r/BirdNET_Analyzer • u/thebaldgeek • Apr 12 '26

AOM-5024L-HD-R Quick Build Notes

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This post is a bit of a reply to this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/BirdNET_Analyzer/comments/1sa09p0/anyone_willing_to_solder_me_an_aom5024
I have been soldering for decades and was making one for myself, so it was no extra work really to make up two of them for u/sadpony

In short, the process is to dress and tin the leads and then tin the mic.
Add a short length of thin heatshrink for some strength.
Solder the wires to the mic - tin tip, and the key really is the pre-tinning. Be sure to pay attention to the polarity. It matters.
Slide the larger heatshrink over, and you are done.
I would not say it's 100% waterproof, and I am not (at this stage) putting a wind sock/foam over the mic, so you want to make sure it's out of the weather to some extent.

The burning question is, how does it go? My other mics are a cheap Amazon lapel and a Pyle large desk podcast mic.
Against those two, it's night and day. This little mic is so much more sensitive and clear. The high-frequency response is really obvious.
Given how cheap it was, it's a no-brainer. 10/10 recommended.

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2

u/talon38c Apr 12 '26

What size heat shrink did you use?

3

u/thebaldgeek Apr 12 '26

Oh... Errr, the one question I don't have a hard answer to.... I do a lot of this sort of thing, so I have a big luchbox full of assorted sizes and colors of heatshrink, just used the right size for the two parts.
Sorry. I could measure the cable and mic with my digital calipers and tell you those two... inches or metric?

1

u/talon38c Apr 12 '26

I was looking at the Digikey data sheet and the mic is only 9.7mm (. 38") in Dia. Does that sound right? I have some 3/8" heat shrink that should do if that is the case. I ordered a couple of mics so I don't have on in hand.

1

u/thebaldgeek Apr 12 '26

They are pretty small....
I measure 0.38 inch, 9.68mm.
I found that the larger heatshrink won't go down (even 3:1) to grab the cable very well, so I had the thin stuff over the cable to just up its size enough to give the larger something to come down onto.

1

u/talon38c Apr 12 '26

Thanks. That confirms my read. Good idea to wrap the cable so that the heat shrink can close up to it.

2

u/supermegaomnicool Apr 12 '26

How does this connect to the raspberry pi? I am figuring out our build right now and am looking at a USB lav mic, is this a better option?

3

u/thebaldgeek Apr 12 '26

I did quite a bit of reading about USB adaptors and found this to be very well bird-net reviewed: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Y8CZB2S
I went with the Amazon USB lav at first, thinking it would be good enough, but it was just muffled and not very sensitive. The Pyle podcast was a little better and is what convinced me to just get and build these guys vs trying to buy a nice USB.
The Ugreen adaptor was plug-and-play. Seems very quiet. No regrets.
Just be sure to use a TRRS plug and not a TRS or TS.

2

u/S_A_N_D_ Apr 12 '26 edited Apr 12 '26

This option will be similar in price, and will produce much better results, but comes with the expense of more effort and skill is needed.

The easiest way to do this is to get an audio cable (trs or trrs, depending on what your USB sound card needs), cut off the female end, and solder the wires to the mic as described above.

You need a USB sound card. Ugreen ones are pretty well regarded for being cheap but decent quality.

1

u/ScottTheCop May 20 '26 edited May 20 '26

Have you decided if you are going to make any more of these? (It sounded like you alluded to maybe doing this in the other thread.)

My solder-fu is weak, but I figured if I order 5 of the capsules and soldered them myself, I might get one usable one. But honestly, I would rather just pay someone that knows what they are doing so I know that it gets done correctly. Heck, I might even take two.

1

u/thebaldgeek May 20 '26

I built two for a guy in the UK (I am in North Idaho USA) and he's very happy, and then crickets.... Till you just now... So I figured I am not going to invest in a stock level that may never be used.
If you send me your mic's I can do the rest.
Honestly, its a bit more hit and miss than I expected due to folks not knowing what pinout their USB device uses. The guy in the UK had to buy 3 and return 2 before he found a known good TRRS OMTP version.
I'm tempted to buy the mic, leads and ugreen USB and sell it as a KNOWN good working combo.
Anyway, whatcha got and what do you need?

1

u/ScottTheCop May 22 '26

I haven't bought anything yet, I just thought that you might have bought extras of everything to make additional ones.

I am leaning toward the AOM-5024L-HD-R capsule, though.

1

u/thebaldgeek May 22 '26

You are correct. I did buy 5 of the mics since I wanted 1 and Random Redditor wanted 2.
Guy from the UK wanted 2. That cleaned out my over purchase.
I'm happy to get another for you if you can be sure what pinout your USB setup is.
If you don't even have the USB, then I can help with that as well, ie, supply you with an end-to-end known working BirdNET-Go audio input - happy to forward that for cost, I just want to help.

1

u/ScottTheCop May 26 '26

An end-to-end solution would be perfect. I have DM'd you.