7 Shotgun Microphones Compared + Male/Female Audio Samples (Rode, Deity, Saramonic, Synco, & Senal)

In this video I compare 7 different shotgun microphones to help you improve the production value of your audio.
Half of creating high quality video is recording high quality audio, so it's important to find the best sounding microphone for your specific budget, voice, and setup.
There's no one best microphone for everyone, so I've included male and female voice samples of every microphone in a boom setup for interviews or talking head videos, as well as a desk top podcast or voiceover configuration.
The microphones featured in this video are the Rode VideoMic NTG, Deity V-Mic D3 Pro, Synco Mic D-30, Senal MC24-EL, Saramonic SoundBird V1, Saramonic SoundBird T3, and Rode NTG3.
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== LINKS ==
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Please consider using these affiliate links if you purchase any items. It won't cost you anything extra, but it will help me create more content like this.
Deity V-Mic D3 Pro - geni.us/deityvmicd3pro
Rode VideoMic NTG - geni.us/rodevideomicntgshotgun
Synco Mic-D30 - geni.us/syncomicd30
Senal MC24-EL - geni.us/senalmc24el
Saramonic SoundBird V1 - geni.us/saramonicsoundbirdv1
Saramonic SoundBird T3 - geni.us/saramonicsoundbirdt3
Rode NTG3 - geni.us/rodentg3shotgun
Deity HD-TX - geni.us/deityhdtx
Saramonic Furry Windscreen - geni.us/saramonictmws1
Saramonic Blimp - geni.us/saramonicvwsblimp
Like the music in my videos? Get a 30-day free trial to Epidemic Sound - www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
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== TABLE OF CONTENTS ==
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0:00 - Intro and Product B-Roll
0:49 - Important Info Before Watching
1:32 - Deity V-Mic D3 Pro
2:44 - Deity HD-TX
3:07 - Rode VideoMic NTG
4:46 - Synco Mic-D30
5:39 - Senal MC24-EL
6:46 - Saramonic SoundBird V1
7:40 - Saramonic SoundBird T3
8:41 - Wind Noise Reduction Options
9:54 - Rode NTG3
10:58 - Back to Back Boom Comparison (Male)
12:10 - Back to Back Boom Comparison (Female)
13:17 - Back to Back Podcast/Voiceover Comparison (Male)
14:21 - Back to Back Podcast/Voiceover Comparison (Female)
15:22 - Final Thoughts
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== CONNECT ==
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Instagram: / newlayercom
Facebook: / nwlyr
Twitter: / nwlyr

[@BradyBessette]

sold me right at the intro, I'm not even an audio guy!

[@NewLayer]

Ha, thanks! The little intros have kind of became my thing. I’m not an audio guy per se, but have recorded music and other things for a long time. I wanted to do a comparison of these in a “normal” environment, not a super sound proofed studio room because most people looking to upgrade don’t have that. I just hope the REAL audiophiles don’t get mad 😅

[@SYNCOMicrophones]

Thanks for your review for SYNCO Mic-D30 ！ 💪💪💪

[@NewLayer]

You're welcome! It's definitely an interesting mic. I'd love to try your other 2 shotgun mics :)

[@NewLayer]

EDIT: I have a few of these shotgun mics for sale at a discount at newlayer.com/shop DM me on Instagram @newlayercom for extra discounts. I should also mention that my office studio has very minimal sound/echo proofing, which is the situation many people are in who are looking to upgrade, so these comparisons should work especially well if you're not in a fully sound treated room. What microphone are you currently working with?

[@ungavaproductions]

Excellent presentation. Very good way to compare. Accurate info. Thanks for sharing

[@NewLayer]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the comment :)

[@PanteraRossa]

Very thorough man!! Much appreciated! Really impressed by the Senal, very rich and well rounded in both male and female, but surprisingly the Songbird V1 may be my pick for female voice. Just missing the audio technica probably to round out your list but well done indeed.

