Maono PM500 Review | Musician Nerd

The Maono PM500 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone is a new product on the market that offers well-balanced quality at a reasonable price. Maono is a newer company compared to some of the big brands on the market, with a niche focus on the young generations who like to podcast and share their moments on the internet.

Maono PM500 Large Diaphragm Mic Set

In recent years there has been a growing tend of streams, podcasts, and gaming videos all across the internet. For the younger generation, it's even more pertinent that they can access well-built microphones without breaking the bank. Companies like Maono are making this reality more and more possible with microphones like the PM500.

In today's review, we will be taking a close look at the Maono PM500 to see how it stacks against some of its competitors. We'll first talk about all the features we love and then get into any downsides we've found. By the end of this review, you'll know if this is the right microphone for your needs.

Why It's Great

For starters, the Maono PM500 has a frequency response range of 20Hz - 20kHz, which is my preferred range for condenser microphones. Wide range frequencies allow you to get those warm yet distinctive lows with the crisp & clear highs, resulting in a full-bodied sound to your audio.

Maono PM500 Large Diaphragm Microphone

As a Large Diaphragm condenser, the Maono PM500 produces a lower self-noise level than small diaphragm microphones, giving you better noise performance. The sacrifice here is that they don't perform as well on the highest frequencies, but we couldn't notice any faults from our audio tests on the PM500. The quality of the bass frequencies is incredible, easily one of the best microphones in this price range for recording on the lower end.

Maono PM500 Large Diaphragm Microphone Condenser

High-quality large-diaphragm condenser microphones like the Maono PM500 are more sensitive, allowing them to record at such a high rate of quality with wide-range frequency response. I bring this up, however, because recording audio at home runs the risk of picking up too many environment sounds. My tests with the Maono PM500 did not require much noise reduction and soundproofing to maintain an "acceptable" level of background noise.

One major factor to consider, especially for voice-over work, is vocal presence. I would say that the first part that stood out to me in testing was how to present my voice felt on the recordings we did due to the well-balanced frequencies. I was also impressed with how strong my voice came through while still sounding raw and unaffected.

Another factor to consider is that the Maono PM500 Large Diaphragm Condenser connects via XLR with Phantom Power, which offers you the best sound quality transmission. You'll likely need to invest in a microphone preamp in order to send the sound to your computer (and it's an important tool to have anyways). Your other alternative would be an XLR to USB cable, though they're slightly less effective.

What It's Good For

The Maono PM500 is super affordable yet easily compares to microphones 3x it's cost. With the low noise level & high frequency response, you'll be able to record podcasts and streams easily of the highest quality without paying absurd amounts for it.

Maono PM500 Pop Filter

When I was younger, I purchased my first condenser microphone, the Rode NT1, costing me nearly 3x as much as the Maono PM500, yet the microphone & included accessories were poorly made and flimsy. The Maono PM500 is very solid and comes with a well-built shock mount that our testing proved to be very shock-resistant, as well as a metal pop filter (vs. many cheaper plastic ones included in more expensive microphones). The pop filter works okay but wasn't mind-blowing.

A great example of where I would use the Maono PM500 is for a YouTube Microphone, for voice over work on your videos. If you're a content creator who needs to record their voice frequently or live stream with low latency audio to your audience, the PM500 is going to be fantastic for you.

The Downsides

The only major downside worth mentioning for the Maono PM500 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone is the lower Sound Pressure Level (SPL), which controls the level of sound pressure the microphone can handle before distortion. While I enjoy the diversity in some large diaphragm condenser microphones, their decision to compromise on low SPL allows the microphone to have a higher sensitivity. What does this mean for you?

When recording instruments like the drums or guitar, the SPL will indicate sound pressure before distortion. However, if you're only recording your voice, this is a positive as the lower SPL gives the microphone more significant gain on the voice end.

Maono doesn't advertise the PM500 as an instrument microphone, as they focus on the niche market of affordable podcasting microphones and streaming. If you were looking for a more versatile microphone solution to cover your vocal and instrument needs, this wouldn't be the most suitable choice.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Great Sound (Strong Bass)
• Great Construction / Accessories
• Easy To Use

Cons

• Low SPL

Best Used For

• Podcasts
• Streaming / Gaming
• Vocal Recording

Summary

The Maono PM500 is an excellent condenser microphone for this price range. We've worked with a few Maono products thus far, and they've proven to us that they are serious about their mission to provide high-quality microphones at an affordable price. Again, I have to go back to the quality of the build. The capsule durability & the shock mount blew me away at this price.

Whether you're working on your podcast or getting a new streaming channel together, I think for those just starting or working on a budget, the PM500 is an excellent choice. It may not be the best option for recording musical instruments, but that's a small sacrifice for ensuring higher quality voice recordings.

If you head out and buy one of these, let us know in the comments below what you think!