Hollyland Lark C1 review for iOS & Android

Professional audio is the foundation of great video content and Hollyland Lark C1 finally offers an affordable wireless option with great quality and features.

Available for $179 in the US and $249 in Canada, the Hollyland Lark C1 is very affordable against its competitors and is available in two versions for iOS or Android.

The Duo Kit includes two transmitters and one receiver and operates at ranges up to 650 feet. Simply plug the receiver into your phone’s USB-C or iOS Lightning connector, depending on the model you choose, and your smartphone’s camera app.

For blogs and interviews, the Lark C1 is a versatile tool that dramatically improves audio quality and is much easier to use than many wired alternatives.

If you’re looking for great audio at the right price without the hassle, read my full review.

Lark C1 Design, Compatibility and Build Quality

The whole Lark C1 package is excellent. It’s a great design and, like wireless earbuds, comes with a charging case and a storage and travel case that includes two furry windshields and a charging cable.

All of them are solidly made, such as a storage case that prevents luggage from bumping in the bag, and a sturdy charging case that does not malfunction even if shaken.

The transmitter and receiver are small and light, but well made. I wouldn’t recommend throwing it around, but I’ve done a few drop tests from a few feet and all have worked well.

The receiver connects securely and easily to every cell phone I’ve tried. It may also work with GoPros and other camera systems with a USB-C port if you’re using an Android model. It’s really easy to clip into your receiver and start recording.

You can’t use the app to control the volume or noise-cancelling levels on non-phone devices, but the setup works great with my GoPro and seems to use the default levels.

Another option is to capture video with your favorite camera and record audio using a compatible phone and microphone system.

Hollyland have created a list of devices they consider to be fully compatible with the Lark C1 (under HiFi Sound Capture for Android), but it’s possible the system will work with other devices as well. I found it works well on OnePlus 10 Pro, OnePlus 10T, Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Clipping the mic to your clothing can make it difficult to get the right angle, but the grip is good, but the mic is omnidirectional, so it works well even if it’s not aimed perfectly at the talker’s mouth To do.

Overall, I really appreciate the design and quality of the device. They are well made and I wish there was a way to cover the transmitter under the mic head so that the lights and logo were not visible while shooting. Some have a way to hide the mic.

Audio quality and battery life

What I love about the Lark C1 is that you don’t have to use an app to get great results. Just plug in the receiver, place the mic on your subject, and record.

However, the app gives you full control over volume and noise cancellation. This is very useful when you need to be more precise, but in my testing the sound quality was good even without using the app. am.

I am very pleased with the audio quality of the Lark C1, 48 kHz/16 bit sound is excellent for bloggers, interviewers and media. The result is warm and clear, better quality than your average lavalier mic. The only way to get better audio is with a more expensive handheld mic, or perhaps a better shotgun mic, but the difference is the noise cancellation and how the system handles audio from the Lark C1, which in most situations is likely to be even better in

Lark C1 works up to 200 meters (650 feet) via line of sight, so you can really shoot from a distance and capture great quality audio.

Battery life for the mics is very good, with Hollyland suggesting up to 8 hours of use with each mic transmitter and up to 32 hours total with the charging case. In my testing, the mic lasts very well, I haven’t checked if it lasts up to 8 hours, but in two sessions he got me over 5 hours.

It takes up to about 90 minutes to charge the microphone inside the case, and about 90 minutes to charge the case itself.

final thoughts

I’m a big fan of the Hollyland Lark C1. First and foremost, the quality is excellent, the battery life is long, and the case has the option to charge on the go.

I also liked the app, controls, and overall functionality. The windshield works well in windy conditions and the design is very good overall.

My only wish is that the transmitter can be designed to be less obtrusive so that it doesn’t stand out in the shot. increase.

Otherwise, if I was looking for a wireless mic for mobile shooting, the Lark C1 exceeded my expectations.