Hi.

Here's the blurb from my YouTube description for this video. I think this will be very interesting for Pocket owners and maybe something that may interest DJI.

DJI Osmo Pocket VS GoPro Hero 7 Black external stereo microphone comparison binaural & wide stereo

In this video I'm comparing the DJI Osmo Pocket with the GoPro Hero 7 Black, specifically to hear their results with external stereo microphones.

The first microphone is a self built prototype binaural microphone and the second microphone is a stereo microphone bar with two Primo EM172 omnidirectional ECM capsules at either end. The stereo bar microphone gives a very wide stereo response and I'd usually use such a microphone for nature, atmosphere and wild track recording.

It is very obvious by the results that the Osmo Pocket does not record stereo. It does record something that sounds a bit like stereo but it isn't stereo. It sounds like the Osmo Pocket is using the same processing that it would do with its internal microphones, which is designed for cancellation of certain frequencies. This processing results with what sounds like the difference of phase cancellation appearing on the side of the stereo field.

The GoPro Hero Black 7 on the other hand, sounds a lot better and is true stereo. You can clearly hear a proper stereo response from the Hero 7 Black and the stereo width and separation associated with both the microphones.

Although both the Osmo Pocket and the Hero 7 Black employ dynamics processing. The GoPro is much more subtle with it and the Pocket is very heavy handed with it. Over enthusiastic use of dynamics processing, such as that of the Osmo Pocket, results in a very limited dynamic range and many negative effects of the source's frequencies being reproduced. Yes, the GoPro can also be quite heavy with this but for the best part the Hero 7 Black is fairly transparent.

In the test with the binaural head thing, you can clearly hear noise in the GoPro 7 recording. This is actually a plus point to the GoPro as the noise in question is part of the microphone's characteristics and all the GoPro is doing is to reproduce a reasonably accurate representation of the source. The Osmo Pocket however is completely destroying the frequency and dynamic range of the source audio, which is quite evident in the total change of tone, which is very dull, and the reduction of the original noise due the over the top use of the Osmo Pocket's dynamic processing.

When we get to the second microphone we are way beyond chalk and cheese. The GoPro really did shine with this mic and the Pocket just made it sound like a different mic. The ASMR type stuff sounded nice and wide with the GoPro and the Pocket was once again adding elements to each channel that shouldn't be there.

Bottom line. The GoPro is the clear winner and has the best audio recording capabilities of any similar small camera and action camera. The Osmo Pocket is physically capable of two channel recording and with a software update DJI may give the Pocket the ability to record stereo.


Cheers,
Dave.

Good video Dave.  I sure hope that DJI can bring the Osmo Pocket's audio up to the GP7 level soon.  Bob

Love this !!!

Good work

After reading reviews from Dave, plus evaluate my requirement for a mic, I found this, https://www.saramonicusa.com/col ... ones/products/sr-m3, looks like it is quite good and pricing is reasonable :-)

Hello and good day Dave. Thank you for sharing this test video you have created. Great work and thank you for your valued support.

Thanks Dave, you have done a great work!!
But now the audio specialists from DJI have to react.

One more question: What is the difference between GoPro and YI4K Plus? Or is it the same?

Udo13 Posted at 4-4 14:10
Thanks Dave, you have done a great work!!
But now the audio specialists from DJI have to react.

Hi Udo. Thanks for the comment. Yes, DJI have to fix a number of problems, there are now a number of videos that show various problems that need fixing. The GoPro 7 is the best of all the action cameras for external audio. I love the picture on the 4K+ but it has terrible audio. If you check out my playlists there's one for action cameras with a lot of videos about Yi action cameras. Vielen Dank, Dave.

BobWinNV Posted at 4-3 16:19
Good video Dave.  I sure hope that DJI can bring the Osmo Pocket's audio up to the GP7 level soon.  Bob

Hi Bob.

Let's hope they can.

Cheers,
dave.

Oh-no Posted at 4-3 22:33
Love this !!!

Hi.

Me too

Cheers,
Dave.

A J Posted at 4-4 03:03
Good work

Hi AJ.

