Voiceover Mic Tier List!!

[@AudioHaze]

Thanks to The Ridge for Sponsoring todays video! Get 10% off the keycase with code AUDIOHAZE here: ridge.com/audiohaze

[@offplanetfilms]

For voice acting, I've become obsessed with mic's that don't sound like they're a mic... natural as possible without that broadcast mid-boost. Really becoming a fan of the TLM103, but not spoken into directly (to the side.) The Rode NT1 is great too, but for tonally different character voices. U87 is a better choice for sibilant female voice acting. Really love trying different mics for different actors, and even for different characters performed by the same actor.

[@chrisw5742]

I just got an EV 635 n/d-b last week. Sounds AMAZING with no proximity effect.

[@IceManGav1]

I've been using the TLM 107 and really captures that nice basey tone while preserving mids. It's been my go too

[@juang9224]

​@@Theaudiogamerthey meant the 103 right??? 😅 (Sorry for the dumb question, i know nothing about mics)

[@MichaelW.1980]

Its difficult to rate microphones for Voice Over. For that reason, cudos to you for taking on this intimmidating task. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on that matter with us! I love to chat about stuff like this. So lets get started, shall we? While i acknowledged, that you toook the price into account, It still felt, like you rated mics by personal choice (which is totally legit) and that on the experience in untreated rooms. But if you look at microphones, that professional VO artists prefer to use in the booth, you will find a lot of the microphones, that you voted surprisingly below others, that you might not find so often there. This is the basic thought process, that I am coming from, when i am talking about microphones for VO here. But before we come to that: As for sibillants- No, 10-15kHz doesn't contain the sibillants. Most of the time, you will find sibillants between 2000 and 10000Hz. And since many microphones with a high shelf start at about 4000 to 5000 Hz most of the time you will hear them the most intense between 4000 and 10000Hz, tho most of the time, they will become cumbersome at 4000-7000Hz, which is the part of the frequency response, which to our ears appears to be loudest and unluckily, some of us have the tendency to create quite pronounced sibillants in that region.

[@MichaelW.1980]

But to come back to microphone talk. I said, some of which you will not find so often, others quite a lot. For example: Yes, the Neumann U87AI is seen quite often. In bigger Studios, that is. And why do they have those? Because, at one point in their existence, they made enough money to buy them. Most of these bigger studios exist since well into the 1980s or even longer. And some thing that might have been used back then was bought for different reasons, than today, a different taste in "good microphone sound". Lets ignore the frequency response graphs for a moment, because they barely tell you the truth. The U87Ai is more mid-forward, compared other big names in the business, such as the Neumann TLM 103, or oddities, such as the Sennheiser MKH 416, which weaseled their way into this kind of content creation, because they were already used in film production on set and simply sound the same in these controlled enviroments. It makes for less work in post, which pretty much is saving money. Sometimes a lot of it. And talking about the MKH 416: If you look at its frequency response, you might already see it - it is quite similar to the Neumann TLM 103.

[@MichaelW.1980]

Entering the Shure SM7B. That microphone is quite flat-sounding, tho the B-Model is a bit more prone to be boxy sounding, than the Original SM7 was. Also, the SM7 was quite a bit brighter, compared to the SM7B. And again, you don't need to look at the frequency response. The SM7B, compared to the TLM 103 or the MKH 416 is much, much darker. Think about the implications here. Due to the very different sound, compared to what is worked for nowadays, this makes for more work for the sound engineers. I could believe, that this might hurt your chances for them to take you on as a voice actor in the future. And whats even more of an issue: You - as well as most of your viewers - record your stuff in a mostly untreated room. And the room, that you are recording in, has a huge, huge influence on the sound signature of the microphone. So, even if your SM7B sounds nice for podcasts, mostly recorded in untreated rooms, it will sound very much different in a well treated sound booth. In a booth, the SM7B sounds exceedingly dark. And Reverbs are your worst enemy on VO work. So you will do VO work in a makeshift booth, if everything else fails. You will not use the microphone in an untreated room. And what’s even worse: To use the SM7B with a really flat frequency response, without getting boxy or too bass heavy due to the proximity effect, you need to use the microphone at a certain distance. And here comes the biggest issue with the SM7B, its low output. Even with a really low noise preamp, one that at -131 dBu (that’s -133 dBV) meets the theoretical lowest self noise of the SM7B, caused by thermal noise, you will at best have Signal to Noise Ratio of about 74dB.Thats easy enough to calculate. at 94dB SPL the microphone outputs a signal of -59dBV. That the SPL (Sound pressure level) is the issue here. To get that low of a noise, you would need to basically scream at the microphone. Because if you are at a distance of 12 inches / 30.48 cm to the microphone, talking normally you will be at roughly 68-70dB SPL, maybe up to 74dB SPL. Taking that into account, your SNR drops from 74dB down to 54dB. To put this another way: Your Noise level **AT BEST** will be 54dB below the average level of your voice, no matter how quiet your room is. I doubt, that a SM7B would be any good for VO, just based on this.

