Separate channel sounds.

Do it all handle and Wireless transmitter has 3.5mm mic jack.

And in pro mode, you can select stereo or mono mic recording that also works with external mic.

Hello there Holga. Thank you for reaching out and for the inquiry. As posted by Tide on post #2 You may try using the DJI Pocket 2 Do-It-All Handle. The DJI Pocket 2 Do-It-All Handle has a built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth module, wireless mic receiver, and 1/4" threaded hole. Connect it to the DJI Mimo application via Wi-Fi and you can control DJI Pocket 2 from your smartphone. It can record sound wirelessly with the DJI Wireless Microphone Transmitter, or connect to external earphones/headphones via the 3.5mm audio adapter. In addition the new DJI Matrix Stereo feature supports stereo recording, SoundTrack, wind noise reduction, and more to create immersive audio, as if you were transported back to the moment. Thank you.

https://store.dji.com/product/pocket-2-do-it-all-handle

Tide Posted at 10-21 20:27
Do it all handle and Wireless transmitter has 3.5mm mic jack.

And in pro mode, you can select stereo or mono mic recording that also works with external mic.

So the short answer appears to be no.

I think the jury is still out on this, and probably will be until someone with a stereo mic (could be binaural of course) tries it and proves it one way or the other.  

I believe that the audio socket on the handle is TRRS.  And that it's an input and output.  Given that one pin of that connector is common earth, that leaves three pins, allowing for either mono in and stereo out (normal on equivalent phone connectors) or in theory, stereo in and mono out.  Or, I guess it could be set up so that the socket is an input when recording and an output when playing back, in both cases stereo, but that would risk playing back into a connected mic with adverse consequences.  So all things considered, I'd say it's just like a phone or laptop socket - so no stereo input.

fansfe82067d Posted at 10-23 16:59
I believe that the audio socket on the handle is TRRS.  And that it's an input and output.  Given that one pin of that connector is common earth, that leaves three pins, allowing for either mono in and stereo out (normal on equivalent phone connectors) or in theory, stereo in and mono out.  Or, I guess it could be set up so that the socket is an input when recording and an output when playing back, in both cases stereo, but that would risk playing back into a connected mic with adverse consequences.  So all things considered, I'd say it's just like a phone or laptop socket - so no stereo input.

I have to agree since you pointed that out in another thread and that on some YouTube channels other people have tried to pair other wireless modules to the Pocket 2 with no success and the Pocket 2 wireless transmitter seems to be mono only.
If there is hope I do notice that the Osmo Pocket (1) external audio jack is compatible with the Pocket 2 and that did seem to receive two independent channels from the Osmo Pocket. The fact the Osmo Pocket had already internally combined the inputs put a bit of a mocha on that one but it may work on the Pocket 2.
Again though this is conjecture.
What makes me suspicious in a negative way is when moderators give the advertising blurb as an answer rather than a definitive one.
Personally I have never seen that as a good sign.

On the plus side, this time around there has been no list of compatable phones.

[EDIT]
I take my last statement back. There seems to be a new list here.

Ray.

Ray-CubeAce Posted at 10-23 19:05
I have to agree since you pointed that out in another thread and that on some YouTube channels other people have tried to pair other wireless modules to the Pocket 2 with no success and the Pocket 2 wireless transmitter seems to be mono only.
If there is hope I do notice that the Osmo Pocket (1) external audio jack is compatible with the Pocket 2 and that did seem to receive two independent channels from the Osmo Pocket. The fact the Osmo Pocket had already internally combined the inputs put a bit of a mocha on that one but it may work on the Pocket 2.
Again though this is conjecture.

So not stereo but maybe stereo from 3.5mm mic adaptor from the original pocket? Confused.

Holga Posted at 10-25 18:09
So not stereo but maybe stereo from 3.5mm mic adaptor from the original pocket? Confused.

