Ultimate $100 XLR Mic Comparison
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- Опубліковано 12 сер 2021
- Let's take a look at the Rode Podmic, the AT2040, the Blue Ember, and the AT2020. Here is what you need to see (or hear).
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Description tags, yo: mic, audio-techinica, dynamic, condenser, USB, XLR, SM7b, Shure
Thanks For Watching!
#Streaming #Audio #Microphones - Навчання та стиль
I want to hear any and all thoughts on these mics. Did you have guesses during the blind test? Did you have thoughts during the comparisons? Hit me.
I think it was great, especially from the best :D
Alpha gamings comment: 6 hours ago
Everyone else: 1 min ago
Me: ¿?¿
I was honestly surprised by the quality of the cheaper mics
Happy to see these companies making such good sounding mics at such an affordable price point vs the "big dogs".
No longer does it cost a ton to sound great.
I love the blue ember to btw but can I cancel the noise
Managed to get both sets of microphones right, but to be honest, even as someone that uses and swears by the SM7B I have to admit that the PodMic sounded great and provides some serious competition at a fraction of the cost! Not a fan of the AT2040 at all though, unfortunately. Was curious to hear how that one sounded, but I can't say I was at all impressed.
unfortunatly in practical use the podmic often comes up as very nasil heavy and arsh sound mic compared to the sm7b i think there better choices then podmic i if u dont mind giving up looks
Would you recomend the SM7B for music recording?
@@usr-coffee what abt the samson q2u?
@@Ravalo354 is the sm58 alright
The podmic with a popfilter and a little bit of eq is amazing
I got everything wrong, but great information! Our Blue Snowball just broke, so I'm looking at other options now for the stream :) Looks like AT2020 and Elgato Wave XLR is in my future
YOOO SWITCH AND CLICK IS HERE :D
Get the pod mic instead great mic
how are you commenting on every video I watch
do u think its possible to make a keyboard with a mic built-in?
@@arzhiediazaj I don't think so bro.. she have to lube too much may be... 😆 lol
I've had a couple AT2020 for years. It's been a solid performer with several interfaces and field recorders. Glad to see it can still keep up with newer offerings.
The pod mic is my favorite so far. For my voice and budget. Hearing your demo, I'm sold and I've subscribed.
Godspeed.
Thanks Fam
I have the AT2020 goin with the GOXLR and I absolutely love it. Followed your mic eq setup on the goxlr tutorial and branched from there to make it a bit more for me.
Thanks for all you do!
Wow podmic sound great , recently got it . Do you use any kind of pre amp like cloud lifter or fethed?
I use podmic without preamp just plugin to scarlet solo interface, ya it’s working great bt it need lot of gain because condenser mics are gain hungry mics
I want to know do yo use any kind of inline preamp like cloudlofter fir this test ?
the podmic is a dynamic mic you muppet.
The end was something, congratz, the video is excellent. I own the AT2020 and RODE Podmic and I'm happy with both.
Ive had my podmic for over a year now since watching your first video on it and I absolutely love it still. Amazing
I am so happy I found this video. Been looking for ages for an actually good comparison on these mics.
Honestly, I am really surprised how good the Rode sounds.
I'll have to give this video another listen to finalise my choice of mic soon, but dor now the Podmic is a clear winner.
i sold my SM7B and GoXLR combo to downgrade to an Elgato Wave XLR and Rode Podmic combo.
my biggest issue with the GoXLR was the compatibility with Mac since I switch between those 2 operating system for personal stuff and work stuff.. heck no one even noticed i downgraded.
With the money i got back from these downgrades, I was able to buy myself a standing desk and a Elgato Wave Arm LP.
Nice decision
we all noticed
I have a pod mic and have been thinking of switching to the Elgato Wave XLR from the Audient Evo 4 I'm just a lil on the fence about that lol.
I just think the software diff would be worth it but it does feel like money lost
nice goxlr isnt allways nessary for a xlr setup tho its nice if u actually need all its features
@@REAPEROFTOES u honestly would notice quality difference between maybe comaptiability or stability different but not by degree that matter unless u doing professional work
I paused the video after you played the AT2020 and the Bottle Rocket to make this comment. I started streaming with a Yeti using Voicemeter, and after a lot of research and watching videos like yours purchased a PodMic and a GoXLR. What an awesome combo! Using your GoXLR video as a baseline and tweaking from there, you wouldn't believe how many people comment on how my voice sounds, whether on my stream or even while gaming using in game voice comms. Thank you so much for your content!
