With wireless lapel mics as good as they are now, the next frontier is going to be trying to shrink all that tech in a much smaller package. We’re already seeing that with Rode’s Wireless Micro and DJI’s anticipated Mic Mini model. Sure, they’re not as feature-packed as their bigger counterparts, but the diminutive size definitely carries its own appeal. That’s definitely the main selling point behind the BOYA Mini.
Touted as “the world’s tiniest wireless microphone,” the device is really tiny as heck. There’s a graphic on the official product page that calls it “thumb-sized,” which is ridiculous, since it’s definitely smaller than an adult thumb. It’s probably better comparing it to a third (or half) of a pinky finger, considering how small it is.
The BOYA Mini consists of two transmitters, one receiver, and a charging case, much like other consumer-grade wireless lapel mic setups today. Both the transmitters and the receiver are way smaller than what you’ll normally find in the category, with each one measuring roughly 31 x 15 x 16.5 mm and weighing around five grams. They’re so small, in fact, you can barely notice them while they’re clipped to someone’s collar, with the wearer likely even forgetting that they have it on. Heck, even the receiver is hard to notice even while it’s plugged to a smartphone’s USB-C slot.
Each transmitter is equipped with a 6mm condenser mic with a foam pop filter, so it should pick up voices clearly with minimal wind noise. According to the outfit, it can record at a sample rate of 48 kHz/16-bit, which should be good enough for most content creators’ needs, with a max SPL of 120dB, which is pretty impressive for something this small. Even better, it comes with a built-in DSP chip that enables three levels of noise cancellation you can cycle through, allowing you to clean up the audio as needed if you’re recording in a noisier environment.
The BOYA Mini also comes with a voice changer feature that can make the subject’s voice sound either deeper or sweeter. Chances are, this is going to make things sound weird in part, but it is a fun option if you record the kind of content that can benefit from novelty elements such as these. According to BOYA, it uses their advanced limiter technology that prevents audio signal peaks (both from distortion and clipping), ensuring you can maintain clear and consistent audio through most of the recordings.
Battery life is rated for six hours each transmitter, so you can shoot plenty of scenes between charges, with the receiver drawing power directly from the device it’s plugged into. It’s extendable up to 30 hours using the charging case, too, so you can shoot a whole day with just a few charging breaks in between. Other features include an 80 dB signal-to-noise ratio, 25ms latency time, 330 feet transmission range, and two variants (one with a USB-C connector and another with a Lightning plug). It comes in two color options, white or black.
The BOYA Mini is available now.
