What's the Best Lavalier Mic Position?
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- Опубліковано 7 жов 2022
- I'm just curious what the best position is for Lavalier microphones. I've never gotten sound that I'm too thrilled with so I figured I'd try 6 positions and get your feedback.
Listening back to the raw unprocessed sound, I think position 3 is the best sounding. It has the best mix of low end and clarity from the top end without introducing too much room tone like we got in position 4.
Lav mic: Rode lavalier II
Interface: Rode AI-Micro
Gain: ~90%
24-bit, 48khz
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3 is good for this mic, 6 not practical, but sounds much better
Agree. 3rd position sounds best.
It’s industry standard
Why is it not practical? People hold mics all the time
Clip it to your tongue. That's how us pros do it.
can’t believe i never tried!!!
#3 is my preference for that lav and your voice
This was the clearest and had the best balance.
It is worth noting that the location of the microphone on the cap makes sense: the sound will not change much if you tilt your head, unlike mounting it in the chest area.
Also, this is the ONLY short I've ever seen where it made sense for the video to auto-repeat. Usually I absolutely hate that and I tend to avoid shorts for that reason!
I'm a location sound mixer, and when I wire up talent I usually go for #3. But it can sometimes be problematic with certain kinds of clothing or with people have particularly deep voices (can end up sounding too boomy/muddy). The best sounding lavs I've ever recorded have nearly always been #6 though. It honestly feels like magic, not having to deal with any clothing rustle, muffling, or sweaty chests weakening the adhesive. It's just pretty rare that a talent is wearing a hat or something similar for the majority of the shoot. Hiding in glasses has always proved tricky for me - seems to work great for stage, but at least in my experience, it's usually way too visible for film/commercials.
I’d be really interested in your opinion of which lav mics I should be using for field recording and which recorders? I’m aiming for producing podcasts both within a studio (home) setting as well as out in ‘the field’.
I’m looking at purchasing the Zoom Podtrak P4 recorder which accepts XLR inputs but looking for a decent lav mic is almost impossible.
@@Dan_TheMedic When you say "field recording," are you referring to recording podcasts somewhere other than a studio with like a mobile rig? If so, on the cheaper end you could get by with something like a Zoom H6, or even probably a P4 like you mentioned. I think I'd opt for the H6 if it were me though, for the higher recording resolution and overall greater flexibility. The P4 is optimized for podcasting, but that's really about it - I'd also be a little worried about the lower dynamic range (16-bit max, vs 24-bit on the H6), as that could potentially make it more difficult when recording people who speak really dynamically or just don't have good mic technique.
For not too much more, you can get something like a Zoom LiveTrack L-8, Zoom R20, or a Tascam Mixcast 4. Any of those will give you much better ergonomics when recording a podcast (especially with multiple guests and needing to do some live mixing), 24-bit of dynamic range, more flexible submix options, built-in effects, and even built-in editing to some extent.
I'd also recommend avoiding lav mics and just picking up a few cheap dynamic vocal mics (Behringer XM8500 is like $25 or less brand new, solidly built, and sounds quite good; used SM58s or similar tier vocal mics from other major manufacturers are great too). I think lavs for podcasting is not a great idea due to their typically minimal dynamic range, and just because they really don't sound that great unless you spend at least $200. Cheaper lavs, even those over $100, also generally have a fairly high level of self-noise. Not to mention having to deal with finding a way to power them from a mixer/recorder, which usually involves a special adapter that converts 48v phantom power to much lower voltage needed for plugin-power, or relying on wireless systems which is just wholly unnecessary for podcast recording and another giant can of worms. Just get you some Behringers, some cheap mic stands from Amazon, some XLRs, and you'll be set for recording great sounding podcasts. Oh, and dynamic vocal mics are waaay better for recording in untreated rooms. Lavs aren't gonna do much for room echo unfortunately.
Hopefully this points you in a good direction!
@@ahriik thank you for such a comprehensive response, I really don’t expect that level of quality of advice.
You are correct about my intention of ‘field use’. After considering the Zoom H5 over the P4, I’m not looking for something I can wire a lav mic from my motorcycle helmet into to sound as well as having the flexibility whilst out on rides if I stop and wish to do some vocal work say, at a bike show, local meet or simply somewhere scenic.
Since I posted this I’ve found a Zoom H5 recorder for next to nothing. Another vlogger on here uses one and is a lot smaller than the P4. As you can guess I’ve not done a lot of research into the differing sound qualities of these recorders, but it takes XLR so will accommodate my Samson Q2U mic for home use.
Pinning myself to this thread to take notes, thank you guys in this thread. 👍🏼
@@ahriik I’m basically trying to do a podcast in a moving car with me in the front (Driving) and passenger(s) (1-3) in the back. What equipment would you recommend? Thanks.
