Hollyland Lark C1 lavalier microphone test - Review Hollyland Lark M1 Duo and Solo
Hollyland Lark C1 Duo - Delivery contents
When we unpacked the Lark C1. We were pleasantly surprised. For the price of around €130, you don’t just get a transmitter and receiver, as is the case with Wireless ME. You also get a case that can hold all the devices. The Hollyland Lark C1 Duo* is equipped with a Lightning connector for the iPhone to transmit the audio signal wirelessly. There is also the Hollyland Lark M1 Duo*, which can also be connected to other smartphone models and the camera via USB-C and a jack output. The case is super practical because it not only protects the devices, but also allows them to be charged. This ensures that your wireless microphone is charged when you need it and only one case is connected to a power source instead of 3 individual devices.
Plug&Play - connection in just a few seconds
We were surprised ourselves at how quickly the connection was established. We plugged the receiver into the iPhone and the transmitters connected automatically. So not only is it MFI-certified plug & play and ready to use in seconds, it can also deliver. By the way, MFI is the certification for official Apple compatibility.
You only have to be careful with the LEDs. A green light means that the noise suppression is on, a blue light means that it is off. Without a lit LED there is no connection.
The device quality, sound quality and range
Unfortunately, the Hollyland Lark C1 lavalier microphone does not live up to its promise in these respects. You can’t expect hi-fi sound recording from this model. The sound differences are particularly noticeable in our wireless microphone comparison.
However, the Lark wins in terms of range, with a range of up to 200 m (stated by the manufacturer), it is equipped with the “latest wireless transmission technology from Hollyland“.
No option to use an external lavalier microphone
This is where the Fulaim X5* scores. For almost the same price, you also have the option of connecting an external lavalier microphone with a 3.5mm jack. This option is not available with the Hollyland C1. So you have to rely on the C1’s microphones. And these do not sound optimal, as already described above. So if you want to buy a hobby device, this is a good choice, but if you want to invest in better sound, you will be more satisfied with a more flexible model such as the X5 from Fulaim in the long term.
Not a feature, but a risk: noise suppression / noise reduction
Even though active noise cancellation is sold as a feature to “suppress unwanted ambient noise”, it has to be said that this is not a feature for us. The microphones light up blue when they are connected and green when the noise suppression is active. If you assume plug and play, then you first guess that green means a successful connection and blue means something else, so you record with noise cancellation and then realize: Somehow it sounds really bad.
The function swallows up a lot of speech and attacks the actual microphone signal. We strongly advise against using this function; you can do much better after recording with tools for removing background microphone noise! If you are looking for a good live suppression, take a look at the Hollyland Lark Max*, the noise canceling sounds much better here!
Conclusion: Wireless microphone for little money, but with disadvantages
You have to admit it: The Hollyland Lark C1* enables instant use thanks to its advanced technology and is suitable for a wide range of applications. The Lightning connector on the receiver makes it possible to charge your smartphone during operation. There is also the Larksound app with which you have further functional options.
Take a look at our complete wireless microphone comparison to find a solution that suits you better! We also have more articles on podcast microphones, podcast headphones and starting your own podcast in 10 steps!
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