Wired Rode SmartLav+ Mic vs Wireless Bluetooth Mic Review

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Heidi Nobel

Nobel Soul Reviews

Please note: This story contains some affiliate links. I may receive a small commission for items purchased via these links.

I recently purchased a Bluetooth Lavalier mic replacement. Unfortunately, the quality wasn’t as good as my first Lavalier mic (more on this here), so I asked myself: “Should I upgrade to a higher-quality Lavalier mic?” Enter Rode SmartLav+. I wrote a story about all of the questions I had prior to purchasing this mic.

Today's story however is focused on the pros and cons of using a budget-friendly Bluetooth wireless mic, vs a slightly more expensive, yet higher-quality Rode SmartLav+ mic. I’ll also compare the sound quality of both of these Lavalier mics. Lastly, I will talk a bit about the Blue Yeti Mic, which is a high-quality USB mic I also own and love.

The receiver plugs into the USB-C port and covers up the audio port. Whether or not it’s possible to get a receiver that doesn’t cover up the audio port and whether it’s then possible to use it with an audio cable I do not know. But generally speaking, you can’t use it for calls or livestream interviews. Nor can you hear/control the gain while using it.

Pros:Cons:You can’t use them for phone calls or livestream interviewsNot all Lavalier Bluetooth mics are made equal (hear the difference in sound quality between my two Bluetooth Lavalier mics here)Advertised images can be misleading (see the video mentioned above)