Pixel Finch Lavalier Review | Musician Nerd
Updated on Mar 16, 2022
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The Pixel Finch Lavalier Microphone is a device we just recently learned about. A newer microphone brought to market by Pixel, the Finch Microphone is a very affordable and user-friendly lavalier microphone, that comes in two sizes; 6.6ft & 9.8ft.
Finch Lavalier Microphone
Pixel creates various useful products for those in the filming industry, from lighting to sound equipment. Today we'll be taking a close look at the Finch Microphone to determine whether it's worth purchasing or not. Due to the sensitive nature of lavalier microphones & smaller builds, our expectations will be that much higher.
Before we get too deep into it, this microphone is connected over Apple Lightning, and is Apple MFi-certified. The drawback, however, is that without a compatible iOS device, you won't be able to use the Finch Microphone. Being said, let's dive into what we enjoy about this mic. After, we'll talk about some of the downsides. By the end of this review, you should have a clear picture of whether it's the right choice for your project.
Why It's Great
The most convenient feature with the Finch microphone would be the simplicity of plug-and-play. When my microphone first arrived, I was up and running within minutes of opening the box.
Finch Lavalier Microphone Plug And Play
The quality of the microphone itself was satisfactory as well. It felt pretty durable, and the windscreen was of good quality as well. Microphones like these use clips to attach to your clothing, and the strength of the Finch Microphone's clip was mighty. While I feel pretty good that the microphone isn't going to move, beware of damaging any clothing, as the clip is quite sharp.
The nylon fiber cloth is also well-made. It's different from the rubber cords I'm used to seeing with lavalier mics, and was able to withstand our (mild) attempts to over-work it.
Finch Lavalier Microphone Easy Clip
More importantly, is the sound quality of this small microphone. Like most lavs, it's an omnidirectional condenser, and boasts a frequency range of 50Hz to 20kHz. The sensitivity levels are great for capturing the body of your voice.
After running several tests with the Finch Microphone, we were impressed with the balance of frequencies in the voice at this price point. The bass was resonated with a strong mid-range (and vocal presence) and a noticeable high-end. If we focus purely on the voice (and not the background), the level of depth was awe-inspiring to us for a microphone under $50.
Of course, something that applies to all lavs that I love is how easy it is for transportation. They include a little bag you can put the microphone in while you travel. If you do a lot of interviews or journalism or vlogging, this is very convneient.
What It's Good For
Working with lavalier microphones is primarily useful for filming projects & public speaking events. The Finch microphone is going to be more relevant to the former, as you'll be recording audio into your apple device.
Finch Lavalier Microphone Strong Nylon
That being said, there are applications like Megaphone that allow you to connect your Apple device to your sound system. While we haven't tried anything like that with the Finch microphone, it's one possibility to explore if you require a clip-on mic.
Pixel's Finch Microphone would make a cheap alternative for those recording voiceovers for videos, streams, or podcasts on a budget.
Unlike XLR microphones, this Lightning-connected lapel mic requires no extra equipment to get started, and comes in much more affordable than the average microphone. If you record many social media videos, you'll have the advantage of keeping the focus on you without a large microphone getting in the way.
At the end of the day, however, I would definitely recommend using the Pixel Lavalier Microphone for film projects. The convenience clipping the microphone to your clothing and plugging it into your phone is incredible.
The Downsides
My biggest issue with the microphone is the background noise level and how it mixes with my voice. If you speak loud enough & position the microphone correctly, your voice should overpower the background, but you're not going to get a pristine sound from this mic. For this price, the level of depth in the recorded audio is awe-inspiring and makes up for this. You won't likely find another lavalier in this price range that doesn't face the same issue.
Secondly, just to reiterate a point I made in the beginning, the Pixel Lavalier Microphone is only compatible with iOS devices. This puts a big limitation on who can make use of the microphone.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Good Audio Depth
- Durable Materials
Cons
- iOS required
- Mild Ambient Noise
Best Used For
- Film
- Streaming / Social Media
Summary
Overall the Finch Microphone from Pixel is a great deal for the price. Is it the best lavalier microphone? Of course not, but we were impressed with how well the sound translates in recordings. The materials they used were also better than many of their competitors, even on the higher end.
What do you think, are you going to give this microphone a shot? It's great for those starting new projects on a budget. If you decide to go through with one, let us know in the comments below how it's working for you!
Posted on Oct 19, 2021
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