The best wireless microphones solve a number of problems for the vlogger or film-maker. You can do away with trailing wires, and the trip hazard they create. And you can mic up a subject who's too far away from your camera for even the longest wire to stretch.
Also, by clipping a mic into a wireless transmitter and attaching a receiver to your camera or smartphone, you can walk and talk freely and remain audible at a much greater distance than you could achieve using a cable.
That said, no wireless mic system is perfect. Most of them rely on the transmitter being in line of sight with the receiver, so the audio signal can drop out if you turn and block the signal with your body. However with a clear line of sight, the wireless microphones on our list will provide a strong clear signal up to 100m away. At that distance you can barely see the subject!
Another issue is latency – the delay between the speaker’s lips moving and the sound that is captured by the wireless mic. In the case of some mics, though, this is negligible. Latency is also easy to fix. Using apps such as Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro, you can detach the audio track from the video clip and then nudge the sound by a few frames until both sound and vision are in sync.
In the article below, we bring together the best wireless microphones today. These are divided into two distinct types: the 'stick' mics used by stage performers and journalists recording interviews, and lapel or 'lavalier' microphones, designed to clip unobtrusively to the speaker's clothing when there's time to set this up.
Many of the wireless mic kits featured in this guide come with a pair of transmitters and a receiver, but some boast extra features such a sound level indicator on both the transmitter and the receiver. This indicator reassures you that the sound levels are OK and that they are being received by the camera.
Best wireless microphone in 2023
Why you can trust Digital Camera World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.
Best wireless lavalier microphones
The Blink500 Pro kit enables you capture strong clean audio levels up to 100m, if the transmitter mics have line of sight with the receiver. Relatively large displays provide a waveform to help you set and monitor audio levels. The supplied lavalier mics help reduce wind noise in challenging locations.
The kit is compatible with DSLRs and smartphones, though you will need to source a 3.5mm jack to lightning adaptor cable to attach the receiver to newer iPhones. A handy storage case doubles as a charging station so the transmitters and receiver are equally charged. So there’s less danger of a mic or transmitter going flat during a shoot, which can happen if you charge units separately.
Overall, this wireless mic is highly recommended. Check out our full Blink 500 Pro B2 review which includes a video showing it in action.
The Boya BY-XM6-S2 mic system is a good place to start if you’re on a budget and it will certainly elevate the audio production values of your projects. The pre-paired mics and transmitter work straight out of the box too, so you don’t have a steep learning curve to climb if you are new to wireless mic systems.
A close alternative is the Joby Wavo Air, below, but extra features such as onscreen displays and a cheaper price make the Boya BY-XM6-S2 an attractive option. Both transmitters record voice via a built-in mic so you don’t need to use the supplied lavalier clip mics if you’re in a rush (though the lavalier’s wind shields can come in handy). Check out our Boya BY-XM6-S2 review, which includes a video demonstrating the kit in action.
See also our Best budget microphones guide.
The original Rode Wireless Go proved really popular thanks to its small size and its ease of use - and now the Wireless Go II extends the capabilities, by offering an amazing maximum range of 200m (650ft). What we like about the Go II is that it is available in either a one-channel or two-channel kit - giving you either one or two clip-on transmitters to pair with the miniature clip-on receiver unit. The receivers have built-in microphones so are good to go straight out of the box - but if you want a more discrete microphone, there is an optional tie-clip mic.
In our tests, we noted that getting the best from the Wireless Go II involves a little testing to ensure you have the right level selected, however, it’s capable of producing high-quality natural-sounding audio in a wide range of situations. Provided the transmitter is in line of sight of the receiver, the range is also very good, but should it be lost, there’s an added bonus that the transmitters offer on-board recording.
See our Rode Wireless Go II review
If you’re new to using wireless mics then the Godox Virso M2 kit is well worth considering as it works straight from the box, so there is no complicated setup or specialist know-how. Both transmitters and the receiver are already paired! If you own a Sony camera then it’s worth considering the Godox Virso S as its receiver’s hot shoe adaptor is designed to slot into a Sony Multi-Interface shoe to provide a better signal than you’d get using a traditional 3.5 mm connection. However, for any other systems, the standard Virso M2 kit is the one to get.
We were extremely impressed with the Virso M2 from Godox. Its audio quality is second to none, and was comfortably able to broadcast clear full-bodied sound from a long distance and even through thick walls. You also get a charging carry case to keep transmitters and receivers equally charged.
