Lavalier Microphones Pros and Cons and Reviews?
Curtis Judd is a professional video guy and delves into audio of various sorts useful to podcasters. Here are a couple comparisons he did of various lav mics. Yes, there are better ones that run into the hundreds of dollars but to learn there are a few cheap and decent mics out there.
https://youtu.be/CZKs1U1GA84
https://youtu.be/eIIbmA7pdGw
A decent, inexpensive lav is the Sony ECMCS3. It's a little different in that it's a stereo lav and it comes in a shielding canister and may not need a windscreen. Under $20.
It's a TRS 3.5 mm jack so if you want to connect it to a smartphone to record you will need an adapter like the $15 Rode SC4.
A slightly better and more traditional lav is the Rode Smartlav+. It runs ~$65 and is a TRRS lav, meaning it's wired for use on smartphones. To use with a traditional recorder you need the $15 Rose SC3 adapter. It is a little easier to hide as the head is small and a little more sensitive. The Rode is better than the Sony and a bit hotter (more sensitive).
Both have relatively short cables at about 3.5 feet. Most professional lavs have longer cables though you can add extensions.
Never buy Rode gear from Amazon as you may not get any warranty support. I suggest B & H Photo, Sweetwater or BSW.
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How do you wear a lavalier microphone?
Most lavalier microphones come with a clip to secure the microphone to either a tie or shirt. You can also tape the cable directly to your skin or clothing. You’ll want to prevent the cable from moving around as much as possible while recording. To prevent added noise from the cable tugging, try taping the microphone to multiple spots on your subject or looping the cable into a knot by the microphone.
Can you use a lavalier microphone for gaming?
Unless you need to hide the microphone, a lavalier microphone isn’t your best option while gaming. Check out our full guide of the best gaming microphones to see what you should get instead.
How far should a lavalier mic be from the mouth?
The optimal distance for a lavalier microphone from the mouth is typically about 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 centimeters). This distance helps in capturing clear and natural-sounding audio while minimizing issues like plosives (hard ‘p’ and ‘b’ sounds) and breath noise. It’s also a good range to reduce the impact of ambient noise.
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At this point I'm unsure whether I will need lavalier microphones to plug into a digital recorder for remote interviews but if I do go that route what are the pros and cons, considerations and recommendations? I did some research last night on what is available and it seemed that the price points jumped from dirt cheap to $150 +/- to wicked expensive and not much in between.
Curtis Judd is a professional video guy and delves into audio of various sorts useful to podcasters. Here are a couple comparisons he did of various lav mics. Yes, there are better ones that run into the hundreds of dollars but to learn there are a few cheap and decent mics out there.
https://youtu.be/CZKs1U1GA84
https://youtu.be/eIIbmA7pdGw
A decent, inexpensive lav is the Sony ECMCS3. It's a little different in that it's a stereo lav and it comes in a shielding canister and may not need a windscreen. Under $20.
It's a TRS 3.5 mm jack so if you want to connect it to a smartphone to record you will need an adapter like the $15 Rode SC4.
A slightly better and more traditional lav is the Rode Smartlav+. It runs ~$65 and is a TRRS lav, meaning it's wired for use on smartphones. To use with a traditional recorder you need the $15 Rose SC3 adapter. It is a little easier to hide as the head is small and a little more sensitive. The Rode is better than the Sony and a bit hotter (more sensitive).
Both have relatively short cables at about 3.5 feet. Most professional lavs have longer cables though you can add extensions.
Never buy Rode gear from Amazon as you may not get any warranty support. I suggest B & H Photo, Sweetwater or BSW.
!
The thing about lavs is that they are a convenient way to get someone "on mic," but they have a limit to how good they can sound. Specifically:
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While lavs get a mic good placement, they don't get perfect placement---they're a little too far away.
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They are omni-directional, so they pick up a lot more of the room than a cardiod.
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Also, because they are omni-directional, they never get that nice "proximity effect" which sounds nice and bassy.
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There's the thing about rustling clothes, etc. Usually it's not a problem, especially if don't need to hide the mic under clothing like you do in a movie. But sometimes it just sucks.
The difference isn't something you'll immediately notice...until you've heard people on a more intimate mic. But you can certainly get professional quality sound out of them.