Indeed! If there was an UA-cam Award for best thumbnail, this would definitely be at least at the top 5 2020! Not that I remember a better one, just being humble and assuming there are lots of thumbnails out there.
I did a test like this with a half dozen shotgun mics in about 1996. I saved my pennies, swallowed hard and bought the then $1,200 Sennheiser MKH 416-P48, rather than the much cheaper options most of my colleagues were using. About a year later I bought a second one. That pair has circled the planet with me for a couple decades now. They’ve been the best audio investment I ever made, which includes multiple studios, and they’ve paid themselves off 100 times over. Funny thing is, every year or so a new mic comes out that claims to be a 416 killer and I first blow it off, then keep hearing about it, then have to know for myself. So I get one, and sometimes they sound good and I give it a try. For a while. But I always come right back to my 416s. Literally yesterday I was doing an interview with a doctor in a hospital conference room, with AC humming that couldn’t be turned off. Before he got there, I had rolled of the room at about 120hz, but when he sat in and I heard him speak, I changed my plan. He had a deep rich broadcaster voice, that was authoritative and fit the purpose of the interview perfectly, and I didn’t want to roll off his voice. If you know the 416, you know that yeah you can obviously aim it at the subject, But almost equally important is that can you aim the null of it at the noise source, and change that ratio dramatically. (Acoustic Source to Noise as opposed to Signal to Noise Ratio). So the combination of using the null of the mic to reject as much of the room as possible, and having him speak while adjusting my HPF, I was able to find a sweet spot for intelligibility and authority all the way down at 50hz, and his rich voice joined the 10,000 other interviews captured by that trusty old microphone. Tip: In all audio, second (if not first) to Microphone Choice is Microphone Placement. (Any mic on this list, if well placed, beats the 416 if poorly placed.) For a talking head interview, thread your boom through whatever mess the camera operator has created. Now pretend you’re in a recording studio and only recording audio. Start by aiming your 416, at mouth level directly between the interviewer and interviewee, smack dab in their eyeline, parallel to the floor at mouth level. Got it? Skull-416-Skull. Okay so in your imaginary studio, bring the 416 to about 8-inches away from the subjects mouth (and imagine a pop filter in between while you’re at it). With your headphones on, and talent speaking, if you bring the mic any closer you start to get proximity effect and their voice gets bassier. (This is precisely the setup you will find in many Voiceover studios around the world, and the 416 is a top choice for spoken word often beating out LDCs costing 2-10 times as much.) Now back on set, imagine you have a second person raising your stand slowly, you are slowly angling the 416 (white tipped, no windscreen of course), and the higher the stand goes, you keep the mic aimed at the subjects lips in proportion by slowly twisting a section of your boom. When the white tip just barely clears the top of the cameras frame, stop. You’ll be at about a 45-degree downward angle, and most of the time you’re set. But let’s go further. If there is a side of the room or area that sounds worse than the other, assuming that your boom is parallel to the floor (I use a Mafer Clamp rather than the half dozen specialty boom holders I own), then you can telescope your boom either in or out from this center position, and ‘tilt’ the head of your boom keeping it aimed directly at that mouth, And out of frame, AND getting maximum rejection of whatever noise you’re trying to kill. Wanna go further? Imagine being at the beach for an intimate soft spoken scene, right at the water, on a pebbly beach with the waves crashing against some rocks, at golden hour. Looks beautiful. Sound is a nightmare. Oh, and it’s windy, so you have your zeppelin on the mic. About the best you can do is shoot the Wides like before, but when you move in for coverage, boom from the SIDE of the frame, with the null end of the 416 aimed directly at the noisiest part of the beach, and the front end so close to the talent that one or two hairs on your windjammer breaks the frame. Another common scenario is working on city streets with road traffic. I can’t tell you how many impossible scenes my 416s have saved from an ADR destiny. Get a 416. It’ll be with you longer than most of the people in your life. Till death do us part.
I had the sales guys at B&H perform for me a test in their mic room and the Sennheiser MKE 600 was the clear winner. It was the size - mountable on my camera, price - under $400 and the fact that it was powered mic - could put a wireless brick on it and plug into DSLRs, were the reasons it won out. Also, it doesn't blow out - I shoot alot of concerts & loud events like my old phantom powered Audio Technica did. The Sennheiser MKE 600 has just been a solid top mic for my cameras through the years. I love it.
Nice job, Caleb! It is interesting how your tests mirrored your own subjective choice and I have to say, they're pretty close to my own impressions as well. That 416 sounds great on your voice!
@@jesaispasvraimentquoiecrireici These things are somewhat subjective. If you don't like the NT5, that's totally legitimate. The NT5 is pretty good for its price and can be a better option when working indoors in reberberant spaces vs. any shotgun microphone, especially the longer shotguns. Those can create this sort of warbling sound in those situations. The NT5 won't do that in the same space. Also, it seems to have a better reliability record than the Oktava and certainly has a better warranty.
@@MARTINTALIA I'd generally opt for a non-shotgun if most of my recording will be indoors. But if you manage severe reverberation and aim the microphone correctly and monitor carefully when recording, the NTG5 is fine microphone.
Curtis, I'm surprised you didn't see the problems with this review. The sound quality test is VERY flawed! 1. We don't know what recorder/preamplifier he's using. I know the microphone itself will make more of a difference than the recorder will, but this detail has an effect on sound quality too. 2. The speaker he used, sounds very low quality and is NOT an accurate test subject... No professional would ever judge a mic based on how it sounds pointed at a cheap $30 speaker vs. an ACTUAL person talking. We don't even know which mic was used for the recording that he played back from speaker, which also could have an effect. A better way to do this would have been to either say the same line 12 times with each mic, or place a few of them next to each other and read lines. Which is actually very easy to do despite what he said in the beginning. Normalize in post afterwards. 3. 9:30 I'm shocked he put the NTG5 so low, since Rode themselves designed it to have a flatter/more natural sound than both the NTG3, and BY FAR better a NTG4+. 4. The Oktava and Rode NT5, shouldn't have been in the review since they're not shotguns. By design, they simply cannot perform at the same level as a shotgun mic, if they were used at a distance outdoors. Which shotguns excel at. This point is relevant because, it's suppose to be a "Shotgun mic test" not a "Indoor boom mic test". Other than that, still a neat idea for a video.
You can take a minute sure, just don't ask me or anyone else to. If people do like it they will likely state it themselves without prompting from someone else
The “natural light” background is so relaxing, people should do this more often. Also, you always put out such quality content, both visually and informationally. You’re one of the best, Mr Pike. Thanks for doin what ya do.
Oh, man, I love these kinds of videos. I was really surprised about some of these. I also personally love the MKH416. I have two of them, one for my UA-cam videos and one for my live streams. It sounds perfect on my voice, and that's the variable that no test can figure out for someone else on UA-cam. I always tell people to borrow or rent a mic before buying one because not all mics sound good on every voice (my voice sounds horrendous on the Shure SM7B). Great video, dude!
Can we take a minute to talk about the incredible lightning of this set? Remember when he turns out the light it's full black... And yet it looks like there is light going through some windows. Incredible and warm atmosphere here. It is one of your best lightning set so far imo! And the rest of the ideo is gold quality as usual. You're my favorite gear youtuber Caleb. Thank you for everything.
Great test! thanks for doing this. I am a bit confused on the math with the Rode NT5. Sensitivity: 3 points, Rear Rejection: 6 points, Side Rejection 1 point: Quality of sound: 12 points. 22 points total. but you have it in 11th place with 15. The only reason I noticed it was because after getting the top score on the quality, I thought it was weird it only had 3 other points from everything else. Not a huge deal obviously, just curious! Again, great test!
I actually liked it more than some of the others higher on the quality list. It's not as clean but I find the voice is more readable which might be more important in some situations.
