PicoMic - 2 Microphones 1 Receiver 2.4GHz Wireless Microphone System

[@curtisjudd]

What's that hiss? Mostly the fan in my light - Aputure C300DmkII - and self-noise from the PICOMIC system. I had the noise reduction setting turned off on the PICOMIC. Please use the "Audio Sample" portion of the video to assess how this sounds without any processing. In the rest of the video, I applied EQ, de-breath, and compression plugins and then loudness normalized to -17 LUFS.

[@ahriik]

The production company I work for pretty often, picked up a few C300mkIIs recently - they certainly are noisy!

[@GaryCruzDotCom]

Is there any latency?

[@curtisjudd]

Yes, though very little. Seems not to be any sync issue here which was shot at 23.976 fps.

[@curtisjudd]

Cameras typically are.

[@massimoditrapaniph189]

i Like your yt channel very much. learned a lot. thanks. I often need to record two persons at the same time in my videos. this seems a very nice solution. At the momenti i use two Rode-link and a tiny little mixer preamp (go it on amazon) to record one mic on left channel and the other to the right directly in my canon 1dx m2 with very good result after editing the tracks on the computer.

[@IMDABROWN]

Yes we love hearing one of the calmest person ever yell.

[@curtisjudd]

Hahaha! Pretty much the only times I yell are for audio gear reviews like this and when cheering on my daughter during a performance. :-D

[@pasapucha]

Really calm person and soothing voice

[@huyked]

5:48 Using the parking spaces as reference is genius, Curtis. I was going to leave this 20 minute video for later to watch. Read your instant PROs/CONs summary (I love that you do that!), and was going to head off. Listened on for a few minutes... and here I am now already done with the review. You hooked me in. Lol. Having your daughter as the interviewee is great. I like the question you asked.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks! Glad the review was engaging enough to trick you into watching the entire thing! 🤓

[@JWS1968]

How do you make a clickable 'time stamp' for the video 5.48 like the one you've did here?

[@huyked]

@@JWS1968 You have to use a colon, not a period. And for times less than one minute, add a zero like this 0:23

[@JWS1968]

@@huyked thanks

[@huyked]

@@JWS1968 Anytime.

[@JAK_EDITS.]

Love love love your format of throwing up your overall thoughts before the real review even starts

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Jack!

[@pasapucha]

No Logorrhea, Precise and precious info from the most trustworthy wiseman in KZbin 🙏🙏🙏 Regards from 🇳🇵

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks!

[@jooch_exe]

Hands down one of the best channels when it comes to video production. Thanks so much for this!

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks jooched!

[@ClaudioPerin]

Good Idea mutting the out of focus mic durying the interview. Increased the overall audio quality a lot. When in a hurry, sometimes we forget such a little tricks. I appreciated that 👍🏻

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@spinalman7892]

Thanks Curtis - comprehensive and helpful. I am growing to like the inbuilt batteries on the Rode Go. I was shooting an opera whereby the TX was placed in an inaccessible place for hours. With a usb cable and power pack attached to the Go TX it was a fire and forget solution and still not bigger than a "normal" TX belt pack. For run and gun shooting having the small form factor is a real plus - I can place the TX in the midst of the action without being obvious. The quicker rig and de-rig is a real plus. For interviews the Go TX clip is just too big - and I nearly always add a lavalier. I love the design of the Picomic and would consider it at the top of my list next time, despite no lavalier option. I had a dual channel receiver (Saramonic) and after 6 months of use I traded it in - unreliable and klunky interface and it ate batteries.

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Spinalman That all matches my experience as well. Thanks!

[@ivarmh]

Very nice review. Keep it up! :) One thing regarding wifi in office buildings: Finding many "networks" on your phone does not mean that the 2.4Ghz band is saturated with mulitiple wifi networks. Often enterprise level access points used in office buildings can broadcast multiple SSIDs using the same frequensies. Your phone only displays the different SSIDs. In order to tell if an area has a saturated 2.4Ghz band you need a WiFi scanner (most networkcards in laptops and android phones can do this with the right software). It is often easier to get a highly saturated 2.4GHz band in appartment complexes where everyone is using thier own wireless router. That being said it looks like you can see two ceiling mounted APs in the office you're testing in and they would have to operate on different bands in order not to interffere so it's not that bad of an example :)

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for the tip, Ivar!

[@dangoldbach6570]

Just saw these are finally back in stock in February 2021!! Been waiting since 2019 to order this, Very happy for this to be back!!

[@curtisjudd]

Good news! Happy recording!

[@dangoldbach6570]

@@curtisjudd AND they are fifty bucks cheaper now too! Even better 😎

[@gillesmatheronpro]

I had to watch it again. Always of the highest quality, thank you Curtis ! And discovered (through another YT channel) this little French company sold most of their production to the USA. And ran out of stock several times... good for them ! They seem to be working on some new stuff (but don't know anything else as of now).

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@immyownpresident]

Contacted customer service for a firmware update issue and they duck and Dodge the emails. TRASH. I still rock with you Judd.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for sharing, good information for everyone to know!

[@JohnPallottaStudio]

I love it, got 2 pairs. In the beginning it would go through firmware updates in the middle of a project. The only problem I have now is it is so small and light that the talent would actually walk out the door not realizing they are wearing it. If you are a one man show that happened. Other then that, I love it!

