MACKIE OnyxGO Wireless Bluetooth Microphone review - multitrack(able) phone call recording!

[@AliOlshan]

You extremely smart! I actually looked into the sabintek smart mic! Appreciate what you do

[@michaelerbreviews]

Excellent, no nonsense review. Thanks.

[@AG-mo9zs]

Thank you for great review. I learned a lot!

[@akbarshoed]

Excellent and informative

[@mattcero1]

Dude, great review. I'm wondering if you could mount your cell phone on a DSLR or mirrorless camera and use this mic paired to the cell phone but then go out the TRRS of the cell phone and into, via a TRRS to TRS adapter to your camera's microphone port and could save a ton of money by not having to buy the Rode or DJI solutions. Try this man! Thank you.

[@limbophonic1]

I bought this from gear for music £25, its ok for basic recording but I'm having issues with phone calls breaking up after about 2 or 3 minutes, soon as I stop recording the call is fine via the Bluetooth onyxgo, this was my first proper phone call using this app I think it needs a software update, I doubt they will, also playback volume is quiet even though the record levels seem to be loud enough, the built-in mic is good quality, and I also got a mini wind shield for the onyxgo device which is handy for reducing wind noise.I'm using a OnePlus Nord ce4 , my main reason for buying the onyxgo was to record calls and this part is having issues !? If I overcome it I will update.

[@TabsOnTech]

Nice review! Just to clarify, does the OnyxGo work with the regular iOS camera app or voice memo app? Also, I haven't been able to find any external mic for iOS that works with Twitter Spaces but perhaps the OnyxGo will considering it connects via bluetooth like normal airpods?

[@PodcastMeister]

Thanks! In my tests it worked - as you wrote - just like any other bluetooth microphone so I assume it would. You‘ll need to plug in headphones as well as it took over sound completely just like the airpods - also indicated by the small headphone icon in the top bar. For Twitter Spaces, I‘d try the Zoom Podtrak P4 with the phone connected to it on channel 3: it tends to work where other devices don‘t, like for Clubhouse. Then you can use any XLR-mic you‘d like. I haven‘t tested it myself though.

[@TabsOnTech]

@@PodcastMeister Awesome, thanks for the quick reply and suggestions! Really appreciate the review because it seems like the only one out there (well in English anyways).

[@ASlaveToReason]

Great review, were you able to test if it can be charged while also being used to bluetooth record at the same time?

[@PodcastMeister]

Thanks! I did not test that option, but I assume it should work as the USB-C port is not used for anything else really, so charging should not block any other function.

[@ASlaveToReason]

@@PodcastMeister sweet. I ordered one ill respond back when i find out. I wish you posted a BandH refferal link for us americans. Your review convinced me to get one.

[@Lukas_Miglioranza]

What should you press to answer calls without having to grab the phone?

[@justfindit]

Thank you for the review. A question: does this setup work for calls done via WhatsApp, Zoom, Teams and these online communication apps? Thanks!

[@bayansmith]

Can this be used a mic when shooting a video interview on my phone? Or is it voice recording only through its own app?

[@akbarshoed]

Update: the app only is available an an apk directly from Mackie

[@alexandronicos7339]

Hi! Can this work with Insta 360 X3 on bluetooth?

[@cameroncameron6800]

does it have sidetone?

[@johnrommelt6560]

What Brand works Best?

[@nvdss4454]

Can't find the app on Google Play Store. Would you happen to know if the product has been discontinued?

[@PodcastMeister]

Not that I would know of. Strange, that even from the on Mackie‘s website, the Google Play Store link does not seem to work. Neither do I find the Smartmike+ App on the splay Store, which would have been my alternative recommendation. Both apps are available on the iOS app store, but not on Google Play. I have however no information why this is the case - at the time of testing it, it was available and worked on both Android and iOS.

