Deity V-MIC D4 Shotgun Mic Review (VS RØDE VideoMic GO II, NTG, VideoMicro, Deity D3 Pro, Deity DUO)

[@hecjvaldez]

This is THE BEST review of the D4 mic. Thanks so much!!

[@LMActionsports]

I just picked up the d4 from Amazon on prime day for $79. I’m really excited to upgrade my microphone. I’ve been using Boya MM1 mini shotgun microphone for the past two years and then after picking up the DJI wireless go 2 microphones I’ve been wanting to upgrade my shotgun microphone. And after seeing such a good deal on this microphone I figured to give it a try. I like that it has an adjustable gain. And all the reviews I’ve watched and listen to the audio sounds great. Thanks for making this video and glad I found your channel. I will be using this on my Sony A7iv and A7rv.

[@912582]

Wow, best review for this type of product I've seen. Great tech info and very well structured. Thank you!

[@rickbiessman6084]

9:27 Instant like! Now I know what I was always missing from mic reviews!

[@RADERFPV]

That guitar test was cool, nice playing!

[@rickbiessman6084]

The blind test was really, really interesting. For me, Mic #7 did sound the most realistic, but it was pretty much a draw between it and #1 and #4. #2 sucked to my ears (wasn’t surprised by the reveal) and #6 seriously lacked some top end (again, not very surprised). #3 had some unnaturally emphasized high-end, around 10kHz.

[@saintwolfvision]

holy pups that was an amazing mic review. blind test i liked 3 & 4 the best.

[@markshirley01]

Thanks that was very handy - initially I was looking at the Senhiser MKE 400, but the D4 sounds a great mic as well

[@natefromhome]

Yasssssss been waiting for this.

[@natefromhome]

Would love to see a video on how you do post processing sometime.

[@432HzUSA]

Thank you for this information, simply perfect 👍🏻

[@Maximilan20]

Without seeing the results I choose 4 and 5. Just got the D4 Duo and I was comteplating to send it back but I guess I'll keep it and explore some more.

[@ruthlessrog1]

Great review been tossing around trying out the d4. I think you sold me on it. My guess is the AT875r.

[@AudioHotline]

Hey! Thanks! Sorry for the late response, but sadly it's not the AT875r, but that is a very good guess... definitely on the right track.

[@ruthlessrog1]

@@AudioHotline im a vocalist/voice guy... love me some mics 🤣💚 i got the d4 in and im still tweaking the settings per situation.

[@leventbuda2294]

​@@AudioHotlinehello dude nice video. I have a Xiaomi 13 ultra phone and I'm going to get a hohem m6 gimbal. I have a Jeep wrangler and With the top half open or closed softtop. During my trips, I will livestream from Instagram. I don't want to rode as a microphone I watched a video And other electronic devices make sizzling noise in the microphone. deity v mic 4 or v mic Duo which do u advise for me? Thanks

[@Vemovemo1]

Amazing job! Very clear and complete, thanks!

[@Madhawk1995]

thank you for mentioning the d4 duo even exists. that's exactly what I wanted.

[@dave8477781]

huge props for clearing the steam wand. my barista doesn't even do that most times.

[@Dracomies]

Revisiting this review, oddly a month after. There are 2 things that give this an edge over the Videomic GO 2. It has an SPL of 130. I totally overlooked this. But the Videomic Go 2 only has an SPL of 110 and I easily overloaded the SPL on some takes. The other advantage is that this has an attached gain knob. This allows you to have more control over the audio. But the deal-breaker for me for the D4 is that this doesn't have latency free monitoring when plugged into a computer. It means you really can't use this for voiceover or for streaming or for Zoom calls - so I'd still go with the Videomic Go 2. At least with an XLR shotgun, you can do latency free monitoring within the interface itself. But because this is USB, you have nothing to monitor. If this included headphone monitoring, it'd be a clear winner. And if RODE included a gain knob and a higher SPL - essentially the Videomic NTG - but in a Videomic Go 2 package, they'd be set. I mean it was wild, I was distorting even on 32 bit float recorders with the Videomic Go 2 because I was overloading the SPL. Almost like the microphone was getting overloaded before the preamps were.