[@curtisjudd]

Hahaha! I have the same problem with all of my wireless mics - talent just walking off with them still wired up. :-D

[@JohnPallottaStudio]

@@curtisjudd And thetalent tells me, I'll drop it off next time I am in that neighborhood, I am already on the highway. Me.... Drop it off right NOW!

[@curtisjudd]

@@JohnPallottaStudio Or, "Ok, but I get to keep your car until you give me my transmitter and mic back..." 😁

[@jamiedetwiler773]

Your new motion graphic info is so much better.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Jamie.

[@OpenDGuitar]

Finally got one, and it sounds very good - I've used it on DSLR, iPad, and iPhone. Very good user interface...the ease of use sets this apart from other brands.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@greatvedas]

I'm glad I'm watching this video just few hours after the upload. Thanks @Curtis Judd! I'm really enjoying this tech reviews! ++Such calm, composed person you are.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Venkat!

[@movia3180]

Excellent review per usual. Really appreciate the in depth content. A great option for wedding ceremonies Thanks Chris.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@timsyoutubechannel9798]

We were looking for a simpler way to record two-person interviews than our current setup using 2 Rode Filmmaker kits into a Zoom H1. The Rodes are great, but getting the lavaliers and transmitters sorted can be fiddly and we generally only have a few minutes prior to the interview to set up and only one shot at the interview. I bought the Pico system off the back of this excellent (as always Curtis) review. Not only is the Pico system just what we needed in terms of format (2 mics into 1 receiver) but it is one of the best-designed bits of kit I've come across. It's really easy to set up and use and the sound quality is more than good enough for our purposes. I was thinking that I'd like to see an accessory that turns a clip-on mic into a handheld mic, for really on-the-fly interviews but it's almost as easy to just click a 2nd mic onto the interviewee. The only downside so far was actually getting hold of a set as they were sold out since the date of this review.

[@curtisjudd]

Glad to hear its worked out well for you!

[@super8guy]

New Judd offering surpasses 60 Minutes as the most anticipated Sunday night must watch program. We appreciate your thorough reviews and comments!

[@curtisjudd]

Hahaha! Thanks!

[@ahmadfauzanperdana5703]

This PicoMic and Saramonic B2 is really great. PicoMic has outstanding battery life and the Saramonic only last 4 hours but Saramonic is a lot cheaper. I'm planning to use it for film production. I can't even choose which one i should buy.

[@curtisjudd]

Tough decision, indeed!

[@rastAsia]

Ordered one. And import cost to EU was staggering €88. But the tiny things deliver for run and shoot interviews! We now keep the G3s for corporate. And deploy picochius for simple and quick setup. I hope the battery hold up for the 1 year warranty. 20hrs... That's a bag of batteries for the G3s. :)

[@curtisjudd]

Ouch on the import fees, but glad to hear it is working well for you!

[@eastern05]

Seems good for one man band interview setups. Run a two person interview straight to camera without an external mixer if you don't want. Could be decent for low end weddings also for the same reason perhaps. Well Done!

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Kreigh

[@eddradcliffe]

I can see this being brilliant for event work where I often have to record two people on the go with quick setups. Very tempted.

[@curtisjudd]

Definitely convenient for these types of situations.

[@Raychristofer]

I'm super impressed with that system and this thorough review. I think you got your style of reviewing wireless mics from my Channel because I've been doing extreme long range tests also LOL. The transmitters are so small that is what amazes me but still have power to reach far, good job

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Raychristofer!

[@alexeycrockoval3620]

I believe, this mic will be very useful, when you doing “vox pop” interviews, and you can’t use handheld or boom mic. It is just easier to use. Waiting for availability. Definitely this in my list.

[@curtisjudd]

👍 happy recording!

[@DrSeanReyes]

Thanks for this review! You're the first to address the microphone bleed. I thought because two mics were going to one receiver it would get rid of the microphone bleed, guess not. So glad you mentioned this because I was very close to buying this. BTW I got a new youtube channel, check it out. I remember asking you 5 years ago for sound advice lol.

[@curtisjudd]

Hey! Congrats on launching the channel! Of course I remember our call. And let me say that your audio and lighting are great!

[@ChadwickFamilyFilms]

love the new setup on the concrete wall

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks!

[@geekhomeworld4248]

Interesting. Side note. In the captions mode of the video everytime you said "GH5" captions displayed "GH4". Weird, huh? Another well thought out video. Your videos are always great. :)

[@curtisjudd]

Haha, yes, maybe I need to work on my pronunciation. 😉

[@TheSundaeDrive]

Can't find this mic kit anywhere now. Website says it will be back in stock in September but its already October so I wonder what the story is here lol. Hope they are still going to make it!

[@curtisjudd]

Looks like they’re swamped with far more demand than anticipated. They’re also new at the manufacturing game. But an update to their site would be nice.

[@remektekmedia6641]

How does the sound quality compare to the Rode WirelessGO? I bought 2x Go kits and a Boya passive mixer to handle dual channel - before this came out. PicoMic appeals because the integrated receiver is smaller than my kit (also less cabling) and the TRRS/TRS switch is very convenient. Love the integrated charging too.

[@curtisjudd]

I prefer the sound of the in-built microphone on the Wireless GO on my voice. It has less mid-range focus.

[@PAYLOS60]

ΠΟΛΥ ΚΑΛΗ ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑΣΗ ....ΟΠΩΣ ΠΑΝΤΑ.ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΩ

[@curtisjudd]

Σας ευχαριστώ και τις καλύτερες ευχές!

