48V vs Self Powered, Rode NTG4+ Sound Comparison

One of the questions I have routinely gotten over the years since I started this channel has been if the Rode NTG4+ sounds different when powered by 48V phantom power vs self powering. Sounds like an easy enough test to do but instead of me telling you the answer outright, I'm going to make you work for this one. I'll supply the means, you need to listen though.
Just so it's been said, if you compare the performance of the Rode NTG4+ when powered 48V from a stand alone recorder vs self powered going directly into your camera, there will be a huge difference. External recorders are almost universally going to sound better than camera audio inputs. Sure there are high end camera with good preamps but if you own one of those cameras, I doubt you'll use a low quality audio recorder and if you do... shame on you!
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[@tombuck]

Ahh, I’ve been so curious about this! Thanks for the explanation 👍

[@SoundSpeeds]

Did you listen?

[@ekphotography]

Thanks... I just bought a used NTG4+ a couple of weeks ago even though I think you and others said it was not that great... But it was all I could afford and better than my old Video Mic that was like 10 years old..

[@SoundSpeeds]

It's OK, not great. If you need an internally battery powered XLR mic, you could do far worse.

[@freelasenegocioshomeoffice]

Great sound test my friend! how are you recording the audio? I am looking into buying a NTG4+ but I have an old Zoom H4N.. but I feel it will affect the quality of ym audio. What would you recommend or what do you currently use to capture the audio from your Zoom NTG4+?

[@SoundSpeeds]

Usually a Sound Devices MixPre-6 and on rare occasion, a Deity HD-TX.

[@rachelkarengreen99]

Just found your channel through a comment you left on another video, love your stuff!! I was on the market for a new microphone and I have it narrowed down to the NTG 5 and the MKH 416. I don't really care about the price difference, but the reason I am considering the Rode is because of its size. Do you think the 416 is a big step up? Thanks!

[@SoundSpeeds]

Big step up from what mic? From the NTG5, it's a step up. The 416 is bulletproof. In the film industry we say every sound mixer should have a 416 whether they use it or not. The NTG5 sounds very good but is more natural without that MKH low end sound from Sennheiser MKH mics. So if you back off of talent, it will sound more natural which means the lows fall off a tad. The 416 has a little more low end so you back off and it will sound natural (no embellished lows) before falling off. Check out this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKLLenSrqtGqorc

[@rachelkarengreen99]

@@SoundSpeeds TY for quick/helpful reply!

[@SoundSpeeds]

Sure thing. Glad to help.

[@thomasjdurfee]

Neat! I turned my headphones up all the way and could hear a slightly higher ring when phantom powered than self powered, but at regular listening volume, imperceptible. Joke: When picking my mic power options, I took the Rode less travelled, and it apparently made none of the difference.

[@SoundSpeeds]

😆

[@SoundSpeeds]

If you can't hear a difference, start with the noise floor test and listen to the sound as it flips back and forth. If you hear something, identify what it is and then listen to my voice tests.

[@ShawnMilo]

I didn't notice a difference in the room tone between the two, but your voice sounded much better with phantom power.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Really? Cool to note. Trying listening a little louder with headphones during a quieter area.

[@imark7777777]

Always wondered about this. I really should've listened more closely but I also don't plan on buying this microphone anytime soon and will revisit if I do. Waiting for my credit limit to return..... Oh and Did you hear about the Phantom of the power, it was all charged up.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Is that a joke?

[@JoshuaEiffel]

I feel like I'm hearing a bit more of everything with the self-power. I can't tell if that's more noise as well though, or just a different sounding noise. Maybe just a noise that includes more frequencies? I'm not very audio technical though. Just going by a laymans ear - the phantom sounds neater, but the self-powered makes me feel more connected to your voice because I feel more surrounded by volume and perhaps a bit of everything.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Ok. Thanks for sharing

[@aaronaustin7760]

The audio quality had a crispier tone when self-powered. At least to my ears while wearing Sennheiser HD 558 headphones running through an Avid MBox pro headphone jack.

[@SoundSpeeds]

👍

[@derkhedemann5606]

I think that the Rode NTG4+ is a good choice for my voice-over home studio as an extra microphone.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Very good. It's versatile but not for everyone.

[@luisa9628]

Do you have any experience with Oktava microphones? The MK012 hypercardioid has some good words spoken about it. They also have some interesting things like a mini tube microphone, and surprisingly cheap ribbon microphones.

[@SoundSpeeds]

I have no experience with the ribbon but the hypercardioid MK012, I do. It's very good for the money and even better if it's modded by Bill Sitler. Goto billsrecording.com for more info

[@luisa9628]

@@SoundSpeeds I have the MK012 but didn't know about the mod kit. I'll have to pick one of those up and do a few practice runs with my iron. Thank you.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Bill will also do the mod for you for a very reasonable price.

[@luisa9628]

@@SoundSpeeds Contacted him. He's gonna mod 3 for me. Thank you so much.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Glad to help. Enjoy!

[@user-qv8no4wd4k]

Listening to both, they are both exactly the same. There is no no difference to me in anything. Listening through AKG K271 MkII Headphones, plugged into a Macbook Air M1. My Ear Specialist says my ears are perfect at 100%, however, I have 3 separate continuous tinnitus sounds. So for myself after watching your whole video several times, I found it to have been a complete waste of time, it did not give any indication to which is better. Guess this was filmed as a joke with a sense of humour that I am not used to here in New Zealand. Because of my three loud tinnitus sounds, I rely on getting feedback from others when I do my audio edits. I am also very reliant on other people's opinions here on KZbin when it comes to purchasing Audio Gear. So I looked through the comments which says one is better than the other in some way. Which one is better? Why is it better? When I get an answer I will change my thumbs down to a thumbs up. Just a suggestion: Say a few months after you have released your video onto KZbin, give your in-depth analysis. As a comment and at the bottom of the description and ask others for their opinions on your analysis. Because for some reason you asked for a joke: Q: Why was the movie so quiet? A: Because when they said “Sound Speeds”, it went so fast it left the movie behind!

