The Lark M2 is the latest wireless lavalier microphone from Hollyland, a company who has made some of the premier A/V options for creators for years. It’s the company’s new flagship, following up on the Lark Max, and has shrunk in size, making it one of the most low profile wireless lav mics on the market. Startin at $139 for the mobile version and $159 for the camera version, it’s significantly less than its biggest competitor, decreases in size, increases in range, and offers a handy charging case so you’re always ready to create.
Specifications
- Current Price:
- Key Features
- Small and lightweight design, similar in size to a button
- Studio grade sound: 48kHz/24-bit
- Smart Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC)
- Up to 40 hours of battery life (two recharges from charging case)
- Onboard volume knob and meter
- UAC direct connection to PC
- Smooth switching between mono and stereo
- Transmitter can trigger recording on smart devices
- Interface:
- TX: 3.5mm audio input interface, USB-C
- RX: 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C, 3.5mm audio output interface
- Charging case: USB-C
- Wireless Technology : 2.4GHz AFH
- LOS Range: 1,000ft (300m)
- Mic Polar Pattern: Omnidirectional
- Frequency Range: 20Hz–20kHz
- Sampling Rate/Bit Depth: 48 kHz/24-bit
- Maximum SPL: 115dB SPL
- Default Dynamic Range:
- 80dB (Mobile Version)
- 94dB (Camera Version)
- Battery Capacity:
- TX: 97 mAh
- Camera Version RX: 145 mAh
- Mobile Version Charging Case: 750 mAh
- Camera Version Charging Case: 1950 mAh
- Noise Cancellation: Y
- Backup Recording: N
- USB Digital Audio Output: Y
- Mono Mode: Y
- Stereo Mode: Y
- Security Track : N
- EQ Settings: N
- Mic Gain Settings: N
- MFi-Certification: Y
- App Support: Y
- Display Screen: N
- Indicator/Screen
- Brightness Adjustment: N
- Real-Time Monitoring: N
- Magnetic Attachment: Y
- Wired Lavalier Mic Connection: N
- Operating Time (Approx.):
- TX: About 10 hours
- Camera Version RX: About 9 hours
- Mobile Version Charging Case: > 2 times charging for 2 TX at the same time
- Camera Version Charging Case: > 3 times charging for all TX and RX at the same time
- Charging Time (Approx.):
- TX: About 1.5 hours
- Camera Version RX: About 1.5 hours
- Mobile Version Charging Case: < 1.5 hours
- Camera Version Charging Case: < 2 hours
- Dimensions (Approx.):
- TX: Approx. D26mm x 9.9mm (1.0” x 0.4”)
- Mobile Version RX: Approx. 40mm x 16.5mm x 9mm (1.6” x 0.6” x 0.4”)
- Camera Version RX: Approx. 40mm x 25.7mm x 20.5mm (1.6” x 1.0” x 0.8”)
- Mobile Version Charging Case: Approx. 75.8mm x 49.8mm x 35mm (3.0” x 2.0” x 1.4”)
- Camera Version Charging Case: Approx. 86mm x 54mm x 39mm (3.4” x 2.1” x 1.5”)
- Weight (Approx.):
- TX: Approx. 9g (0.3oz)
- Mobile Version RX: Approx. 6g (0.2oz)
- Camera Version RX: Approx. 14.8g (0.5oz)
- Mobile Version Charging Case: Approx. 65.6g (2.3oz)
- Camera Version Charging Case: Approx. 111g (3.9oz)
Hollyland Lark M2 - Design and Key Features
The Hollyland Lark M2 is a wireless lavalier microphone designed for creators that need to move. A lavalier mic is sometimes referred to as a lapel mic because it’s intended to attach to your lapel rather than sit on a desk. Unlike a traditional microphone, you’re not tethered to one spot to continue sounding good. A lavalier microphone gives you the freedom to move naturally and stop worrying about audio levels.
What’s interesting is that, despite their small size, lav mics can actually provide excellent sound. Even affordable options, like the $15 Boya M1 can deliver impressive results when positioned correctly. The problem with wired lavs is that they come with incredibly long cables, allowing you to walk around, but also needing to manage feet of extra wire, usually stuffed into a pocket. Wireless lav mics solve that but historically have been bigger and leave you with a noticeable box on your shirt.
The Lark M2 overcomes that challenge in a major way. Coming with two transmitters that are only about the size of a quarter, they’re some of the most unobtrusive lavalier mics I’ve come across. You’ll notice them when worn but they definitely don’t stand out as much as other wireless lavalier mics, but their quality is no less due to their small size.
The M2 comes in three different packages: a camera kit, a mobile kit (USB Type-C for Android, Lightning for iOS), and a combo kit that includes both. Each kit comes with a charging case, two transmitters, and a receiver. The only difference between the mobile and camera kits is the receiver. With the mobile kits, the receiver is a T-shaped adapter made to fit into the bottom of a phone and doesn’t have any additional controls. The camera kit is a bit larger, comes in a rectangular shape, and has a volume knob and two buttons on the left for activating environmental noise cancellation and swapping between mono and stereo modes. There’s also a volume meter on the front that indicates low, medium, or high gain.
The microphone is incredibly easy to get up and running with. Connecting is literally as simple as plugging the receiver in and turning the transmitters on. It’s entirely plug and play, at least with my Android and the two PCs I tested it with. The USB-C and Camera receivers can both connect to PC, but if that’s what you plan to do, I recommend the Camera version for the added volume controls.