So I have been using the Blue Yeti for over a year now and wanted to switch to a new style of microphone. After watching this I decided to upgrade to the Rhode Pod Cast Mic. I also just picked up the GO XLR, never using one it seems the easiest to learn on. Love the videos, your my go to on streaming now days since I found you. Thank you and congrats on the new Senpai Gaming.
I really feel like I'm in sync with you and Nutty. Been getting great video content from you and with exactly the help I need! I LOVE the Blue Ember, I already have a Blue Yeti which has been my trusty sidekick, but been wanting to upgrade to the Elgato XLR! Thank you for your videos!!
This is incredibly helpful as I'm looking to upgrade to an XLR mic down the road. I was going to save up for the SM7B since its widely considered a standard, but that podmic now has my attention and fits my budget far easier (I'm slowly growing). I love these little breakdown videos as it helps me to set equipment goals that are in line with the budget I get from my streaming/content/design work.
Condenser: Ember has a bit of a warmer tone, from what I hear. I prefer that sound personally for Harris’ voice.
Dynamic: I have the Podmic myself, been using it for years, and have always like the sound. I think the AT2040 had a bit more hiss to it compared to the Podmic. I think a pop filter would make things sound a bit better.
Mic guesses:
Condenser -
1.) AT2020 - a sharper, more piercing sound
2.) Baby Bottle - Smoother, more pleasing to listen to
Dynamic:
1.) Podmic - Pleasing to listen to, but not my favorite
2.) AT2040 - The worst of the 3, but not too bad. I’ll stick with my Podmic
3.) SM7B - So clear compared to the others, from what I heard
HOLY. CRAP. Harris, I NEED to know what you did to the EQ on the Podmic, because I didn’t think that clarity could be achieved on it. I’ve heard you EQ it before, but something about this time makes it sound like you’re speaking in the same room as me, but with a better tone and timbre. Plz share your secret, thanks
Your production is always top-notch and impressive, thank you for the review!
I think I’ve watched you for so long now it was pretty easy to get everything right, and I even said 1 was the Sm7b but 3 sounded the best 😄
Always enjoy you analysis!
The Rode Podmic is my go to, it sounds amazing and I love the look of it. a little heavy but with the right boomarm it works great
you posted this video right when i needed it omg
ahhhh man, I can feel myself buying a microphone at the end of this video. you make so quality no nonsense informative videos man, I appreciate you.
nailed all of the tests, dinamic mic one was a breeze since i own the Rode mic, knew it was the last one, and the SM7b is kinda easy to notice its sound nowdays since its a popular pick
Thanks for EQ-testing! PodMic wasn't super in other reviews, but with your little EQ sculpt it blew the others away! EQs well. The SE V7 stepped up to $120 recently, but it is is truly amazing. With pop filter, I really prefer it vs. the regular podcasters...like a condenser sound, but dynamic, with hypercardioid.
This is the third time I watch this video and I still learning. Thank you for your job
I got all the guesses right but ill tack that to all the reaserch ive been doing on audio and mics lately. I ended up buying a shure mv7 from your last review some months ago and i absolutely love that dynamic mic!!
Your channel is super dope and I love your videos dude. You seem super friendly
awesome video! love to see this in depth analysis
I’ve been using the Podmic for since Christmas of 2020 and I love it!! I feel I have no need for a upgrade ever. Def my favorite
currently using the AT2020 and a scarlet solo and it’s *chefs kiss* even for recording vocals musically or for content it’s amazing
I agreed with you on which mics I thought sounded the best. I would love to see a video of you showing us how you edited their settings to make them sound that way, so that we could actually feel confident purchasing them and being able to make them sound like that
As someone who's spent a bit of time mastering I like to think my opinion is a informed one, to me the two mics with the best clarity was the Bottle and the Podmic, I picked those an felt sure of my choices, I love the tone of both of them. I'll be shelling out for a podmic soon.
I have been waiting on this video!!!!!!! I wanted to know which one between the Ember and the Podcast Rode on which one to purchase. Thank you for making my decision easier. Ordering My Rode now
Nice comparison and eq. These kind of video are very interesting and entertaining.
Glad you kept the outro!
Thank you for your channel and info posted my 1st video the other day a 100% awful low quality budget but I loved making it well be learning how to improve every single day thank you so much for your content
The quality of video, Audio and information here gets you a subscribe 😌
Currently i'm using a Podmic + MG10XU combo, the Podmic sound fits really nicely my voice (which would probably be too bassy for a SM7B), might try the SM7B in the future tho. I don't really like the sound of the AT2040, looks like it sounds muffled or something. Great vid as usual, thanks for making this kind of content!
