Curtis Judd 8/21/23 Curtis Judd 8/21/23

Can You Use a Shotgun Mic Indoors? Shotgun vs Pencil Condenser Boom Microphones

Can you use a shotgun microphone indoors?

In this episode, we critically listen to a variety of boom microphones in a reverberant, echo-y indoor space. We record with a variety of shotgun microphones versus non-shotgun (pencil condenser) boom microphones and answer the question: Can you use a shotgun microphone indoors?

If you’d like to learn how to make great dialogue audio for your film and video projects, please have a look at my courses including processing dialogue audio in Adobe Audition and DaVinci Resolve/Fairlight, recording sound, how to use the Zoom F4, F6, F8, and F8n, and how to get the most from the Sound Devices MixPre series of recorders. Our latest courses cover Sound for Live Streaming with the ATEM Mini and an Intro to Izotope RX.

Support my work creating videos by donating at Ko-Fi.com.

Gear used or mentioned in this episode. The links below are Amazon.com, B&H Photo, Sweetwater, DVEStore, Perfect Circuit, Trew Audio or other affiliate links. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases:

- Sennheiser MKH 416 Supercardioid Shotgun Condenser Microphone — Trew Audio, B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- RODE NTG5 Short Shotgun Microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Deity S-Mic 2 Shotgun Condenser Microphone — Trew Audio, B&H, Amazon

- Azden SGM-250 Professional Shotgun Microphone — Amazon

- Sennheiser MKE 600 Shotgun Microphone — Trew Audio, B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- DPA Microphones 4017B Shotgun Microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Audio-Technica AT4053B Hypercardioid Condenser Microphone — B&H, Amazon

- Sennheiser MKH 50 Supercardioid Condenser Studio Microphone — Trew Audio, B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Sennheiser MKH 8050 Low-Profile Supercardioid Condenser Microphone — Trew Audio, B&H, Amazon

- Schoeps CMC641 Supercardioid Microphone Set — Trew Audio, B&H, Sweetwater

- SoundDevices MixPre II Series Audio Recorders — B&H, Sweetwater, Trew Audio, Amazon

- Impact Turtle-Base C-Stands — B&H, Amazon

- K-Tek 36”-12’ Graphite Boom Pole — B&H, Amazon

- Amaran 200x S LED light — B&H, Amazon, Aputure

- Aputure Light Dome II soft box — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Aputure Spotlight Mount — Aputure, B&H, DVE Store, Amazon

- Rosco Prismatic Glass Gobo in Cool Lavender — B&H

- Canon C70 Cinema Camera — B&H

- Canon RF 24-70 f/2.8 lens — B&H, Amazon

- Panasonic GH5 camera — B&H, Amazon

- Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 II lens — B&H, Amazon

The intro and outro music for this episode is from Musicbed - “Dynamo” by Virgil Arles. Take your films to the next level with music from Musicbed. Sign up for a free account to listen for yourself.

Curtis Judd 5/1/23 Curtis Judd 5/1/23

Sennheiser Profile USB Microphone for Zoom and Teams calls, podcasts, live streams

In this week’s episode we have a look at and listen to Sennheiser’s Profile USB microphone. This cardioid condenser mic is made for easily capturing quality stream and podcast audio via a simple USB-C connection. This sleek USB mic is ready to stream and record right out of the box. In this video we test out the Profile’s sound quality, walk through its feature set, and determine the workflows in which it might be most useful. Let’s take a closer look!

Support my work creating videos by donating at Ko-Fi.com.

- Sennheiser Profile USB Cardioid Condenser Microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- RODE NT USB Mini Microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, DVE Store, Amazon

- RODE NT USB Microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, DVE Store, Amazon

- SHURE MV7 Podcast Microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- RODE NT1 5th Generation Microphone — B&H, Sweetwater

- Amaran 200x S LED light — B&H, Amazon, Aputure

- Aputure Light Dome II soft box — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Aputure Spotlight Mount — Aputure, B&H, DVE Store. Amazon

- Rosco Prismatic Glass Gobo in Cool Lavender — B&H

- Canon C70 Cinema Camera — B&H

- Panasonic GH5 camera — B&H, Amazon

- Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 II lens — B&H, Amazon

Curtis Judd 3/27/23 Curtis Judd 3/27/23

JZ Microphones V11 — Vintage Warmth For Spoken Word Audio

In this week’s episode, we have a look at and a listen to the JZ Mics Vintage 11 microphone. This large diaphragm condenser microphone is warm-toned mic that performs just as well at dialogue recording as it does vocals and instruments. In this video we listen to some V11 sound samples, compare the sound to other common condenser microphones, and walk through the V11’s feature set to help you decide if you want to give this mic a try. Let’s take a closer look!

