.svg)
We recently explored a few different microphones for one of our YouTube videos. If you haven’t subscribed to our channel yet, this might be the perfect opportunity to keep learning about live streaming.
Since we’re looking for the best gear to pair with your smartphone, trying these mics in a real-world environment was very important for the test.
We weren’t looking for scientific answers, there are plenty of YouTubers that can go through that. The most important thing for us was to know whether these solutions would work while live streaming a wedding, a funeral, or any other event using the EventLive app. A real-life test.
We compared the following mics:
- iPhone internal microphone
- Rode VideoMicro
- Apple Airpods
- Saramonic DI Mini
- Synco G1
Is this a fair comparison? Not really. The Synco G1 is a wireless mic, AirPods use Bluetooth, and most of the others are shotgun microphones.
So… why are we comparing them at all?
Because they are in a similar price range (very affordable), they are all very easy to use, and you might consider them all to start your live streaming kit.
What did we learn?
There are some things we knew, and others that we needed to verify. I’ll break them down.
- You need a sound system to use internal or plug-in microphones. While speaking at a normal volume, all shotgun and internal microphones struggled when capturing audio. We could barely hear Julia, the speaker, and it wasn’t easy or enjoyable to watch. The solution to this would have been to step in closer, so we could capture her voice.
- AirPods work great when they’re placed on someone’s ears, but they really don’t work if you try to hold them with your hands.
- Rode VideoMicro did a better job than Saramonic DI Mini and iPhone’s internal microphone, but still isn’t loud enough.
- When there isn’t a sound system in place or the speaker isn’t talking at a very loud volume, having a wireless microphone or staying close to the action is a must. Sometimes you might be able to position your recording device closer to the action but this isn’t always the case.
- The Synco G1’s did a fantastic job at capturing crystal clear audio for about $70-80 USD. They could be placed on the lapel, or could be hand-held by the officiant. In any case, this wireless microphone was the best option for audio on a budget.
For your next live stream, you should find out if there is going to be speakers at the venue or location. When moving outdoors where it might be windy, we strongly recommend using a wireless microphone, such as the Synco G1.
