There's a very good reason why you should consider buying a microphone. Lav mics offer a versatile solution. A combination of good sound reproduction, quality build, and value for money is more important than you may realize.
There’s the misconception that these microphones are solely used by influencers. I’ve mentioned before that I suffer from moderate hearing loss, and if I am on a Teams call or try to watch a video and the sound quality is rubbish, I switch off. Audio quality is paramount. There’s nothing worse than trying to listen to someone using a laptop microphone in a meeting. Additionally, the microphones built into cameras are not great either. It's an issue more and more people are finding.
Furthermore, if you want to impress your boss or a client, then getting your sound right puts you one step ahead of your competition.
The growth of social media, especially for marketing by small businesses, has changed the landscape. It’s small clothing retailers, camera shops, hardware stores, and the like that are advertising their businesses on Instagram, Facebook, and other social media platforms. They are often producing short-form videos to do that.
It’s not just those reels that have changed. Podcasts and vlogs are a big thing now, and the one thing that is overlooked by many is the importance of sound quality, which is something I am always trying to remind my clients.
The days of the photography and videography accessory markets being dominated by one or two expensive brands are long gone. If you want to record audio, those big names are up against some stiff competition, and there are some fabulous alternatives on the market. Not unsurprisingly, there has been an influx of microphones on the market of various types, and they seem to be getting better all the time. However, there is some dross too. Occasionally, a client has shown me something they have bought, and it has been a disappointment. In those cases, I don’t even bother writing a review of those. However, some have been good, and the Boya Moyamic 2 seems to be one of them.
This Boya microphone was sent to me by the manufacturer to test. Here’s what I found.
Description
The microphone arrived in a smart, magnetically sealed cardboard box wrapped in very thin cellophane. Inside was the microphone, charging, and storage case. Inside that were the microphone transmitters (Tx) and the receiver (Rx) unit.
In a box at the bottom of the packaging were more pieces of ancillary gear, including two dead cat windshields for the main wireless mic units. The kit also included two wired mics with lapel clips that can be plugged into the wireless mics. Each of those had a detachable foam windshield. There was also a short 3.5 mm cable for connecting the Rx unit to a camera and a storage bag.
The microphones were stored and could be charged in a solid case that had an internal battery.
The instruction leaflet is very rudimentary but easy enough to follow. I like equipment that I can see how it works without having to read the instructions, and I was able to do this.
Everything seemed well made.
In Use
The Tx units have an integrated microphone. They are relatively heavy compared with other wireless lavalier mics I have used. So, when attaching it to a shirt pocket, the pocket sagged, but it was fine with a thicker jacket or clipped to a shirt opening.
Pleasingly, the indicator lights on the Tx mic units were not on the front but on either side; front-facing lights can be distracting to the viewer. However, the name of the manufacturer is in bold, white lettering. Again, this is a distraction. When producing videos, I would cover this over with insulating tape or, more likely, use the wired mics plugged into the Tx units.
The mics attach with a sprung lapel clip, the back of which is magnetized, so you can use the supplied magnets to hold them in place.
I initially attached the Rx unit to the 3.5 mm microphone input on my computer in my office and ran some test recordings. Setting the gain to 0 dB, I found it was too high and the sound clipped. Therefore, I reduced this to -6 dB. However, on the Rx unit, the level indicator did not seem to change as I reduced the mic gain, so one cannot rely on that for the recording level. Instead, you need to monitor the levels with headphones plugged into the Rx unit. This is normal for most microphones.
The microphones have a superb battery life. When fully charged, they claim 874 minutes, about 14.5 hours, of use.
I live and work in an old Victorian stone house. Starting upstairs at my office desk, I walked downstairs, and it wasn’t until I was nearly at the other side of the house that the signal connection dropped. I couldn’t quite get it to work as far away as some I have tested, but outdoors, it was still connected well over 100 yards away, more than most people would need.
As with other lav mics, keeping the microphones at a constant distance from my mouth was crucial, as the volume of the recorded sound would change if I looked down at the mics. Then the speech became too loud and clipped.
The sound quality was as good as any lav mic I have tried, both using the Tx mic units as microphones and plugging the supplied wired mics into them.
I found the AI noise cancellation did a pretty good job of reducing the volume of the background noise when I was speaking. You can hear the sound tests of the mics on the attached video.
What I Liked and What Could Be Improved Next Time
What I Liked
-
Very well made.
-
Sound quality was excellent.
-
Good range.
-
Easy to use.
-
Clear and bright LCD display on the Rx unit.
-
Noise cancellation works well.
-
Internal recording is a useful feature.
-
Useful to have the two additional wired lav mics that plug into the receiver.
-
Works with different devices including phones, computers, and digital sound recorders.
-
Affordable.
-
The sound level gauge is a good indication that the mics are working.
What Could Be Improved Next Time
-
The instruction leaflet could be improved.
-
The sound level gauge could better represent the sound levels.
-
Although I understand manufacturers wanting to advertise their wares, I am not a fan of the bold lettering on the microphones.
In Conclusion
The microphone market is flooded with many affordable options, and the choice can be bewildering. This is a really good bit of gear and worthy of your consideration if you have cause to use one. I’ve been using it alongside other lav mics, and it more than holds its own.
