This is probably the hardest review I’ve ever had to write. And that’s because the ATR 3350is features are a double edged sword; good and bad. Regardless of its shortcomings, I do like this microphone and do recommend it as one of the best clip-on microphone for interviews. Why, the awesome sound, and that’s the main reason we buy microphones. I was really impressed with the sound that you get from the Audio-Technica ATR-3350is Lav Mic.
Summary: Audio-Technica ATR-3350iS Lav Mic Review
- The Good and the Bad: terminated with a 3.5mm TRS mic plug. 20ft cord and 1.5v LR44 button sized battery module, makes this a bulky lavalier microphone. Very good full, rich sound, once you add a bit of gain to it.
- Verdict: 20ft cord is great if you need it, cumbersome is you don’t. A low sensitivity mic, it does need a decent amount of gain. Works very well with the Sony ICD ux-560 and has impressive sound. Overall, good clip-on mic for the price. Check price on Amazon.
The Good, The Bad…
Let’s begin with the 20ft cord. Having a long cord can be a good thing, if you need to mic someone that far away. Very useful when doing video shoots. For interviews though, it’s quite cumbersome having a 20ft cord!
But also, the long cord necessitates external power. Thus the ATR 3350iS lavalier mic is powered by a 1.5v LR44, button sized battery housed in a small power module with a belt clip in the middle; adding more bulk to an already bulky mic. However, it means that you don’t need a recorder that outputs plug in power to use this mic. So, if you plan to use your phone to record interviews, this seems a good choice – not had a chance to test it on my phone.
Now, you do need to make sure that the battery has a charge and that you turn on the microphone before you start recording. Because this is powered using a very small battery, the gain is very low. It’s the least sensitive of all the lavalier microphones that I own. That’s a good thing if you’re recording in a really noisy location, but it also means that you need to place the mic closer to your mouth or add gain. When using the Sony ICD ux-560, I found that setting the mic sensitivity setting to Medium gave me the best results when using the ATR 3350iS.
I’ve not had a chance to test this microphone on my phone, it does come with a handy TRS to TRRS connector, but I’d not be surprised if I need a decent amount of gain to make the recording audible. And I doubt my phone(s) would provide that gain. Compared to the Movo, which I presume is the cheaper knockoff of the ATR 3350iS and which is terminated by a TRRS 3.5mm plug, the ATR 3350iS is better built. The cord is not as flimsy, and the connection feels well built.
Verdict
The ATR 3350iS lavalier microphone come with a 20ft cord that is great if you need it, but cumbersome is you don’t. A low sensitivity mic, great for recording in really noisy locations. But, it does need a decent amount of gain. Works very well with the Sony ICD ux-560 and has impressive sound. Overall, good clip-on mic for the price. Here’s the Amazon link to this lav mic. As always, please keep us in mind for all of your academic transcription services needs.