Support my work creating videos by donating at Ko-Fi.com.

- JZ Microphones Vintage 11 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone — here (not an affiliate link)

- Sound Devices MixPre audio recorder — B&H, Trew Audio, Sweetwater, DVE Store, Amazon

- Rycote PCS Microphone Quick-Release System — B&H

- Aputure LS 300X used for background light — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Aputure Spotlight Mount — Aputure, B&H, DVE Store. Amazon

- Aputure amaran Pixel Tube Lights — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Rosco Prismatic Glass Gobo in Cool Lavender — B&H

- Canon C70 cinema camera — B&H

- Canon RF 24-70 f/2.8L lens — B&H, Amazon

- Schneider Radiant Soft 1 diffusion filter — B&H

- Panasonic GH5 camera — B&H, Amazon

- Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 II lens — B&H, Amazon

Curtis Judd 2/24/23 Curtis Judd 2/24/23

RØDE NT1 5th Generation for Podcast, Voice Over, and Spoken-Word Audio

In this week’s episode we have a look at and listen to the new 5th generation of the RØDE NT1! New to this generation of the bestselling cardioid condenser mic is RØDE’s Dual Connect technology, which allows you to record either via XLR to a recorder or via USB to your computer. This new USB connectivity option also allows for 32-bit float recording, wide dynamic range recording which can be an useful tool. Here, we compare the 4th and 5th gen of the NT1, explore the new variety of recording methods, and dive into the details of 32-bit float. Let’s take a closer look!

Support my work creating videos by donating at Ko-Fi.com.

- RODE NT1 5th Generation Cardioid Condenser Microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- RODECaster Pro II — B&H, Sweetwater, DVE Store, Amazon

- Sound Devices MixPre audio recorder — B&H, Trew Audio, Sweetwater, DVE Store, Amazon

- Rycote PCS Microphone Quick-Release System — B&H

- Aputure LS 300X used for background light — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Aputure Spotlight Mount — Aputure, B&H, DVE Store, Amazon

- Rosco Prismatic Glass Gobo in Cool Lavender — B&H

- Canon C70 cinema camera — B&H

- Canon RF 24-70 f/2.8L lens — B&H, Amazon

- Schneider Radiant Soft 1 diffusion filter — B&H

- Panasonic GH5 camera — B&H, Amazon

- Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 II lens — B&H, Amazon

Curtis Judd 2/13/23 Curtis Judd 2/13/23

Earthworks ETHOS broadcast microphone vs SHURE SM7b and Electrovoice RE20

In this week’s episode we have a look at and listen to the Earthworks ETHOS broadcast microphone. This compact, good-looking supercardioid microphone is useful for podcasts, livestreams, and other broadcast-style content creation. In this video we listen to some sound samples, walk through the ETHOS’ feature set, conduct our usual microphone tests, and compare it to some other broadcasts mics of similar quality at similar price points, namely the SHURE SM7B and Electrovoice RE20. Let’s take a closer look and listen!

Support my work creating videos by donating at Ko-Fi.com.

