Best Wireless Microphone in 2024

Things To Consider

What microphone you buy is obviously going to be down to what you are planning for its use. Whether it’s for commentating, singing, speaking, streaming on Twitch or YouTube, or reporting it is important to get the best wireless microphone to suit.

What Is A Wireless Microphone?

Your classic microphone works by converting an audio signal into an electric signal. A wireless microphone works in much the same way, however, instead of sending this signal to the amplifier via cable, it is done by radio waves to a receiver.

The wireless mic has been a godsend for performers, journalists, lecturers, and public speakers as it allows for a bit of freedom of movement in whichever domain it is being used. So those trip hazards are gone and there is some variety in types of wireless microphones currently available which we will cover just below this section.

Different Types Of Wireless Microphones

Handheld Microphone

The handheld microphone is probably the first one we think of and it’s often the main choice for music performers, public speakers, and comedians as long as there isn’t a rigorous dancing routine! It is perfect for comedians on stage as it can be passed easily between performers and one or two can be enough. The transmitter on a handheld mic is located inside so it is normally one unit and it transmits to the receiver which will be within its optimal range.

Headset Microphone

The headset microphone looks similar in a way to a call center operator or gamers headset. It may look and work in the same way but the quality and power will be significantly higher with this being a common choice among stage performers as it gives them a hands-free experience. The headset is usually connected to a transmitter often referred to as a bodypack.

Lavalier Microphone

This wireless mic system is more common with live television or public speaking events with lecturers and guest speakers. The mic is normally clipped to the person’s top/jacket underneath the neck and is connected like the headset mic via a bodypack transmitter. Just like the headset mic, the lavalier mic transmits to the wireless receiver.

Pickup Patterns

There are quite a few different types of microphone pick-up patterns and they are each suited for specific tasks.

Omnidirectional mics as you may have worked out from the name can pick up sound from any direction and you often seen them used in conference rooms, on the move reporting, and ambiance recording. Omnidirectional mics are flexible however they can pick up unwanted noise from the surrounding environment.

A cardioid mic is technically unidirectional but it does pick up a bit more than say a lobar mic which we will go into shortly. It picks up more due to its heart-shaped pattern which picks up some noise from the side however most noise is coming from the front. This makes cardioid mics great for live performances as it barely picks anything up from behind.

Hypercardioid mics are similar to a cardioid however they tend to pick up more noise from the back, making them less effective for live performances but still good enough for your tv documentaries or instrument recording in a studio. This is because they can cope with louder sounds much better despite the back rejection being weaker than cardioids. Super and Hypercardioid mics have a narrow sensitivity area which has a higher resistance to feedback. Despite working in a similar way, a Supercardioid mic would be better suited for filmmaking. They are a bit easier to use and this is down to their ability to isolate audio whilst giving you a small margin of error to work with when compared to standard shotgun mics.

The lobar pickup pattern is achieved with a shotgun mic and is unidirectional. Shotgun mics are produced for the most directional pickups as they cope with noise from the surrounding directions. These mics are encased in a tube-like capsule which rejects the noise from the sides effectively. These types of microphones are great for film narrative, controlled sets, group singers, or in film making but you would need a highly-skilled operator to ensure there are no dips.

Battery Life 

Anything wireless is going to require some form of battery power. These Wireless mic systems usually will feature built-in rechargeable batteries and some may take disposable. Either way, this can take up extra money and time when you compare to a wired microphone plus it needs to be monitored so it doesn’t run out of juice at the worst moment.

Budget

Wireless microphones are not cheap unless you want to compromise on the quality of course. Our budget recommendation is the lowest we suggest going thanks to its glowing reviews. Like most tech the more you spend the higher quality you expect to get but just make sure it matches your individual needs and you don’t buy something overkill.

Multiple mics being used at once

If you are just buying a wireless mic for your setup at home to aid in video work you may only need a single microphone. You may need one for singing which involves more than one singer so you will need to buy a mic system that can handle the amount you wish to use at any one time.

Range

For home use, the range may not be the biggest factor to consider however at an event on a stage where the receiver is quite far away the range becomes very important. You need a strong range to limit interference noise and to cut through large crowded environments, so ensuring you have more range than you need is definitely a good idea.

Wired Vs Wireless

A wired microphone is usually accepted as a more reliable and therefore better all round device when compared to its wireless counterpart, which can be said about a lot of different technologies. This is normally the case due to a lack of interference from the wireless signals of a poor quality microphone or even in some cases the batteries.

Wireless microphones and receivers could get interference from other devices radio waves which can cause huge issues, however, over time these issues do slowly fade with technology advancing regularly.

The benefits of being wireless are normally for your performers, whether it’s a live artist who is quite active on the stage, a magician, or a guest on a live tv show they all need some freedom to move. You will find talk shows on tv tend to use wireless mics for any interview segments and that is because the wireless systems are a lot tidier due to a lack of cables. You can also clip wireless microphones to clothing too which comes in handy for guests and presenters alike.