I have to wonder if the voice he used for the test wasn’t too low for the microphone. The NTG4+ tends to do a better job of picking up higher-pitched voices and is much more sensitive in that range. If a female UA-camr did a similar comparison, she might reach a different conclusion, especially with the MKH 416’s aggressive presence boost.
Dude... no. I respect you as a DSLR video shooter but NOT as a microphone reviewer. I'm going to try to be nice about this, and sorry in advance if I'm direct, but a minute into this video and I'm hearing a lot that isn't accurate. Call me a triggered pro sound guy if you'd like... just know that I respect you and am spending this time to try to help you and your viewers. Sensitivity is not how loud a mic is, it's more along the lines of how hot the output is. The null area of the microphone doesn't help with artifacts, it helps with attenuation of off axis sound. If you're having "weird EQ issues" with your S-Mic 2 it's more than likely reflection off a hard surface in your studio because it's a shotgun microphone. In your video opening, for example, I hear that your microphone is picking up your voice a lot off of the table in front of you. Is boominess the "weird EQ issue" you're encountering? Because if so, it's probably the angle you're using your mic at. Your testing method. Good God, what is that?!?!?! A Bluetooth speaker in the proximity effect zone of a mic? Not a hardlined, coaxial studio speaker but a Bluetooth speaker? First of all, the coloration of such a speaker will skew your results all over the place. Secondly your moving blankets will only help control the highs, the bass will boom back at the mic. You don't understand sensitivity at all and that's me being nice. "The more sensitive a microphone is, the less noise you're going to have in your final recording." That's not the way it works because there's also microphone self noise to consider. I understand what you're saying about camera preamps but don't just assume that because you don't have to turn up your preamps as much, a microphone is better. When we test the EIN of digital audio recorders and interfaces, it's done at full volume where you get the most accurate preamp performance. I know camera audio preamps are far noisier and inconsistent than actual audio equipment but camera audio inputs vary and don't also apply gain to inputs linearly. Case in point, the Rode NTG8 has a higher sensitivity than the MHK-416 (nearly 4X the output voltage) but you have it ranked lower and you also have it above both Deity mics which also have slightly high sensitivity by spec although different units will vary +/-2dB. The NTG-5 ranks at the top of your list with it's sensitivity of -23.5dB and the NTG8 is higher sensitivity at -20dB. This entire test is garbage and not based on any kind of accurate measurement and didn't yield valid results. Rear rejection testing? You put the polar patterns on the screen for each mic so you should know that the rear lobe isn't the null area for 10 of your 12 microphones. Only the NTG5 and MK-012 are cardioid and the rest are super/hypercardioid which is not fair. As for why the NTG4+ topped your list over the insane rejection of the NTG8... how did you test them? All preamps at the same volume for each mic or did you calibrate the preamp with a control volume level out of your speaker and then set preamps accordingly? That matters and I'll assume that if your results tell you the the NTG4+ has more rejection than the NTG8, that's a very invalid test. The NTG8 so far should top your charts regarding sensitivity and rejection thus far if you were doing accurate tests. Side rejection test... still not a valid test based on the polar patterns. Sorry dude but the null area of most of these microphones is approx 135 degrees off axis from the front of the mic and you split the difference in your two tests giving poor results. We sound pros do what's called "playing the pattern" and point the null area of the microphone at the loudest noise or sound we want to reject because that's maximum attenuation. As for the sound quality test... all kinds of issues there too. How did you record the poem you used? 1 foot away again? That skews the results. Microphone manufacturers measure microphones in an anechoic or virtual anechoic chamber using a flat, coaxial test speaker at a distance of 1 meter from the mic and use sweep tones. What are the technical specs for the Bluetooth speaker? I'm sure it's colored and not flat which means that it needs to play right with the mic you use and how you use them together to give you good results. Some of the mics like the 416 and NTG8 pick up a lot of low end rumble which tells me your test room isn't treated enough with sound absorbing material and isn't sound proof either. If you're only planning on recording voices from your test speaker in this room then cool but if you're recording the human voice, not one of these tests is valid. This is why your two pencil condensers topped the charts. Honestly, I'm glad you landed on a mic like the 416. It's bulletproof and has been for decades. I'm a bit surprised that the results weren't skewed in another direction to tell you the truth based on all tests. You'll do well with the 416 but consider rolling off your video below 80 Hz because it's a bit much in the low end. Please don't think I'm just trying to trash you. I appreciate what you... attempted to do but think you could have done far better testing. On my channel I do all kinds of tests including numerous real world tests taken to the extreme. For example, watch my NTG8 video if you want your mind blown. I'd like to offer my services in either consultation, knowledge, etc when it comes to sound in your future videos. For you, a brother UA-camr, I'm here anytime. Thanks for staying with me and I'll look forward to your next camera video.
Caleb, welcome to the world of audio. 😉 I have to agree with Sound Speeds on his assessment of your tests. As a fellow youtube reviewer (I mostly review sound reproduction products i.e. speakers.) I can understand how much time it must have taken to review so many mics AND film them. I believe you only did your ratings to give people some insight into your thought process and add a visual aspect to it; correct me if I'm wrong. I've run into the same issues in my reviews. Audio is tough because it's invisible and so the science used to explain it has to be pretty spot on. Our fellow youtubers like Sound Speeds and Curtis Judd are willing to take testing to the levels that I'm not willing, capable, or knowledgeable enough to do. So I thank them for their efforts. I think I might have been corrected in some of my previous mic comparison videos by Sound Speeds before too! Curtis is way too nice so he probably just shakes his head at my mistakes. 🤣 Overall, I found the video entertaining and you came to the CORRECT conclusion...MKH 416 all day which is what I use. Either that or the Shure SM7B if I need more rejection when my kids are yelling! I actually think the best value in that group is probably the NTG5. I have the less expensive VideoMic NTG and that thing is scary good for the price, so I can imagine that the NTG5 would be even better.
@@joentell I've watched many of your videos too. I don't always comment though. If you ever need sound consultation on something, please, don't hesitate to reach out. I appreciate what you do and always smile and shake my head when I see one of your videos show up higher in search results than mine. ;-)
@@DovidoxVideos LOL. Yeah...mic reviews are tough. I get into some periods where all I'm watching are yours, Mike's, Curtis', and Podcastage's videos. I don't even need a mic...I have a whole drawer full! 🤣
@@joentell Mics are tough? Speakers are tough! I have no idea how I could review speakers in a decent way because the audience doesn't share in the user experience. Everything experienced is at the mercy of the way you're listening to the video. I say that about me but it's funny because when I've watched your videos, I trust you. You're very convincing and I like your methods. I would be far too harsh on myself though.
I feel like this video (and the summary of which mics are good for what scenario) is the detailed explanation of what most filmmaking UA-camrs are thinking when they say “it depends” lol. I’m going to have to watch a couple more times to spot everything, although the Mk 416 conclusion is consistent with what I’ve always heard about “best shotgun mic”. That said, I always appreciate when someone actually gives their opinion instead of dodging the question, thanks Caleb for a great video! Also, I am a HUGE FAN of the studio background! Very creative and gutsy choices, like a splash of film noir with that lamp! PS congrats on your new mic!
Lovely edit. Like how you gave just enough of the poem for a good sample but not enough to bore us, then you let the poem play out once at the end; perfect. 🤩 8:40
Great choice. You really cannot go wrong with Sennheisers, especially over a long period of time. My kit also includes the Sen 416, 1x AKG 414 (original), 2x Sennheiser digital wireless packs, an old Tascam pencil, two Sony ecm wired lavs (great for both lavs and aerials, too) and a smattering of misc mics to complete the kit. I'd love to have a matched pair of the AKG 414s and a pair of matched Earthworks mics for ambisonics. Probably seems crazy to have all of these mics, but each mic has its purpose and strengths. This is especially true when doing a lot of music. When doing larger ensembles, I generally will rent, but this kits allows me to do nearly everything a small ensemble would ever need. Little hint for those wanting to learn more about microphones is that Guitar Center actually rents out some incredibly high-end mics, for reasonable rates. Each location is a bit different, but the higher-end stores will tend to have mics you never thought you would be able to see, much less rent.
