With the NTG-2, I usually record in 24 bit, 48kHz with the gain set to high, the input level set to 5 and the mic 18 to 24 inches from the talent, boomed from above. You might find some of my videos on audio over at the channel helpful--in the one from last week, I talked about the exact workflow I use with the Rode and Tascam. It is titled, "Better Sound for Video: Dialogue Workflow Example". Good luck!
Thanks for the tips Curtis, i ended up achieving a better sound by disabling the cameras phantom power, and using a battery in the mic itself, the audio is clearer and less noisy as a result.
For some of us that use a DAW or even Premiere/FCP, post production could really clean up the audio even when the NTG-2 is plugged directly into the mic input of the DSLR. I have used the Rode Stereo Video Mic and it too has some noise going into the camera but when coupled with the Tascam DR100 MKII, it sounds so much better because the inputs on the Tascam are much quieter; however, I have been able to clean up the sound of the audio recorded by the camera from the microphone, that it becomes hard to tell whether I used the Tascam or not. So, for anyone reading, plugging in the NTG-2 into the DSLR can still give you great results with simple notch filter and EQ in post production. I don't have any video to reference but you can find volumes of information on the web on doing this.
So helpful Curtis! Thanks for outlining the 1/8th in converter issue- definitely something I would have tried to do! Very comprehensive and informative.
Love your stuff, you explain things very well, and you don't take 20 minutes doing so. These videos have been my go-to resource in previous weeks learning how to create professional interview videos for our website. Thank you.
forgive me if this has already come up, but when plugging your mic directly into the camera with an adapter, the noise may be caused by the fact that you're sending "balanced" signal into a "stereo" mic jack, on top of the hi-z lo-z clash. balanced signal flips the waveform of one of its two sends, so that when they are recombined in proper phase the sound is free of the noise and artifacts that cables naturally pick up along the way (being, basically, antennas). by capturing balanced signal as a Left and Right signal, you're effectively doubling the amplitude of the noise. adapters should be available to unbalance the signal and split the mono signal into Left and Right for the stereo jack. Great review and great channel thank you!
Good to know! As for the stand I linked to, just be aware that you may need to stabilize it in some way if you fly a shotgun mic from it, especially when your talent is tall and you have to fly it up high.
Thanks a lot for your help and the great insights! Very informative video and great, relaxed explanation that's very understandable for a Audio-Newbie like me :) NTG-2 is now on my wishlist :-D
okay, i did in fact buy my cable and adaptor from a small simple shop in singapore, so it's hopefully very likely to be the problem. I just went to best buy and bought a new cable and adaptor. Playing around with that now. We'll see if it works. Brother, thanks so much for taking the time to help me!!!
Great to know--thanks DumpYourTelevision. I'm still a fan for using a separate recorder altogether but juicedlink also provide more expensive pre-amps designed to use with non-pro video cameras.
Btw, i really love your channel and all your work. your videos taught me a lot of audio knowledge and helped me made my decision on buying gears. A big thank you here!
You are so nice and awesome-sauce. I can't believe I haven't given you a shout out yet. It's scheduled for my march 15 shout out episode. I hope I can send some folks your way.
Thanks for the feedback. I did cut -3 db at 1k. It sounds pretty decent on my monitors but I may have issues with my room, especially in terms of bass.
Agreed, I just tried it with the Tascam DR100 mk 2 and found that it sounds good. I looked at a frequency analyzer of the same signal recorded by the Tascam and Nikon D600 and the only real difference appeared to be just a little less bass response on the Nikon audio.
Our production team also experienced the noise issue: XLR to 3.5mm adapter issue explained Low impedence to high impedence creates very noisy signal so it needs a Preamp required to work properly 4:13
Angelo, I use the Tascam DR-100 mk II. With the NTG-2, I set the input level to 5 and place the mic about 18 inches from the talent. Then in post, I do maximize the volume with normalization and sometimes compression and a limiter. Check out my other audio videos on the channel for details.
Thanks! It doesn't come with a sensitivity switch, but I haven't run into cases yet where that posed a problem--both with voice and even recording string instruments. Good luck on your mic search!
Good luck--I hope you end up enjoying the Rode! As for the Giant Squid, I don't know a lot about the Zoom H4n but if you're connecting to the preamp inputs on the bottom of the unit, I believe those are mono inputs so you'll need an adapter that splits the mic signal to two difference plugs, one for each input on the Zoom.
Ting--great to know! So it sounds like it depends on the strength of the signal that the mic produces before the pre-amp. Thanks again for your insights--super helpful.
An XLR to stereo 1/8" plug will result in the balanced signal to be split into L/R signals - out of phase, so when mono'd in post, the signals will cancel thus dramatically decreasing S/N ratio unless one channel was inverted in post. Those Chinese clones sold on eBay for $25 are also quite good and I suspect might have even come from the same factory.
I just used Adobe Audition CC--turned on the frequency analysis view. The difference was definitely subtle. Some people would notice it audibly, but most probably would not.
Curtis thank you for addressing the echo issue. I was testing my NTG 1 vs my Lav and was very dissapointed with the echos coming from the NTG, even with it less than 2 feet away. On location shoots are always a crap shoot as far as tinny-echoy-ness of the room. But I will continue to experiment with deadening the echoes in my own studio.
thanks for your quick response Curtis. yeah i thought as much. if you find out about a better adaptor please let me know. i may end up just getting a new field recorder with XLR inputs though, seems to be the way to go. Thanks again! Mike.