[@LeandroMartinezLFM]

Do you know if when hooked to a computer, the mic requires the battery to be in it? I've been trying to find this information everywhere without success

[@IvanSergio1984]

Mine stopped working during the first month of use. The green light blinks once or twice when I plug it in. It does record very loud sounds but nothing else. Anyone else experience this problem?

[@StaticCamperVan]

Nice review 👍🏼

[@adrianomoreira1341]

Hello! Excellent analysis, like all of this channel! Thanks! I have a doubt: when you put the Deity side by side with the Rode VideoMic Go 2, because one of them is more or less sensitive than the other, would that affect the test result? I'll explain better: the two were at the same distance, but maybe because of the fact that (it's just an example) Rode Go 2 is less sensitive, if you put it closer to your mouth, would it improve the audio quality, matching the Deity? Friend, your channel is one of the best channels about audio and microphones, I'm a huge fan. Thank you very much. A hug from Brazil (Rio de Janeiro).

[@jd5787]

I have a cheap taste or bad ears. I like the Audio Technica best ;) saramonic VM4 or Vmic5 not good? Thanks!

[@AudioHotline]

That’s actually why I put that mic in the video, I feel like it is probably the best option from an audio standpoint. Some could argue that once you get an audio recorder or interface it would be just as expensive or more expensive than some of these options. However, this does work with an XLR to 3.5mm cable going into a camera, but some sort of external preamp driving the mic is more ideal than the camera’s preamp.

[@dsecond_]

This or the d3 pro? Cause there’s a store near me and they’re selling the d3 pro on a discounted price thats makes it the same price as the d4. What you think? TIA!

[@AudioHotline]

I would say it just comes down to whether or not you want USB compatibility. If you do get the D4, if not, get the d3 pro.

[@samuelcharris2511]

I really like your style of reviewing, thank you!!

[@DoozyyTV]

Are the D4 and the D4 Mini the same product? Like did they change the name? Because I can't find the D4 anymore. Thanks

[@newmillennials]

Thanks, very useful and entertaining!

[@SIBIRIAKcom]

I've been wondering fro quite some time. Why not recording with music mic? to sensitive and it results to catching unwanted sounds?

[@sethconstanine9328]

Does the 4D turn on itself unplugged into a unpowered camera 3.5 jack like on the canon C 100 mark two ?

[@alejandroma1]

Thanks for this video, love the asmr matcha section LOL, just got the Deity V4 and think it's a good mic for the price and the size, on the blind comparison I like number 5 the 3 and at last 6 what a sock. Do you think the Deity will last? can you tell me if you think it would be a good entry lever for sound recording? Not on big productions but for weddings corporate videos etc, thanks in advance

[@user-vo7lw5xt3p]

Great review! I was wondering since you have reviewed so many microphones, what boom mike and field recorder would you suggest to record a short film. I would like something affordable but wouldn’t mind spending more for something that is better. I am new to this (recording with an external mike) so I will be learning on the spot and watching a lot of KZbin tutorials. I just want clean and clear audio from an actor that I would be recording off camera maybe as far as a couple of feet and above (for those widescreen shots). Thanks!

[@indiejacob]

Would you mind sharing your post processing settings? That sounded clean dude

[@AudioHotline]

Thank you! Yes, I can definitely share them. Here is the chain I was using. 1. FabFilter Q3 (EQ plug-in | MY FAVORITE PLUG-IN EVER) 2. FabFilter Pro G (Gate Plug-in) 3. UA 1176LN (Compressor) 4. UA LA-2A Silver (Compressor/Limiter) Even though these plug-ins can be a bit expensive, you do not NEED them. You can definitely use stock versions on a DAW or editor and get good results.However, the parameters and response for each plug-in can be different. So you may need to tweak these settings slightly with the plug-ins you use. Also, depending on the level you recorded at, the thresholds and outputs may need to be changed. However, the attack, release, EQ, and ratios can definitely be used as reference points! Here is a link to screenshots for all the plug-ins and parameters I specifically used in the processing section of this video: audiohotlinegear.com/deityd4processing

[@MelliBiz]

@@AudioHotline Can You PLEASE Make A Video On Using Free Tools? Pls!

