Microphone and Audio Kit Case: Wireless Mics, Recorders, Shotguns

A microphone hard case should be small, shallow and tightly cut, because audio gear is light, fiddly and easy to lose: wireless transmitters, receivers, lavalier capsules, a shotgun mic, a recorder and a tangle of cables. For a wireless kit plus a compact shotgun, a slim sealed case around 5 litres is enough; add a recorder with a mic capsule and you move up to a small camera-sized case. This guide covers real sizes, foam layout, and how to keep audio kit working through dust, rain and travel.

What makes audio kit different

Audio gear rarely breaks from one big impact. It fails from small, repeated things:

• Loose parts go missing. Lav clips, foam windscreens, TRS cables, a spare transmitter. A case where every item has its own pocket makes a missing piece obvious before you leave the location.
• Connectors bend. A 3.5 mm plug or XLR connector left sticking out of a bag takes the load every time the bag is squeezed.
• Dust and moisture. Microphone capsules and grilles collect fine dust and humidity. On a dusty outdoor set or through the monsoon, sealed storage helps.
• Charging cases get crushed. Wireless kits that charge in a case carry that case everywhere. It is the bulkiest part of the kit and the easiest to crack.

Real sizes to plan around

Measure your own kit, but these figures from the makers' own specification pages give a sense of scale:

• DJI Mic 2 charging case: 116 x 41.5 x 59.72 mm, 200 g. Each transmitter is 46.06 x 30.96 x 21.83 mm.
• RODE NTG5 shotgun microphone: 203 mm long, 76 g.
• Zoom H6essential recorder: 78.1 x 160.1 x 42.8 mm, 381 g with batteries. The XYH-6e mic capsule adds 69.1 x 50.8 x 43.0 mm.

So a two-channel wireless kit in its charging case and a compact shotgun both fit comfortably inside a case about 32 cm long and 8 cm deep. A recorder with its capsule and XLR cables needs more depth and floor space.

Which case for which audio kit

Inner dimensions are width x length x depth in millimetres. Use the Hard Case Size Finder to check your exact items.

See every size in the waterproof hard cases collection.

The Vantage 195L: built for slim audio kits

The 195L is the shallowest case in the Vantage range. Its inner space is 316 x 195 x 81 mm, split into a 65 mm base and a 16 mm lid, and the empty case weighs 0.58 kg, the lightest in the range. That shape suits a wireless kit, a row of lavaliers and a compact shotgun laid end to end.

Two things to know before you choose it:

• Ratings. The 195L is IP67 rated: dust-tight and protected against immersion to 1 metre for 30 minutes. It does not carry the transport and military ratings that most larger Vantage cases have.
• Temperature. It is rated from minus 10 °C to 80 °C, a narrower range than the minus 30 °C to 90 °C of the other models. For audio kit going to very cold high-altitude shoots, the Vantage 225 is the safer choice.

If your recorder has a mic capsule attached, check its height against the 81 mm depth with foam allowed underneath. Larger recorders usually belong in the 225.

How to lay out the foam

1. Charging case first. It is usually the bulkiest item. Cut its pocket in the middle of the base so the weight is centred.
2. Shotgun along the longest side. Lay it flat with the grille end away from the latches. Keep the foam windscreen or furry windshield in its own pocket, not on the mic, so it does not get squashed.
3. Lavaliers in a row. Cut a narrow channel for each lav and its cable, with the clip and foam cover in a small pocket beside it. Coil lav cables loosely; tight coils kink over time.
4. Cables with the connectors protected. Coil XLR and TRS cables and seat the plugs into a pocket so no connector sits at the edge of the foam.
5. A slot for spares. Spare AA batteries, a windscreen, a few clips and a small cloth. The case keeps them from disappearing into a bag.

If you run more than one wireless kit, cut the pockets so each transmitter sits next to its own receiver, and mark each pair with a coloured sticker. On a two-camera interview it stops channel mix-ups before you press record.

Every Vantage case ships with solid foam sheets, a snap-off foam cutter and convoluted foam fitted in the lid. Need a precise fit without cutting it yourself? We also make custom laser-cut premium foam inserts on request; ask through the Hard Case Size Finder. For the step by step method, see our guide on custom hard case foam.

Batteries and flying

Most wireless mic kits and many recorders run on built-in or removable lithium batteries. When you fly, keep the audio case in your cabin bag. IATA guidance says spare lithium batteries and power banks must never go in checked baggage. A slim 5 litre case slips into a backpack or cabin roller easily.

Dust, rain and humidity

Outdoor weddings, rallies, construction sites and beach shoots all put fine dust in the air, and the monsoon adds humidity for months. A sealed case helps in transit: close it between takes rather than leaving the kit open on a table. Vantage cases also have an automatic pressure equalization valve, so a slim case does not vacuum-lock shut after a flight or an overnight temperature drop.

Do not use a sealed case as long term storage for damp kit. If lavs or windscreens get wet, dry them in open air before packing. Our guide to monsoon camera storage explains why.

Frequently asked questions

What size case fits a wireless microphone kit?
A two-channel kit in its charging case, plus lavaliers and short cables, fits a slim case such as the Vantage 195L (inner 316 x 195 x 81 mm). Measure your own charging case and add foam on every side.

Can a shotgun mic go in the same case as a wireless kit?
Yes, if the case is long enough. A compact shotgun such as the RODE NTG5, at 203 mm long, fits along the length of the 195L. Longer shotguns need a bigger case.

Is the Vantage 195L waterproof?
Yes. It is IP67 rated. It does not carry ATA 300, STANAG 4280, DEF-STAN 81-41 or MIL-STD-810 ratings, and it is rated from minus 10 °C to 80 °C.

Should headphones go in the audio case?
Closed-back headphones take up a lot of depth. In a slim case like the 195L they rarely fit; carry them in a soft pouch, or step up to a deeper case such as the Vantage 270S.

What warranty do the cases have?
Every Case Kavach Vantage case carries a 5 year warranty. For more on choosing a case, see our hard case buying guide.