[@StarOasis26]

My favorite sound quality and no drop out wireless Lav set up is Audio Technica ATW-1701/L System 10. 24 bit, sound quality sounds like a condenser microphone sitting on your desk, tight round lows extended to 20hz and cut to taste in post and a top shelf eq boost +5 at 1.5ghz and sounds very nice. But it's only one transmitter per receiver and can get costly if you want two. This Picomic sounds great for the price getting to lavs simultaneously at 2.4. and no clip on transmitter body's to deal with. Zepeto doesn't have that tinny or narrow frequency response like other lav systeks. I can hear the flat frequency response of this mic leaves room for post-production Eqing to taste, which is a good thing. Going to have to check this out when available again. Thanks for detailed review.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks!

[@ive595]

I do get hooked into your videos, love the pros and cons at the beginning, great for a quick getaway, but still sat through the next 20 minutes. I wish others had your approach to reviews. Seems Picomic have no plans to ship to the UK, which is a shame.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks IVE595! I hope they can sort out their manufacturing scalability and start distributing to UK soon.

[@BrianStollery]

Pardon me --if my question is naive (I don't have a lot of experience with wireless mic systems) My question is: When you download the audio from this PicoMic system--will it appear as TWO audio tracks in iMovie? (One track from speaker #1, One track from speaker #2?) OR will all the audio be on ONE audio track for both speakers. THANK YOU FOR YOUR REVIEW!

[@curtisjudd]

You can set it to mix the two or keep them separate. One note: this is not a recorder, it just feeds the sound to your camera which records the sound.

[@DJILLEE]

I like the shape of the transmitters. Easy to hide. If they make a version with internal recording in the transmitter I'd buy them. Hard to give that up after the Rode system.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@user-qp2hj7sg9c]

Thanks Curtis - was looking forward to this.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@graphicolor]

Hi Curtis thanks for your video. Would you know if Ishould also purchase the zoom h4n pro to use with pico mic?. thankyou

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Frances, It shouldn't be necessary. The PicoMic is made to plug directly into your camera. Best wishes!

[@graphicolor]

@@curtisjudd thank you Sir, kind regards :)

[@OpenDGuitar]

Even though the receiver is a bit large, and the kit is a little pricey, it has great functionality. Various reviews of it convince me of decent quality. Love the USB thumb drive size mic transmitter! My concern is availability...our main vendor doesn't carry it, and Amazon doesn't have it available in Oct 2019.

[@curtisjudd]

Yes, as a start-up and this being their first product, it seems the biggest issue is availability.

[@hot2me654]

This my favorite too. The only thing I would ask to be changed would be the power button. I would love it to be a slide switch with some resistance from one way to the other. Right now if you just tap the button it goes on and I’ve pulled my out for a project and battary was dead. So again the only change would be the power button

[@curtisjudd]

Good input, thanks for that, Patrick.

[@tigerpdj]

impressive explanation of this small wireless ones. if I dont use clip on setting, is it absorb voice as well. For example like reporter setting, I just hold the one of pico gears, then ask some people forth and back... like this situation, does this one work as well?

[@curtisjudd]

Yes, though you'll need to be careful to avoid handling noise.

[@makatron]

I came for the "check one two" limiter test, was not disappointed.

[@curtisjudd]

Hahahaha! Thanks for coming by!

[@NadimALMallah]

can we get two channels while using the picomic with the IPhone ? I mean Mic 1 left Mic 2 right ?

[@curtisjudd]

Unfortunately no. The 3.5mm to lightning adapter is mono only.

[@workfasts]

How are the comparison between picomic, boya, comica on sound clear quality and range recording? Stable during recording or often cut off or easily block out by by pass?

[@curtisjudd]

I don’t know about Boya or Comica.

[@AustralianImage]

One of the huge benefits of the Rode Wireless Go system is that, given the price, you can get two units and then using a Hosa YMM-261 3.5mm TRS(M) to Dual 3.5mm TS(F) Stereo Breakout Adaptor Cable, you can feed a signal from two transmitters into the camera's left and right channel (a Lav, a boom or on-camera mic), giving you a lot more audio control. And you can attach multiple wired Lavs to the transmitters (with long enough cables) so that multiple subjects can be on individual Lavs.

[@curtisjudd]

Yes, definitely. Just need a good way to rig all that up without cables everywhere on the camera rig.

[@AustralianImage]

I'm somewhat of a cable fanatic and with my BMPCC4K everything is tucked away and barely noticeable (V-lock power cables to camera, monitor, Tilta Nano follow focus and then cables to and from monitor, SSD, Rode VideoMic Pro+/Wireless GO). The main advantage is that my rig is more or less permanently set up and not frequently reconfigured.

[@curtisjudd]

@@AustralianImage 👍

[@A12Diary]

Hi Curtis. Thanks for the review. I need your help to make a decision please. I need to connect 4 mics into one camera and I need the best option for that. I’m going to do video shoot in different situations , indoor/outdoor , interviews / talk show and jumping around and adventures. I need mics for all situations to save money. Thanks

[@curtisjudd]

How about a Sound Devices MixPre-6? It has 4 XLR inputs.

[@briancayko]

I’m assuming no onboard recording in the picostream itself? That would be a huge selling point for me. Otherwise, if my main cam goes down( full card or dead battery) then I lose all audio even though I may still be getting video from other cams. I can see plugging this into a digital recorder instead for that reason but obviously it would be better if it was built in. Thanks for the high quality review.

