We use a lapel microphone principally for two basic reasons
- To be hands-free in operation
- To produce better consistent sound quality
To achieve the two basics of lapel microphone use, there are some core qualities to look for in buying and operating with a lapel mic.
Table of Contents
1) UniDirectional or OmniDirection
What sort of pic-up response of sound do you want? A 360-degree omnidirectional pic-up that picks up sound from all directions at first might sound ideal for many applications for a dual wireless lavalier microphone system.
However, the wireless lapel microphone for zoom meetings is worn against the body and it will mean the body and clothing noise of the wearer will be added to all the sound transmitted or recorded. It will also pic-up surround sound which may be an unwanted inclusion in an interview or self-record situation for example.
A unidirectional mic on the other hand will largely avoid body, clothing, and surround sounds as it is designed to pick up sound principally from the front and to a decreasing degree, sound from the sides of the mic proving to be a much better design for many recording situations. We are also explaining engineering wireless services
2) Plug type – Apple or Android
Mic plugs come in many forms however the 3.5mm plugs are generally wired for three different types of systems or standards. The Apple standard – is the Android standard and the standard used by many cameras and computers. It means that without a Smart Conversion Adaptor Cable – an Apple Standard will not work in an Android device and Android Standard will not work in an Apple device and similarly the same with most cameras and computers.
What is a UniDirectional Lapel Microphone?
Unidirectional wireless lapel microphone for camera, as the name implies are devices that are designed to pick up sound from predominately one direction about the microphone.
A unidirectional polar pattern lapel mic comes into its own in environments or locations where there isn’t complete silence because it is dominantly receiving sound from one direction or area in a circumference and by default, not others.
When worn or pointed in a given direction to receive sound, be that from the wearer’s voice or the subject matter of an interview, for example, such a microphone will pick up approximately less than half as much sound from the sides as from the front and less than a tenth as much sound from the rear.
This gives a speaker a greater clarity of message with selective focus and this is exactly why they are ideal for capturing human speech and dialogue in many ‘on-the go’ situations and settings. A crowded area with background noise would be one such situation and setting. However, a newscast or home video take with no such background noise would also be ideal because it can be worn against the body without risk of noise from clothing or breathing interference.
This is the very reason why unidirectional wireless lapel microphone for iPhone are a preferred choice for such things as hosting live shows, conducting interviews, doing a newsroom broadcast, or filming video recording, particularly with mobile devices now.
Placement Counts
Unidirectional wireless lapel microphone system might be the polar pattern of recommendation or choice but users can still end up compromising the sound quality if the device isn’t placed correctly. In general, lavalier or clip-on microphones are attached to a speaker’s clothing and ideally between 6 to 8 inches from the mouth. Yes, they can be placed in the collar or a v-neck or even a kerchief so that they do not show up in video recordings, however, this can cause some compromise in sound quality if you are after absolute perfection but can be quite adequate for most situations.
Too close to the sound source and the mic will likely amplify every breath and it will sound husky or annoying or both and too high under the chin will likely miss some ‘s’ consonants and clarity of speech. Too far away and you can lose volume and are more likely to pick up feedback.
If concealed under clothing and out of view, the rustling of clothing may compromise the quality of sound also. Users must also take the placement and security of the wire into account since any movement may be captured by the mic. This is easily done with the clips provided or a good compromise is to use soft stick tape.
Recording settings and speech
A wireless lapel microphone for iphone is a tool to amplify your voice, not a substitute for good vocal expression. It means that you should check your device for the default or required settings that it enables you with and when all is set and done – volume, pitch, rhythm, clarity, vocal expression, word emphasis, and ultimately engagement comes from the speaker, not the equipment.
It brings in one last point and that is the use of windscreens
There is no hard and fast rule with the use of these other than when there is an obvious breeze blowing outdoors. Designed to cut down, cut out or minimize wind interference, using one indoors is a personal preference depending on how a particular subject sound when talking into a lapel microphone. This is easily checked with a test record before going live. It will either sound better with one or without one and therefore use accordingly.
