Is the Azden SMX-30 a Vlogger's Best Friend? Watch this before buying this shotgun mic.
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- čas přidán 22. 01. 2019
- The Azden SMX-30 shotgun mic boasts a lot of neat-sounding features. But is it worth your hard-earned money? In this video we test it in a blizzard, in Toronto's Graffiti Alley, and even inside of a loud boxing gym.
Please go through the affiliate links below if you do pull the trigger on this awesome shotgun mic:
Amazon.com: amzn.to/2X6tdvM
Amazon Canada: amzn.to/2tpPGGw - Krátké a kreslené filmy
**WHOH GET A FREE THING**
Buy the SMX-30 through the link below and apply the promo code "JEREMY" for a free furry windshield with your SMX-30 purchase! Both the SMX-30 and SWS-30 furry windshield need to be in the cart for the code to work
www.azdenproshop.com/jeremy
Jeremy Ying Would you recommend this mic or the Deity D3-Pro??
@@Matthewac1 on paper the D3-Pro and the SMX-30's specs are pretty similar. So let's get detailed, here. The D3-Pro only records in Mono, while the SMX-30 has a Mono/Stereo toggle. D3-Pro also has an internal battery. Not sure how I feel about this, because if the battery ever dies you're pretty much screwed until you can charge it (sometimes it's nice to be able to just swap out dead batteries). D3-Pro only has a 2.5 year warranty while the SMX-30 has a 10 year warranty. Also- I don't know if there is a way to manually control the D3-Pro's automatic "On" function. What does that mean for people whose cameras don't have plug-in power? Does the mic even work, for those people? And for some cam owners the D3-Pro requires a separate TRS audio cable. The SMX-30, on the other hand, has an Off/On/Auto switch so you can avoid this compatibility issue. It just works.
How does this video not have more views? The dedication for this review was real though.
Because all people search for rode. However i think the azden is a better microphone and work in mono/stereo
You've convinced me to make the purchase, that was a great review keep the videos coming.
good work, informative & i appreciate your positive attitude -- thanks for the vid!
Well done. This video needs to be viewed more!
Dude! Great review!
Great review!!!!
For those who want to go straight to the goods:
0:19 - Main specs
2:11 - Traffic noise test
2:49 - Traffic and street noise test
3:38 - Noisy music test
4:17 - Wind and traffic noise test
4:45 - Music and people noise test
5:30 - Blizzard and strong wind test
7:17 - Dislikes about the SMX-30
8:07 - Final verdict
Excellent made video, thanks for the in depth analysis! One question (I'm just beginning to research about mics & audio in general), you could also use a mic like this connected to a laptop, right? I mean besides the purpose of it being a camera's mic, to use it also as an ordinary one for your pc.
Thank you for watching it, Mike R! And that's a great question. You can connect the SMX-30 to a laptop, but you'll probably need a TRS to TTRS adapter. Also, a lot of computers/laptops have mic input in their headphone jacks, similar to smartphones. And if that's the case, you'll need Azden's HX-Mi cable, and that will allow the SMX-30 and other mics to be connected.
Awesome review 💚 currently trying to decide between the smx 30v and mke 440 but there’s so little reviews and comparisons. Later on I was a rode stereo mic to have some fun with natural ambiances
Thanks for checking out my review Mike. And just out of curiosity which shotgun mic did you end up going with?
@@JeremyY I haven't chosen 😅
I feel like the mke440 has slightly more reviews and so I have more reference as to its audio quality. But it is massive ontop of the camera and I use both an led light and a speed light on top when I attend events. So the size is inconvenient.
The smx 30v is big too but at least it is vertically instead of horizontal. But I haven't really found much in the way of reviews to depict it's audio quality 😕
So far been surviving with the camera's own mic
@@Mike0193Azul What did you end up with now?
Your review was very helpful. I bought the SMX-30 in a kit which included the dead cat cover. Do you think the cover will be helpful in reducing some of the remaining ambient wind noise that was evident in some of the scenes when the mic was on?
Yes! That dead cat cover should help. I was even impressed at how well the default foam cover reduced the wind noise (I filmed those parts on seriously windy days) so I can only imagine that the proper dead cat will do even better. Thanks so much for watching this video, Irwin. Happy filming!
