The Sennheiser XS Lav Mobile is a compact tie-playing microphone, also known as a lavalier, with a 3.5mm TRRS connection. You can use the microphone in combination with your smartphone, tablet or laptop, so that your voice is recorded in higher quality. Handy for during a Zoom meeting, presentation, podcast or voice-over during a video.
Sennheiser XS Lav Mobile
price € 49, –
Frequency range: 50 – 18,000 Hz
Weight: 19 grams
Cable length: 2 meters
Microphone type: omnidirectional
Included accessories: foam windshield, pouch, clip
Website www.sennheiser.nl 8 Score 80 
- Pros
- Warm recording
- Affordable
- Professional appearance
- Negatives
- Required accessories
- Background noise sometimes gets through
The Sennheiser XS Lav Mobile comes with a two-meter cable, which gives you plenty of room to move during a recording (provided you just sit still, of course). The head of the microphone can be enclosed by the supplied foam windshield, so listeners on the other side do not hear wind or breathing. In addition, you also get a clip, with which you can attach it to your clothing, as well as a pouch, so you can easily take it with you.
Install external microphone
You can connect the Sennheiser XS Lav Mobile to a smartphone, tablet or laptop. At least, that’s what the product was designed for. You could also connect it to other devices that take advantage of an external microphone (since built-in mics on all kinds of devices sometimes leave a lot to be desired), but chances are you will have to buy a converter. That is probably also the case if you want to use the mic on your smartphone or laptop.
You can connect the Sennheiser XS Lav Mobile to the headphone jack of the device you want to use it with. Then that connection must have the correct support. The external microphone has a so-called TRRS connection. This is also called a four-pin connection. You can recognize such connections by the four parts of the male plug: the top and the three rings underneath (see photo below).
When you put the modern connection in an old connector, you can run into problems. They then have a TRS connection, or a pin with two rings and that top. You can easily get around this problem by buying a (good) converter that goes from TRS to TRRS. So you can simply connect it to your laptop or computer, as well as to your mobile phone or tablet. However, there is a good chance that you will need another reducer.
That adapter must then be a converter that goes from an audio jack to USB. In our case, it is a USB connection, but on a cheaper or older smartphone it may be a different USB connection. Why we explain this in our review is very simple: Sennheiser does not do that. If you, as a layman, buy this mic very enthusiastically – because you want to start on your podcast – you soon discover that you are missing certain accessories or connections.
Design and use
The Sennheiser XS Lav Mobile has a professional appearance. During our testing period, we had several meetings via platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet and the first time we got the comment that the small mic had a professional appearance. This is partly due to the compact and convex foad windshield, which you like. He does not get in the way and fortunately does not distract and does what he has to do: receive your voice warm and clearly audible for others.
The microphone also comes with a handy clip for your dress, shirt, sweater or shirt. That clip is firm and yet easy to press. You positioned it like that. And if you prefer to hang it somewhere else, that is what happened. If you already have your own solution for this, you do not have to use the clip. This is a separate part, so you could also use your own accessories.
The microphone has a two meter cable, which provides enough freedom of movement. If you connect it to your smartphone or camera while filming, the cable will never really get in the way. If you use it during a podcast, Zoom call or for a voice-over, then there will be no problems with the cable. Finally, the hardware is nice and light. What we miss is possibly an LED light, somewhere on the wire, so you can see whether the mic is recording or not.
Recording quality
When you use the Sennheiser XS Lav Mobile on your smartphone via the headphone jack or the USB port – probably via a converter or splitter – then you have to take into account that the speakers on your device no longer work. So you cannot make calls with this, for example. Unless you connect headphones via a splitter. The same applies to a computer or laptop, unless you purchase the right accessory with it.
If you have (brought) all those things into your home, you will soon receive compliments about the sound quality of your microphone. Many people probably just use the microphone of their laptop or webcam while working from home, but with a minimum investment of 49 euros, you can improve the recording quality to a great extent. Is this a replacement for a large, professional microphone? No, but it is an affordable alternative to built-in mics.
In general, the microphone picks up your voice clearly and slightly warm. It is striking that background sounds are largely filtered (unless those sounds are very loud) and that your breathing and any gusts of wind remain out of the recordings. This provides a pleasant listening environment for the people who have to listen to your voice during an online meeting or presentation or of course during that podcast that you have been wanting to record with your friends for months.
Sennheiser XS Lav Mobile – conclusion
For the price of 49 euros, we are very enthusiastic about the Sennheiser XS Lav Mobile. This little lavalier can significantly improve your recording quality if you’ve always used the built-in microphone on your smartphone or tablet until now. You still have to get the right accessories yourself to get everything working, but splitters and converters do not have to be expensive and fortunately do not affect the recording quality.
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