Tascam and Zoom both make decent field recorders. I use the Tascam DR-100 mk II. Down below in the comments, Ting Tian suggested that he got slightly better results using a Sennheiser shotgun but that it still sounded much better and cleaner with a dedicated field recorder.
Great. Thanks! I don't intend to really be tethered down either, but if I'm doing vlogs or something, I just want some quick video without a whole lot of editing.
I use the Tascam DR-100 mk II when I'm in the field and sometimes in the studio I use a Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP audio interface. There are a ton of options out there but I'm quite happy with both of those. Less Expensive options include the Tascam DR-40 (field recorder) or the Focusrite Scarlett series of audio interfaces for studio use where you can be close to a computer. I hope that helps--good luck!
nice video.. can't believe I didn't know a battery was inside of it... was fumbling around with phantom power..!!! ah you saved me... I've been searching for help! thanks!
Hey Mike, No, unfortunately that is also a high impedance input on the Tascam. However, I recently heard from another UA-cam friend that he found a better adapter that seems to sound pretty good... I'll check with him and see if he has details on the adapter he bought.
You even talked about things i had in mind while buying my NGT-2. I am also adapting the XLR to my Camcorder Cinch and i was always wondering if there is some loss of quality. But you gave a great example of how adapting could affect the audio in a bad way. Thank you!
That's a Pearstone. I don't recommend using an XLR to 3.5mm adapter as it produces a pretty nasty signal with a lot of noise and distortion. You may be better off with a $20 US Audio Technica ATR-3350 lav mic.
Hi Curtis, I really love the quality of your audio in every video you produce. I just wanted to request if you could make a tutorial series on how to get really great sound on any environments with of course, your secret tips in tweaking the EQs and Compression. Never seen a tutorial that covers deep content in audio. Also a how to train your ears to know what sounds right or what is treated too much. Thanks!
I love that microphone and use it with the WS6, what is a higher end version of the dead cat. It really gives great results when shooting dialogue outdoors. Actually I always put the WS6 on it, wherever we are filming.
Here's an old trick: If you only have the foam pop shield or the dead cat in a high wind situation. If possible place the microphone down in some high grass, pointing the active tip at the talent. The grass is fantastic and shielding out wind noise.
I doubt that shotguns are better when speaker is 1 meter or more away of shotgun position. So lavs wins anyday.. Especially if you use wireless, quality pro lavs..
I had the pleasure of testing a lot of Rode mics when they first came out thanks to my universities awesome AV team, and tbh Rode and Sennies are interchangeable brands in shooting. And Rode is a quarter of the price half the time!
Really helpful Curtis, I've been looking at a number of mics and demos, and I find that anything below 180€ gets a lot of noise into the camera. The first mic I've heard plugged into the camera that gets an acceptable amount of noise is, as you point out, the Rode VideoMic Pro. The drawback is that it has 3.5mm connector, so you can't really use it with anything else than a camera. Anyway, thanks for the info and the insight!
Thanks Rodrigo! Technically you can connect a Videomic Pro to a recorder with 3.5mm inputs like Zoom H1 or Tascam DR-05 and that can give you slightly cleaner sound than with a camera but may not be worth the trouble depending on how nimble you need to be when shooting and editing.
Yes, that's true. The thing is I was trying to counsel a friend who wants to have the most agile setup he can, so he can just point, hit record, then move to other place, record again, and only have to worry about one memory card, and the battery on the camera and mic. However, I'm really impressed with the sound quality of the NTG-2. As a musician, now I've got it in my sights for a possible purchase in the future to increase the range of options (large diaphragm condensers, dynamics, etc). Cheers!
Rodrigo Avendaño García Ok, that makes sense. In a few weeks I'll be reviewing the NTG4+, a new shotgun mic from RODE that looks pretty interesting as well.
There is actually distortion in several of your videos that I watched. Larger speakers can usually handle that better than headphones or earbuds. But you can still make it out on larger speakers. It sounds like the problem is recording directly into the camera--those XLR to 3.5mm adapters create a pretty distorted signal. I know there's cost involved but the best solution would be to use an external recorder like the Zoom H4n or Tascam DR-40 or 100 (among many others, of course).
Yes, I've found that the NTG-2 isn't awesome for recording directly into a camera because it seems to require a pretty strong pre-amp, something that cameras typically don't offer including the 60D. I don't know whether the Sennheiser system provides phantom power (I assume not). But with a dedicated field recorder with XLR inputs, I've gotten some pretty good results.
I'm getting really noisy results with my ntg2 plugged into an h4n (original) . I have a friend with a dr44 and ntg4+ and is getting similar results. Are the preamps in the Dr100m2 better than those in the h4n and the dr44?
Hi Jaakko, I don't have first-hand experience with the Shure but I can say this: Shure makes great microphones. Shotgun mics that sit on top of a camera don't provide a huge improvement in sound--it really takes getting the mic close to your talent--within 30 - 50 cm. You might check out my video on "Getting the Best Sound from your Shotgun Mic" episode to hear the difference.