Former Technical Production Manager & Senior Technician for a corporate AV company, video producer/editor and musician here.. when I watch your videos your know your stuff and your ear is spot on ~ superb work! 🙏
Catastrophically wrong test. The polar pattern should be assessed in an anechoic chamber or in extreme cases outdoors. Sound blankets for such measurements are not helpful. You measured reflections. Interference tubes do not suppress coherent reflections. Microphone sensitivity is only important if you have a bad noisy recorder. Much more important is the self noise of the microphone. Finally, rate the sound quality with a terrible bluetooth speaker is a disaster. In this video, all microphones are good in their own way. Even this long mic NTG8 is good. It is needed to work in a very noisy environment. You definitely don't need it. I'm glad you chose a microphone that really suits you.
Awesome comparison. I personally love my MKH 416! I plan on reviewing it soon. This video gave me some ideas of shotgun mics that I want to test out! So thank you!!
RODE M5’s in stereo cross pattern: Great natural stereo sound but also clear in mono (narration) if the stereo tracks are consolidated and centered. I’ve noticed most content creators seem to lack knowledge on how sound works and have little DAW experience. I would never spend +$200 on a microphone for field recording because after proper EQ and compression, you will be surprised how technique wins every time, regardless of the mic design. I’m referring to strictly field recording though.
Very well performed test: compliments! Love the Sennheiser as wel. Bought the NTG3 because of the price difference. But your test made me rethink. Thanks again! Very well done.
Thank you!! I'm a newbie and I hate how my voice sounds super sharp and crispy. My S and F are awful since have a lisp. Really interested in the Røde NTG3B. Such a warm boomy storytelling sound
Like you, I’m pleased with the MKE 600. I picked up a couple of used ones on eBay. I run each of them through its own DBX 286S. Also use a dbx 231S for equalization.
You absolute fucking legend. No bullshit, you said what you wanted, performed controlled tests and then analysed the results at the end instead of just presenting meaningless data. First time I've ever watched a review without feeling the need to watch another.
When I've worked with an NTG3B, I found it to be the "best" shotgun in the sense of an honest recording; the others all sound like the bass has been rolled off. People used to recording dialog might hear it as "too much bass" but those of us that mostly record music think "finally, a shotgun that sounds nice". :-)
Good Day. This video is very interesting to watch and some good mic comparisons. One note I would like to add and this is coming from a sound engineers perspective so don't take it too harshly. The sensitivity section for me if you want to improve this test should rather be replaced with the SNR or signal to noise ratio. This is more of a testament to the mics than sensitivity. there are loads of tutorials on how to measure this and it will also equalize all the mic tests for you so that it can be standardized metrics to measure.
I'm glad you started off with the disclaimer about this being a test to your specs because the right mic is so specific to each individual need. Great video but unsurprised that the 416 came out on top. It's been The King of shotguns for over 30 years now - and for very good reason. Enjoy it!
Thank you for this a lot! We need a break from these recent crazy camera releases and refresh our concern on audio department! Great video i really need this!
I love how thorough your tests are and making sure there's a constant. We're looking to upgrade our fleet and you really answered that question. Your work in this video just got you a like, comment, and subscriber.
You are absolutely right. In addition, the type of signal used to measure sensitivity was not specified. I think it was white noise that is not suited to simulate normal use. This is why it is usually measured at 1 kHz. The measurement of off-axis rejection with white noise also hides important properties. Also, I'm pretty sure the sensitivity of the Rode NTG4 + is wrong, as I have more confidence in the manufacturer's datasheet than in this test (NTG4 + should be 8.5dB less than the NTG5). Still, the sound comparisons are useful.
@@SoundSpeeds Allen, I'm a big fan of your work. I'd love to introduce you to my audience of audio-curious folks. Would you object to a livestream conversation on my channel about why these tests were so wrong, and generally unhelpful in choosing a mic? It should be noted that I love Caleb and learn a ton about video and lighting from his channel. But these audio tests were obviously missing the mark.
We’ve been needing this for SO LONG! You’re the best person to do it, 100% killed it! I’m curious...a lot of audio guys I work with on sets swear by the Schoeps microphones for any audio, both on set and in an interview setting. Any reason why those didn’t make the lineup?
I said the same thing to myself. If a mic is very sensitiv...,of course it will pick up more from behind - regardless of the quality of the rejection abilities. That would mean...put the speaker in the front...gain normalize all mics (is that a thing ?) to the same recording levels and than test the rejection from behind.
I was thinking the same thing too! But I guess since he included the values we can do the ratios to figure out the actual rejection amounts for each mic.
Actually I went ahead and ran the numbers for rejection from front to side and front to rear and here’s what I got. Looks like the most drop off is obviously from the Rode NTG5 Decrease in dB from front to side: Rode ntg5 24.4 Azden SGM-3500L 20.5 Sennheiser MKH 416 18.9 Rode ntg3b 17.7 Deity S-Mic 2 17.4 Azden SFM-3500 17.2 Rode NTG8 14 Sennheiser MKE 600 12.2 Deity S-Mic 2s 9 Rode NTG4+ 8.6 Rode NT5 4.5 Octava MK-012 4.4 Decrease in dB from front to rear: Rode ntg5 25 Sennheiser MKH 416 17.9 Rode ntg3b 17.8 Azden SGM-3500L 17 Azden SFM-3500 16 Rode NTG8 15.7 Sennheiser MKE 600 13.9 Rode NTG4+ 12.5 Rode NT5 10.9 Deity S-Mic 2 7.2 Octava MK-012 6.9 Deity S-Mic 2s 3.2
gave you a thumbs up. one of the few youtube reviewers who actually gave us your opinions on the various mics you reviewed. a whole majority of the youtube reviewers took the easy way out and just ask the viewers to form their own opinions. sheesh, what's the point of a review if the reviewer ask viewers for their opinions. they always give the lame excuse that it all depends on their voices. True , but they know their voice best and should just form an opinion on which mic suits THEIR voice best.
This video was so helpful and well laid out, many thanks and kudos, the chapter separations and the charts at the end of each really made it super effective.
Ya man. I've had the MKH-416 for a few years. I basically never need to EQ anything and is well-suited to almost any situation. You can't do better for an all 'rounder than the MKH-416.
I have the Sennheiser ME66 and I believe it’s quite similar to the MKE600, I couldn’t be more happier considering it kicks around used for about 150-200. Great comparisons!
I use my 416 as a snare drum overhead. I do not close like any of my drums. The 416 runs through one of three different AI assisted gates like the Oxford Drum Gate. The rear and side rejection coupled with the low end proximity effect is a pleasant surprise while the using the 416 for drums. The microphone emulation version of the 416 is my other main overhead. My Townsend digital microphone sits just above my head and serves as the Tom and kick microphone. Again using the Oxford drum gate to dampen down and diminish the high end. The 416 emulation version in the universal audio software sounds unbelievable.
**Very** thorough! This is a service to the community! Thanks for including the vocal "clarity" snippets: it allowed me to make my own subjective judgement. :)
I own the NTG3 and I can attest to the boost in the low end. I was aware of this trait but I knew I could work around it, and you can definitely make it sound good. When I bought it I didn't want to spend the extra $ to get the Sennheiser 416 even though I had used the 416 in professional shoots and found little not to like. It needed very little processing if used properly. I just thought I could just make the NTG3 work. I also liked that the NTG3 was more a bit more forgiving, not as directional, but if I could do it again, and I may very well sell or trade the NTG3 soon, I'd buy the Sennheiser and never look back. There are other fancy ones like Schoeps and so forth, but the 416 is a no brainer. Great video!
