MINI TESTS
JOBY WAVO PLUS £189/$200 joby.com
active noise technology or app control, but it’s around £70/$100 cheaper. It is a supercardioid on-camera shotgun mic that uses a 3.5mm TRS output to plug into a camera, and has a TRRS cable for use with a smartphone. Its USB-C port can charge the 600mAh internal battery or even record audio to a computer. There are external switches to toggle a -10dB safety track recording and gain from -10dB to +15dB, as well as a 100Hz high-pass filter to remove low-frequency hum like the rumble of traffic or air conditioning. The internal battery keeps the mic running for 30 hours and power status is shown on the LED at the front. To save battery, auto-power mode turns it on and off with the camera. The mic comes with a foam windscreen, but no furry cover for windy conditions – that costs extra. There are two 3.5mm leads – one TRS and one TRR – a USB-C power cable, and an integrated shock mount. The locking coldshoe has a 3/8in-16 thread underneath to mount it on a tripod or stand. There’s also a 3/8in-16 to 1/4in- 20 mount adapter so it can be used on more grip equipment. To monitor audio quality while recording, there is a 3.5mm headphone
It wasn’t long ago that vlogger tripod favourite Joby moved into professional audio. Its range of DSLR and wireless mics have some unique features, such as the all-aluminium Wavo Pro’s active noise cancellation and smartphone app control. Now, the range is widening with the smaller and more stripped-down Wavo Plus. It has an ABS plastic body, no
LEAD-ING KIT The Wavo Plus comes with all the cables you need – two USB and two audio
“It’s not the longest shotgun mic in the world, but it does an excellent job of isolating unwanted noise from both the sides and rear” jack, and a knob on the rear provides five steps of volume adjustment. It’s just a shame there’s not a five-step gain adjustment. Having to dig into camera menus to fine-tune the audio level is not the end of the world, but can be a bit tiresome. However, the quality of a mic is in the sound it produces – and the Joby delivers. It’s not the longest shotgun mic in the world, but does an excellent job of isolating unwanted noise from both the sides and rear. We used it to record some talking heads in a busy, noisy trade show inside a large hall with poor acoustics and it coped very well. The voices were clear and distinct, with no distortion; ideal for dialogue as well as general ambient noise. Its use as a run-and-gun mic is also helped by its small form factor, light weight and simplicity. And with 30 hours of battery power, there was no worry it would run out of juice. The LED on the front turns from green to amber then red to give ample warning of battery status. For the money, it’s an effective and useful small mic that takes up hardly any room in the bag, and has lots of decent features most filmmakers would appreciate. PRO MOVIEMAKER RATING: 8/10 A simple and lightweight mic that produces excellent sound quality Pros: Everything most users need Cons: No fine gain adjustment
SPECIFICATIONS Type: Supercardioid condenser shotgun mic Modes: Mono Interface: 3.5mm TRS and TRRS output, USB-C charging Frequency range: 20Hz-20kHz Dynamic range: 110dB Impedance: 10 Ohms Signal-to-noise ratio: 75dB Safety track: -10dB High-pass filter: 100Hz Battery life: 30 hours Charging time: Two hours Dimensions (wxhxd): 115x58x112mm/4.5x2.2x4.4in Transmitter weight: 75g/0.17lb
DIAL UP A red dial sets headphone levels, other controls are minimal
73
PROMOVIEMAKER.NET
Powered by FlippingBook