7Artisans DMic-S Announced – Wireless Lapel Microphone

Wireless Audio

by Julian MitchellSeptember 11^th, 2023

7Artisans, famous for their affordable high-quality fast lenses, has released a wireless Lavalier-style microphone, the 7Artisans DMic-S. Initially, it appears to offer good value, but let’s look at the details.

Using RF in the 2.4 GHz frequency bracket, the new wireless microphone is a departure for the company and is part of its broader content-creator marketing.

The product includes two microphones, not traditional Lavaliers, along with a receiver that can be connected to cameras, smartphones, or a streaming setup. The mics record simultaneously, which makes group interviews easier, and are available in mono or stereo.

7Artisans DMic-S – audio range

Using the 2.4 GHz frequency raises certain areas of concern, especially when you realize it’s also where Wi-Fi and Bluetooth live. However, 7Artisans uses adaptive modulation that allows the signal to hop around the band to avoid interference. According to 7Artisans, this technology provides reliable performance at distances of approximately 100 meters from the source’s direct line of sight, which is acceptable for this product’s use.

The mics have a small, tablet-shaped design with output control, and they should work as expected. If you want to hide your microphone, you can use a Lavalier mic, but you’ll need to hide the transmitter unit somewhere. The unit only weighs 27g.

7Artisans DMic-S – DSP chip onboard

The digital signal processing on the 7Artisans DMic-S claims a 99% reduction in environmental noise, but obviously, a test will show up any strange tonal effects of over-eager processing. Other DSP effects include a reverb effect that’s best avoided.

Audio quality is 24-bit at 48kHz, and 7Artisans claims that data rates can reach 2 Mbps, although this type of modulation – Gaussian Frequency Shift Keying – usually tops out at 1 Mbps.

7Artisans DMic-S – other features

The transmitters and receivers live in a charger box that, when opened, pairs the units, reminiscent of DJI’s recent wireless lav mic, the DJI Mic. Other features include a ducking function for streaming programming when using an external music source. There’s also a ‘safe soundtrack’ mode, which seems to be a backup track when you have recorded at too hot a level. It results in a -6 dB secondary and usable track.

The charging box has a claimed battery life of 20 hours, with transmitters lasting eight and the receiver six, so you should get a couple of cycles from each.

The 7Artisans wireless microphone costs $109, which doesn’t include Lavalier-type mics. For comparison’s sake, the DJI Mic is more than triple the price, but claims a distance of 250m from TX to RX and can also record on to the transmitter microphone.

Let us know in the comments below if you have or intend to invest in the 7Artisans microphone!