RØDE - NTG1

this or similar mic is the only way to cut surrounding noise and move subjects sound closer. I have an old video with similar (Rode NTG-1) mic filming Red Cardinal who was pretty far. Shot with 300mm (600mm ff equivalent) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z\_YvcbVi1tA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_YvcbVi1tA)

As someone said above, you should try for a shotgun mic. They're made to pick up sound of whats directly in front. They're not perfect of course, and there will always be some bleed because sound never moves in a straight line. HOWEVER, bottom end shotguns that are worth getting are not gonna be the best thing ever. The lowest quality I would go is the Sennheiser MKE 600 or RODE NTG1. They are slightly above $200 but like I said, it wouldn't be worth spending less on a shotgun mic. Really good shotgun mics can easily cost more than $2K. So, just imagine the kind of quality sacrifices you're making for something 10% of the cost. If either one of the above shotgun mics aren't in the budget or you just don't wanna do that, then following the advice above about distance or acoustic paneling is your next best option.

Yeah, but that's not comparable. You're kinda talking apples and oranges here. I've got a couple NTG1s that RODE sent me and I agree that they're great, but you need to set them up on a boom stand, run XLR cable to camera/recorder - then in terms of position you have to watch out for background nosie. In a controlled environment I'd probably prefer it to lavs (although I'm starting to shift a bit on that position) The nice thing with these modern wireless mic packs is you just pop them on, send the signal back to the camera and they have their own backup recording on board. I prefer the Hollyland Lark personally... but this is such a leap ahead from the old ENG wireless gear like Sennheiser G series and Sony wireless sets (and these mics in a two bundle vs. only a single channel of those old wireless systems that cost about 3 times as much).

In my home studio, I have treated walls, a Rode Procaster or NTG1 or Lav+ mic, and a Streamer X mixer. When I record outside, I use the built-in mic on my Google Pixel 8 phone. I can make the audio recorded in both locations sound similar using Descript's Studio Sound feature (set at 75%). You could achieve similar results with Auphonic or Adobe Podcast. Audio engineers will roll their eyes. And I'll admit that their professional outcomes sound 10x better than mine. But if I can make my own sound 5x better with one simple tool that costs me next to nothing in time or effort, I'll take it.

I used a Rode NTG-1 on a shoot a while back, & the recordings sounded pretty great!

In my opinion the NTG-3s are the shotgun to have. They are the ones used on Tiny Desk Concerts, but they might not be suitable for home recording/podcasts. I have an NTG1, and it’s a fraction of the price but it does the job in isolating vocals, though it will need more processing. The NTG1 is also shorter than the NTG2 & 3 so it’s less obstructive, and you’ll pick up less noise. I can’t really give a solid recommendation for any shotguns under £100, I got my NTG1 for about £120 and haven’t used anything else in great detail. With a shotgun mic you might get tinnier recordings that need some oompf in post, but they’re great, especially if you’re recording in a really noisy environment.

Your argument initially was that my recommendations were putting up barriers to people getting started with podcasting. My view is that there is an illusion amongst people getting started in podcasting that you need to find the perfect mic for your voice. This obsession with splitting hairs over a £100 microphone and a £170 microphone is counter productive. “If my voice has a lot of bass” - Do you want to reduce the bass in your voice? Move away from the microphone a few inches. Cut off the low end in post processing. Accentuating bass? Move closer to the microphone. Microphones aren’t just picking up your voice, they’re picking up how your voice interacts with the environment too. Have a look at your microphone- does it have a bass rolloff function? A presence booster? Yes, as I explained in the post, the SM7b is much less sensitive than a typical microphone, so it needs a decent preamp. This is because it is made to be really forgiving in a recording environment. It’s by design that you needed a good preamp to get a tune out of it. Once you add EQ, Compression and some other minor processing, a lot of the little differences in microphones become less pronounced. Audio engineers have microphones in mind that are good for certain jobs. D112s for kick drums, SM57s for snares etc. There are certain microphones that just sound good for certain jobs. If it was imperative that people had to choose different microphones for different voices, wouldn’t you see hosts with two different microphones all the time? Why are SM58s used for every single live show ever? Why are NTG3s used on Tiny Desk Concerts and shotgun mics used for interviews outside? When it comes to starting out as a podcaster, mics should really be chosen based on environment, rather than individual nuances. When you are a beginner, you need something that is easy to use, reliable, and cost-effective. Normally beginners are recording in their homes, which aren’t acoustically treated, or in other sub-optimal recording spaces. That’s why I recommended dynamic microphones, because they suit the environments that beginners record in. You have some very interesting takes on microphones yourself, and I can’t say I agree with them at all.

I use a second hand Rode shotgun mic, homemade pop filter, homemade mic stand, positioned about 2" from my mouth when I'm recording voiceover. My voice comes out clear, no background noise despite not sanitizing my environment at all. Moving closer to the mic is my recommendation, if you haven't already, it does wonders.

Did pretty much my whole feature doc I used neewer cm28 and a rode shotgun.

There aren’t many amazing TRS mics I’m afraid. Rode makes the NTG which might be worth a look. Or get a preamp for the camera that supplies phantom. If you could find a secondhand me64 or me66 with a K6 module - those are Sennheiser shotguns that you can use a battery instead of phantom & adapt to TRS

You could use a Rode NTG or Rode Videomic Go in that 1/8 port if you want a shotgun mic specifically, I believe they can be powered up through it. But using wireless lavs like Rode Wireless Go 2, Pro or Dji Mic II are also good options, so you can have good audio embed into your video, but also a 32 bit backup on the mic internal storage. If you want to use specifically shotguns with an XLR cable, it's better to record audio on a separate device like the Zoom H1 XLR and sync the audio in post production. If you intend to use multiple microphones simultaneously in the future, it's also a good idea to look into recorders with multiple ports.