[@ciekaweurzadzenia]

Which of them did you think was the least harsh/strong in spoken words?

[@timfreeeed]

bought the v mic d4 after your vid, it's extremely quiet even with +10 gain, compared to yeti on medium settings which is very loud and clear. no interface. i don't understand it

[@salmanovartyom]

Can this mic work with recorder zoom h8 adapter Jack 6,3 ? Don understand how work analog/digital output...

[@j.edwardrobinson1552]

Great review of the D4... my only question if does it work with the Canon R3?

[@AudioHotline]

@@j.edwardrobinson1552 yep! It will work!

[@this_is_lemon]

Is a battery still required in the Deity V-MIC D4 when connecting it to a PC via USB to use it as a USB mic?

[@Ceznex]

"The Kitty Purr Test"😂

[@JamTime007]

Does anyone know what the sampling rate and bit depth are when recording via usb-c? Thanks in advance!

[@klerkusmaximus]

I am in need of a little help here. I am looking forward to an allround microphone that I can use on a DSLR, and PC for recording, streaming, and talking over discord. Recording will be me learning Kalimba, and maybe some rollerblading (mainly slalom). Is there something out there that fits my needs on an amateur level ofc. I looked up Sennheiser MKE400, Rode Videomic Go 2, and Deity D4 and can't actually decide. Thanks!

[@AudioHotline]

I’d say your best bets are the deity D4, the Rode VideoMic NTG, or the Rode VideoMic Go 2. All of those are both USB and 3.5mm compatible. The one particular way that rode beats out deity with these mics: the on-board dsp + software. You can use Rode Connect and Rode Central with the Go II (and ntg) and alter the sound of your mic to complement your voice. I wish deity had a software that could compare to Røde, maybe one day. However, the deity does come with the furry windscreen which can be nice for outdoor use. The Go II furry windscreen is an extra $29. It kind of depends on what matters more to you. I personally like the software element to the Go II, if you don’t really care for that and would rather get more accessories, then go with the deity.

[@klerkusmaximus]

​@@AudioHotline thanks for your reply, very much appreciated. I actually tended towards Deity D4, but I have read something that it does not have 'zero latency monitoring, you really cant use it for voiceover, streaming, or zoom calls'. How is this translated for an amateur? It sounded that I can't actually use it for my needs. The Rode NTG might be abit over my budget, since there aren't really good offers for used ones. An actual dB knob etc. would be very nice also.

[@KempuraChicken]

XLR mic, in between two vastly different prices. Is it the Lewitt 440 Pure? Absolute violent stab in the dark.

[@AudioHotline]

That is a solid guess, but it's not the 440. I may need to include another hint hahaha.

[@MarknKathryn]

Great video! Thanks!

[@Just_privat]

Does the mic need the battery if used on pc (usbc)? just wondering for the drain if used alot as pc mic :)

[@AudioHotline]

It will be powered by the PC, so you won’t have to worry about battery life.

[@tomcreativespace]

Hi, thank you for explaining the video so well. I have a question though. I am planning to purchase the Deity V-Mic D4, which comes with a USB-C to TRRS cable. I already have Scarlet audio interface with XLR input for a microphone. Do you suggest that I also need to buy a TRRS to XLR converter to use the Deity microphone with my audio interface? Will there be an increase in quality by using the XLR input on the audio interface?

[@TheKoles]

Hi! How did you solve this problem? I am currently working on this issue.