Thanks.

Cheers,
Dave.

Oh-no Posted at 4-4 05:04
After reading reviews from Dave, plus evaluate my requirement for a mic, I found this, https://www.saramonicusa.com/collections/camera-microphones/products/sr-m3 , looks like it is quite good and pricing is reasonable :-)

Hi.

I've used quite a few Saramonic devices but not that mic, it looks good though.

Cheers,
Dave.

DJI Stephen Posted at 4-4 07:53
Hello and good day Dave. Thank you for sharing this test video you have created. Great work and thank you for your valued support.

Hi Stephen.

You are very welcome.

Cheers,
Dave.

David_Harry Posted at 4-4 15:14
Hi AJ.

Thanks.

You're welcome

David_Harry Posted at 4-4 15:15
Hi.

I've used quite a few Saramonic devices but not that mic, it looks good though.

Dave, I have another question, needs an advice from you, what is the characteristic change if I turn the cardioid patterned microphone 90 degrees at its axis?

Oh-no Posted at 4-5 06:59
Dave, I have another question, needs an advice from you, what is the characteristic change if I turn the cardioid patterned microphone 90 degrees at its axis?

Hi.

Your voice should go quiter and usually change tone and then drop off even more in level and tone if you go to 180 degrees.

Would you like an example?

Cheers,
Dave.

David_Harry Posted at 4-5 07:09
Hi.

Your voice should go quiter and usually change tone and then drop off even more in level and tone if you go to 180 degrees.

It would be nice if you can make an example .... thanking you in advance :-)

What I mean is, the microphone still points to the front, but mounting not at the top but on the left, which makes the microphone turns 90 degrees. That said, for example, if I mount the microphone on a normal camera hot shoe, but shoot a video at protrait mode, will the sound charateristic change?

Oh-no Posted at 4-5 07:21
It would be nice if you can make an example .... thanking you in advance :-)

What I mean is, the microphone still points to the front, but mounting not at the top but on the left, which makes the microphone turns 90 degrees. That said, for example, if I mount the microphone on a normal camera hot shoe, but shoot a video at protrait mode, will the sound charateristic change?

Hi.

As long as the front of the mic/capsule is pointing at the sound source then that's its optimum position. If the mic turns away in any direction, up, down, sideways, it will start dropping its response getting to its least sensitive when pointing in completely opposite direction to the sound sources. If you are indoors or by large buildings or walls outdoors, a cardioid will still pick up reflections/echoes of your voice.

Cheers,
Dave.

David_Harry Posted at 4-5 07:54
Hi.

As long as the front of the mic/capsule is pointing at the sound source then that's its optimum position. If the mic turns away in any direction, up, down, sideways, it will start dropping its response getting to its least sensitive when pointing in completely opposite direction to the sound sources. If you are indoors or by large buildings or walls outdoors, a cardioid will still pick up reflections/echoes of your voice.

Yeah, I understand what you mean.

A cardioid mic pattern is like a rod poking to a ballon, thats why I guess if it still points to the sound source but rotate in axis it wouldn't change its recording sound, and I think the lavalier mic is the same behavior because we never know how many degrees it turned when we clip it to our chest. Am I understood it correctly?

David_Harry Posted at 4-4 15:15
Hi Stephen.

You are very welcome.

It is always my pleasure David_Harry. Have a safe and happy filming always.

Dave, thanks for your video, I was fortunate enough to come across your Youtube channel through this thread while searching for a stereo mic for the Osmo Pocket. Do you have any particular recommendations for a stereo mic to use with the OP (mainly for binaural-like environmental sound rather than voice but without the dummy head/ears), assuming DJI eventually fixes the stereo issue? Or perhaps I should get a Zoom H2n, which I could use as an audio recorder before the fix or external mic after the fix?

Emmy808 Posted at 4-9 05:31
Dave, thanks for your video, I was fortunate enough to come across your Youtube channel through this thread while searching for a stereo mic for the Osmo Pocket. Do you have any particular recommendations for a stereo mic to use with the OP (mainly for binaural-like environmental sound rather than voice but without the dummy head/ears), assuming DJI eventually fixes the stereo issue? Or perhaps I should get a Zoom H2n, which I could use as an audio recorder before the fix or external mic after the fix?

