The PD200W features a well-built and premium-feeling aluminum casing. It is a “shotgun” style microphone, meaning the capsule is pointing straight out in a direct line. It comes with a slip-on popcover that fits snugly over the main capsule and is held on with friction. The pop cover remains in place and does a good job of cancelling out ambient air noises and reducing the harshness of plosives (hard “p,” “s,” and “d” sounds).
There is an RGB light ring around the base of the capsule that can be set to any color in the RGB spectrum via the Maono mobile app. It can also be set on a “rainbow” pattern, in which multiple colors cycle around the ring and give the microphone some aesthetic flair.
There is a single knob on the main body of the microphone that controls either gain (the volume going into the microphone) or headphone volume (going out via the 3.5 mm jack on the bottom of the microphone’s body). There is an LED ring around this light that gives a vague idea of where the gain or volume levels are set, although it is not very precise. The lid dims as volume goes down and brightens as volume is increased, but it is difficult to tell exactly what percentage or level the volume is at. The knob has good tactile feedback, clicking at each level. For reference, there are exactly 20 clicks from 0% to 100%, so counting clicks must be used to get a better, more exact idea. A more precise visual cue would be a better option in future revisions, letting users know at a glance what gain is set to.
There is also a mute button on the main body that works as expected, although it is a bit clicky. However, clicking it could not be detected in recorded audio.
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