[@kissu_io]

Quite dope video. 👌🏻

[@JustTryGambling]

is the mystery microphone the RODE Podmic?

[@RenZvers3]

Please do a review of the Rode NT USB+

[@Erigorn]

Nice review! Think Ima grab it :p

[@Erigorn]

Oh yeah, in Canada, so I'm only playing for points, but was it the ECM VG1? I feel like it's a curveball question

[@kingvinh10]

great information and testing in this video. was the mic the at897?

[@domTT]

i like the 5 most than 1 & 2, surprised not surprised 5 is the d4.

[@edemfromeden5432]

Great content! Just got mine, and it is not connecting to my iPhone 13 (using the Apple usb-c to Jack) and it is not working (the green light is not turning green on the mic). It is also not working on my Windows pc .... Looking at their product description "Compatible with Cameras, Recorders, Smartphones, Laptops, and Tablets". What am I doing wrrong ?

[@AudioHotline]

For the iPhone you will need to use the 3.5mm to lightning port adapter. It’s the same one you would use to plug in headphones. When it comes to the cables the mic comes with, you would need to use the usb-c (plugged into the mic’s output) to 3.5mm cable. Then that 3.5mm end would plug into the adapter, then the adapter into the phone. This is the adapter you need: amzn.to/40qCHBB You can usually get them at Best Buy for $10 if you have one near by and don’t have this adapter.

[@edemfromeden5432]

@@AudioHotline sorry, that's what I meant, lighting port adapter. It is not working :/ Just tested on my wife's android device and it just works, could it be a problem with the adapter (but it is brand new) idk :(

[@AudioHotline]

Have you tried both of the 3.5mm cables that come with the deity?

[@edemfromeden5432]

@@AudioHotline just connected my Bose headphones through the adapter to my iPhone and it works, is there any setting I have to make on my iPhone to make this work ? EDIT: it looks like the mic gets detected as headphones instead lol ....

[@edemfromeden5432]

@@AudioHotline yep :/ no luck

[@Coarse_1]

I recently saw your old videos that featured the blue yeti. May I ask what your audio settings are for it as my yeti doesn't sound anywhere near as good as yours?

[@AudioHotline]

Most optimal way of using the blue yeti, that I have personally found: I always use it in cardioid mode. Probably around 40-50% gain. I make sure I am about 4-6 inches away from it and have some sort of pop filter for protection or I have it angled at the corner of my mouth, rather than talking directly into it. BIG ISSUE FOR MICS LIKE THE BLUE YETI: Room sound/noise is going to have a BIG influence on a mic like the blue yeti. If you are in a very reverberant room with absolutely no treatment… it isn’t going to sound to great. Something you can try to help the sound is hanging up blankets, possibly moving blankets and minimizing some of that room reverb, that could help a lot. If you don’t want to find a way to treat your room, I would recommend moving to a dynamic microphone, rather than a condenser like the Blue Yeti. Hope this helps, thanks for watching!

[@YachtsonStClaire]

Love isn’t always on time 💯

[@MarkLargo]

11:56 was when i subbed. Was a bit underwhelmed tho. Need to play the entire song.

[@LeandroMartinezLFM]

This video is awesome! When using the adapter to XLR input with the Zoom F3, does the mic still require the battery to be in it or is it powered by the zoom f3?

[@andriibudim]

great video, man! I own rode video mic go II and cannot be happier. Let me guess microphone - is it Shure MV7X XLR ?

[@AudioHotline]

The GO II is definitely solid. I usually just enable the Big Bottom and Aphex Exciter in the app and just leave it on... Sounds solid. It is not the Shure MV7X XLR ☹ Thank you for commenting and guessing though!

[@andriibudim]

@@AudioHotline great to know! Big bottom sounds very full. Its my go to mic on the go, especially when you close to it

[@miksvillamor]

Great review!! I bought it because of your review, But I can't make it sound like yours in this video. Is there anything you could suggest for me to change or do with the settings to sound like this?