I ended up being right on every microphone during the test, not just cheap/expensive, but the models themselves. The condenser test was only because I could hear that the first was EQ'd more, and the dynamic test mostly came from how much better the SM7B is at handling plosives.
All in all, great video Harris!
Been planning on the Rode Pod Mic for a few months and this video pretty much solidified my choice.
As soon as I heard you talk into the Rode Podmic I put it in my amazon basket, and on the audio tests I guessed all correct, expensive vs cheap, thx for making this video.
That Ember looks great. I got my eyes set on the Spark when I switch from Yeti to XLR
I have the AT2020+USB which I love, but bought the PodMic (both before I even watched your video) as I needed an XLR when I got a rodecaster. I love the podmic but I move around a little too much and it drops out. (our streams can get a bit rowdy lol). I was going to upgrade and get an 'expensive' XLR condenser mic but after seeing this I think I'm going to just try and pick up an AT2020 XLR as it's so reliable and sounds great. Plus doesn't drop out when I flail all around my desk. After watching this I am VERY happy I didn't spend more.
Was looking for good reviews on 100 dollar xlr mics and this made that final push for me to get the at2020.
As long time AT2020 user, was good to see it still stacks up. I didn't just buy it because it was cheap, it really is good. Oh and XLR condensers all the way for me. They are fulller and more pleasant to my ear but there is no wrong choice on that topic.
I loved your outro take you used!
Harris needs a live or recording light to signal the upstairs people lol
Just swapped from the Wave 3 to the PodMic + GoXlr and I love that it picks up so much less ambient noise from my room.
Loved this review! I have been using the HyperX Quadcast S since December when I watched your video on USB mics, which people love on my Zoom calls. For Twitch, I just learned about noise gate and compressor thanks to you to take care of the surrounding sounds like fans. Definitely love the Rode Pod Mic so will upgrade to that. Waiting for GoXLR Mini to come back in stock now >.<
Too bad I can't have the HyperX Quadcast S in stream just turned on for the RGB bit but muted on OBS and run the Rode in secret but my BRIO web cam has a wider field of view so it is just too far to hide it so I would need a tighter shot xD.
The intro opening transition was sick
Great vid! Pod mic + windscreen + inline pre amp (fethead is cheap and great) sounds like a 1k+ setup (eg sm7b+cloud lifter).
I have a very bass-heavy baritone voice, so adding the nasal character of the mic makes for an ideal result. I’ve been using it for the past two years so glad to see someone finding similar results even with it stock. The windscreen adds a substantial difference - less eq needed, I found, but I’m a mere hobbyist focused on guitar recording so… lol
For someone who knows nothing of audio, and now my USB mic is starting to fade away unfortunately . I see myself picking up a xlr mixer and dynamic mic in the future. Thanks for the awesome content. Has helped a lot!
i watched a good number of videos on microphone and i really like what i went with... The Rode Procaster. sounds amazing and looks beautiful with the shock mount
I don't know if it's just my audio setup, but I found it very obvious which condenser was the bottle rocket. It was just so much more crisp and full, I felt like the other one had a bit of an artificial tinny sound to it.
The dynamic mics were pretty straightforward as well, though the differences were more subtle. Before the reveal I had essentially identified #3 as my favorite, but I also didn't think it was the SM7B. The middle one was quite muddy as you mentioned, so I figured the first was the SM7B and the third was the podmic.
Honestly, super surprised how awesome the podmic is, especially at that price. I use its big brother the procaster so maybe my ears are just attuned to that sound, but like...it's really clean.
I've been using the GoXLR with an AT2020 for years (and a USB AT2020 before that!) and it's never once let me down. Good, solid microphone.
For my personal use, I like using a dynamic microphone (PODMIC) for streaming and a condenser (AKG P220) for any kind of Voice over. Thnx Harris for making videos about the PODMIC! I bought it based on your recommendation and I love to death! 😆😆
I literally just got my Rode Podmic and everyone i talk to says it actually sounds better than a SM7B, it might be bias but it sounds so good and i don't regret getting it at all
In my personal opinion owning neither of them, the PodMic sounds better than the SM7B because its not trying hard to be a "broadcast" mic, but rather just a good microphone overall. Thanks to that its much easier to listen to for a very long time with little fatigue, rather than with the SM7B which sounds like a subwoofer constantly going off the second anyone says anything.
I’ve had the rode pod mic and the blue ember for a while now and see no reason to get any others. Both do a fantastic job, can’t beat the price either!
I like how ember doesnt exhaust my hearing in minutes compared to many other condenser mics. Also, podmic sounds just like muffled condenser which is cool: reasonable condenser-ish clarity combined with calm mids and highs with good ambient sound cancellation of dynamic mics is a win win combo for me.
