Thronmax Space Wireless Microphone Set Review: An Almost Great Option for Vloggers and More

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Thronmax Space Wireless Microphone Kit

3.0/5 Buy at Thronmax

The Thronmax Space Wireless Microphone Kit includes a useful and well-designed selection of condenser and lavalier microphones, as well as accessories that challenge the non-Apple mobile devices.

Thronmax has been making USB microphones for quite some time, but mostly ones that can be used for video conferencing or podcasts when you need to upgrade your built-in mics. Their upcoming Space microphone suite will expand their desktop lineup by adding portable wireless microphones.

This package is a great option for photographers, filmmakers, interviewees, or anywhere else you need a wireless microphone. The set comes in a “presentation” metal box with faux leather trim on top.

This nice touch makes it useful as a tray for easy access to other items or as a soft top for storing delicate equipment like a DSLR camera. Includes:

Two condenser microphones that can be used as wireless transmitters.
Two lavalier microphones with TRS cords that connect to the transmitters.
Receiver module, very similar to transmitters.
Small zippered case in which you can put anything. for portability.
Two wind filters for outdoor use.
TRS-TRRS adapter cord (compatible with Apple headphone jacks).
TRRS-to -USB. -C cord (Android only, according to Thronmax)
Triple-head USB-A to USB-C cable (for charging microphones and receiver)
Two-page “manual” cable, in which explains what each part is and some of its controls.

A more compact travel version with the same content

That's what this one is they forget to turn on the kit, which upsets Apple users. To record these microphones streaming to an iPhone or iPad, you need to buy a TRRS to Lightning adapter and a TRRS to USB-C adapter.

If your Mac has a headphone jack, you can use the included TRS-TRRS cord without any problems. But the purpose of this kit is to record just about anywhere, so the lack of ability to record directly to an iPhone or iPad is a major drawback.

Thankfully, Apple sells TRRS adapters as 3.5mm headphone adapters to Lightning or USB-C for just $9 each. They work as microphone and headphone adapters as they work with the EarPods built-in microphone.

To briefly explain TRS and TRRS for those unfamiliar: if you look at the 3.5mm headphone or microphone jack, you will see a metal sleeve with a shaped tip at the top and several black marks along the sleeve. The part of the metal sleeve between the markings is called the “ring”.

3.5mm wired headphones without a built-in microphone will have a single ring and are known as TRS or Tip-Ring-Sleeve. The “ring” area is typically used for right channel audio, and the tip is used for left channel audio.

If your wired headphones have a microphone, you will see three black marks indicating two “rings.” This is a TRRS or Tip-Ring-Ring-Sleeve microphone where the tip is used for the left channel, the first ring is for the right channel, and the bottom ring is for ground.

The TRRS plug plugs into the adapter or headphone jack for Apple devices.

The wireless transmitters included in the Thronmax Space are a brilliant piece of design work. . Instead of being simply transmitters, they function as small condenser microphones.

They have a nice, compact and rounded barrel design that goes great with a black or charcoal suit. You can use the included buttonholes if they are too bulky for your needs.

Lavalier microphones are connected to the transmitter, and the condenser microphone is turned off. Being smaller microphones, lavalier microphones lose some sound quality, but, like condenser microphones, they can be combined into a stereo pair if desired.

The microphone/transmitters and receiver module are equipped with a clip that fits well with the thickness of a vest, shirt collar or jacket. The clip also slots right into the camera's hot shoe, making recording easy if you use a DSLR, as most YouTubers do.

Clips on microphones and receivers fit perfectly into the hot shoe of a DSLR camera.

Thronmax Space Kit – Microphones

Condenser microphones shine when someone is talking, but you also need sound from the environment— for example, the echo of a church or the sounds of the beach. Lapels are best for interviews or when you want to give less atmosphere to your voice.

Such compact microphones, of course, cannot compare with microphones with large USB or XLR capsules, such as the Yeti Blue, NT1 Rode or the Thronmax set of desktop microphones. But they are good at picking up voices with high, low and mid tones.

More importantly, the audio has no noticeable “lag” that would cause sync issues with any recorded video. Our testing showed that this was true even when the subject was a considerable distance away.

These microphones have an impressive line-of-sight range. We tested them in a reverberant, 60-foot-long underground parking lot and in various outdoor locations, such as an oceanfront, equipped with a windshield. According to the manufacturer, these microphones are capable of maintaining a signal even over long distances.

Indeed, we have never lost a signal — even when we turned our backs while walking away from the receiver or 200 feet away.

Thronmax Space Kit – Cords and Hardware

One of the key factors to ensuring good quality recordings is to learn the minimalist controls of the receiver module. As with transmitter microphones, the on/off button isn't labeled, but is fairly obvious since it's separate from the other buttons.

We found that transmitters and receivers connect instantly and without failures — no pairing required. However, you can hold down the power button on the transmitters to force pairing if necessary.

The receiver module also has a separate power button, an unlabeled force pairing button, and another unlabeled button for adjusting the gain. Oddly enough, by default the gain is set to full — which will cause sound distortion if the microphone is too close.

The underside of condenser microphones/transmitters. USB-C is for charging only.

In our testing, the two-thirds setting helped in noisy environments. The one-third setting was the norm for everyday studio recording or quiet outdoor recording.

Once the gain is set, it is maintained until it is changed again. When two microphones are combined into a stereo system, they are ideal for recording nature sounds or live music.

Battery life on the microphone/transmitters and receiver was also excellent, averaging about eight hours on average. They can be quickly charged by plugging a triple-head USB-C cable into a USB-A port on your handy PC, old Mac, or battery bank.

If you don't have a USB-A port available because you're on location, you can use an adapter or hub to provide charging from a USB-C port. You won't need to recharge the battery during normal shooting on location, but it's a good idea to have a battery handy.

The travel case fits snugly inside. However, it is surprisingly small and has compartments that make it easy to put everything in its place — even the fuzzy tiny windshields.

Presentation box and included (and much more practical) travel case.

The designers put a lot of thought into the presentation, and it shows. That's why we're a little confused by the fact that the company doesn't make any recording software for mobile devices — for any platform.

We used the Rode Connect app for mobile devices because it easily “sees” when an external microphone is available. Mac computers can use Rogue Amoeba's excellent Audio Hijack.

Thronmax Space microphone kit – doesn't live up to expectations

It's important to note that the version of the Space wireless microphone kit we reviewed is a pre-release version. Thronmax may have software, cord and full Apple compatibility issues fixed by the time it hits retail sites and stores.

Given their decent track record with Macs for desktop USB microphones, we're hoping the final product will be more Apple-friendly. It's okay if you use an Android phone with a USB-C port for a voice recorder other than the actual recording app.

We must check the product in the form in which we received it — and the lack of an included iOS/iPadOS compatible cord prevents this review from receiving a four-star rating. Thronmax should also develop its own smartphone recording app or partner with another company to provide the app.

Simply put, using this kit does not require ordering one or more Apple accessories. The package should include an Apple-compatible Lightning and USB-C to TRRS adapter, even if it means your travel bag will be a little larger.

The condenser microphones themselves, and especially the combined microphone and transmitter design, are of very high quality and well thought out. Their sound is on par with some of their competitors in this small wireless microphone space, such as the Rode One wireless system or the Saramonic version.

The smaller included lavalier microphones are, of course, not as good. However, they are good for reducing ambient noise and are suitable for any scenario where hiring a remote microphone operator is not practical.