How to reduce mic volume (not electronically)?

[Fallout]

I appreciate this isn't a sound/audio forum, but I'm not a member of one of those, so thought I'd see if any orgers have any ideas.

My drift HD mic is just too sensitive. I have it down on minimum sensitivity on the camera settings and have it mounted away from my mouth when in the helmet, but it's still too loud. As soon as I get over 30mph and the wind noise picks up and I start having to talk loudly, I get lots of distortion. 60+ and my babbling is all too distorted to make out what I'm saying.

So I think the only solution (bar buying a super quiet expensive helmet) is to wrap something around it to muffle it. The question is, what? Any ideas what I could use that would reduce the volume, but not reduce the fidelity too much? Or is that not possible? Googling is so far bringing up mostly software related fixes like mic gain and stuff. Mic gain is already on minimum!

[Spank86]

More foam round it?

[chezvegas85]

More foam round it?

+1

Was gonna say wrap it in cotton wool/cloth, same difference really. Except foam would look much tidier.

[Runako]

Go to an audio store/DJ shop and get a larger foam cover (preferably something elasticated so it fits). The deeper the foam the more it reduces distortion. Also, the helmet itself will have an impact on the distortion. The quiter the helmet etc etc.

[Spank86]

Maybe some sort of neck support or thicker snood would dampen some of the wind noise coming up from under the helmet?

[Fallout]

Yeah, true. In the summer obviously it's too warm for a neck snood, so that's probably letting in more wind. I think padding it out with cotton wall or similar may reduce the fidelity, but there's not much I can do about that really. I've just updated the firmware, so perhaps that will help, though couldn't find any mention of mic volume on there.

Will report back if the foam wrapping helps.

[metalmonkey]

Can you attach an external mic to it? I assume your using the built in mic right? An external mic, with a wind jammer, also get it to close to you as possiable will improve sound. Built in mics generally aren't that good unless you are just after atmos sound. I would never use a built in mic, for getting speech ect for the above reasons.

Also what external mic will vary on what situation it will be used and second how much you have to spend!

[Runako]

Can you attach an external mic to it? I assume your using the built in mic right? An external mic, with a wind jammer, also get it to close to you as possiable will improve sound. Built in mics generally aren't that good unless you are just after atmos sound. I would never use a built in mic, for getting speech ect for the above reasons.

Also what external mic will vary on what situation it will be used and second how much you have to spend!

Could have saved yourself some typing by reading the post. The mic is external.

Fallout, I use a snood/tube all the time & never find it too warm (I just open the visor if necessary), point being is does cut the wind noise. Something like these will help reduce the noise - http://bit.ly/Mt7YcV

[xXBADGERXx]

How about connecting it to an Autocom mic , they are pretty good . I would also see if you could get any other variety of Mic for it that is a Dynamic Mic rather than a Condensor Mic , they are not as sensitive as Condensor mics .

[metalmonkey]

Could have saved yourself some typing by reading the post. The mic is external.

Fallout, I use a snood/tube all the time & never find it too warm (I just open the visor if necessary), point being is does cut the wind noise. Something like these will help reduce the noise - http://bit.ly/Mt7YcV

That I didn't know, I really only use professional equipment haven't seen this camera/set up before.

I'd get a mic that has a built in bass cut, which will help and a wind jammer then experiment with the postion of the mic of couse it will depend on how good the sound recording in the camera is.

[Mark_h]

I appreciate this isn't a sound/audio forum, but I'm not a member of one of those, so thought I'd see if any orgers have any ideas.

My drift HD mic is just too sensitive. I have it down on minimum sensitivity on the camera settings and have it mounted away from my mouth when in the helmet, but it's still too loud. As soon as I get over 30mph and the wind noise picks up and I start having to talk loudly, I get lots of distortion. 60+ and my babbling is all too distorted to make out what I'm saying.

So I think the only solution (bar buying a super quiet expensive helmet) is to wrap something around it to muffle it. The question is, what? Any ideas what I could use that would reduce the volume, but not reduce the fidelity too much? Or is that not possible? Googling is so far bringing up mostly software related fixes like mic gain and stuff. Mic gain is already on minimum!


Just ride slower then speed up the video. Simples ....

[Fallout]

Thanks Mark. Most useful suggestion so far! ;)

Yeah, it's an external mic on the drift, and the problem is that it's a unique fitting type. They obviously do it to make sure you buy their accessories. So I don't really have the choice of another mic. I'll have a bash with wearing the snood and adding more of a wind filter and see if that helps. :)

[xXBADGERXx]

Arai make a flap that goes on top of the chin guard and secures against the bridge of the nose , that will stop some noise coming in from the top and may equalise the pressure out with a snood underneath . I have one here somewhere if you wanna try it out .

