Hello,
I was testing with the audiomoth USB mic and realized the firmware was delivered as firmware 1.3.0.
(plugged into PC USB port for live reading trough app)
So I updated it to the latest 1.12.1.
After this the mic stopped recording sound using the live app in all modes.
After messing with the config app for a bit i couldnt get it to read the live recording trough the Live app anymore.
My Moth has not worked since I got it. I thought it was just user error and give it a try each migration season but it won't record in any mode. The latest firmware has not resolved it. I got it throughGroupGets. Is it possible to send this one back and get a replacement? I've tried everything at this point.
Hi, Can you describe the problem that you are having. What make and model of battery and SD card are you using? If you have flashed the latest firmware, you should be able to switch to DEFAULT, and it will make a recording. The red LED will flash, and if you switch back to USB/OFF you will find a WAV file on the SD card. Alex
I purchased 8 units this spring for underwater deployment. For the first month and a half, they worked fine but are now all experiencing time drift. When they are plugged in with fresh batteries and SD card reformatted properly, the configuration app shows them running too fast and it is inconsistent how much it skips each time. We have tried different batteries, SD cards, configuration settings, different versions of the configuration and time applications, different firmware downloads, and yet the problem persists. The pop up warning about a fast clock suggests it could be a hardware issue. How do we solve this problem?
Hi Alexandra, Email andy@openacousticdevices.info and he will follow up. He may be away this week. It sounds like corrosion on the boards. When deploying in wet or humid conditions its good to seal up the housing in a nice dry environment and then activate them in the field with the magnet without having to open the housing. Alex
I've been trying to find an easy way to access a connected AudioMoth's device ID/serial number, and it seems the reported serial number visible in system information on a mac, or pulled via Python, is always just 0100 and not the device ID recorded in the config file and displayed in the time/config apps. Is there any plan to surface the device ID as the serial number in this case, or is the only option to use the desktop apps or USB-HID-Tool?
Hi,
The AudioMoth-HID library provides a wrapper to the USB-HID-Tool that enables you read the device ID and access all the other device functions from a Node.js script.
https://github.com/OpenAcousticDevices/AudioMoth-HID
Alex
Hi,
I didn't find a way to buy the AudioMoth USB Microphone in EU. Labmaker doesn't sell it. How can I buy one ?
Best,
Luc.
GroupGets will ship worldwide, but also email sales@openacousticdevices.info who can supply from the UK.
I recently purchased two Audiomoths with IPX7 cases. Each was deployed about 8 meters above the ground on extension poles. They are in open areas exposed to occasional high wind and rain. They are about 500 meters or so apart.
When changing batteries a few days ago, I noticed the Gore vent in one case was ruptured. I don't know exactly when the vent was ruptured. I brought home the audiomoth and case to replace the vent. I also looked at the recorded files. The files recorded as expected in terms of names, timing, etc.
However, each file contains primarily static. Animal sounds can sometimes be heard through the static, but static dominants and renders the recordings useless.
I placed the Audiomoth in a sealed ziptop bag with dessicant bags for three days. I then made a test recording by switching on the Audiomoth to the default setting. The test…
Hi, Yes, it sounds like the microphone has succummed to water damage. You should be able to see when it happened by checking the earlier recordings. It is possible to replace the microphone - it is a Knowles SPU0410LR5H - but requires a hot air rework station, rather than a soldering iron. Contact andy@openacousticdevices.info. Alex
Hi,
As part of a biodiversity monitoring program, I am looking to record birds and bats at 20 sites across the Northeast US over two week deployment intervals (if possible). Is the Audiomoth v1.2.0 (and a case) all I need to do this?
Sorry, I am new to this and am basically trying to figure out if I am better off with the dev version + GPS + mic + case or just simply the v1.2.0 + case.
Thanks for any help.
L
Hi, Yes, the standard AudioMoth 1.2.0 will be able to record at high enough sample rates to record both bats and birds. The AudioMoth Dev allows you to use 3 x D - cell batteries which will give you about three times the deployment lifetime and also the ability to automatically set the time from the GPS module. If you set the configuration in the Config App, you will see the daily energy requirements calculated in the bottom panel, which is often the key deciding factor. Alex
Hi starting a large project and had two questions.
