A wireless omnidirectional microphone is equally sensitive to sound coming from all directions and has an omnidirectional polar pattern. Filmmakers can get close to their subjects for crystal-clear audio and can covertly record every moment without the need of cords. The wireless design and omnidirectional pickup pattern bring many benefits to the audio and video recording but also have some limitations. Let’s dive into the article to acquire its pros and cons.
Wireless design pros: User-friendly operation, wide compatibility, and cost-effective
Omnidirectional wireless lavalier microphone is available at different frequencies, here we mainly discuss the pros of the type that operates at the 2.4GHz.
Simple to operate
These 2.4 GHz systems are more popular among buyers since they are simpler to comprehend and use. Since WIFI channels have predictable locations, it is simple to identify the frequencies that are in use. Moreover, because its microchips are more advanced than the normal UHF chips with less spectrum, 2.4 GHz allows greater connection with the other microphones.
Additionally, the F.M. modulation technique is not compatible with the 2.4 GHz mic systems. Instead, they transmit the information via digital signals. As a result, intermodulation, which can harm the UHF channel band, has less of an impact on them.
International compliance
2.4 GHz wireless omnidirectional microphone is on demand because you can use it in any nation without getting a license. If you utilize UHF frequency bands, you'll notice that not all nations have synchronized these transmissions and that different nations have different standards. You are shielded from all the regulatory ambiguity by 2.4 GHz mic devices.
Reasonable price
Chips in the 2.4 GHz omnidirectional wireless microphone system employ shorter wavelengths, which is very advantageous for manufacturers. Therefore, for better performance, these systems will employ fewer antennas and electrical devices. You can pay a reasonable price for the same audio quality UHF may offer.
Wireless recording cons - Limited channels and transmission range and potential latency
Wireless microphone comes with the limits below that might somehow impact your filming.
Limited channel count
In a perfect environment, a 2.4 GHz system may provide you with superb sound, but it has a small number of channels. The chip cannot provide you access to a media pool since it uses less spectrum. Additionally, WIFI and Bluetooth cause the 2.4 GHz to become congested, so you might not have the entire spectrum to yourself.
Range and in-line attenuation
When the transmission power and other parameters are the same as a normal 2.4 GHz system, a UHF system could provide you a better range. To make up for the loss, the 2.4 GHz system may feature stronger transmitters.
Latency
All 2.4 GHz professional-grade microphones have a somewhat higher latency than a UHF microphone. The digital nature of the microphones, however, means that they have no impact on the sound quality. Only when you are filming a broadcast or someone notices the crucial sound monitor delay may latency become a problem.
Omnidirectional pattern pros - Less wind/handling noise and low requirement for operation
The ideal wireless omnidirectional microphone (represented in the accompanying diagram by the darker outer ring) is equally responsive to sound from all directions. In other words, it has a 360°acceptance angle about its principal axis, which is seen in the picture above near the 0°position. It features the following benefits in the video shooting.
Less wind noise
The rear acoustic port on each unidirectional microphone is also an additional opening where wind can enter. Wind blowing from the rear ports can also create turbulence, which can lead to wind noise. Because omnidirectional has no rear ports, wind noise is reduced.
No bass build up caused by proximity effect
Omnidirectional wireless microphone for cell phone or camera does not experience bass buildup when the speaker is in close proximity. Proximity effect is known to be a characteristic of unidirectional pattern. Omni eliminates the rear port, so there will be no proximity effect.
Less handling and vibration noise
Because the majority of handling and vibration noise occurs at low frequencies, the absence of a proximity effect with an Omni results in less of this sort of noise.
Can be used both upside down and right side up
Because an omnidirectional microphone picks up sounds equally well in all directions, it can be used either right side up or upside down. While utilizing a microphone upside down is uncommon with handheld models, it is popular with small clip-on lavalier microphones.
Omnidirectional cons - Unable to block ambient noises and potential feedback loop
An omnidirectional wireless microphone would ideally pick up sound in a complete circle around its center. However, physics rules make this relatively difficult, and in real-world application, it cannot take up sound accurately from every direction. It can also filter out some high and low frequencies, and sounds from an extreme angle may not be captured correctly.
When you use the wireless omnidirectional microphone for conference room and other locations, ambient noise might be picked up and magnified because of its inability to distinguish between desired and undesired noises. Some filmmakers, for example, may want the sounds of an excited audience to be included in the video, but others may want similar noises to be shut out. In this situation, unidirectional microphone may be more effective in removing background noise from the recording and amplification process.
Another potential issue is the triangle formed by the microphone, the talent, and the speakers. An omnidirectional microphone will take up additional noise if it is placed too close to the speakers. This noise is then amplified and transmitted back into the system via the microphone. As a result, an extremely unpleasant phenomena known as a feedback loop occurs.
Conclusion
Wireless omnidirectional microphone and any other type each owns pros and cons, which make them suitable for specific filming scenarios. What we need to do is to identify if the advantages outperform the disadvantages and pick the best one to help achieve high quality audio results.