3.5 mm

Hollyland Lark M1 – Wireless Lavalier Review

Hollyland Lark M1 – Wireless Lavalier Review
9.4/10

Hollyland Lark M1 is a very compact set of wireless lavalier clip-on mics. It comes with a charging case and it’s capable of broadcasting both microphone channels independently via stereo 3.5mm output. Both transmitters and the reciever are light weight and minimalistic, yet provide all the vital features such as switchable noise reduction, stereo/ mixed output mode, volume boost and LED status indicators. Extremely small footprint along with an attractive price tag almost makes you…

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Rode Wireless GO II review

Rode Wireless GO II review
9.2/10

Rode Wireless GO II is an excellent miniature professional wireless system consisting of two (2) transmitters, 3.5mm output and an on-board recorder. It is a successor to a highly successful first generation of GO with more features added to it, although the audio quality of both is same. Transmitters or the body packs have built-in mics to get you started, but more often than not, it is used with plug-in lavalier mics. Any generic 3.5mm…

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Rode Videomic NTG – compact USB/3.5mm shotgun

Rode Videomic NTG – compact USB/3.5mm shotgun
8.4/10

Rode Videomic NTG is a hybrid DSLR / USB mic of a compact size that can be mounted both on top of a camera and on a tripod while connected to a computer. The most beautiful thing about this mic is that it doesn’t have any cumbersome battery decks attached to it (unlike previous models). Videomic NTG is compact and sleek due to the fact that the batteries are stored inside. The internal components do…

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Comica VM20 – budget DSLR & phone, mini-shotgun review

Comica VM20 – budget DSLR & phone, mini-shotgun review
8.2/10

Comica VM20 is a budget miniature shotgun with a 3.5mm TRRS output, which can be connected directly to cameras and cellphones, while other DSLR mics require an additional splitter to work with cellphones in particular. The sounds is clear and natural out of the box, which is also crucial if you intend to record and publish videos using your phone. The low cut and extra gain controls are very handy too. In contrast with other…

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Røde VideoMic Pro+ Review, Premium DSLR Shotgun

Røde VideoMic Pro+ Review, Premium DSLR Shotgun
8.8/10

Rode VideoMic Pro Plus is an enhanced version of the VideoMic Pro, where the main difference is the size. VideoMic Pro+ is considerably bigger and weightier than the non-plus version, and although the specs might be similar for the most part, the Pro Plus offers a substantial difference when it comes to directionality. VideoMic Pro+ rejects background noise much more aggressively while focusing more on what’s in front. Tighter pickup pattern translates into a better…

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Shure MVL Omnidirectional TRRS Lavalier Review

Shure MVL Omnidirectional TRRS Lavalier Review
4/10

Shure MVL is a new lapel mic with TRRS connector designed for mobile devices. It belongs to Shure Motiv line and comes with a handy mobile app for iOS users. Other platform users will have to rely on third party software but it shouldn’t have any compatibility issues. This mic is also the worst from their new line and the sound quality is unimpressive at best. It does have its own strengths, for instance, it has…

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AZDEN EX503 Omni-Directional Lavalier Microphone Review

AZDEN EX503 Omni-Directional Lavalier Microphone Review
6/10

Azden EX503 is a cheap omnidirectional lavalier, ideal for home use and super low budget production. The quality is about decent: it may not be as crisp and clear as to capture all the inflections of speech but it still sounds intelligible and doesn’t make your ears bleed badly. There are issues with static noise –Rode smartLav+ and especially Giant Squid Audio Lab are way better in this respect. This is due to low sensitivity,…

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Azden SMX-30: DSLR Shotgun +Stereo mic review

Azden SMX-30: DSLR Shotgun +Stereo mic review
8.1/10

SMX-30 is a solid DSLR mic that makes a hybrid of shotgun and X/Y stereo mic. It’s surprising to see this innovative approach from Azden, which is a relatively new manufacturer but they’ve actually created a new, highly demanded and quality piece of equipment. SMX-30 also wears a modest price tag. Costing about the same as Rode VideoMic Pro R, it brings you an additional stereo mode for free. We were skeptical about this announcement…

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Rode VideoMic Pro Compact – DSLR Mic Review

Rode VideoMic Pro Compact – DSLR Mic Review
8.5/10

Rode VideoMic Pro VMP is a compact professional mic that perfectly sits on any DSLR camera while leaving minimum footprint. For an average consumer it may seem somewhat expensive, but it is Rode and it pays out with quality. If you want to achieve a decent sound for your recordings this would be a must have addition, as even high-end cameras sound terrible with their in-built mics. Not only can this model deliver a clean…

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Giant Squid Audio Lab Omnidirectional Microphone Review

Giant Squid Audio Lab Omnidirectional Microphone Review
9/10
Editor's Choice

Giant Squid Audio Lab is a renowned lapel microphone that works wonders in all kinds of setups. Despite being one of the most affordable choices, the quality of its sound can likely blow you away. Having a standard 3.5 mm microphone jack, it can be used with most of standard devices, including computers, laptops, cameras etc. For smartphones though, it may not be the best choice, as it will require an additional 4-pin 3.5 mm…

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Rode smartLav+ Lavalier Mic for Smartphones Review

Rode smartLav+ Lavalier Mic for Smartphones Review
8/10

Rode smartLav+ is an omnidirectional lapel mic designed specifically for smartphones. It may not be the very best mic around but it certainly offers a great quality for the price. For a smartphone, you won’t need a high-end microphone anyway. Far more important is the usability: this device requires no special apps nor sophisticated adaptors – just plug it on and you are ready to go. With this mic, you will get a substantially better…

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