[@AudioHotline]

Hey!! Thank you! A few questions so we can hopefully get to the bottom of this: What camera / device are you using? How far away are you from the mic? A big part is definitely manually lowering the gain in the camera and using the mic’s gain dial as the main source of reaching your desired level. Distance from the mic is the next big one too. Let me know!

[@miksvillamor]

@@AudioHotline Thanks to you! I am using a6400 with audio level 3, almost 2 feet away. I hope this helps. 🙏

[@miksvillamor]

@@AudioHotline Do you also think that recording directly to camera vs computer matters? is quality gonna be the same?

[@AudioHotline]

Would you say the sound you get is similar to when I stand 2 feet away around 9:50 (ish) in the video? I do think you could get better results going into a computer, but it shouldn’t be a massive difference. if you get a 3.5mm extension cable and a cheap mic stand and get this mic 8-10 inches away from your mouth, that is going to improve the audio quality the most! I can send you some inexpensive recommendations for an extension cable and a mic stand if you want!

[@miksvillamor]

@@AudioHotline Please send those recommendations thank you so much.

[@reese457]

cool vid man! Really helped me make a decision! Cant say I have ever seen a person do a cat test 🤣.

[@shadowkz]

Thank you for review! Help me, will it work like a boom microphone with an extension cord with Zoom H1?

[@AudioHotline]

Yes, definitely!

[@shadowkz]

@@AudioHotline I read on the forum that the microphone does not detect the connection through the extension cord and does not turn on because of the "smart port", is that true? If not, then you need an extension cord with TRRS jack?

[@AudioHotline]

@@shadowkz let me test this and let you know. I used a couple different kinds during my testing and never had an issue. I don’t believe they were TRRS either, but I’ll check and let you know.

[@shadowkz]

@@AudioHotline 🙏 thank you! I will be waiting for your answer.

[@AudioHotline]

@@shadowkz Hey! I was able to do some testing. I used a Hosa cable, Røde cable, and some random amazon cable. All of them were 3.5mm female to 3.5mm male TRS extension cables and every single one of them worked with the D4 going into the H1 and an H1n, (and H5 and H6)... As soon as I plugged in a TRS to TRRS adapter the cables stopped working. So yes, the extension cables definitely work and the H1 and H1n. It does detect it and it will automatically turn the D4 on. Definitely don't get a TRRS extension though, it won't work. I don't know what issues people were having on that forum, sounds kind of like an operator error somehow, or a bad H1, D4 or cable... maybe they didn't charge the mic? 😂but everything worked as it should for me! Hope this helped!

[@SIBIRIAKcom]

thank you for not calling it a deceased feline.

[@andrewrice9383]

4 and 6 could do well with that camera top vibey sound 3 and 5 and 7 sound more neutral 1 has a nice punchy sound for aggressive vlogging Guess I didn’t like 2

[@fluphybunny930]

"Ride around in my kangaroo sack all day" This is the content we came to hear.

[@tjzuppe]

OK but when does the AH-ASMR channel launch?

[@garythewolf]

Was it a Mke600??

[@AudioHotline]

Nope, that’s a good guess though!!!

[@AcesPrune]

Ultimately, what do you think the best Mic in the world is? Under 600, let's say?

[@enriquekahn9405]

I missed this video somehow. Here's the obligatory like and comment.

[@soundofthegardenwatc]

I like Mic 4

[@jordanroth3997]

Did I win?

[@MarkBennettCameraCrisis]

Puberty colds are the worst.

[@AudioHotline]

It’s true dude. The sniffles + hair growing in weird places… terrible.

[@TheKjack239]

Was it the shure sm7b?

[@Dracomies]

Feel like the Blind Comparison can't be used in this video because you had a cold. That 'totally' changes everything. I mean I get it's a total pain in the A to do it all over again. But imo, if you have a cold that's not going to be consistent with your other videos and can't be used reliably. :P Too bad there's no quick way to redo the video though.