[Fallout]

Thanks Badger. Though I'm sure that'd help, I don't think it will solve the issue. I did a lot of testing today at home without wind noise. It simply can't record voice above a quiet hum when it's mounted in the helmet. I even tried wrapping the whole thing in layers of insulating foam and electrical tape. As I suspected, it just cut out all the high frequency fidelity and still distorted.

So there is no solution without either cutting the mic cable and wiring in a different mic, or getting a fix from Drift. I've emailed them and asked if there is anything they can do about the mic sensitivity (firmware update). I'll report back if they reply.

[markc123]

You on the latest firmware for the Drift?

1.1.11 (10/25/11), corrects problems when camera had empty card; corrects microphone issues; corrects white noise from background.

Worth doing anyway for other improvements in the video.

Otherwise if you can find out the mic sensitivity of the factory mic, it may be possible to go for a different model. IIRc its a 2.5mm jack which is pretty common.

[Fallout]

Got the latest firmware mate. Got it a few days ago hoping for new mic settings, but no joy. Was testing it today and seems exactly the same.

Also your recollection is incorrect, though I don't blame anyone for assuming it's a 2.5mm jack! It's some crazy USB type connection, which I assume they've done to either allow for new auxiliary items to be plugged in, or just to force you to buy their expensive mic (expensive for what it is).

Either way, one positive is they are very quick to reply to emails. Here's the response I got about 4 or 5 hours later ...

Hi Simon

Thanks for your feedback, I'm sorry to hear of the problem with your Stealth audio.

I'll certainly put the suggestion for a reduced minimum mic sensitivity setting forward, although as I can't make any guarantees as to whether this can be included in a firmware update at this stage.

Generally the solution lies with some mic positioning experimentation. Although reducing the mic sensitivity would allow you to shout above wind noise without clipping, it would make the slower speed sections inaudible (unless you were continually shouting!).

It's worth first experimenting with various mounting positions to reduce wind noise, and then finding a position which balances this with the level of your speech. Many of the motovlogging guys on youtube are happy to share some tips and hints, here's an example of a Stealth being used to good effect:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1202Kb5lz-o

Hope this helps, please feel free to email if you have any more questions.

Kind regards,

Adam

[Spank86]

Maybe if you put the mike higher in the helmet, or made a pad that only covered the lower part of it and below inorder to direct wind noise past it whilst still allowing you to speak in.

[Fallout]

Could help, but what I've determined is that it's the helmet itself that causes the most problems. With the visor open and the sound able to escape without booming in the helmet, it works fine. Once the visor is closed, the sound just echoes about and booms. The solution may be to mount the mic outside the helmet, such as on the chin guard, and then shield it from the wind as best as possible. That should reduce boomage.

Got a further email from the drift dude:
Hi Simon

I can confirm that he's using a motocross helmet and goggles in the video.

It does sound like you've tried all the usual tricks, so hopefully we can include a reduced mic sensitivity setting in a future update. I've mentioned it to the R&D guys already, and we regularly submit firmware requests more formally.

For the meantime, it may be worth considering adding a potentiometer to the signal path, as this would give complete control of the signal level, although I can't guarantee that this would work!

Kind regards,

Adam

I won't hold my breath about a fix, but at least they have good support.

[Bibio]

has your lid got a chin curtain?

[Fallout]

Yep.

[Specialone]

Could you wire in line a variable resistor or regulator?
Something like a gain control on an amp?

Im sure if you spoke to a electronics audio guy he'd be able to suggest something like this.

[Bibio]

Yep.

well if volume is ok when visor is open the attach the mike to the curtain. try inside first then outside. or try it without the curtain.

[Fallout]

Yeah good suggestions. I think a variable resistor on the wire would be really handy. Then I could leave the microphone gain on maximum on the camera, learn appropriate settings on the variable resister (i.e. for talking when stopped and for ragging it like a mofo and screaming), and then adjust as necessary. Bit of a pain in the ****, but what can you do?

Mounting the mic on the outside of the chin curtain is probably gonna be my next attempt Bibio. Will get loads more wind noise, but I might be able to sort that out with something else.

The one other solution is to record the voice separately and then edit it in at the end. I could use this old MP3 harddisk record I have. Pain in the ****, and would add a load of wires to the proceedings, but it's an option.