With its fully variable stereo/mono capture capabilities and integrated swiveling shockmount, the Azden SMX-30V video microphone is well equipped to deliver the versatility needed by videographers and vloggers for recording high-quality dialogue and ambience to a DSLR, compact camcorder, or portable audio recorder. Two AA batteries (available separately) will power the mic for up to 100 hours and a coiled 3.5mm TRS cable is included for tidy and easy hookup to your camera.
Housed inside an innovative casing, the SMX-30V is two microphones in one—a stereo microphone equipped with two cardioid cardioid capsules at 90° angle, and a mono supercardioid shotgun element in a 4.5" interference tube. Use the stepless knob to choose stereo, mono, or a blend of both for the perfect balance of the subject and surrounding environment sound. Additionally, the 3-step gain control and 60 Hz low-cut filter help you achieve optimal tone and level for your recordings, so you can spend less time in postproduction.
- For Videographers and Vloggers
- Stereo/Mono Capture with Stepless Mixing
- 100-Hr Run Time via AA Batteries
- 3-Step Gain and Bass Roll-Off Controls
Azden SMX-30V Overview
Azden SMX-30V Specs
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Azden SMX-30V Reviews
Mic MUST be Defective—On-Camera Mics Can’t be This Bad!
I purchased this for the “good” claimed specifications and the fact that it is pre-amplified and can offer +20dB of gain, giving me the option to completely bypass the deficient mic preamps in the Panasonic S1RII. I had been using a Tascam TM-2X microphone. It gave good audio on my Sony RX10 Mk III, so naturally, I transferred it to the S1RII but was suddenly disappointed with the glaring lack of bass in my recordings on that camera. The TM-2X is rated 50-20,000Hz, but it must be flat to 50Hz, because it has much more bass than the Azden. Enter the Azden microphone. With it’s dual pattern capability, on paper, it looks to be the ideal mic. And a claimed audio response from 40-20,000Hz, I fully expected that with it’s output connected to the relatively flat LINE input on the S1RII, that I would finally have good audio on this camera. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. The Azden microphone is already down about 12dB at 40Hz, making the specs appear to be false claims. Normally a microphone is FLAT across the specified audio range. But that’s not the only problem. This mic has no highs either! It’s got the audio quality of the old dynamic microphones from the 1960s—the ones that come with the $39 cassette recorders of that era. Yes, it’s THAT bad. And compared against reference studio condenser mics, it’s like night and day. Like comparing a $5 microphone to a professional studio mic. The Azden is a bulky contraption, but I could live with it if it’s audio quality were up to manufacturer claims. Or, perhaps I received a defective unit. Azden expects you to use this high output microphone on the Mic input of your camera, which will overload easily, even if you turn down the camera gain. The Azden claims to have a maximum output of just over +10dBm, which is LINE level. Combined with the bass rolloff of the S1RII’s mic preamps, this Azden simply sounds like telephone quality audio on the low end. Before anyone says “did you check the wind/HPF settings” yes, I turned of Wind filter in the camera and set the Azden to the “flat” position. So either I have received a dud, or the mic is really just intended to capture voice in very windy conditions.
Best mic I ever used!
It catched crystal clear audio in full stereo, mono and mixed. It is also easy to use. But I was a little bit disappointed then the battery was empty after a night in automatic mode. I now know it consume power in auto also, but not so much. A minor problem.