What is the best lavalier/lapel microphone for Youtube videos under $30?
You can have thousands of dollars of video gear and lights for flawless visual video, but your video is a waste without good audio. “Audio is king.” You’ve probably heard the saying a few times in your life, and it’s true.
While video quality, lights, and editing are crucial, poor audio truly is the fastest way to turn viewers off of your video.
Getting good sound for your videos substantially increases the production value. However, there is good news! In comparison to video equipment, boosting the audio to your video is not that expensive at all. That’s where lavalier microphones come in.
A lavalier microphone (aka lapel or lav) is essentially a miniature mic with an attachable clip that’s usually clipped on to a person’s clothing. In most cases, people often hide the clip-on mic for an added layer of professionalism. Without further ado, we formulated a list of the 7 best cheap lapel/lavalier microphones for Youtube videos under $30.
In Short, Here Are The 7 Best Affordable Lapel Microphones For Youtube Under $30
- Purple Panda Lavalier Lapel
- Paladou
- PoP voice Upgraded
- PoP voice Professional
- BestFYou
- PowerDeWise
- BOYA BY-M1
1. Purple Panda Lavalier Lapel
If you’re looking for a multi-purpose lavalier microphone for Youtube, the Purple Panda may be the one for you. It’s compatible with iPhone, iPad, Android/Galaxy phones, GoPro hero 2, hero 3, hero 3 plus, hero 4, (hero 5, hero 6, hero 7) (GoPro mic adapter required)], DSLR cameras, ps4 controllers, and Tascam recorders.
However, it is not compatible with Nexus phones. Those who want to vlog with a GoPro will tremendously benefit from this lapel mic. In my eyes, one of the most beneficial parts of purchasing this lavalier microphone is the free Ebook. The book is all about filmmaking for beginners. Not to forget, the instructions are straightforward for anyone confused about which adapter to use for a specific device.
The build quality is pretty good. I would say it’s durable enough for consistent travel and will last. While the lavalier cord is 4.9 feet, the extension cord itself offers an additional 9.8 feet of cable length. This gives you a total of 14.7 feet of cor length. Regardless of your device, it’s an easy-to-use plug-in and play lavalier mic.
You will not need any additional drivers, Apps, or batteries to use it. Designed to record in stereo, this mic produces clear and crisp audio. It’s pickups the entire vocal frequency spectrum very well and is phenomenal at rejecting background noise of any sort. However, I like to decrease the lows in post slightly. Overall, the Purple Panda is a fantastic multi-purpose lav mic for Youtube at an affordable price. We highly recommend it.
Details & Tech Specs
- Stereo recording
- TRS adapter
- 9.8 feet of cable length
- Great customer service
- Mini USB adapter
- 60-day money-back guarantee
- Comes with a free Ebooks for film making
- Compatible with the following: iPhone, iPad, Android/Galaxy phones, GoPro hero 2, hero 3, hero 3 plus, hero 4, (hero 5, hero 6, hero 7) (GoPro mic adapter required)], DSLR cameras, ps4 controllers, and Tascam recorders
- Not Compatible with Nexus phones
2. Paladou
Next up, the affordable Paladou lapel microphone is another reliable choice for Youtubers. It comes with a lavalier mic, metal clip, extension cord, two windscreens, 3.5mm adapter, and travel case. This microphone has noise-reducing capabilities as well for making a cleaner audio sound.
A straightforward setup, it does not require any special drivers or apps to get started. Something I really like is the convenient and compact travel case coming with the purchase. It’s not too big or too small.
In terms of sound quality, it’s clear and a stable connection. The best part about microphones like the Paladou is the low self-noise adds the headroom to manipulate the EQ in post-editing later. Even if you’re not too fond of the audio quality at first, it can easily be adjusted later on.
For those who prefer more low-end in their voice, the Paladou will be a good fit. A downside I noticed at times was a few issues with playback. At first, I thought it was a faulty mic. After further review, we realized we weren’t the only people with a few playback issues. It still, however, uploads pretty well without any troubles. Overall, the Paladou is a good low-budget lapel microphone for Youtube.