[@NewLayer]

Thanks, glad it helped! And I have similar thoughts. The Senal is a hidden gem and I highly recommend it for anyone. And the SoundBird V1 is a bit muffled for male voices, but that can be a positive thing for female voices like you mentioned. I have about 8 new mics for a Part 2 soon, unfortunately, Audio Technica never replies to me :-/

[@billsmith5166]

Nice job! The T3 is one that I wouldn't have considered. I like it. Thanks,

[@NewLayer]

Glad you liked it. Thanks for commenting :)

[@joenicklo]

J.T Shaver here with a fresh haircut boy!!!! Loved this one man. Audio is one aspect I lack in so it's nice to see you dive into this topic.

[@NewLayer]

Hahaha, the quarantine self-haircut is here to stay I think. I can do it faster and don't have to leave the house! I think your audio sounds great, but like anything, tweaking to "perfection" is always something we strive for. Better videos every time!

[@wolfdogaerial2859]

Great comparison, thanks.

[@NewLayer]

Thanks! I have a Part 2 coming sometime soon with all new mics, so keep your ears peeled!

[@ramdogproductions]

Love to hear a comparing against the senn 418. Great video ;-)

[@NewLayer]

Thanks! I finally got ahold of the 418 since my Part 2 of this series, so hopefully I'll round up enough soon to do a Part 3.

[@marksaustralia6464]

GREAT review! text-book run down of the items, plus USING them while discussing them. Links an comments 5 stars!

[@NewLayer]

Thanks! Glad you liked it. I have a Part 2 coming soon that should be even better.

[@alexandredumbass1693]

Best video on shotgun mics...well done

[@NewLayer]

Hey thanks! I have a Part 2 coming sometime with 7-8 new options as well :)

[@SamHolland]

Man! All your thumbnails ... 👌🏻😃 awesome info in all video too 🙏🏻🎥

[@NewLayer]

Thanks a lot! Sometimes the ones I half-ass come out the best, and sometimes I spend a whole day trying to get a good photo and give up and use a screen grab, haha.

[@SamHolland]

@@NewLayer 😂 you’re definitely on the right path. I need to up the game for sure. Awesome videos 🙏🏻

[@NewLayer]

@@SamHolland Thanks, same to you!

[@Yondainc]

Great job! Thank you.

[@NewLayer]

Thanks, glad it helped!

[@MCMCHRIS]

I just had to see the intro to hit the like button! Dope

[@NewLayer]

Thanks! I don't have as much time lately to do the fun b-roll intros, but I have some other fun ideas for future videos.

[@eltondioquino]

New look! New comparo! Cheers

[@curtisc8386]

I have a Rode ntg-2 and an Rode ntg-3, plus the oktava mk-012. I haven't used any of the others you've tested but I'm not feeling any regrets after listening to your test, great test btw.

[@NewLayer]

It would be very hard to regret the NTG3 compared to any of these, but the NTG2 falls in this range, and is a fantastic mic, I couldn't get ahold of one to include this time around. I would love to do a follow up video comparing some of the other mics in the NTG lineup. Thanks for the feedback :)

[@curtisc8386]

@@NewLayer the ntg-2 seems to be a little weak on gain so I bought one of those fethead in-line phantom preamps but haven't had a chance to try it out with it. I've seen some tests though and makes a huge difference because you don't have to turn your gain up as high in the recorder so has less noise injected into the audio.

[@NewLayer]

@@curtisc8386 Interesting! Especially considering that the NTG3 was by far the loudest mic in this lineup, and the VideoMic NTG was second loudest. Now I'm curious how all the other NTG mics stack up in terms of sensitivity.

[@PatrickRambles]

One more question: I sometimes use my Rode wireless Go set as a wireless transmitter for my Deity V-Mic D3. Are there any advantages for the Deity HDTX, apart from it being a recorder?

[@NewLayer]

The HD-TX provides phantom power, so if you move to an XLR mic without battery power of its own, you need that. Also, if you plug the HD-TX in to your computer via USB, it's also a computer audio interface! Those cost $100-200 minimum, so it works like multiple devices in one, making it a really great value if you're in need of a USB device, recorder, transmitter, and/or phantom power.