Does switching out the SD cause the configuration to be lost?
Is there a way to see the configuration of a configured audiomoth?
- I wanted to experiment with switching out sd cards but when I attach the unit to the configuration ap it doesn't show the configuration.
Thanks, Jeff
Hi Jeff,
The configuration is persistent and once configured the AudioMoth will remember those settings until the firmware is updated. It persists after batteries are removed, so you can configure once, and then deploy multiple times by just setting the time with the desktop Time App or the smartphone app which plays a chime that the AudioMoth listens for if you switch to CUSTOM without having set the time. Each time you switch to CUSTOM or DEFAULT, the AudioMoth will write a CONFIG.TXT file to the SD card detailing the current settings. The recording settings (sample rate, gain, filters, etc) are also written to the GUANO metadata at the end of the WAV file. We may add the ability to import settings from the AudioMoth back into the Config App. It doesn't do it by default as that makes configuring multiple AudioMoth more complex, and it's hard to properly support backwards compatibility with older versions of the firmware. Alex
Hello, I have 20 audiomoths currently deployed inside waterproof cases inside nestboxes. 3 of them have encountered an issue where the gain seems to have become extremely low. For the rest of the audiomoths there's lots of outside noise from other birds, cars etc. but for these three they mostly just pick up the birds in the nestbox. These three originally worked well but this seems to have happened between scheduled recordings (I have them set to record 3 hours after sunrise and 3 hours before sunset, the recordings changed at some point in between these two sets i.e. overnight or middle of day).
This isn't really the end of the world in one sense since I am interested in those birds however I would prefer if they were all consistent. I've attached spectrograms from the same audiomoth before and after the recordings got worse. Any help would be appreciated.
Hi, A large reduction in microphone sensitivity is normally caused by moisture damage to the microphone. How were the AudioMoth? Alex
Hi,
When using different audiomoths, I've noticed that some audio files are saved in folders separated by day, and others are not separated at all. Further, some audiomoths create folders titled "trial," whereas others do not.
Thank you for your help!
-Ben
Hi Ben,
In the most up to date version of the firmware, audio files are saved in daily folders when the option is allowed in the Config App.
The ones that generate a 'trial' folder must be an test version of firmware that was created for some reason. If you connect the AudioMoth to any of the desktop apps it will tell you which version of the firmware is installed. You can change the firmware with the Flash App (https://www.openacousticdevices.info/applications).
Alex
Hello everyone,
I've had an AudioMoth Dev 1.0.1 and the matching housing for a month now. Unfortunately, the device is not able to record data continuously...
My workflow is as follows:
- Connect power
- USB/default -> Configure via PC
- Hang it in the designated location and switch to Custom
Hello,
This is what I do:
First, I configure the AudioMoth and switch it to USB/off.
Then I disconnect it from the USB port.
Then I close the PC app.
Then I connect it to the PC.
Hi, The device is working as intended. The Config App does not read back the configuration from the AudioMoth. This is by design so that you can set up the Config App, and the plug in multiple devices in sequences to configure each one to the same configuration. If you just want to set the time before a deployment without changing the configuration you can use the Time App, or just switch to CUSTOM and use the smartphone app to play the acoustic chime to the AudioMoth whilst the AudioMoth is waiting showing a solid red and flashing green LED (https://www.openacousticdevices.info/led-guide). Alex
Do we know if there exists (for any reason) variability between AudioMoth devices? In other words, is it possible that AudioMoth devices placed in the same spatial and temporal location and configured identically can record differently?
I record bats and perhaps small differences, for example internal hardware noise, could influence analyses done with identification software (e.g. R's Random Forest).
Thanks for any clarification.
Paolo
Hi, There will definately be some sensitivity differences between devices due to microphone aging, component tolerances and small directional differences even when co-located. How significant these are will really depend on your processing chain so it's hard to characterise. It would definately be useful to deploy some co-located devices so that you can measure this difference in your application. Alex
Hello!