[@MichaelW.1980]

On Another note: I - owning a RØDE Procaster myself, wholeheartedly agree with you on sitting that microphone this low. It has a sound signature, thats best suited for broadcasting, even tho i'd not name it great for that, just good. It has a weird focus on the frequencies around 2700 Hz. For some people this sounds great, for others, like me, not so much, once you heard my voice on microphones, that are more smooth in that region of the frequency response. And the Podmic... Yuck... I mean, i don't like the Procaster a lot, but the Podmic is even weaker. So much so, that to me, the price doesn't save it, because unlike the SM7B, the Podmic doesnt have a usable shock absobtion in it and you cannot install it to a shock mount, while you do that with the Procaster. So to me, the Podmic is the worst on this list.

[@DavidWhispers]

Dude I straight up try to get a sound like yours and I realize something now: It's your God damned voice. Give it to me. Give me your voice. Don't make me Ursula you.

[@ephraimsolomon630]

😂

[@TheRandomINFJ]

Sibilant females doing long-form audiobooks, stray far away from the AT2005 USB/XLR combo mic even though it's not on the list. Just an FYI. You *will* be EQ'ing. Rode NT1 works for my voice and I've been booking gig after gig once I got it. Prior, I got about 4 books per month. Now, I'm booking at least 8 books per month. And I don't have to EQ sibilance. I'm super happy with this mic!! 👍♥️

[@itscarlosreally]

Was just going over your tier lists from before and was wondering when this one would arrive. I also appreciate how you included dynamic mics. Most channels disregard them completely for VOs. IT'S UNFAIR FOR US BEDROOM/STUDIO-OWNERS, MAN.

[@AudioHaze]

I believe me I'm with you! I have to be a dynamic microphone user most of the time! Its a necessity for my environment

[@UnboxerofWorlds]

The tier list I have been waiting for!

[@matthewchanmh]

for those SM series I always think that is that the capsule's characteristic that makes those SMs (including SM7B) got a tone sounds like someone is covering your nose? anyone got the same thought?

[@tc59932]

Yes, the “honkiness” of the SM7B is well known. It’s unique and somewhat forward sounding mid range is hit or miss with individual voices. For mine, it sounded bad, so I use the Procaster - similar sound but without the mid range honkiness.

[@mogwix]

No shotgun mics? I just picked up a Deity S-Mic 2 and I'm looking forward to playing around with it. I don't have a treated space so it will probably stay relegated to location sound. My voice isn't very dark but I have this low-mid "honk" that doesn't play well with the SM7B. I've been going back and forth between my RE20 and Lauten LS-208. Lots of cool mics on the market these days.

[@AudioHaze]

Haven't had enough studio experience with many shotgun mics to have firm opinions on any of those models, that said I LOVE the RE20! Its a great choice, especially if the SM7 isn't for you

[@randalripley8381]

Any opinions on the Earthworks Ethos? Seems like the "best" of both worlds between Condensers and Dynamics. Would love to hear what someone with professional knowledge thinks about it.

[@AudioHaze]

I definitely REALLy want to check it out, its just a matter of getting my hands on one :)

[@RipeStories]

The video itself/beginning was recorded with the EV RE20 right? Is it just me or was there a lot of noise in the background? Is this normal for the EV RE20/ how can it be reduced?

[@dagger_4d]

I’m pretty sure he added reverb in post

[@techmed-rainer]

Danke!

[@AudioHaze]

Thank you as always Rainer, you're too kind!

[@techmed-rainer]

@@AudioHaze Great work deserves support!

[@johnheiser2604]

A very well thought out listing. Where would you put a Sennheiser MD421?

[@MenschWerdeWesentlich]

Where would you place the earthworks icon?

[@AudioHaze]

Haven't had a chance to try it!