Details & Tech Specs
- Shielded wire for quality noise-reduction
- 3.5mm jack
3. PoP voice Upgraded
Not only one of the cheapest on the market, but it’s also one of the highest-rated lavalier microphones as well. The PoP voice Upgraded is the best choice to enhance your Youtube videoes audio at an extremely tight budget. It has a 3.5mm jack connector at the end of the cord.
Speaking of the cable, it provides a fair amount of space at 6.5 feet of length. With the purchase, you receive three colored windscreens for those with a preference. The extra windscreens will undoubtedly come in handy in the future as well. Some more good news to keep in mind about purchasing this mic is Pop Voice offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
With its condenser microphone, the PoP voice Upgraded provides good sound quality you wouldn’t expect from its low price. In my experience, however, it’s best to attach the mic near your nipple line and adjust the gain a bit higher before it clips. I recommend this mic for at-home videos with a nice audio boost. However, with a $10 mic, don’t expect professional quality.
The build quality is surprisingly good for a mic below $10 as well. I was expecting much less for a mic this cheap. With the PoP voice Upgraded, you don’t need any drivers or extra Apps to begin. It’s a simple plugin and play setup. Overall, the PoP voice Upgraded is a fantastic lapel microphone for Youtube under $30.
Details & Tech Specs
- Compatible with iPhone 7 and above, iPod Touch, Retina Macbook Pro Air, Sony, iPad LG, Blackberry & Windows Smartphones, and other Android devices.
- Not Compatible with the following: Motorola Droid Turbo, Nexus 5, Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy J7
- Cord length- 6.5 feet
- Made of polished steel parts
- No Apps or drivers needed
- 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED from Pop Voice
4. PoP voice Professional
Next up, the PoP voice Professional lavalier lapel microphone with a 3.5mm jack is another affordable choice. One of the thing s that makes this microphone stand out from the crowd is its astounding cord length of 26 feet. This amount of range can be extremely beneficial for many scenarios.
Better yet, this mic is incredibly affordable as well. The metal battery compartment located has two different switches; a Camera or a smartphone. It holds a single LR44 battery. However, the battery is only needed for DSLR or camera use. A battery is not needed for smartphones.
Coming with the purchase is also a 6.5mm adapter, which can be very useful if you want to connect to an amp or mixer. In comparison to its previous PoP voice Upgraded version, this mic produces better sound quality. For only 5 dollars more, the PoP voice Professional provides better audio and much longer cable length.
If you were initially considering the previous PoP voice Upgraded, I recommend spending an extra $5 for better audio quality and range.
It produces a solid frequency response of 50Hz-15kHz with its omnidirectional polar pattern mic. The condenser microphone is highly sensitive but does a decent job of blocking out ambient noise. Overall, the PoP voice Professional lavalier mic is an affordable and reliable choice for those who need 26 feet of cord length. We highly recommend it for Youtubers on a tight budget.
Details & Tech Specs
- Cord- 26 feet
- Frequency response: 50Hz-15kHz
- Camera or phone switch
- Comes with a 6.5mm adapter
5. ttstar
Another very highly-rated lavalier microphone, the ttstar is a solid choice. It has a lightning connector compatible with iPhone 11, 11 max, X, XR, XS, XS Max, 8, 8 plus, 7, iPod, and iPad. The overall build quality outperforms its meager price as it’s better than expected. I don’t see it breaking anytime soon.
The cable is 6.6 feet long. While it’s not as long as I would like it to be, many people shooting videos with their phones tend to be just fine with nearly 5 feet of length. On the bright side, you will surely be pleased by the excellent sound quality at a low price.
One of the ways it’s able to capture clear audio is due to its vast 20HZ-16,000HZ frequency response. Also, the electret condenser and high-quality chip play a part in capturing quality audio, as well. The mic is an omnidirectional polar pattern that picks up audio all around the mic.
However, one of the more surprising things is its ability to block out unwanted background noise. In comparison to the affordable lapel microphones in this price range, the ttstar gets a 9.3 out of 10 for noise-cancellation. It’s also easy to clip on and stay on without moving.
