BOYA Mini Vs Rode Wireless Micro: Smartphone Audio Made Easy

Until recently, in-person smartphone interview kits revolved around this or that cable, splitter, or hack. Don’t get me wrong, there were a few decent options out there, but nothing compared to now.

A few weeks ago, I reviewed the Rode Wireless Micro. Available for either iPhone or Android, this tiny kit was so impressive that it was hard to see us recommending anything else for in-person smartphone recording.

The Wireless Micro costs about $140, which is excellent value for its features, quality, and usability. However, there are even cheaper alternatives, one of those being the BOYA Mini. At only $55, it isn’t fair to expect the BOYA Mini to be the Wireless Micro’s better, or even, its equal. But how close does it get? Let’s take a look.

A quick heads up before we dive in to say that we use affiliate links in this review, which help support all of our free content. Fear not, though; affiliates never cloud our judgment when it comes to giving our honest opinions.

Use Cases: Who Would Want One?

The BOYA Mini, like the Rode Wireless Micro, is designed for folks who want to record directly into their phones.

Both kits are ideal for video podcasters, or creators who like to do on-location or on-the-go interviews and co-hosted chats.

This isn’t the sort of setup you’d typically use if you plan to do remote recordings on your computer. I mean, you could, but I’d opt for something a bit more suited instead.

BOYA Mini Vs Rode Wireless Micro

Key Similarities

• Both kits have two transmitters (mics) and one receiver
• Both are available for iOS (Lightning) and Android (USB-C)
• Both have handy little storage/charging cases
• Both have a transmission range of up to 100 metres
• Both have a Frequency Range of 20 Hz – 20 kHz

Key Differences

• $140 (Rode) Vs $55 (BOYA)
• Signal-to-Noise: 73dB (Rode) Vs 80dB (BOYA)
• The Wireless Micro receivers attach to clothing with magnets
• The BOYA Mini has built-in Noise Reduction buttons
• The BOYA Mini has ‘AI Voice Changing’ features
• The BOYA Mini case is smaller and lighter
• The BOYA Mini transmitters are smaller and lighter
• The BOYA Mini transmitters have a battery life of 6 hours (30 hours via charging case)
• The Wireless Micro transmitters have a battery life of 7 hours (21 hours via charging case)

Does the BOYA BY-V2 Win Out Anywhere?

Actually, yes. At least according to the tech specs of both bits of kit.

The BOYA Mini is said to have a Signal-to-noise ratio of 80 dB, better than the Wireless Micro’s 73 dB. SNR measures how loud the signal (voice) is compared to a system’s background noise level. It also has noise reduction settings built-in.

The BOYA Mini charging case and mics are also smaller and lighter. The transmitters (weighing only 5g!) will be even more discreet on clothing, for anyone recording video content.

Any Downsides of the BOYA Mini?

On the flip side, there are a few potential pitfalls worth highlighting.

Unclear (& Unhelpful) Settings

Both transmitters and the receiver have “NR” (Noise Reduction) buttons on them. I don’t know why all three need to have them, but they’re used for everything the kit does, including pairing and adding voice change effects.

Let’s cover that first, because this is, frankly, a daft feature to add to an otherwise promising kit. If you press the NR button twice, you begin to toggle through vocal effects that will make you sound like a chipmunk or Barry White. Just what you’ve always wanted for your next podcast recording, eh?

There doesn’t seem to be much or any indication that you’ve changed your voice, and the only way to find out for sure is to listen back to your recording. I don’t know how easy it would be to accidentally press the NR button twice and activate chipmunk mode, but I’ll go out on a limb and say it wouldn’t be impossible.

There seem to be two different LED light colours, but as there are three settings, that won’t tell you much. And, as a hopelessly colour-blind person, I despair when gear companies try to give me essential information via tiny dots of colour.

Noise Reduction

The above issues impact the Noise Reduction features. Three settings (Weak, Medium, and Strong) can be toggled by pressing the NR button once. Again, I don’t really know which setting I am using, and I’m now worried that I’ve applied a “funny” voice effect to my guest, but won’t find out until later on.

Sadly, it’s difficult to judge the quality of the Noise Reduction settings, because it’s hard to know which is which.

Potential Connection Issues

I couldn’t connect the receiver to my battered old iPhone without removing the protective case. This would be a bit of a pain if I were using the kit regularly.

I have no issues connecting the Wireless Micro with the phone case on. This is weird because, when I look at both Lightning connectors, there is no noticeable difference, as far as I can see. But, it is what it is, I suppose.

Conclusion: BOYA Mini as a Rode Wireless Micro Alternative

The BOYA Mini makes wireless smartphone audio accessible for anyone looking to do on-the-go recordings or video podcasts.

The audio quality is solid, especially for aspiring, new, and hobbyist creators – you just need to be very careful not to activate the (pointless) voice change settings, which could ruin an entire recording session.

Having to take the phone’s protective case off to get the receiver to work is a real downside. I had a quick look on Amazon, and it seems I wasn’t the only one who had this issue. Maybe the USB-C version is easier to connect than its Lightning counterpart?

In all, the BOYA Mini isn’t the equal of the Rode Wireless Micro, but at way less than half the price, it has a very good stab at it. If you plan to record video or on-the-go, on-location recordings, then this is definitely a worthy option to consider!