Panasonic HC X2000 Audio Test

[@MichaelNobleMusic]

Three years later still such an important topic to cover on this camera, thanks!!!

[@TheKaneVision]

Great video. This clip helped me out awhile back when I got a shotgun mic and couldn't figure out the settings for my x-1500 attachment.

[@ve3iku]

It is clear from the Sennheiser test that even in “fixed manual” gain setting, one can hear a compressor releasing over several seconds bringing up the noise like with the other microphones. This means there is hope in reducing noise by turning down the manual gain pots to almost zero, and providing a super high mic input level from an outboard preamp. Will test this and report back soon. OK just did some tests on my HC-X2000 with a pair of headphones plugged into the monitor jack. If you select MANUAL gain, turn down the gain pots to zero, then switch between the internal mic, and the mic/line input - guess what? The small background NOISE STAYS EXACTLY THE SAME! So there is no "bad" mic preamp. The same preamp is used for all settings. Now, going back to the internal mic, turn up the gain pots (in manual) - the mic picks up very sensitive sounds with room/outdoor air noise overriding the preamp noise. The only reason this happens, is because the internal microphone is an electret element with its own transistor impedance matching/gain element. When you switch to AUTO, the manual controls are bypassed, and the result is the same. You actually get even more audio level by switching to MANUAL and enabling the limiter in the audio input menu. Now, when you select the XLR external mic jack, the noise is the same - BUT, most mics (like an SM58 I tried), have very, very low output, so psychologically, you think the background noise has come up, when in fact it is the signal to noise ratio that has degraded by a lot. The solution is to rig up a homemade electret element mic with its own preamp (you could power it off the 48V power), and make sure it has 25x gain or something enormous, then select the MANUAL gain position, enable the limiter in the audio input menu, turn down the MANUAL gain until it matches the internal microphone. IT will be no worse than the built in mic (which isn't perfect, but because of the high gain, the ambient noises seem to mask the very slight hiss). What everyone is hearing here in the comments and on forums, is the same noise, but turned up (in AUTO with the compressor barely thresholding, or in MANUAL with the gain up and again with or without the audio input limiter (which also would barely threshold), - simply because the microphone signal itself is way too low. Not optimum preamps, yes - but SAME with internal and external mics. You must drive it harder with some kind of external amp. Problem solved. This youtube video sort of proved that with the Sennheiser - it should be turned up even more, then enable the limiter in the audio menu, and turn down the MANUAL gain even more. The result is very good, in my opinion. Worth it because the video quality is unbelievably good!

[@tubbsandtwigs]

I have 2 x HCX 2000 and both have extremely high audio noise floor on HDMI and SDI outputs. Hissing sound with no mics plugged in, audio levels to inf, -40db. Would like to hear from other users with similar issues. Panasonic seem unwilling to admit there is a design flaw on these models.

[@felikzk]

Just bought the cam and super disappointed with its audio performance. external in is ridiculous noisy looking at its price tag, even line in. pointless. thought its a defect but thanks to your video i now know its a design fault.

[@tyfonroad]

I got this camera not that long ago and I have a slight hiss with all external microphones on XLR and the 3.5 mini jack. I can hear the same hiss in this video so I guess the preamp on the camera is not that good? I wonder if I'm the only one that can hear it though. Could be only me that is bothered by it though since I have to listen to it with headphones and play it over and over during editing. I guess the best option is external recording devices in any case.

[@hunsberg]

I noticed it on mine as well. It is not that obvious, but you are right... with headphones on and editing I can definitely hear a very low hiss

[@wildwoodtop]

Does the onboard mic sound the same when you're behind the camera as it does when you're in front of it

[@soundhobo]

I had similar results with my Rode Video Mic Pro + as you did. I tried the Rode Wireless Go and it performed OK. The best results were from a Rode NTG 4. I’m a rank amateur though and still feeling my way around audio. Can I assume that the audio settings in the X2000 menu only apply to the internal mic or when using auto on the xlr adapter? Thanks for doing the test, very helpful 👍

[@DanChanPiano]

This might be of interest to some of the commenters on this post. On the HC-X2000 in addition to the audio level dials on the handle controlling the external XLR mic inputs, there are gain settings in the Audio menu. Audio / Handle Unit Input Settings / Input 1 Mic Level and Input 2 Mic Level. Your choices are -40db, -50db, -60db. These can be used to bring up or down the record levels and tweak the noise floor.

[@ecs1749]

I tried the settings you mentioned and doesn't make any difference - it's still very noisy. I set the Rode record level to -10db and it did improved but still at a disappointing level. My Panasonic HDC-TM300 from 12 years ago is very quiet. Has anybody found a solution?

[@ecs1749]

To my surprise, the "Noise" I heard appears to go away once recording starts. Before recording, I plugged a headset into it and there is horrible hissing white noise. But I have no proof that the "noise" persists once I hit the record button. I tried several settings and came to the same conclusion. The "silence test" does work.

[@bitwise2832]

The ch 2 does not need to be set to 48v (phantom) when plugging only one mic, into ch 1. Running the level in Auto works well most of the time. I use an Audio Technica 875R shotgun, when mobile. When stationary, the AKG P420 works even better. Both are condenser mics requiring phantom voltage.

[@bitwise2832]

Right. Auto leveling works well most of the time.

[@RazvanMuraru]

i have an sony shotgun ecm vg1 if i plug in in imput 1 what to slect to imput 2 line mic because is broke my audio

[@bitwise2832]

@Razvan Muraru Events if you have a good mic, plug into input 1. Set A Channel to input 1. Also set B Channel to input 1. Left and right audio channels will then be the good mic. Use Auto Level for both, unless you have a specific need to adjust.

[@RazvanMuraru]

The problem was because i activate The low pass filtrare sound was at 0 and loud

[@SteveBurk]

is there a wireless remote for record, zoom in these?

[@bitwise2832]

The App, Panasonic ROP (Remote Operations Panel).