[@fredoverflow]

Could you compare the RE20, RE27 and RE320 in a future video maybe? Thanks!

[@tc59932]

I vehemently disagree on the description of Rode Procaster sounding “Tinny”. Despite it having more high end than the SM7B, it has more low end and less mid range! Only time the SM7 competes on bass response is when

[@spacemandave2345]

Would love to see a full review of the Austrian Audio OC16 one day

[@AudioHaze]

Oh for sure :)

[@spacemandave2345]

@@AudioHaze awesome! Love the content, by the way

[@theoutsiderjess1869]

The only thing I would disagree is where you put the procaster and podcast on any other list except this one as this is a voice over list

[@hsjawanda]

Where would you place the Sennheiser Mk4 in this tier list? I've heard good things about it.

[@ConsumerTeamPete]

2 unsung hero mics: Heil PR40 (SiriusXM put these in all their studios) and AudioTechnica BP40 (similar sound to PR40). Check them out....they both have great articulation and natural low end (not overloaded). SM7B....totally over-rated.

[@NebulonRanger]

BP40 is great, but be careful with the hard mount it comes with. That thing can break really easily if you're not careful, and at least in Canada, the shock mount for it is expensive and not easy to come by.

[@bgowi2256]

I have a pretty low/deep and nasally voice. What do you recommend for a podcast/voice over mic? Looking at $100 or less, the SM57 (with the SM7B EQ) and the sE v7 are my main considerations at the moment, also the ZDM1 potentially? What do you think

[@TheHalfmanofOz]

I would advise against the sEV7 unless you can EQ. I also have a low voice and it can sound quite muddy and dark without tweaks. Sm57 would probably be my pic if EQ isn't an option.

[@jabnls]

I agree the podmic needs a boost on the low end and is a little high. But it can easily be processed to sound like a professional microphone. It actually reminds me of the RE27 I used for 12 years, without the gravelly low end which is obviously bad. But because of how clean it is, unlike the at2020, you can really work with it in eq and make it sound fantastic! Trust me, I don't use it so I don't have skin in the game, but a mic of that caliber and clarity for under 100 bucks does not deserve the last spot. It's my#1 sub $100 for female vo. My #1... the $50 zdm1

[@tc59932]

If you love the Podmic but choose to EQ more bass and warmth in… then do give the Rose Procaster a go, it could be perfect for what you are looking for.

[@thejonathandoan]

I’m really loving my TLM 102. It definitely needs some safety nets like good room correction and a pop filter, but it’s really sweet and worth the upgrade. On your mic in this video I would add a bit more de-easing to tame the sibilance and maybe hit it with a particular compressor to smooth out a bit of the grit, but otherwise I love the sound and look of the RE20.

[@EtherealReality]

Always enjoy your reviews of the different mics available. Appreciate that you don't go out of your way to glorify the SM7b. I snagged a Seiren mini when first starting, but think something like the King Bee might be good for my voice.

[@Aledan98]

What do you think about the Shure KSM44a, instead? Did you have a chance to try it? I heard it is similar to the U87 Ai.

[@Nori_Plays]

I would love to know about this too, since I’ve seen Markiplier in particular use it really well for voiceover commentary

[@haxenheimer9707]

Kinda suprised to not see the mkh 416 on here, where would you put it?

[@lubosnovak3668]

MKH416 is BEST OF THE BEST! TLM 103 is only second one. 🙂

[@zeitakulobusta]

@@lubosnovak3668 change the record....you like yours and good for you but not on all voices or all spaces.

[@lubosnovak3668]

​@@zeitakulobustaTruth. Not everyone has a good voice. 😁

[@JoepHoedemakers]

I was wondering about what camera you were using haha? Couldn’t find it anywhere!

[@via_negativa6183]

Completely agree with you about the sm7b particularly if you have a dark voice already. I'm finally happy with mine but man it took alot of work to get there in terms of voice over in an untreated room.

[@StefanGenov7]

XM8500 and SM7B are excellent for me

[@AudioHaze]

Nice :)

[@jamesmhebert]

@AudioHaze - Are there any mics you’ve experienced that are far less sibilant? I just checked out an MKH416 and found to my dismay that it was seriously sibilant with my voice. Distractingly so. And this is kind of a holy grail VO mic… is this normal, is there post processing I can attempt to tame that, or would I do better to consider other mics? Never heard sibilance to this degree in my voice on a mic before.

