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!

More foam round it?

Originally Posted by Spank86

More foam round it?

+1

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

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.

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.

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!

Originally Posted by 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!

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

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 .

Originally Posted by Runako

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.