Review: PowerDeWise lavalier mics for phones, tablets and camera audio recording

Submitted by Teoh Yi Chie on

PowerDeWise lavalier mics or lapel mics are popular audio recording microphones on Amazon with close to 10,000 reviews.

These mics are popular because they are affordable and provide reasonable quality for audio recordings. These lavalier mics can be used with phones, tablets, mirrorless cameras and even your computer provided you have the appropriate adapter.

I'm always on the lookout for good microphones and decided to buy this to try. If it does not perform, at least I won't waste too much money.


The set that I bought was the interview set with 2 lavalier mics. These are the items included in the box

  • 2x lavalier mics with 3.5mm TRRS connectors (2m)
  • 2x extension cables (2m)
  • TRRS to TRS adapter
  • Y cable
  • Cleaning cloth
  • 2x replacement foam shield
  • Carrying case

I bought this from Amazon Singapore for just S$39. It's now S$56. On Amazon.com, it's US$46. The price for these PowerDeWise mics can fluctuate significantly because there are frequent promotions.

Even at US$46, it's still quite a good value for money because you actually get two lavalier mics!

These are the different variations of this lavalier mic that PowerDeWise offers:

The set that I recommend is the 2x lavalier set with 3.5mm connector (TRRS) because it's just a few dollars more than the set with just one lavalier. Even if you don't use two lavaliers (e.g. interviewing people), you can keep the other lavalier as a backup.


The lavalier mics are 2m long. If it's too long, you can use the included velcro straps to shorten the cables.


This 3.5mm connector is a TRRS connector that works with smart devices, e.g. phones, tablets and computers.


This will not work when you connect this directly to a mirrorless camera. The mics will not capture audio this way.


If you want to use this with a mirrorless camera, you have to use the lavalier mic together with the included TRRS to TRS adapter.


The mic seems to be removable but I did not remove it because the holder is quite tight. The clip is quite big, and tight.

Overall build quality is good.


The mic holder on the clip can be rotated. So regardless of where you clip, you can rotate the mic towards your mouth.

The wind shield foam should reduce wind noise but won't work well with strong wind.


This is the y-cable for connecting the two mics for dual audio input source. This is good for interviews. You can have one mic on you for asking questions, another mic on the interviewee. Or you can interview two persons at the same time. This is quite useful.


This lavalier box set does not come with 3.5mm-to-Lightning and 3.5mm-to-USB-C adapter. If you want to use the mics with your iPhone, Android phones or tablets, you will need to purchase the appropriate adapters separately.


I've tried recording audio on the iPhone, iPad Pro and my mirrorless camera. If you want to hear the audio quality for yourself, just watch this video review I've made.

Audio quality of voice recording sounds alright. Audio is slightly lower than expected so you may have to increase audio by a few decibels. Compared to more expensive lavalier mics, such as the Sennheiser and Rode, the audio quality of PowerDeWise can sound flat. But the clarity is there. The lavalier mic is able to filter out background noise quite well.

The app I use to record videos on iOS and iPadOS is Filmic Pro. The iPhone was able to detect the lavalier when connected. However on rare occasions, the connection may break after a few seconds and the iPhone will revert to recording with internal mics. So when recording with iPhones or Android phones, make sure to check if you have the correct audio input source. Actually you should check this regardless of any mic you use.

With my iPad Pro, there was the occasional crackle. Thankfully it's not too often to the extent of being a deal breaker. So I guess if you want to do screen recording with voiceover, this lavalier may work.

The best audio quality comes from recording with the mirrorless camera with the TRRS-TRS adapter. The audio is noticeably fuller or richer. Volume is captured accurately so no adjustments is usually needed during video editing.

Conclusion

This PowerDeWise lavalier mic is a good value for money. It's affordable and the audio quality is decent for the price it charges.

You'll get the best audio quality when using this with a mirrorless camera though. I'm not sure if the audio quality is better with the lavalier mic with Lightning connector. If you're using iPhones exclusively for recording, then just get one that comes with Lightning connector. The one with 3.5mm connector is most versatile because you can use adapters to connect to other devices.

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