I’m experiencing an issue with around 15–17 AudioMoth devices. They can be configured without any problems initially, but after some time the configurations are lost and the devices revert to their default settings.
I’ve already tried replacing the batteries, reflashing the AudioMoths, and using different SD cards, but the problem still persists. What could be the cause of this, and are there any additional troubleshooting steps you would recommend? Could this indicate an issue with the flash memory, meaning the devices might be defective?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Mohamed, I don't think this problem has been described before. It's maybe possible that the user page of the flash memory is being corrupted, but it seems unlikely that only one page of the flash would be affected and not others. Seems strange that so many devices are affected. The mechanism in the firmware is that each time the AudioMoth powers on from a powered-off state, it checks the firmware version and description in the user area of the flash against the current version in the firmware and replaced the configuration in the user area of the flash with the default one if they do not match. This would return the configuration to the default setting. When do you notice that the configuration has been reset? What make and model of SD card and batteries are you using? Alex
Hi,
I need to record Zeuneriana marmorata, a cricket endangered of extinction in Italy that I am trying to translocate.
The aim is to leave the recorder in different localities and compare the 24h automated recordings.
What kind of product do you suggest?
How long can your device record?
Can you suggest reference literature on Orthoptera that used your device?
Hi Filippo,
To capture the whole spectrum you probably need to record at 192 kHz. We'd normally use recording periods of multiples of one hour with 5 second sleep duration and 59:55 record duration. That way each recording will start on a round hour.
At this rate, 24 hours of recording will generate about 33 GB of data so you'll need quite large SD card (use SanDisk Extreme SD cards only). It will use 580 mAh of battery capacity so you'll be able to record continuously for about five days with good alkaline batteries and 256 GB SD cards.
If you know the times at which the bush cricket will likely sing you can set a more precise recording period and extend the duration of the deployment.
This is a recent paper that used AudioMoth for recording and classifying Orthoptera:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1439179125000258
Let us know how it goes.
Alex
Hi everyone,
Could you please help me confirm the correct pins to solder for the stereo mount jack? Is the following combination correct?
1: Ground pad 1
2: L signal pad 1
5: L signal pad 2
Jack detect: Ground pad 2
Hi,
Yes, connect the 'jack detect' pad to the adjacent 'ground' pad with a small jumper so that the AudioMoth knows that the microphone is there. Then, connect pin 1 of your jack, which is the 'sleeve', to one of the 'ground' pads, and pin 2 of your jack, which is the 'tip', to either of the 'L signal' pads. You don't need to connect pin 5.
The correct socket is available from GroupGets:
and from the UK shop:
What microphone are you planning on using?
Alex
Hi,
Despite the IPX7 Waterproof, one of my AudioMoth {1.2.0} took on water. One of the batteries seems to have leaked.
Although cleaned and dried, in USB connection, the Apps do not see the device. On the LED side: the red LED remains fixed, the green LED flashes.
Of course the water that leaked onto the AudioMoth had consequences on the electronics... but just in case, do you have any ideas for possible repairs / things to search for?
Thanks.
Hi,
Which case was the AudioMoth deployed in? With the 3.5mm jack fitted it will not fit within the standard waterproof case. If you play the chime from the AudioMoth smartphone app, does the AudioMoth start recording? The solid red and flashing green LED means that the AudioMoth thinks it is in CUSTOM mode and has not had the time set and is waiting to listen for the chime in order to set it.
Alex
Is it possible to modify the firmware so that the data stored on the SD card can be accessed via USB connection, instead of removing the card from AudioMoth and connecting it to a PC with a card reader?
If the units can be permanently connected to a computer, we have a python script to record from many (>12) on one Linux PC, saving data directly to flac files. We use the audiomoth mic firmware so no sd card and usb powered.
I just bought my first AudioMoth, along with the weatherproof case. A couple of questions:
included in the box was a small plastic envelope containing two small round items - what are these for? Looks like maybe to replace the case opening cover when <what> happens?