[@curtisjudd]

Correct, no on-board recording. Partly that is a patent issue in the US, though it is not in the rest of the world.

[@RallenMan]

Excellent review of a game changing, ingenious new product. I love the form factor of both the RX and TX’s. I love the display, controls, and dual mic nature of the system. It’s a shame the sound quality is not that great. But from what I heard it is still usable for many applications. I’m thinking corporate interviews, or host and guest shoots, or do you think the audio quality would not cut it? Probably OK for use on YT or embedded web spots. Maybe they will make audio improvements over time. I don’t see too much of an issue with the TX unit placement options on talent. The range was amazing and way more than I need. I rarely have talent more than 30 ft from camera.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Allen! Agreed that the audio quality is not top-notch. But nice first offer from this company. Interesting set of features. Simple, yet enough control for those who know how to operate sound equipment.

[@JMLRetroRoom]

If I didn’t already have the Wireless Go then I’d really look into this. I don’t necessarily need two mics but I do want a second so maybe another WG is my best option. I have a way different setup than most and it’s very simplistic and the Go has done wonders for us.. We don’t do audio editing at all. We just line it into my camera and I wear headphones to monitor live. I’m part of a paranormal team so yeah, we don’t need complicated systems. This seems like it would of been great for us but since I already have one that I know and trust to do the job, my best option is to just buy another. My buddy was wearing the mic upstairs in an old building, I was downstairs floor level. He forgot it was on and went to take a pee break. I could hear it.. I didn’t want to but it was great knowing that it transmitted through walls and floors like it did. Gotta stick with what I know and get another Wireless Go. If I didn’t have one I’d really consider this though. Great review!

[@curtisjudd]

Makes sense!

[@D_L_J_83]

Thanks for the very thorough review Curtis! I’m thinking this might be great for my Blackmagic Pocket 4K for some interviews. Would I get cleaner audio if I use a 3.5mm to XLR cable instead of using a standard 3.5mm to 3.5mm headphone cable?

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Diego, it might be slightly cleaner. I think the PicoMic is going to be the limiting factor so the XLR input may not make much difference. But it is worth a try - the XLR adapter should be relatively affordable.

[@D_L_J_83]

Curtis Judd thanks Curtis!

[@Alex-jv5ci]

Hello @Curtis Judd . I would like to use these microphones for windows desktop. When I insert the USB into the computer, will the microphone be defined as an audio device or will it just be recharged?

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Alex, no, this does not operate as a USB audio interface.

[@aldolega]

Hi Curtis, any thoughts on the updated "PicoMic 2" transmitters they just released? They're smaller and are supposed to have better range, and the "Pro" version has an input for lavaliers. I'd love if you did an updated review!

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Al, thanks for alerting me - I wasn't aware that they launched a new version. The limiter looks to be a "hybrid digital" limiter which are not usually my favorite. I'll see if I can get my hands on one and test it out.

[@aldolega]

@@curtisjudd No problem! Hope to see your usual thorough review. I didn't realize they'd changed the limiter in the new version.

[@POLARICED]

What is the background noise I hear every time you talk? is that the self noise of the microphone?

[@YTit69]

Good concetion, but sound is shit...

[@curtisjudd]

Yes it is. This is not the cleanest wireless mic system available.

[@POLARICED]

@@curtisjudd is there any way to clean it in post without wasting too much time on it?

[@curtisjudd]

@@POLARICED Izotope RX de-noise should reduce that by a few decibles.

[@POLARICED]

@@curtisjudd Thank you, always a pleasure to learn something new from you

[@markusr3259]

I've recently purchased the Rode Wireless Go after your review, if they had offered a dual-transmitter single-receiver system I'd have definitely gone for it. I bet they could easily make a dual-receiver without doubling the size.

[@curtisjudd]

Looks like PicoMic may push RODE to consider that possibility. :)

[@blackfordoakes2291]

@@curtisjudd The Samson Go Mic Mobile has been offering this capability for ages. I got one of those early on, and it's still a good quick and dirty mic setup for interviews (lav on one person, handheld or another lav on the other.) Option to Lightning both mics straight into iPhone video as well, if you're doing that sort of capture.

[@LearnLightAndSoundSessions]

@@blackfordoakes2291 Good to know - thanks blackford!

[@alantuttphotography]

Was hoping you'd review these mics. Glad to see a low noise floor, and also impressed by both range tests. Agree with your comparisons between this and the other systems. Deity Connect seems to be the "best" in terms of quality and reliability, but I think the convenience of these Picomics more than compensates for my situation.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Alan. I'm not sure I would call the noise floor low on these, more like "acceptable for non critical situations." But the convenience is the main selling factor here.

[@immyownpresident]

What would be the best substitute for this type of system? I'm looking for quality and simplicity-dual mic 1 transmitter?

[@curtisjudd]

Probably the best dual channel prosumer level system is the Deity Connect: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGqzeoysgduborc

[@MisterMayhem17]

Now here's what I've been waiting for! Thank you!

[@curtisjudd]

Hope you liked it!

[@MisterMayhem17]

@@curtisjudd you kidding me? I loved it. Haha now I have to get me one of these. Ugh. 😂

[@Pepingco]

Amazing video. This is probably the system I have been looking for. But in your opinion, how does the Picomic compare to the UHF Sony URX-P03D when it comes to signal strength and reliability? And would you use the Picomic for a professional gig if given the option?