Hollyland has also made it incredibly easy to wear the position the mics. Each transmitter comes with a strong magnet on the back and a magnetic button that fits on the back. To clip it to a shirt, you just put the transmitter on one side and the cap on the other and it holds it tight, even while running. The package also comes with two magnetic clips and necklaces, so you have some alternatives if you’d rather clip the mic to a hat or wear it around your neck. There are also two deadcat covers to block out wind noise.
I’m probably a bit out of the loop with wireless lavs and charging: my last kit required you to charge each transmitter and the receiver separately, but not the Lark M2. It comes with a charging case that works just like a pair of true wireless earbuds. The case works like a battery bank and holds the transmitters and receiver in place with powerful magnets. Anytime it’s not in use, it’s charging, which means anytime you take them out, they’ll have a full charge.
Technically, the case is good for two full recharges, but unless you’re planning on recording for entire workdays (which you very well may be), it’s probably best to think about it in terms of recording hours. Each transmitter is rated for 10 hours of recording time without environmental noise canceling. The case is rated to replenish about 20 hours of battery life. If you’re only recording for a few hours every day, then you’ll be able to go a good long time before needing to plug in again. There’s an LED readout on the front of the case to let you know your current charge level, just to be safe.
The next key feature of this set is its Environmental Noise Canceling. ENC is always active to minimize background noise, but by pressing the button on the side of the transmitter, you can enable high ENC mode which cuts out a lot more. It’s an effective way to block out your surroundings and reduce outside noise to be sure that you’re heard. High ENC mode does apply some audible digital compression to your voice though, so should only be used when absolutely necessary.
The final highlight is the kit’s incredible range. Hollyland promises three hundred meters/1000 feet of range. Further, the antenna inside is powerful enough to send audio signals through the body, so you don’t always need to face the camera, which is a nice feature that some of the competition can’t claim. It’s important to note, though, that this isn’t the case if you have walls in between you.
Hollyland Lark M2 - Performance
Which brings us to how it actually sounds and where it might be most useful. The Hollyland Lark M2 offers “studio-grade” recording capabilities. It offers capture but to 24-bit, 48kHz, though this is only one element of what most would consider professional recording quality. Rest assured, the Lark M2 sounds great and is a perfectly sufficient tool to create everything from semi-professional videos to creating content in your bedroom.
One of the things I immediately noticed testing this kit is that it’s important to use the transmitters with their intended platform. I was sent the combo kit and tested both the USB Type-C version and the Camera transmitter on both PC and smartphone. While the Camera transmitter is a jack of all trades and works find on anything, the USB-C dongle didn’t quite get loud enough on PC. On my Samsung Galaxy, however, the volume levels were perfectly sufficient and not the least bit quiet.
The vocal capture is smooth and true to life. It doesn’t overplay the bass like many desktop microphones and instead emphasizes capturing the true essence of your voice. On the default mode, with low ENC, it does pick up a lot of background noise, even while quieting it compared to real life. If you’re recording in your room and have a noisy AC unit, some of that noise will definitely make its way into your recordings. If all you’re contending with are PC fans and ambient room noise, it will block a lot of that out while keeping your voice pristine.
If you’re recording outdoors, this allows you to capture some of the ambiance of your environment. Birdsongs, rustling leaves, and footsteps will all add to the atmosphere of your video. Turning ENC on High, as I mentioned before, adds a bit of digital artifacting, especially if you turn it on mid-recording. It’s worst right after enabling it. Definitely turn it on and talk a bit before getting into your actual take if you can help it. Once it tapers off, it’s not bad, but reminded me a bit the compression you’ll hear on a gaming headset, though not nearly as bad as most.
The range on the unit is great. Outdoors with unbroken line of sight, it seems like you can walk forever. Once you start introducing things between you and the transmitter, that range diminishes significantly. Trees are less of a problem than larger obstructions, but if you’re planning a scene where you run around a house, or something along those lines, you might find that it cuts out when you go around the back.
In my house, I was able to move several rooms away before the signal started to degrade. These are traditional, drywall walls with normal furniture and electrical and plumbing. If you’re in building that uses denser materials or has more plumbing in the walls, the range gets cut dramatically. I tested the range at work, which uses a lot cement in the walls and lots of plumbing nearby to where I was testing. Once I passed to the other side of the restrooms with three walls and all of those pipes, the signal cut out at only about 50 feet.
Don’t let that put you off. I was really impressed by how convenient and high-quality the Lark M2 was. It’s so easy to setup and use that it essentially removes audio as a barrier to entry. The units are always charged as long as you don’t let the case deplete and from there you plug it in and go. If you don’t turn them off before putting them in the case, they automatically turn back on again when you remove them and will reconnect automatically.
I also really liked that the two transmitters can be made to record in mono or stereo mode on the Camera transmitter. By tapping the buttons on the side of the receiver, you can set it to record in either mode. Stereo is preferred and gives you more control over the track coming from each transmitter.
The only thing I really wish the M2 still had from previous generations is the ability to record right on the device. Though you’ll be recording on your source device anyways, this gave the option for a second safety track that’s always good to have.
Final Thoughts
The Hollyland Lark M2 is an excellent wireless lavalier microphone whose greatest strengths are its size and convenience. I really can’t overstate how nice it is to simply plug it in and go, knowing you have a full, long battery. It removes so much of the consideration I used to make when recording audio and gives you extra freedom of movement that can open new doors in your content.
And don’t think you have to be a vlogger to make the most of it either. If you’re streaming, it’s still a great choice. Being able to sit back and move around naturally, or get up and move around your room, is freeing. The same is true if you’re taking virtual meetings or schooling from home. If you’re appearing on camera and want to move naturally, however that may be for you, this can be a great fit.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
