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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a single headset that puts studio-grade Audio-Technica sound and a broadcast-quality cardioid mic on your head with zero setup hassle, choose Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS; if you need a complete, expandable recording rig with an interface, an XLR dynamic microphone, studio headphones, and software routing for podcasts, streaming or guitar, choose MAONO USB Audio Interface.
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS biggest strength: It combines the well-known sound of ATH-M50x over-ear headphones with a cardioid condenser mic modeled on Audio-Technica's 20 Series, wired through a single permanently attached cable with 3.5 mm headphone output and XLR mic output.
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS biggest trade-off: It is a headset only. There is no interface, no preamp, no phantom power and no bundled microphone — you must already own an interface or mixer to use the XLR mic output, and it is wired.
• MAONO USB Audio Interface biggest strength: It is an all-in-one bundle. You get the PS22 Lite USB interface, an XLR dynamic microphone, studio headphones, an XLR cable and a USB cable — plus 24-bit/192kHz conversion, 48V phantom power and up to 56 dB of preamp gain.
• MAONO USB Audio Interface biggest trade-off: It is a system, not a single piece of gear. You have to learn its modes and routing software, and the included mic is a dynamic model rather than the condenser design on the Audio-Technica headset.
• Pick the Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS if you already run an interface or mixer and want one comfortable, isolating headset for streaming, monitoring and voice.
• Pick the MAONO USB Audio Interface if you are building your first recording setup on a Mac, Windows PC or iPad and want everything in one box.
The ATH-M50xSTS is a purpose-built streaming headset. On the headphone side it uses proprietary 45 mm large-aperture dynamic drivers with rare earth magnets and copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils, rated at 38 ohms with a 15Hz–28kHz frequency range. That combination is what gives it the deep, accurate bass and extended-range clarity people associate with the ATH-M50x line, and the closed over-ear aluminum-enclosed design provides sound isolation — useful when you are monitoring your own voice while a game, backing track or co-host is playing.
The microphone is the other half of the story. It is a cardioid condenser based on Audio-Technica's 20 Series, mounted on a flexible boom arm that keeps the capsule positioned near your mouth to help reject background noise and deliver clear, intelligible speech. The boom flips up to mute quickly and silently, which is a genuinely practical detail for live streaming. Audio-Technica also includes two sets of earpads: M50x pads that prioritize audio quality and isolation, and mesh/leatherette pads that emphasize breathability and comfort. The cable is permanently attached, 2 m (6.6') long, ending in a 3.5 mm headphone plug (with a 6.3 mm adapter) and an XLR microphone output. It ships with a carrying case and a two-year limited end-user warranty.
Buy it if you already own an audio interface or mixer, you value a single wired headset for streaming and monitoring, and you want the option to tune comfort versus isolation with the two pad sets. Skip it if you are starting from nothing — the XLR mic output means it cannot work as a standalone mic into a computer without an interface, and there is no wireless option. In my opinion it is the stronger pick for someone whose setup already exists and who wants a better headset, not a better studio.
The MAONO bundle is aimed at a different buyer entirely: the person who currently has nothing and wants to be recording today. The PS22 Lite interface delivers 24-bit/192kHz resolution with a 106 dB dynamic range, accepts both condenser and dynamic microphones, supplies up to 56 dB of preamp gain and 48V phantom power, and adds a dedicated instrument input with adjustable impedance for guitar and bass. That instrument input plus the mic preamp is what separates it from a headset: you can track vocals and a guitar through the same small box.
Around the interface, MAONO packages an XLR dynamic microphone and studio headphones, along with an XLR cable and a USB-A/USB-C to USB-C cable. It is plug-and-play on Mac, Windows and iPad, and the company lists compatibility with Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, Studio One, Logic Pro, Nuendo, Reaper, Audacity and Adobe Audition. The ProStudio Routing Software adds virtual channels and loopback, and ASIO driver support keeps latency low — handy for live streaming where you want to blend system audio with your mic. There are intuitive modes for recording, live broadcast and instruments, a direct monitoring switch, a light ring that shows input status, and a side-mounted headphone jack to keep cables tidy. It measures roughly 6.29" x 5.19" x 2" and weighs 1.3 pounds.
Buy it if you are a podcaster, voice actor, streamer, beginner musician or content creator who needs a full signal chain — mic, preamp, monitoring and routing — in one purchase. Skip it if you already own an interface, or if you specifically want a condenser microphone on a boom arm; the bundled mic here is dynamic, and MAONO notes that effects like noise reduction, reverb or delay must be added through your DAW's VST plug-ins, and that the PS22 Lite has no soundpad. One more thing worth knowing: it carries a one-year warranty, against two years on the Audio-Technica.
• Best for existing studios → Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS. If you already have an interface or mixer, adding a headset is simpler than adding another whole system.
• Best for building from zero → MAONO USB Audio Interface. Interface, mic, headphones and cables arrive together, so there is nothing else to buy to start.
• Best for microphone clarity on a boom → Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS. Its cardioid condenser and flexible boom arm are designed to sit close to your mouth and reject room noise.
• Best for recording guitar or instruments → MAONO USB Audio Interface. The dedicated instrument input with adjustable impedance is something the headset simply does not have.
• Best for monitoring and isolation → Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS. The 45 mm drivers, closed over-ear aluminum cups and swappable M50x pads are built around isolation.
• Best for software flexibility → MAONO USB Audio Interface. ASIO support, loopback and virtual channels in the ProStudio Routing Software suit streamers blending multiple audio sources.
• Best for platform compatibility → MAONO USB Audio Interface. Plug-and-play on Mac, Windows and iPad, with broad DAW support listed.
• Best for a one-cable, no-fuss desk → Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS. A single 2 m cable with 3.5 mm headphone out and XLR mic out keeps things minimal.
If I had to choose one, I would buy the Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS — but only because of the setup I have in mind. In my opinion it is the better single piece of hardware: the 45 mm drivers, the closed isolating design, the two pad sets and the 20 Series-derived cardioid condenser make it a headset you can keep for years, and the two-year warranty backs that up. That recommendation assumes you already own an interface or mixer, because without one the XLR mic output is useless to you. If you are starting from nothing, the MAONO bundle is the more sensible first purchase: it hands you a complete, expandable 24-bit/192kHz chain with phantom power, an instrument input and DAW routing — just be ready to learn its software and accept a dynamic mic instead of a condenser.
Either way, check the current price on Amazon before you commit, and let your existing gear decide.
No. The microphone output is XLR, so it needs an audio interface or mixer to connect to a computer. The headphone side terminates in a 3.5 mm plug with a 6.3 mm adapter included.
Yes, that is the point of the bundle. It includes the PS22 Lite interface, an XLR dynamic microphone, studio headphones, an XLR cable and a USB cable, and it is plug-and-play on Mac, Windows and iPad.
For a beginner starting fresh, I would point to the MAONO bundle because it covers mic, preamp, monitoring and routing in one purchase. If you already own an interface and want a condenser mic on a boom arm with isolating headphones, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS fits that role better.
Yes. The Audio-Technica carries a two-year limited end-user warranty and uses a cardioid condenser mic; the MAONO bundle carries a one-year warranty and includes a dynamic XLR microphone, with effects like reverb and noise reduction added through your DAW plug-ins.
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