You may want the radio bass sound... I have been doing some shotgun researching and everything I keep hearing from the Rode NTG 2 (and 3) have a more muffled sound on the low end compared to the SENNHEISER MKH 416. But that's probably because there is a huge price difference. Thanks man for your videos!
extension bracket,whatever xlr mic to recorder,line out from the recorder using a line to mic 35db attenuator cable to the mic of my dslr,its convenient cause i always have a sound backup and i dont have to sync stuff at post
Great review! This helped me alot... One question though: You said that using an XLR-cable that connects the microphone directly to the camera was not the best option. What would you recommend doing instead?
I would connect the mic via an XLR cable to a recorder with XLR inputs. If you don't have one and do not have the budget for one, then I would recommend you go instead with the RODE VideoMic Pro: amzn.to/1BcE6zz This plugs directly into cameras that have a 3.5mm mini stereo jack microphone input.
Yesterday I tried my ntg2 for the first time by connecting it to my old Olympus E-P2 micro 4/3rds camera via a an olympus audio adapter that connects to the top of the camera, and the audio sounded not so good. I was then convinced that I'd bought a counterfeit because I bought it for a cheap price new, but it seems genuine. It sounded exactly like the canon dslr example in this video, so I'm half relieved. I had also tested a $25 supposed shotgun mic which seemed to sound much better than the Rode, which added to my suspicions (at the time) of the Rode being non-genuine. Will have to now test the Rode via my H1 to find out if it sounds any better. I'm rambling I know, sorry
Hi Curtis, very clear and helpful your videos. Congrats !! Do you know if I can use the NTG-2 AA battery self-powered with a "regular" dynamic mic cable (XLR > 1,4" TS/mono) ? (by "regular" I mean the same mic cable I use with a Shure SM58). Tks for your time. Have a great day ! By the way, this video helped me to decide to buy the NTG2 :)
Hi Santiago, thanks. It depends on how much amplification the device has which you will connect it. There’s a good chance it will work if it all works with your SM58. Good luck!
Great review. I am filming a wedding soon, and only have the RODE shotgun NTG2, was wondering if this would be good for speeches etc? I haven't actually used it yet!
Julie Saunders It's all about getting in within 2 feet of the person speaking. If you can't get it that close, it will still work, of course, but won't have that super clean sound.
Hi Curtis, you do a great job with your videos and one day if I am 50% as good, I'll be happy :) The overhead boom mic certainly looks very interesting for face on to camera, but in my case where i am part face on to cam and part at a whiteboard, maybe it's not ideal. Can you tell me what DAW you like to use for your music and post, thanks.
Done! Check out the audio playlist on my channel where I give examples of shotgun mics at distance in the Takstar mic review and in the episode on getting better sound with a shotgun mic. In short, it doesn't ever sound great, even with otherwise good shotgun mics. It is probably ok for reference audio in most cases.
The adapters i used are hosa mit-156 impedance transformer and a cheapo off brand xlr-mini with no description available on the package. In fact, i got very good result from the ME66 with the two xlr-mini adapters. the result with NTG-2 was as horrible as the example in your video, while sennheiser mke600 sit in middle-a lot of hiss, but usable signal. I guess the main problem there is the low sensitivity of the NTG1 and 2 microphones.
Hi Curtis, I think the hiss and noise problem occurred when using NTG-2 on top of camera with mini-XLR adapter is not because of the impedance matching. i have tested rode ntg-1, ntg-2, sennheiser me66, and mke600 both with xlr directly into my tascam dr100-mk2, my rental zoom h4n, tascam dr-40, dr-60D, and mini jack into camera with xlr-mini adapter. of course the ntg-1 cannot work with 1/8" into camera.
You just need a mixer. Try the Mix Pre D. It should take care of all your problems, but is a bit of an unwieldy lump to mount on your rig. It is a bit complicated too. Probably the best out there. Audio is always ready to bite you in the ass.
Hi Dirk, I viewed the video on an iPhone and it sounds like when the iPhone plays to its speakers, it filters out everything that distorts. I can still hear the traffic noise on the iPhone but 99% of the dialogue is distorting and thus is filtered out. I really think the issue is the XLR to 3.5mm adapter. Those, unfortunately, add an extraordinary amount of distortion on every one I have tried. Your same mic recording into a device that has XLR pre-amps will sound amazingly distortion free.
Curtis Judd I’m just buying one of these in 2020! Pretty sure it’s a line/mic level adapter needed for the input of the camera, something like headset buddy might do it? Do you still have yours?
@@caleyhall Hi Caley, thanks for the comment - yes, still have my NTG2 and still works great. The output of the NTG2 is a microphone level output so I'm not sure that a line level adapter would work. You'll likely want a preamp of some sort between the NTG2 and camera. Best wishes!
a C-stand is great to have in your "studio" but its bigger than my whole lighting bag and ive been on too many shoots where I'm trying to carry it and a bag through the door and the large metal c-stand hits the door frame and everyone looks like i just broke something. So if you have to take it from shoot to shoot its a huge pain in the butt
Hi Curtis, Love your videos and appreciate all the work you do. I notice you were using a green screen here. Do you have any videos on how to work with a chromakey background and not look like a cheesy 80's VHS tape?
