My audio is F$%KED - I have no idea why

[TooWheels]

I have been mucking around with microphone setups for a while, and just can't seem to get any decent audio.

I can't even explain what it sounds like, as soon as I go over 20km/h or so the audio just starts crackling badly.

I have tried three different microphone products, a Sena, purple panda, and some NEEWER CM28 microphones.

Have taped the lav mics near my mouth on a solid piece of my helmet (near the air vent with it closed) and put on a dead cat, no dead cat, put the lav's at the back of my helmet (no difference), put the lavs inside my cheek pad covers (same with the CM28) and have always gotten the same result.

I am using a Dji Action 3 camera, I tried the CM28 microphones straight to my phone using the google recorder app and basically the same result.

I am at an absolute loss!

Any more experienced users out there have some ideas?

 

[throttleup]

I started with a mobile phone - same result. I went to a dedicated Tascam audio recorder with a real input gain control - problem solved. A Zoom would probably have been just as good. I also have the DJI twin radio mic thingy, and that also works fine.

I use a Purple Panda with the dead cat on, positioned near the corner of my mouth.

I do not know much about the DJI camera - but if it has a gain control, turn it right down (maybe -12db or so). If you want to record to the camera, I hear some DJIs connect with the radio mics, but that might only be the v4.

Also, limit the scope for cable connections to move about - the crackling might be caused by slight looseness in 3.5mm jacks.

However, I suspect the problem is the input gain is too high.

 

[Hippo-Drones]

From what I remember from DJI users, it has much too much gain, you need to find a way to reduce the gain, or use a less sensitive microphone.

 

[TooWheels]

A Zoom would probably have been just as good

I have the Zoom H1n, I will try putting a mic on that and see what happens!

From what I remember from DJI users, it has much too much gain, you need to find a way to reduce the gain, or use a less sensitive microphone.

The gain is set to -12db on the camera, so frustrating! Hopefully the zoom will make it ok, still bit inconvenient to have the zoom on me and the wire running down.

Anybody recommend a good Android recording app with gain controls? Might be better off using a wireless mic to that?

 

[Hippo-Drones]

A lot of folk use a Zoom, an extra step... but does allow you to totally tune the audio to what you want

 

[throttleup]

I have the Zoom H1n, I will try putting a mic on that and see what happens!

The gain is set to -12db on the camera, so frustrating! Hopefully the zoom will make it ok, still bit inconvenient to have the zoom on me and the wire running down.

Can you set it any lower?

I believe there is such a thing as an attenuator cable, but that might make it too quiet.

I also have to deal with the long cable into a pocket., especially when I'm not recording anything.

Anybody recommend a good Android recording app with gain controls?

I don't think it's an issue with software, but rather that mobile phones do not have gain control hardware on the mic input. (I could be wrong on this). The apps I tried have what looks like a gain control, but all it really does is quieten the audio it saves to the SD card, so you just get quieter clicks.

Might be better off using a wireless mic to that?

Interesting theory. The radio mic receiver should have an input gain control. (The DJI one does. Although the touch screen is a little small and fiddly, you only really need to set it once).

 

[throttleup]

A lot of folk use a Zoom, an extra step...

Yup - especially syncing the audio and video on your editing PC.

but does allow you to totally tune the audio to what you want

Agreed. How I suffer for my art. :-(

 

[CalmBiker]

It does sound like it's just blowing out from too much sound. I had similar with a Sony and switched to the PP for lower gain. Where is it mounted? Lots of wind?

 

[L. Bilious]

Does the camera have a microphone level in the settings?

 

[R-Rated]

Looks like a lot of great advice. Here is my take on it, take a foam wind sock that has enough room to stuff pieces of cotton ball into it. You want the mic to have a nice buffer to take down the plosives that are overpowering it. This should drop the input and the clipping. You will need to adjust the audio in post to make not so muffled.

As far as a voice recorder for Android I have Virtual Recorder app for when I need to record just audio conversations in some situations.

 

[scooterwuf]

I second R-Rated’s advice. It’s better to have sound that is low, or with peaks and valleys of high and low moments in the audio (voice), than to be too loud with clipping, or burst of wind noise. Those can be fix (kind of), but probably more work than it’s worth.

Depending on your editing software you may have some audio effects you can add such as normalization and compression to both average the audios peaks and valleys and then raise the overall sound levels.

The worse case scenario, but a workable solution, is to put your helmet on with your mic, find a quiet place inside and re-record your voice commentary to be edited in (record some riding tracks without your voice to serve as a background base).

- Wolf

 

[TALOS RIDER]

I am far from an experienced user but I use an action 3 with a purple panda and the audio is on point. The audio gain on the camera is set to 0 or -3 if you don't care too much about exhaust notes. I have a dead cat on the mic, and position it just in front of the cheek pad. The big trick to get rid of wind noise is to add a cable with volume adjustment and set it at 50%.