Glad I already have a PodMic. Thing is great and I feel like I can use it for more applications other than streaming. Used it for my singing in a few music recording projects this year with post production of course. Going to get a Wave XLR for more audio sourcing in streams and to replace my Scarlet.
thanks for this awesome comparison!! I’m curious - what mic are you using that’s actually recording the audio (out of frame)?
i bought the Blue Ember a few months ago after a LOT of research, havent looked back. . i just love the warm mid tone to it. biggest challenge was mounting it effectively. being side-addressed is kind of a challenge due to its odd shape for a desk mic. I found the sampson shock mount fits it pretty well and its not 100.00 like the recommended blue mount is, which seems to be discontinued anyway.
I actually got both right! You can still hear their sound signatures even with EQ. The Bottle Rocket has a pretty distinct brightness to its sound, so that one was pretty easy.
On the dynamic mics, I thought #3 was the SM7B and I own a Podmic. Too funny.
Thanks for the video. Great to see the AT2040 getting reviews. I think it sounds pretty good considering it's $99 but I went with the Podmic simply because so many reviews had it EQd to sound just as good, if not, better than the SM7B at 75% of the cost.
I made a video comparing the AT2020 and the Rode Podmic a little while ago and the AT2020 is still my personal favourite because it’s condenser mic allowing more freedom to move around and it sounds better. Pod mic being a dynamic means you have to keep it right in front of your face otherwise you’ll lose input plus there’s very little low end which means more tweaking with eq. AT2020 is my recommendation for streamers and broadcasters who are live. For Podcasters who release their content without video then a dynamic might be a better option
I've enjoyed my Shure SM57 I got for $100 & while I do need a PreAmp (use the Cathedral Durham) & run it through my big ol' mixer, I love the sound over the bigger brother SM7B. I'm in the same boat where I like less muddyness (my voice comes off muddy/scratchy) & this mic helps a lot with that, but also keeps the body well formed. I enjoyed the Blue Ember a lot as well!
I bought a pod mic just because of your videos...I use it for meetings and some keyboard sound test...but it sound great.
I just got a podmic setup with the focusrite solo. Hooked it up with a fethead and i run the interface audio via voicemeeter for post FX. Amazing in my opinion. The AT2040 did look like another good option
Got the first batch right! Both of them sound very similar but I could tell a faint difference. I have a AT2020 mic for my recordings but it doesnt sound as good.
Do you have any guides how on to EQ properly? Would love to see for advice!
Condenser mics i got it right but the dynamic ones..... oh boy had no clue. Using ATh m50x for listening. Looking to buy a condenser mic, still not sure if i go with AT 2020 or AT 2035 , which one should i choose Harris?
I'm planning on getting the SM7B and hopefully soon for my streams, but also because I'm a vocalist and voice actor
I worry that maybe I won't be making the right choice, but the SM7B has been by far my favorite mic for guttural and growl style vox, and I really want to make sure that I have a mic that will get my whole voice when doing voice work.
Maybe I'm overthinking it. Maybe I'm not.
Love the video! Can you please review the Movo VSM-7
I got the elgato wave 3 and it has been treating me soo well. SO happy I got it! I know it's not in this video but just wanted to say thanks for the videos! Also I'm a sound noob and they all sound similar....
I like how you're voice went into npr mode on the dynamic mics
The AT2020 has done great for me the past number of years, I love the sound, have gotten compliments on it, and it requires little work to get it sounding awesome.
Having recently moved and without a home studio at the moment it REALLY picks up the outside room sounds now tho. Every thump or or bump upstairs is caught by this mic, it was enough that for podcasting I was looking at the AT2040 but that doesn't sound anywhere near as nice.
I've been eyeing the Podmic for a longtime but I really can't justify buying it right now because I already have a Newer NW700 and for light voiceover on videos it's all I really need right now. Maybe soon I'll splurge and get it but for talking to the boys in Discord it's all I really need.
I was Shure (if you know what I mean 😎) I´d be getting the SM7B and an Elgato Wave XLR this Black Friday, but after listening to this comparison, and the fact that it will be for pre-recorded, EQ´d videos, it might just suffice with the Pod Mic (I already have "the old mixer" you said). Thanks again for a great video, dude. 👍
I use the PodMic since it was released and I love it. There are Streamers that have good audio and then they switch to the SM7B because it is hyped. I use my PodMic with an Focusrite Solo Interface and I don’t need an preamp. Just get yourself the REAPlugs and you can set an EQ in OBs
I've had a Podmic for over a year and I still really enjoy it! My mixer died so using a Scarlett 2i2 my dad handed down until I can decide on a GoXLR Mini or Wave XLR (currently single PC but thinking of dual down the line, also just prefer physical control over software)
Omg I needed this right now
@alpha gaming What do you think of using shotgun mics for streaming? I use one (Sennheiser MKE600) so that it isn't in the way on stream. Just wondering what the consensus is. Thanks for the great content!