I'm recording NFCs so am placing the AM flat facing upwards. What does this mean if it rains overnight? I'm thinking the cone around the mic hole will fill with water. Should I put it in a ziplock bag if rain is expected, and if so how will that affect sound pickup?
Inside the plastic ziplock bag are two spare Gore GAW334 acoustic membranes. The membranes may need replacing over the lifetime of the case, depending on the deployment environment. For example, some insects and birds can potentially pierce the membrane surface over time. The installed membrane can be inspected by holding an open case up to a light source, if there are any pin holes of light passing through the membrane it will need swapping out.
If the case is placed facing upwards rain water will pool inside the cone, the AudioMoth IPX7 Case is designed to be deployed with the microphone facing horizontally. Placing it inside a ziplock bag should prevent this. There's a good discussion on using ziplock bags here and comparisons of how recording quality is affected here.
It should be very positive, in terms of reliability and better sound inlet, to manufacture the Audiomoth-USB mics with a better-designed and larger in diameter orifice for the MEMS mic sensor. See attached pic. Could it be possible?
?
Hi, It might be possible to experiment, however, the current MEMS microphone footprint and port is manufactured as per the Knowles design guidelines. Alex
Is there any technical possibility of enabling an AudioMoth to somehow emit power and storage status. I would like to use a separate LoRa device, to check the status of AudioMoth, and broadcast it. The use case is I will place Audio Moth devices on private land, where I need an escort, the boundary is a few hundred meters away, so I could ping it, and only request access when needed. Arguably, I could probably predict the storage capacity and do some sums, and just provide a lot of stored energy. is this what others do?
Hi Matt, It would be possible to connect a LoRa radio to the AudioMoth GPIO connections and modify the firmware to transmit status information. I'm not aware of anyone currently doing this, but Open Acoustic Devices can do custom firmware versions for specific requirements under individual consulting agreements. Alex
There are signs of corrosion on the Audiomoth circuit board, but it still works. Can we still use it? If yes, should we try to get rid of the corrosion?
Hi Emmanuel, Yes, clean off any loose corrosion with a dry brush and it should be fine. Alex
Hello, I have been having issues with getting some GPS hats to get a fix.
I have successfully soldered some Audiomoths and GPS hats together, and they have been able to get a GPS fix from inside a lab room inside a building, far away from doors and windows. However, two other Audiomoth/GPS hat units have not been able to get a fix from the same location, even if close to doors and windows. I have been using a SETTINGS.TXT file that the functional units have been able to get a fix with. I can provide the file if it would be helpful to see it.
Both Audiomoths function properly with Audiomoth-Firmware-Basic and can record files using a configuration from the Config App that does not use the GPS hat. When I soldered the functioning Audiomoth/GPS hat units together, I used a multimeter to measure their resistances and connections, and…
I have purchased two audio moths and 2 GPS Hats. The audio moths are working properly but the GPS hats are not outing any GPS Information as they should. I had them both professionally soldered to the audio moth. Neither of them are working. Here is a copy of the log. There is no config log or anything.
I need to synchronize the recordings of several AudioMoth devices with microsecond precision. I attempted to do this by turning the devices on approximately simultaneously in default mode and recording a reference signal both at the beginning (within a few seconds) and at the end of the recording, just before shutting the devices down.
Unfortunately, the signal at the beginning and the end of the recording is sometimes not captured.
I have three questions regarding this:
How long does it take for an AudioMoth device to start recording after being powered on (in seconds or milliseconds)?
At what intervals are recordings saved to memory (e.g., every minute, every 15 minutes)?
Are any recordings lost or skipped during the saving process, or is all data continuously stored?