The compatibility list has the Osmo Pocket audio adapter listed as as working with the Pocket 2. I know that produces a two channel output but I think it gets mono from the Osmo Pocket. Could be different when plugged into the Pocket two but don't know.
More curiously I can't find anywhere where it says the TRRS socket on the Pocket 2 do it all handle  supports any type of headphone or earphone. It only states microphones. As you can get at least mono mics with TRRS plugs it could be that. Again a lot of missing information on certain aspects of the audio other than for the built in mics.
Then again, the wireless mic has the same 3.5MM TRRS socket as the Do it all handle and the wireless mic is definitely mono.
So I suspect the external mic support will be mono yet again but hoping it's not.

It's very confusing alll round. The DJI site states the handle can use headphones whereas the manual for it only states microphones.

Can I connect Hooke Verse headphones to it then? With the Do-It-All handle via bluetooth?

We now know that stereo (and therefore binaural) mics will work with the Pocket 2 'do it all handle'.  The Hooke Verse would therefore work with the Pocket 2 if used in its wired mode.  It wouldn't work with bluetooth though.  (I have one and actually haven't tried it yet - but in the course of the next week I have plans to put up a YouTube video showing various surround sound options for the Pocket 2, comparing them to the excellent sound from the internal mics, which to me sound close to binaural anyway).

Still wondering if Pocket 2 is worth over my Samsung S10e....

The sound quality is far too poor for this type of recording.
For this you need a 24-bit or better 32-bit recorder with a high-end amplifier. It is even better to connect amplified parallel.
With binaural recordings it depends on the finest nuances (running time and frequency shift of our earlobes). Only over it you can create excellent real 3D sound.

The recording quality of the Pocket 2 is much too poor for this. All smartphones are also too poor for this.

Stefan Zimmermann Posted at 2-15 04:05
The sound quality is far too poor for this type of recording.
For this you need a 24-bit or better 32-bit recorder with a high-end amplifier. It is even better to connect amplified parallel.
With binaural recordings it depends on the finest nuances (running time and frequency shift of our earlobes). Only over it you can create excellent real 3D sound.

I think you are confusing bit depth with sampling rate. 96db should be sufficient for binaural recordings. listening to anything for prolonged periods above 85db would be harmful to human hearing. Sampling rate would be the one to be concerned with in this instance but again 48KHz should be sufficient or are you not acquainted with Nyquist theorem?  Using too high a sample rate can also cause problems with aliasing at higher frequencies that binaural recordings rely on. I don't know the DAC being used in the Pocket 2 but the Osmo Pocket had a Texas Instruments Burrs Brown unit and although seemingly configured to produce two parallel mono audio channels is a reasonable quality DAC and produced quite a nice flat frequency response coupled with a good microphone.
Personally I would give it a go first with the Pocket 2 before deciding on the need for an additional recording device and all the additional work that would require both with recording and post production.
Remember original binaural recordings were done successfully before digital audio with much lower signal to noise ratios and a reasonable working frequency response all be it weighted of 20Hz to 20KHz. Most microphone profiles roll off much before they reach such frequencies.

Ray.

Ray-CubeAce Posted at 2-15 05:37
I think you are confusing bit depth with sampling rate. 96db should be sufficient for binaural recordings. listening to anything for prolonged periods above 85db would be harmful to human hearing. Sampling rate would be the one to be concerned with in this instance but again 48KHz should be sufficient or are you not acquainted with Nyquist theorem?  Using too high a sample rate can also cause problems with aliasing at higher frequencies that binaural recordings rely on. I don't know the DAC being used in the Pocket 2 but the Osmo Pocket had a Texas Instruments Burrs Brown unit and although seemingly configured to produce two parallel mono audio channels is a reasonable quality DAC and produced quite a nice flat frequency response coupled with a good microphone.
Personally I would give it a go first with the Pocket 2 before deciding on the need for an additional recording device and all the additional work that would require both with recording and post production.
Remember original binaural recordings were done successfully before digital audio with much lower signal to noise ratios and a reasonable working frequency response all be it weighted of 20Hz to 20KHz. Most microphone profiles roll off much before they reach such frequencies.

I think you don't have your own experience with this topic, otherwise you wouldn't write like this.