[@curtisjudd]

If I were doing a pro gig, I would use the Sony, not the PicoMic. I *might* take the PicoMic along as a backup.

[@c0pyimitati0n]

What is your overall favorite dual wireless lav set-up? Also, what setup would you recommend for a budget of $300?

[@curtisjudd]

My favorite is the Audio Ltd A10 but it is a very expensive pro system. In the $300 range, probably this. I just wish the microphones sounded nicer. That’s their biggest issue.

[@villagefun5676]

Not available in Amazon this mics what problem bro

[@curtisjudd]

Try here: www.picogear.com/store/

[@villagefun5676]

I am from India

[@villagefun5676]

Thank you for replying me your videos helping next generation filmmakers

[@jaimevalles]

Thanks for the review! Is it possible to connect the receiver to a camera via XLR input using an adapter? And if so, how do I record the two channels separately? My camera only has XLR inputs.

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Jaime, It is theoretically possible with the right 3.5mm to XLR adapter, though I haven't specifically tried any. May need to experiment around a bit. Best wishes!

[@VWLifeVW]

Do you think the road Wireless go is ever going to come out with a version with two transmitters and one receiver?

[@curtisjudd]

That would be cool but I haven’t heard anything from RODE about that.

[@VWLifeVW]

@@curtisjudd that would be awesome if they did so many KZbin channels have two main people. Like our channel for example two people talk the whole time

[@dwpix]

Sorry if this question is “stupid”- Could I use 2 PicoMics with the Sound Device’s MixAssist or the Auto Mix on Zoom recorders? Do I simply need to use an input adapter to connect the PicoMic receiver to the above mentioned recorders?

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Darrell, not a bad question at all. The short answer: Yes, but it would require some adapters and, perhaps most importantly, the PicoMic produces rather poor quality in relation to the MixPre or Zoom F6 so it would be a significant step down. But if you use a TRS to dual XLR adapter for each PicoMic receiver, yes, you can send each microphone to a separate channel on the MixPre or F6 and the AutoMix features should work fine. Best wishes!

[@yuidfbse]

Great review Curtis, thank you very much! I had the opportunity a few months ago to demo this mic system, was very impressed, and have been trying to buy it ever since. However, its permanently unavailable on Amazon, the manufacturer's website or anywhere else, aka PERMANENTLY.. this kind of basically doesn't exit. I have an issue with companies that announce and ''release'' products that ultimately are almost nowhere to be seen and just about no one can buy. Anyway, thanks again for the review and would love, eventually, to get my hands on it myself.

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Android, PicoGear is a new company and are in the process of ramping up their manufacturing and distribution. I'm hopefuly they make it. I'm not here to defend or criticize them, but I hope they are able to scale here pretty quickly.

[@healing2gether]

Another great review I can count on!! This is the product I’ve been waiting for...if I can get my hands on one!!

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks!

[@MilosevicOgnjan]

The concept of the device is very nice, but apart from the fan noise you mentioned, I can also hear some digital type of noise, like quantization noise or jitter and very slight non-linear distortion on the voice (even when the signal is full). I don't know if this is related to the transmitters themselves (the limiter processing maybe?) or the recording device (GH5, I presume?). I am not a fan of recording audio into cameras since their audio recording quality is often subpar (haven't used the GH5 though). Have you tried recording the signal into a separate high-quality audio recorder? It would have been great if they included an inbuilt recorder to an SD card on the receiver part, since it wouldn't have been difficult to implement, once you have everything else done.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for the insights Ognjan. Interesting idea to add a recorder. I didn't try recording to a high quality audio recorder since this seems aimed at recording directly to camera, but it would be worth a try.

[@pigmintfilm256]

Hey Curtis, have you seen the latest Holland Lark 150? Would love to see somebody compare it with the Picomic. Most people who've reviewed the Lark 150 I've spoken to hadn't ever heard of the Picomic. Did you keep it or sell it on?

[@curtisjudd]

I've heard of the Lark but haven't used it. I gave the PicoMic away. But I still have this video as a reference once I review the Lark some day.

[@blaspayri]

will you review the PicoMic 2 ? it seems that they have made significant improvements in sound quality and allowed to use external microphones

[@curtisjudd]

I would like to do that but it appears they are not available.

[@blaspayri]

@@curtisjudd actually, as of today, they are available

[@curtisjudd]

@@blaspayriWhere do I find them? I couldn't find their site and Amazon listed them as unavailable.

[@hbl_channel]

Very informative as always Curtis! Thank you for sharing.

[@curtisjudd]

You bet, Homer!

[@mahmud-ahsan]

Excellent review. Thank you. I have a question. If I place lavalier mic or this type of clipping mic under my TSHIRT near the chest, will the sound quality be reduced?

[@curtisjudd]

No, I think it may actually be better - will just need to experiment with the right placement.

[@mahmud-ahsan]

@@curtisjudd Thank you very much. Keep up your good work. (Y)

[@mahmud-ahsan]

@@curtisjudd By the way, please create a full audio editing course on Udemy. It would be a great help for many. I really want to improve my skills on Audio, but didn't find quality courses on there.

[@curtisjudd]

@@mahmud-ahsan I have several courses at School.LearnLightAndSound.com

[@RCModSquad]

Thanks for the review. I thought the noise floor was way to high. Listening on my phone wasn’t as bad but with a headset it was very distracting to me. It was probably amplified because of the noise gate which also would make the noise floor appear much lower than it was when you tested it with silence. I do appreciate the review and maybe with a low music track in the background the noise gate wouldn’t be as noticeable.