I Bought the smx30.for the sony a7c. I have the canon dm-100 which do that from 2010 the year i bought my canon hfs21 which was a precursor of anything that exist today. It has even two stereo mode 90 degrees and 120 degrees, in addition to the shotgun mono mic. The azden smx 30 has only the 120 degrees configuration. The dm -100 is still the mic to go with the latest vixia g60 camcorder 10 years later..incredible when we think about it. I ordered the smx 30 kit and should receive it on monday for my sony a7c
Hey checking in with you and your SMX-30. Impressions?
@@JeremyY the microphone is very good. Smaller that i thought, good stereo and mono sound, the auto on/off is great so i don’t forget to switch on the mic. The fur is not super easy to install but it fit well. I haven’t been able to fully use all my camera because it was too cold here in Canada, and i didn’t have a ND filter so it was impossible for me to shoot outside. But i tested it one time at 0C degree. And everything is working great. Great buy. In the next few days, i will really start using it.
Awesome review. Currently using Rode Videomic Pro. What I need is the Azden auto power but I do like to keep my camera on all the time and I have a bunch of Eneloop batteries so maybe Azden is the way to go?
The auto power really is great. Because not only does it eliminate the need to flick on the mic power switch each time, but it also eliminates the need to carry around so many damn AA batteries.
@@JeremyY Thanks for the review!
Thanks for this review! It's ALMOST exactly what I was looking for. If the goal is to capture a lot of nice ambient sound how do you think the stereo mic of the azden compares to the the gh5 on board mic? I'm doing a lot of travel and would like to capture the stereo ambient noise as well as some on camera talking (though I have lav for that), just not sure it's worth it...
Hey what's up Ryland. The SMX-30's Stereo mic is MUCH better than the GH5 onboard mic. Not only does GH5 get a lot more wind noise, and I find that the SMX-30 sound is so much richer and smoother. GH5's audio is very "tinny" in comparison. The differences are vast when I listened to teach on my headphones. I simply won't go back to using my GH5 onboard mic after using the SMX-30.
You can use the SMX-30 for capturing on-camera talking just as long as the speaker is no more than 3-feet away from the camera. And if you do this make sure that the SMX-30 is pointed AT the speaker's mouth (after all, the SMX-30 is very directional, especially when on the 'Mono' setting').
What kind of lav mic were you thinking of bringing and using on your travel?
Jeremy Ying thanks for the reply. I’ll bring a tascam dr10. Sounds like this would be a good fit, kinda big but probably worth it...
@@rylandrussell4068 the DR10 is decent, but like you said- bulky if you're traveling. If I were in your position I'd want to travel light. Consider using the Azden EX-503i. It's a lav mic that plugs into your smartphone. I made this video using only the EX-503i and REALLY liked its audio quality and how easy it was to use: czcams.com/video/DgaWOt09oEY/video.html
Thank you for the video. Are you still using the Azden? Would you recommend it to video a group of three people talking and moving a bit for a youtube channel? Would the shotgun option work for that, or perhaps the stereo mode on a boom, or would you recommend a different mic for this scenario? Thank you.
I bought the smx 30 and will receive it on monday jan 25 with a boompole and audio extension. For what i have seen from the test footage you can use the shotgun if you point the person directly. If there are several persons spaced together and point in the center i am not sure if the mono mode will work as you plan. I don’t know., the stereo mode would be better. I can make a test when i will receive my kit with the sony a7c by speaking in the corner of the image and pointing the mic in the center. Anyway you can put it on a boompole (i ordered one as well) so it is closer to the group of persons. This is the advantage compare to a hot shoe digital mic like the sony ecm -b1m that works without any cable but you cannot put it on a boompole. The azden smx30 should do the job.
@@CC-gt3ro yeah, I bought it last year. It's very good. The auto power when the camera is connected is great. Sound quality is also great.
I was heavily considering an Azden, either this or the SMX-30V. On paper, they look great, especially the V which has a dial that lets you adjust the mix between stereo and mono mic recording to any degree.