[@zeitakulobusta]

Needs careful setup and positioning. Also mic+voice=sound, there is no single 'best' mic.

[@NebulonRanger]

16:29 Gradual shelf up at about 3500-3750. Done.

[@chrisw5742]

My favorite would be the EV 635 n/d-b going into a Cloudlifter.

[@wslawe078]

Why I don't see any aston microphone here? Like the spirit or the origin

[@powersliding]

seriously youtube algorithm is broken, this is such an important video for voice over narrators, a critical part of making youtube videos...damn, like and comment to kickstart that drunk algorithm

[@AudioHaze]

Hahahaha thanks dude :) to be fair, we're gaining some steam!!

[@powersliding]

@@AudioHaze where would you put the at2035?

[@billweaver2549]

Maybe you've corrected this (I'm still only at 3:47), but you put "the Rode NT1" in C tier but then very soon after said "the Rode NT1a". Very different mics!

[@rlacksrb_]

leaving the sm7b till right the end haha- keeping the 7b lovers on their toes (personally prefer the re20)

[@JonReynoldsESQ]

He knew what he was doing. LoL.

[@theoutsiderjess1869]

I prefer the 7b but have come around to the Re 20 but will still take the 7b over it

[@CptBerns]

No MKH 416 on your list?

[@Nadroj97]

Great video as usual man

[@sethcashman1011]

Dammit, I JUST bought a 440 pure. My voice is far more rich and resonant than sibilant, but I still fear that this thing is going to be too harsh/bright. Should have just saved a few more dollars and gone with the 818. Was looking at Dachman's DA87, which is supposed to be a great reproduction of the original U87i, but I haven't been able to find many tests/reviews for that mic.

[@Mikas_Emil]

Hey @audiohaze - what about the Aston Spirit? Where would you out that one?

[@MangoTalksTech]

Great list! On the down low imo Behringer xm8500 is S+ tier for budget conscious voice overs 😤

[@blastbeatsincorporated7875]

Where would the AT2035 be on this list?

[@Jakepf]

Mans really saved the sm7b for last XD

[@dazai2653]

Why not Presonus PD 70 on this list? There is no review of it in this channel

[@anthonywilson6893]

Hello, great reference, Thank You. I use a CAD GXL2200 condenser for beginner voice-over. It is a pretty hot mic and very clear with decent range. Do you have any experience with CAD microphones or that mic? Thank You.

[@NickleNinja2]

how would you compare the 440 pure to the re20

[@iobeid87]

welcome back! what about AKG c214?

[@AudioHaze]

Good call! I'd put that right up there with the 440 :)

[@thisisritzy]

DAMN you look great with that grown out look man!

[@lamdrewpleasse4667]

Do you have any experience with the Shure MV7? Debating between the MV7 with RK345 USB setup vs SM57 with a Scarlett solo as they cost about the same.

[@Mandem909]

I'd like to know too

[@xyzct]

Oh how I wish the OC16 were included in this list. And while I can't speak for others, I speak for everyone.

[@oooow6861]

I can't tell the difference between them for me when it comes to voice acting.

[@ayoubmisbah2190]

What about sennheiser mk4?

[@AudioHaze]

My experience with it is extremely limited, wouldn't feel comfortable judging it yet!

[@koenignero]

You know its a serious VO List as the Sennheiser MKH416 is not even mentioned.

[@danielhfernandez3770]

Hello !!! Have you tried the MXL 770 X ?? it is good for the voice over ?

[@jabnls]

I do agree with your king bee assessment. Love those large capsule mics when they're tuned right. Speaking of large capsules.. next time you do one of these throw the $50 dynamic ZDM1 on there. A+ starter broadcast microphone. I can talk on that thing for two hours straight without fatigue. Just have to tell your guests to keep your hands off of it and pull up the windscreen out one inch and case the guests try to eat it. Another microphone that's similar sounding to my very favorite ev27N/D.

[@fluubk218]

Funnily enough the King Bee and the Zdm 1 are exactly the two microphones I use. The ZDM 1 sounds surprisingly good but it’s one of the only dynamic microphones I tested that NEEDS a shock mount. It’s so incredibly sensitive to touching, no matter where (even on the table)

[@luvmny]

Just unboxed my SM57 and it has a constant noise coming out of it any ideas?