Hi.

I will be doing a how to guide on building a binaural type microphone that's also camera mountable. There's a bunch of videos below that you may find interesting, these are basically preliminary tests that I've done with various configurations using the Primo EM172 capsule.

The owner of MicBooster.com sent me some capsules and a bunch of mics to test. The first video is using the same stereo lav mic that I'm using in this video but setup differently and being recorded with a better audio recording system, in the video I'm showing the prototype of the binaural mic. It's basically two plastic hand held mics cut down and modified in various ways.

There's also some outdoor test stuff with the stereo Clippy on a stereo bar attached to my camera. Listen on good headphones, this is to all intent and purpose binaural without the mass. There's other videos in the playlist using the same capsules.

Cheers,
Dave.







https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5hHgtDvjrtbtPgHcXIMbafctAoOrbVKo

Dave, thanks for the response! I will check those out.

David_Harry Posted at 4-9 10:09
Hi.

I will be doing a how to guide on building a binaural type microphone that's also camera mountable. There's a bunch of videos below that you may find interesting, these are basically preliminary tests that I've done with various configurations using the Primo EM172 capsule.

Thanks Dave, nice video and nice audio results, if I am not understanding it wrong, the first video (red and blue foam) is kind of two mono mics at each side. Can you please kindly confirm the connection wiring to the OP audio adapter?  is that a splitter with one male TRS (to OP audio adapter) to two female TS (accepts mics) which connects individually to the left and right mic?

David_Harry Posted at 4-9 10:09
Hi.

I will be doing a how to guide on building a binaural type microphone that's also camera mountable. There's a bunch of videos below that you may find interesting, these are basically preliminary tests that I've done with various configurations using the Primo EM172 capsule.

Sounds good Dave.  What were you using for recording?  I listened to all four videos with my Ham Radio Cans (Sony MDR V900) and I separation was very good as you moved around.
Now I know what I can do with some of the extra EM-172s that I have.
Bob

Oh-no Posted at 4-9 20:50
Thanks Dave, nice video and nice audio results, if I am not understanding it wrong, the first video (red and blue foam) is kind of two mono mics at each side. Can you please kindly confirm the connection wiring to the OP audio adapter?  is that a splitter with one male TRS (to OP audio adapter) to two female TS (accepts mics) which connects individually to the left and right mic?

Hi.

Yes that's exactly right You can also use 'Y' cable with either female or male sockets/jacks for each input, this would allow for direct connection to left and right, it's what I use in the video below.

Cheers,
Dave.

David_Harry Posted at 4-10 01:08
Hi.

Yes that's exactly right  You can also use 'Y' cable with either female or male sockets/jacks for each input, this would allow for direct connection to left and right, it's what I use in the video below.

Thank you very much indeed Dave
I just found a Y-cable in my parts bin .....

Oh-no Posted at 4-10 01:28
Thank you very much indeed Dave
I just found a Y-cable in my parts bin .....

Hi.

Make sure it is a Y cable, as in one is left and one is right. There's a similar cable that just duplicates the TRS/stereo/3 pole from one socket to two sockets, usually for attaching two sets of headphones to something.

I'm gonna upload a mic video soon that you may find interesting.

Cheers,
dave.

BobWinNV Posted at 4-9 21:04
Sounds good Dave.  What were you using for recording?  I listened to all four videos with my Ham Radio Cans (Sony MDR V900) and I separation was very good as you moved around.
Now I know what I can do with some of the extra EM-172s that I have.
Bob

[size=13.3333px]Hi Bob.

[size=13.3333px]For all my 'serious' recording I use a Sony FDR-AX100 https://geni.us/SonyAX100 This is an amazing camera and is massively underrated.