- Earthworks ETHOS microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- SHURE SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Perfect Circuit, Amazon

- ElectroVoice RE20 Dynamic Cardioid Microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Sound Devices MixPre audio recorder — B&H, Trew Audio, Sweetwater, DVE Store, Amazon

- Rycote PCS Microphone Quick-Release System — B&H

- Aputure LS 300X used for background light — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Aputure Spotlight Mount — Aputure, B&H, DVE Store, Amazon

- Rosco Gobo creates the pattern on the back wall — B&H

- Canon C70 cinema camera — B&H

- Canon RF 24-70 f/2.8L lens — B&H, Amazon

- Schneider Radiant Soft 1 diffusion filter — B&H

- Panasonic GH5 camera — B&H, Amazon

- Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 II lens — B&H, Amazon

Curtis Judd 1/17/23 Curtis Judd 1/17/23

Sennheiser MKH 50 Boom Microphone for indoor dialogue recording

In this week’s episode, we have a look at and listen to the Sennheiser MKH 50 supercardioid boom microphone. The film and TV industry has generally considered the MKH 50 as a staple boom microphone for many years. This microphone has the unique characteristic that it captures bass frequencies, even when used at at distance of 2 or even 3 meters. This makes it useful for wide shots in addition to more traditional booming distances of less than 50 cm. In my experience, the MKH 50 is a rich sounding mic which is well suited for indoor booming. Its RF bias design and overall build make it incredibly reliable. Its gentle roll-off filter and -10dB pad also make it useful for closer mic (10 - 40 cm) or really loud situations. The MKH 50 also holds up really well when compared to the much newer MKH 8050 and Schoeps CMC641 boom microphones which we compare it to in this episdoe. The $1200 USD price seems very fair for the quality offered by the MKH 50.

Support my work creating videos by donating at Ko-Fi.com.

- Sennheiser MKH 50 boom microphone — B&H, Trew Audio, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Sennheiser MKH 8050 boom microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Schoeps CMC641 boom microphone — B&H, Trew Audio, Sweetwater

- Sound Devices MixPre audio recorder — B&H, Trew Audio, Sweetwater, DVE Store, Amazon

- Rycote PCS Microphone Quick-Release System — B&H

- Aputure LS 300X used for background light — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Aputure Spotlight Mount — Aputure, B&H, DVE Store, Amazon

- Rosco Gobo creates the pattern on the back wall — B&H

- Canon C70 cinema camera — B&H

- Canon RF 24-70 f/2.8L lens — B&H, Amazon

- Schneider Radiant Soft 1 diffusion filter — B&H

- Panasonic GH5 camera — B&H, Amazon

- Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 II lens — B&H, Amazon

Curtis Judd 1/2/23 Curtis Judd 1/2/23

Electro-Voice RE20 Broadcast Microphone

In this week’s episode, we have a look at and a listen to the Electro-Voice RE20 dynamic broadcast microphone. This iconic broadcast microphone produces rich low frequencies along with a substantially crisper sound at higher frequencies than other similar microphones. Let’s get you some raw spoken word audio samples and run the mic through several tests so you can decide whether this may be a good addition to your podcast or recording kit.

To compare to other similar microphones for spoken word audio, here are some of my other microphone reviews:

SHURE SM7B vs SM58

SHURE SM57 (vs SM58 & SM7B)

SHURE KSM8

SHURE MV7

Samson Q9x

Support my work creating videos by donating at Ko-Fi.com.

- Electro-Voice RE20 Dynamic Broadcast Microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Sound Devices MixPre audio recorder — B&H, Trew Audio, Sweetwater, DVE Store, Amazon

- Rycote PCS Microphone Quick-Release System — B&H

- Aputure LS 300X used for background light — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Aputure Spotlight Mount — Aputure, B&H, DVE Store. Amazon

- Rosco Gobo creates the pattern on the back wall — B&H

- Canon C70 cinema camera — B&H

- Canon RF 24-70 f/2.8L lens — B&H, Amazon

- Schneider Radiant Soft 1 diffusion filter — B&H

- Panasonic GH5 camera — B&H, Amazon

- Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 II lens — B&H, Amazon

Curtis Judd 12/12/22 Curtis Judd 12/12/22

DEITY V-Mic D4 Camera Top Microphone

In this week’s episode, we have a look at and listen to the DEITY V-Mic D4 camera-top shotgun microphone. This $99 USD microphone is at home on a camera, on a boom pole, connected to a mobile phone, or even to a Mac or PC. The D4 is powered via any AAA battery which can power it for up to 60 hours if you use a lithium battery. It automatically powers on or off with your camera, has a directional pickup pattern, and sounds best when you boom it within about 40 cm of the person you’re recording. One of my favorite features is the stemless gain dial which allows you to finesse the the gain. There is also an innovative feature — a shoe mount for a wireless transmitter on the shock mount rail. Let’s take a closer look and a listen!