I am interested in the PodMic. I need a dynamic because of the amount of background noise in my recording studio, so the dynamic has much better noise isolation than the condenser microphone. For my voice I believe the PodMic will add to the richness of my voice vs many of the other microphones, however my XM8500 works fine too, so I'm not really in a rush to get something new.
I just upgraded from an off brand mic to the wave 3. My off brand mic did fine, but I always had an issue with it clipping when I got loud. Finally got sick of it and upgraded, I like the wave so far.
I got the first test wrong! Very impressed with the 2020. I actually got the second test right! The Pod mic is so good.
Question though: how do you feel about the Shure MV7? I picked it up recently and really like it.
I got both right but honestly was because of the floor noise, not the mic coloration (I was hearing on my iPhone speakers so it gets waaaaaaaaay harder to hear the differences between each other without headphones in the coloration area). Cheaper microphones tend to have higher noise floor but nothing that can’t be treated with a de noiser (especially the one that comes FREE in OBS). Tech gets better each and every year :) that’s a good thing and opens up the possibility to more creators and not only the ones that can afford it (I started to make UA-cam cover songs 9 years ago and living in Mexico at 16-17 years old the only option were buying an interface and spend all of your budget on that one thing or buy a crappy adapter and use the internal audio interface of your computer (don’t know how the hell mine survived that!) Whereas now you can buy everything you need with the same amount of money back then.
The PodMic really is fantastic, I even thought that microphone 3 in the test was the SM7B since I already like the sound of the SM7B a lot but nope, it was indeed the PodMic
Do we need to talk really near the podmic for it to do its job? Im looking for a mic that doesnt need to be so close and dont catch too much the enviroment around. Do you have any suggestion sir?
I watch both Trash Taste Podcast and The Group Chat podcast so I know the sound of the SM7B really well and i knew it was the first one because it's a very flat sound, the podmic just has a ton of character in the sound i really like it. Also i can pick up a podmic for like $75 on ebay which is crazy to me because it sounds so good
Wow, really well done video! You mentioned the EQ you did on the condenser mic, but didn't specify the one you did on the Podmic. Mind to share with us ?
I guessed em all right 😅
I have the at 2020 with goxlr mini and I'm very happy with the audio quality, also i eq(ed) the high end a while ago and surprisingly you mentioned that the at 2020 could use some highs boost 😎
So i must've got it right somehow 😂
I've got some minor hearing damage, and wasn't even an audiophile wannabe before that happened. So as far as I'm concerned they all sounded excellent even before the EQ. I am looking to purchase a xlr mic in the near future, and I plan to go with dynamic. I know you've mentioned it before, but how much gain should I be looking for to support the Rode podmic? It will be coupled with an M-audio air 192 series interface, which has 55db gain according to what I've been able to find. Will I need a cloudlifter with that?
Thank you SO MUCH for this video! It was excellent! In the hours and hours of "UA-cam research" I did on mics lately (which drove the wife and kids absolutely crazy, btw), this video was probably the biggest standout moment for me, though there were certainly a handful of other great ones too, and it was the combined testimony of all of them that led me to the mic decision I have made (that's called a teaser: I'll reveal later!) ;-)
I had initially penned a very long-winded REPLY that went into detail on the what's and why's of my mic situation and why this video was so helpful to me. But I may have run into an invisible "character limit" wall. So I'm breaking it up into two. A more immediate, direct response to your video, and an [optional readying] "reply-to-self" to follow that will still go into all of that other stuff. Details in that reply-to-self, but I've been using a condenser mic the past five years as a podcaster, and that perfect "rrrradio" sound has eluded me. I've been able to get respectably close over time....but never quite there. Lately I've been tipped off to the possibility that that may have been because I've been using a condenser when this whole time I maybe should've been using a dynamic instead.
