Smartphones are incredibly popular tools for creating videos to share on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and other video platforms; So it makes sense that we constantly compare their cameras. However, we rarely judge microphone quality with the same severity, even though poor audio can turn viewers off faster than average video. Although it’s impossible to replace the camera on your phone, I’m checking out three microphones that can plug directly into the phone for better sound quality for mobile filmmaking, podcasting, vlogging, or anything else that needs great audio.
Note: Each of the microphones in this review can be used in a variety of ways, from recording dialogue for a movie to capturing foley (aka sound effects); But to keep it brief, we’re mainly focusing on using microphones for activities like vlogging, live streaming, and podcasting.
Video Mike Mi-C
VideoMic Me is rare because it is designed specifically for smartphones. It is compact at less than 3 inches long, making it convenient to carry in a pocket when not in use. It connects directly to the phone using a solid connector that comes straight out of the body, so you don’t have to take any additional steps to install it.
to set
- Polar pattern: Super hearty
- Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Power requirements: USB 5V – 100mAh
- Output connection: 3.5 mm TRS, USB-C 2.0 (models with Lightning and 3.5 mm TRRS jacks available)
- Bit depth: 24 bit
- Sample rate: 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz
- Dimensions: Microphone: 73.5 x 25.4 x 20.1mm, Windshield: 65 x 60mm (diameter)
- weight: Microphone: 27g, Windscreen: 12g
The body is made of black aluminum with a silver mesh covering the gaps. There is a hard black plastic cover on the back side with two small feet surrounding the smartphone connector. These feet are supposed to protect the plug from bending or breaking, but they also tend to get in the way of smartphone cases, so you’ll probably have to use your phone naked with this microphone. There’s also a 3.5mm headphone port on the back if you want to plug in headphones for audio monitoring.
The VideoMic Me is similar in size and weight to wireless earbuds with a case. Since it’s so small, it’s a great option if you’re uncomfortable with the idea of people around you noticing that you have a microphone attached to your phone.
Although this microphone is very small, it is very capable compared to built-in smartphone microphones. The super-cardioid pickup pattern accepts sound coming from the front while reducing a fair amount of sound from the sides. It does a pretty good job of keeping the focus on your voice, but it can struggle in really noisy environments. Wind can also cause some problems, but you can also pick up a furry windshield (WS9) if you expect to record outside a lot.
The VideoMic Me-C can be purchased on its own for $69, but RODE has also created a vlogging kit for $149 that includes a furry windshield, tripod, phone grip, and a super-bright LED cube with a diffuser attachment and colored filters.
Rod Video Mike Me-C
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Mike Joe II video
The VideoMic Go II is a step up from the VideoMic Me in terms of quality and versatility. However, it is larger and requires a place to install it. This may be the perfect solution if you want to purchase a single microphone to use with both your smartphone and dedicated camera.
to set
- Polar pattern: Super hearty
- Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- sensitive: -31 dBV (28.78 mV @ 94 dB SPL) ± 1 dB @ 1 kHz
- Output connection: 3.5 mm TRS, USB-C (USB 2.0)
- Power requirements: 3.5mm power connect 2 – 5V, USB 5V
- Bit depth: 24 bit
- Sample rate: 48 kHz
- Dimensions: Microphone: 120 x 21.6 mm, with mount + windshield: 150 x 70 x 86 mm
- weight: Microphone: 33g, Shock Mount: 56g, Windshield: 2g, Cable: 5g
Like the VideoMic Me, the Go II is a microphone with a supercardioid pickup pattern that focuses the sound in the foreground while filtering out ambient noise. The crossover tube (front of the microphone) design is considerably more directional, making the Go II better at isolating a single source of sound in both noisy environments and quieter spaces.
The Go II has two audio output ports. There’s a standard 3.5mm audio port (TRS) on the side for use with audio recorders and dedicated cameras, and the other side offers a USB-C port for connecting to a smartphone or computer. The Go II can act as a standard USB microphone for things like podcasting, video calls, and live streaming.
All this flexibility and higher sound quality comes at the cost of comfort. For starters, the Go II is about twice as long as the VideoMic Me-C. But most importantly, instead of mounting directly to a port on your smartphone, the Go II comes with a shock mount that attaches to either the camera mount or a ⅜-inch screw. This isn’t a problem if you’re stationary while recording, but you’ll have to make some adjustments if you need to move. The easiest solution is to use a phone grip with its built-in shoe holder, but if you have a selfie stick or gimbal with any ¼-inch mounting points, it’s easy to add a shoe with some inexpensive parts.