[@Shueysstuff]

When you tested the Bose QC35's on the Onyx Go, did you connect the headphones via bluetooth to the phone or did you connect via the headphones cable to the Onyx Go TRRS socket? I tried connecting the headphones via bluetooth to my iPhone and it was not reliable... missed the first 10+ seconds of a phone call and the rest of the call recording was very crackly. Also the volume of the recording was very low even though I had the mic volume in the app turned all the way to100%. Let me know your thoughts...

[@PodcastMeister]

Hi, I did not connect the Bose QC35 to the Onyx Go: what I wanted to demonstrate in that part is the difference between recording your voice with the Bose QC35 vs if you would be recording it with the OnyxGo, as - being a bluetooth microphone - I figured that any bluetooth headset can be it‘s competitor. Only the Onyx Go can also record into its own app with extra features and other Bluetooth headsets can record in whatever recording app on the phone: I‘ve recorded into the stock iphone voice recorder app with the Bose QC35 for this demo and comparison. So if I was to connect the Bose QC35 to the OnyxGo, I would do that with the cable into the TRRS socket. I have not experienced the delay in recording the calls (I assume you have set it to record automatically) but I also found that I need to turn up the gain pretty much always to 100%. (See at 8:43) It wasn‘t extremely loud even then (interestingly it seemed to be louder on the Android phone), but it was then on a usable level.

[@Shueysstuff]

@@PodcastMeister Ah, ok... I understand... I thought you had used the QC's as the mic/monitor in conjunction with the OnyxGo... All good. I'll follow your lead and just use some apple ear buds, just in case the QC's bluetooth causes some complications between the iphone/app and the QC's etc... Great video by the way!

[@stanmanmedia]

Is there a Bluetooth device, more of an adapter, that allows me to take callers into my podcast, like the Rode Podcaster 2 but without all the other stuff on the Podcaster 2. I want to take callers like the Zoom P4 but using Bluetooth, without going to full function Ride Podcaster 2. I have a Motu 8Pre Es that uses a mix and audio breakouts on my smart phone that does mix minus to receive callers to my smartphone and I can talk to them from my studio or computer through Zoom using my Motu, but all I want to do is eliminate the cable breakout on my phone and use Bluetooth to do the mix minus. It needs to be a full duplex asynchronous Bluetooth adapter that sends mic input to my smartphone while receiving smartphone audio out at the same time, so I can send my mix minus to the caller and I can receive the caller audio to feed back into my mix. It's a Zoom P4 device but with Bluetooth for smartphone callers.

[@PodcastMeister]

Yes and no. There is no standalone device for this single purpose that I would know of, but you can buy a 50$ adapter to the Zoom P4 (or P8) that does just that. It plugs into the trrs port and makes it a bluetooth in- and output. Unfortunately it is no universal adapter, so it only works with the P4 and the P8. Alternatively, the Focusrite Vocaster Two also has bluetooth mix-minus capability - then you can route its output into the Motu. And that‘s about it, when you are exluding the full-blown podcast mixers above 500$.

[@stanmanmedia]

@@PodcastMeister You're honestly one of the best in what you do. You do top quality videos that hit all the right points, and you took the time to answer this question that I've searched around for quite a long time. I have a P4, that I'll probably use with the Motu set up. I broke down and ordered a Podcaster pro 2 today as well just because it's so much function for the money. You're the best!!! Don't know how you find the time to do all you do. Thanks again.

[@stanmanmedia]

Dude, You're smart, so let me run this by you. I'm trying to get a device that simultaneously transmits and receives, duplex transceiver that has ports for external mic input and audio output that sits between my audio interface and smartphone that I Bluetooth connect to my smartphone (just like an earbud) but that allows me to tie the smartphone into my audion interface for wireless Bluetooth phone calls. I know how to do it hard wired with an attenuator, and made a video on that. I don't know why there is not a fairly inexpensive device that is seen by the smartphone as something resembling Bluetooth earbuds with mic, but the device instead of being a Bluetooth headset is a device with ports for sound and mic. I know it's easy to build, but I don't want to do it. I'd prefer to buy the device, without spending $700 for a Rode Procaster II. I have all kinds of interfaces and just need the Bluetooth adapter that does that one function in the Ride Podcaster II. Hate spending that much for one little function.

