Using your Apple device to shoot your YouTube videos or recording your live streams is growing in popularity. However, you do need the right setup to get all the elements to flow together. One of those elements is the audio. Today we are going to check out the available microphones that you can use with your Apple device with this overview over the best iPhone mics for video.
With so much online video in the market, you need to make sure that you get the best out of your setup. Whether you are just starting out or well into the business, one of the most important aspects of your video is the audio. Here are some of the top options for audio using your Apple device.
Shure MV88
This is a lightning port microphone and gives great audio quality by plugging straight onto your phone. You can use it as a handheld mic for podcasts or directionally for your video shoots. In comparison to the on-camera mic, you can hear that immediate difference in the audio quality. It’s especially noticeable when you are outdoors as the MV88 captures the sound much more clearly in comparison to the on-camera mic.
A good audio setup does come in handy not only when shooting video with your smartphone, but also when you are using it for live streaming. Here is helpful guide for using your phone as a webcam:
Rode VideoMic Me-L
This is also a lightning port mic; however, this mic is a shotgun mic that points at your subject. When we used it in the comparison, you can hear the reduction in noise levels from the background. You can almost hear the directionality of the mic as it only brings the voice audio to your video. This mic has a headphone jack so that you can monitor your audio as you record.
Rode Cable SC4
This little cable is awesome! It’s a little adaptor cable that you use on your smartphone to connect a standard mic to your smartphone. Smartphones have a TRRS jack and standard mics only have a TRS connector which means that your standard mic won’t work even if you plug them into the mic jack on the smartphone. This cable allows you to use any mic on your smartphone.
Rode SmartLav+
This is a lavalier mic that plugs into the mic jack of your smartphone. It’s a mic that you can use when you are doing podcasts and videos where you are only going to have one person on the mic. When plugged in you can hear the big difference of the audio in comparison to the on-camera mic. The only drawback is the length of the cable, you would need an extension for the mic cable if you plan on being further away than 2 feet.
Shure MVL
This is the Shure alternative to the Rode unit and you can hear that the sound quality is great and although the cable is longer it’s still not quite long enough. Like the Rode mic, you would need an extension and you would only have one person on audio. These mics are not really suited for use in interview situations.
Rode SC6-L Dual TRRS
Lavalier Mics are perfect when you need a microphone for interview situations. However, with only lightning port, you are limited to recording just one audio source. With the Rode SC6-L, you can use two lavalier mics like the Shure-MVL or Rode SmartLav+ to record an interview scene with 2 people. It even allows for monitoring the audio with headphones with a dedicated jack.
Top Pick Microphone
With this overview of the best iPhone mics for video, you should have enough options for every scenario and wallet. A great versatile choice is the Shure MV88 mic with a few accessories. You might want to add the Joby GorillaPod and the MeFOTO SideKick for live streams. The quality and ease of use of this rig is really impressive.
