The SmartLav+ is the second generation of smartphone Lavalier microphone released by Rode Microphones. It is an Omnidirectional Polar pattern mic with a 3.5mm TRRS Microphone Jack and weighs about 6 grams.
In the package, you will find
- The microphone (duh)
- A clip so you can mount it on your clothing
- A Wind Screen
- A carrying pouch
This version of the SmartLav+ has seen improvements to the noise floor and recording quality of the microphone. The previous version was known to have a low noise floor which caused a hissing sound in most recording scenarios. After testing the new version I can say that this has definitely been greatly improved.
When testing the smartLav+ indoors we found that the quality was very good as expected. When using the microphone outside the Windscreen seemed to not to the best of jobs as we could still hear the wind noise in the recordings. The audio was still usable but it was not 100% clear of background noises.
Rode provides a free recording application for the microphone as well as a pro version with more advanced features. As far as I could see this app was online available for IOS and not for Android. However, there are a lot of other options on the play store that will work with the smartLav+
SmartLav+ with Tascam DR-44 WL
Using the SmartLav+ with my field recorder was a bigger challenge than expected. I had purchased the SC3 adaptor which changes the TRRS to a TRS connection, however when connecting it to my Tascam DR 44 WL no signal could be detected in the recorder. After some testing and research, I found that this was due to the converter from TRS to Stereo/Mono Jack required for the Tascam.
If you want to use this Lavalier microphone with a Tascam field recorder, you will need to ensure that your converter is a mono converter and not a stereo converter as the signal will not reach the field recorder otherwise. I don’t know if this is the same for other field recorder brands as I only own a Tascam device.
The Verdict
Pros:
- High-Quality Microphone
- Light and easy to attach
- Upgraded version with a better noise floor
- Affordable
Cons:
- Windscreen could be better outdoors
- No Android App available
All in all the SmartLav+ is a good lavalier microphone with improvements over the previous version that gives you a better noise floor and recording quality. I purchased mine at a retailer in Dubai at approximately 90 USD. I was able to find cheaper Lav mic’s on Amazon but decided to pay the little extra amount into a trusted brand. I have used the mic on three projects so far and the results were always great so I have no problem recommending the SmartLav+
To make sure you are actually buying the new + version, check the TRRS plug as it is grey in the new version and black in the previous model.
Thanks for reading
Rode smartLav+
49 €
Pros
- Good Quality
- Improved Sound Quality
- Easy to use
- Wind Screen and Pouch included
Cons
- Price
- Wind Shield could be better
