One of Apple’s big new features for the iPhone 16 Pro has to do with a new feature: Audio Mixing. The company has not only improved the quality of the microphones, it is now able to change the way our video reproduces the sound in editing.
As a content creator, I use specific microphones to improve the quality of the content. In particular, I use the Hollyland Lark M1, a value-for-money alternative that works for both mobile and cameras, as they connect via USB-C.
I wanted to compare the Audio Mixer with these microphones, since an iPhone that costs more than a thousand euros shouldn’t be afraid to face microphones that cost 139 euros. Or should it?
What is audio mixing and how does it work?
Audio Mixing, as I mentioned in the review, is a function that is activated from the Photos app itself once we have recorded the video. We cannot force an Audio Mixing profile before recording. Specifically, we have four options:
- Standard: Capture audio without adjustments, in Spatial Audio.On screen: profile so that only the voices of those in the scene can be heard, even if there are people talking in the background. Designed for video blogs.
- Study: profile to improve the quality of voices to the level of, according to Apple, a professional studio with soundproof walls. Ideal for vlogs or podcasts where the voice is the most important thing. Emulates a microphone very close to us, even if the phone is located far away. Ideal for indoor recordings.
- Cine: profile that captures all the voices around us and puts them in the foreground, like in a movie. Designed for recordings on the street, with murmurs and ambient background noise.
Testing audio mix
The first test is quite simple, I wanted to Try out the four audio mixing modesI have edited the four modes into a single video, so that you can listen to it more comfortably.
As you can see, Study mode is the most spectacular of allI’ve played background noise through my speakers at a fairly high volume, and it’s been able to cancel out much of this ambient sound.
The sacrifice is clear: the final voice quality is not the same as in standard mode. To achieve such aggressive cancellation, The voice ends up being a bit more metallic after processing.. Still, what it achieves is pretty spectacular.
The on-screen mode is very similar, and I’m also convinced that it will be one of the most popular options, especially for vlogging. It highlights the audio of the main person on screen – us – and cancels noise aggressively as well.
Finally, I wanted to compare the iPhone 16 Pro with the microphones I have at home for recording audio. Here the difference is quite high and, as expected, the microphones offer higher quality. In comparison, the iPhone’s sound is somewhat more tinny and less natural.
However, the good noise cancellation in Studio mode is surprising, quite similar to the noise cancellation of the external microphones we have used. In short, Audio Mix is not a complete replacement for external hardware, but it is an option for all those users who want superior audio quality without having to pay a single extra cent.
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At WorldOfSoftware | My next phone is going to be an iPhone 16. I’ve realized that I’m no longer a Pro user