The Buyers guide to...Best vlogging microphones

Rode’s Wireless Go II is the update to the original Wireless Go which made using a wireless mic easier than ever before. It employs a 2.4GHz frequency band and offers a range of about 200m, more than twice the range of the original system.

In another key upgrade of the original, the Rode Wireless Go II receiver is capable of connecting with two transmitters. That makes it useful for face-to-face interviews as well as individual narration or voiceovers.

Both transmitters in the Wireless Go II kit have a pre-polarized and pressure-operated internal capsule with an omnidirectional pickup pattern and a frequency range of 50Hz to 20kHz. They also have a 3.5mm TRS input which means that it’s also possible to connect another microphone, such as a lavalier.

Rode has upped the game for the Wireless Go II by adding the ability to record over 40 hours of audio to each transmitter, and the introduction of a safety channel that records a second channel that’s 20bD lower than the main channel’s.

There’s a clip on the transmitters and receiver to enable them to be attached to clothing – or a camera hotshoe in the case of the receiver. They are also powered by an internal rechargeable battery with a life of up to seven hours on a single charge.

The Wireless Go, which continues in Rode’s range, is one of the best vlogging mics you can buy and its replacement, the Rode Wireless Go II makes a great upgrade with some useful advanced features.

You can order the Rode Wireless Go II from Wex Photo Video in the UK and B&H Photo Video or Adorama in the USA.

Read our Rode Wireless Go II Review

Rode’s Wireless GO system uses a 2.4GHz frequency band and offers a range of about 250 feet. Rode designed the transmitter with a pre-polarized and pressure-operated internal capsule that features an omnidirectional pickup pattern and frequency range of 50Hz to 20kHz. It also boasts a standard 3.5mm TRS input.

Both the transmitter and receiver have a clip, and the unit runs on a rechargeable internal battery that lasts up to seven hours on a single charge.

The unique selling point of the Wireless GO, however, is that its transmitter unit contains an omnidirectional condenser microphone and a clip. This means it can double as either a clip-on mic or a belt pack for a lavalier (either Rode’s model or a third party unit).

The transmitter then sends the audio to Rode’s Series II 2.4GHz receiver.

The Wireless GO is one of the best vlogging mics you can buy. It’s priced competitively, its small and portable and the sound quality is terrific.

Read our Rode Wireless GO review

Straight out of the box this lavalier microphone is compatible with DSLRs, camcorders, smartphones, laptops, bodypack transmitters, laptops and tablets (though some late-model iOS devices may require an Apple Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter).

It’s said to be the world’s first lavalier mic to feature a microprocessor that adapts the TRRS plug to work with almost any 3.5mm microphone jack and it comes with a five-metre cable.

A nice touch is the inclusion of a cable winder in the kit, which helps you to keep the cable in order. It’s powered by two LR41 batteries, which go to sleep once the V.Lav has adapted to your camera or device – it will take power from the device from then on.

Also in the kit are a faux fur windshield, a foam windscreen, a tie clip and a tough-feeling carrying pouch.

Saramonic’s Vmic Mini is a lightweight shotgun microphone that mounts directly to your smartphone or interchangeable lens camera.

The Vmic Mini features a cardioid pickup pattern that is designed to capture audio from the front of the camera and dampen sounds from the background. What’s more, the mic is tuned with a boost at 8 kHz in order to give more clarity to human speech.

The Vmic Mini’s body design features an integrated shock mount to reduce the sound of handling noise and vibrations, and there’s also a windscreen included in the kit to help reduce wind noise.

The Vmic Mini also offers an integrated locking shoe mount so you can attach it to your camera and a 1/4-inch screw thread for mounting to your tripod, gimbal or stand.

Rode has built a reputation for producing good quality microphones at sensible prices and the Rode VideoMic NTG slips right in. It’s actually a little more affordable than the older Rode VideoMic Pro+ yet it’s more versatile, easier to use and better made. It also produces high-quality sound and has the back-up of a safety channel. It’s a great option for mounting on a camera to record audio, but it can also be connected to other devices via USB, including a computer, making it good value.

Rode’s smartLav+ is hugely popular with vloggers. The lavalier microphone is designed to plug directly into your Apple or Android smartphone and offers an omnidirectional condenser capsule that captures sound equally from all sides.

Rode has enhanced its sensitivity and provided a higher signal-to-noise ratio, and its clip-on design means you can vlog hands-free.

The smartLav+ has a TRRS input, but you can use it with a TRS adapter for connecting with other devices.

Tascam’s DR-10L is another lavalier mic that’s popular with vloggers. Powered by either USB or a single AAA battery, the DR-10L can last up to 10 hours on a single charge in normal operation.

Its omnidirectional polar pattern picks up audio from all direction, and its clip-on design keeps the mic in place.

The DR-10L also has built-in protection against sudden audio volume jumps. Its dual recording feature captures a copy of your signal at a lower level (-6 dB or -12 dB), as a safety track in case of distortion.

Another nice protection is that the DR-10L will also automatically save your audio file before turning off in the event of your battery runs out.

Other features include an automatic gain control and support for microSD cards.

This highly affordable on-camera hotshoe microphone is a good option if you’re relatively new to recording sound for videos. It utilises a Rycote Lyre shock mount, which basically slots in your camera’s hotshoe but also elevates the microphone off the camera – this is in order to help to eliminate the sounds of you operating the camera.

It doesn’t require any additional batteries but will draw power from your camera, so you’ll need to have extra camera batteries to hand. This mic has a ‘deadcat’ windshield and is compatible with a variety of DSLRs and mirrorless camera systems, as well as smartphones.

You should be able to buy this model for under £50 – quite simply it’s a near perfect entry-level audio purchase.

Read our Movo VXR10 Review

Sevenoak’s SmartCine Complete Smartphone Video Kit is more than just a microphone for your vlogging needs. The kit also includes an LED ring light with 3 levels of brightness, wide-angle and fisheye lenses for your smartphone and a padded handgrip with a wrist strap.

Sevenoak’s microphone provides up to 20 hours of battery life per single charge, and it connects to your phone’s 3.5mm port.

The mic also has an audio gain switch ranging from 0 dB up to +10 dB.