[size=13.3333px]

[size=13.3333px]Aside from being 4K/UHD and fully manual & automatic, with upto 100Mb/s 4K/UHD @ 25 & 29.97 FPS Its mic input, which is on 3.5mm, has a very quiet preamp, a good gain range, very good A/D conversion and also records uncompressed audio at 48Khz, can't remember if it's 16 or 24 Bit but you'd never hear the difference anyway.

[size=13.3333px]The quality of the audio is easily as good or better than any of the usual audio recorders that people usually use. The only thing that would better it, and that's only really for facilities, would be a proper very high end dedicated field recorder.

[size=13.3333px]For XLR mics I just use a XLR to 3.5mm for self powered mics and for phantom powered mics I just add a Saramonic SmartRig.

[size=13.3333px]Here's a few examples below.

[size=13.3333px]Cheers,

[size=13.3333px]Dave.

[size=13.3333px]This is an example of the AX100 picture quality. This was shot 4K/UHD and edited in 1080 so I could do post pans and zooms.

[size=13.3333px]

[size=13.3333px]This is an example of the AX100 picture again which is also using the Saramonic smartRig to power and preamp the mic.

[size=13.3333px]

[size=13.3333px]Here's the AX100 outside, the Saramonic amplifying etc. The B-Cam is a Yi 4K+

[size=13.3333px]

[size=13.3333px]Here's an example of my Sennheiser ME64 directly connected to the AX100.

[size=13.3333px]

[size=13.3333px]And another example of audio quality with a direct connection of the Sennheiser.

[size=13.3333px]

David_Harry Posted at 4-10 02:06
Hi.

Make sure it is a Y cable, as in one is left and one is right. There's a similar cable that just duplicates the TRS/stereo/3 pole from one socket to two sockets, usually for attaching two sets of headphones to something.

Thank you for the reminder, the Y cable each has 2 wires, one hot one ground.

David_Harry Posted at 4-10 02:06
Hi.

Make sure it is a Y cable, as in one is left and one is right. There's a similar cable that just duplicates the TRS/stereo/3 pole from one socket to two sockets, usually for attaching two sets of headphones to something.

Done, I wish you approves it ....

Dear Dave, many thanks again to you, you enlightened me in OP audio set up. The binaural type microphone WORKS !!!!

I did modify it a bit, the yellow foam is a bit too stiff, so I can hear a bit crosstalk on both sides, now changed to some softer foam, it works like a charm .... next step is to build an arm for this binaural type microphone set

My humble set up ..... will buy small dead cat later .....

Nice DIY, congratulations! But would you REALLY use such a monster - this is contraproductive for small OP

Dear Dave, I did simple comparisons, first using the Olympus stereo digital recorder (mics 3.8cm apart), and monitor the sound with in ear earphone, second is connect the binaural mic (mics 21.5cm apart) set up, both got very good results, of course the binaural mic set up offers better separation.

Third and fourth is to repeat the first and second but digital recorder output connect to DJI audio adapter, binaural mic set up is better than the Digital recorder alone. The result is EXACTLY as you said, DJI audio adapter dulls the recording.

Well, at least the binaural mics set up is much better than a narrower stereo mic, I can live with it, and it is good for recording some live percussion. I decided to keep the mics distance 21.5cm, which is average ears distance.

Oh-no Posted at 4-10 21:41
Dear Dave, I did simple comparisons, first using the Olympus stereo digital recorder (mics 3.8cm apart), and monitor the sound with in ear earphone, second is connect the binaural mic (mics 21.5cm apart) set up, both got very good results, of course the binaural mic set up offers better separation.

Third and fourth is to repeat the first and second but digital recorder output connect to DJI audio adapter, binaural mic set up is better than the Digital recorder alone. The result is EXACTLY as you said, DJI audio adapter dulls the recording.

Hi.

The setup looks great. I'm glad that you are getting some good results with your new microphones.

Have you tried the setup for just recording regular outdoor sounds? Maybe try this out and post an example.

Cheers,
Dave.

David_Harry Posted at 4-10 22:37
Hi.

The setup looks great. I'm glad that you are getting some good results with your new microphones.

Not yet, but will do it. Need to get some foam to make windshield first.....