Maono Maonocaster G1 Neo – This Audio Mixer DISSINGS Its Overpriced Rivals | REVIEW
Do we want to manage our podcasts or live streaming in a semi-professional way, adding a touch of panache to our recordings? We definitely need to equip ourselves with an audio mixer, but looking around the prices for something decent, they are mind-boggling. To the rescue comes the new Maonocaster G1 Neo from the brand MAONO (pronounced mono), which in addition to being aesthetically appealing is even more so from a technical point of view but above all is economical. Let's find out together in this complete review.
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Although the sales package is well colored and professional, the equipment is not particularly rich, but we still find the necessary for immediate use and specifically in the package of the Maonocaster G1 Neo we find:
- the mixer itself;
- a USB A-to-USB C cable (which actually turns into a double Type-C);
- User Manual;
- a 3.5mm TRS audio cable.
As already anticipated, we are talking about a cheap product, which could give rise to some fears in terms of construction and solidity of the product, considering that we are talking about purely plastic material. Well forget the fears, because the G1 Neo is built and assembled in an excellent way and during my use I never had the feeling of having a poor product in my hands. The quality is also visual, especially in the white color (the one I tested), but it also exists in black. The Maonocaster G1 Neo is a compact audio mixer, thanks to its very small dimensions of about 16 x 13 x 5 cm, while its soft-touch and easily readable keys thanks to the high readability of the font, also enhanced by the presence of RGB LEDs, give a particular tactile feel, further enhanced by the volume sliders and adjustment knobs of some parameters.
On the bottom of the product, we also find 4 non-slip silicone feet and a screw attachment, to position the mixer on a desktop tripod. We also find a series of inputs for any setup you want to proceed with, for example connecting a PS4 / PS5 for streaming, or a PC, tablet, smartphone and much more. Specifically, we find, apart from the on / off button, a double Type-C port, both of which power the audio mixer if connected to a PC, or if we want to use a dedicated power supply we will use the port marked with the DC-5V symbol. Next we have 4 3,5 mm AUX inputs, used for headphones, AUX IN, AUX out. Finally we find the XLR input for connecting a dedicated microphone. Setting up the mixer is pretty intuitive if you have a basic level of tech visual language, and just the dual USB-C output might confuse those who don't know that the G1 Neo has “phantom power” functionality by default (meaning that the XLR cable also supplies power to the mixer, which therefore doesn't really need the USB-C connection), but only through the 48V connection, which can be activated (with the right microphone and cable) with a button on the top of the mixer.
The top or front side of the G1 Neo is pure spectacle, thanks to the presence of RGB LEDs, which can be changed in intensity, made fixed or turned off. The play of lights is further embellished by a line of LEDs that runs along 3/4 of the audio mixer profile. In addition to the aforementioned 48V button, we find two sliders dedicated to the microphone input and the sound coming from external sources via AUX connection or via Bluetooth, in version 4.2. Precisely through the Bluetooth button we can for example associate smartphones/tablets that are not equipped with a headphone input but also PCs. Both for the microphone and for external sounds we have the mute button available, which however once pressed has a slight delay of half a second compared to when pressed.
The sliders are also embellished with light tracks that help to visually understand when the gain is too high. Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to experiment with the 48V, suitable only for condenser microphones, but the Bluetooth connectivity does what is expected and remains a convenient feature to use in certain specific cases. In fact, by associating a smartphone we could use the songs contained in it, as a musical carpet for our recordings and in this regard the SIDECHAIN button, one of the 9 available on the G1 Neo, remains very convenient. When the SIDECHAIN is activated, the music will lower in volume when we start speaking, an ideal solution for podcasts or for game streaming sessions. We then find the aforementioned RGB button for adjusting the LED lighting, we find the DIRECT MONITOR button that allows you to connect/disconnect direct monitoring of the output of the microphone connected via XLR in headphones.
On the Maonocaster G1 Neo we also have the NOISE REDUCER button, settable on 3 levels: off, low or high and as the name suggests it allows you to reduce background noise, ideal for environments that are not acoustically isolated. The button that really made me have fun is the one called VOICE CHANGER, which will modify our voice with 4 timbres: woman, man, child and robot. The other 4 buttons left available are also super interesting, which do not have any writing as they allow you to record up to 20 seconds of audio on a single button and therefore play personalized sounds, such as applause, catchy phrases etc. The great thing is that the audio is recorded directly from the G1 Neo.
On offer on Amazon
Finally we find 3 knobs, one of which is dedicated to the microphone gain (therefore adjustable also from the mixer and not only from the microphone), one to the volume for the headphone output and finally the central one that allows us to apply the reverb effect for the voice to our voice to make the voice more theatrical, also applicable in combination with the VOICE CHANGER. The feel of the keys is good, but that of the sliders and knobs remains better, with the right degree of resistance to the slide or rotation, and a good tactile effect of the chosen material.
Maonocaster G1 Neo allows you to elevate the recording experience thanks to the many features I told you about above. But what convinced me about the goodness of this product was precisely the balance that this mixer enjoys, remaining a happy medium between a professional product and a playful one. The usefulness of the sliders and the mute are truly priceless and the ability to adjust the microphone gain and output to the headphones in a second or two is simply convenient and effective. The ability to connect via Bluetooth or in a traditional way external elements that can enrich our recording, such as a musical base, are further positive aspects to take into consideration, not to mention the excellent management of the audio flow in general, which make this Maonocaster an almost obligatory purchase. I would add that the "language" of the RGB is easy and intuitive and allows you to understand at a glance what is active and what is not on the mixer.
On offer on Amazon
The Maonocaster G1 Neo can be purchased directly on Amazon at a price of €69,99 or directly on the manufacturer's website which offers free shipping in addition to a super advantageous price of only €42,99 including shipping, redeeming a 20% coupon directly from the purchase page. By clicking , here find the offer that becomes even juicier if you think about the combo with the PD100X microphone, winning the whole thing for only €86,00. Find the offer here