Yes, you can hear the difference clearly. Not just a little, but there are worlds between such recordings. But you can't put it down to 24/32 bit or 192 kbit alone. There are many more values involved.
For example, if you record at 32 bits, you don't have to adjust the gain. From the quietest to the loudest sound everything is recorded in best quality. Quiet sounds can be digitally amplified afterwards without problems and loss of quality. Is subsequently still resolved many times better than conventional 16-bit recordings. The quieter the 16 bit recordings become, however, the more the quality goes down the drain. 16 bit recordings are just about usable, if the volume is well controlled.  Therefore you always have to control it quite well, or let it be controlled by automatic (with all disadvantages). At 32 bit you only record, no gain is necessary anymore and even in very quiet passages you only have excellent quality. Recording ants walking or a thunderstorm, all no problem with 32 bit.

The amplifiers alone are many times better and cost a lot more than would ever be possible in the Pocket 2. For voice recordings and some noise it is quite nice.

But buy a Tascam DR-100MKIII, connect 48 volt microphones to it and compare the recordings with the Pocket 2.
If you don't hear any gigantic differences to the Pocket 2, I'll pay you for the Tascam right away as compensation.

Binaural recordings are made with high quality, because otherwise the 3D effect suffers greatly, or it is better to leave it alone. As I said, without the frequency shifts when they hit our earlobes, 3D sound would not be possible. For this, the microphones must hover over our ear hole and record as accurately as possible.
The better and more accurate this is, the better the 3D resolution.
I myself use microphones from the military field for locating and tracking torpedoes. In contrast, commercial microphones are more like toys.
Blind people can even hear whether the window on a house wall is tilted or closed. No, that is not possible with a Pocket 2. The quality and the amplifiers in it are much too bad here.

I speak here, as I said, from my own experience and have tested many recorders and microphones. Binaural recordings do not work well with mediocre equipment, unfortunately. It's a waste of money.

Oh good grief.  Go to YouTube and listen to all the highly impressive binaural recordings there, which even work well after being mangled by the YouTube processing.

People's ability to locate sounds in a stereo or binaural recording can vary considerably.  Perhaps you have a problem in this respect.  I worked for many years as a classical music recording engineer.   One producer I worked with was fantastic at his job in all respects except one - he couldn't tell the difference between mono and stereo.

I made my first binaural recording about 40 years ago, using a cassette recorder and a dummy head I built myself.  I recorded the sounds of taking my toddlers for a walk in a London park.  To this day, I can put on headphones, replay that recording,  and I'm right there, with the sound all around me.  No high level equipment required.

"All smartphones are also too poor for this."  Hmmm.  Should I accept your word on this, or should I accept the word of the highly respected audio engineers at Apogee and Sennheiser who make equipment purely for the purpose of recording binaural audio on smartphones?

"I speak here, as I said, from my own experience and have tested many recorders and microphones."  Exactly.  Your experience differs from that of tens of thousands of others.  I can't deny your personal experience, but you can't deny theirs.

Read this obituary of the binaural recording pioneer Mike Skeet.  I used to work with him.  He often used MiniDisc recorders for his highly regarded binaural recordings (after I introduced him to the merits of those little devices which could produce good sounding recordings despite their specifications).  https://tapesponding.wordpress.c ... ke-skeet-1932-2015/

I wouldn't regard the Pocket 2 as the best device to use to make binaural recordings but there's absolutely no reason why it should not be used for that purpose.  Hopefully I can find time to post one here in the next day or so to prove the point.

Just a quick update to say that I've just tested binaural recording on the Pocket 2 with Roland in-ear mics and the results (in a 30 second test listening to a tumble drier!) were just fine.  I'll put something more interesting on YouTube later.

Link to mics used - https://www.roland.com/us/products/cs-10em/

Here you go.   DJI Pocket 2 working just fine with Roland in-ear binaural mics directly connected.  And, it seems to me, producing perfectly good binaural images.

