The perfect cell microphones for 2024

Rode’s Lavalier II iis a slick-looking low-profile lavalier that sounds nice. Whereas it’s not a wi-fi lavalier microphone, at $99, it’s someplace within the candy spot between finances and higher-end clip-on choices. It’s simple to advocate the Lavalier II simply on its sound alone, however it comes with a rugged case and a wide variety of equipment. For much more flexibility you may pair this with Rode’s AI Micro interface ($79) which supplies simple connection to an iPhone or Android cellphone (and even PCs) and provides assist for a second mic – excellent for recording podcasts or interviews.

At $60, Sennheiser’s XS (USB-C) lav condenser mic is pretty inexpensive, sounds nice and plugs proper into your cellphone (or laptop computer) while not having an adapter. This not solely makes it handy however reduces the general value as you don’t want a headphone adapter in your cellphone. What’s extra, the XS has a 2-meter lengthy cable which supplies you loads of scope for motion or framing.

Once we examined the VideoMic GO II we have been shocked at simply how good it sounded proper out of the field. At $100 it rivals many desktop microphones that value 3 times the worth. You’ll want a companion app to vary settings, in any other case this performs nicely throughout the board.

If there was an audio “penknife” then the iRig Stream Mic Professional could be it. It’s a chunky condenser microphone, however you may join devices and even different mics to it through a 3.5mm enter. When you have background music in your cellphone or PC, it’s also possible to pipe that into the combination through a loopback mode. In brief, whether or not you’re busking, podcasting or acting on the go, the Stream Mic Professional has all of the core options you’ll want to flip a fundamental recording into an expert one.

Cellular connectivity is a main function with choices for Lightning and Sort-C/Android included within the field. The mic itself presents 4 polar patterns that ought to cowl most recording situations — be that recording a singer, two individuals talking head to head or the final atmosphere round you in a TikTok or Instagram video. The Stream Mic Professional may not be essentially the most pocketable on this record, however it’s probably essentially the most versatile.

This dynamic mic is a favourite with podcasters, with many manufacturing corporations utilizing it as their customary mic to ship out to distant company due to its glorious high quality to worth efficiency. The Q2U options each USB (sadly not Sort-C) and XLR connectivity making it versatile for each desktop and cell functions, however it’s the previous we’re occupied with right here as that’s what means that you can join it to your cellphone with nothing greater than a USB cable and an adapter (see beneath).

What’s extra, the Q2U is stable sufficient to endure just a little little bit of tough and tumble, so will fortunately reside within the backside of your backpack prepared for if you want it. In the meantime, the hand held design is flexible sufficient it will probably flip its hand to singing/devices, podcasts, interviews and extra.

You will not be accustomed to the title, however Tula snuck into our hearts with its versatile, classic impressed debut microphone. From a cell perspective, the Tula connects to Androids immediately over USB Sort-C or iPhones with the correct USB-C to Lightning cable (extra on this beneath) or a USB “digital camera package” adapter. What makes the Tula particular is that it’s additionally a desktop mic and moveable recorder with lavalier enter and 8GB of storage and even options noise cancellation – excellent for chopping down on exterior background sounds. With the Tula you can theoretically have one mic for dwelling, cell and standalone recording. Because of its moveable design and as much as 12 hours of battery life, the Tula can act as a wi-fi microphone if you want it, too.

Many of the microphones on this information will do a good job of recording musical performances, however some are particularly constructed for it. Based in 2019, Audigo places artists and performers entrance and middle. At time of writing, it solely presents one mannequin and all its focus goes into that. In case you’re a musician on the go, or need one thing you may preserve in your pocket for every time inspiration strikes, the Audigo may be for you.

The sq., puck-like Audigo mic is mainly a pocketable rival to iZotope’s (now discontinued) Spire moveable studio, proper all the way down to the companion app. The Audigo is way extra moveable than the Spire ever was and you may mix a number of gadgets for multitrack recording. When you’ve recorded your monitor, you may add reverb, delay, equalize and extra to provide it some polish earlier than exporting it out to your most well-liked platform. There’s a video mode, too, so it’s excellent for sharing edits to TikTok and Instagram.

This wi-fi microphone requires the app (iOS just for now) to work, which isn’t preferrred and we’d love to have the ability to use it over USB to increase its performance, however for performers on the transfer Audigo presents options which might be exhausting to search out with out having to buy round for varied totally different apps.

With the iPhone 15 becoming a member of the USB-C household, there are tons of gaming and podcasting microphones that may merely plug straight into your cellphone. However if you wish to use virtually any professional microphone system for recording subject interviews, foley sounds, podcasting on the go and something for broadcast, then an interface just like the Centrance MicPort Professional is a should.

With its XLR-combo connection, the MicPort Professional works with all the published customary microphones like Shure’s SM7B or the Electro Voice RE20 — together with mics that want phantom energy. Not like different, cheaper XLR interfaces, there’s virtually no self noise (hiss) and there’s a built-in battery that ought to final for round 5 hours of subject use. You possibly can cost it whereas in use through a USB-C ought to you’ll want to.

Centrance has saved issues easy, however you’ll nonetheless discover essential instruments like real-time monitoring, a high-pass filter to fight wind or dealing with noise and there’s even a limiter that ought to cease any surprising loud noises from ruining your recording. For shotgun mics, the MicPort Professional may even double as a deal with. As cell as this factor is, it’ll fortunately function a easy audio interface when you’re again within the dwelling workplace too.

This information is about cell recording, and formally, Shure’s MVX2U XLR to USB interface doesn’t assist telephones. However you already know what? It positively does work with the telephones we’ve tried, together with a number of Androids and the iPhone 15. The excellent news is that it’s half the worth of the Centrance. The unhealthy information is that the settings can solely be modified through Shure’s desktop app, so if you’ll want to alter one thing out within the subject, you’re out of luck. Nonetheless, it’s an awesome worth possibility in case you can reside with its limitations.