Wireless Lav Mics… which one?

There has been a surfeit of wireless mic systems of late and therefore we are spoiled for choice these days. So I thought I’d take a quick look and compare spec for spec the ones I have access to at the moment. These are:

  • DJI Mic
  • Hollyland Lark M1 Duo
  • Sennheiser XSW Digital Lavalier

And for good measure and comparison, throw in the RØDE Wireless Go II (which I don’t have but the specs are easily obtainable).

Whilst there are many other options, these four should give a reasonable benchmark to work from and allow a choice to be made – depending on record quality of course!

  DJI Mic Sennheiser XSW Lav Set Hollyland Lark M1 Duo RØDE GO II (Twin set)
Transmitter        
Dimensions 47.32 x 30.43 x 20.1mm 102 x 24 x 28 mm 48 x 21.5 x10mm 44 x 45.3 x 18.3mm
Weight 30g Not given 11.8g 30g
Battery Capacity 320mAh 850mAh 140mAh Not given
Operating Time 5.5 hrs 5 hrs 8 hrs 7 hrs
Charge Time 70 mins 3 Hrs 1.5Hrs Not given
Receiver        
Dimensions 47.44 x 32.21 x 17.35mm 109 x 24 x 28 mm 48.3 x 27,6 x 11mm 44 x 45.5 x 18.3mm
Weight 24.9g Not given 17.5g 32g
Operating Time 5 Hrs 5 Hrs 8 hrs 7 hrs
Battery Capacity 320mAh 850mAh 200mAh Not given
Charge Time 70 mins 3 Hrs 1.5Hrs Not given
General        
Audio Output Not given Max 12dBu Not given 100 dB SPL (1kHz @ 1m) dBu
Frequency Range 2400-2483.5MHz 2400-2483.5MHz Varies based on regulations of different countries 50Hz – 20kHz
Latency Not given <4 ms Not given Not given
Max Range Not given 75m 200m 200 m
Other
  • Records in TX as well as RX connected device
  • Comes with 2 x TX units
  • Has no case charging system requiring USB-C charging
  • Can switch between multiple TX on single RX
  • Only comes with single TC unit
  • Separate USB-C on RX and TX for charging outside case
  • Comes with 2 x TX units
  • Available as dual or single TX system
  • 40 hours internal recording
Price AUD$509 AUD$499 AUD$230 AUD$429

In Use

There is no doubt having a twin mic and single receiver system is a distinct advantage and here the Sennheiser dips out initially although you can add extra transmitters / mics later if you wish.

The ability of the DJI mics to also record internally in addition to the receiver system recording to the host device is a ripper idea and a major selling point. Specification wise you can see the RØDE and DJI systems are almost identical so this one thing might give the DJI Mic an edge over RØDE to some buyers.

The price point of the Hollyland system is extremely attractive, and if you are on a budget, then this would definitely fit your needs.

Audio Quality

If you ignore technical specifications and go by your ears, well my ears anyway, the long experience of Sennheiser in the audio world has the distinct edge in recording quality with I’d suggest, the RØDE in second place. The DJI Mic comes in 3rd and the Hollyland Lark M1, whilst being very capable and eminently suitable for vlogging, YouTube and TikTok etc, doesn’t exhibit the quality of the Sennheiser and RØDE offerings that broadcast audio would demand.

Yes! Subscribe me to your website

News, reviews, tutorials and more from the worlds of video, photography and imaging

PLUS FREE access to CC-TV News videos and 5 Min Tutorials.

Membership is FREE!

Oh, and you can get my 60+ page e-book on all things GoPro for FREE!

Just click the image below to register and download

Cover of GoPro Special Edition

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *