Tula Mic review: a small microphone packing quite a punch
26.5.2021
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
Tula has been positioned as the all-rounder among microphones. It can be used with computers, on the go, and even as a lapel mic. But is the quality sound?
Can a microphone really even be that good if it easily fits in my pocket and advertises various additional options? That same question ran through my mind as I opened a tiny package with just enough space for maybe two packs of cigarettes. Tula Microphone is the debut device from Tula Mics, a company made up of developers and designers from San Francisco through Stockholm to Moscow. It aims to be useful when podcasting, chatting, or even recording on the go thanks to internal storage.
The Tula Mic measures just 89 × 55 × 21 millimetres, less than half the size of most smartphones. Available in three colours, the microphone can be used in either cardioid or omnidirectional mode, depending on whether you’re sitting in front of it by yourself or want to record audio from multiple directions. Recordings are done either on a computer, a smartphone via USB-C connection or directly on the Tula itself using its eight gigabytes of internal memory. Just press the record button and you’re ready to go. To listen in, plug your headphones into the 3.5-mm headphone jack. This also serves as the input for an optional clip-on microphone. An LED on the front shows you if the device is turned on, while another one uses a green, yellow and red gradient to display if your audio is peaking.
You can hear Tula in action in episode 45 of the digitec podcast, available in Swiss German only.
A whole lot of microphone crammed into a tiny space
The audio quality is surprising. An extremely potent microphone is hidden behind the hip design. Tula sounds pleasantly clear and powerful at the same time. I’ve used more expensive devices that sound worse and don’t have any additional features. However, a pop filter is practically mandatory for short distances.
I’m less convinced by the noise-cancelling function (NC). When activated, a part of your voice is noticeably swallowed. The sound quality here is thus only marginally acceptable for podcasts or Let’s Plays. However, the feature is certainly handy when you’re dealing with a lot of ambient noise. Such as at a trade show, if there ever will be one again. I’m struck by how little ambient noise Tula picks up, even without NC on. I can play music at normal volume through my PC speakers, and you won’t hear anything through Tula, even if it’s only half a metre away. An impressive performance.
I do miss being able to listen to my own voice when recording on a computer. Even if you have your headphones connected directly to Tula, you’ll only hear yourself speak if you’re also recording at the same time. However, my headphone volume cannot be adjusted properly. Depending on whether I adjust it on the computer or on the microphone itself, either my voice or the PC audio are too loud. Something that will hopefully be patched in a firmware update. The recording itself is done in the common WAV format at 24 bits and 48 kHz. The battery lasts for up to 14 hours, after which the internal memory will most often be full anyway.
Using the microphone itself doesn’t turn out to be quite so easy, with 13 buttons at your disposal. Especially since several keys can be pressed in different ways. Noise cancelling only turns on with a long push, but a single short press turns it off. The circle button on the left side switches between cardioid and omnidirectional when pressed briefly, and switches to clip-on mic mode when held down. The similarly styled button on the right, on the other hand, starts a recording. All four volume buttons also have the same design. Those on the left adjust the gain, while those on the right side adjust the volume for your headphones.
However, the compact design isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. With the included adapter, the tripod can easily be attached to other ones or even a tripod arm via a twist lock. The Tula is a bit too light for the latter, however. Its low weight makes aligning the mic before the arm pulls back again due to the spring system quite challenging. The headphone cable also annoyingly pops out in this setup. Complicating things even more, it should not be touched under any circumstances as any noise made this way is directly passed on to the microphone. A discreet table tripod probably makes more sense.
My verdict: does what it says on the tin
The Tula is an amazing device. It fits in your pocket, and thanks to the internal memory function, you can do interviews or other recordings on the go. It’s even compatible with a lapel microphone. The microphone, which costs 280 Swiss francs, has a strong sound on PC and is suitable for podcasting or live-streaming – as long as noise cancelling is deactivated.
I see room for improvement in the particularly unintuitive operation, the limited monitoring and the rather aggressive noise cancelling function. But these are only slight blemishes. If you’re looking for a microphone that lets you record easily both on your computer and on the go, you can’t go wrong with the Tula.
Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chBeing the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur.