Hi Bitanphoto, yes, Hera are two really old videos on the subject. They might look a little 80s VHS-like 😂 Lighting: ua-cam.com/video/CYd2RZNe6io/v-deo.html Post: ua-cam.com/video/PYTDRzT3hNI/v-deo.html
NTG2 is not a sensitive microphone (produces 15.00mV @ 94dB). For example with Zoom H4N Pro recorder it will need almost 90%-100% of the gain available to record nice strong levels of dialogue at 1m distance. This is my experience with using it. So it basically needs a FetHead when recorded by an entry level recorder(?) Sometimes I wonder why it's is so popular among beginner filmmakers compared to the NTG3 which produces 31.60mV @ 94 dB SPL and also NTG3 is RF-biased which makes it immune to humidity issues. Price is obviously the reason.
Hi Curtis, thanks for the video. I've seen than you are recommending a small diaphragm hyper cardioid mic for untreated rooms with echo. Why choosing hyper cardioid over cardioid for echo? Thanks and nice channel with very useful contents!
What a coincindence, I just got NTG-2 in the mail today. I'm really looking forward to experimenting. I also have a stereo Giant Squid Mic (dual lav.). I had to buy a 3.5mm to 1/4" jack converter so it would work with my Zoom H4N. However I am having trouble getting the second mic to work. The mics test out fine, so I know it has something to do with the converter. It is a stereo-to-stereo converter, so I'm wondering if that was the right choice, should I have gone stereo-to-mono?
How does it compare to Rode's popular Videomic? I feel like Rode is a bit overpriced... It would be awesome if you could make a video about cheaper shotgun mics that offer similar quality, I really like your videos about affordable gear, like the cheap lav mic video and the cheap lighting setup video!!
I didn't hear you specify... but I'm assuming you recorded the audio for this video WITH the mic you're reviewing (apologies if I missed that detail). I'm looking into buying this mic, and your review was very helpful.
Yes, recorded with the RODE NTG-2. This episode was from my early days before I learned to actually include a title that says, "Recorded with the RODE NTG-2". :) Best wishes on your mic purchase!
Dave Cruickshank Definitely! The NTG-2 is still in my mic locker and I use it. Granted, my mic locker now includes about 25 mics at this point, but this is one that I've kept because it is still very useful. I have learned since the review that shotgun mics are not always the best choice when recording in rooms with a lot of echo--in that case you may be better off with a hyper-cardioid or cardiioid small diaphragm condenser mic. But for outdoor or rooms that don't have a lot of echo issues, the NTG-2 is a great mic for its price range! I talked a little more about hyper and cardioid mics compared to this mic here: ua-cam.com/video/34T-Q0TZQVI/v-deo.html
Unlike other oversmart youtubers, love the way you illustrated the information for our ease. Direct, simple and precise
Thanks Fahad!
With the NTG-2, I usually record in 24 bit, 48kHz with the gain set to high, the input level set to 5 and the mic 18 to 24 inches from the talent, boomed from above. You might find some of my videos on audio over at the channel helpful--in the one from last week, I talked about the exact workflow I use with the Rode and Tascam. It is titled, "Better Sound for Video: Dialogue Workflow Example". Good luck!
Thanks for the tips Curtis, i ended up achieving a better sound by disabling the cameras phantom power, and using a battery in the mic itself, the audio is clearer and less noisy as a result.
Thanks for taking the time to make this. I am thrilled to have just purchased one an hour ago. I'm enjoying the comments here as well.
Congratulations and I hope it works well for you! Happy recording!
Ah! That explains why your audio is so awesome!
They should be great together! I use the NTG-2 with a Tascam DR-100 mk II and I'm really happy with the sound quality.
I really wish I watched this video before I purchased the NTG2! The NTG1 is definitely the mic to get. It sounds better, is lighter and cheaper.
Hi thanks. I was under the impression that the NTG1 uses the exact same capsule and electronics so it should sound the same. Interesting!
50 ohm v 250 ohm impedance is a significant difference
For some of us that use a DAW or even Premiere/FCP, post production could really clean up the audio even when the NTG-2 is plugged directly into the mic input of the DSLR. I have used the Rode Stereo Video Mic and it too has some noise going into the camera but when coupled with the Tascam DR100 MKII, it sounds so much better because the inputs on the Tascam are much quieter; however, I have been able to clean up the sound of the audio recorded by the camera from the microphone, that it becomes hard to tell whether I used the Tascam or not. So, for anyone reading, plugging in the NTG-2 into the DSLR can still give you great results with simple notch filter and EQ in post production. I don't have any video to reference but you can find volumes of information on the web on doing this.
So helpful Curtis! Thanks for outlining the 1/8th in converter issue- definitely something I would have tried to do! Very comprehensive and informative.
+texashammer4 Thanks! Glad it was helpful!
Love your stuff, you explain things very well, and you don't take 20 minutes doing so. These videos have been my go-to resource in previous weeks learning how to create professional interview videos for our website. Thank you.
GretschBeastFan Thanks, glad they've helped! Keep playing awesome guitars!
forgive me if this has already come up, but when plugging your mic directly into the camera with an adapter, the noise may be caused by the fact that you're sending "balanced" signal into a "stereo" mic jack, on top of the hi-z lo-z clash. balanced signal flips the waveform of one of its two sends, so that when they are recombined in proper phase the sound is free of the noise and artifacts that cables naturally pick up along the way (being, basically, antennas). by capturing balanced signal as a Left and Right signal, you're effectively doubling the amplitude of the noise. adapters should be available to unbalance the signal and split the mono signal into Left and Right for the stereo jack. Great review and great channel thank you!
