Microphone selection guide

All LOM microphones are omnidirectional electret condensers made for field recording and sound design. They differ in size, in how quiet a source they can resolve, in how loud a source they can take, and in how they connect to your recorder.

Uši microphones on a stereo bar, connected to a field recorder

Uši series

The original and most versatile. Lowest noise, takes loud sources, modular cables.

~14 dBA
self-noise
~122 dB
max SPL
⌀13 mm
capsule

Best for: quiet nature and room tones, music, loud sources, ultrasound up to 80 kHz.

Uši · Uši Pro · Ucho Pro

mikroUši capsule

mikroUši series

Tiny capsules for discreet, non-intrusive recording, with a better frequency response.

~20 dBA
self-noise
~115 dB
max SPL
⌀6.8 mm
capsule

Best for: hidden and tight placements, music, urban and louder sounds, ultrasound up to 80 kHz.

mikroUši · mikroUši Pro · mikroUcho Pro

basicUcho in its mount with a windshield, set up outdoors

basicUcho series

A rugged pencil microphone with an XLR connector on the body. Low noise at the lowest price.

~14 dBA
self-noise
~110 dB
max SPL
⌀20 mm
body

Best for: quiet nature and ambiences on XLR recorders, standard pencil-microphone mounts and windshields.

basicUcho

What do you record?

Quiet sounds, nature
Uši Pro or basicUcho: both have a self-noise of about 14 dBA and the widest choice of accessories. The mikroUši series could be too noisy.
Music, urban sounds
Any series will do — choose by size and connector.
Loud sources
The Uši series takes about 122 dB SPL, the mikroUši series about 115 dB SPL. basicUcho may distort above about 110 dB SPL.
Ultrasound
Uši and mikroUši series reach up to 80 kHz, basicUcho up to 60 kHz. For bats, insects and birds, the mikroUši ultrasonic horn adds about 15 dB of passive boost from 1 kHz upwards.
Hidden or tight placement
mikroUši or mikroUši Pro: the capsules are only 6.8 mm across.

What does your recorder have?

XLR inputs with phantom power
A minijack input with plug-in power
Not sure yet, or both
Uši and Uši Pro are modular: the same capsules work with the minijack cable and the XLR cable, so you can add the other cable later. mikroUši cables are fixed.
Stereo or mono?
Uši, Uši Pro, mikroUši and mikroUši Pro are pairs, matched in sensitivity within 0.5 dB. Ucho Pro is the mono version of Uši Pro and mikroUcho Pro the mono version of mikroUši Pro. basicUcho is sold singly; order two or more together and we match them.

The microphones

Uši with the minijack cable

Uši

Matched pair · minijack · plug-in power

Self-noise ~14 dBA
Sensitivity −28 dB
Max SPL ~122 dB
Modular cable

Uši Pro with the XLR cable and clips

Uši Pro

Matched pair · XLR · phantom

Self-noise ~14 dBA
Sensitivity −18 dB
Max SPL ~122 dB
Modular cable

Ucho Pro

Ucho Pro

Mono · XLR · phantom

Self-noise ~14 dBA
Sensitivity −18 dB
Max SPL ~122 dB
Modular cable

mikroUši

mikroUši

Matched pair · minijack · plug-in power

Self-noise ~20 dBA
Sensitivity −32 dB
Max SPL ~115 dB
Fixed cable

mikroUši Pro

mikroUši Pro

Matched pair · XLR · phantom

Self-noise ~20 dBA
Sensitivity −18 dB
Max SPL ~115 dB
Fixed cable

mikroUcho Pro

mikroUcho Pro

Mono · XLR · phantom

Self-noise ~20 dBA
Sensitivity −18 dB
Max SPL ~115 dB
Fixed cable

basicUcho

basicUcho

Mono · XLR · phantom

Self-noise ~14 dBA
Sensitivity −24 dB
Max SPL ~110 dB
XLR connector on the body

Full comparison

Uši Pro with the XLR cable and clipsUši Pro Ucho ProUcho Pro Uši with the minijack cableUši mikroUši PromikroUši Pro mikroUcho PromikroUcho Pro mikroUšimikroUši basicUchobasicUcho
Configuration Matched pair · XLR Mono · XLR Matched pair · minijack Matched pair · XLR Mono · XLR Matched pair · minijack Mono · XLR
Powering 24–48 V phantom 24–48 V phantom 2–10 V plug-in 24–48 V phantom 24–48 V phantom 2–10 V plug-in 24–48 V phantom
Self-noise ~14 dBA ~14 dBA ~14 dBA ~20 dBA ~20 dBA ~20 dBA ~14 dBA
Sensitivity (1 kHz, ±3 dB) −18 dB re 1 V/Pa (≈126 mV/Pa) −18 dB re 1 V/Pa (≈126 mV/Pa) −28 dB re 1 V/Pa (≈40 mV/Pa) −18 dB re 1 V/Pa (≈126 mV/Pa) −18 dB re 1 V/Pa (≈126 mV/Pa) −32 dB re 1 V/Pa (≈25 mV/Pa) −24 dB re 1 V/Pa (≈63 mV/Pa)
Max input SPL ~122 dB ~122 dB ~122 dB ~115 dB ~115 dB ~115 dB ~110 dB
Channel matching < 0.5 dB at 1 kHz — < 0.5 dB at 1 kHz < 0.5 dB at 1 kHz — < 0.5 dB at 1 kHz on request (order together)
Output 2× XLR-3M balanced XLR-3M balanced 3.5 mm stereo jack 2× XLR-3M balanced XLR-3M balanced 3.5 mm stereo jack XLR-3M balanced
Output impedance 30–50 Ω 30–50 Ω 2.4 kΩ 30–50 Ω 30–50 Ω 1.6 kΩ 30–50 Ω
Power consumption ~3 mA per pin, per channel ~3 mA per pin ~700 µA per channel ~3 mA per pin, per channel ~3 mA per pin ~550 µA per channel ~3 mA per pin
Cable 2× 1.5 m (⌀2.5 mm) 1.5 m (⌀2.5 mm) 2× 1.5 m (⌀2.5 mm) 2× 1.5 m (⌀2.1 mm) 1.5 m (⌀2.1 mm) 2× 1.5 m (⌀2.1 mm) — (XLR connector on the body)
Cable system Modular (mini-XLR) Modular (mini-XLR) Modular (mini-XLR) Fixed Fixed Fixed —
Capsule dimensions ⌀13 × 26.2 mm ⌀13 × 26.2 mm ⌀13 × 26.2 mm ⌀6.8 × 24 mm ⌀6.8 × 24 mm ⌀6.8 × 24 mm ⌀20 × 80 mm
Weight 126 g (pair, with cable) 63 g (with cable) 68 g (pair, with cable) 82 g (pair, with cable) 41 g (with cable) 28 g (pair, with cable) 35 g

Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Good to know

Swapping cables on Uši

Uši and Uši Pro capsules are fully compatible with both cables. Please do not use your own mini-XLR cables: the Uši Pro (XLR) cable contains circuitry that converts phantom power to plug-in power, and another cable with phantom power on may permanently damage the microphones.

Wind protection

We recommend Windbubbles by Bubblebee Industries — Uši windbubbles (or the “Extreme” version for strong wind) for Uši, Uši Pro and Ucho Pro, mikroUši windbubbles for the mikroUši series, and the basicUcho windkiller for basicUcho.

Matched basicUcho

When you order several basicUcho microphones together, we match them — more than two is fine. We cannot match microphones bought earlier.

More answers

In our knowledge base: the microphones FAQ and the comparison table.