3 has the brightest sound, I like it
Agreed
Location sound mixer here. I typically always go for something similar to 3 unless timing or appearance is a factor. For interview setups, clipping over clothes is typically the best way to go, no adhesive, no fabric muffling, and it's fast and easy, fitting for when you're thrown on location and have the bare minimum time to get set up.
Problem is you only really get good audio to rely on the lav if it's about 8 inches away from the chin, so it's only reliable if your subject is wearing an open jacket, a cardigan, a collared shirt, or something similar where you can clip the lav on the outside and then hide the wire. Filming is easy but awkward and takes more time because typically if you tape it to the middle of someone's chest it'll work, the only problem is fabric russling and muffling. A good solution is taping to the fabric itself because skin has less friction, but then if you're not careful you can see the outline of the mic or tape.
It's a crapshoot, but you can always find a way to make things work.
It sounded best held in front, but that method kind of defeats the purpose of a lav...
I 'd settle either for the mid-upper chest position or the hat one, to combine comfort with quality.
Handholding sounded best, but you might as well use a proper handheld mic in that case. I'd say 6 inches down on your shirt was best for normal lav mic use.
3 and, surprisingly, 6
6 sounds best, followed by 3. But 3 is more practical.
Agreed.
Absolutely😊
I wish you would review more lavalier mics/wireless mics.
You can check out our lavalier microphone which is now available in US now, hope you will like it
Once again this guy showing a good vidéo for people that still amateur like me 😁😁😁😁
Whenever I had an opportunity to speak in large halls, and someone else managed the sound, they would attach the lav mic to me like in your position #3, and based on what I am hearing here, they were right.
3 and surprisingly 6
The 3rd position has my preference, sounds nice and open.
I’m afraid to say I honestly like 6 best. Even if I wanted to say 3…
3 and 6
You forgot clipped to the side of your glasses. :)
I clipped my Rode lav mic onto the middle of my pop filter screen and it sounds great!
Great video short ! I’d Probably the go with the hat position. I’ve seen some people even clip it to their glasses as well
3, 5 and 6
Theres also presets you can add to make the audio sound amazing
Very helpful!
1. Holding in hand
2. Hat
3. Mid chest
4. Lower chest
5. Center collar
6. Side collar
I agree with Jason below: Lav about six inches below chin on shirt. On other hand, seemed to have very smooth sound on collar to the side. Grateful subscriber earthling here! 💛🤗
The sixth position obviously sounds the best, but I’d most likely use position 4, possibly 3.
Oddly enough the TikTok position. I have a bassie voice so my lav mic picks up a lot of low frequency. I know I could use a bass roll off FX in post but I don't have a fancy set up. I'm recording directly into my cellphone.
WTF, No lav attached for the thrown product box landing position sound?
Cool video bro. Definitely on the 3 and 6 positions, but like they're saying, so lame to hold a lav like that lol... unless it were a nice hand held. The angle of the mic should make some difference too though, even though it's omni-directional. your placements had different angles, so some of those positions could possibly sound a bit better if the mic is always pointed toward the mouth.
3 sounded best, but it does depend on the mic's properties. Most (but not all) proper lavs are designed for wearing around the chest area, and often have a frequency response designed around this - meaning that it's expected to pick up a lot of bass. Using such a lav handheld would be a mistake as the sound would be lacking in body.
Standard practice in broadcast in the UK is to place it somewhat centrally at chest height, but with the capsule pointing DOWN. Since lavs are (nearly always) omnidirectional, it doesn't matter too much which way it points, but inverting it reduces the risk of breath noise and sibilance (as the omni pattern is more perfect at lower frequencies, and less so at the higher end).
3 is good. I know of instances of people taping or pinning the mic when routed under the shirt. SourceFed used to do it that way their whole run
3 seems to be the consensus. This is why it's such a fun rabbit hole for me to dive down because I have always found lavaliers to sound quite dark, and then if you put them under the clothes you're losing even more top end. So I'm just enjoying trying to understand them more.
2 is definitely the best. 6 was surprisingly close. Number three was annoyingly tinny. It's like when a sound guy doesn't turn down the symbols and the constant overbearing crashing makes me want to cringe.
Compare AEA vs avantone, golden age, royers, se electronics and byerdynamics
You forgot to clip it to your glasses. I cannot make an informed decision without this.
I usually keep position 3
I have never been happy with the sound of my Rode Go lavaliere anywhere below my chin. But secured with gaffer tape under the brim of a ball cap and the cable threaded around to the back of my head is really good! Would love to explore how the pros EQ these things in post to get broadcast worthy sound.
#3 for practicality meets sound reasons
Which mic is this one ?
LoL TikTok position! If you have a crappy lav the only time it will sound somewhat acceptable is held in front of your mouth. I can see where they are coming from, might as well get a proper mic but I guess people be different :p plus you can’t put a proper microphone in your pocket.
I always have great audio, pet peeve of mine, even if I have potato video. Actually, ESPECIALLY if I have potato/no video :p
Not sure if you'll see this given the age, but through my headphones they all had some low frequency feedback, however position 5 minimized it the most. None of them were anything I'd want to listen to though due to the rumble.
