Maono is taking aim at one of the less glamorous parts of PC streaming with the new G3 Audio Mixer, a $99.99 desktop mixer designed to give streamers physical control over the audio sources that can otherwise become a mess of Windows, OBS, Discord and other software settings. The G3 combines hardware controls with Maono Arena software, allowing Windows PC streamers to organize and route audio from games, microphones, Discord, music, browser audio, Spotify and alerts.
The idea is pretty straightforward. Instead of hunting through software menus when something gets too loud, four physical faders put the most important sources within easy reach. Those faders can be assigned to sources such as microphone, game audio, Discord and music, while dedicated mute and direct-monitoring controls provide additional hands-on control. For anyone who has streamed a multiplayer game, the appeal is obvious. Sometimes the teammate who is yelling into Discord needs to be turned down immediately, not after three clicks through a software mixer.
The G3 also includes three independent submixes, allowing streamers to create different audio balances for themselves, their teammates and their audience. One-click switching between those mixes is designed for setups where different people need to hear different things.
Under the hood, the G3 includes an XLR microphone input with up to 57dB of gain and 48V phantom power. AI Noise Reduction is designed to reduce background sounds such as keyboard noise, fans and air conditioning, while programmable soundpads provide quick access to music, longer audio clips and recurring effects.
More advanced streamers can take advantage of dual USB-C/OTG connectivity for dual-PC setups, keeping gaming, streaming, monitoring, team chat and audience audio separately organized.
The G3 is controlled through Maono Arena on Windows, and Maono says an updated version of the software interface is planned for a future release. The company says the update won’t change the G3’s core functionality or primary workflows.
Available in black and white, the Maono G3 Audio Mixer is now available for $99.99 through Maono and Amazon. For streamers who have graduated from “one microphone and OBS” to the inevitable pile of audio sources, the G3 looks designed to put some of that chaos back under physical control.