Unfortunately after every video review and sound test I've watched I have yet to feel comfortable with the audio quality of any of them. Yours was the most flattering, even compared to the company's samples. In most tests I've seen they just seem so prone to pick up a lot of harsh sounds on the high end and airy background noises, especially in the stereo mode, where it sounds a bit chaotic and overloaded rather than rich. In mono, the overall sound space feels a bit suppressed rather than focused to my ears. It's not terrible, and at a lower price I think it could be a great entry level mic, but I think it is outperformed by so many other mics in the price range that don't have all the bells and whistles. I wish it wasn't the case because these sort of "Swiss Army Knife" style gadgets that do multiple things in one are so dreamy in concept. I felt the same way about the Comica Traxshot. Super cool mic design. Nearly bought one, but enough audio tests convinced me not to. It has crackly dry audio, if I'm being picky, which I am because I'd rather buy one of something nice now than have to cash it in for an upgrade later. It feels like money lost to me when I have to sell something at a loss to buy something even pricier. 😣
Thanks for sharing this very detailed critique. You're right to be picky, especially when you'll have to feel that all-too-familiar sting of selling at a loss (I hate that feeling). On the other hand you COULD retain better re-sale value by purchasing something "premium" from Sennheiser but you'd also pay 3x or 4x the cost from the get-go. For me personally the Azden SMX-30 just has amazing value that no other audio equipment brand has the balls to offer. But I do see where you're coming from about this!
What did you end up buying? After hunting around i feel similar to you. Thoughts on the Sennheiser 440?
How about the new Zoom M3? I think with current developments, one have to choose the balance between quality and convenient, haven't have one to do it all yet
Word up. Thank you. Shout out GTA
Would be curious to know what you think of the SMX-30 over a year since you made this video. Is it still just as recommended?
Yes, definitely! I've put it through all sorts of hell and it still works great.
@@JeremyY I ended up buy the SMX-30 myself (mainly because of this review) and it is working great.
@@ggessex awesomeness!
What tripod is that on the GH5 !?
Pedco Ultrapod. And I just misplaced it a few months back and I am sad about that. I think it's in a trainyard somewhere. :(
Great tripod.
Do you still have that microphone? In your test when you put the micrphone and put it into Stereo mode i don't feel like it's Stereo..
Yep I still have the SMX-30. It's great.
And yep it was in Stereo Mode. I can fully confirm that was the case.
@@JeremyY thnx i might just buy one it looks like what i need. I do alot of travel videos and sometimes film interviews
I'm a little confused at what point would i use stereo instead of mono and vice versa
Use Mono when you're recording spoken audio, like when you're vlogging or have someone speaking from 3-5 feet away from the camera. Use Stereo when you're recording B-Roll and ambient sounds.
@@JeremyY thank you.
Interesting video. There are a couple of times, like at 4:00, when it reads Stereo, but I'm not convinced the mic is on the stereo setting, especially when the point was about knocking out peripheral noises. Maybe you could double-check?
eh, I put on headphones and it's stereo for sure. Perhaps warrants some discussion about the timbre of its stereo vs other stereo alternatives. I will need to keep watching more videos on this mic before there is a sense of comfort if it's right for my purposes.
Nope. It was definitely on Stereo. It's that good.
If you move your camera with this microphone, it make a lot of noise jumping. How you can fix this? definitely you can NOT vlog with this shotgun mic!!!! 😡
What kind of noises are you getting (and on what kind of camera)? Because I've been using it all over the place, even at sports events, and never had this issue.
@@JeremyY I've a Canon 70 with the Azden smx-30. The azden mount in the bottom, make the external noise to the mic, that you CAN NOT eliminate it in pos. 😱
@@YussefNabih do you have a sample vid that you can share that shows the noise issue? Wondering if it's the shock mount or the cold shoe that's giving you the problem. Because I've gone across cities on foot with this mic, and just filmed while on ice skate and never encountered the issue you're having.
@@JeremyY unfortunately I can't send a photo through this way, but is it on the bottom. The plastic spring is causing the nois when you move the mic in a normal moving as a vlogger. So you just can use it in a youtube studio or something like that. Unfortunately this mic has a lot of limitations.
@@YussefNabih I've skated through hockey arenas and sprinted with the SMX-30 mounted onto my hot shoe during a blizzard without any issue. You either have a defective unit or it isn't mounted correctly.