cable in the joints of the elbow. They were very tight on the elbow receipt and I needed to find a hex key to loose them.
Mike is plug-end-play, so it requires simply plugs USB cable to install it on my PC. The box announced that Mike “made for Apple”, so it also works with iPhone, iPad and iPod, fulfilling the accurate standards of Apple.
The microphone is designed to record podcast and therefore there should be a good response to vocal frequencies. In fact, this is the case, and in meetings, others commented that the sound quality was much better than those using the underlying microphone of their laptops or even other desk mixes.
It collects sound in a cardioed polar pattern, meaning it is indicated on a person being recorded and is less likely to take ambient noise from the room.
At the top of the microphone, the profit is located around the dial, an LED array that indicates the microphone level. This rotary dial is also a push button, and it can change the microphone profit by adjusting the amount of headphones, and can monitor the mixer. LEDs change color to explain which function you are using. It is easy to operate multi-functional knob.
Together mono link software
The manufacturer produces free software to work with its MICS called Moono Link. I downloaded it and ran it on my PC. The current version works only with Windows. The software includes a simple sound recorder with a graphic equipment that allows you to save your own preset. Presets are also included for various situations like podcasting and gaming.
Usely, the software also includes a noise gate. This set does by reducing the sound under the threshold.
In use
It was easy to set and use the microphone. The LED level performance around the profit knob was quite bright, it became a distraction to see. I was really pleased to see that it had a muted button, which is useful for privacy.
As I indicated earlier, the sound quality is very good. For speech, the sound recorded on my Bose speaker is deep and crisp. Men’s voice is usually within 80 to 180 Hz range, while women usually fall within the range of 165 to 255 Hz.
The microphone has claimed 192 KHz / 24-bit sampling rate within 40 Hz to 16 KHz range. I tested it. At the low end, it actually detected up to 40 Hz, which is much less than human voice. It also discovered that I played up to 16.5 kHz through my speaker, above my poor hearing range and more than the highest ton made by human voice, and also 500 Hz at the advertised rate.
I have not reviewed anything that is correct, and a reviewer would not be doing his work properly if he did not find anything wrong with a piece of equipment. Nevertheless, I only write a gear reviews that I am using, and I have sent some goods back without writing a review because it is something that I will not use nor recommend. With this mike, there were only two trivial swallows.
As I mentioned, the stand was slightly tight to start with the joints of the elbow, but I was able to loose them with a hex key. As a photographer, it would have been good if a hex key was provided and if the screw had 4 mm hex heads, it is usually with arch-swas quick-relief plates.
Where the mic connects to the stand, I needed to give up the stress of the wington so that I could tilt or rotate the mike, and then catch it in place to re -tighten it. If there was a rubber sleeve above the pin inside the clamp, there may be sufficient resistance to repose the mic without loosening and retracting that walnut. You can rotate the mike clockwise with tightening the wington. However, if you bend it leftover, the mic is unheard of the pin. Then, this is a very minor issue and a common design feature of other devices; My son’s microphone from another brand and a lamp I use work in the same way.
Once established, Mike did a good job. As I mentioned, the sound quality was present, and the unilateral nature of the mike using a cardiode polar pattern helped eliminate background noise. It was easy to use, control, both mike and app. In addition, the stand was strong and looked smart. Once set the place, it stopped there.
It was easy to use two multi-function controls on the mic. A short press mute the mike, while a longer press turns on and off a customized function. The main control knob can also be pressed to change its functions, and they change different tasks LED colors. So, on the default setting, the control is set on the microphone advantage (white LED). With a short press, it turns into a headphone volume (blue LED), and a second press monitor mix (purple LED).
The sound quality was good for voice, and I also played my acoustic guitar and sang in it. Although any setup would convert my voice into Art Garfenkel, Luciano Parasoti, or Freddy Mercury, the result was fine.
What did i like and what can be improved next time
What did i like
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Great sound quality with a wide dynamic range and high sampling rate.
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reasonably priced.
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Excellent construction with high quality components.
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In an arbitrary manner, the button on the rotary profit requires a firm push and so it was difficult to operate by mistake.
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A XLR output as well as USB-C.
What can be improved next time
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Supplying the hex key will be a boon for users.
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Fit 4 mm hex-headed screw for the stand.
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Include a friction mount at the top of the stand to repose the mike without loosening and retiring the mike.
in conclusion
There are other microphones that spend a lot more than this, and sometimes I wonder if you are just paying for the name. When I listen to the recording made with this microphone, and then ask others to do the same (I have a moderate hearing loss), I think why most people will spend so much when they can get a top-piye device on a very low budget. Maono pd300x and their Ba37 Boom Arm Both provide great value for money and are well considering.