I watched the YouTube video and it was mediocre to poor in sound quality.
The example is very discolored in sound
and so many nuances are lost. You can tell right away here, it doesn't sound like real nature, something is wrong here.
To write about it in detail is tedious.... apparently the comparison to real 3D recordings is simply missing. If you don't know it better, you may like it. With this everything is fine!
Best never listen to other quality :-)
And please don't play it to blind people, they can't do anything with this discolored and reduced sound.
I don't want to upset anyone, but these sound recordings are unfortunately bad
It corresponds exactly to this price range.

The comparison is not with other binaural recordings, but with the original sound, which I heard, and these samples are remarkably faithful to what I heard with my own ears at the time.  Colouration of the sound should not be caused by the Pocket 2 mic input as it has been measured to have a flat frequency response across the key parts of the audible spectrum.  The original question was, "can it record binaural audio from external mics" and I have demonstrated that the answer is "yes".  Nobody asked "is it the best possible device for this task".

I tested with Roland CS-10EM and it works... but the quality is not 100%. Every way I test it, indoors, outdoors, I end up with a regular hissing, statics noise and some sort of humming.
Tried to get rid of it in post, as well as play with input levels in mimo. It looks like issue appears  when connecting a mic...pocket 2 internal mic sounds does not reproduce the issue.

Do you hear the same problem on the samples I posted?

fansfe82067d Posted at 2-20 18:15
Do you hear the same problem on the samples I posted?

Yes, exactly that sound. Best to test recording silence, then it is more obvious.

fansfe82067d Posted at 2-20 18:15
Do you hear the same problem on the samples I posted?

Yes the hisss is there in that video sample however in the clip it disappears from 1:25 to 2:45 magically.
Roland does mention that this mike can cause interference to recording equipment so we need to what causes this & why it stops. Maybe you can do a test in silence with few gadgets turned on or off & see if that made the difference during 1:25 to 2:45

Any updates on the buzzing sound pls? Is it a problem of this mic or the cam? Thank you

I'll try to do some experiments but it may have to wait a day or two - watch this space...

fansfe82067d Posted at 5-1 20:31
I'll try to do some experiments but it may have to wait a day or two - watch this space...

Thank you

Yes. Binaural is easily possible as well as ordinary stereo on the 3.5 mm jack on the handle (when playing back, the jack works as headphone out, so remember to disconnect expensive microphones :-)

Tested with "Soundman II Klassik" in standard configuration (microphones mounted in my own ears). Separation is "near perfect" (obviously - no ordinary sounds transmitted through my cranium in ordinary cases ;-) Easy to test, by scratching the left microphone followed by scratching the right microphone. Opposite channel unaffected. Separation good.


My personal problem with binaural recordings is, that I also record myself breathing (and therefore high sound levels are required, if recording time supersedes my ability to hold my own breath).

Takstar SGC-698 stereo microphone delivers a clean, well separated signal, with good back, acceptable side sound suppression for a well balanced stereo signal. Mount delivers reasonable touch suppression (if cable is fixed solidly).

Audio format always: 192 kb/s, 48kHz, 2 channels, AAC LC (up to 100 Mbit, 25 fps, UHD recording).

Residual noise in untreated recording and auto level in Pocket 2 (RMS, measured in speach pause region with Audacity - noise floor also affected by the environment in my home):

DJI Bluetooth microphone: -68.2 dB (limit: environment)
(Mono recorded as stereo signal - no channel deviation)

Takstar SGC-698 active  condenser, stereo (limit: environment)
0dB: -57.3 dB/-57.8dB (L/R)
-10dB out: -67.8 dB/-69.8 dB (L/R)
(Microphone internal noise floor in the region of -71,4 dB / -67.8 dB L/R RMS)

Quick and dirty measurements based on video recordings and/or sound extracted from these.

Soundman II Klassik not measured (noise floor is probably blood flow to the ears, if not me breathing ;-)

Various Zoom, Shure and Beyer Dynamics pro microphones indicate same levels (no measurements since it would be a bit crazy to mount two classic Beyerdynamics N260 ribbon microphones, that are larger than the Pocket 2 with handle ;-)

Hope this will be of help. Stereo or true binaural recordings are absolutely no problem for microphones connected to the 3.5mm connector (beware: it doubles as headphone output during playback).

