We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-17 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want one device that handles both game audio and voice chat with zero setup fuss, choose EPOS H3; if you need a dedicated desk microphone that makes your voice sound like you actually planned your stream, choose MAONO DGM20S.
These two products get compared a lot, but here's the thing: they're not really the same category of gear, and that's exactly why the comparison is useful. One is a closed-back wired gaming headset with a boom mic built in. The other is a standalone USB condenser microphone on a boom arm. If you're torn between them, you're really deciding between "all-in-one headset" and "separate audio chain" — and that decision comes down to what you do with your voice, not which product is "better."
• EPOS H3 biggest strength: One wired headset that covers game audio and chat at once — closed-back passive noise cancellation, a noise-cancelling boom mic with raise-to-mute, and a volume wheel on the right ear cup. Plug into a 3.5 mm jack and you're done.
• EPOS H3 biggest trade-off: It's a headset mic, not a broadcast mic. There's no RGB, no gain knob, no monitoring, and it needs a 3.5 mm jack — so phones and USB-only setups are out.
• MAONO DGM20S biggest strength: Dedicated voice capture for streaming and content creation — cardioid pickup, one-click noise reduction, tap-to-mute, gain knob, RGB lighting, and zero-latency headphone monitoring, all over USB with no drivers.
• MAONO DGM20S biggest trade-off: It's a microphone, not headphones. You still need something to listen on, it's not compatible with Xbox, and the noise-reduction software is Windows-only.
• Who EPOS H3 is for: Gamers on PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Switch or Xbox who want one cable and no desk clutter.
• Who MAONO DGM20S is for: Streamers, Discord regulars and content creators on PC, Mac or PlayStation who want their voice to carry.
The EPOS H3 is a closed acoustic gaming headset, and "closed" is doing real work in that name. Closed-back ear cups give you passive noise cancellation — the ear pads themselves block outside sound rather than electronics doing it. In a room with a fan, a roommate, or a keyboard you'd rather not hear, that's a quiet, mechanical advantage. The drivers cover 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz with 25 ohm impedance and dynamic drivers, and EPOS describes the tuning as engineered to deliver the cues you need for fast reaction times. Low impedance like that also means it plays nicely with controllers and motherboards without needing an amp.
Buy it if you want one wired device for PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Switch or Xbox and you'd rather not manage a separate mic on a desk. Skip it if your priority is voice quality for an audience rather than your squad — a headset boom mic is built for intelligibility in chat, not for recording. Also skip it if your setup is USB-only, since the H3 is a 3.5 mm wired connection. There's a 2 year manufacturer warranty, which tells you EPOS expects this thing to survive daily use.
MAONO DGM20S: Who It's For
The MAONO DGM20S is a completely different animal: a stand-up USB condenser microphone that arrives as a kit. You get the mic, a metal boom arm, a shock mount, a pop filter, and a USB and USB C cable. That's the whole voice chain in one box, and the boom arm is the underrated part — it clamps to your desk and positions the mic in front of your face without eating your mouse space or blocking your monitor.
On the audio side, it's a unidirectional cardioid mic with a 50 Hz to 20 kHz frequency range, 78 dB signal-to-noise ratio, and 2.2 kiloohm impedance. Cardioid means it listens mostly to what's in front of it, which is exactly what you want when a mechanical keyboard is sitting two inches away. One-click noise reduction cuts background distractions further, and MAONO's noise cancellation software fine-tunes that more precisely — though it's Windows-only, so Mac users get the hardware button but not the software layer.
The control set is genuinely streamer-friendly. Tap the top to mute instantly. A gain knob lets you check whether your level is too hot or too quiet and fix it on the spot. A 3.5 mm headphone jack gives you zero-latency monitoring so you hear yourself in real time without echo. RGB lighting is controllable, and you can switch it off entirely if you want a clean look. Connection is USB or USB C, plug and play, no drivers, and it works with PC, Mac, laptop, desktop, PS4 and PS5. Note that Xbox is not supported.
Buy it if you stream, record, podcast or spend serious hours in Discord and want your voice to sound intentional. Skip it if you just want to hear the game and talk to teammates — you'd be buying a microphone and still need headphones.
• Best for all-in-one simplicity → EPOS H3. One 3.5 mm cable, no desk arm, no separate listening device.
• Best for voice quality on stream → MAONO DGM20S. A dedicated cardioid condenser with a pop filter and shock mount will always out-capture a headset boom.
• Best for console gaming → EPOS H3. It covers PS4, PS5, Switch and Xbox; the DGM20S explicitly does not support Xbox.
• Best for content creation → MAONO DGM20S. Gain control, tap-to-mute, monitoring and RGB are built for an audience.
• Best for a quiet, focused setup → EPOS H3. Closed-back ear cups with passive noise cancellation keep the outside world out.
• Best for desk flexibility → MAONO DGM20S. The boom arm and shock mount let you position the mic precisely and keep the desk clear.
• Best for zero-latency self-monitoring → MAONO DGM20S. The 3.5 mm headphone jack on the mic is purpose-built for it.
• Best for travel and portability → EPOS H3. A 1.3 pound headset with a folding-friendly hinged design beats a boom arm you have to unclamp.
In my opinion, most people reading this comparison should buy the EPOS H3. If you're a gamer who wants to hear the game, talk to your team and not think about audio gear again, the closed-back design, raise-to-mute boom, ear-cup volume wheel and 3.5 mm plug-and-play simplicity solve the entire problem in one purchase — and it covers every console you likely own. I'd only steer you to the MAONO DGM20S if your voice is the product: streaming, recording, podcasting or long-form Discord. In that case, the dedicated cardioid capsule, gain knob, monitoring jack and included boom arm are the right tools, and you'll pair them with whatever headphones you already like. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since both sit in very different budget tiers.
For playing games, yes — in my opinion the H3 is the better fit because it's a complete headset with game audio, chat and a mute-by-raise boom in one wired package. The DGM20S only captures your voice; you'd still need headphones for game sound.
No. The DGM20S lists PC, Mac, laptop, desktop, PS4 and PS5 as compatible devices, and the manufacturer notes it is not compatible with Xbox. If Xbox is your main platform, the EPOS H3 supports it over 3.5 mm.
No, the kit includes the condenser microphone, metal boom arm, shock mount, pop filter and a USB/USB C cable. You will need your own headphones for listening, though — the mic has a 3.5 mm monitoring jack but no speakers.
The MAONO DGM20S, clearly. A cardioid pickup pattern, one-click noise reduction, a gain knob, tap-to-mute and zero-latency monitoring are features built specifically for broadcasting your voice. The EPOS H3 is designed for in-game communication, not for an audience.
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