I love my Rode NTG3, but I use it outdoors. For interior work, I use an AT4053b. I bought on a recommendation, and I immediately fell in love with the sound!
Hey nice video as always! For indoor recording you should have probably tested more small diaphragm mics with either hyper or super cardioid pattern like the Audix scx1-hc or the Audio Technica at4053b. But I guess you can never go wrong with the 416 ;)
I'm surprised he was looking at shotgun mics for indoor use. Caleb, what were you thinking??? I purchased my AT4053b used, and my oh my, I immediately fell in love with the sound. No worry about room reflection problems. I first bought a Sennheiser ME66, and maybe I got a bad version (used) but I hated that mic!
I had a matched pair of Rode NT5's for years that I absolutely loved. My big problem with them was the lack of a switchable pad on the mic itself. They were absolutely amazing to use as overheads on drums for genres like Jazz where you don't necessarily want to close-mic the toms. They were just too sensitive for my liking on instruments. All they needed was a built in pad to make them perfect.
Our ears are in sync! Love the full, balanced sound of the 416... but $1,000 is STEEP. I bought the NTG5 a few months ago and really like it - for half the price (accessories included). It's like the poor-man's 416 - not quite as full, but more balanced than a lot of the others, and you can sweeten in some of that color pretty easily in post. A couple custom presets and it's just simple to get awesome sound for $500. But that 416... one day... 😍
Love the a-roll lighting. Kinda film noir style. Suggestion: start adding a quick wide behind the scenes shot at the very end of each video to show your lighting setup and camera positioning
I bought the NTG4+ a while ago based on UA-camrs recommendations, but I just didn’t like it. As you concluded it’s not very sensitive. Ended up getting the Deity s-mic 2 instead and it’s much better
I love to see the focus on audio! Not nearly enough of this going around on the popular UA-cam video gear channels. Great job as always, too, clean, organized, thorough, to the point - I would expect nothing less. That said, please let's see a comp next of real, professional, serious microphones without all these youtuber hype microphones from rode and deity thrown in. I'm talking Sennheiser MKH 50, MKH 60, MKH 8050 and 8060, Sanken CS3-E, Neumann KMR-81, DPA 4017, Schoeps CMIT5U, and Schoeps CMC641. Those are all serious microphones used commonly in professional settings! It would be very interesting to see someone like you who is so proficient at making these types of videos take it to that level - if you pulled it off, there really wouldn't be much of anything else comparable on mics like those compared all together anywhere else
Would the deltas between dB measurements from the front, and dB measurements of sides and rear be a better measure than just comparing each mic's side rejection and rear rejection to get an overall sense of how each mic might handle rejection? Loved the side by side testing - very helpful!
Thanks for the test and review. For me personally, after watching this video I would go with the NTG5 for situations when I need to reject as much surround sound as possible to make sure the subject I’m recording gets no other distractions.
I think your tests are excellent at exposing the issue of "best" in many areas. It's really about the "best tool for the job" as one can see the different strengths and weaknesses of each. It would be interesting to extend your tests, using the same mics, for different use cases. Examples might be, indoor dialog, on camera, outdoor dialog, outdoor reach. This is very much why a good sound person often has a "tool kit" of microphones so they can pull out the right one for the environment. To make it even more fun, after you do the tests and commentary, perhaps have Curtis Judd provide his own as well showing how two sets of ears might evaluate the same test results.
One metric I wish you covered was distance. Rejection is great (I needed to know this too), but I've seen folks unhappy with the budget options because when you move just slightly away from the mic the tonality changes.
Very cool video. Not to be the math nerd police, but I noticed the NT5 should have had 22 points instead of 15 at the end. I knew something was off when the NT5 got 12 points for sound quality and somehow only 15 overall so I went back to double check.
Great comparison Caleb. The 416 seems to be a classic for decades. Thus I am wondering how the 80x0 Sennheisers which were engineered just a couple of years ago stack up against it.
thumbnail is so good dude
Thank you!!!
Yeah I love it
Indeed! If there was an UA-cam Award for best thumbnail, this would definitely be at least at the top 5 2020! Not that I remember a better one, just being humble and assuming there are lots of thumbnails out there.
I did a test like this with a half dozen shotgun mics in about 1996.
I saved my pennies, swallowed hard and bought the then $1,200 Sennheiser MKH 416-P48, rather than the much cheaper options most of my colleagues were using.
About a year later I bought a second one. That pair has circled the planet with me for a couple decades now.
They’ve been the best audio investment I ever made, which includes multiple studios, and they’ve paid themselves off 100 times over.
Funny thing is, every year or so a new mic comes out that claims to be a 416 killer and I first blow it off, then keep hearing about it, then have to know for myself. So I get one, and sometimes they sound good and I give it a try. For a while. But I always come right back to my 416s.
Literally yesterday I was doing an interview with a doctor in a hospital conference room, with AC humming that couldn’t be turned off. Before he got there, I had rolled of the room at about 120hz, but when he sat in and I heard him speak, I changed my plan. He had a deep rich broadcaster voice, that was authoritative and fit the purpose of the interview perfectly, and I didn’t want to roll off his voice.
If you know the 416, you know that yeah you can obviously aim it at the subject, But almost equally important is that can you aim the null of it at the noise source, and change that ratio dramatically. (Acoustic Source to Noise as opposed to Signal to Noise Ratio). So the combination of using the null of the mic to reject as much of the room as possible, and having him speak while adjusting my HPF, I was able to find a sweet spot for intelligibility and authority all the way down at 50hz, and his rich voice joined the 10,000 other interviews captured by that trusty old microphone.
Tip: In all audio, second (if not first) to Microphone Choice is Microphone Placement. (Any mic on this list, if well placed, beats the 416 if poorly placed.)
For a talking head interview, thread your boom through whatever mess the camera operator has created.
Now pretend you’re in a recording studio and only recording audio. Start by aiming your 416, at mouth level directly between the interviewer and interviewee, smack dab in their eyeline, parallel to the floor at mouth level. Got it? Skull-416-Skull.
Okay so in your imaginary studio, bring the 416 to about 8-inches away from the subjects mouth (and imagine a pop filter in between while you’re at it). With your headphones on, and talent speaking, if you bring the mic any closer you start to get proximity effect and their voice gets bassier.
(This is precisely the setup you will find in many Voiceover studios around the world, and the 416 is a top choice for spoken word often beating out LDCs costing 2-10 times as much.)
Now back on set, imagine you have a second person raising your stand slowly, you are slowly angling the 416 (white tipped, no windscreen of course), and the higher the stand goes, you keep the mic aimed at the subjects lips in proportion by slowly twisting a section of your boom. When the white tip just barely clears the top of the cameras frame, stop. You’ll be at about a 45-degree downward angle, and most of the time you’re set.
But let’s go further. If there is a side of the room or area that sounds worse than the other, assuming that your boom is parallel to the floor (I use a Mafer Clamp rather than the half dozen specialty boom holders I own), then you can telescope your boom either in or out from this center position, and ‘tilt’ the head of your boom keeping it aimed directly at that mouth, And out of frame, AND getting maximum rejection of whatever noise you’re trying to kill.
Wanna go further? Imagine being at the beach for an intimate soft spoken scene, right at the water, on a pebbly beach with the waves crashing against some rocks, at golden hour. Looks beautiful. Sound is a nightmare. Oh, and it’s windy, so you have your zeppelin on the mic.
About the best you can do is shoot the Wides like before, but when you move in for coverage, boom from the SIDE of the frame, with the null end of the 416 aimed directly at the noisiest part of the beach, and the front end so close to the talent that one or two hairs on your windjammer breaks the frame.
Another common scenario is working on city streets with road traffic.
I can’t tell you how many impossible scenes my 416s have saved from an ADR destiny.
Get a 416.
