Rode smartLav+ Review / Test
Today I am talking about a lavalier microphone that plugs directly into your smartphones 3.5mm jack; the Rode SmartLav+ Smartphone Lav Mic.
My main concern with purchasing a 3.5mm TRRS microphone, like the smartLav+ is the potential for 3.5mm jacks disappearing from more smart phones in the future. If you are planning on upgrading to an iPhone 7 or any phone that has removed the 3.5mm jack, then this is not the microphone for you.
If you are interested in this microphone, it will set you back $80 on Amazon
What's In the Box
Lav Mic
Windscreen
Microphone Clip
Carrying Pouch
Quick Start Guide
Specifications
Frequency Response: 60Hz - 18kHz
Polar Pattern: Omnidirecitonal
Mic Sensitivity: -35dB
Performance / Features
The build quality of this mic feels pretty nice. The majority is plastic, but it has a nice reinforced joint where the cable meets the microphone, so I wouldn't be too worried about the cable shorting out. The windscreen is sufficient, and the microphone clip feels really nice, and provides a really nice option to route your mic cable to avoid unnecessary strain.
The microphone only sounded decent when it was attached to my lapel. When I placed the microphone on the center of my shirt, it sounded much clearer, but still a little dull. This could be easily remedied with a quick EQ. When comparing it to a similar lavalier microphone that is only $40, I heard almost no difference, but this could be attributed to the fact that both mics were being run through the Rode Rec app.
Pros
Reinforced cable joint
Provides wireless functionality w/ relatively low price tag
Nice mic clip
Cons
A bit expensive for sound quality achieved
Conclusion
This is only a decent microphone. It has a decent build quality but the audio quality leaves a bit to be desired. I also plan on upgrading to a new phone that has done away with the 3.5mm TRRS jack, so this mic will be obsolete if this trend continues.
I would only really recommend this if you are a Rode mic purist, or if you want a mic that plugs directly into your smartphone with no adapters needed. Other than that, I don't think it performs at a level that justifies the $80 price tag. You can pick up a microphone for half the price along with a TRRS adapter and have the same quality audio.
If you have any additional questions about this microphone, leave them on the youtube video, and I will try to reply ASAP.
Buy the SmartLav+ (Affiliate Link)
Global: https://geni.us/slav
