Despite the port being taken over, the MOVO MA5L does a good job of delivering its promised goods. The audio sounds a helluva lot clearer with this mic plugged in than it does from the iPhone mic capturing it. It brings a solid audio recording and is superb in its performance. I think if the MOVO engineers sat down and worked out the rest, at least giving us back charging capabilities, then you have a steal of a deal with the MA5L. Until then, create that rundown for your content, get it moving, and remember to stand close to it.
Audio is 90% of every production. People will forgive questionable video, but they won’t accept bad audio. You would think that would be a 50%/50% thing, but it isn’t. Audio is the most vital part of any production. This will always be the case.
Related, and the reason you are reading this, MOVO has released a new mic for your iPhone/iPad/iPod called the MA5L. It’s a miniature condenser microphone that you can use to record audio. The portability of this tiny beauty is nice, but the more important question for this review is if it works well? The answer: For the most part. There are still a few pain points but it certainly delivers as advertised. Let us jump right into this review.
Design and Usage
The design of the MA5L is supposed to be simple plug-and-play. You pop it into your iOS device and it does everything else. We tried it with Voice Recorder and a few other video apps and came away impressed with how simple it was to capture good audio. It certainly lives up to its billing. You do not have to install/run a separate app to run it, unlike when you work with video equipment (looking at you, DJI) and it works fine all quite a few apps (Voice Recorder, Apple Video App, etc.). It’s an omnidirectional mic that does what it says it will do – bring you good audio. That is a huge plus because most cheaper audio pieces for iOS devices do not exactly deliver what they promise.
Now, to capture the best audio out of it, the ideal spacing is around 2-3 feet. That will capture and deliver clear audio to your video capture app. Anything beyond that range and you run the risk of capturing more natural sound than voice and it will sound hollow. Like you are speaking through a tin can. That does not mean it will not capture you, it just means you will not sound as clear. You will have to make some decisions on how you are going to use this microphone and set it up. In addition, you will have to be extremely conscious of the production process because otherwise, you could be 20 minutes into production and not realize you sound horrible.
For the journalist out there trying to capture good audio from an interview on the streets, you will have to either have the mic close by your interviewee or you’re going to have to set up your phone near them in some way. For people going to sports press conferences, laying the phone with the mic on the table will do the trick. It will capture clear audio that does not have a lot of pops or interference in it. Regardless of which way you go, the consistent key is being 2-3 feet away from your interviewee. Again, you are going to have to be conscious of the production to pull off perfect audio.
For those looking to use this mic for social media or streaming purposes, you will have to set your tripod up close to you. This leads to making production design decisions that will fit with your audio distance needs, while not interfering in your production quality. That is a difficult balance some days, but a necessary one if you are serious about a streaming career. That said, it is a small compromise if you cannot afford a Yeti Mic or maybe a fancy headset. Everyone is on a budget and growing yourself online means you can afford better equipment down the road. Prior to getting famous, being on a budget means the MA5L works in place of a fancy audio setup. I know how picky anyone streaming can be about the positioning of their mics and cameras, so technology restrictions are not the most desirable way to construct one’s streaming setup. For the cost of the product ($49.95), I am sure people will make it work if it means saving some pennies. It is a great first mic for budgets.
Reasonable Pain Points
The biggest complaint I have with the MA5L is how it takes over the lightning port. Since the device is built for the lightning port, you lose the capability to charge your iOS device and/or hook up a wired headphone to it. In order to charge the phone or even listen to recorded audio, you must unplug the mic from the lightning port. While I get the solution to listening to audio that has been recorded is to buy a good pair of Bluetooth headphones or earbuds, it is wear/tear on the device when you plug/unplug it on a consistent basis. You always want to make sure that it sounds good, so the solution here is to use Bluetooth so removal of the device will not be necessary. I get it that people probably have gone completely Bluetooth, but there are still some wired fanatics out there that like how that delivery method sounds.
Audio playback aside, the biggest issue and a design flaw, which might have been rectified easily, is that you lose the charging port by using the mic. Putting an additional port in the side of the mic or including an adapter that gives the ability to split the port and charge while recording is imperative. Sure, you can charge up your phone all the way, but if you are recording a long stream, you are going to kill that phone battery. Most phone rigs allow for charging of the phone as it is being used. The MA5L just takes that port and does not give anything back in return. That doesn’t mean you can’t do a production with the mic, it just means you have to be very conscious of your time and phone battery life. Who wants three hours of footage anyway, right? No one does. If your intention is not to stream live and just record video, then this is not a problem. Still, I know there is an engineer out there that can deliver the best of both worlds for this.
Conclusion
Despite the port being taken over, the MOVO MA5L does a good job of delivering its promised goods. The audio sounds a helluva lot clearer with this mic plugged in than it does from the iPhone mic capturing it. It brings a solid audio recording and is superb in its performance. I think if the MOVO engineers sat down and worked out the rest, at least giving us back charging capabilities, then you have a steal of a deal with the MA5L. Until then, create that rundown for your content, get it moving, and remember to stand close to it.
Ultimately, it is a beautifully designed simple audio solution for those not trying to break their bank.