It’ll be with you longer than most of the people in your life.
Till death do us part.
what a cool comment! Was interesting to read. I’m choosing an xlr mic myself for yt videos…
I dont know anything about audio. However, I really enjoyed reading this comment, even though it was like reading a foreign language
Man your comment is amazing!!
That is awesome! Sennheiser makes great microphones
I feel this way about the CMIT 5u, saving my Pennies for one as we speak
I've got to tip my hat to your thumbnail game. That's one of the best thumbnails I've seen ... I gotta step up my game.
Thanks man!
I’m not going to lie, I came here to say the same thing. Perfection.
It caught my eye 👍🏻
I don’t comment a lot, but I had the same thought the second I saw the thumbnail
whoa you’re that smart home guy right? you made go into a rabbit hole regarding solar panels though
Literally came just to comment about how great of a thumbnail that is, bravo 🔥
I had the sales guys at B&H perform for me a test in their mic room and the Sennheiser MKE 600 was the clear winner. It was the size - mountable on my camera, price - under $400 and the fact that it was powered mic - could put a wireless brick on it and plug into DSLRs, were the reasons it won out. Also, it doesn't blow out - I shoot alot of concerts & loud events like my old phantom powered Audio Technica did. The Sennheiser MKE 600 has just been a solid top mic for my cameras through the years. I love it.
Nice job, Caleb! It is interesting how your tests mirrored your own subjective choice and I have to say, they're pretty close to my own impressions as well. That 416 sounds great on your voice!
What is your order for the quality test? I don't think that the NT5 should be in the top Five, I don't agree with this part of the video
@@jesaispasvraimentquoiecrireici These things are somewhat subjective. If you don't like the NT5, that's totally legitimate. The NT5 is pretty good for its price and can be a better option when working indoors in reberberant spaces vs. any shotgun microphone, especially the longer shotguns. Those can create this sort of warbling sound in those situations. The NT5 won't do that in the same space. Also, it seems to have a better reliability record than the Oktava and certainly has a better warranty.
@@curtisjudd what do you think about NTG5 for indoor to make short films?
@@MARTINTALIA I'd generally opt for a non-shotgun if most of my recording will be indoors. But if you manage severe reverberation and aim the microphone correctly and monitor carefully when recording, the NTG5 is fine microphone.
Curtis, I'm surprised you didn't see the problems with this review. The sound quality test is VERY flawed!
1. We don't know what recorder/preamplifier he's using. I know the microphone itself will make more of a difference than the recorder will, but this detail has an effect on sound quality too.
2. The speaker he used, sounds very low quality and is NOT an accurate test subject... No professional would ever judge a mic based on how it sounds pointed at a cheap $30 speaker vs. an ACTUAL person talking. We don't even know which mic was used for the recording that he played back from speaker, which also could have an effect.
A better way to do this would have been to either say the same line 12 times with each mic, or place a few of them next to each other and read lines. Which is actually very easy to do despite what he said in the beginning. Normalize in post afterwards.
3. 9:30 I'm shocked he put the NTG5 so low, since Rode themselves designed it to have a flatter/more natural sound than both the NTG3, and BY FAR better a NTG4+.
4. The Oktava and Rode NT5, shouldn't have been in the review since they're not shotguns. By design, they simply cannot perform at the same level as a shotgun mic, if they were used at a distance outdoors. Which shotguns excel at.
This point is relevant because, it's suppose to be a "Shotgun mic test" not a "Indoor boom mic test".
Other than that, still a neat idea for a video.
Can we just take a minute to acknowledge Caleb's amazing setup. That background is on point 👌
Seriously?! I need a breakdown on how he achieved this
I just saved this video for that reason! Glad to see some props for it here too
It’s a blender background.
You can take a minute sure, just don't ask me or anyone else to. If people do like it they will likely state it themselves without prompting from someone else
The “natural light” background is so relaxing, people should do this more often.
Also, you always put out such quality content, both visually and informationally. You’re one of the best, Mr Pike. Thanks for doin what ya do.
Oh, man, I love these kinds of videos. I was really surprised about some of these. I also personally love the MKH416. I have two of them, one for my UA-cam videos and one for my live streams. It sounds perfect on my voice, and that's the variable that no test can figure out for someone else on UA-cam. I always tell people to borrow or rent a mic before buying one because not all mics sound good on every voice (my voice sounds horrendous on the Shure SM7B). Great video, dude!
Can we take a minute to talk about the incredible lightning of this set? Remember when he turns out the light it's full black... And yet it looks like there is light going through some windows. Incredible and warm atmosphere here. It is one of your best lightning set so far imo!
And the rest of the ideo is gold quality as usual. You're my favorite gear youtuber Caleb. Thank you for everything.
Aw thank you so much Benjamin! That really means a lot to hear!
Yup, I that was the first thing I noticed. Loved the atmosphere it created
YES. On camera microphone video please, dude! That'd be so cool! Got 2 NTG2s arriving today c: wish this video was just a few days earlier haha
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May
Rough winds do, in fact, shake the darling buds of May
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May
@@stevengonz Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May
Yes, rough winds do shake the darling buds of May
shoot I heard butts 12 x lol
Great test! thanks for doing this. I am a bit confused on the math with the Rode NT5. Sensitivity: 3 points, Rear Rejection: 6 points, Side Rejection 1 point: Quality of sound: 12 points. 22 points total. but you have it in 11th place with 15. The only reason I noticed it was because after getting the top score on the quality, I thought it was weird it only had 3 other points from everything else. Not a huge deal obviously, just curious! Again, great test!
The NTG4+ was recommended to me by some people, but I’m glad I watched this video.
I like my NTG4+ and works great if you are a run and gun shooter because of the internal features.
I have it and although I never compared it as methodically as we see here, I find that it us pretty good, depending on one's use cases.
I actually liked it more than some of the others higher on the quality list. It's not as clean but I find the voice is more readable which might be more important in some situations.
I have to wonder if the voice he used for the test wasn’t too low for the microphone. The NTG4+ tends to do a better job of picking up higher-pitched voices and is much more sensitive in that range. If a female UA-camr did a similar comparison, she might reach a different conclusion, especially with the MKH 416’s aggressive presence boost.
Dude... no. I respect you as a DSLR video shooter but NOT as a microphone reviewer. I'm going to try to be nice about this, and sorry in advance if I'm direct, but a minute into this video and I'm hearing a lot that isn't accurate. Call me a triggered pro sound guy if you'd like... just know that I respect you and am spending this time to try to help you and your viewers.
Sensitivity is not how loud a mic is, it's more along the lines of how hot the output is. The null area of the microphone doesn't help with artifacts, it helps with attenuation of off axis sound. If you're having "weird EQ issues" with your S-Mic 2 it's more than likely reflection off a hard surface in your studio because it's a shotgun microphone. In your video opening, for example, I hear that your microphone is picking up your voice a lot off of the table in front of you. Is boominess the "weird EQ issue" you're encountering? Because if so, it's probably the angle you're using your mic at.
Your testing method. Good God, what is that?!?!?! A Bluetooth speaker in the proximity effect zone of a mic? Not a hardlined, coaxial studio speaker but a Bluetooth speaker? First of all, the coloration of such a speaker will skew your results all over the place. Secondly your moving blankets will only help control the highs, the bass will boom back at the mic.
You don't understand sensitivity at all and that's me being nice. "The more sensitive a microphone is, the less noise you're going to have in your final recording." That's not the way it works because there's also microphone self noise to consider. I understand what you're saying about camera preamps but don't just assume that because you don't have to turn up your preamps as much, a microphone is better. When we test the EIN of digital audio recorders and interfaces, it's done at full volume where you get the most accurate preamp performance. I know camera audio preamps are far noisier and inconsistent than actual audio equipment but camera audio inputs vary and don't also apply gain to inputs linearly. Case in point, the Rode NTG8 has a higher sensitivity than the MHK-416 (nearly 4X the output voltage) but you have it ranked lower and you also have it above both Deity mics which also have slightly high sensitivity by spec although different units will vary +/-2dB. The NTG-5 ranks at the top of your list with it's sensitivity of -23.5dB and the NTG8 is higher sensitivity at -20dB. This entire test is garbage and not based on any kind of accurate measurement and didn't yield valid results.
