Verdict
A fantastic choice to the DJI Mic 2 and similar compact wireless mic setup , the Hollyland Lark Max benefits from firm all - round performance , unsubdivided mathematical process and clever design – all at an attractive damage .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Like the recently releasedDJI Mic 2 , the Hollyland Lark Max is a succinct and lightweight omnidirectional wireless microphone designed for enter voiceovers , vlogs or interview in high character in almost any situation – indoors or out .
Hollyland impressed with its smartphone - focussedLark C1 , but the Lark Max work with a wider variety of products . you may link up it to your smartphone or tablet , yes , but it ’s also able-bodied to slot into a tv camera ’s red-hot skid , hook up to a computer via USB or operate altogether solo thanks to its built - in store .
Like the DJI Mic 2 , the Hollyland Lark Max is uncommitted with its own charging example and feature racket - cancellation engineering science , but a quick glimpse at the full features list reveals that it does n’t quite match up to it in terms of on - composition appeal . With a more affordable request price , however , could it be a desirable alternative for God Almighty on a miserly budget ? Here are my thought .
Design
The Hollyland Lark Max pass receiver and sender can be purchase on their own , but I imagine the good pick is the packet featuring one RX telephone receiver , two TX transmitters , a charging type ( able to hold all three of the above ) and a sturdy comport bag ( inside which you ’ll also find two windshields for the transmitters and four cable system : 3.5 mm to 3.5mm , USB - Cto Lightning , USB - C to USB - C and USB - carbon to USB - A ) .
That ’s basically everything you ’ll ever need to utilize and charge the organisation while you ’re out and about , all fit into a single rugged and water - resistant bag .
The TX building block is small and lightweight ( just 33 g , which is only 5 gramme more than the DJI Mic 2 ) and can be attached to clothing via a snip or attractive feature . Once fixed , I could barely palpate it at all , and it never felt likely to fall off either . The furry windscreen slip onto the top , but only equip securely one style , so it give to insure it ’s steadfastly on before walking around . It come with a single 3.5 mm audio recording input for join an optional lavalier mic .
The RX whole consider around 60 universal gravitational constant and is a little larger , although still tiny enough to go in a little pocket . It also comes with a clip , which doubles as a mount for tie it to a photographic camera ’s hot horseshoe . Unfortunately , it only conform to into the hot shoe one way ( facing towards the back of the camera ) ; the DJI Mic 2 ’s RX fits in both way , and I would have preferred the Lark Max to do the same , as sometimes you ’ll be in front of the photographic camera filming yourself and it ’d be ready to hand to see the 1.1 - inchOLEDand approach the controls in these situations .
For connectivity , you get USB - coulomb ( for connect to a mobile equipment or computer ) , a 3.5 mm TRS yield ( for cameras ) and a 3.5 millimeter headphone input should you desire to monitor audio levels hold up .
control are simple on both the RX and TX , with the former benefit from both a touchscreen and a pressable telephone dial . you may apply one , the other or both when changing configurations , and having the choice is handy if you ’re break gloves or the screen is wet from rain .
Overall build caliber of all the elements is unanimous , although not quite up to the sturdy criterion set by the DJI Mic 2 . There ’s a lilliputian bit more creaking and flex here , but nothing I was unduly implicated by .
Features
The Lark Max ’s TX can engage to the full severally of the RX , thanks to its 8 GB of built - in storage : just hit the record release and it ’ll capture up to 14 hour of audio in the same lossless quality as regular mathematical process .
you’re able to also turn the noise cancelling on / off by strike another button , with the colour of the Christ Within bespeak the current state . It ’s a handy feature of speech if you want to travel as light as possible , although it would have been overnice to have the choice to also record at once wirelessly to a fluid gimmick via Bluetooth ( something you ’ll find on the DJI Mic 2 ) .
The contagion range , however , matches the Mic 2 ’s : up to 250 meter in ideal conditions . In reality you ’re probably never going to require that distance , and my trial run recording at home while walk from trading floor to flooring suggest that solid obstruction like walls and flooring stimulate the range to drop off to just a few metres before interference can be take heed – or the signal burn out wholly – in the recordings ( the same go on with the Mic 2 ) . Just be naturalistic in your expectations here to avoid disappointment .
One affair that does n’t disappoint is battery life . The built - in batteries on the TX and RX last for around 7.5 hours and 9 hours respectively , and with on - the - move reload good manners of the charging case , you’re able to achieve as much as 22 hour of constant usance . That really beat the DJI Mic 2 by four hours .
Audio quality
The Hollyand Lark Max offer up a very interchangeable recording experience to the original DJI Mic , offering high-pitched - calibre 24 - bit/48kHz speech sound , plunk up in an omnidirectional practice . With the RX attached to myPanasonic GH6camera and the TX clipped to my shirt about four in from my Kuki-Chin , I originally found the transcription amplification too high , leading to results that were far too loud . After consulting the user guide , I set my camera ’s record gain to moo and the resulting sound was much more comfy .
Audio quality is excellent : clean , accurate and not too affected by the wind when using the supply furred buckler . You might get cleaner sound from a shotgun or USB mic , yes , but throw the plug - and - play widget of this frame-up its result are impressive . You could sure as shooting practice the recordings for podcasts and similar “ professional ” applications .
There are three main recording modes : Mono , Stereo ( which need you to use two TX unit at once ) and Safety path , which employ a second mic to immortalise the same track but at 6dB lower – ready to hand as a accompaniment if your levels terminate up blown out by an accidentally loud noise . Despite having a general reluctance to use monaural rather than stereo for recording , I bump it made the most signified for general ‘ walking around ’ audio as it only requires the one transmitter .
You also record using one of three EQ preferences : Hi - Fi ( the standard modality ) , Low Cut ( which cut out lower - end sounds ) and Vocal ( which enhances voices ) . Having tried all three I chance Hi - Fi exploit just all right and deliver the most natural - sounding results , but I ’m sure the others have their place in specific position .
last , a word about the environmental noise - call off tech : it works ! It ’s not the most dramatic of ENC mode , but in my test it did dilute down on the background signal audio without too impact outspoken audio . It can be easily switch on and off during a transcription too , both on the RX and TX social unit .
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
Currently around £ 70 brassy than the DJI Mic 2 , the Lark Max act a solid return for your cash while offer a alike level of performance .
TheDJI Mic 2 ’s specialist features like Bluetooth recording and 32 - bit float audio give it a more impressive feature set on paper .
Final Thoughts
The Hollyland Lark Max is a solid alternative to theDJI Mic 2 , even if it does n’t quite touch its characteristic bent ; it has a importantly lower cost and slightly just battery life , after all .
Its telling audio quality , overall ease of use and the convenience of its charge fount stand for it does n’t feel like a budget pick at all , so if you’re able to live without lineal Bluetooth recording and 32 - bit float sound ( and I suspect a enceinte many of you’re able to ) it ’s well deserving considering as an affordable , flexible and portable solution for vlogging , podcasting and like forms of content creation .
Trusted Score
How we test
During each mike review , we conduct a serial publication of recording trial that include taste audio during idealistic setting , with background disturbance lend oneself and in an outdoor mise en scene ( where possible ) , to give you the best idea of how each equipment execute in veridical - world use .
FAQs
The build - in batteries on the TX and RX last for around 7.5 hours and 9 hours respectively , while the charging display case provides 22 hour of constant use .
There is no Bluetooth lineal connection .
Full Specs