+FreeToasterMedia That makes sense, thanks for that!
Thanks and hello from the USA! It did just fine on the translation. Good luck with your audio!
Most extensive review I have seen! Thanks!
Thanks Samuel.
Thanks for helping me! It's nice to see that you help everyone! You just earned a new sub ;)
Thanks!
I used the Tascam DR-100mkII field recorder for this episode. Decent preamps, and analog to digital converters.
Dirk, glad to hear it! Science is awesome!
Good to know! As for the stand I linked to, just be aware that you may need to stabilize it in some way if you fly a shotgun mic from it, especially when your talent is tall and you have to fly it up high.
Great video and great points about the advantages over a lav mic!
Thanks a lot for your help and the great insights!
Very informative video and great, relaxed explanation that's very understandable for a Audio-Newbie like me :)
NTG-2 is now on my wishlist :-D
thanks, super helpful!
+Prepare to Serve! Thank you for the feedback and welcome back from your mission (if that's you) :)
okay, i did in fact buy my cable and adaptor from a small simple shop in singapore, so it's hopefully very likely to be the problem. I just went to best buy and bought a new cable and adaptor. Playing around with that now. We'll see if it works.
Brother, thanks so much for taking the time to help me!!!
Great to know--thanks DumpYourTelevision. I'm still a fan for using a separate recorder altogether but juicedlink also provide more expensive pre-amps designed to use with non-pro video cameras.
Btw, i really love your channel and all your work. your videos taught me a lot of audio knowledge and helped me made my decision on buying gears. A big thank you here!
Yay! I use the Rode VideoMic Pro so I can plug it right into my camera. I loooove it.
You are so nice and awesome-sauce. I can't believe I haven't given you a shout out yet. It's scheduled for my march 15 shout out episode. I hope I can send some folks your way.
Thanks for the feedback. I did cut -3 db at 1k. It sounds pretty decent on my monitors but I may have issues with my room, especially in terms of bass.
Great idea--thanks! I sometimes also have my talent put their back to the wind if that works out for lighting.
Agreed, I just tried it with the Tascam DR100 mk 2 and found that it sounds good. I looked at a frequency analyzer of the same signal recorded by the Tascam and Nikon D600 and the only real difference appeared to be just a little less bass response on the Nikon audio.
Our production team also experienced the noise issue: XLR to 3.5mm adapter issue explained
Low impedence to high impedence creates very noisy signal
so it needs a Preamp required to work properly 4:13
Agreed. Definitely need a proper preamp/adapter. Thanks!
Great vid! Clear, concise, and you know what your talking about. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Daniel!
Angelo, I use the Tascam DR-100 mk II. With the NTG-2, I set the input level to 5 and place the mic about 18 inches from the talent. Then in post, I do maximize the volume with normalization and sometimes compression and a limiter. Check out my other audio videos on the channel for details.
Thanks! It doesn't come with a sensitivity switch, but I haven't run into cases yet where that posed a problem--both with voice and even recording string instruments. Good luck on your mic search!
Good luck--I hope you end up enjoying the Rode!
As for the Giant Squid, I don't know a lot about the Zoom H4n but if you're connecting to the preamp inputs on the bottom of the unit, I believe those are mono inputs so you'll need an adapter that splits the mic signal to two difference plugs, one for each input on the Zoom.
Ting--great to know! So it sounds like it depends on the strength of the signal that the mic produces before the pre-amp. Thanks again for your insights--super helpful.
An XLR to stereo 1/8" plug will result in the balanced signal to be split into L/R signals - out of phase, so when mono'd in post, the signals will cancel thus dramatically decreasing S/N ratio unless one channel was inverted in post.
Those Chinese clones sold on eBay for $25 are also quite good and I suspect might have even come from the same factory.
+MichaelAChang Great point, I'll need to check that. Thanks!
I just used Adobe Audition CC--turned on the frequency analysis view. The difference was definitely subtle. Some people would notice it audibly, but most probably would not.
You helped me a lot with the audio, now I just need the money :D
Greetings from Spain
Google translated this for me I hope it have done well ;)
Almost perfect
Curtis
thank you for addressing the echo issue. I was testing my NTG 1 vs my Lav and was very dissapointed with the echos coming from the NTG, even with it less than 2 feet away. On location shoots are always a crap shoot as far as tinny-echoy-ness of the room. But I will continue to experiment with deadening the echoes in my own studio.
+Winterspring Studios LLC Good luck!
Thanks man! This video has helped me decide what mic is appropriate for me.
You're welcome and good luck!
thanks for your quick response Curtis. yeah i thought as much. if you find out about a better adaptor please let me know. i may end up just getting a new field recorder with XLR inputs though, seems to be the way to go. Thanks again! Mike.
Thanks for your knowledge!!
👍
I have owned this microphone three times now. If it works it works. When do you know your ready to jump from a 250 mic to a 999 mic?
When the $250 mic creates some problem which the 999 mic will fix.
@@curtisjudd ily. 🤟 saving for the mkh 416 unless you have a versus video I can watch on something comparable! Tyyyyy🏡🤙🏽
@@blackhawkcourt Here's a comparison: ua-cam.com/video/bv1xUShuUY0/v-deo.html
Thanks for video, learning fast.
