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 3^rd 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.