How many of you have recorded a video with a camera or smartphone? You’ve probably noticed that while the video probably came out really good, the audio wasn’t quite up to par. In my experience, most of these built-in mics you get on smartphones and cameras just aren’t all that great. They’re usually small, pick up a ton of ambient noises, like wind and crowds, and often what you want to focus on gets drowned out. The same goes for when you’re just recording audio on its own. That’s why most pros use an add-on mic that provides more focused audio for their recordings. One company that makes these specialized mics is Comica Audio and their latest product, the Comica Traxshot, is a versatile all-in-one transformable shotgun mic that can be used in a multitude of ways that will give you audio recordings that extra oomph it needs to stand out.
DESIGN
So what makes the Comica Traxshot unique among its peers? Number one is its design. Unlike more traditional mics that normally point in just one direction, the Comica Traxshot is transformable and can transition itself into three different types of mics – Mono, Two-Level Stereo, and Bi-Directional. You do this by adjusting the shape of the mics into different positions depending on different usage scenarios. That makes the Comica Traxshot pretty genius and because of its compact size, easier to carry around than a grip of different mics.
The Comica Traxshot also features some really great materials that make the build even better. The body is made fully of metal with the only bits covered in plastic are the mic arms. There’s a very nice IPS display that’s very bright and clear and while the Traxshot probably could have done without it, it does add to the premium feel of it. The air-float shock absorbers add another piece to this build. It allows for quiet operation and absorbs any random sounds that might occur with the mic and possibly your camera or phone make when in contact with each other.
Of course, what makes the Comica Traxshot unique are the adjustable mics. There are two mics that can be rotated 180°. Each also has a unique internal windproof design but also includes high-density wind muffs you can attach for even greater wind-noise reduction.
Lastly, we get a step-less gain control dial that makes on the fly adjustments quicker.
EXPERIENCE
I was only able to test the Comica Traxshot out with my smartphone and not an actual camera because both cameras that I have here do not have the necessary port for the audio cables. If you want to use this for your camera, you just have to make sure that it has a 3.5mm audio jack on it, which I believe most DSLR cameras do and higher-end cameras.
So instead, I had to use this with my smartphone, which it is also made for. Luckily my smartphone still has an AUX port. Plugging the Comica Traxshot in will disable the phone’s built-in mics.
There are several ways you can use the Traxshot with your smartphone. You can use a hot-shoe attachment, so you would mount the mic like you would mount an external flash. This could be with a camera grip or selfie stick or gimble that has the attachment for it. If your recording a podcast, you can just have it sitting on a table or attached to a mini tripod, as it also has the tripod mount screw at the bottom.
In terms of recording, It works as it should. It captures audio very well and I’d probably run it all day long with the wind muffs just to help reduce the extra noises you might not want. Plus, they look pretty good and look like rabbit’s ears when on. Audio sounds really sharp and clear and at least with this, you know pretty much where to aim the mics to capture the audio you need. Built-in mics on your devices just capture everything, which isn’t usually what you want.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Comica Traxshot has a lot going for it. The unique design makes it very versatile while the technology behind it makes it a great choice for those needing to capture precise audio. I know I haven’t looked at very many mics in the past, but the Comica Traxshot sets the bar here for an affordable, transformable mic that can be used in many different forms.
The only issue you may have with the Comica Traxshot is compatibility. You have to make sure the device you’re using this on has a mic-in jack or the audio jack on your smartphone. This will not work over Bluetooth. With that said, if you’re in need of several different types of mics, the Comica Traxshot just might be for you as you’ll be able to basically buy one device that acts as three.
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