👍🏻
Tascam and Zoom both make decent field recorders. I use the Tascam DR-100 mk II. Down below in the comments, Ting Tian suggested that he got slightly better results using a Sennheiser shotgun but that it still sounded much better and cleaner with a dedicated field recorder.
great review!
Yes, I suppose so--hadn't thought of it in those terms!
This was really helpful thank you!
fiathriel Glad it helped, thanks!
Awesome video man. Thanks for all the in depth info. Very helpful.
Thanks for the review, I just purchased this Mic. Big Thanks! :-)
👍 I hope it works well for. Still love mine after all these years! Just needs a good strong preamp behind it.
Great. Thanks! I don't intend to really be tethered down either, but if I'm doing vlogs or something, I just want some quick video without a whole lot of editing.
I use the Tascam DR-100 mk II when I'm in the field and sometimes in the studio I use a Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP audio interface. There are a ton of options out there but I'm quite happy with both of those. Less Expensive options include the Tascam DR-40 (field recorder) or the Focusrite Scarlett series of audio interfaces for studio use where you can be close to a computer. I hope that helps--good luck!
nice video.. can't believe I didn't know a battery was inside of it... was fumbling around with phantom power..!!! ah you saved me... I've been searching for help! thanks!
You're welcome and good luck!
just replaced the battery, it works!! and I realized I also have a bad mic cable.. man... glad I got this figured out finally.
Good work and happy recording!
Hey Mike, No, unfortunately that is also a high impedance input on the Tascam. However, I recently heard from another UA-cam friend that he found a better adapter that seems to sound pretty good... I'll check with him and see if he has details on the adapter he bought.
Thank you for making this tutorial. It was extremely helpful.
You even talked about things i had in mind while buying my NGT-2. I am also adapting the XLR to my Camcorder Cinch and i was always wondering if there is some loss of quality. But you gave a great example of how adapting could affect the audio in a bad way. Thank you!
You bet--best wishes with your new mic!
That's a Pearstone. I don't recommend using an XLR to 3.5mm adapter as it produces a pretty nasty signal with a lot of noise and distortion. You may be better off with a $20 US Audio Technica ATR-3350 lav mic.
Hi Curtis, I really love the quality of your audio in every video you produce. I just wanted to request if you could make a tutorial series on how to get really great sound on any environments with of course, your secret tips in tweaking the EQs and Compression. Never seen a tutorial that covers deep content in audio. Also a how to train your ears to know what sounds right or what is treated too much. Thanks!
I love that microphone and use it with the WS6, what is a higher end version of the dead cat. It really gives great results when shooting dialogue outdoors. Actually I always put the WS6 on it, wherever we are filming.
Good to know, thanks!
You´re Great Curtis! Thanks a lot!
+Armando Aguilar Thanks Armando!
It is a beautiful mic but requires a line transformer between the camera and the mic for proper sound.
Thanks for this.
Cheers, Pete
Thanks Pete.
Great review, much appreciated.
+Hatef Yamini thanks!
Here's an old trick: If you only have the foam pop shield or the dead cat in a high wind situation. If possible place the microphone down in some high grass, pointing the active tip at the talent. The grass is fantastic and shielding out wind noise.
I prefer shotgun mics over lavs in any and every possible situation I can get away with it.
I doubt that shotguns are better when speaker is 1 meter or more away of shotgun position. So lavs wins anyday.. Especially if you use wireless, quality pro lavs..
Ah, I knew I couldn't remain incognito for long. Thanks for your kind words. :)
Thanks Curtis!
Thanks for the info this was really helpful!
I had the pleasure of testing a lot of Rode mics when they first came out thanks to my universities awesome AV team, and tbh Rode and Sennies are interchangeable brands in shooting. And Rode is a quarter of the price half the time!
Really helpful Curtis, I've been looking at a number of mics and demos, and I find that anything below 180€ gets a lot of noise into the camera. The first mic I've heard plugged into the camera that gets an acceptable amount of noise is, as you point out, the Rode VideoMic Pro. The drawback is that it has 3.5mm connector, so you can't really use it with anything else than a camera. Anyway, thanks for the info and the insight!
Thanks Rodrigo! Technically you can connect a Videomic Pro to a recorder with 3.5mm inputs like Zoom H1 or Tascam DR-05 and that can give you slightly cleaner sound than with a camera but may not be worth the trouble depending on how nimble you need to be when shooting and editing.
Yes, that's true. The thing is I was trying to counsel a friend who wants to have the most agile setup he can, so he can just point, hit record, then move to other place, record again, and only have to worry about one memory card, and the battery on the camera and mic.
However, I'm really impressed with the sound quality of the NTG-2. As a musician, now I've got it in my sights for a possible purchase in the future to increase the range of options (large diaphragm condensers, dynamics, etc). Cheers!
Rodrigo Avendaño García Ok, that makes sense. In a few weeks I'll be reviewing the NTG4+, a new shotgun mic from RODE that looks pretty interesting as well.
There is actually distortion in several of your videos that I watched. Larger speakers can usually handle that better than headphones or earbuds. But you can still make it out on larger speakers. It sounds like the problem is recording directly into the camera--those XLR to 3.5mm adapters create a pretty distorted signal. I know there's cost involved but the best solution would be to use an external recorder like the Zoom H4n or Tascam DR-40 or 100 (among many others, of course).
