Maono nicely sent the AU-PM421 USB Microphone for an unbiased review. Here is my experience with the setup and sound quality.
Package Contents
In the box, you get the following:
- Microphone Unit
- Microphone Stand
- Shock Mount
- Pop Filter
- Table Clamp
- Windscreen Shield
- USB A to B Cable – 2.5 Meters / 8.2 Feet
- Manual
Technical Specs
✅ Bit Depth: 24 Bit
✅ Polar Pattern: Cardioid
✅ Frequency Response: 20Hz ~ 20 KHz
✅ Sensitivity: -47dB ~ 29dB +/-3dB
✅ Maximum SPL: 125 dB
✅ S/N Ratio: 74 dB
✅ Sampling Rate: Up to 192 kHz
✅ Power: USB Powered
Price & Value
The Maono Fairy Lite USB Mic retails for around $50 USD or $63 CAD, so it’s a pretty good value when compared to more mainstream options.
The link above is a referral link, which means that I earn a small commission for each qualifying sale. However, there is no additional cost to you.
Build Quality
Similar to their other products, the build quality in the microphone unit is impressive. It’s made of metal, with the only plastic areas being the plastic ring with the maono logo and the touch-sensitive panel to mute or unmute the microphone.
The microphone pickup area has a metal mesh in the front. This same mesh design is found at the top and back of the microphone.
The gain adjustment knob feels high-quality and has a good amount of tension when rotating it so that it can’t get accidentally nudged.
The bottom of the microphone has a USB connection port which accepts a USB Type B connector end and offers a secure enough fit that small snags on the cable don’t shake it loose, but some may have preferred some type of locking mechanism. So far, the lack of a locking mechanism hasn’t been an issue for me, though.
Setting Up The Mic
Setting up the mic is pretty easy if you follow the instructions in the manual if this is your first boom arm style mic. I was able to set it up in about 2 minutes, and all components of the boom arm system are sturdy.
However, when I had to attach the pop filter, I had to spend a few more minutes trying to position it where I wanted it exactly. I found the extension arm of the pop filter to lack some tension, which caused the pop filter to drift a little when I positioned it. I finally got it in place, but I would have liked the tension to be stronger to match the rest of the premium feel of the system.
Once everything is set up, though, it is quite sturdy. The table clamp works well, and it’s well thought out so that you can clamp it and tighten it while it’s pretty flush to a desk with a sidewall without the turning mechanism hitting the sidewall.
The mic clamp has two rings that can be squeezed together to open the clamping ring to drop the mic in. The mic’s placement can be adjusted vertically to be higher or lower based on where you clamp it.
There is a supplied wind muff, but I didn’t find it necessary to use because the pop filter does a great job.
Using The Mic
Once I plugged the mic into my Windows 10 device, it was automatically set up and recognized. The mic is quite easy to use because there are only two things that can be adjusted. The gain is adjusted quickly and easily using the knob.
The microphone can also be muted or unmuted by tapping on the microphone mute icon, and this feature is responsive even with a light touch and is intended to reduce noise generated from a click or pressing a button to mute. When powered and unmuted, a cyan LED light is shown. When muted, the LED light is red.
Adjusting the microphone position is easy to do since the boom arm unit moves fluidly. It’s handy to have the mic situated right in front of me and, within seconds, be able to move it all the way to the side of my desk where it is completely out of the way when it isn’t needed.
Audio Quality
The audio sounds great straight out of the microphone and, depending on your uses, will likely not require any audio processing. With the gain control at max gain, the audio sounds clear and clean without being too bass-heavy or thin. I haven’t noticed any audio distortions also during my testing. This makes it a great option for voiceovers, podcasts or live streaming videos.
It also does well when it comes to reducing the pickup of background noise or noises going on behind or on the sides of the mic. There is no option to enable a high pass or low pass filter.
Summing Up
If you’re looking to improve your audio with a complete system, this is a great place to start. Setup is fast and simple when it comes to putting the system together. On Windows devices, it is plug and play, so you can go from unboxing to using this in around 5 to 10 minutes.
It’s great for those who just want to hit record and use the audio without much processing. If you want more control over the audio, you may want a unit that offers more hardware-level control, but you will not be dissatisfied with the audio coming out of this.
If there is anything that I missed in the review, or if you have any questions that I did not cover, please leave a comment below.
The link above is a referral link, which means that I earn a small commission for each qualifying sale. However, there is no additional cost to you.
