Hollyland’s new Lark M2 wireless microphone system is a lightweight mic system designed for vloggers, podcasters, and filmmakers.
The mic is about the size of a typical shirt button and weighs only nine grams. It stays attached to the user with a magnet or a clip-on attachment and it connects wirelessly to a recorder that comes in numerous connector styles. The Lark M2 comes in Lightning and USB-C variants and can connect to DSLR and mirrorless cameras using a 3.5mm TRS to TRS cable.
Hollyland promises a straightforward, intuitive setup process thanks to factory pairing, simple controls, and an accompanying LarkSound app that allows users to update firmware, adjust volume and noise cancellation settings, and check real-time audio recording status.
Thanks to what Hollyland calls “Dual Anti-Interference,” the Lark M2 promises stable audio transmission from up to 300 meters (1,000 feet) away with line-of-sight and 40 to 60 meters (131 to 197 feet) without line-of-sight, depending on whether the user is working on a dedicated camera system or a smartphone, with the “mobile” version offering better range than the “camera” version.
The mobile and camera versions of the Lark M2 also vary in terms of battery life and charging case designs, with full details laid out in the specifications table on the Hollyland Lark M2 product page. The TX works for up to 10 hours on a single charge, and depending on the version, the portable case offers up to 40 hours of total battery life. In either case, the audio specs are identical. The Lark M2’s frequency response ranges from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and it delivers 24-bit depth and a 48 kHz sample rate. Hollyland says the signal-to-noise ratio is greater than 70dB, and the sound press level is 115 dB.
The Lark M2’s TX mic/transmitter will be frequently seen in video shots and has a big company logo. Hollyland ships the M2 alongside some stickers that users can put on the mic to hide the logo. The stickers offer a variety of emoji-inspired and colorful faces, although theoretically, someone could easily make their own skins, too.
The somewhat obtrusive logo aside, the TX sports an impressive design. Beyond the magnetic attachment and clip-on option, users can also wear the mic around their neck on an optional necklace.
The camera version receiver, or RX, supports two recording modes, mono and stereo, which can be swapped easily using the RX’s buttons. The camera version RX also includes a volume knob and three onboard LEDs showing a quick look at audio levels.
The Hollyland Lark M2 wireless mic system comes in numerous kits, starting at $139 for the USB Type-C version, which will work on USB-C-equipped smartphones, including the iPhone 15 family. For older iPhone models, the Lightning version for $149 fits the bill. The Camera version, complete with the different, larger RX and higher-capacity charging case, is $159. Users can also purchase a “combo” version with mobile and camera receivers for $179.
Image credits: Hollyland