Whether you choose to call it a lavalier or lapel mic as others do, these tiny microphones are quite popular due to their size and unobtrusive discrete nature. There are a few things that make lavalier mics unique such as the ability to record hands-free, the convenience, quality. When choosing a lavalier mic, you should consider whether you would prefer a wired or wireless lavalier mic, your budget, if it is waterproof if it has a noise filter, the quality and finally the source of your recording/audio.
There are numerous lavalier mics in the market and below we have summarised some of the best mics for any budget and use.
1. Rode smartLav+
Intro:
Retailing for anything between $80 to $100, the Rode smartLav+ is one of the best lavalier mics in the market. While the price of this mic is on the higher end of the price spectrum, it is not without good reason. The quality of the mic is, and the fact that there is an audio app by Rode with inbuilt audio equalizers that syncs with the mic makes this mic a great buy.
Pros:
- The package includes a foam pop windshield that helps you deal with the wind as well as those moments when you b, p and t enunciations sound exaggerated.
- Because it is an omnidirectional mic, you don’t have to worry about missing muffling as it captures sounds equally from all directions.
- It works with most smartphones and operating systems.
Cons:
- You may be forced to find an extension for the cable of this mic as it is too short.
2. Sony ECM-44
Intro:
As a brand, Sony is quite popular and very much preferred for its audio capabilities. The Sony ECM-44 is a wired lavalier mic with decent capabilities when compared to other variations wired lavalier mics. Its functionality is all there is to this mic. The quality of sound that it outputs is generally accurate, balanced and natural. While it works, there are much better options for lavalier mics in the market.
Pros:
- The ECM-44 has the option to two power options which include the mic’s phantom power or one AA sized battery.
Cons:
- The mic is not aesthetically pleasing and looks cheap; this is, however, a personal opinion based on preference.
- The cable of the mic cannot be detached from the preamp which can be relatively bothersome.
- Because it uses an XLR connector, you will need other devices to such as a mixer, and a hand-held digital audio recorder to ensure functionality.
3. Sanken COS 11D
Intro:
On the upper end of the price range, the Sanken COS 11 D is one of the perfect lavalier mics in the market. It is a favorite with most professionals and given the features; we can understand why that is the case. The COS 11D is an omnidirectional mic that offers radio frequency interference protection, is water resistant thanks to the improved mesh screen and unmatched frequency response.
Pros:
- The Sanken COS 11D’s design allows for it to overcome the radio frequency interference from the transmitter.
- The mic is very natural sounding, and it has relatively high gains.
Cons:
- Some users have reported that the mesh screen falls of repeatedly so we would recommend that one keeps that in mind when making your purchase.
4. Movo WMIC50
Intro:
If you are on a budget and are just starting your journey into the lavalier world, the MOVO WMIC50 is a mic that you should consider purchasing. The package of the mic consists of a receiver, a transmitter, two earphones, and the lavalier mic. It is one of the more comfortable to use lavalier mics in the market and will it still offer high-quality sound.
Pros:
- Retailing at about $100 the Movo WMIC50 is an inexpensive option that gives you a relatively good bang for your buck.
Cons:
- It’s impossible to change the transmission frequency/ channel on this lapel mic
- The transmitter and receiver both do not have an indicator for volume levels and so you will have to estimate the volume levels.
5. Sennheiser ME 2 II
Intro:
Sennheiser is well known for its capability of producing excellent and well-designed wired, and wireless mics and the Sennheiser ME 2-II is no exception to this. Working in tandem with a body transmitter, this discreet mic produces great quality sounds with top-notch speech intelligibility.
The ME 2-II is almost invisible to the eye which makes it such a great lavalier mic. Sennheiser in their construction of the M 2-II borrowed some of its features from the previous ME 2 version of the lavalier and went ahead to enhance them to create the ME 2-II. For example, with the predecessor, the frequency response range of 30 Hz to 20 kHz was narrowed from 50 Hz to 18 kHz. They also included a windscreen on the newer version which was not available on the original version.
Pros:
- You can use it in and out of the studio which makes it great for multipurpose use.
- Wind noise on this lavalier is almost unnoticeable because it has a mantle that can be worn with the mic to protect it from excessive noise.
Cons:
- It is designed for native radio systems which limit its usage.
6. Tascam DR-10L
Intro:
While the Tascam DR-10L is a portable recorder, we included it in our list because it has a professional lavalier mic included in its package. This ultra-compact lavalier/recorder combo is ideal for creatives in the filmmaker/ videography field.
Pros:
- It has dual recording capabilities meaning that you can ensure that your recordings are backed up.
- It supports playback of MP3 files in addition to the regular WAV files.
- It is small, light, easy to conceal and extremely convenient.
Cons:
- The screen is relatively small, and while this is okay for most, others may not be comfortable with it.
- The lavalier mic can get noisy
7. Samson Go Mic Mobile Lavalier System
Intro:
The Samson Go was designed with mobile video filmmakers in mind. It includes a two-channel receiver that you can mount onto your phone or camera and an LM8 lavalier transmitter with a 48kHZ transmission capacity.
Pros:
- In comparison to other lavalier mics, the Samson Go holds its own in terms of battery life capacity as it can last for up to 12 hours on its rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
- You can plug it in directly to your Android and iPhone devices as it includes micro-USB to lighting cables.
- A lot of users have indicated that the audio transmission is of low latency and there are no issues with video synchronization.
Cons:
- Its digital audio capability it limited to Android 5.0 and other later versions. If your device has earlier versions, you will be required to download 3rd party apps to use this functionality.
- Sound recorded outside of the mics “line of sight” tends to drop and has plenty of static which is good enough to ruin your sound shot.
Final Thoughts
Since their invention, microphones have evolved quite a lot in terms of how people put them to use and the variations and quality that are available in the market today. Microphones come in different forms, shapes, and sizes but they are divided into two major categories namely dynamic microphones or condenser microphones. Lavalier microphones fall in the dynamic category. In case you are wondering what lavalier mics are, it is those tiny sized mics that you can clip on to your clothes and your good to go. The characteristics elements that can help you distinguish a lavalier mic are a clip that you can hook up to your clothes and a tiny head that would typically capture the sound when in operation.
The classifications of microphones can sometimes be complicated. Apart from the dynamic and condenser microphones that we touched on previously, you can further classify them based on orientation and direction of the mic. Lavalier mics are extremely handy if you are working on a project and need to record excellent quality sound that is clear and crisp. Picking a lavalier mic is not that difficult, and a good one will set you back upwards of about $100 and below. And while the best quality of lavalier mics are likely to cost about two thousand dollars, expensive doesn’t always translate to the best in terms of quality. If you are a beginner experimenting with lavalier mics, we would recommend starting with an inexpensive one and later investing in a more expensive version once you learn how to use the mic expertly.
It’s advisable that you don’t take for granted what a microphone can do for you. This is because it makes all the difference in what your eventual production will sound like.
From our list above you can tell that there are different variations of lavalier mics for different uses and budgets and each has something that sets it apart from the other. We hope our list has at least brought you one step closer to finding a lavalier mic that suits your needs.