Interesting tests.  I have not had a chance to revisit this myself.  Way back, DJI stated that the multi-purpose socket can distinguish between headphones and mics so that mic damage should not be a risk.  Personally, I have decided not to test this aspect!   But I've not yet heard of anyone complain of mic damage as a result of forgetting to disconnect a mic during playback.

For me the limiting factor with the excellent Pocket 2 audio is that there is quite severe intermodulation distortion (?) if you record a gliding test tone going up.  On playback you hear other tones going down.  I suspect this may be audible in real world use on certain musical instruments.  I also suspect this is due to AAC compression and I have suggested before that having an option to record audio in wave format should be possible - I know other devices that will do that, and as the 4k video files are huge anyway, uncompressed audio isn't going to be a big deal.  

fansfe82067d Posted at 5-20 20:37
Interesting tests.  I have not had a chance to revisit this myself.  Way back, DJI stated that the multi-purpose socket can distinguish between headphones and mics so that mic damage should not be a risk.  Personally, I have decided not to test this aspect!   But I've not yet heard of anyone complain of mic damage as a result of forgetting to disconnect a mic during playback.

For me the limiting factor with the excellent Pocket 2 audio is that there is quite severe intermodulation distortion (?) if you record a gliding test tone going up.  On playback you hear other tones going down.  I suspect this may be audible in real world use on certain musical instruments.  I also suspect this is due to AAC compression and I have suggested before that having an option to record audio in wave format should be possible - I know other devices that will do that, and as the 4k video files are huge anyway, uncompressed audio isn't going to be a big deal.

I agree, that the 192kbit AAC stereo is a really bad choice, and that i.e. 48kHz, 16 Bit (better 24 bit) stereo (or all 4 mic input) WAV format would be the best option.

Whether your mics will be damaged or not by "headphone out" during playback is really depending on DJI non-disclosed functionality. In many ways, the DJI Pocket 2 is a wonderfull product, let down by a documentation, that is severely lacking. DJI can do better, so there is no real excuse for this uncertainty.

It's just that I do not want to risk high performance microphones in the 500-1000 USD price range (stereo set) on an assumption. Depending on microphone design, they may not blow immediately, but even a "slightly" damaged ribbon (very sensitive) may alter characteristics from near dream reproduction of classic spanish acoustic guitar, to something akin to Jimmy Hendrix playing Star Spangled Banner on electric guitar with maxed out distortion at the 1969 Woodstock Festival.

Probably not what you intended as an outcome ;-)

Better avoid any chance of "undocumented behaviour" affecting the future usability of your microphones. Rumor, guessing or just plain hope is not enough ;-)

Regards

The first mic I ever had was a 'Film Industries" ribbon mic - probably 60 years ago.  It was also the first and only mic I've ever totally destroyed, probably 59 years ago!  Indeed, one cannot be too careful.

Do I need a recorder for binnaural headphones, like Roland CS-10EM? Or can I just plug it straight into Pocket 2 do-it-all? Or can I use smartphone as a recorder? Are there any benefits to actually having a recorder, if I can use is straight with the camera? Thank you!

djiuser_XdxvCcP1zLkf Posted at 6-17 23:23
Do I need a recorder for binnaural headphones, like Roland CS-10EM? Or can I just plug it straight into Pocket 2 do-it-all? Or can I use smartphone as a recorder? Are there any benefits to actually having a recorder, if I can use is straight with the camera? Thank you!

It depends on the microphones used.

Many recorders have an option to deliver a voltage in the region of up to 4-5 volts support the use of some (electret) condenser microphones. Some need it. Some don’t.

I have a lavalier microphone, that absolutely requires this to deliver any signal. My Soundman microphones benefit from this (signal level raises significantly), but it’s not absolutely necessary. They can be delivered with a special battery powered (3V - the last lasted 10 years) A3 preamplifier (with built-in lo filter and -20 dB attenuators).

The Lavalier - for instance - is completely silent on a MacBook Pro 13 or on my external mixer, until I put the A3 (with power supply) between the microphone and the computer or the mixer. The lavalier works directly and completely trouble free on my old, external Olympus  LS-P2 recorder.