Rear rejection testing? You put the polar patterns on the screen for each mic so you should know that the rear lobe isn't the null area for 10 of your 12 microphones. Only the NTG5 and MK-012 are cardioid and the rest are super/hypercardioid which is not fair. As for why the NTG4+ topped your list over the insane rejection of the NTG8... how did you test them? All preamps at the same volume for each mic or did you calibrate the preamp with a control volume level out of your speaker and then set preamps accordingly? That matters and I'll assume that if your results tell you the the NTG4+ has more rejection than the NTG8, that's a very invalid test. The NTG8 so far should top your charts regarding sensitivity and rejection thus far if you were doing accurate tests.
Side rejection test... still not a valid test based on the polar patterns. Sorry dude but the null area of most of these microphones is approx 135 degrees off axis from the front of the mic and you split the difference in your two tests giving poor results. We sound pros do what's called "playing the pattern" and point the null area of the microphone at the loudest noise or sound we want to reject because that's maximum attenuation.
As for the sound quality test... all kinds of issues there too. How did you record the poem you used? 1 foot away again? That skews the results. Microphone manufacturers measure microphones in an anechoic or virtual anechoic chamber using a flat, coaxial test speaker at a distance of 1 meter from the mic and use sweep tones. What are the technical specs for the Bluetooth speaker? I'm sure it's colored and not flat which means that it needs to play right with the mic you use and how you use them together to give you good results. Some of the mics like the 416 and NTG8 pick up a lot of low end rumble which tells me your test room isn't treated enough with sound absorbing material and isn't sound proof either. If you're only planning on recording voices from your test speaker in this room then cool but if you're recording the human voice, not one of these tests is valid. This is why your two pencil condensers topped the charts.
Honestly, I'm glad you landed on a mic like the 416. It's bulletproof and has been for decades. I'm a bit surprised that the results weren't skewed in another direction to tell you the truth based on all tests. You'll do well with the 416 but consider rolling off your video below 80 Hz because it's a bit much in the low end.
Please don't think I'm just trying to trash you. I appreciate what you... attempted to do but think you could have done far better testing. On my channel I do all kinds of tests including numerous real world tests taken to the extreme. For example, watch my NTG8 video if you want your mind blown. I'd like to offer my services in either consultation, knowledge, etc when it comes to sound in your future videos. For you, a brother UA-camr, I'm here anytime. Thanks for staying with me and I'll look forward to your next camera video.
Caleb, welcome to the world of audio. 😉 I have to agree with Sound Speeds on his assessment of your tests. As a fellow youtube reviewer (I mostly review sound reproduction products i.e. speakers.)
I can understand how much time it must have taken to review so many mics AND film them. I believe you only did your ratings to give people some insight into your thought process and add a visual aspect to it; correct me if I'm wrong.
I've run into the same issues in my reviews. Audio is tough because it's invisible and so the science used to explain it has to be pretty spot on. Our fellow youtubers like Sound Speeds and Curtis Judd are willing to take testing to the levels that I'm not willing, capable, or knowledgeable enough to do. So I thank them for their efforts. I think I might have been corrected in some of my previous mic comparison videos by Sound Speeds before too! Curtis is way too nice so he probably just shakes his head at my mistakes. 🤣
Overall, I found the video entertaining and you came to the CORRECT conclusion...MKH 416 all day which is what I use. Either that or the Shure SM7B if I need more rejection when my kids are yelling! I actually think the best value in that group is probably the NTG5. I have the less expensive VideoMic NTG and that thing is scary good for the price, so I can imagine that the NTG5 would be even better.
@@joentell I've watched many of your videos too. I don't always comment though. If you ever need sound consultation on something, please, don't hesitate to reach out. I appreciate what you do and always smile and shake my head when I see one of your videos show up higher in search results than mine. ;-)
@@DovidoxVideos LOL. Yeah...mic reviews are tough. I get into some periods where all I'm watching are yours, Mike's, Curtis', and Podcastage's videos. I don't even need a mic...I have a whole drawer full! 🤣
@@joentell Mics are tough? Speakers are tough! I have no idea how I could review speakers in a decent way because the audience doesn't share in the user experience. Everything experienced is at the mercy of the way you're listening to the video. I say that about me but it's funny because when I've watched your videos, I trust you. You're very convincing and I like your methods. I would be far too harsh on myself though.
@@DovidoxVideos Thank you! Binaural mics help a bit.
I love the lighting setup behind you in the talking head segments.
Thank you Adam!
Great video. I wish you had given the Sennheiser MKH 50 a try, too.
I feel like this video (and the summary of which mics are good for what scenario) is the detailed explanation of what most filmmaking UA-camrs are thinking when they say “it depends” lol. I’m going to have to watch a couple more times to spot everything, although the Mk 416 conclusion is consistent with what I’ve always heard about “best shotgun mic”.
That said, I always appreciate when someone actually gives their opinion instead of dodging the question, thanks Caleb for a great video!
Also, I am a HUGE FAN of the studio background! Very creative and gutsy choices, like a splash of film noir with that lamp!
PS congrats on your new mic!
Whoa! Talk about an undeniable thumbnail! You're going to get 100% click through rate on this one!
Aw thanks!
Why are you didn’t add audio technica AT 875R ? Any thoughts about it?
Great for the price
Daang love that studio backdrop design 👌
Lovely edit. Like how you gave just enough of the poem for a good sample but not enough to bore us, then you let the poem play out once at the end; perfect. 🤩 8:40
FINALLY. I've been hoping you do an updated mic video.
oliur here ????
Great choice. You really cannot go wrong with Sennheisers, especially over a long period of time. My kit also includes the Sen 416, 1x AKG 414 (original), 2x Sennheiser digital wireless packs, an old Tascam pencil, two Sony ecm wired lavs (great for both lavs and aerials, too) and a smattering of misc mics to complete the kit. I'd love to have a matched pair of the AKG 414s and a pair of matched Earthworks mics for ambisonics. Probably seems crazy to have all of these mics, but each mic has its purpose and strengths. This is especially true when doing a lot of music. When doing larger ensembles, I generally will rent, but this kits allows me to do nearly everything a small ensemble would ever need.
Little hint for those wanting to learn more about microphones is that Guitar Center actually rents out some incredibly high-end mics, for reasonable rates. Each location is a bit different, but the higher-end stores will tend to have mics you never thought you would be able to see, much less rent.
Thank you! I just ordered the Azden SGM 3500L.
Former Technical Production Manager & Senior Technician for a corporate AV company, video producer/editor and musician here.. when I watch your videos your know your stuff and your ear is spot on ~ superb work! 🙏
The 416 is great. Been using it for a year and I couldn't do without it now.
Catastrophically wrong test. The polar pattern should be assessed in an anechoic chamber or in extreme cases outdoors. Sound blankets for such measurements are not helpful. You measured reflections. Interference tubes do not suppress coherent reflections.
Microphone sensitivity is only important if you have a bad noisy recorder. Much more important is the self noise of the microphone.
Finally, rate the sound quality with a terrible bluetooth speaker is a disaster.
In this video, all microphones are good in their own way. Even this long mic NTG8 is good. It is needed to work in a very noisy environment. You definitely don't need it. I'm glad you chose a microphone that really suits you.
I can’t take you seriously, if you are hyperboling in every sentence. Try it a little toned down.
I got the MKE 600 probably 5 years ago and it has served me well - especially for $330
Ive owned the 416 for years and it is such a great mic. Totally worth it.
too sizzly.
