topic Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance in Camcorders

AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

motorhomer — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 02:55:51 GMT

I have just purchased the AX53 camcorder and I am getting some problems with the audio recording using the inbuilt microphone.

When recording and moving around the stereo volume between left and right speakers will jump up and down with different levels in each ear.

When I am making commentary you can hear a jump in one ear every now and then as I am moving about.

I expect this may be where the microphones are suddenly picking up a difference in volume but this makes it unbearable to listen to and makes the camcorder unusable.

Is there a way to adjust setting to keep both left and right volumes the same or is this a fault with the camcorder.

I will try get an example clip uploaded

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

motorhomer — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 03:18:15 GMT

Link to a video clip example

https://youtu.be/Sc58IDXC3R0

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

IamNic — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 07:18:16 GMT

Hello @motorhomer,

please set the video to 'not listed' so people here in the community can watch it.

- Nic

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

motorhomer — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 18:07:42 GMT

Ive set the video to public so hopefully this will help. Just bought a MOVO VXR10 so will give this a test

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

motorhomer — Sat, 28 Mar 2020 16:48:42 GMT

I have now added a MOVO VXR10 to the AX53, link below of a video clip and you will see that the audio keeps braking up. I've tried different volume settings and a couple of clips and it does this every time. I'm now thinking this is a faulty camcorder.

https://youtu.be/an-jGPvl08U

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

motorhomer — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 08:29:13 GMT

just uploaded my final video clip on this sound issue. Seems no one has had this so is looking like a camcorder fault. Looking on google no similar faults recorder so will be sending this back to shop tomorrow.

https://youtu.be/aoFZ6bk7P64

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

IamNic — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 16:04:02 GMT

Hello @motorhomer,

to me it sounds like you have the wind noise reduction on, which applies a so called "low pass filter" to the audio, which in my eyes could be the cause for the weird audio glitches.

- Nic

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

motorhomer — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 16:06:10 GMT

I thought that, in one of the video clips i turn this off and still get the same problem.

Possible this is stuck on in software, corruption somewhere

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

motorhomer — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 16:10:21 GMT

from this video at 1:10 onwards the noise wind cancellation was turned off

https://youtu.be/aoFZ6bk7P64

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

IamNic — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 16:11:51 GMT

Hello @motorhomer,

sorry, I should have watched the whole video - if that is what you are getting from the inbuild mics - return it, it is definetly broken!

- Nic

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

motorhomer — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 16:15:44 GMT

Thats fine videos are boring

This was from an external MOVO mic which work fine on my mobile phone and DSLR and it only week old so can see it being the mic.

From internal mic i am getting an in balance between left right volume with left being higher. It bounces about from left to right which when listening through headset is really annoying

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

IamNic — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 16:23:56 GMT

Hello @motorhomer,

@motorhomer schrieb:

This was from an external MOVO mic

I see, if it would have been the internal mic, it would have worried me.

The internal mic has 5 "capsules", only two of which are active during 4K or XAVC-S recording (XAVC-S only supports stereo).

I believe the camera is not meant to be spoken to from behind the camera (there is also a setting to suppres voices from behind, might check that as well) in terms of how the microphones are engineered.

Which recording is the one with the internal mic? I would like to watch the clip with the issue with the internal mic (this time in full).

- Nic

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

motorhomer — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 16:30:02 GMT

I have two short clips which are not good when listening through headset. also shows up on metering in hitfilm

https://youtu.be/Sc58IDXC3R0

this one from beginning part till 1:10 min

https://youtu.be/aoFZ6bk7P64

I do have a full long video which I did, was going to upload as a Vlog but the sound jumping was not great.

If you cant comment from behind the camera and the external mic does not work then its not much use

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

IamNic — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 16:34:36 GMT

Hello @motorhomer,

thanks for linking them again, sorry that I didn't follow your post earlier, was quite busy this week.

To me the clip recorded with the internal mic sounds as to be expected - the voice of yours is a little bit louder in the left channel, but since you are holding the camera with your right hand, that is normal in my eyes.

I of course watched the video with headphones and took the left earbud out, your voice is still audible, but of course a little bit less dominant.

If you want to record like that, I would say the easiest way would be to double the left audio channel to both audio channels (if Hitfilm offers that function), then your voice would have the same level on both channels, no matter where you are located in relation to the camera.

- Nic

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

motorhomer — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 16:38:23 GMT

OK that's possible but not sure I can do this in hitfilm will have to google this

Any ideas why the external mic is breaking up. Seeing as this is new and not much to go wrong with it.

Not many setting to change with the camera for external mics so cant see why its breaking up

Will give it another test tonight when I get home

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

IamNic — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 16:40:54 GMT

Hello @motorhomer,

you mentioned that you used the mic on phones and other DSLRs. Does the mic have a TRS or TRRS plug?

- Nic

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

motorhomer — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 16:46:42 GMT

it has TRS for cameras etc:

and TRRS for phones

I will give this more testing tonight, If I can get this working then the camera may be a keeper.

If I don't reply soon I'm on route home from work so will update later. Thanks so far for all your help

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

motorhomer — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 16:48:51 GMT

one thing I assume I need to use the TRS cable for this

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

IamNic — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 16:50:36 GMT

Hello @motorhomer,

have fun at work. Looking forward to continue this discussion with you - it was really fun so far.

- Nic

Re: AX53 audio stereo levels not constant balance

motorhomer — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 13:55:00 GMT

Just had another go today with this using the external mic. With TRS cable correct one for this model.

Before connecting up I turned off my voice cancellation and turned off auto wind NR.

Also the rec level was set to 5 notches high

With the external mic plugged in all the audio control settings in the menu become not usable so I expect these are not in play anyway

With all this done I am still getting this breaking up. Currently its not very windy but I think its a slight wind that's doing this.

With out being able to use an external mic and with internal mic poor for walking about recording and in-balance audio this makes this camcorder unusable for what I needed this for.

Appreciate any input you have, maybe something I've overlooked