[@curtisjudd]

Yes, this is not a pro-level device, unfortunately. A music track could easily hide most of it.

[@Fragranceroom]

is this still out of stock everywhere? i cant find it anywhere

[@curtisjudd]

From what I can tell, yes, still out of stock.

[@philip]

Were you able to get the Picomic working with a smartphone as the recorder?

[@curtisjudd]

I didn’t specifically try but it is certainly capable of recording to phones with a TRRS cable

[@philip]

Curtis Judd I'm unable to get it to record to a Galaxy S9 with the TRRS patch cord, nor to an iPhone 8 with an adapter. Hmmm

[@jugglingwithjohn]

Thanks for another great review! This system seems very similar to the Saramonic UWmic9, which I own. I've been pretty happy with the Saramonic except for an occasional low hum/ringing. It happened recently for about 60 seconds in the middle of a lengthy, studio-style interview. Any idea what would cause this?

[@curtisjudd]

Hi John, this is different in that it transmits the audio as an already digitized signal whereas the UWMic9 transmits an analogue audio signal. If I had to guess, you may have experienced some radio frequency interference.

[@alexeycrockoval3620]

Hi Curtis. Thank you for great review. I heard some background noice during whole video. Is it noice from the mic or from the preamp of GH5? I am considering to buy this mic, and was waiting your review, but now i am little bit disappointed. Thank you!

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Alexey, that was partly fan noise from the light and partly self noise generated by the PICOMIC. It isn’t the cleanest but I’d consider it usable.

[@wroomauto7615]

Can you please put time stamp for the battery life testing

[@curtisjudd]

1:22

[@supmission]

H Curtis! We looking at this system for mobile run and gun interviews. But for added info with our sound guy, how would you connect the 2 mono output into the MixPre 10T? Unbalanced AUX In 1/2 or as Balanced Mic?

[@curtisjudd]

The easiest way would be the unbalanced Aux intput. You could also use a stereo to mono splitter cable and then 3.5m to XLR adapters.

[@supmission]

Awesome. Do we use the TRRS out to do this? Or fine with standard stereo TRS to Balanced Split Mono TRS?

[@curtisjudd]

@@supmission Standard TRS.

[@supmission]

Curtis Judd Thanks! We'll try that.

[@czarlez]

Thank you for the review Curtis!

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@Photographicelements]

A great system for interviews!

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@nonames841]

I'm looking for a solution to connect one mic to multiple receivers... Like for a remit speaker setup or a run and gun filming setup with backup audio recording... Any advice?

[@curtisjudd]

The Azden XD wireless do that on the budget realm. All of the UHF systems like Sennheiser G3/G4 can do this as well.

[@nonames841]

@@curtisjudd thanks I'll check that out... 😎👍

[@sglivetv]

Thanks very much for another comprehensive review of a very useful system. When you were editing the interview segment, did you notice any AGC kicking in for the portions you were not speaking.? I there an option to disable automatic gain in the PicoMic?

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Rodney, no, I don't believe that PicoMic has an auto gain feature.

[@sglivetv]

@@curtisjudd Thanks Curtis! That's great news.

[@Moritzschmittatphotography]

Curtis, great video - thanks! Do you know if it's possible to have multiple dual-channel units running at the same time? For example three of them (=6 mics) at an event? Thanks again.

[@curtisjudd]

I didn’t see anything in their marketing materials about how many of these could run at the same time. Might be best to contact their support to see what they say.

[@RJinspire]

Curtis Judd, thank you for finding time to respond to my comment. It played a major part in encouraging me to work harder. Your microphone videos helped me a great deal. I just want to share with you the good news that last evening, 8pm, I published a video titled 'Don't Go Underneath Glaciers' and it has been trending fast. I didn't do much promotion in my 39-days-old channel, I would be grateful if you could check it out

[@curtisjudd]

Congrats!

[@RJinspire]

@@curtisjudd, thank you ever so much. Without your videos my sound wouldn't have improved

[@remektekmedia6641]

Looks and sounds great. Great review as always.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

Wonderful review as always Curtis. You mentioned that the display is a bit difficult to see outside. Is it matte or glossy? Standard LED or OLED? Thank you!

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Allan, it is semi-glossy, definitely not matte. Their specs don't say whether it is LED OR OLED but it appears to be OLED. It is better than many low-end camera monitors (e.g., the budget 7" monitors with super glossy finish and 350 nit LED backlights)

[@Debtfreehomesteaders]

232 feet on top of that parking garage! Wow! -Will

[@curtisjudd]

That's some range for a 2.4GHz wireless system!

[@alexbormanbou]

The hiss comes and goes in some segments of your speach (2:20 for instance), that cannot be the Aputure's fault, and since it stops when there's a silence I wonder if it's not related to the transmission more than to the noise floor (or could it be the debreath?), If the Aputure was not on when you did the backlighted test , then it also has a noise problem. It's obvious just comparing this with the videos recorded with your equipment, clean and detailed. The product idea is great, just need to be refined. Great video, as always. Thanks for sharing.

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Alejandro, I processed the audio for this episode except for the "Audio Sample" portion. That included a de-breath plugin. Highly recommended to stick with the "Audio Sample" sequence which was not processed to assess the audio quality of the PicoMic. This PicoMic is FAR from noise free. There's plenty of self-noise. I would consider it to be "usable for non-critical" work. Not a pro level tool.