[@PatrickRambles]

New Layer it really sounds like a fantastic combo. I use the Scarlett 2i2 at my desk, a zoom H5 for external recording and the rode wireless go for lav stuff. I wish I’d known about the Deity sooner 😁. Thanks a lot once again

[@NewLayer]

Patrick Rambles I have the Scarlett 2i4 so I feel your pain, although I’ve had it since before the HD-TX came out 😁

[@PatrickRambles]

Hey man, thanks a lot for the video. What are your thoughts on the NTG5?

[@NewLayer]

Thanks for watching. I haven't used the NTG3 and NTG5 side by side, so I'm kind of going off memory and what others say but... The NTG3 is notoriously "broadcast" sounding. So it has a good amount of low end, but good clarity. On male voices it almost sounds EQed and compressed right out of the gate, which makes it so popular for voiceover/podcast type work. The NTG5 is mode made for booming because it's much lighter, and I would say neutral sounding. For that reason it also comes with a pistol grip, which can be like $75+, so it's a pretty darn good value.

[@IkerBSparkle]

Well done! Now I just have to listen to it 50 more times so I can decide

[@NewLayer]

Haha too true right? Narrow from 7 to 6, then 6 to 5, and so on. So really you only need to watch it 6 times if you're efficient :)

[@IkerBSparkle]

After listing on head phones o think the Rode ntg3 is the best sounding

[@NewLayer]

@@IkerBSparkle I'm not surprised you think so given its price Vs the others. It has a very "broadcasty" sound with nice low end, but very clear high end. It has a sound that a lot of people "expect" from high end audio, so if you have the budget, it's hard to go wrong with the NTG3.

[@moamenhelmy9510]

thanks amazing video

[@NewLayer]

Thanks for the comment. Happy to help!

[@apexyao8931]

Suggestion for next vid: how you shot the B-roll of the mic in this video. I find it really amazing!

[@NewLayer]

Thanks! It was done with the Kessler Second Shooter Pro, which is a motorized multi-axis slider. I will be doing a full review of it soon, including a mention of doing repeating shots and editing them together like I did in this video :)

[@zulfphotography]

I will be looking for a shotgun soon great timing.

[@NewLayer]

Glad it could help. There are so many good options out there now!

[@lmshree]

Love this video... still watching it, but where did you get that desk behind you? It's nice!

[@NewLayer]

Thanks! I did a whole video on my setup here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2Gbd2h3mteUqdk The desks are linked in the description, but I'm not sure they're available anymore :-/

[@lmshree]

@@NewLayer Thank you! This video was super helpful, and helped me confirm some things.

[@ww1www]

Senal I have never even heard of, but it sounded surprisingly good in all the tests. I googled it, found it, but it seems not to be that widely available in the EU.

[@NewLayer]

Same here! Totally unknown before testing, but one of my favorites. The brand is owned by B&H, so I'm not surprised it's hard to get outside the US. Sorry :'(

[@LonnieStrickland]

good stuff

[@NewLayer]

Thanks dude!

[@christianhotter]

I loved your opening match shots! Ohh...also good info on shotgun mics. :) I just got the Diety D3 pro, and I should have done some more research. It ended up not being the best mic for my Pocket 4k. I should have sprung for an XLR mic, but I can use the D3 pro on my Sony mirrorless camera.

[@NewLayer]

Thanks! And no worries, because like all gear, you'll just move your previous purchases to your other camera, and eventually end up with 5 full fledged setups LOL. I really want to get my hands on the S-Mic 2 and 2S for a future video. They sound great from other samples I've heard.

[@YounusYousuf]

there is an offer for saramonic soundbird t3 for 218usd. what about the noise cancellation from sideways? can you please help

[@NewLayer]

I am actually selling mine for just $150. DM me on Instagram @newlayercom if you’re in the US and interested. Unfortunately I did specifically test noise rejection from the sides, sorry.

[@henrikolsen5]

Nice intro! Unfortunately a lot of background noise for the back to back boom tests. Fan noise from lighting perhaps.