So, the search for a good cheap dynamic mic was on, and that search ultimately led me here. :-)
It's funny, to my ear, condenser mics sound more "dynamic" to me; as in more open and airy, "conversational", and "alive sounding"; more wild and unrestrained, wheres dynamic mics sound more "condensed" to me; as in more tight, more smooth, more straight ahead and level; more restrained and controlled. I just love the rich irony of the disconnect; no, inversion here between the name and its output. A similar example from my personal life: we have two rather unspectacular, rather pedestrian cars: a 2013 Kia Soul and a 2014 Kia Sportage. Neither one are amazingly sporty or soulful - but the Soul is "sportier" than the Sportage and the Sportage is "more soulful" than the Soul. I love ironic inversions like that!
That's how the whole Condenser / Dynamic thing feels to me. And in a context-neutral vacuum, I actually think I still prefer the sounds of the condensers. BUT, if the fact that I've been using a condenser this whole time is the reason why that perfect, smooth, boomy, deep, tight "rrrradio" voice has remained juuuuuuuust millimeters out of reach for me this whole time, then I eagerly, enthusiastically welcome the slightly more smished sound of a dynamic if that is what the payoff will be in return.....and from what I've heard via your video and others, I have VERY good reason to hope that'll be the case!...
.....so, thank you!
As for the mics themselves, while I certainly think the high dollar mics do sound better than the cheap mics do untreated, they sound just a tiny bit better, with the cheap ones coming very, VERY close (ESPECIALLY in the case of the Podmic vs the SM7B, where I would say the Podmic sounded 99% as good). The Bottle Rocket was a little bit more distinct from the AT2020 and the Ember, and I have to respectfully disagree and say I really liked its warmth. Of course, the AT2020 and Ember are only 10% of the Bottle Rocket's insane sticker price, where the Podmic and AT2040 are a comparatively higher 25% of the SM7B's price. For whatever that's worth.
*BUT*....once you added the EQ fixes to the cheap mics, I ended up liking the treated AT2020 and the treated Podmic *BETTER* than the [presumably still untreated] high dollar mics - which is why I ultimately guessed wrong on both the blind tests, because I thought the treated AT2020 / Podmic were the high dollar ones. Good fake out! :-)
As for cheap vs cheap: I absolutely agree that the Podmic is clearly better than the 2040...but I wasn't quite as down on the 2040 as you were. Also, no fault of yours, of course, but I feel a little bad for AudioTechnica that they sent you a 2040 on them, only to have it yield such an unfavorable review for their product. :-) Now, on the AT2020 vs the Ember: I agree the Ember has a more dazzling high end. But I like the overall sound better on the AT2020. Of course, I like the warmth of the Bottle Rocket so preferring the warmer AT2020 over the brighter Ember makes sense, I suppose. :-)
Either way, I love the set up on the video, and the chance to not only hear condenser vs dynamic, but also hear cheap vs cheap vs expensive. I also liked your onscreen personality and delivery, and agree with you on the notion that now is an amazing and wonderful time both in terms of quality and quantity of "budget tech". Sure, the big boys may be a smidge better. But with the price difference being so extreme, with the quality difference being so miniscule....it really doesn't matter anymore, and one has to have a highly specialized reason for needing / being able to justify the big ones. It's a good time to be alive! :-)
Anyway, thanks again, and great video! I'll reply-to-self with the rest of my original draft shortly. Again, optional reading only.....but the incentivizer to it is that is where I reveal which mic I have had, and which one I bought... so, you know! :-)
Cheers!
And now, the promised "reply-to-self" with mic reveal. If you see this reply first, stop reading and go find my other one first! :-)
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For the past five years, I've been doing a mixtape-style video game music ("VGM") podcast called "Nerd Noise Radio - Channel 1" ("Ch 1" for short). For a while it was simulcast here on UA-cam, but I eventually dropped "the Tube" as I noticed my listeners migrating over to the pod. Old stuff's still out there and the channel is still open....but it's dormant. I have (or at least "had") future plans to reactivate it, but with all the draconian takedown bullshit that Nintendo is doing with its VGM on the Tube of late, whether or not I will follow through with those plans is a bit uncertain. Either way, the podcast itself will continue, at least.
I use the term "mixtape-style" because it's a universally understood term. But in terms of my intent behind it, and the design aesthetic I'm going for, "radio music program-style" is a MUCH better term! It's inspired by radio music programs, most directly, NPR's decades-running new age / space / world / ambient music program, "Hearts of Space" ("HoS") - which amazingly, I had the honor of a lifetime to guest curate an episode of one time on the ambience of VGM (HoS pgm 1228: "Game Scores" - Oct 2019).