I haven’t tested my lavalier (yet) on my Osmo Pocket 2 (nor connected to the wireless microphone).

You’ll have to test or ask around for use of the particular microphones you want to use.


Added:

The 'tricky lavalier microphone' seems to work on both DJI Pocket 2 (connected to handle) and connected to the wireles microphone:



Nothing connected



Wireless microphone connected (green light and "standard" microphone mount)



Lavalier microphone connected to wireless microphone (orange light and blue "microphone mount" on Pocket 2)

Lavalier connected to Pocket 2

Lavalier connected directly to Pocket 2.

A quick and dirty scratch test (on the "hidden" lavalier) followed by a short recording seems to confirm, that sound is coming through.

Regards

You can plug the mic lead from the Rolands into the mic input of the camera assuming you have the do it all handle.  It will give you a convenient way of working, but for best results, use a small external recorder (Zoom H1N, Zoom F1, or whatever) and set it to record in wave format.  The audio on the camera is recording in AAC with a fairly low bit rate, and sometimes it shows.

[Note that as it says in the first post, the sample video was made using the Roland mics direct to the camera.]

fansfe82067d Posted at 6-18 04:50
You can plug the mic lead from the Rolands into the mic input of the camera assuming you have the do it all handle.  It will give you a convenient way of working, but for best results, use a small external recorder (Zoom H1N, Zoom F1, or whatever) and set it to record in wave format.  The audio on the camera is recording in AAC with a fairly low bit rate, and sometimes it shows.

[Note that as it says in the first post, the sample video was made using the Roland mics direct to the camera.]

Yes, the DJI Pocket 2 has dubious audio qualities, but there are cases, where an external microphone is still preferable, like these:

• You won’t record handling noise to the same degree or the gimbal moving/straining to catch up.
• You have far better control of directionality as in selection between shotgun or ordinary stereo microphones.
• Most microphones can be fitted with a dead cat, drastically lowering wind noise. I typically use my old, powered Takstar SGC-698 with built-in mount, and +20/0/-10 dB plus optional low cut setting.
• You can employ external recorders, with headphone access (alternatively sending headphone output to the Pocket 2). I use an old and trusted Olympus LS-P2 Tri-mic recorder with variable directionality on a Movo shock mount (akin to this one: “https://www.amazon.de/perfk-Universal-Mikrofon-geeignet-PCM-Recorder/dp/B07K3N9HK4/ref=sr_1_5?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&crid=1P47WGGJD0UGD&dchild=1&keywords=recorder+shock+mount&qid=1624450517&sprefix=recorder+%2Caps%2C166&sr=8-5”) and a fitting Rycote “dead cat”.
• I use an Ulanzi PT9 mounting bracket (https://www.amazon.de/Ulanzi-Kaltschuhhalterung-ABS-Material-Schraublöchern-Mikrofon-LED-Videoleuchte/dp/B0828147FK/ref=sr_1_36?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&dchild=1&keywords=ulanzi+bracket&qid=1624450756&sr=8-36) on the universal handle to pull microphones back, more out of sight from the gimbal.
• Perfect for a small Manfrotto PIXI tripod, that also can work as a good handle (https://www.amazon.de/Manfrotto-MTPIXI-B-Tischstativ-Compact-Standard/dp/B00D76RNLS/ref=sr_1_4?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&dchild=1&keywords=mini+tripod&qid=1624450826&sr=8-4).
  

This kit can be used on any other gear, I care to take along, and when using the DJI extending handle (positioned on the tripod, while mounting everything else) nothing needs to be refitted in earnest; and I get the cold socket free for use by my Ulanzi VL49 RGB LED video light https://www.amazon.de/gp/product ... 2_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (USB-C charging/power) or one of the many, many really high powered LED flash lights with variable "spread" of the light (mine is mounted in a standard 22-27 mm microphone mount).

Everything can be powered from most power banks available, that will fit in your trouser or shirt pocket etc

Flexibility being the name of the game, as well as extremely low weight.

Regards