Sennheiser MK 8050 cuts well with the MKH 416 if you need one for exclusively indoors
Awesome comparison. I personally love my MKH 416! I plan on reviewing it soon. This video gave me some ideas of shotgun mics that I want to test out! So thank you!!
My sennheiser mk 600 will work for the next 10 years at least .but will still watch your video .
RODE M5’s in stereo cross pattern: Great natural stereo sound but also clear in mono (narration) if the stereo tracks are consolidated and centered. I’ve noticed most content creators seem to lack knowledge on how sound works and have little DAW experience. I would never spend +$200 on a microphone for field recording because after proper EQ and compression, you will be surprised how technique wins every time, regardless of the mic design. I’m referring to strictly field recording though.
You may want to take a look at DPA microphones.
Mike tested one next to an MKH 416. To me, the 416 sounds like a walkie-talkie next to the DPA 4018.
Very well performed test: compliments! Love the Sennheiser as wel. Bought the NTG3 because of the price difference. But your test made me rethink. Thanks again! Very well done.
I love my Rode NTG3, but I use it for exterior work. I use the AT4053b inside. Wonderful mic, and not expensive!
Thank you!! I'm a newbie and I hate how my voice sounds super sharp and crispy. My S and F are awful since have a lisp. Really interested in the Røde NTG3B. Such a warm boomy storytelling sound
that lamp in the background with the shadow is sooo good! great video!
A fair assessment given your requirements. Well presented. Enjoyable and informative, thank you.
I own : Oktava MK 012, Rode NT3, these are very good mic for vocal :) very good for noisy, ,non trated room. Very good video
I love my MKE 600, glad to see it ranked well. Highly recommend picking up a used one on eBay.
MKE 600 is good, but not for indoor. Great for the price for outside.
Like you, I’m pleased with the MKE 600. I picked up a couple of used ones on eBay. I run each of them through its own DBX 286S. Also use a dbx 231S for equalization.
You made this real easy for me. I'll buy them all!
Buy it. Store it.
@@dslrvideoshooter motto
I really like the exposure of your videos. especially in the last few months. great quality.
You absolute fucking legend. No bullshit, you said what you wanted, performed controlled tests and then analysed the results at the end instead of just presenting meaningless data. First time I've ever watched a review without feeling the need to watch another.
a HUGE help! you've helped me so much with my set up and I'm thinking of getting that NTG5, love the sensitivity, especially for ASMR. Thank you!
I watch this video and I don't see a man. I see the definition of QUALITY. Definitely one of the best channels in youtube.
10:38 I've noticed this with my NTG3, basically sounds like someone has boosted the bass in my voice straight out of mic.
When I've worked with an NTG3B, I found it to be the "best" shotgun in the sense of an honest recording; the others all sound like the bass has been rolled off. People used to recording dialog might hear it as "too much bass" but those of us that mostly record music think "finally, a shotgun that sounds nice". :-)
@@CaseyConnor Agreed. I really appreciate the warmth and depth of the NTG3B. And the basiness can also be control by distance to mic.
The Sennheiser MKH416 is very well respected and no wonder it has been used for decades by pros. Thanks for making this video.
The best set designs on UA-cam! 👌
I'll have to watch the first minutes again coz that's all I was thinking about.
i have deity s-mic2 and its great sound and good for dialogue outside
I think Azden is a really underappreciated manufacturer. Most of the stuff they make is rock-solid.
Good Day. This video is very interesting to watch and some good mic comparisons. One note I would like to add and this is coming from a sound engineers perspective so don't take it too harshly. The sensitivity section for me if you want to improve this test should rather be replaced with the SNR or signal to noise ratio. This is more of a testament to the mics than sensitivity. there are loads of tutorials on how to measure this and it will also equalize all the mic tests for you so that it can be standardized metrics to measure.
I'm glad you started off with the disclaimer about this being a test to your specs because the right mic is so specific to each individual need. Great video but unsurprised that the 416 came out on top. It's been The King of shotguns for over 30 years now - and for very good reason. Enjoy it!
Thank you for this a lot! We need a break from these recent crazy camera releases and refresh our concern on audio department! Great video i really need this!
I love how thorough your tests are and making sure there's a constant. We're looking to upgrade our fleet and you really answered that question. Your work in this video just got you a like, comment, and subscriber.
The sensitivity-noise-relation is wrong explained. A condenser mic can have a high sensitivity and also a high self noise level.
You are absolutely right. In addition, the type of signal used to measure sensitivity was not specified. I think it was white noise that is not suited to simulate normal use. This is why it is usually measured at 1 kHz. The measurement of off-axis rejection with white noise also hides important properties. Also, I'm pretty sure the sensitivity of the Rode NTG4 + is wrong, as I have more confidence in the manufacturer's datasheet than in this test (NTG4 + should be 8.5dB less than the NTG5).
Still, the sound comparisons are useful.
Everything was wrong except the thumbnail.
@@SoundSpeeds that’s possible. I stopped watching after the sensitivity part. 😅
@@MarcReichert You have to love autocorrect, Rode being changed to ridden is funny
@@SoundSpeeds Allen, I'm a big fan of your work. I'd love to introduce you to my audience of audio-curious folks. Would you object to a livestream conversation on my channel about why these tests were so wrong, and generally unhelpful in choosing a mic?
It should be noted that I love Caleb and learn a ton about video and lighting from his channel. But these audio tests were obviously missing the mark.
Been waiting for this thumbnail ever since your teaser video a couple weeks ago on Instagram! So solid 😍
I bought a used 416 a couple of years ago and it makes me genuinely happy to use it because of the quality it produces.
We’ve been needing this for SO LONG! You’re the best person to do it, 100% killed it! I’m curious...a lot of audio guys I work with on sets swear by the Schoeps microphones for any audio, both on set and in an interview setting. Any reason why those didn’t make the lineup?
WAAAAY too expensive. $2600? No thank you.
As each microphone has different sensitivity, you should measure the ratio between front and rear/side view of the mic, not the nominal values
also, your Bluetooth speaker has own frequency characteristic, with can affect your test (if for example it cuts lower frequencies and enhance mids)
I said the same thing to myself. If a mic is very sensitiv...,of course it will pick up more from behind - regardless of the quality of the rejection abilities. That would mean...put the speaker in the front...gain normalize all mics (is that a thing ?) to the same recording levels and than test the rejection from behind.
I was thinking the same thing too! But I guess since he included the values we can do the ratios to figure out the actual rejection amounts for each mic.
Actually I went ahead and ran the numbers for rejection from front to side and front to rear and here’s what I got. Looks like the most drop off is obviously from the Rode NTG5
Decrease in dB from front to side:
Rode ntg5 24.4
Azden SGM-3500L 20.5
Sennheiser MKH 416 18.9
Rode ntg3b 17.7
Deity S-Mic 2 17.4
Azden SFM-3500 17.2
Rode NTG8 14
Sennheiser MKE 600 12.2
Deity S-Mic 2s 9
Rode NTG4+ 8.6
Rode NT5 4.5
Octava MK-012 4.4
Decrease in dB from front to rear:
Rode ntg5 25
Sennheiser MKH 416 17.9
Rode ntg3b 17.8
Azden SGM-3500L 17
Azden SFM-3500 16
Rode NTG8 15.7
Sennheiser MKE 600 13.9
Rode NTG4+ 12.5
Rode NT5 10.9
Deity S-Mic 2 7.2
Octava MK-012 6.9
Deity S-Mic 2s 3.2
@@MarandMedia is that good if you don't want to hear yourself catching your breath in a run and gun film?
gave you a thumbs up. one of the few youtube reviewers who actually gave us your opinions on the various mics you reviewed. a whole majority of the youtube reviewers took the easy way out and just ask the viewers to form their own opinions. sheesh, what's the point of a review if the reviewer ask viewers for their opinions. they always give the lame excuse that it all depends on their voices. True , but they know their voice best and should just form an opinion on which mic suits THEIR voice best.
