NOTE :
@ Its ready to go Mic, which doesn't need any sound card and can be plugged and used directly even with smartphones.
* Has 3.5mm jack connector built in, you can use 1/4' connector if needed.
@ It has very Long cable which measures upto 20 feet, so note that.
@ It has absolutely NO noise isolation and normal smartphone earphones does better job of noise reduction compared to them in STOCK condition, but with SIMPLE EDITING this mic works just fine ( Check the review below for detailed settings )
There are literally thousands of review on this product, but NONE explained the best possible settings for it when used with smartphone with Audacity software, or even in general. So I took the risk of ordering it and it turned out to be nightmare right out of the box, as the sound output was worse than my smartphone earphones. So I went to search for best settings on amazon & other sources but in vain. Fortunately I myself in experiments found the solution and now its working just fine.
First I am mentioning all the pros and cons considering the settings that I found and then listing those settings,
PROS :
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1. Built quality of the complete mic and cable is good for the price given.
2. Length of cable is insane (20 feet).
* I personally didn't find it useful, as I use it with my smartphone which is just couple of feet below in my pockets, but for some users it can be very useful if using in rig setup with Camera.
3. Has universal 3.5mm jack, which is handy.
4. Its easy to use, just plug and play device, which doesn't need any sound card or external device to work.
5. Has support for multiple device right from smartphones to DSLRs and computers.
6. It comes with carry pouch which is very handy, since its a mess with such long cables.
CONS :
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1. Biggest con is the sound quality right out of the box. Its just garbage quality and even normal ears can't bear the background noise collection, so forget about audiophiles. My normal smartphone's earphones record much better sound quality compared to this.
2. Length of cable is way too much for me and I guess for many users. I think there should have being multiple option on length to choose from, as keeping 20 feet cable wrapped and hanging or in pocket while recording is not comfortable.
3. It comes with a button cell for recording sound for devices other than smartphone and there's NO way to know whether the battery is dead or what's its charging level. Only way to check is by plugging it to a digital recorder or computer and test. So if you are carrying it with recorder which doesn't has playback feature or if you are in hurry and in case of dead battery to record all the sound, then only way to find that your efforts are in vain will be when you comfortably sit to edit it and trust me, its very frustrating ! I am mentioning, it as this scenario have happened with me once, hence I am very cautious about batteries now & use it with smartphones or digital recorders.
4. I think price should have being couple of hundred bucks less, considering the sound quality.
BEST SETTING USING AUDACITY SOFTWARE :
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These are the settings when you record with smartphone or any other device and there are lots of background noises and you use Audacity software, which is Free !
1. Open the software and open the audio file you recorded with this mic.
2. Select entire audio clip and open "Effects" and then " DISTORTION "
3. Start the playback of audio clip in the software, so you can listen to change in effects that you are about to make.
4.Now select " Distortion Type " option on the top of box and select " Soft Clipping ".
* or select " Hard Limiter " and do the settings as it sounds suitable to you.
5. Take the "Clipping Level cursor to extreme Right end or so until you hear soft pleasant output.
6. Adjust the "Make-up Gain" cursor little bit if needed, I keep it on 49.
* Here you can select which ever type, which you feel is suitable for you.
7. Now just click " APPLY ".
8. Now is Noise reduction. For that Select short section of audio which DOES NOT have your voice, but ONLY has background noises that you don't want.
9. Open "Effects" and then " Noise Reduction "
10. Click on " Get Noise Profile".
11. Now select entire audio clip and again Open "Effects" and then " Noise Reduction ".
12. Finally, click on " OK " and that's it !
Now you are good to go with soft, slightly lesser Noises and more pleasant sound output. After these steps, you can amplify the sound from same software or any other end user software.
VERDICT :
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I personally am very disappointed with the sound quality, though the audacity tweaking gets it to bearable level, but its satisfactory enough. Plus price seems slightly more on this. I wouldn't recommend these are someone looking good sound quality specially if you live in noisy environment. Buy this only if you live in very silent conditions.
| Product Dimensions | 12.7 x 5.08 x 10.16 cm; 2.5 Grams |
|---|---|
| Batteries | 1 LR44 batteries required. |
| Item model number | BYM1 |
| Colour | Black |
| Compatible Devices | Laptop, DSLR, Camcorder, Tablet, Smartphone |
| Connector | 3.5 mm Jack, 6.35 mm Jack |
| Size | BYM1 |
| Battery Type | Nickel-Zinc |
| Hardware Platform | PC, Audio Recorder, Smartphone |
| Power Source | Battery Powered |
| Item Weight | 2.5 g |
| Manufacturer | Shenzhen Jiayz Photo Industrial Ltd |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Imported By | IMS Mercantiles Pvt. Ltd. |