I have since gone on to launch a second show, predicably called "Nerd Noise Radio - Channel 2" ("Ch 2"). It is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT than Ch 1. It's me and a co-host, a guy out of Chicago that I've been a fan of since 2011 named Hugues (pron. "Hugh") Johnson, and we take turns sharing tracks and talking about them. It's much less music, and much less of a focused "journey in sound". But it's a lot more conversational, and you get to learn something about the music and/or the game, and/or the composer, and/or the system hardware....as well as get to know your hosts and our stories. I'm the deeper, smoother voiced and more dynamic of the two of us, where Hugues is cool as a cucumber and super laid back - any more laid back and he'd be nonchalant. I mean that as a compliment to him, though. He's so....well...cool! And I love the dynamic contrast we get between his laid back character and my more dynamic presence. So, Ch 2 is the yang to Ch 1's yin, and vice versa - deep where the other is shallow, shallow where the other is deep, and each are meant to bolster and strengthen and supplement and "make up for" the other. Also, each will catch a different audience, meaning I can reach more people with the both than I can with either one by itself.
AAAAAAAANYWAY, now I can finally begin to arrive at the point: for this whole time, I've been using an AT2020 through a $100 M-Audio MobilePre. And while I love how open and expressive the AT2020 is, I've also been having to fight with it this whole time (especially in the context of completely untreated rooms that I've been recording in), and slowly, gradually, painfully learning how to use it.
If you look at the various epochs of Ch 1, you would notice a HUGE difference in production value of the "mic time" portions. For C1E1 (channel 1 episode 1) - C1E10 (first half of 2017), I'm using no pop filter or windscreen, have the MobilePre turned up too high, and am getting way too close to it. So it's hot, pinched, and "plosive city". Painful and embarrassing for me to listen to! C1E11-C1E20 (second half of 2017), I switched from front address (correct) to top address (incorrect) just to cure the plosives....which worked....but at the expense of leaving me sounding really hollow and artificial as a result. Only slightly less embarrassing. At the end of 2017, someone sent me a too-small windscreen for it, but it made some difference, as after putting it on, turning the MobilePre down a bit (boosting volume in post instead), and returning to front address, my sound quality had improved significantly.
From a Mic and MobilePre perspective, this era lasted from C1E21 in Jan 2018 (where I also enhanced my scripting a bit) all the way to C1E50 in Dec 2019 with no change whatsoever to hardware, software, settings, or mic accessories. The only change during this period happened at C1E41 (Jan 2019), where I started doing all my voice recordings in just one big uninterrupted session per episode, rather than in multiple separate sessions, which had been previously resulting in different sounding recordings spliced in amongst each other way too obviously. The new practice for the C1E41 and beyond episodes cured that, and since then, my voice has always sounded consistent with a given episode.
Starting with C1E51 (Feb 2020), I added a better windscreen, proper pop filter, and shock mount to the mix. And in April 2020, I switched production from GarageBand in macOS to a mix of Audacity and Ardour in Ubuntu Studio Linux, where it has remained since. At the beginning of Feb 2022, as a birthday present, I received a $230 Focusrite 4i4, which was intended to replace the MobilePre. I haven't had a chance to use the 4i4 in a proper NNR recording yet, but have had a chance to play around with it in private, and it's....huh. it's clearly the much better device objectively. But I'm undecided on it subjectively. It is MUCH cleaner....but also a little less dynamic and "alive" sounding than the MobilePre. Kinda flat. So perhaps rather than retiring the MobilePre completely, I'll keep both, and use them interchangeably by context. I also need to start doing more in post. Outside of volume, and occasionally noise reduction (which either I or audacity usually do poorly, resulting in a more artificial sound), I've basically been doing no post on voices whatsoever.
But now, at long last....over the river, and through the woods, to the real point I FINALLY get: it was brought to my attention recently that condenser mics are actually not the "industry standard" for most radio and most radio-style podcasts, but rather, dynamics are. And that not only would a dynamic give me more of that "rrrradio" voice sound I've been after, but would be somewhat more immune to the untreated rooms, and would probably be something that I would have to fight with a lot less than I have had to with the brilliant, but finicky AT2020. And so, tax money in hand, the search was on. My Sweetwater guy initially pointed me towards the $180 Shure MV7X, but reviews were very mixed on it, and people kept referencing this Røde Podmic thing as a superior alternative.....
.....so I started down the UA-cam rabbit hole, gradually becoming more and more convinced of the merits of the Podmic as I went. By the time I got to your video, my mind had pretty much already been made up anyway, but you were the one that pushed me over the edge and into mashing that "add to cart" button. I also ended up buying a Cloudlifter, and a Røde branded WS2 windscreen for it (on the recommendation of another UA-camr who was helpful in my research). After watching several users' videos I've become convinced that the Podmic's built-in windscreen is insufficient against plosives, or against mine at least.
