MOVO iVlogger-PRO Review: Sound in the Spotlight

The modern telephone has swapped its corded coil and rotary dial for sophisticated media production technology, enabling anyone to run a YouTube channel nowadays.

Uploading a video to YouTube is straightforward, but making anyone watch or care about that video (let alone your channel) has more challenges.

The obvious one is that your content needs to be focused, useful, or interesting. But even good visual content can be hamstrung by two essential technical aspects: audio and lighting.

Most smartphones still have limitations on this front. So, if you’re serious about video production, you can do worse than to boost your setup with some external gear. The iVlogger-PRO from MOVO is designed exactly with that in mind.

So, at around $130, is it worth it?

Before we dive in, a quick heads up that we received this unit free of charge for review purposes. We also use affiliate links, which help support all of our free content. Rest easy, though, that this never prevents us from giving our honest opinions!

Now, on with that review…

MOVO iVlogger-PRO

A first glance at the iVlogger-PRO shows a smartphone mounted on a tripod with a light and microphone attached. There you go, audio and lighting issues solved in one stroke. Good luck with your next video!

Of course, it would be a short and unsatisfactory review if there wasn’t more to say about the kit. And fortunately, there is. Let’s dig into the components a little deeper.

The Movo VXR10 Shotgun Microphone

Starting with the audio, then, the VXR10 is a handy little finger-sized shotgun mic.

Shotgun mics are built to hone in on whatever sound source you point them towards. They also typically do a good job of rejecting all the unwanted sounds around them.

As you can imagine, this comes in handy when recording videos in busy or noisy environments. A shotgun mic can help record your voice crisply and clearly, without having to film the insides of your nostrils.

The VXR10 has a Cardioid polar pattern. Polar patterns determine where a microphone focuses on to “hear” sound. Many shotgun mics have a Supercardioid or Hypercardioid polar pattern, making them ultra-directional. With its more typical Cardioid pattern, though, the VXR10 seems to rely on its physical tube-like design to achieve this.

As a standalone buy, the VXR10 costs about $40, so about 30% of the total cost of the iVlogger-PRO.

The mic can also be secured in its own shock mount (included) to help minimise unwanted noise from movement on or around the rig. I found this very rigid and tricky to pop the mic in. I don’t fancy trying to get it out again in a hurry.

Of course, the most important factor in any mic is its sound quality. I’m definitely impressed by it; it’s a big step up from any default smartphone mic I’ve heard.

With that said, it’s extremely sensitive to plosives. MOVO includes two windscreens (foam and furry) in the box, but even with those, you can still pop it if you get a wee bit too close, so be aware.

Another potential issue is clipping or peaking. This isn’t necessarily the mic’s fault, but more to do with lack of default gain controls on most smartphones.

If you’re too close and too loud (or sometimes even just too loud), the audio can distort, and there’s no way to actively monitor as you record without the aid of additional equipment or apps.

Rechargeable RGB LED Light

I can ramble all day about mics, but I won’t outstay my welcome on lighting. Especially as I’ve just accidentally looked directly into it and I am struggling to see my keyboard.

The LED light is rechargeable via the provided USB-A to USB-C cable. It’s adjustable from 9000K to 2500K (Kelvin), meaning the light can vary from a very cool (blue-toned) colour temperature to a warm (yellow/orange-toned) colour temperature.

The light can also be adjusted from 0 degrees to 359, which, I’m reasonably confident, has to do with controlling the direction of the lighting. Here’s me toggling through the settings.

I must admit, I struggled a bit with the light during my testing. To be fair to MOVO, this probably has more to do with my own lack of knowledge and experience with lighting, combined with my exceptional levels of colour blindness.

I know (at least I think I do) that video lighting isn’t intended to be your sole lighting source, and certainly not to act as a “torch”, but all of MOVO’s promotional photos for the iVlogger-PRO were taken under a flawless sunny sky. I’m not criticising; I’m just envious.

Bringing It All Together

The MOVO iVlogger-PRO comes with a variety of connectors and adapters:

• A 3.5mm TRS cable for DSLRs, video cameras, and digital recorders.
• A 3.5mm TRRS cable for smartphones, tablets, and computers.
• A 3.5mm TRS to USB-C cable for Android phones.
• A 3.5mm TRS to Lightning adapter for iPhones.
• A USB-A to USB-C cable for charging the LED light.

And just like Benny in Total Recall, trying to operate a smartphone, mic, and light all at once will make you wish you had three hands. Well, “get ready for a surprise” because there are plenty of mounting options inside the box.

There’s a tripod with an extension pole and handgrip options. The rotating ball head allows you to adjust and point your kit in any direction, and there are even a couple of wee spirit levels on the phone mount to cater to your OCD.

Atop the phone mount, there’s a shoe mount extender to secure your light and mic, all ready to record. I’ll see you at the party, Vlogger!

Bluetooth Remote Control

Another feature worth briefly mentioning is the Bluetooth remote control. You can pair this up to your phone (via Bluetooth, would you believe!?) and hit record when you’re ready and in position. No, no more Total Recall references, sorry. Just plain old facts.

Travel Case

Now that I think of it, we could reference Total Recall again. Remember that scene where Quaid is running about with a suitcase that turns out to contain a video of himself telling him that he’s actually someone else?

Well, the MOVO iVlogger-PRO travel case is nothing like that, but it is an excellent, robust, and well-made piece of gear luggage. There are a lot of parts, pieces, and cables in this kit, but you’ll never struggle to organise or transport them.

Summary: MOVO iVlogger-PRO Review

With the caveat that the iVlogger-PRO is outside the scope of my typical audio-focused reviews, this seems to be a handy and quality box of tricks.

I’m impressed by the mic’s sound quality, though you do need to be wary of plosives or peaking. The shock mount is a challenge, and I don’t fancy trying to remove the mic from it unless I absolutely have to.

The light seems decent, but I’d be a fraud if I tried to offer any expert option on this front. I struggled to find a setting I was truly confident was “right”, but that’s likely a combination of lack of experience and being hopelessly colourblind.

The tripod, boom arm, and handles offer an almost infinite array of setup options, so whether you’re facing the camera, filming an event, or demonstrating something with your hands, you’ll never be positionally stuck.

The component parts all seem robust and well-made, and the carry case ensures you won’t lose anything, even if you record on the go.

Would buying similar kit separately save you any money? It’s possible, but surely not to any significant level. And anything you did save, you’ve probably given back in time and convenience, too.

So, if you’re thinking of adding a video element to your podcast and want to use your phone, the MOVO iVlogger-PRO is definitely worth your consideration. Godspeed, and may your ‘like bell’ be well smashed.