Find out how to boom this mic to make it sound its best here.

Support my work creating videos by donating at Ko-Fi.com.

- DEITY V-Mic D4 microphone — B&H, Trew Audio, DVE Store, Amazon

- DEITY V-Mic D3 Pro microphone — B&H, Amazon

- Aputure LS 300X used for background light — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Aputure Spotlight Mount — Aputure, B&H, DVE Store. Amazon

- Rosco Gobo creates the pattern on the back wall — B&H

- Canon C70 cinema camera — B&H

- Canon RF 24-70 f/2.8L lens — B&H, Amazon

- Schneider Radiant Soft 1 diffusion filter — B&H

- Panasonic GH5 camera — B&H, Amazon

- Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 II lens — B&H, Amazon

Curtis Judd 11/14/22 Curtis Judd 11/14/22

AKG studio classic microphones — Comparison of the AKG C214, C314, & C414 XLS

In this week’s episode, we take a look at and listen to the AKG C214, C314, and C414 XLS large diaphragm condenser microphones. These variations on AKG’s studio classic include similar feature sets for recording spoken word audio like podcasts, voice over, and livestreams. The AKG series of microphones include switchable polar patterns and inbuilt low-cut filters and pads. Although they’re often found recording vocals and instruments for music, the C series of mics can also be useful for podcast and voiceover recording. In this video we compare and contrast each mic’s feature set, discuss the applications in which they might perform best, and overall have a fun time playing with different mics. Let’s take a closer look!

Support my work creating videos by donating at Ko-Fi.com.

- AKG C214 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone, brightest, crispest of the three — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- AKG C314 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone, best option for sibilant voices — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- AKG C414 XLS Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- AKG C414 XLII, brighter, crisper voicing than XLS — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Table mic stand — B&H, Amazon

- XLR cables (high quality 59 C214 ) — B&H

- Sound Devices MixPre-3 II Series audio recorder — B&H, Sweetwater, DVE Store, Trew Audio, Amazon

- Sound devices Pix-E stand (for the MixPre) — Amazon

- Aputure P300C LED used as key light — Aputure, B&H, DVE Store

- Aputure LS 300X used for background light — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Aputure Spotlight Mount — Aputure, B&H, DVE Store. Amazon

- Rosco Gobo creates the pattern on the back wall — B&H

- Canon C70 cinema camera — B&H

- Canon RF 24-70 f/2.8L lens — B&H, Amazon

- Schneider Radiant Soft diffusion filter — B&H

- Panasonic GH5 camera — B&H, Amazon

- Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 II lens — B&H, Amazon

Curtis Judd 10/31/22 Curtis Judd 10/31/22

Samson Q9x budget broadcast microphone vs SHURE SM7B & Electrovoice RE20

In this week’s episode, we take a look at and listen to the Samson Q9X budget broadcast microphone. This ergonomic podcasting, streaming, and studio microphone is a dynamic mic with a cardioid polar pattern, ample internal shock mounting and wind screening, and an inbuilt mid-boost presence effect. In this video we walk through the Q9X’s feature set, compare it to the SHURE SM7B and ElectroVoice RE20, and discuss how, when, and where you might use each of these three broadcast microphones. Let’s take a closer look and listen!

Check out our review of various audio recorders here.

Check out some more dynamic mic options for podcasting and livestreaming here.

Support my work creating videos by donating at Ko-Fi.com.

- Samson Q9X broadcast microphone — B&H, Amazon

- SHURE SM7B studio microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Perfect Circuit, Amazon

- ElectroVoice RE20 broadcast microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Table mic stand — B&H, Amazon

- XLR cables (high quality Canare) — B&H

- FETHead in-line amplifier — B&H, Amazon

- Cloudlifter in-line amplifier — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Sound Devices MixPre-3 audio recorder — B&H, Sweetwater, DVE Store, Trew Audio, Amazon

- Aputure P300C LED used as key light — Aputure, B&H, DVE Store