Recording interviews on a budget: $1 Chinese lavalier microphone

nofilmschool.com offers a comparison of lavalier microphones that resulted with surprising quality from a $1 Chinese lavalier microphone. Yes, a microphone for $1 shipped!

In the video below you can hear a $50 mic at 3:40, then jump to 4:04 to hear the Chinese mic. I think the sound was slightly tinny when compared to other more expensive microphones, but in a pinch this is a great idea.

I’m interested if the $1 mic will record when plugged into an iPhone- I doubt it, as the connector looks like it isn’t made for a smartphone. I’ve heard good things about the R0DE SmartLav- on Amazon I found one that included the clip and extension cable for the same price. Most lavalier microphones that do not use a power pack or a battery tend to be underpowered. The wired Audio-Technica ATR-3350 has a really interesting watch battery compartment that functions as an amplifier. What about wireless audio? I was amazed to find a $13 wireless lavalier microphone from Pyle audio works amazingly well when it is directly connected to a computer (YouTube review).