Maono WM820 Wireless Mic System
Opening
The Maono WM820 wireless mic system is one of several small wireless mic sets that make use of the 2.4 gigahertz spectrum.
Maono branded microphones are available on Amazon, other online retailers and the Maono web site. They have large selection of mics for a variety of situations. Their marketing team saw a review on my channel of a similar product and offered me a prerelease version of the Maono WM820 2.4 wireless mic system. And of course, I said yes.
That being said, they asked for no consideration other than honest feedback and they have no approval authority over this video. It’s my honest opinion.
What comes with the WM820?
The WM820 comes with everything you need to get it connected to your recording device. This includes the wireless transmitter and receiver, two charging cables for their internal batteries, wires to connect to either TRS or TRSS recording devices, an optional lav mic to connect to the transmitter and a fury wind cover.
WM820 Audio Quality
For me, I was pretty pleased with the output. I was able to adjust the gain on the mic using the up and down volume buttons to eliminate the hiss. When I looked at the audio levels with the v-u meter in my editing software, the practical noise floor was about -55dB.
Where I did the normal audio post processing I do an almost all my videos, that practical noise floor was a couple of dB lower. Both are below most people’s ability to hear.
Why 2.4 GHz?
Let’s wrap things up with a bit of an explanation of 2.4 gigahertz mic systems and why you might want to choose one of those vs. a UHF system.
UHF systems operate in the 470 to 698 megahertz band and are what I call channelized. By that, I mean that the receiver and transmitter have to be set to the same channel or frequency to talk to each other. UHF mic sets come with anywhere from a dozen to over 100 channels to choose from. More channels means more opportunity to choose an interference free frequency. UHF sets have a reputation for good sound quality and fairly long range. Keep in mind that in the wireless mic category long range often means advertised distances of about 200 feet. The frequencies in this band are reserved for these types of devices.
2.4 gigahertz mics work a bit differently. They operate in a small slice of the 2.4 gigahertz band from 2.4 to 2.483 gigahertz. Instead of setting channels as you do with UHF sets, you pair 2.4 gigahertz devices. That’s done by pressing a button. During the pairing process the receiver senses an open frequency and tells the transmitter to use that frequency. Interference is avoided, at least theoretically, by other devices sensing the used frequency and not using it.
The short range of both types of devices also reduces the chance for interference from other devices.
As a matter of physics, 2.4 gigahertz signals don’t travel as far as signals at UHF frequencies.
As a practical matter, the range difference is trivial and most users operate well within the published range anyway.
Ease of Use
The big difference between wireless systems using 2.4 gighertz and the UHF bands is ease of use. You won’t have to select a channel and listen in to see if it is being interfered with. You also won’t have to double check to make sure both receiver and transmitter are on the same channel.
With a 2.4 device, you simply pair the two components and set the audio volume and you’re good to go.
WM820 Closing
So let’s wrap this up with a couple of closing comments about this Maono WM820 wireless mic set. Again, I’d like to thank Maono for providing the device.
As you can see I’m using the Maono mic system in this photo.
WM820 Cons
Let’s start with what I don’t like. Most of these things are trivial and perhaps even personal.
These square little mics clipped to shirts and jackets are quite common now. Nearly all the major brands have a wireless mic in this form factor. The set I got was an early release and I commented that including a wired lav mic for more discrete recording would be nice. The current release includes a mic — yea!
Another nice touch would be to include a small case to protect the devices. I ordered a small case from Amazon as I’m always afraid of things getting broken in my backpack or kit bag.
WM820 Pros
Now for what I like, and there’s a bunch:
First is the overall quality of the devices and their sound quality. You heard the sound for yourselves, and its pretty good for a product at this price point.
I also found the range to be good. When keeping your body from getting between the transmitter and the receiver, the range was very close to what was advertised. Since most producers won’t be using this at those extended ranges, range shouldn’t be an issue.
I also liked the ease of pairing to get the devices talking to each other. There is a few extra minutes of setup time with my UHF mic sets to set and monitor frequencies to ensure there isn’t any interference.
Battery life is also close to what is stated in the instructions. I used these for about an hour and then left them on to see when the batteries died. All totaled, the low battery LED started flashing at about 5 hours.
You have to adjusted both UHF and 2.4 GHz wireless mics with your camera or recorder to achieve proper levels. I found this quick and easy to do. Don’t forget to bring earbuds or headphones to monitor the sound from the camera or recorder. Since you’re adjusting both the mic and the camera, be sure to monitor the last device in the chain.
Overall, the Maono WM820 wireless mic set does what it says it will do and is a solid choice for those looking for a small form factor wireless mic in this price range.