Just came here to say that the thumbnail is really cool.👏
Thank you!!!
Thumbnail be cool.
This video was so helpful and well laid out, many thanks and kudos, the chapter separations and the charts at the end of each really made it super effective.
Ya man. I've had the MKH-416 for a few years. I basically never need to EQ anything and is well-suited to almost any situation. You can't do better for an all 'rounder than the MKH-416.
Awesome comparison tests between so many mics these kind of videos are so helpful 💚
I have the Sennheiser ME66 and I believe it’s quite similar to the MKE600, I couldn’t be more happier considering it kicks around used for about 150-200. Great comparisons!
I'll have to check that one out too!
Just here to say thank you. You've really provided more insights on which mic I should buy based on my needs.
You are clearly reading my thoughts - I’ve been looking for a mic for days!! Wizard!!
also interesting about the SENNHEISER MKE600 is, that it can be used both ways: phantom powered, or with an internal battery.
Very good review. Gives me some ideas. I own a few of them and the one I love is my Sennheiser MKH416. I can't do any project without it.
0:47 Cost comparison graph.
Totally love this illustration.
I use my 416 as a snare drum overhead. I do not close like any of my drums. The 416 runs through one of three different AI assisted gates like the Oxford Drum Gate. The rear and side rejection coupled with the low end proximity effect is a pleasant surprise while the using the 416 for drums. The microphone emulation version of the 416 is my other main overhead. My Townsend digital microphone sits just above my head and serves as the Tom and kick microphone. Again using the Oxford drum gate to dampen down and diminish the high end. The 416 emulation version in the universal audio software sounds unbelievable.
Man... your attention to detail is legendary.
Aw thanks man!!!
**Very** thorough! This is a service to the community!
Thanks for including the vocal "clarity" snippets: it allowed me to make my own subjective judgement. :)
I own the NTG3 and I can attest to the boost in the low end. I was aware of this trait but I knew I could work around it, and you can definitely make it sound good. When I bought it I didn't want to spend the extra $ to get the Sennheiser 416 even though I had used the 416 in professional shoots and found little not to like. It needed very little processing if used properly. I just thought I could just make the NTG3 work. I also liked that the NTG3 was more a bit more forgiving, not as directional, but if I could do it again, and I may very well sell or trade the NTG3 soon, I'd buy the Sennheiser and never look back. There are other fancy ones like Schoeps and so forth, but the 416 is a no brainer. Great video!
I love my Rode NTG3, but I use it outdoors.
For interior work, I use an AT4053b. I bought on a recommendation, and I immediately fell in love with the sound!
Didn't watch when you originally posted but shopping for a mic now. Thanks for this. You're always on point. Happy new year!
Hey nice video as always!
For indoor recording you should have probably tested more small diaphragm mics with either hyper or super cardioid pattern like the Audix scx1-hc or the Audio Technica at4053b.
But I guess you can never go wrong with the 416 ;)
I'm surprised he was looking at shotgun mics for indoor use. Caleb, what were you thinking???
I purchased my AT4053b used, and my oh my, I immediately fell in love with the sound. No worry about room reflection problems.
I first bought a Sennheiser ME66, and maybe I got a bad version (used) but I hated that mic!
I had a matched pair of Rode NT5's for years that I absolutely loved. My big problem with them was the lack of a switchable pad on the mic itself. They were absolutely amazing to use as overheads on drums for genres like Jazz where you don't necessarily want to close-mic the toms. They were just too sensitive for my liking on instruments. All they needed was a built in pad to make them perfect.
Thank you sir! Just recently purchased the 416. Great sounding mic.
Sir, you are on your level at creating this hyper-relatable videos for people who like to create content/film etc. At the top.
Our ears are in sync! Love the full, balanced sound of the 416... but $1,000 is STEEP. I bought the NTG5 a few months ago and really like it - for half the price (accessories included). It's like the poor-man's 416 - not quite as full, but more balanced than a lot of the others, and you can sweeten in some of that color pretty easily in post. A couple custom presets and it's just simple to get awesome sound for $500. But that 416... one day... 😍
NTG3, same thing.
Love the a-roll lighting. Kinda film noir style. Suggestion: start adding a quick wide behind the scenes shot at the very end of each video to show your lighting setup and camera positioning
I bought the NTG4+ a while ago based on UA-camrs recommendations, but I just didn’t like it. As you concluded it’s not very sensitive. Ended up getting the Deity s-mic 2 instead and it’s much better
Did you use the low pass filter on the MKE600? In a treated room, I noticed the low pass helps a lot with clarity. I love mine.
wish to see some schoeps and dpa in next shotgun microphone comparison!
Too expensive
I'm not surprised by the results. I absolutely adore my 416.
I love to see the focus on audio! Not nearly enough of this going around on the popular UA-cam video gear channels. Great job as always, too, clean, organized, thorough, to the point - I would expect nothing less. That said, please let's see a comp next of real, professional, serious microphones without all these youtuber hype microphones from rode and deity thrown in. I'm talking Sennheiser MKH 50, MKH 60, MKH 8050 and 8060, Sanken CS3-E, Neumann KMR-81, DPA 4017, Schoeps CMIT5U, and Schoeps CMC641. Those are all serious microphones used commonly in professional settings! It would be very interesting to see someone like you who is so proficient at making these types of videos take it to that level - if you pulled it off, there really wouldn't be much of anything else comparable on mics like those compared all together anywhere else
Would the deltas between dB measurements from the front, and dB measurements of sides and rear be a better measure than just comparing each mic's side rejection and rear rejection to get an overall sense of how each mic might handle rejection? Loved the side by side testing - very helpful!
I was about to post a comment saying the same thing. If the mic has “bad“ sensitivity, it sill obviously reject more noise than the ones with “good”.
that ng4+ sensitivity is very far off the rode and bph specs. very interesting. I know you don't like the mic. Not sure what to make of it
Definitely want the on camera video version of this asap.
Thanks for taking the time to make this. I was looking to buy the same mic.
Thanks for the effort you clearly put in this video! Plus: Man, that background! Awesome!
Thanks for the test and review. For me personally, after watching this video I would go with the NTG5 for situations when I need to reject as much surround sound as possible to make sure the subject I’m recording gets no other distractions.
oktava mk012 , rode nt5 , senheiser mkh416 ,, all of them work good with goxlr ??? or i should buy new phantom power ?
I think your tests are excellent at exposing the issue of "best" in many areas. It's really about the "best tool for the job" as one can see the different strengths and weaknesses of each.
It would be interesting to extend your tests, using the same mics, for different use cases. Examples might be, indoor dialog, on camera, outdoor dialog, outdoor reach. This is very much why a good sound person often has a "tool kit" of microphones so they can pull out the right one for the environment. To make it even more fun, after you do the tests and commentary, perhaps have Curtis Judd provide his own as well showing how two sets of ears might evaluate the same test results.
One metric I wish you covered was distance. Rejection is great (I needed to know this too), but I've seen folks unhappy with the budget options because when you move just slightly away from the mic the tonality changes.
Another reason I love the NTG3. Very forgiving mic. Pics up two voices in a two person set up very well.
Dude. Solid thumbnail man!!! All those mics with that creamy yellow background. Loooovveeee it!!
Thank you Joshua!!!
Very cool video. Not to be the math nerd police, but I noticed the NT5 should have had 22 points instead of 15 at the end. I knew something was off when the NT5 got 12 points for sound quality and somehow only 15 overall so I went back to double check.
Your set is amazing....colors, background blur, everything ...awesome!
Great comparison Caleb. The 416 seems to be a classic for decades. Thus I am wondering how the 80x0 Sennheisers which were engineered just a couple of years ago stack up against it.