Be sure to check your levels to make sure it’s not clipping before you begin. Overall, the ttstar lavalier lapel microphone is an excellent choice for anyone looking to spend no more than $25.
Users Say: “I use this every time to record an important video. Just plug & play. If you’re editing the video the sound will not split in 2, it will be together with the iPhone’s video footage. You can also use it with an iPhone apple battery case. When you’re done just insert it in the leather case it came with & you’re good to go. Very convenient product.”
Tech Specs & Details
- Cable length: 6.6 feet
- Electret condenser
- Clip-on included
- Omni-directional polar pattern
- 2 wind muffs
- Frequency response: 20HZ-16,000HZ
- Lightning Connector
6. PowerDeWise
Next up, the extremely popular PowerDeWise lavalier lapel microphone with a 3.5mm jack is a great buy. Not to forget, it’s very affordable placed below $25. Between the lavalier microphone, rotating clip, two windscreens, extension cable of 79″, 4 to 3-pin adapter, and carry case; All of the units are separated out.
While Some people prefer 1 cord all tied together, others prefer a set that is separated. They both have their benefits and downsides, but it primarily comes down to personal preference. For those who are consistently switching distance, a lavalier microphone with a separate extension cord may be a more convenient choice for you.
In terms of sound quality, it is very good. Just make sure your gain isn’t clipping! In my experience, this mic is best placed around the nipple line for optimal quality. Most of us making videos or shooting interviews prefer not to mess around with setting audio gear up.
What I really like about the PowerDeWise is the easy plug-and-play. The wires and mic have a good build and weight to them, as well. Overall, the PowerDeWise lavalier lapel microphone is a great choice for Youtube videos under $30.
Details & Tech Specs
- Condenser mic
- 1-year warranty
- 1 clip-on lavalier microphones, 1 extension cords, 2 windscreens, and 1 mono adapter for PC
- Highly sensitive mic
7. BOYA BY-M1
If you’re looking for a simple lavalier microphone to plug directly into your smartphone or DSLR camera, the extremely affordable BOYA BY-M1 is an excellent choice for your Youtube videos. This unit plugs directly into your camera or smartphone via a 3.5-millimeter jack.
With a 20-foot long cable, It gives you an adequate amount of room. While this lavalier mic is primarily designed for video, we do not recommend this for live speeches. On the bright side, it produces great sound quality with its condenser microphone.
The center compartment holds the AA battery that powers the microphone. You only need to turn the power switch on if you’re using a DSLR camera. However, you do not need to use the battery if it’s connected to a smartphone nor turn the switch on. To preserve the decent battery life for DSLRs, make sure to shut the battery switch off when you’re not using it. The sound quality is pretty good for the low price.
It most definitely boosts the audio of your video. However, be careful not to touch this mic while recording since it can get a bit noisy.
Coming with the mic is a windscreen, travel case, clip-on, and quarter-in jack. This quarter-inch jack clips directly onto the 3.5 mm aux, allowing you to plug into a PA system if needed. Overall, the BOYA BY-M1 is a fantastic option for anyone looking for a cheap lavalier mic for their smartphone or DSLR. It will inevitably produce higher-quality audio for your Youtube video.
Details & Tech Specs
- Great for Smartphones, DSLR cameras, anything with a 3.5 mm aux
- 20-foot cord
- Condenser microphone
- Omni-directional polar pattern
- 3.5mm auxiliary cord
Our Winner
Keep in mind that our opinion is not the end all be all. Like mentioned earlier, everyone has different needs, requirements, and budgets for their lavalier mic. However, our winner is the ttstar. We believe it’s the overall best bang for the buck. We highly recommend it for Youtubers on a budget.
Quick Recap
Here Are The 7 Best Lapel Microphones For Youtube Under $30
- Purple Panda Lavalier Lapel
- Paladou
- PoP voice Upgraded
- PoP voice Professional
- BestFYou
- PowerDeWise
- BOYA BY-M1
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