Suggestions about on camera microphones?

Question

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to buy a nice microphone that has attenuation controls because with the on camera mic when music gets loud I begin to hear lots of distortion and clipping when things get too loud and when the bass levels are high.

I've been looking online for ages and can't seem to find the right one.

Do you have any suggestions?

The way I can connect a mic is by plugging it in like earphones to an MP3 player.

Answer 1

The issue is not with the mics. The issue is that the audio is too loud and over-driving the camcorder's built-in auto mic gain cannot keep up with the audio being thrown at it - hence the clipping and muddy sound.

You need a way to control the mic gain. I am not aware of any good (or to use your word, "nice") mics that have a built-in gain switch like you are looking for. This is likely the reason you've been looking and cannot find one.

The only things I can come up with are:

1) Use a camcorder that has manual audio control. The least expensive ones I know of are the Canon HV20, HV30, Sony HDR-HC7 and HC9.

2) Use an external mic gain control... basically, a field mixer - or XLR adapter like those from BeachTel or juicedLink. It would be best if the ones with the audio-level LEDs are used so you can see the audio going into the camcorder. If too loud, then turn the k***s down... This means using a stereo XLR mic... I use an Audio Technica AT-825.

Yes, I have successfully recorded very high volume rock, screamer, hiphop and metal bands with NO audio distortion using a Sony HDR-HC1 camcorder with a BeachTek DXA-6 and Audio Technica AT-825.

Answer 2

before you give up on the miniDV on-camera mic, check to be sure the camera is recording audio in the 16 bit mode and not the 12 bit mode. that could be the source of the problem. If you are using something other than miniDV, the audio is compressed, as in Atrac or MP3, which is the source of the distortion problem and chnanging mics may not help