Hollyland Lark M2 Review: The Tiny Mic That Changes Everything

Audio gear has undergone a massive shrinking process over the last three years. We went from massive boom poles, to square wireless transmitters (like the DJI Mic), and now, we have arrived at the button mic.

The Hollyland Lark M2 is the leading product in this new category. It is a wireless microphone system where the transmitter is literally the size of a nickel and weighs 9 grams.

Why Size Matters

When you clip a standard wireless microphone (like the Rode Wireless GO II) to a t-shirt, the 30-gram weight causes the collar to sag. It pulls the shirt down, looks messy, and visually distracts the viewer.

The Lark M2 weighs 9 grams. You can clip it to the flimsiest silk shirt, and it won't pull the fabric down. Better yet, Hollyland includes a strong magnet mount. You can place the magnet under your shirt and snap the microphone onto the outside. No clips showing.

The Sound Quality

You would expect a microphone this small to sound tinny, like a bad Bluetooth headset. It doesn't.

The audio is surprisingly full and broadcast-ready. It captures the lower frequencies of the human voice much better than your camera's internal microphone.

It also features a yellow "Noise Cancellation" button on the transmitter. When pressed, it uses algorithms to strip out the hum of an air conditioner or the drone of a refrigerator. While aggressive noise cancellation can sometimes make voices sound robotic, Hollyland's implementation is incredibly subtle and highly effective for untreated bedrooms.

The Drawbacks

There is one major compromise for the $99 price tag: No internal backup recording.

If you buy the $349 DJI Mic 2, the microphone itself records a backup audio file to internal storage. If the wireless connection between the mic and the camera drops, you have a perfect backup. The Lark M2 does not have internal storage. If the wireless signal cuts out, that audio is gone forever.

The Verdict

If you are filming high-stakes wedding videos where you only get one take, do not use the Lark M2. The lack of backup recording is too risky.

But if you are a YouTuber, a Twitch streamer, or a TikTok creator filming in your bedroom or studio? The Hollyland Lark M2 is an absolute no-brainer. It is $99, the battery lasts forever with the charging case, and it completely solves the "sagging collar" problem.

• Buy the Hollyland Lark M2 on Amazon