The $99 U-Mic Wi-fi Microphone (A018GBB1) by Ulanzi is an especially reasonably priced, compact, and dynamic, wi-fi audio system designed to provide customers the very best quality microphone system for below $100.
Full disclosure: This sponsored article is delivered to you by Ulanzi.
The brand new U-Mic Wi-fi Microphone finds itself in an attention-grabbing and cost-effective place as an extremely various touchscreen audio recording system that can also be simple to make use of. The 2 transmitters and receiver within the bundle supply customers each single and twin channel recording (with optionally available on-board recording) wrapped up in a transportable storage field that doubles as a charging case. This method retains all the pieces protected and safe and tops up your batteries whereas not in use, making certain you’ll at all times be able to report when the time comes.
Options, Design, and Construct High quality
Out of the field, the Ulanzi U-Mic Wi-fi Microphone is each tiny and spectacular. The self-contained system encompasses a moveable matte-black (with silver trim) storage case for the receiver and transmitters that doubles as a cost station (harking back to an AirPodPro case) utilizing the USB-C port on the again of the case.
Along with this, the package deal features a 3.5mm TRS cable for connecting the receiver to a digicam or exterior audio recorder, a USB-C to USB-C cable for connecting to Android smartphones, a 3.5mm TRS to Lightning cable for iOS smartphones, a USB to USB-C cable for charging the entire setup, two windscreens to connect to the transmitters to assist cut back wind and noise from the microphones, a felt carrying bag to securely include all of the items whereas not in use.
The entrance of the storage case additionally encompasses a small LED cost indicator so customers can inform simply how a lot life the cost station has left in it earlier than they begin their tasks.
The corporate says the system provides a protracted battery lifetime of as much as twenty hours (whole utilizing the charging case), or six hours of steady continuous utilization for the receiver, and fourteen hours for the transmitter(s) utilizing a 300mA battery. The microphones present customers with a most transmission distance of 100 meters permitting them to maneuver freely whereas staying linked to their cameras or recording gadgets.
The system itself is managed utilizing a touchscreen interface that, regardless of being very small, is definitely fairly simple and intuitive to make use of. Merely swipe down on the display screen of the receiver to entry the choices web page the place customers can change the audio choices (Mono, Stereo, Security), Quantity, Achieve ranges, and principal system settings, which comprises the Brightness, Language, Date/Time, System Data, and Manufacturing facility Reset choices.
Once you’ve chosen a specific menu merchandise, merely swipe as much as exit the web page and get all the best way again to the primary show display screen the place customers can see the connection, battery life, and quantity/enter ranges for the linked/energetic transmitters. On both facet of the contact display screen, customers will discover bodily Mute buttons for the 2 transmitters that enable customers to shortly and simply allow/disable recording for every particular person channel.
On the perimeters of the receiver, customers will discover the three.5mm ports to hook up with a headset or digicam/recording machine, the USB-C charging/knowledge switch port, and a “toggle” button that provides customers management over the machine’s principal energy, wi-fi pairing, and contact display screen lock/unlocking. On the very backside(s) of the machine, customers will discover the pogo pins for charging the mic set (similar because the transmitters) and a belt clip for securing the gadgets.
The transmitters supply a extra simplistic show with indicator lights that present the standing of the battery, the audio/mute indicator, the wi-fi connection standing, and the native recording standing. The highest of the transmitter is the place customers will discover the built-in microphone and audio inlet connection for the windscreen in addition to the three.5mm port for connecting an exterior Mic/lav clip do you have to select to make use of one. Just like the receiver, the transmitter(s) have a USB-C connection on the facet for direct charging and knowledge switch, in addition to a bodily button to toggle native recording on/off and muting.
It’s price noting that every transmitter is able to onboard recording (not counting on connecting to an exterior machine) and has a recording capability of 8GB of storage for as much as 14 hours of backup audio seize. This implies this technique permits customers to report audio straight to every transmitter as a backup in case they discover themselves in an space with heavy wi-fi interference and dropouts.
The gadgets themselves are impressively light-weight and compact weighing simply 34.6 grams for the receiver (RX) and 23 grams for every transmitter (TX), and measuring 65.5 × 17.5 × 41.4 mm and 35.6 × 15.5 × 45.8 mm respectively. The 97 × 58.5 × 57.9 mm charging station/case weighs simply 128.5 grams for a grand whole of 209.1 grams (excluding the cables).