[@AudioHotline]

I have two perspectives on this. First: We all have different voices anyway. It wouldn’t really matter if it was me or someone else who recorded the comparison because you can hear how the voice is different from yours and therefore you would know how it would sound on yours… same for the rest of the vid. If anything it actually kind of helps the blind comparison so you can hear the mic in a different way and it gives a fresh perspective so you don’t immediately know the Deity. Second: However, (and this is a big however haha) as a single video, it may be fine, but in the grand scheme it really throws my videos off. Maybe that is what you meant too. I definitely plan on putting the deity in future comparisons and hopefully making up for this one a bit. Ideally I want to sound the same in every video especially the comparison so people can go back to them and hear them against other comparisons in other videos. Sadly deadlines exist haha. The comparison was definitely a good test for chain smokers too 😂😂😂

[@Dracomies]

@@AudioHotline It's sort of a repetition and familiarity thing. :P I watch all your videos and have a general sense of what each microphone sounds on you. Even when I do a blind test, I get out a piece of paper. I put a check mark if I think it sounds good. I click delete on my computer if it's not good, and in the end there's usually 2-3 mics that sound really good on you. But there's mics that you use throughout, patterns and repetition. But my rationale is that the moment you get a cold, it changes the equation. Mics that would normally sound good on your voice wouldn't sound as flattering with someone who had a cold. So imo it's data that's an outlier. It'd be like if I heard Podcastage on the U87 everyday and then he suddenly starts recording when he has a cold on all his microphones that day. It makes it hard to know what the basis is. So my rationale is that the blind test, even though it's still a blind test is an outlier because of the cold - because I know your voice on those mics normally.

[@AudioHotline]

Yeah, that makes sense to me. I am sure the casual viewer won’t care but I did wonder if it may throw off some loyal viewers. I’ll plan on doing another blind comparison, same mics, different order, not sick and post it as an unlisted link! I’ll put it in the description, but I’ll also comment it here!

[@rickbiessman6084]

That crackly noise is very, very odd. I wonder if that’s a problem of the built-in A/D conversion. Also, the monitoring latency is another reason why I think the USB-C-only output is a terrible idea. It makes sense for people who want to use it on a smartphone, but for using a camera, I DON’T want the unnecessary A/D and D/A conversions. Bad, just bad. And if I’m gonna use a mic at home, I’ll plug it into a USB audio interface, which is honestly the only proper way of doing it nowadays. At least that’s how I feel about it. Everything else, including "USB microphones" (there’s technically no such thing), is just a crutch IMO.

[@jordanroth3997]

Tc-helicon goxlr

[@ChristopherKou]

Pickled whaaa...?

[@AudioHotline]

Peanutses 🥜

[@ChristopherKou]

@@AudioHotline riiight. Gotcha. ;)

[@akunnonton1367]

It is somewhat pointless to test the microphones in an acoustics treated room.

[@AudioHotline]

@@akunnonton1367 there are quite a few tests that are done in untreated rooms and outdoors in this video. Actually though, I would argue that hearing a mic in a completely treated room is actually more beneficial… let me explain: That way you can actually hear how the mic sounds, rather than how the mic sounds in that particular room. We all have different shapes and sizes of rooms… therefore I feel like treated rooms are a bit more ideal for hearing the product, which is the point of a mic test/review. I still include the untreated rooms tests though… for comments like this 🤣

[@JireSoftware]

hey brother, something about how you look makes me feel like you're depressed like I am. I wish you good health and happiness

[@AudioHotline]

Yeah, I do suffer from depression and I definitely do always feel the most down around the holidays. You’re definitely not alone there. I hope you get feeling better!

[@fluphybunny930]

Depression is a bitch that just keeps taking.

[@beyondmax1]

@@AudioHotlinewhy are you depressed?

[@frankfoster2214]

😋 'promosm'