Hi Elmar, Depending on the contents of the SD card it can take up to five seconds to open the file and start recording. In normal use, the AudioMoth firmware tracks this duration and adjusts it's preparation time so that the recording always starts at the required time. If you set the clock on the AudioMoth immediately before recording, and use a scheduled start time, then all the AudioMoth recordings will start at the required time. The realtime -clock drift can be up to +/- 80ms per hour so you will need to allow for that uncertainty. If you are recording outside you can use the GPS board and the AudioMoth-GPS-Sync firmware. This runs the GPS continuously during recordings and provides software to automatically synchronised recordings to +/- 1us. https://github.com/OpenAcousticDevices/Application-Notes/blob/master/Measuring_the_Accuracy_of_AudioMoth_GPS_Synchronisation/Measuring_the_Accuracy_of_AudioMoth_GPS_Synchronisation.pdf This firmware uses the pulse-per-second (PPS) output of the GPS throughout the recording. You probably won't be quite as accurate if you only synchronise the recordings at the start and end as the internal 48 MHz clock will drift slightly over the course of the recording due to the temperature fluctuations. If the temperature is consistent you'll get the best results. Also, 1 us is a lot less than the inter-sample period (22 us at 48 kHz), so you will need to be quite careful interpolating the recordings when you try to correlate the recording with the reference signal. We've done this in the past by interpolating the zero crossing times of the waveform.
The recording schedule is determined by whatever you set in the Config App. Data is written to the SD card continuously in 32 KB chunks during the recording. At 48 kHz this corresponds to 341 ms.
Alex
Hi AudioMoth Team, I have 2 AudioMoth Dev's running the AudioMoth-USB-Microphone v1.3.1, and no matter what I do I get buzzing noise. I tried gain, changing sampling rates, filtering, I messed around with AudioMoth Live and Play apps, nothing solves the problem. I took them outside and powered them with a battery and the sound remains. I have tried them with a Mac, a Windows laptop, a microcontroller, different USB cords and ports, etc. I noticed this post: https://www.openacousticdevices.info/support/configuration-support/buzzzing-sound-white-recording I am certain mine have never experienced water damage, and I have had this noise since I opened them. I assumed it was user error and that I would solve it at a later date, but nothing I have tried works. It can get better than it is in these recordings, but not by much.
Here are recordings from each of them, taken at 48KHz with Gain @ Low with no filters and no advanced settings,…
Hi Alex, The signal moves when I change to 96KHz or higher, it is then concentrated around 32 KHz. I started another recording indoors and walked outside, as I stepped outdoors the sound vanished. I then put the device into an ESD bag and walked back indoors and the sound returned but much lower intensity. I had tested it outdoors before but that was awhile ago and there could have been other stuff going on out there. Today it was relatively quiet. I also put my phone in airplane mode. I noticed its significantly worse by the entrance to the building and a bit worse near the entrances to specific rooms. My complete guess of a hypothesis is that its EMI from the door keycard tap system and probably other stuff. Hope this helps others. I have now covered the device in Kapton tape and I will then wrap it in aluminum foil. Best, Hudson
Hi,
I bought 5 Hydromoths in January 2025. 2 of them are having strange malfunctions. The other 3 will no longer connect to my computer with the configure app. The light doesn't come on when I connect them to the computer. The cord I'm using seems to work fine for other units.
1) is only recording for about 12 hours and then abruptly stops. It still has plenty of battery and plenty of space on the SD card. I've tried reinstalling the firmware, but didn't help.
2) Another recorder consistently has the clock running fast. I deployed it for about 48 hours (20 sec. out of every minute) and when I retrieved it had closer to 72 hours worth of recordings. I've used the same one 3 times, and this happens every time. I don't know how to fix this.
Thanks!
-Julia
Hi Julia,
Can you use the 'Summarise AudioMoth Files' option under the 'Process' menu in the Config App to generate a summary of one of the SD cards which stopped early to see what is happening.
The clock running fast is sometimes a sign of humidity damage to the HydroMoth. Can you contact andy@openacousticdevices.info about this one, and confirm when the HydroMoth was purchased.
Alex
I'm using a 1.2.0 AM. First it wouldn't configure after coming back from the field. Now it configures ok, but when I make test recordings sitting about 50 cm from microphone, they are very quiet (using default configuration - 96kHz and Med gain) - I tried increasing the gain, and certainly got more noise, but volume of recording was still very low. Any suggestions?