Position 5 is the one that I'd pick as well. Thanks for the feedback.
Anyone knows much about vintage RE20 mics? If they are any good compared to the new ones.
#3 here I think. I can see #4 working better depending on the voice.
If be curious to see you reviewing more lab mics.
For some reason this gives me an idea, why don't they make lav mic hats?
Woww that's is nice video!! I'd love to get it. But I also want to know about Synco G2A2. How about it?
I was waiting for the hat 😂 #5
I love it What kind of lavlier is this ?
I like 2 or 3 👊🏾
The hat was the best sound but realistically the 6in mount on the chest was the best option.
Three was good. I wish I could find a clip where the mic was 90° to the clip.
I've also clipped it to my glasses just in front of my ear. That puts it about where a short boom Bluetooth like the Plantronics 5200 would be.
If you don't mind it being seen this works pretty well since it maintains the mic position when you turn your head or look up or down.
I route the cable over my ear and down my back and that works well for me.
3
3. 6.
The best position is having the lav mic taped to a broken desktop microphone, it gives great results!
If there's a lot of surrounding noise, I'd go closer to the vocal cords. Distance has more clarity but will suffer more from unwanted room sounds.
The third sounded the best to my ear.
I like 3
I never knew that 3 sounded objectively better than 1
What lav mic are you using?
Could you do that with a DJI mic? Cheers 😊
3 and 5
Positions 3 and 6 sound best to me. The cap position may well be compromised by the cap itself reflecting audio and causing a nearby node?
3 My guy.
How about try it 6 inches pointing down?
The last one, but defeats the object of its purpose… the second is good for getting more low end, but too much but then it seems to be a more tweakable sound… the cap one was better that I thought, will have to fine tune something one day… this got me thinking at least
3! 🔥👌
Thanks so much. I agree.
Please do this with headworns as well!!
#3 and in hand
PLEASE DO A VIDEO ON MIDIPLUS STUDIO 2 PRO!!!!!! AND COMPARE WITH EVO 4 and MINIFUSE
6 is best but 3 was what made most sense for the type of mic
My preference, from most favorite to least favorite sound -
Position 6
Position 3
Position 5
Position 4
Position 1
Position 2
Annoyingly, handheld sounds best, but 3 is the best compromise for a realistic position.
Position 6 and 3
1, 3, 4, and 5 are the best
I haven't had much luck with lav mics too. I've tested so many types and at different positions. But in all cases it just won't sound as good as a half-decent mic, I suppose it's physics.
Underneath the collar or first down 6
I thought for sure that you’d clip it on your ear!
I would never do something so silly...okay, maybe I would.
position 3 and hand holding it were the best
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Hand held I liked the besr
Position 3
Position 3, significantly better than the others.
I ususally put it on the left lapel or left breast pocket area. It really depends on the polar pattern of the mic as well.
Yeah the breast pocket would be a great place to clip a Lav. Great recommendation.
@@Podcastage I clipped it to my beard once... was upset cause it sounded really good but looked beyond ridiculous.
On your lip. Giggachad move
That would be pure torture due to the mouth noises it would pick up.
#3
On the brim for sure. Excluding the holding the microphone, cause why use that then.
3 and 5 are the best positions. Number 6 sounds good but it's obviously not so comfortable to use
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it.
TikTok position!! Love it 😁😁
Thank you for watching.
@@Podcastage you're my hero 😂😎 keep up the great videos!
I am going to say position number 3!
3 for sure
Thanks for the input.
I think it comes down to post mixing and noise treatment in your environment.
Yeah. I think post has a lot to do with Lav mics sounding good. Also using them outdoors would help a lot.
I dont know what's your problem with dynamic headworn mic like shure wh20 or audio technica pro8, but I never get good sound from lav mic and I will not do it again 🤣🤣🤣🤣
+rep
Hi .. we need a TLM 193 episode please ❤
The TikTok position. Damn, I'm proven wrong. Used to think that 10 inches below the chin is the best.
Position 3 for practical reason and kind of ok sound. Position 6 best sound but not practical ✌🏼
I think you just got a shitty lag though. I just finished a Doco shoot where we were using Lav’s and I was lead recordist, and most of the time, we got good sound from the Lavs. Granted, it’s a doco so we didn’t need to try hide the mic. Would be very different for a film shoot
3 is the best
6 inches. i know it seems like a lot. but its actually just right.
I hate when I see people holding it. Especially when they hold it up to their mouth. Them watching a video of someone using it correctly: "I need to get one of those so I can use it any way other than the way it was designed".
I was watching a channel that reviews audio equipment such as headphones and DACs; Z Reviews. When he went to CanJam he put a lav mic through a metal tube with a handle and used it as an old school gameshow mic. It sounded quite good; excellent for interviewing the people exhibiting their products.
3, 5, 6 and 4 maybe if you look down all the time