[@NewLayer]

Thanks! And I don't use lights with fans, so you're hearing preamp introduced noise, mic self noise, and perhaps a teeny amount of PC fan noise, but that's very quiet in the room. Either way, it's all easy to remove in post, but I left all the audio raw for fair comparison. These could all be cleaned up, EQed, and compressed very nicely :)

[@terratec1001]

You're looking good Mister ;) The Rode NTG3 sounded the best.

[@NewLayer]

Haha, I can always count on you for a confidence boost. Thanks for the feedback on the mics too.

[@terratec1001]

@@NewLayer You're welcome :) Have a great day,

[@brandennfinch]

Thank you had to scroll for ever

[@joshmcdzz6925]

Have ypu tried the sennheiser mke600? I really like the sound of the senal as it had a good balance between the male and female voice. I wonder what it will sound like paired with an acoustic instrument.. In terms of best sounding, it was the ntg3, then the senal and songbird t3

[@NewLayer]

I just got ahold of one, but haven't tested it yet! It'll be in my next shotgun mic comparison. I really, really love my NTG3 also, and the Senal is still a hidden gem in my book!

[@mandyzines]

I like the Senal best with both of your voices and in second is the Diety, although the sibilance was a lot sharper. My voice is pretty rich. I love my Audio Technica 875R and use the Synco D2 as an alternative.

[@NewLayer]

I don't have it any more, but I would still call the Senal one of the best, if not the best overall value for a "standard" size shotgun mic!

[@mandyzines]

@@NewLayer That's good to know! I wish I knew before I got the Synco.

[@NewLayer]

@@mandyzines The good news is that the D2 is also great, and in reality, won't stop you from creating the content you want. But, I definitely understand the gear regret, haha.

[@mandyzines]

@@NewLayer I worked with the D2 solely for a few months before going back to the AT875R. Maybe if I were doing a project that needed a more neutral tone I'd use it again, but that AT just grabs that part of my voice that's become a part of my branding. I still want to try that Senal. Maybe one day.

[@NewLayer]

@@mandyzines A big part of it is definitely finding the best fit for your own voice!

[@communityvoicechannel7839]

The Rhode mics and Senal are the best sounding to me.

[@NewLayer]

Thanks for the feedback! I think the Senal is a hidden gem for the price. I'm going to grab their short version as soon as it's back in stock to test it out.

[@communityvoicechannel7839]

@@NewLayer Great.

[@michaelmoore163]

"And I love me a good case!" 😂😂

[@NewLayer]

Haha, might sound weird, but I truly do. I'm doing a full video on cases for Godox lights soon. I have 9 options sitting in my studio right now haha.

[@michaelmoore163]

@@NewLayer Wow love it! Thanks for answering!

[@NewLayer]

@@michaelmoore163 Any time! I try to reply to every single comment, otherwise, what's the point in watching my videos? :)

[@ChannelWright]

Rode video mic and ntg3 sound the best to me, the saramonic t3 is a good runner up.

[@NewLayer]

Thanks for the input! I've got 4-5 new mics on hand and will be doing a part 2 of this video when time permits :)

[@Chinjamin2000]

Are there polar or pickup pattern differences between the long or the short Senal MC mics?

[@NewLayer]

They are both hypercardioid, but the long version does have a longer interference tube, so you'll get a different sound out of each. I have the short version as well now, but haven't had time to compare them directly. I have picked up about 6 new mics since this video, and I still think the Senal MC24-EL is a hidden gem, and the best in its price range.

[@Chinjamin2000]

@@NewLayer Thank you so much for the input. I just bought your Senal. I can't wait to check it out!

[@NewLayer]

@@Chinjamin2000 Nice! I think you'll be quite happy with it. It'll be on the way very soon :)

[@Chinjamin2000]

@@NewLayer Sounds so good!!! It took me a little extra time with placement since I'm not used to mics being more than 6 inches away, being in a vocal booth, but once the placement was dialed EQ was easy. Thank you so much for this review and your gearfocus store.