Principally, the system can simply slot in almost any gear bag and would go unnoticed. The U-Mic Wi-fi Microphone system is so light-weight it could simply survive falls from some vital heights with out fear as effectively. I didn’t check this to-aggressively with my utilization, however I’ve to confess I did by chance drop the transmitters and receiver onto a tough tiled ground they usually didn’t even scuff the paint job of the little beasts.
The system makes use of a 2.4G wi-fi transmission with -10 to 10db achieve changes and a 48KHz 16Bit CD stage that the corporate says will guarantee extremely steady and high-quality lossless sound. Actually, the one factor lacking from this bundle that will make it an ideal sub-$100 system is the actual fact it doesn’t embrace an exterior wired lav-mic. It might mainly be good if it got here with a set of those, however even when customers purchase a set of mics moreover to the bundle, they’re nonetheless getting an impressively cost-effective and compact audio recording system that may shortly swap between digital cameras, recorders, iPhones, and Android gadgets with none complications or customized settings required.
Audio High quality
The U-Mic Wi-fi Microphone can report audio in two methods; both from a lavalier mic linked to the three.5mm jack or utilizing the built-in mic (and optionally available windscreen). For almost all of my testing we merely used the on-board microphone and the audio high quality was surprisingly good. Out of the field, the achieve was truly a bit loud at its default setting, requiring me to truly decrease its settings because it was clearly extra delicate than I wanted even in a busy outside setting.
The depth of the audio captured was fairly good with a surprisingly decrease frequency (bass). It’s not what I might name good, however for a system that’s below $100 it’s very VERY spectacular, and undoubtedly on par with another dearer competing manufacturers.
Because the mic is considerably omnidirectional, there’s the chance of selecting up some background noise, however for essentially the most half, it was very minimal, particularly if the mic is positioned near the place the audio supply is coming from. Clearly the nearer you might be to the mic (and extra direct) the higher the audio high quality will likely be, so including a wired lav-mic would undoubtedly be really useful when filming/recording in busier uncontrolled environments, however even with out the lavs, the audio captured was very spectacular with none clear up in any respect. Additionally, utilizing the lav mics can add a stage of discretion to your shoot because the mics gained’t be blatantly seen to each the viewer and passers-by.
Moreover, the U-Mic options three pickup modes for clear and constant voice seize: Mono Mode for correct frequencies, Stereo Mode for high-fidelity audio, and Security Observe Mode as a backup towards stage spikes.
Who Is It For?
The U-Mic Wi-fi Microphone is certainly constructed with Vloggers in thoughts. However the system isn’t just restricted to them. This sleek-looking audio recording system is a superb addition to the equipment bag for content material creators, live-streamers, TikTokkers, podcasters, and filmmakers who use a mixture of moveable (cellular smartphones) in addition to digital cameras and simply audio captures. No matter what you’re utilizing the microphones for, the U-Mic system ensures your voice is heard in gorgeous readability.
Why Is This Cool
In addition to an truly spectacular audio high quality and recording vary, for creatives and filmmakers at each newbie {and professional} ranges, the U-Mic Wi-fi Microphone offers customers with knowledgeable and cozy high-end efficiency expertise at a really cost-effective low value that’s typically as little as 1/4 the price of its opponents. The corporate says that RODE, Hollyland, DJI, Comica, Saramonic, BOYA, and so forth., are priced between $150~$330, Ulanzi realizes the very best high quality of wi-fi microphones inside 100 {dollars}, giving their clients way more bang for his or her buck.
The U-Mic Wi-fi Microphone system offers its customers a full vary of audio recording capabilities for indoor and outside interviews, stay broadcasts, journey images/documentary, microfilm recording, and different scenes with constant steady recording and no want to fret.
The place Can You Get It?
The Ulanzi U-Mic Wi-fi Microphone is accessible to order now for a particular $79.95 value (Common $99.95) from the Ulanzi net retailer. Early Chook pricing ends on September seventeenth.
Welcome to a PetaPixel Showcase, through which our employees offers you a hands-on with distinctive and attention-grabbing merchandise from throughout the images panorama. The Showcase format affords producers the chance to sponsor hands-on time with their merchandise and our employees, and it lets them spotlight what options they assume are price noting, however the opinions expressed from PetaPixel employees are real. Showcases shouldn’t be thought of an endorsement by PetaPixel.