How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-01 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• Antlion Audio ModMic — biggest strength: a patented magnetic clasp that turns any pair of headphones, a VR visor or a flat surface into a wireless headset, with a 16-bit/48 kHz sample rate, a ~34 ms transmit speed and a 20 Hz–20 kHz frequency range.
• Antlion Audio ModMic — biggest trade-off: it's a mic only. There's no boom arm, no shock mount, no pop filter and no RGB in the box, and it uses a USB-A dongle that may need a separate adapter. It's also not compatible with Xbox.
• MAONO DGM20S — biggest strength: a full plug-and-play kit—USB condenser mic, metal boom arm, shock mount, pop filter and USB/USB-C cable—with one-click noise cancellation, a gain knob, zero-latency monitoring, tap-to-mute and nine RGB modes.
• MAONO DGM20S — biggest trade-off: it's a corded desktop mic. It needs a desk, it isn't wearable, and its 50 Hz–20 kHz range starts higher than the ModMic's 20 Hz floor.
• Who each is for: the ModMic suits gamers, streamers and work-from-home users who want to keep their own headphones; the DGM20S suits anyone building a stationary desk setup from scratch.
The ModMic is best understood as a microphone accessory, not a microphone. Its whole design premise is that you already own a pair of headphones you like—maybe for comfort, maybe for sound—and you'd rather attach a mic to them than buy a whole gaming headset. The patented magnetic clasp lets you snap the mic on when you're playing or on a call, then pull it off when you're commuting or listening to music. That's the "double or triple duty" idea in practice: one pair of headphones, several jobs.
Technically, it's the more ambitious of the two on the audio side. A 16-bit/48 kHz sample rate, a 20 Hz–20 kHz frequency range, a 75 dB signal-to-noise ratio and a transmit latency of around 34 ms put it in desktop-mic territory rather than Bluetooth-headset territory. There's also a dual-mode switch: one position gives you a unidirectional, noise-cancelling pickup for noisy rooms, the other swaps to a higher-quality recording mode with less noise rejection. If you stream, compete or take a lot of calls in a shared space, that switch is the feature you'll actually use daily.
Who should buy it? People who are picky about their headphones, VR players who don't want a desk mic in the room, and anyone who moves between a PC, a PS4/PS5, a Mac, Linux or a mobile device. Who should skip it? Xbox owners, since it isn't compatible. And anyone who wants a single box that contains everything—arm, mount, filter, cable—will find the ModMic minimal by comparison.
The DGM20S goes the opposite direction. Instead of adapting to your headphones, it replaces the need for a headset mic entirely by giving you a dedicated desk microphone with its own stand. It's a gooseneck-style USB condenser with a unidirectional, cardioid-style pickup that focuses on the front of the mic—exactly what you want when the sound source is your mouth and the rest of the room is a fan, a keyboard and a chair that squeaks.
The kit is the story here. In the box you get the mic, a metal boom arm, a shock mount, a pop filter and both USB and USB-C cables. The boom arm lets you pull the mic close when you're live and fold it away when you're not, the shock mount reduces vibration and machine noise travelling up the stand, and the pop filter softens plosives without sitting in front of your monitor. On top of that you get a one-click noise-cancellation button, a mute button, a gain knob, zero-latency monitoring and nine RGB lighting modes you can cycle or switch off with a long press.
Who should buy it? Anyone starting a gaming, streaming, podcasting or content-creation setup who wants a complete, plug-and-play solution with no drivers, working across Windows, Mac and PS4/PS5. Who should skip it? People who game on a couch, in VR, or who simply don't have desk space for a boom arm. It's corded and stationary by design, so it won't travel with you.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for a complete out-of-the-box setup → MAONO DGM20S. Boom arm, shock mount, pop filter and cables are all included; nothing else to buy.
• Best for wireless freedom → Antlion Audio ModMic. No cable to your PC, just the USB-A dongle—though that dongle may need a separate adapter on some machines.
• Best for a fixed desk setup → MAONO DGM20S. A corded, gooseneck design with a proper arm that stays exactly where you put it.
• Best for noisy shared rooms → Antlion Audio ModMic. Its unidirectional noise-cancelling mode is built for exactly that situation.
• Best for on-stream controls → MAONO DGM20S. Tap-to-mute, gain knob, zero-latency monitoring and RGB are all within arm's reach.
• Best for VR and console flexibility → Antlion Audio ModMic. It works with PS4/PS5, PC, Mac, Linux and mobile—just not Xbox.
• Best for a first streaming setup → MAONO DGM20S. Everything you need to sound and look the part arrives together.
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the Antlion Audio ModMic. In my opinion, the magnetic, wireless, attach-to-anything design is the more flexible long-term purchase: you keep the headphones you already find comfortable, you can use it for gaming, streaming, calls and VR, and you're not locked to a desk. I'd recommend the MAONO DGM20S instead if you want a full, stationary studio kit in one box and don't mind being tied to a desk—it's the cleaner starting point for a dedicated setup. Either way, check the current price on Amazon before deciding, since that's the one thing specs can't tell you.
FAQ
how to connect gaming headphones to pc
It depends on the connection type. The ModMic Wireless uses a USB-A dongle, and Antlion notes it may need a converter (sold separately) on some devices. The MAONO DGM20S is plug-and-play: connect it with the included USB or USB-C cable and it works with no drivers.
With the ModMic, you attach the mic to your existing headphones via the magnetic clasp, plug in the dongle and switch between the noise-cancelling and recording modes depending on your room. With the DGM20S, you position the boom arm, then use the mute button, gain knob and monitoring to control your voice.
what is the best gaming headphones for pc
There's no single answer, because the two products solve different problems. The ModMic adds a 16-bit/48 kHz wireless mic to headphones you already own, while the DGM20S is a complete USB desk mic with arm, shock mount and pop filter. Pick based on whether you want to keep your headphones or build a desk setup.
what is the best pc gaming headphones
In my opinion, the better route for most PC gamers is to keep a comfortable pair of headphones and add the ModMic, since it's wireless and works across PC, Mac, Linux, PS4/PS5 and mobile. If you'd rather have a dedicated desk mic with RGB and on-mic controls, go with the MAONO DGM20S instead.
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