Read our full Godox Virso / Virso S review for more details.
The JOBY Wavo AIR enables you to capture broadcast quality sound with the freedom to wander wirelessly. The transmitters’ bright orange colours make it more likely to appeal to a vlogger who wants to show off their kit rather than record sound discretely. A magnetic pendant lets you snap the transmitter on in a flash so there’s no need to fiddle with clips and clothing.
Unlike the similar Boya BY-XM6-S2 (above), the receiver doesn’t have a headphone monitoring socket or a waveform display, so you’d need to monitor audio from your recording device to make sure there was no signal drop out. The latency means the sound is offset from the video by three frames so you may need to tweak the audio in post. Check out our JOBY Wavo AIR review, which includes a video demonstrating it in action.
This wireless transmitter and receiver kit enables you to capture great quality sound from a distance of up to 100m, as long as there are no obstacles. It contains two transmitters and a receiver so you can record interviews if required. Both transmitters have a built-in mic, so you can simply clip them on your shirt and start talking.
This kit offers up to eight hours of battery life and you can charge all units simultaneously, so it's a good choice for when you're on the road. Note, though, that it doesn’t come supplied with lavalier mics. That means the black boxy transmitter mics are noticeably in shot when you record your footage, which may or may not be a problem for you. For more details, see our SmallRig Forevala W60 wireless microphone review.
Best wireless 'stick' microphones
Shure’s iconic SM58 is known around the world for its rugged construction, bulletproof performance, and excellent audible character, and now it’s wireless. It provides a rock-solid connection via the 2.4GHz digital transmission, but only operates at up to 30m. That should be fine for most applications but falls short of some competitors.
The microphone has a lithium-ion battery that lasts up to 16 hours and there’s a useful charging dock on the GLXD24R receiver which alleviates untidy cable runs. The design looks a little dated but its simple operation means anyone can 'unplug' and play.
Using a simple one-touch approach, AKG has designed the DMS100 for creatives that want a flexible wireless mic system but don’t need the high-end performance of premium models. Sure, it’s limited to just 30m but for most applications, this should be fine, especially if live streaming from a small studio.
There are two kit options available here at the same price, one with a cardioid microphone and the other with a bodypack transmitter ideal for lapel mics or hands-free headsets. It’s AES 256-bit encrypted for private or confidential productions and is compatible with up to four channels.
There’s a lot to like about Sennheiser’s wireless mic set up, the EW 500 G4-935. For starters, there are 32 compatible channels perfect for scaling up to larger productions and it has 3520 selectable UHF frequencies which are fully stable and tunable. It’s also built with professionals in mind, constructed in fully-metal housing.
This probably isn’t ideal for beginners or those with tighter budgets, but if you’re expecting your production to grow, or want the highest possible quality in terms of audio and data transmission, then you can’t go far wrong with this.
This wireless microphone performer kit from Rode comes with a sensitive condenser microphone as well as a desktop receiver. Ultra-portable, the microphone is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery but can alternatively this can be swapped out for two AA batteries in a pinch.
Operating at 2.4GHz, the digital transmission between mic and receiver is encrypted so it shouldn’t have too many issues with interference, but some users (especially those who want to use it for larger productions) may need to upgrade. It does have a 100m range though, and an easy one-touch pairing option makes it a breeze to set up and use.
Line6 uses its own encoded digital transmission signal to alleviate the frustrating audio interference some wireless mics get from external devices such as smartphones. A distance range of up to 300ft means it’s appropriate for use in just about any space.
The real wonder of this wireless mic is that Line6 has injected its renowned modelling technology inside, so you can choose up to 10 different mic models to give different audible character to the sound. That’s great for those on a budget because while it’s possible to purchase further capsules/microphones, those seeking a different sound won’t have to fork out the money for another mic.
Anybody looking for wireless microphones on a tight budget should look no further than Behringer’s ULM302MIC. At the same price as a single microphone from other brands, Behringer has crammed the entire kit into an affordable package here and doesn’t stop there by including two microphones as well.
Of course, to keep costs down some features seen on competitor models have been omitted, such as a poor 60m line-of-sight range. There are no rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in the mics themselves so users will have to buy AA batteries in bulk. Overall though, it’s a massive load of kit for the price.
Read more:
• Best microphones for vlogging & filmmaking
• Best mic isolation shields
• Best iPhone microphones
• Best mic boom arms
• Best audio recorders