Yes, I've found that the NTG-2 isn't awesome for recording directly into a camera because it seems to require a pretty strong pre-amp, something that cameras typically don't offer including the 60D. I don't know whether the Sennheiser system provides phantom power (I assume not). But with a dedicated field recorder with XLR inputs, I've gotten some pretty good results.
I'm getting really noisy results with my ntg2 plugged into an h4n (original) . I have a friend with a dr44 and ntg4+ and is getting similar results. Are the preamps in the Dr100m2 better than those in the h4n and the dr44?
Hi Jaakko, I don't have first-hand experience with the Shure but I can say this: Shure makes great microphones. Shotgun mics that sit on top of a camera don't provide a huge improvement in sound--it really takes getting the mic close to your talent--within 30 - 50 cm. You might check out my video on "Getting the Best Sound from your Shotgun Mic" episode to hear the difference.
You may want the radio bass sound... I have been doing some shotgun researching and everything I keep hearing from the Rode NTG 2 (and 3) have a more muffled sound on the low end compared to the SENNHEISER MKH 416. But that's probably because there is a huge price difference. Thanks man for your videos!
Your channel rocks! :)
Thanks Peter.
great video. Thanks!
extension bracket,whatever xlr mic to recorder,line out from the recorder using a line to mic 35db attenuator cable to the mic of my dslr,its convenient cause i always have a sound backup and i dont have to sync stuff at post
I just ordered one of these... I need it for some short films I will be doing this year
Good luck with your upcoming films and let us know how it goes!
Hi curtis I just found this video you were really young at the time . :D
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Great review! This helped me alot...
One question though:
You said that using an XLR-cable that connects the microphone directly to the camera was not the best option. What would you recommend doing instead?
I would connect the mic via an XLR cable to a recorder with XLR inputs. If you don't have one and do not have the budget for one, then I would recommend you go instead with the RODE VideoMic Pro: amzn.to/1BcE6zz This plugs directly into cameras that have a 3.5mm mini stereo jack microphone input.
Yesterday I tried my ntg2 for the first time by connecting it to my old Olympus E-P2 micro 4/3rds camera via a an olympus audio adapter that connects to the top of the camera, and the audio sounded not so good. I was then convinced that I'd bought a counterfeit because I bought it for a cheap price new, but it seems genuine. It sounded exactly like the canon dslr example in this video, so I'm half relieved. I had also tested a $25 supposed shotgun mic which seemed to sound much better than the Rode, which added to my suspicions (at the time) of the Rode being non-genuine. Will have to now test the Rode via my H1 to find out if it sounds any better. I'm rambling I know, sorry
Jeffrey, you might check with RODE by registering you microphone for it's 10 year warranty. That'll confirm whether it is a counterfeit.
This might be because NTG2 is not a sensitive microphone (15.00mV @ 94 dB SPL) so you would be needing more input gain for it. A lot more.
Hi Curtis, very clear and helpful your videos. Congrats !! Do you know if I can use the NTG-2 AA battery self-powered with a "regular" dynamic mic cable (XLR > 1,4" TS/mono) ? (by "regular" I mean the same mic cable I use with a Shure SM58). Tks for your time. Have a great day ! By the way, this video helped me to decide to buy the NTG2 :)
Hi Santiago, thanks. It depends on how much amplification the device has which you will connect it. There’s a good chance it will work if it all works with your SM58. Good luck!
@@curtisjudd Great ! Many thanks for your prompt and clear reply ! ;)
Great review. Thank you. I will see if you have an example of the audio on the rode video mic pro, direct into cam
Thanks. You can see our VideoMic Pro+ review over here: ua-cam.com/video/gcMVSzVt-LI/v-deo.html
I'll give that a try and get back to you.
Great review. I am filming a wedding soon, and only have the RODE shotgun NTG2, was wondering if this would be good for speeches etc? I haven't actually used it yet!
Julie Saunders It's all about getting in within 2 feet of the person speaking. If you can't get it that close, it will still work, of course, but won't have that super clean sound.
Hi Curtis, you do a great job with your videos and one day if I am 50% as good, I'll be happy :) The overhead boom mic certainly looks very interesting for face on to camera, but in my case where i am part face on to cam and part at a whiteboard, maybe it's not ideal. Can you tell me what DAW you like to use for your music and post, thanks.
Good sound thanks.
would love to see you review a shotgun mic at a 6-8 feet distance from your talent.
Done! Check out the audio playlist on my channel where I give examples of shotgun mics at distance in the Takstar mic review and in the episode on getting better sound with a shotgun mic. In short, it doesn't ever sound great, even with otherwise good shotgun mics. It is probably ok for reference audio in most cases.
The adapters i used are hosa mit-156 impedance transformer and a cheapo off brand xlr-mini with no description available on the package. In fact, i got very good result from the ME66 with the two xlr-mini adapters. the result with NTG-2 was as horrible as the example in your video, while sennheiser mke600 sit in middle-a lot of hiss, but usable signal. I guess the main problem there is the low sensitivity of the NTG1 and 2 microphones.
