This is my first product review. However, I thought I would like to share my experiences with this product with the community. So here is my first attempt at writing a small product review, so please be kind to me 😊.
Why the microphone?
In the past, I tried many combinations. I once had a Jabra headset, but I listen to a lot of music, and the headset wasn't good enough for that. Then I switched to a Bose Quiet Comfort. It had good sound, but ambient noise still had some impact, and I also wanted to sit at my laptop in the summer without headphones because it gets too hot. So, I got an inexpensive external microphone. But I knew that would be even worse 😄, plus I didn't want to lug a microphone around at the office. So I thought about getting a lavalier microphone. There are wired ones, but I wanted something wireless. That's how I came across the Hollyland Lark M2 Wireless Lavalier Microphone.
There are also variants, so please be careful which one to buy. I created some shortlinks:
Product Description
I took the effort to remove the extreme advertising from Hollyland's ad text and summarized the key points.
The LARK M2 Wireless Lavalier Microphone, with its ultra-small and lightweight design of only 9g, offers a combination of mobility and performance. Whether for interviews, vlogs, or documenting outdoor activities, this microphone stays securely attached to clothing and delivers lossless sound quality rarely achieved by other microphones. Even long distances are not an issue for this microphone, as it can cover a 300m line of sight without interference.
The sound quality remains unaltered even at high volumes, up to a maximum sound pressure level (115 dB). This makes the microphone ideal for recording in noisy environments. Another highlight is the intelligent noise cancellation, which can be activated with just one click on the microphone. An LED indicates the intensity with blue (substantial noise cancellation) and green (light noise cancellation). Each microphone has a battery life of up to 10 hours (with noise canceling off). Combined with the charging case, it can operate for up to 30 hours.
The LARK M2 offers a genuinely wireless recording experience enabled by a direct connection to the receiver. The USB-C version (which I use) is compatible with Android, Apple, action cameras, and PCs and even allows simultaneous recording and charging.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Small and discrete | No onboard recording feature |
| Works string out of the box | Cloud do with spare magnets |
| Magnetic attachment | No adapters included |
| Long-distance support | |
| Suits for Android/iOS or camera |
Was ist im Paket enthalten?
When the package arrived and I unpacked it, I was pleasantly surprised by how much equipment was included. What I also noticed was that very little plastic was used. I hope it stays that way.
There is a sheet of stickers that can easily be attached to the microphones. Under the sheet is the open charging case on the left side. In this case, the microphones and the receiver can be plugged in and charged. Beneath the microphones, there are all sorts of accessories.
The accessories include two lanyards with magnets for attachment, two clip-ons, and windshields for the microphones for stormy recordings. To prevent everything from flying around, there is also a pouch in which everything fits very comfortably.
Next is the charging station.
This has a place for the microphones and the receiver. It looks very discreet and handy and can also charge the microphones inside.
Installation
The installation was simple. Just plug in the receiver. Select the microphone in the sound settings. Then, simply take the microphones out of the case and start speaking. That's it... Easy, right?
No need to install any drivers or make significant settings. Just plug and play as it should be. Here is a small video I made when a microphone is taken directly out of the charging station to give a sense of how quickly the devices are ready to use.
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Meine Erfahrungen
I have been using the microphones daily for almost a month now, alternating between them. I always attach it to my T-shirt or shirt, so it's relatively close and not too far from my mouth.
I will now discuss four points that I find important for daily use:
- Noise Canceling
- Range
- Battery Life
- Sound Quality
Noise Canceling
The noise-canceling on these microphones is very good. Even if my son stands beside me and asks something, he won't be heard. Since I work in an open-plan office, I often have phone conferences beside and behind me. Previously, with other headphone solutions, other participants could always hear the conversations at other conferences. But since I have been using the Lavalier microphone, that's all over. A great gain! I particularly like that when I am in a meeting with someone, they can participate with me on the same device. This removes the echo from them (since they are sitting next to me) by letting them speak through my device as well. Even in this case, the noise canceling is very intelligent and adjusts so that the other microphone does not pick up the voice. The system is very well thought out.
Range
I don't have exact meter measurements, but when I go to my home office, I can go through 1 1/2 floors. This is very impressive for such a small device. I can go to the lower floor, get something to drink, and return to the computer. This makes a lot of sense in a meeting marathon 😄. Outdoors, the specified range of 300 meters line of sight is a guideline; sometimes, I could go further (about 10-15 meters). But then it was the end. But honestly, who wants to make recordings that far away? There are other solutions for that.
Battery Life
I wouldn't estimate the battery life to be quite 30 hours. During the test, I had a microphone in operation for 12 hours. Then I turned it off and used it again for 10 hours the next day. After 22 hours, the battery status could not control the noise-cancelling anymore. This wouldn't bother me, but if influencers host their 24-hour streams, it could get pretty tight.
Qualität
With most microphones, my voice always had a bit of a tinny sound or was very quiet. Or it seemed like I was speaking from the next room. This is not the case with the Lavalier microphone. Here, I have a very rich and clear sound. There are no background noises or anything like that. To give you an idea, I made a recording with a standard microphone from my webcam and one with the Hollyland device. First, the standard microphone:
Recording with external microphone
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t is very tinny, with a lot of background noise, etc. Now, the recording with the Hollyland device:
Hollyland Microfone
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A significant difference, I think. But judge for yourself 😄.
Alternativen
Okay, Hollyland is one of the big players in the market segment. However, there are alternatives. But you have to expect some compromises in quality, battery life, or distance.
Alternatives include the still-unknown Boya BOYALINK. But keep in mind that a high price is not always good. I also considered other microphones that were much cheaper. But the cheaper they are, the lower the quality of the built-in microphone, and often noise canceling is also missing.
Conclusion
In summary, I can say that the device is very well-suited for everyday use. Since I have gained some experience with it over several days, I have a good feeling about recommending the product. The easy setup also ensures high acceptance. Furthermore, it impresses directly with its quality, and you don't have to worry about background noises or meetings in the background anymore. Since there are two microphones included, it is also possible to have two speakers participate on one device during meetings and webinars. I will test this in my webinars in the future. I was already pleasantly surprised by how well the voices were filtered out during various meetings, so there were no feedback or echo effects. All in all, the device is highly recommended, and I believe the price is justified.
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