RØDE Announces smartLav Lavalier Microphone For iOS Devices
Let’s talk about sticker shock. Today RØDE Microphones announced the release of the smartLav Lavalier Microphone that connects directly to the headset jack of Apple iOS devices. Compatible with the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, smartLav delivers premium quality audio capture in a compact and accessible form factor. The smartLav is mounted onto the talent, connected to an iOS device’s headset jack and records via the RØDE Rec or RØDE Rec LE apps.
The smartLav has a high quality omni-directional condenser capsule that captures sound in 360º, it comes with foam pop shield to minimise wind noise and vocal plosives (hard ‘b’, ‘t’ and ‘p’ sounds), as well as a durable mounting clip with in-built cable management. The smartLav has been designed to pair perfectly with the RØDE Rec app for Apple iOS devices, and is also compatible with any iOS audio app that accepts input from the headset connection. RØDE Rec turns the user’s iOS device into a fully-featured field recorder, with a wide range of equalisation pre-sets to suit various recording situations, in addition to professional editing functions and the ability to publish to SoundCloud and Dropbox directly from the app.
Okay, so obviously we all want to know one thing at this point, how much? Typically, RØDE gear comes at a pretty penny, but one thing is for sure, you know you’re going to get all the bang for your buck. With the introduction of the smartLav Microphone today, this leaves me wondering about their also newly released RØDE iXY Stereo Microphone (also for iOS devices and compatible with the RØDE Rec or RØDE Rec LE apps. Would you guys be willing to buy this at the over the smartLav and why? If you are not yet familiar with the RØDE iXY, you can see a video interview I did with them on it at CES 2013 (click here).
The smartLav is set to ship to authorized RØDE retailers worldwide this month, at a suggested retail price of US $60- yep, that’s it. For more information please visit www.smartlav.com.
audio, field recorder, field recorder app, iOS microphone, ixy, lavalier, lavalier mic, microphone, record audio into your iPhone, RØDE, smartLav
Hey Olivia, wouldn’t this lav work with a Zoom H1 or any device with a 3.5 mm jack?
Rode’s site says it uses a uses a standard TRRS connection. I believe that’s just a good old audio jack, right?
I can wait to see reviews of this LAV.. It could save me from having to get the Sennheiser
That doesn’t seem nearly as useful as they make it appear. You’d have to have a bunch of expensive iphones for this to be useful.
Think I’ll stick with my Sennheisers
This might be nice to carry, just in case you need it, but I don’t think I’d want to use it as my primary setup, especially since you can’t monitor it. What if a nervous groom accidentally bumped/tapped the screen and stopped recording? . In the video for the wedding example, he had the priest and groom mic’d, so if he also had had a iPhone on himself to take calls, you’ve got to include the investment in IOS devices.
Again, might be nice to carry as a backup (I carry 4 wired mics, just in case), but wouldn’t want to use as primary.
Now, if they modify their app to use wi-fi so it could be monitored, then they’d have something worth considering
Hey guys, here are some comments from my FaceBook Page. Thought readers here may enjoy the feedback from a question I asked there, “Would you guys get the RODE smartLav over the iXY? Why?”
Jeremy Mayhew thats tough. i like the ixy for getting SFX stuff, and a more flexible location mic option, but i’ve become so lav heavy lately that I see all the possibilities in that too. The issue with the lav is that you can’t really monitor during recording. all in all? I think I would have to go with the iXY.
Saturday at 10:28am · Like
Seng Varipath Yes. The price alone is worth it to pick up. Plus I already have an H4n, like many indie filmmakers, so getting Stereo sound isn’t a problem. Thanx for sharing all this wonderful new product info. ~B)
Saturday at 9:53am · Like
Travis Patterson Definitely the smartLav. Having an H4n and H1, a discrete, affordable lav is more useful.
Saturday at 10:03am via mobile · Like
Mackoy Zabala i want to get the rode smartlav for wedding shoots but im affraid rode record app will crash on me!!scary!! what would you get???
Saturday at 10:04am · Like
Hao Ly The Rode because it’s just so much more flexible. iXY probably would pick up more than I need. The SmartLav is just an all around mic, I’d use the iXY for dedicated voiceover, artist vocal recording, and so forth.
Saturday at 10:08am · Like · 1
Brian Schwartz Olivia, what I don’t understand is why couldn’t you use a regular Rode lab with a micon 1/8 connector into a IPhone or one of those TRS adapters. I am not sure what is new with the smart lav other than the marketing.
Saturday at 10:16am via mobile · Like
Stephen Paladini more versatility i think
Saturday at 10:23am · Like
Benjamin Altenes Absolutely just for the mobility on smaller shoots
Saturday at 10:23am via mobile · Like
Dave Fontela The lav, definitely! $60, I would get two purr. Just like the video. Set it, and forget it. Thanks for sharing!
Saturday at 11:14am · Like
Marzio Tomasini iXY I thinks is better for indie-news, but I’m afraid about battery…smartLav is really pretty and i’m going to get one soon.
Saturday at 11:18am via mobile · Like
Gerald Miranda I will be using the smartlav for ceremonies… However, if the ipod fail in the middle of it, you loose everything with out notice. Maybe, rode could sell a cheap transmiter-receiver just for monitoring it, connected through the ipod connector. I wont use it on my iphone. Unless a new rode app for iphone could monitor the ipod recording. Too much logistic…for paying a high price of another sony wireless system…
Saturday at 11:33am via mobile · Like
Gerald Miranda Instead of ixy i would buy the tascam one… Is enough with 16b 44.1
Saturday at 11:36am via mobile · Like
Everette Jay Anderson I was all for the smart lav until I checked out the Soundbooth on Rode’s website. The xy sounded ridiculously good even compared to some of the higher end mics. I’m stumped.
Saturday at 1:46pm · Like
Vincent Vermegen Record sound with a digital audio recorder, shoot photos with a dslr and make phonecalls with a, uuuhh, phone. But that’s just my opinion…
Saturday at 3:29pm via mobile · Like
Dale Berman I think it would be good for certain shoots. The problem is I use my phone for other uses and I would not want the phone used all day as a recorder.
Saturday at 11:47pm · Like
Ron Baselice Only if it will work with FILMic Pro
Sunday at 7:33am · Like
smartLav is a really good concept…but if you’ve wired someone and set the Rode Rec app up and running, what happens if the phone rings? Or if a message comes in? Would it interrupt the recording if he/she needs to check the phone out for calls or messages?
@J You can’t use your phone and record at the same time. Once the app is turned off, messages and calls can then come in. I will cover this when my smartLav comes in and I do a video review.
Hey Olivia! Love what you do keep up the great and polished work! Both are interesting products, however with respect to the SmartLav/iPhone combo posters make valid points about the lack of monitoring, per unit iPhone cost, and non-dedicated nature of the device. For my money for a single source, hardwired recording device and lav combo I find the Zoom H2n a hard to beat price point/feature set that allows the use of lavs I already have from wireless body pack units. Cheers! – MC