Like the VideoMic Me, the Go II is powered entirely by the device it’s connected to, so you don’t need to charge it separately. It also has no buttons or dials, which is not unheard of, but fairly uncommon for a microphone of this size. Settings can still be adjusted using the RODE Central apps on a smartphone or computer. In practice, this generally doesn’t matter much, but it does mean you have to take extra steps if you want to make gain adjustments or turn on features like the high-pass filter.
The Go II retails for $99 and comes with a Rycote shock mount, foam windshield, and a 12-inch (300mm) magnetically shielded 3.5mm TRS-to-TRS cable. You may also need a short USB-C cable if it will be connected to a smartphone.
Rod Video Mike Joe II
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Lavalier II + AI-Micro
Directional microphones like the VideoMic Me and Go II are the perfect solution for vlogging devices, but they’re not always the best solution if your style doesn’t include holding the camera at arm’s length. If you need to move around a lot, the best solution is a lav mic (or “lav mic” for short) – these are the small microphones you often see clipped to someone’s shirt during interviews.
RODE recently released the Lavalier II with a rather unusual design. Unlike most Lav mics that place the capsule facing up toward the wearer’s mouth, the Lav II is facing forward. This design change combined with a low-profile clip and flat cable makes it easier to hide the microphone within folds of clothing, or at least keep it mostly still so it stays out of the way.
Specifications (Lavalier II)
- Polar pattern: multidirectional
- Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- sensitive: -38 dB re 1 V/Pa (12.59 mV @ 94 dB SPL) +/- 3 dB @ 1 kHz
- Output connection: 3.5mm TRS
- Power requirements: 1.8V to 5V additional power
- weight: 9 grams
- Cable length: 1.2 m (~4 ft)
Like many Lav microphones, this has an omnidirectional pickup pattern that evenly picks up sound from a wide arc, but usually only sound at close range. Environments with a lot of noise or echo can cause some issues, but the Lav II seems to handle those issues well, too.
The Lavalier II retails for $99 and comes in a small zippered soft case. In addition to the microphone, it includes a microphone clip, a foam pop filter, a furry windshield, 4 colored plastic identification rings for marking cables, and a locking pin for use with some wireless systems.
The Lavalier II can only connect through its TRS socket, but that’s where the AI-Micro comes into play. This is a small, simple device that connects up to two microphones to your smartphone or computer. Like the VideoMic Go II, the AI Micro functions as a USB microphone, making any microphone with a 3.5mm jack a potential microphone for podcasting on your PC.
Specifications (AI-Micro)
- Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Input: 2 x 3.5mm TRS/TRRS auto-sensing (analog)
- Output: 3.5mm TRS headphone jack, USB-C port
- Bit depth: 24 bit
- Sample rates: 44.1/48 kHz
- Power requirements: 1.8V to 5V additional power
- weight: 13 grams
- Dimensions: 40 x 11.1 x 38.2 mm
The AI-Micro has two TRS input ports for microphones, a headphone jack for live monitoring, and a USB-C port for a cable to connect to a computer or smartphone. There are no buttons or dials, and no internal battery to charge; Everything simply runs off of power from the USB connection. The build quality also feels great and it’s sturdy enough to withstand some abuse.
To record, I clipped the Lavalier II to my collar and ran the cable to the AI-Micro, which was connected to an additional phone, and they both went into my back pocket. The setup is so small and lightweight that I almost forgot they were there.
Rod Lavalier II
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What should you buy?
All three of these microphones are suitable for somewhat different use cases. The VideoMic Me-C is so small and easy to use that it’s a perfect fit for an ultra-portable vlogging device consisting of a smartphone, microphone, and selfie stick (or maybe Really strong deviation). It’s also subtle enough that people nearby won’t immediately recognize you as a vlogger — hey, that’s important if you’re not comfortable recording in a crowd. At $79 (or $149 for the vlogging kit), it’s also the least expensive for beginners.
The VideoMic Go II generally has the best sound quality, but it’s larger and less suitable for mounting next to a smartphone, which may make it better suited for live streaming, podcasting and static vlogging – but make no mistake, there are plenty of high-end vloggers walking around with similar microphones ( They are usually larger) over full-sized cameras for audio, so it’s all about what matters to you. The $99 price is a little higher than the Me-C itself, but the higher quality and ability to use it with almost any device could make this a worthwhile investment.
Finally, the Lavalier II (with AI-Micro or other suitable adapter) is a great option if you don’t want to be tethered to your smartphone or camera, and it’s very easy to hide if that matters to you. However, you will probably need a secondary smartphone to record audio, and this will also likely require syncing the audio in post, which can take a lot of time. It may also be more expensive at $99 for the Lav II and an additional $79 if you also need the AI-Micro.