[@alexbormanbou]

@@curtisjudd Thanks Curtis

[@BigShotBeats]

Appreciate the review as usual, as I'm getting this for a company I'm working with that need 2 people on Instagram livestream!

[@curtisjudd]

I hope it works nicely!

[@northwiebesick7136]

What do you think about the system a few years down the line? They have both the "picomic 2" and "picomic 2 pro" now, and I've heard that an upcoming update will reintroduce the 0Db test tone that they got rid of in the 2.x firmware...

[@curtisjudd]

I haven’t tried the newer versions but the mics on the originals weren’t great.

[@northwiebesick7136]

@@curtisjudd thanks for the information. Back when they first came out I seen plenty of good reviews that I then bought one later. I don't use it much, honestly, but the novelty of having 1 mic per channel, as well as having the capability to update and upgrade the mics in the future really sold me on getting that wireless system, as most companies don't have that ability. Now I'm not someone to know what the difference between a good mic and a bad one are because my ears aren't the best, but the ability to take a crappy mic, apply a firmware update, and have it not be crappy really intrigued me. Not saying that the firmware is why they do suck in your experience, just saying that it's a wonderful thing that more companies should incorporate into their designs if you ask me

[@curtisjudd]

@@northwiebesick7136 yes, we’ll likely see more of this in the future. There are limits to what can be achieved with a firmware update, but nice to have that option to address some issues.

[@andreasbuder4417]

I like how you hinted at the cut out parts for the interview, to prevent bleed. My audio very often suffers from this. I also started to cut out the different speaker parts, but first it is so much hassle and work, which slows down the turnaround of a project significantly, and second, so often people talk at the same time, where you cannot cutout anything. How can I solve this, it has been a puzzle i.e. PITA for me ever since... thanks for any advice!

[@curtisjudd]

You obviously cannot cut out the parts where they're both talking, but cut out the other parts. You can try using the Auphonic service which has an "auto mix" feature though I haven't tested to see how well it works. Or you could invest in a mixer which has an auto mix feature like the Zoom F series or Sound Devices MixPre series.

[@andreasbuder4417]

@@curtisjudd oomph, these mixer are expensive, but I found the Behringer X Air X12, which seems to have an automixer for 260€. But first I‘ll try auphonic, that might just be a lifesaver, because I don’t do live stuff but record and edit. Thanks for the insight, I am a selflearned amateur and jeez is audio gear expensive...

[@curtisjudd]

@@andreasbuder4417 On the bright side - audio gear is less expensive than most camera gear. And in many cases, it is useful for more years than camera gear. Definitely give Auphonic a try first. If it does the job, that'd be great.

[@andreasbuder4417]

@@curtisjudd Yeah, that is most certainly true... but in absolute terms, it is still lots of money for my wage^^ On another note: Rode released the 2.1 beta firmware for the Rodecaster Pro, where you now can dial in exact settings for compression, noise gate, de-esser etc. Maybe that is something I might consider for my use, do you plan to do a retest of the Rodecaster with this firmware? You were already quite impressed the first time.

[@curtisjudd]

@@andreasbuder4417 Yes, definitely plan to cover the beta firmware. Looks like an impressive step forward. I'm impressed at how much they've been able to develop the product with firmware updates.

[@A1Bokeh]

Do you plan on doing a review on the picomic 2?

[@curtisjudd]

No plans at present.

[@BasicFilmmaker]

Nice unit, great review gotta ask a few questions though. 1.) In all honesty, how often do you need to lapel someone at 50 to 100 yards away? This seems like an application for shooting sports, such as mic on a coach or something, and 2.) 2.4 gHz freq, in the US, what do you recommend. Are the 5ghz a no-no? Not sure in 2019 what the laws are, nor what freq would work best. Thanks!!

[@LangstoniusRex]

I shoot a lot of sketch stuff, and it would help because sometimes the actors can get far. Though not 100 yards far! i don't have lenses that long! Love your channel btw!

[@BasicFilmmaker]

LangstoniusRex Yep. That’s what I am thinking. And thank you for the compliment. Makes me happy you are also subscribed to Curtis. You are subscribed, right??? 😁

[@LangstoniusRex]

@@BasicFilmmaker but of course my good man!

[@LangstoniusRex]

You both produce quality content to help this guy who's filmmaking skills were a bit out of date and rusty get up to speed in the youtube / indy filmmaker world!.

[@curtisjudd]

Hi BFM: 1) very rare, but with wireless it is critical to know the limits of the system ahead of a shoot. 2) There are lots of engineering trade offs for different frequency ranges. Most pro audio wireless gear uses frequencies in the 400 - 600 MHz range depending on your country. These frequencies are generally more effective and working through barriers, walls, bodies, and such. 2.4GHz is mostly used in consumer and some prosumer wireless gear mainly for convenience and simplicity of use. 2.4 GHz is legal for unlicensed use in every country. It isn’t as useful for situations where you need reliable connectivity through barriers. 5GHz is also available for unlicensed use in the US but has an even harder time working through barriers. Great question, thanks!

[@AANasseh]

Curtis, I got this unit and I love it. But I don't think you can leave the units on the base without the charging cable to charge them (at least I haven't been able to for some reason.) I was hoping to be able to switch between the mics and have them charge while recording but it won't charge on the base without the whole unit connected to the charge cable. So, the base charge is long but the rate limiting charge is the individual microphones don't have an 18hr charge or external batteries that can swap.

