Wireless Audio for Content Creation

Audio is in many ways the single most important thing to get right when creating content on the internet. Many visual issues can be forgiven, but if your audio is bad, then people will be quick to switch away for something that looks and sounds significantly better. In the current era of online creativity, there are a number of potential ways to get clean audio for your videos or livestreams without hampering your ability to create the type of content.

Audio for Video

The continual advancement of the smartphone means that everyone has a powerful camera in their pocket these days, making the barrier to entry for creating good content extremely low. However, these smart devices still lack a good microphone that can record dynamic sound, often leading to compressed audio. Wired solutions exist, but are restrictive due to the fact that you’re usually tethered to the phone within a few inches.

DSLR and mirrorless cameras becoming more affordable (especially with the existence of a robust used market) has made them a popular choice for some content creators as well, due to their ability to switch out lenses and set specific shooting parameters for specific looks. However, the built-in microphones on these cameras pose similar challenges to the smartphone, being compressed, very easy to overwhelm, and lacking high fidelity.

Another challenge for content creators is they don’t want a distractingly large microphone in-shot to capture their dialogue, and boom microphones are too cumbersome to be a solution, especially for on-the-go creators like vloggers or interviewers.

A number of mobile peripherals exist to solve these problems. Many USB audio devices are designed to work with mobile devices with the right adapter, and the rise of mobile wireless microphones in particular have made clear audio for video accessible.

Let’s look at how each of these options work in context, and some options for content creators looking for the right solution.

USB Audio on Mobile

Most modern smartphones and tablets are capable of running USB devices that are certified for the platform. These devices almost always require an adapter of some kind (especially for iOS devices), but will still function with the mobile devices they’re being paired with.

Adapting these USB devices can bring higher quality audio to your video than smaller mobile alternatives, and it also means they are cross-platform. You can plug them into your phone, use them for a shoot, and then plug them into a computer for audio retakes later, letting you do more with a single device.

The XPD2 series of wireless USB systems are an excellent choice for this, as they mitigate the cons while accentuating the pros. Coming in handheld and beltpack configurations, the transmitters pair with a small USB receiver that can easily be adapted to work with iOS or Android devices while being lightweight and compact, avoiding being too clunky. And the transmitters allow you to choose what makes the most sense for being on video, be that a lavalier clipped to a collar or a presenter-style headset that looks sleek and professional on-camera. The 100' wireless operating range still offers freedom of movement within your recording space, keeping you untethered from your phone and open to move where you need to in-frame. And, best of all, you can use these systems with your computer as well, making them viable for livestreams or overdubs after the fact.

Made-for-Mobile Wireless

The lower barrier to entry for video has likewise seen the rise of mobile wireless audio systems built explicitly for the on-the-go content creator. These systems are lightweight, and built to operate as fluidly as possible with mobile rigs. They are built with the notion that they are going to see constant use, and to be as easy to use as possible so as not to slow down filming.

Take Samson’s Go Mic Mobile 2 system: a dual-channel digital wireless system designed for use with both mobile smart devices and DSLR-style cameras. The receiver features adapters for USB-C and Lightning connectors, and a 3.5mm analog output for plugging into larger cameras or field recorders. the system mounts easily onto an iPhone or Android device, and comes with a shoe mount for use with DSLR rigs.

A pair of two micro-transmitters means you can have two people miked in the same video, be they in front of or behind the camera. The compact, clip-on form factor keeps these microphones discreet, avoiding the distraction that larger microphones might bring with them.And a set of MEMS mic elements manages to deliver high-quality sound in a small package.

Perhaps most importantly, Go Mic Mobile 2 is battery-powered. The system doesn’t tax your phone’s battery any further while connected, and it can operate standalone with dedicated camera rigs. A 5 hour battery life will last through small shoots, and a charging case that extends that time to 25 hours total will help keep things rolling between filming sessions without having to stop and find an outlet.

Lastly, the Go Mic Mobile 2 sports features that are built to assist in post-production. Individual gain settings for each channel on the receiver allows you to keep your audio level and prevent clipping, reducing the amount of post-processing you’ll need to do in editing. A mixed-mono recording mode mixed both channels down into a single signal for fast shooting, but for those that are looking to give their audio as much shine in post as possible, the stereo mode splits the two wireless channels into left and right stereo, so you can split them from each other and process them separately.

In all, a dedicated mobile wireless system like the Go Mic Mobile 2 provides an easy-to-use system that also lets you dial in your sound more precisely.