[@PodcastMeister]

Still thinking about it. Will come back to you with my conclusions soon. :)

[@PodcastMeister]

Hi, I did not find any device that can do simultaneous Bluetooth transmission and receiving. There are a lot of receivers that plug into an XLR port or a 3.5mm port, but I could not find any that receives and transmits the bluetooth signal between a phone and an audio interface. Especially because it right away would need to coustom-route the audio when transmitting i.e. create the mix minus, so take out the signal that was received via bluetooth from the signal that is sent back. The Zoom Podtrak P4 does this by the way for below 200$/€ with a 40-50$ proprietary bluetooth adapter (the BTA-2), but then again, the P4 is an interface in itself, and this is not what you were looking for.

[@salehsajjad5919]

How can I download OnyxGo app version 1.3.4 on my android mobile?

[@meirzilkha]

can you use this for phone calls, have hearing aids on bluetooth but no microphone, so can this be a microphone , pic up the voice while speaking, and audio will go to hearing aid?

[@PodcastMeister]

Hi, it should work, if you plug a low-latency bluetooth transmitter into the 3.5mm port and then you pair this transmitter with the hearing aid. Just search for a low-latency one if you also want to hear yourself otherwise the delay will make it an awful experience. If not, you can switch off direct monitoring your own voice as shown in the video at 8:57. Bear in mind that I could not test it as I do not have the device any more, but I truly hope it works out for you! Let me know!

[@digitalebooks6234]

I read a review saying that the call recording does not work with iOS 16 anymore. Can you confirm please?

[@PodcastMeister]

Unfortunately I do not have the device any more, so cannot confirm (or deny). Sorry.

[@digitalebooks6234]

i bought a similar device and found that iOS16 bluetooth is a bit buggy and i had to restart the iphone to get it working. i was about to change to Android if Apple add anymore restrictions 😃 anyways thanks a lot for the review and your reply is much appreciated

[@slurpeeleagen1544]

Need help. I bought the onyxgo. I got it too pair and I downloaded the app. I turn on the auto record on call switch. But does not auto record unless I hit the record button. I have call the tech. And they have open a case for me. But it has been a week with no answer. I have tried this on two android phones now , and have tried on two different mics.what phone did u try this on?

[@PodcastMeister]

Hi, I have tested it on an iPhone 8. I hope Tech support can sort out your issue!

[@slurpeeleagen1544]

Hello again. Well I set it up my wife's IPHONE and it worked. So all I got to do is get the tects too fix it. Thanks for telling me yours was IPhone

[@proactivei]

It's interesting that you pronounce "wireless" as "vireless" and "wave" as "vave".

[@PodcastMeister]

Must have been something at birth. 😄

[@spazn]

Can this be connected to the PC via bluetooth and used as a regular microphone as well?

[@PodcastMeister]

Good question. I haven’t tested it, but I assume it can, as it is a bluetooth microphone. However then you are losing the app’s functionalities (including recording).

[@spazn]

@@PodcastMeister If you have time, can you confirm it? This is the last feature I'm looking for to pull the trigger on buying it. Thank you!! 😁😁

[@PodcastMeister]

@Mike, as I do not have the device any more (sent it back to Mackie already) I unfortunately cannot test and confirm it. However, the reason why I assume it would work is that the OnyxGo worked with just about any app on the phone that allowed the usage of a bluetooth microphone, so it would not make sense (to me) if a PC would not recognize it as a bluetooth device. Worst case you can always return it if it doesn’t. :) Also, be aware that the headphone preamp is not the greatest, so if you are planning to use it for longer virtual meetings it could turn out to cause a bit of fatigue.

[@spazn]

@@PodcastMeister thank you for all the great information, I will take this into consideration. 😊