[@curtisjudd]

Correct, the mics only charge when the receiver is connected to power. The mics lasted nearly 19 hours in my test. They were about 15 feet from the receiver with periodic movement in and out of direct line of sight.

[@AANasseh]

Curtis Judd thanks. That’s interesting. My unit was off for a few days after the first use and full charge and when I went back to it after a week or so to use it again and found the mics discharged fully but the base was full! I wasn’t sure how that happened. Please see if yours has a slow discharge while on the base after some time. Cheers!

[@curtisjudd]

I'll check it out. Thanks!

[@swaha55]

I would love to see a video comparing the Picomic to the Seinnheiser XSW-D mic. I love your reviews. They are so informative and we'll done.

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Gayle, thanks. The Sennheiser XSW-D sounds quite a lot better but doesn’t have the dual receiver like the PicoMic. So overall, its a trade off.

[@swaha55]

@@curtisjudd Thanks Curtis. How would you say the PicoMic compares in sound quality to the Tascam DR-10L? I am using that now but size of the PicoMic with not having to deal with wires seems really attractive to me. I create videos of myself doing yoga so I need something with good sound and if I didi not have to deal with a transmitter and wires that would be great.

[@curtisjudd]

@@swaha55 Unfortunately, the sound quality is the biggest downside of the PicoMic system from my perspective. Although I will say it really depends on the voice of the person you're recording. Some sound fine on the PicoMic, others not so great. For my voice I preferred the sound of the Tascam. If you do decide to buy the PicoMic, I would buy it from a place which will accept returns if you're not happy with it. Best wishes!

[@moranast]

Wow this is an amazing device , thank you for the review

[@curtisjudd]

You're welcome!

[@SlavGuns]

Fantastic! Really solid review. Humn, I think I may pick one of these up for interviews, etc. Or get two? Question, do you think that this is good enough to record directly into camera OR would you still want to record to a recorder such as Tascam DR-10L and then sync in post? I really do want a wireless system, theoretically, BUT I really love the sound quality I get out of the Tascam with no processing necessary... just sync and go... in which case... if I need more, why not just buy 1 or 2 more Tascams instead? Also, really interested in how this system would do in a crowded conference center, say a CES in Vegas... Lastly, can you do a quick video or discuss the post processing of two mics in an interview... Thanks!

[@curtisjudd]

Hi, Thanks! If you're happy with the Tascam, I'd stick with it. It avoids all the issues of wireless connectivity. That being said, this was all recorded directly to a GH5. I think the quality is limited mainly by the microphones in this case, not the camera.

[@SlavGuns]

@@curtisjudd thanks. I appreciate it. Have not listened with headphones but sounded good over speakers.

[@WineWorldTV]

Nice review on this. I re-watched or watched for the first time some other episodes where you either talked about bleed or mixing two people. I only use lavs for my show. Especially when I travel and do interviews. It seems like you've confirmed that omni lavs are the preferred ones to use unless you're in a noisy environment. At least for a single source. Would you also suggest to use cardioid lavs when doing 2+ person interviews? It seems like that has helped, but it also seems like any difference is minor. I've also seen how mic placement for the lav can be crucial when a head turns to face someone. I'm trying to be more conscious of this and making sure the cardioid lav is on the side of the person where their head will mostly be turned. Any additional thoughts on this? Wireless systems like this intrigue me, but I don't know that they will be any better than what I already do concerning bleed and phasing.

[@curtisjudd]

Bleed and phase is always an issue when two people are close to each other. Automix on ZOOM F series or MixAssist on MixPre series recorders seems to help quite a lot.

[@WineWorldTV]

@@curtisjudd Thanks. I'm guessing that type of processing is going on with more professional tv setups with multiple hosts? High-end lavs and audio equipment. I'm using a Zoom H6 for mine. Very happy with it's quality for my purposes, but yeah, sometimes that tinny/less robust sound occurs. I appreciate all the videos you do. Keep up the great work!

[@PhotoGearFun]

Another great review this is a pretty compelling option for a dual mic setup. I may have to add this to my wish list on Amazon. Cheers.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@MelvinDlaCruz]

the reciver is so big waoo, what is the point os the small mic?

[@curtisjudd]

The size of the receiver is probably less important because it isn’t in the show whereas the transmitters are.

[@MelvinDlaCruz]

@@curtisjudd Yes but if you use a gimbal this make the process a little inconvenient

[@swaha55]

Hi Curtis, Was this review done with the latest 2.0 firmware from PicoMic or an earlier version? Have you tried the different firmware versions and do you notice any difference in audio quality between them?

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Gayle, I believe I had one of the earlier firmware versions. Shortly after the review, I gave my PicoMic to someone who needed it more so I don't have it on hand to test at this point. Sorry about that.

[@swaha55]

@@curtisjudd Thank you

[@Lkelkey]

You said in one of your comments this isn't the cleanest wireless mic available. What would you say is? Thank you.

[@curtisjudd]

The Audio Ltd. A10 with a Shure TwinPlex TL48 is far cleaner but also about 20x the price. 😀

[@Lkelkey]

@@curtisjudd Thank you. Sticking with the simpler more consumer friendly setup though.. from what I've seen seems like people think the Rode Wireless Go has better sound quality then the Pico? Do you agree? Much of a difference there? I'm looking for a system for podcasting on the go that sounds professional.. Thank you for your help

[@curtisjudd]

@@Lkelkey Yes, I prefer the sound of the RODE over the Picomic.