I have yet to have the opportunity to actually try the Podmic / Cloudlifter combo out. But from all the videos, I at least have a good idea of what to expect - and am VERY excited by the prospects they offer!
I can see myself POSSIBLY sticking with the AT2020 for Ch 2, since a) I mostly use my natural conversational tone / cadence / inflection of voice on 2, and there is virtually zero script-reading, b) the organic, mostly off the cuff conversational nature of the show is so central and so prized, c) I move around a lot when I talk to Hugues, which would probably be havoc on a dynamic, and d) I am pretty sure Hugues is using a condenser as well, and I would think it'd sound weird to have us be on differing mic types. But I would be INCREDIBLY surprised if I did not end up switching immediately and permanently to the Podmic for Ch 1 going forward, since a) I speak with a loosely Stephen Hill (HoS)-inspired "radio affect" on 1, b) almost everything is script-reading, c) I just hug the mic and don't really move while I'm script-reading, and d) I REALLY want that perfect "rrrrradio" voice that has always just barely eluded me.
But the good news is that now....I have both types of mic, and so I have that kind of flexibility! This is also why I took the time to mention and detail my two shows and their differences. They actually were relevant. It truly wasn't [JUST] shameless self-promotion! ;-)
Either way, thank you so much for the video, and the huge help it was! Thank you also for indulging me in this SUPER LONG-WINDED comment! And if I ever do hear back from you on it.... fantastic! Either way, it at least deserves you a subscribe out of me, which I will do as soon as I hit send! :-)
Cheers!
- St. John (Nerd Noise Radio)
I recently bought a Podmic after using an Ember for almost the last 2 years and I'm loving it more than I do the Ember.
The Ember is a great mic, by no means do I dislike it, I just happen to live close to a major highway and the Ember picked up a ton of traffic while live.
thank you thats actually very helpful to know :)
I have an AT2020 and my AC is directly overhead. My solution, other than a gate, was to decrease gain, get the mic in your face, then boost the final signal. AC is almost impossible to hear and it's 5 ft away.
@@SlapMyBassDaddy I feel like you'd be better off getting a dynamic microphone. It's very easy to clip the signal on a condenser if you get it too close to your face
@@yongukjung5390 I have plenty of headroom on my M2 but screw it... I'll buy a podmic and let you know how it goes.
@@SlapMyBassDaddy that doesnt mean lot unfortunatly has u can clip on interface side usually wear people are cliping are either at interface or the digital side when generally talking about clipping but when talking streaming and or percifically about when having it close to your oface u often clip at the mic btw when u see dynamic raneg this in reference to loud u can be before the mic clips the lower the gain can be on the interface and get healthy loud sigle close to clipping the mic u get not nessarly bad thing
gueesed the 2 expensives ones sooo, rly happy
I've been rocking the Rhode Pod Mic for over a year, and I am in absolute love with it. I see no reason to swap it out to the SM7B or any other Mic.
I feel with sound profiles being so similar it's (probably) just down to an aesthetics game for a lot of people in the market. I bought an SM7B because I saw one in my college radio station ten years ago and just fell in love with the way it looked. Always wanted it, always knew I was going to get it, finally did last summer.
A very nice video which clearly shows: The podmic from Rode is a masterpiece. It sounds like 500$ but costs a split of it. An SM7B is a save think but for all which are considering podmic vs. procaster - the podmic is the way to go. The AT2040 and Q9U were quiet a dissapointment - compared to the podmic (and no, i am not working for Rode :) - thanks Harris for the great comparison of these most selected ones :)
Can you do a comparison between the GoXLR and the RØDECaster Pro? Both in functions and the quality of various mics?
That would be awesome!
Great videos! Keep it up!
Condensers I like 2 (Had a fuller more well rounded sound to my ears) and for dynamic I liked 1 (Had an almost scooped vibe to it and didn't feel like the signal was getting ready to be too hot on the higher end compared to my expectations of the other sound test if that makes sense to you).
I own both the PodMic and the Blue ember. I prefer condenser mics because I a well treated room I do not have to eat the mic. In an untreated room, like my current pc room, I use the dynamic mics and use the proximity effect and background rejection as much as possible.
I also have the Røde Procaster mic, big brother to the Podmic, and I will use that from time to time.
I would like to see you compare the Podmic, Procaster, and SM7B some time.
I got the SM7B… Harris finally what’s the resolution you are using for your videos??
Honestly the ones you liked the least are the one i liked the most ( The non-eq'ed AT2040 and the EQ'ed Shure SM7B )
Keep going Bro, you are excellent and greetings from the Middle East