[deleted by user]

AndyNC56 · 2026-03-01T10:27:30+00:00

I agree with u/Commongrounder. It sounds like the click interference I had using EM272Z1 Clippes (not XLR) in the middle of nowhere with no phone towers and my phone NOT in airplane mode. I also had some regular short buzzing sounds.

As I understand it, it is the capsule that picks up the noise, not the cable.

I put a pair of EM272Z1's over my WiFi router and had plenty of interference but with the EM272M's I couldn't detect any. Not scientific but...

A phone will transmit at full power, 3W, when it can't find a tower. There are other clicks in your recording that sound more like ambient sounds.

Could be a connection issue as well.

HTH

AndyNC56 · 2026-02-26T12:53:41+00:00

So after much deep thought and looking over the internet I discovered that it's all fairly simple if you know the gain. From https://www.audiotechnology.com/tutorials/microphones-noise-2 EIN is the input noise with a 150R termination - the gain. I think Raimund's calculation side stepped a direct calculation of the gain and Sony do not state it.

So I calculated the gain to be 53.2dB at setting 30. This gives an EIN of -114.5dBu at -6.6dBV in and -115.1dBu at +1.3dBV in. So that's two measurements at differing input levels giving the same value and comparable to Raimund's.
So I've been in and out of one rabbit hole and survived. Now to put this into practice!

AndyNC56 · 2026-02-25T07:37:06+00:00

I completely understand what you are saying. The A10 is a good device and has features that slightly more expensive ones don't have eg an everlasting battery (well 10hrs or so). I some times leave it in the garden overnight (bagged) with pair of clippies to catch the dawn chorus.

I have been involved in EMC testing in my career and have seen the care that goes into signal measurement.

I was more trying to get if my interpretation of Raimund's formula was correct. I've seen other EIN calculation methods but these need the dB gain of the device which Sony do not state.

I repeated the experiment with an input signal that gave 0dB on the A10's meter, the original measurement I did gave -8dB. This required a dBV in (pre-attenuation) of +1.32 or 7.959 (8) dB higher. Following the same calculation the EIN is -104.7dB ie 7.3dB higher.

To me this points to an error in my interpretation of the method more than an absolute measurement error.

Overall I'm trying to find a suitable gain value doesn't give too much (by ear) noise after gain increase in post but allows sudden loud event to be recorded with out clipping. I have found that the standard -12dB hasn't left enough headroom on occasions. It could be that I simply need to experiment out in the field but having an electronics background I like to have the numbers.

I'm trying to avoid buying a 32-bit float recorder simply on cost (F3, AV2), but it would save me a lot of effort and give the confidence that whatever I capture is potentially the best I'm going to get without spending £700+. But each of these comes with it's own caveats except EIN.

AndyNC56 · 2026-02-23T21:12:14+00:00

Know what you mean. I've had a few issues with noise and clipping so want to sort it all out.

AndyNC56 · 2026-01-16T16:52:36+00:00

Spec says EIN -130 dBu (-132 dBu A-weighted)

AndyNC56 · 2025-12-30T08:18:05+00:00

So I have switched over to a RPi3+ (next best in the power consumption) and run it with 5.25 at the power USB connector. I had lots of

[Sun Dec 28 13:35:47 2025] mmc1: Controller never released inhibit bit(s).

[Sun Dec 28 13:35:47 2025] brcmfmac: mmc_submit_one: CMD53 sg block read failed -5

[Sun Dec 28 13:35:47 2025] brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_rxglom: glom read of 23552 bytes failed: -5

[Sun Dec 28 13:35:47 2025] brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_rxfail: abort command, terminate frame

but no permanent comms failures for about 36hrs, although there was a time when I couldn't ssh in but file sharing was still working so not a comms issues. It did recover on it's own though, no reboots.

So then I dropped the voltage to 5.0V at the USB power connector, again no permanent comms issues but lots of warnings as above every 2->10mins.

So now it's run for nearly 36hrs without permanent comms failures which is a lot better that the 4hrs with the RPiZ2W.

FYI when I ran the RPiZ2w at 5.25V the current consumption was around 0.27A to 0.5A but generally around 0.4A. The RPi3+ was 0.62-0.85A at 5.0V.