[@SoundSpeeds]

If self powered, there's a background noise that's not present when phantom powered. Listen again.

[@jaselim4552]

Great video…I don’t really hear a difference, if there is one I don’t think it is very noticeable, but then again I’m not trained so not sure :)

[@SoundSpeeds]

How are you listening?

[@jaselim4552]

@@SoundSpeeds Just through some random headphones I have…probably why I can’t hear much 😅

[@SoundSpeeds]

LOL.

[@PauloPink]

Not sure if I got it right, but I thought it to be slightly louder and with a high noise when self-powered.

[@SoundSpeeds]

There's definitely a noticable change of frequencies audible

[@bahathir_]

The sound when using built-in power seem to be slightly brighter and louder. Android phone -> Audient EVO4 -> IEMs Thank you.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Thank you for your perspective. 😀

[@bahathir_]

@@SoundSpeeds Sorry if I am wrong. :)

[@SoundSpeeds]

I don't think you are. :-)

[@sleepybaby7375]

Can I use an Audix f5 as a voice mic? How do I set it up on a PC? Thank you.

[@SoundSpeeds]

I'm sure you can. Get an audio interface.

[@kengoodwin459]

Feel like doing another test with AA batteries that are borderline ready to die?

[@SoundSpeeds]

It doesn't take AA batteries or any batteries for that matter. It has an internal lithium rechargeable inside.

[@SparkY0]

How's do you recharge the microphone? Phantom power?

[@SoundSpeeds]

Micro-USB inside the XLR plug. Takes 2 hours to charge and supposedly lasts 150 hours

[@TerjeNesthus]

@@SoundSpeeds Yes, its very nice. Many times i come home after filming and forget to turn it off. Then days later im gonna film something else, and i see the green light still there ready to go

[@SoundSpeeds]

👍

[@ChemicyGamingID]

What phantom power did you use?

[@SoundSpeeds]

48V and internal power.

[@Hugmir]

I'm not shure but I think I picked the right rode after my disappointment with noisy false deities. Yes, the NT-1 is adorable.

[@SoundSpeeds]

I love the NT1. It's a great mic

[@Dracomies]

I can't tell a difference without headphones. The mic does sound good on you though. I can tell it's more of a darker microphone.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Hmmm, OK. Thanks. :-)

[@Dracomies]

@@SoundSpeeds Well, darker than the NT1, which you use a few times :P

[@SoundSpeeds]

Listen with headphones and tell me what you think

[@Dracomies]

@@SoundSpeeds So compared your audio here to the Rode NT1 recordings. 1st track is your audio here and the 2nd track is the NT1. voca.ro/175sVdhfZ0qO To my ears, your voice here sounds much more full where I feel the NT1 has a boxy tone to it.

[@SoundSpeeds]

I'll check it out when I get back to my studio. Thanks.

[@beatsbyandrew]

So this doesn't have an audio interface/digital output via USB? Seems like a missed opportunity for Rode rolling every product into Rode Central

[@SoundSpeeds]

No, it doesn't. It's an XLR mic.

[@Coolshows101]

I watched this because I have this microphone. I never thought there might a difference. I didn't notice one. Joke. What do you call a grumpy German? Sauerkraut.

[@SoundSpeeds]

There is a difference. May need to wear headphones and turn it up to hear.

[@Coolshows101]

@@SoundSpeeds I was wearing my V-moda M200 ANC wired to my computer. I didn't hear any difference, even with my volume at 100.

[@SoundSpeeds]

There is a difference. Subtle but there

[@Coolshows101]

@@SoundSpeeds This time I noticed a slight difference. There seems to be a bright hum when powering itself. The difference is noise floor is like "ooooooooooooo" for the phantom power, and "aaaaaaaaaaahhhhh" for the self power. I came back here as I am filming a video and I forgot to turn it off and charge it after filming last night. I am plugged into my zoom H6 which is plugged into the wall. I will run it on phantom power for now. Should sound close enough. Will report back with differences I notice. Turns out I had phantom power on while using self power. I have no idea what that does to the recording or equipment.

[@SoundSpeeds]

It doesn't hurt it but it may affect the sound a bit as you see. Slightly. Nothing big though.

[@pinkzeppelinx771]

No change.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Really? Ok. 🤔

[@Hugmir]

I fail to see any difference. And I rewound that selfnoise section about four times. Which is frankly a bit disappointing; I was somewhat hoping to hear at least slightly different kind of selfnoise...

[@SoundSpeeds]

There is a difference. Start with the noise floor test and listen to the deeper frequencies and go from there.

[@Hugmir]

@@SoundSpeeds ....bloody hell, you're right. It is so quiet, though... and I did not expect the difference to be in the lowest part of the sound spectrum. I really had to crank it crazy-up, to hear that low hum.

[@SoundSpeeds]

👍

[@onehatshop]

I use NT4+ connect to Zoom h6 ->.... so much noise :(

[@SoundSpeeds]

Yeah but I suspect the H6 is the culprit there.

[@onehatshop]

@@SoundSpeeds yes i guess zoomh6 ;(. Because rode ntg4+ so good

[@SoundSpeeds]

You said noise not sound quality. That tells me it's more likely noise floor or preamp performance. Am I missing something?

[@onehatshop]

@@SoundSpeeds thats noise floor. Gain in zoom h6 is number 4

[@SoundSpeeds]

That's weird. It's a condenser and should have decent noise performance at 4.