[@NewLayer]

@@Chinjamin2000 Nice, I'm glad you seem to like it as much as me. My trick for placement is that I stick my thumb and pinkie out on one hand and touch my thumb to my forehead, then try to get my shotgun mic to almost touch my pinkie :)

[@430amtrader5]

11:22 rode ntg 12:02 rode ntg3

[@NewLayer]

2 of my favorite mics :)

[@thankyouand3260]

@@NewLayer yeah, I'd probably buy ntg 3 but Sennheiser mke600 is half the price and also top quality, so first Sennheiser

[@NewLayer]

@@thankyouand3260 I'm really curious to test the MKE600 if I can get my hands on it :)

[@Matthew_Raymond]

Having a shotgun microphone perpendicular to a hard, sound-reflective surface is basically a worst-case scenario because the interference tube actually eliminates part of the sound from your voice. The tube is designed to cancel sounds from the sides, but the fundamental assumption in the design is that the sound from the side isn’t the same as the sound from the front. You would be far better off with a hypercardioid mic in this situation.

[@NewLayer]

Can you say that in another way? I am reading it a couple ways. The Senal MC24-EL in the video is a hypercardioid, which is partially why it sounds so good in my office setup. The "podcast/voiceover" samples were recorded in a different room/setup. A hypercardioid pickup pattern is simply an even more focused supercardioid, so when there's a lot of reflection from the sides of the mic, it can often sound better because there will be less room echo and higher levels coming from the actual source it's pointed at. Also, if you have 5 mics that are all supercardioid, that doesn't mean their pickup patterns are all identical. Some will be more focused and some will be less, so it's important to test, or listen to tests, of a lot to see what might work best!

[@Matthew_Raymond]

@@NewLayer It’s not the pickup pattern of the capsule inside the shotgun mic that’s the problem. It’s the interference tube itself. It works by letting sound in from the slats in the sides and reflecting it around in the tube until the reflections become out of phase with the original sound source. The phase-shifted sound and the original sound then cancel each other out. A source at the front of the tube contributes very little sound to the sides, so it doesn’t get cancelled out... unless there’s a reflection of it bouncing off a surface to the side of the mic. The reflected sound from your desk would probably result in a distortion of the sound source. It won’t necessarily sound quieter so much as unnatural, because the phase has to be delayed exactly half the length of the wave to completely cancel out. Getting a non-shotgun will result in more natural sound, although it may have slightly more reverb because you have less isolation. Indoors, non-shotgun hypercardioids are typically used, although you can often get away with using a shorter shotgun mic in some situations, because shorter lengths are less susceptible to the problem. Outdoors, you don’t usually have this problem at all, which is where shotgun mics reign supreme.

[@NewLayer]

@@Matthew_Raymond Thanks for re-explaining. I find the extra reverb to be more distracting than any distortion or coloration from using what might traditionally be the "wrong" mic, and think in my latest 5 or so videos I've dialed in the best possible sound for my current space. I tested some short mics (including the Senal MC24-ES), which I had high hopes for since theoretically I'd get a better sound, but just didn't like them as much. I also recorded some past videos with a non-shotgun condensers, placing them as close to me as possible, then masking them out visually in post. Although it sounded nice, the reverb was too distracting. I've also tried desk top setups with mics pointed up and away from the desk surface. Without additional treatment in my space a traditional boom setup still gives the best sound for me, and after testing 15+ shotgun mics of all lengths, patterns, and prices, the Rode NTG3 and Senal MC24-EL hands down sound the best in my setup. I think in my last 5 or so videos I've dialed in my setup/settings to get the best possible sound out of my current room. I currently have 6-7 more mics to test for a Part 2, so perhaps it's a good idea to do a segment covering what you mentioned. Thanks for commenting! :)

[@daialos]

All basically the same or is just me?

[@NewLayer]

There are very significant differences. Maybe try listening on a pair of headphones, or watch on a TV.

[@akutame]

pewdiepie be like : bruh

[@NewLayer]

I wish he'd "bruh" me.

[@akutame]

Lmao xd