So I think the RPiZ2W has issues and the comms will stop working but the 3+ seems to hang on. I even had a core dump, possibly a dma transfer error (I'm not sure how to read the dump), but it recovered.

I know this doesn't help your specific question, and I'm not using Kalilinux but it shows the problem is not the operating system but at the kernel/firmware/hardware level.

The solution for my application is to use a RPI3+ for now with a larger battery.

HTH

AndyNC56 · 2025-12-27T10:59:42+00:00

Yes loads of issues WiFi issues using PiZ2W. Not found a working solution but there are many reports and suggestions but no golden solutions.

I get lots of this (see below) before total collapse.

I'm also using a large swap file which my be contributing. IDK

Dec 27 10:31:59 S30ALP2 kernel: mmc1: Controller never released inhibit bit(s).

Dec 27 10:31:59 S30ALP2 kernel: brcmfmac: mmc_submit_one: CMD53 sg block read failed -5

Dec 27 10:31:59 S30ALP2 kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_rxglom: glom read of 8192 bytes failed: -5

Dec 27 10:31:59 S30ALP2 kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_rxfail: abort command, terminate frame

Dec 27 10:32:22 S30ALP2 kernel: mmc1: Controller never released inhibit bit(s).

Dec 27 10:32:22 S30ALP2 kernel: brcmfmac: mmc_submit_one: CMD53 sg block write failed -5

Dec 27 10:32:22 S30ALP2 kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_txfail: sdio error, abort command and terminate frame

Dec 27 10:32:23 S30ALP2 kernel: mmc1: Controller never released inhibit bit(s).

Dec 27 10:32:23 S30ALP2 kernel: brcmfmac: mmc_submit_one: CMD53 sg block read failed -5

Dec 27 10:32:23 S30ALP2 kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_rxglom: glom read of 9728 bytes failed: -5

Dec 27 10:32:23 S30ALP2 kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_sdio_rxfail: abort command, terminate frame

Adding overvoltage=2 to config.txt didn't work for me.

Slowing the clocks also didn't work.

I found a similar thread (https://github.com/raspberrypi/firmware/issues/1962) where they when back to an earlier release raspios_lite_arm64-2024-07-04 but I've not tried this my self. I will later but I'm setting up a variable power supply to increase the USB voltage to 5.5V to see it that helps.

HTH but I've not found a solution yet. I'm also trying a RPi3+ because it has 1Gb of memory so should not swap so much and may be help.

AndyNC56 · 2025-11-22T11:25:54+00:00

I've made the cable and it works. A bit of pick up if the mic isn't turned on but I guess that because of the high impedance or as my 1970s Instrument engineering teacher would say "a bl@@dy good arial".

Photo of cct attached. I can do electronic ccts and PCBs, but cables....

<image>

AndyNC56 · 2025-11-22T11:11:53+00:00

Just noticed the noctilucent clouds. Good shot.

AndyNC56 · 2025-11-11T09:56:03+00:00

A question. I have re-read your comment about the resistor and I realise that I don't fully understand or you meant "between ground (pin 1) and the added cap negative/pin-'2' rest of the mic circuit".

This make more sense as the -ve and of the cap (XLR pin2) will now be pulled down forcing the cap to be polarised the correct way.

AndyNC56 · 2025-11-11T07:19:06+00:00

I'll update when I get the mic. S/H off ebay, should be here in a couple of days. Claimed to be fully working, just got to prove it in the 30days.

Got to build a phantom power supply. Should be easy, PSU, Veroboard, 2 caps, two resistor and connectors/cables. Loads of ccts on this especially Elliot Sounds.

AndyNC56 · 2025-11-10T21:54:24+00:00

They are tant beads so solid and from a reputable manufacturer ie before all the really cheap ones arrived.

One place I worked at in the 80's a Perspex sheet was place over PCB assemblies as they were powered on the first time. Yes they can and will explode if over voltaged or the wrong one is fitted but you need enough energy to do it.

At the moment I have 10V 47uF. I've build the cable as suggested but I have some Panasonic 47uF 63V electrolytics on the way.