Hi Curtis, I think the hiss and noise problem occurred when using NTG-2 on top of camera with mini-XLR adapter is not because of the impedance matching. i have tested rode ntg-1, ntg-2, sennheiser me66, and mke600 both with xlr directly into my tascam dr100-mk2, my rental zoom h4n, tascam dr-40, dr-60D, and mini jack into camera with xlr-mini adapter. of course the ntg-1 cannot work with 1/8" into camera.
Great ideas--I see what I can do about getting my hands on some less spendy mics. :)
Great info thanks!
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You just need a mixer. Try the Mix Pre D. It should take care of all your problems, but is a bit of an unwieldy lump to mount on your rig. It is a bit complicated too. Probably the best out there. Audio is always ready to bite you in the ass.
+Richard Parrington Yes, the Mix Pre D is great, if a little on the pricey side. But as you say, rather than get bit, it pays to invest in quality. :)
Hi Dirk, I viewed the video on an iPhone and it sounds like when the iPhone plays to its speakers, it filters out everything that distorts. I can still hear the traffic noise on the iPhone but 99% of the dialogue is distorting and thus is filtered out. I really think the issue is the XLR to 3.5mm adapter. Those, unfortunately, add an extraordinary amount of distortion on every one I have tried. Your same mic recording into a device that has XLR pre-amps will sound amazingly distortion free.
Curtis Judd I’m just buying one of these in 2020! Pretty sure it’s a line/mic level adapter needed for the input of the camera, something like headset buddy might do it? Do you still have yours?
@@caleyhall Hi Caley, thanks for the comment - yes, still have my NTG2 and still works great. The output of the NTG2 is a microphone level output so I'm not sure that a line level adapter would work. You'll likely want a preamp of some sort between the NTG2 and camera. Best wishes!
a C-stand is great to have in your "studio" but its bigger than my whole lighting bag and ive been on too many shoots where I'm trying to carry it and a bag through the door and the large metal c-stand hits the door frame and everyone looks like i just broke something. So if you have to take it from shoot to shoot its a huge pain in the butt
Hi Curtis,
Love your videos and appreciate all the work you do.
I notice you were using a green screen here. Do you have any videos on how to work with a chromakey background and not look like a cheesy 80's VHS tape?
Hi Bitanphoto, yes, Hera are two really old videos on the subject. They might look a little 80s VHS-like 😂
Lighting: ua-cam.com/video/CYd2RZNe6io/v-deo.html
Post: ua-cam.com/video/PYTDRzT3hNI/v-deo.html
Very good and high-quality review. I'm thinking about getting the NTG-2. Does it come with a sensitivity switch like the M3?
NTG2 is not a sensitive microphone (produces 15.00mV @ 94dB).
For example with Zoom H4N Pro recorder it will need almost 90%-100% of the gain available to record nice strong levels of dialogue at 1m distance. This is my experience with using it. So it basically needs a FetHead when recorded by an entry level recorder(?)
Sometimes I wonder why it's is so popular among beginner filmmakers compared to the NTG3 which produces 31.60mV @ 94 dB SPL and also NTG3 is RF-biased which makes it immune to humidity issues. Price is obviously the reason.
Hi Harri. Yes, price is the main reason. The NTG2 sounds nice with a very strong preamp, Such as a Zoom F4 or F8 or Sound Devices MixPre.
Hi Curtis, thanks for the video. I've seen than you are recommending a small diaphragm hyper cardioid mic for untreated rooms with echo. Why choosing hyper cardioid over cardioid for echo? Thanks and nice channel with very useful contents!
What a coincindence, I just got NTG-2 in the mail today. I'm really looking forward to experimenting.
I also have a stereo Giant Squid Mic (dual lav.). I had to buy a 3.5mm to 1/4" jack converter so it would work with my Zoom H4N. However I am having trouble getting the second mic to work. The mics test out fine, so I know it has something to do with the converter. It is a stereo-to-stereo converter, so I'm wondering if that was the right choice, should I have gone stereo-to-mono?
How does it compare to Rode's popular Videomic?
I feel like Rode is a bit overpriced... It would be awesome if you could make a video about cheaper shotgun mics that offer similar quality, I really like your videos about affordable gear, like the cheap lav mic video and the cheap lighting setup video!!
Hello mate, love the video. How long does the mic last on one battery? Roughly. Thanks :)
I’ve never actually tested that as I usually phantom power it from the recorder. I’d guess 10 hours, but that’s just a guess.
I didn't hear you specify... but I'm assuming you recorded the audio for this video WITH the mic you're reviewing (apologies if I missed that detail). I'm looking into buying this mic, and your review was very helpful.
Yes, recorded with the RODE NTG-2. This episode was from my early days before I learned to actually include a title that says, "Recorded with the RODE NTG-2". :) Best wishes on your mic purchase!
Curtis Judd So after all is said and done, you still stand behind this review? (i.e. this mic stands the test of time?)
Are you still using it?
Dave Cruickshank Definitely! The NTG-2 is still in my mic locker and I use it. Granted, my mic locker now includes about 25 mics at this point, but this is one that I've kept because it is still very useful. I have learned since the review that shotgun mics are not always the best choice when recording in rooms with a lot of echo--in that case you may be better off with a hyper-cardioid or cardiioid small diaphragm condenser mic. But for outdoor or rooms that don't have a lot of echo issues, the NTG-2 is a great mic for its price range! I talked a little more about hyper and cardioid mics compared to this mic here: ua-cam.com/video/34T-Q0TZQVI/v-deo.html