MAONO A04 Gen2 vs MAONO DGM20

Two of our picks from Best MAONO Microphones: PD200X, PD300X, PD100X and the Wireless Ones Compared, compared side by side on the specs and trade-offs that actually matter.

Short answer

Between the MAONO A04 Gen2 and the MAONO DGM20, we recommend the MAONO A04 Gen2 ($61.16 when we checked it on 2026-08-31) as the better maono microphones: pd200x, pd300x, pd100x and the wireless ones compared for most people. Someone who wants the whole desk in one box: mic, arm, shock mount, pop filter. The MAONO DGM20 ($32.99 when we checked it on 2026-08-31) still makes sense if a quiet room and a first stream, when $33 is the budget.

Best Value7.6
MAONO A04 Gen2 XLR/USB Condenser Microphone Kit for PC Podcast Recording

MAONO A04 Gen2 XLR/USB Condenser Microphone Kit for PC Podcast Recording

$61.16observed

Lowest we have recorded: $61.16 on (2 weekly checks)

Budget Pick7.4
MAONO DGM20 USB Gaming Microphone for PC with Clear Voice & RGB Lighting

MAONO DGM20 USB Gaming Microphone for PC with Clear Voice & RGB Lighting

$32.99observed

Lowest we have recorded: $32.99 on (2 weekly checks)

Our take on each

Best Value7.6

MAONO A04 Gen2

Best for: Someone who wants the whole desk in one box: mic, arm, shock mount, pop filter.

The MAONO A04 Gen2 is a condenser kit: the mic, a boom arm, a shock mount, a pop filter and the cables, in one box for about $60. The Gen2 adds an XLR output beside the USB port, which fixes the original's dead end when buyers outgrew it.

The A04 family carries nearly 20,000 ratings at 4.5, most of them from first-time buyers, and the reviews read the same way: good for the money, sensitive to the room. The arm in the box is light and the shock mount is plastic, and both do the job on a desk that does not get bumped.

It is the most complete first setup on this page, and the one whose parts you replace one at a time rather than all at once.

Budget Pick7.4

MAONO DGM20

Best for: A quiet room and a first stream, when $33 is the budget.

The MAONO DGM20 is the $33 USB condenser people keep recommending in beginner threads, and it earns it: a metal body, a gain knob, a tap mute and RGB that switches off. It is a condenser, so it hears the room, which is fine in a bedroom with a carpet and a closed door and not fine next to a mechanical keyboard on a bare desk.

The sound is clear and a little bright, which suits voice on a stream. Owners rate it 4.6 across 1,200 reviews, higher than several mics that cost three times more.

It is the mic to buy before you know whether you will keep streaming, and the mic to hand to a guest afterwards.

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