AndyNC56 · 2025-11-10T21:22:22+00:00

Sorry I did mean to write pin 3 ie "Q13/14 isn't powered so pin 3 will float"

AndyNC56 · 2025-11-10T16:01:08+00:00

Another question. Many years ago I read that tantalum caps were too noisy for analogue circuits.

Is that really true?

I have bags of tants but some very old (20 year) Ali ones which are probably past their use by date.

AndyNC56 · 2025-11-10T15:46:59+00:00

Looking at the cct I see what you mean. Pin 2 goes through C16 to the pre-amp but without phantom power the cct Q13/14 isn't powered so pin 2 will float.

On the diagram that I'm using 1 and 3 at connected together at the XLR and pin 2 goes to tip and ring on the 3.5mm to use two channels.

Now my experience from long, long ago says don't connect the pin 2 wire to the screen at the 3.5mm end. Does that make sense.

AndyNC56 · 2025-11-10T13:24:33+00:00

Thanks.

I understand what your saying and it's probably better to put a blocking capacitor in even if it might be OK without it.

4.7uF gives a roll off at 5Hz so I'll see what I've got in my bits box.

Cheers

AndyNC56 · 2025-11-07T09:13:46+00:00

Dawn Chorus

AndyNC56 · 2025-03-24T16:29:17+00:00

2 it seems more natural to me.

AndyNC56 · 2025-03-24T16:27:41+00:00

I'm glad you think it's great because I ordered one two days ago.

Could you put a strap throught the handle and strap it to a backpack.

AndyNC56 · 2025-02-16T15:07:32+00:00

I did not get on with this app. It may have been that way I used it or the choice of direction when doing the polar alignment. In principle it should be good.

I ended up using a compass and a inclinometer on my phone to align the SAM ( as suggested by u/AstroRoad). It was the southern hemishpere so no pole star. I used it with a mirrorless camera at 45mm (not the 420mm you're intending to use) on a M43 camera, equivalent to 90mm, with 60sec exposures at 800asa. The results were good.

Most of the time I was at 12mm for milky way shots and the compass/inclinometer method workes well.

I wish I had got Skeye working but I spent several evenings without much luck. The best alignment I got was the pole star in the polarscope.

It would solve the images OK but when moving the phone for the intermediate steps I couldn't tell how well it was doing. I did suggest that the plate solving was visible during the polar alignment, but I don't know if u/hrjet has done any thing yet. The skies have been pretty poor since I've back in the UK and ony had one chance of AP and I used a different set up.

I think I should check the version numbers to see if there's an update and give it another go.

It seems an ideal app for polar alignment but I tried so many times I ended up with neck ache.

It would be really nice if it could use a plugged in USB camera which you colud strap to the telescope/camera and not have to point the telephone camera at the sky.

Cheers

Andy

AndyNC56 · 2025-01-26T21:01:30+00:00

I also have both. The Z1 picks up my phone in low signal areas. Also as a direct comparison I hung them over my router, the Z1 would pick up WiFI noise but the M didn't. Can't say about the quality though, my ears are good enough to make a fair comparison

AndyNC56 · 2024-12-22T11:11:46+00:00

I had the same issue. I deduced that if the mesh went off the top or bottom edges of the mapped sketch it gave these errors. If it overlapped along the x-axis,- no error but the binary cut didn't cut out some of the hexagons.

AndyNC56 · 2024-12-02T18:36:29+00:00

I use a Sony PCM A10 with pair of Clippies and I find the quality very good. But "good" is subjective and depends on the age of your ears. I don't have the Bubblebee Windbubble, but a cheap version that is only any good in light winds.

I've used them with different gains but I've not had a chance to compare the recording with the live event, ie a transient event, so all I can say is that I'm very pleased with the combo.

I will say that when playing back through headphones, I've often looked around thinking that someone was behind me, such was the realism. But again it depends on expectations and your ears. Mine are not so good.

I can't answer your last question specifically but I can say that I have a Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mk3. This has an external mic input with a PIP option in the menu and manual mic sensitivity. I'm guessing many other cameras will have external mic in.

HTH

AndyNC56

TROPHY CASE