Intro
They say that audio is half the viewing experience of a video, but they might be wrong. It might be even more than that. Capturing quality audio for your videos, is of high importance, whether you are just starting out or you are a seasoned pro. It is however difficult to do so, in case you are part of a small crew, let alone a solo shooter. Especially when you are both the talent and the man behind the camera, it can be exhausting to use gear that is unsuitable for the task.
Like it or not, shooting yourself with a smartphone, is as a special shooting scenario, as a blockbuster movie with a large crew. Although they are very different in nature, they should be executed with equipment specifically suited for that job. This is where the MIC-01 fits. To the solo shooter workflow, in need for a lightweight and fast setup for capturing quality audio.
Price
The Hohem MIC-01 comes in 2 different versions, the 1TX+1RX and the 2TX+1RX, which are both available in USB-C and Lightning connectors. The single TX version comes in a small storage pouch, while the dual TX version in a charging case with an internal battery. The prices depends on the version of course, but they range from 69€ to 129€. You can see for yourself, what would be the cost for your specific smartphone, on the Hohem online store and also make the call on whether you should get the black or white color version.
Battery life
The battery life of the transmitter is 7,5 hours, which is more than enough for content creation on the go. In case of the 2TX version, you can replenish the internal battery of the transmitters, by simply placing them in the case when not in use and drastically extend their usable working duration.
The receiver has not a built in battery, as in every case scenario it would be powered by another source. It would either be plugged in a smartphone, or it would be powered by a powerbank, power adapter etc. There is a super clever feature in regards to power, that allows for simultaneously charging the smartphone in use, while the receiver is plugged in. This is a massive time saver, as you won’t be needing to take breaks between shots, only for the sake of recharging.
Design and button layout
The MIC-01 is a very compact unit weighing only 15 grams, which offers a great user experience, as you basically forget you have it on your body. There are 2 ways to mount it though, either with the traditional clip, or with the magnet attached plate, in case the clothing does not allow the former mounting to be applied.
The existence of on board buttons, makes the user experience even more convenient, as you can engage various functions easily. The power button doubles as the remote shutter button also, so you won’t be losing time pressing the shutter button on your phone and then take place in front of the camera. Another timesaver is the quick mute button, which will mute and unmute the mic when there is a need for that. Lastly you can apply the DSP noise cancellation feature by pressing the respective button on the transmitter. You can cycle through the 3 different settings and set it to strong noise cancellation, medium or set it off. The respective yellow, green and blue indicators, will allow you to easily identify the state of the feature and exclude any guesswork from this process. The same button will also engage the reverb feature for providing a richer and warmer audio for a more pleasant listening experience.
Audio quality and versatility
The MIC-01 is capable of recording 48KHz/16bit audio files, which offer high quality, while maintaining relatively small file sizes, something that helps in post processing your audio. The omni directional pickup pattern of the on board microphone captures the full audible spectrum from 20Hz all the way up to 20KHz, so each spoken word will be captured in high fidelity.
There are also a couple of extra tools, that are meant to be used in order to capture the best audio possible. The first is the 3 level DSP noise cancellation smart feature mentioned above, which allows to capture audio in noisy environments by processing and minimizing those noises. If you combine this feature, with the 5 level gain control, then you can be sure that you have recorded audio that is not clipping and sounds great right away, without any need for postprocessing.
Connectivity and I/O
The MIC-01 offers many options when it comes to the way it can be used. It can be used wirelessly with a smartphone, camera, audio recorder, tablet, PC etc, so you won’t find yourself in a situation that you can’t benefit by its use. The transmitters can also be used as standalone audio recorders thanks to the ability to record in a memory card. You won’t get the convenience of synced audio, if you are shooting video simultaneously, but you will be able to sync it in post later. If you only capture audio though, you will be just fine.
With the use of the MIC-01, you can even plug in an external lavalier microphone, in case you want the tiny stylish transmitter not to be seen. Take into consideration, that this feature is rarely seen in such an affordable price point, so in this case, cheap does not mean low quality. Also when using it as the person behind the camera, the receiver features an audio output which can be used for monitoring your audio, which is crucial for avoiding clipping. This is the exact same output that you would get your audio output, if you choose to route your audio to a camera or audio recorder.
Further features and specs
The MIC-01 operates is the 2,4GHz frequency spectrum and it offers up to 100 meters working range, which is more than you would ever realistically need. It being so small and only 15 grams heavy, it will be easily mounted on your talent, either by the clip or the magnet included, and it will stay securely in place, no matter what.
It will be the perfect companion if you are into using other products of the Hohem ecosystem. When shooting with the use of a gimbal, like the Hohem M6, you can use the MIC-01 as the receiver is also feather light. The gimbal won’t struggle a bit and you will be able to get the highest quality audio possible, already synced and ready to be posted in no time.
Conclusion
You can rarely have so many great features in such and affordable price, especially in a newly launched product. All these are not however getting in the way of the user. The MIC-01 is versatile, but not complex in its use and thus the experience you get out of it is great.
It seems that simplicity was a key factor for Hohem with this product, and they scored a home run. Having used similar wireless mic systems in the past, I have found that there were either minor or major details that were causing inconveniences while shooting. But not this one, which basically is my new beloved go to wireless microphone set.