Hi, It sounds like this is water damage to the microphone. It may recover a bit if stored in a dry location. Alex
Hello,
We are currently trying to connect a solar panel to a charger and a lithium battery so the AudioMoth dev can be left in the field for a longer period. The linear battery charger (Adafruit bq25185 USB / DC / Solar Charger with 5V Boost Board) provides a constant 5V to the AudioMoth as long as there is enough sun and the battery is not empty.
The problem is that the AudioMoth measures this voltage and writes 5V (or "greater than 4.9V" to be exact) in the metadata of the recordings. As a result, we cannot get a reading of the actual battery voltage.
The charger board has a pin (BAT) giving the voltage of the battery. As we want to monitor the battery voltage, we are looking for a way to read the BAT pin with the AudioMoth dev. Would the GPIO port be able to read it?…
Hi Simon,
The easiest solution would be to use the Adafruit BQ24074 board as you don't need the additional 5V boost which causes the battery measurement problem, and it may also create some additional SD card write noise:
https://www.adafruit.com/product/4755?
The AudioMoth is then powered directly from the Li-Ion battery. The battery voltage will never exceed 4.4V when charging, and when there is no charge current, you will measure the true voltage of the battery.
Alex
Hello,
We want to use AudioMoth for bird and bat recordings and the recommended type (in the instructions manual) are lithium type batteries. Could you recommend any AA rechargeable batteries of this kind that would be best for AudioMoth?
Thank you
Tudor
Hi Tudor,
Yes, rechargeable NiMH batteries work well. Buy large capacity ones - 2800-2850mAh. Cheaper ones may only be 1500mAh capacity. Alex
I am looking for a device to monitor and identify birds in my woodlot in New Brunswick Canada. How long would the battery last in a 7/24 mode?
The Config App will tell you the daily energy consumption of any configuration that you set. The example below is for 24-hour continous recordings with 55 seconds individual WAV files and 5 seconds between them. Daily energy consumption is 280mAh and good quality rechargeable batteries will have a capacity of about 2800-2850mAh giving about 10 days. At sample rates of 48 kHz and lower, you can also select 'Enable energy saver mode' to save another 30% with a small decrease in recording quality. The final capacity depends a bit of temperature and the condition of the battery. The biggest variable in deployment lifetime in the choice of SD card as their energy consumption varies very widely - https://www.openacousticdevices.info/sd-card-guide - sometime by a factor of four. The energy calculations are for 32GB SanDisk Extreme (red and gold) cards which are reliable and low-energy. Larger cards will use a little more energy, but the difference between 64GB and 32GB is minimal.
Alex
Hi, I am using AudioMoth (version 1.1.0) for my data collection in India. I have some issues with a few of my devices:
1) One recorder doesn’t have a switch to turn the recorder on or off
2) One recorder is always showing battery level < 3.6V in the configuration app
3) One recorder is storing audio files, but it’s just white noise; the PCB of the same recorder is detached from the battery holder on one side.
Can someone help me solve these issues or connect me to people who can assist with that?
Thanks!
Hi,
In the Flash App, you need to select the ‘AudioMoth USB Microphone’ firmware under the ‘Firmware’ menu.
You have flashed your device with the standard AudioMoth firmware (AudioMoth-Firmware-Basic) rather than the firmware for AudioMoth USB Microphone (AudioMoth-USB-Microphone). The most up to date version of the AudioMoth-USB-Microphone firmware is 1.3.2.
Follow the instructions in the Flash App to switch to flash mode manually (this is available under the 'Show Manual Switch Instruction' menu option if the Flash App does not prompt you to use it), flash the device with the correct firmware, and the device will work again. To do so, you will have to short out the programming pins on the front of the AudioMoth USB Microphone at the same time as plugging in the USB cable. It’s fiddly but will always work. This forces the device straight into flash mode (by running the bootloader) and the Flash App will see it.
You haven’t damaged the AudioMoth USB Microphone, just flashed it with firmware for another device. The bootloader is still intact and you can recover it by following the instructions in the flash app under ‘Manually switch to flash mode’.
However, be careful probing the electronics with your multimeter set to measure current. You are effectively applying a short circuit across the probes. This shouldn’t cause any damage, but won’t really tell you anything either.
Alex