[@AudioHaze]

Weird, what interface? May be a defect, or underpowered interface, but if its super clear its likely a defect

[@luvmny]

@@AudioHaze yeah it probably is underpowering it as it's just an xlr to minijack cable as it's my first mic and went the cheap way. Anyways thanks for help and I will be ordering soon an SM7B and MOTU M2

[@MrKarlGP]

Check for stowaway insects ;)

[@TheRandomINFJ]

What kinda noise? Did you look at the spectrogram and pinpoint the frequency? I had a noise from my Rode NT1. I had to play with bit rates in my software and PC to get it to stop. Just an idea to look into. Make sure your hardware is compatible with one another.

[@mypal1990]

Dang the U87AI? That's pretty much a bar every mic wants to contend to.

[@AudioHaze]

For sure! And it has the price tag to prove it lol

[@dangumalo6857]

"For the general populace" *uses himself as the basis*

[@jaimesk1688]

No Polsen RM-800? I love that thing.

[@definitelylukadoncic]

Yo, can you please do a review of the md 441 u?

[@daveaufradern6658]

I would appreciated it if you would check out the Rode K2.

[@khlymore]

cad e100s?

[@RidgeWalletYT]

Nice KeyCase! 🔥

[@roadtonever]

AKG 220 does the bright thing better than more popular condensers.

[@michaelmichael7043]

Hi audiohaze! As you already know use a sm 58 for guitar amp .I'm not a voice over artist,but it was an interesting comparison. It will be very interesting see how the electrovoice compares with the sm 57/sm 58 for guitar amp. What is your own opinion?. As always excellent comparison Thanks again ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐👍

[@AudioHaze]

Honestly I don't love the RE20 for guitar amps! Lots of other people seemed to in my SM7 vs RE20 video, but its too harsh for me. I prefer the SM58!

[@MrKarlGP]

Well curated list, but... no Marconi-Reisz carbon microphone?!? ;) Also... maybe grow your hair out for a while? It might get a little unwieldy but you'd look like Lion-O lol

[@AudioHaze]

Hahahhaha, man, I'm a little tempted to go full on insanity hair mode

[@jcap8391]

SE Dynacaster S tier

[@alisongaze]

lol got the notif at 1:50am cuz i’m in japan

[@kizu5234]

Me crying with my PodMic:

[@FriendlyAudio]

Classic voice over artist gamer moment

[@AudioHaze]

lol which one

[@FriendlyAudio]

@@AudioHaze Blue Yeti >:D Joking, but I can't decide whether to get the cad m179 or the neat king bee 2

[@FriendlyAudio]

nt1 is nice but I'm still working on my room

[@MenschWerdeWesentlich]

It’s been a while for me, but this made me curious.

[@AudioHaze]

Welcome back :)

[@TheAshishDdaviddShow]

very very good video I think...

[@lubosnovak3668]

The best mic for male voiceover in untreated rooms is missing here. It is definitely MKH416. This cannot be debated.

[@jamesmhebert]

I used to think this was true until I heard myself on a 416. Sibilance-city, which I’ve never had on other mics (Sennheiser and Shure handhelds, Røde NT1, Rode NTG5, AT875r… ). Any idea what might cause that? Mic issue, pre issue, post processing needed? Atm the 416 is in the shortlist to sell if I can’t figure out the problem.

[@lubosnovak3668]

​@@jamesmhebert Strange. Maybe the wrong piece - which would be really bad luck with such a reliable brand as Sennheiser. There are many microphones that I feel are too sibilant - especially the Rode NT1-A, it was probably the worst. I have no such problem with the MKH416. It has a beautifully balanced spectrum and flatters deep voices. Ideal for bariton or bass-bariton voiceover.

[@GearCave]

Earthworks icon pro

[@nodan5883]

For me, it's too much high end

[@AudioHaze]

lol

[@nodan5883]

@@AudioHaze lol

[@gramsci420]

OC818 go brrr

[@perfectalpha]

Without the MKH416, this is not a complete VO list. That mic is probably THE most used mic in VO, and it wasn’t included. It would be S tier btw.

[@TheRandomINFJ]

I'm in audiobooks. I talk to only VO artists. And no I wouldn't say it's the most used mic.

[@seandoyle2769]

Also this only applies to the US...

[@tricogustrico]

Why the porn music background? It is not needed.

[@RyanMcQuen]

Lewitt should have ranked higher.

[@99Cr1P]

Where would you put the AT4040? Also i want you to work on a mix of mine, what's your email

[@AudioHaze]

AT4040 I would probably put in low A tier :) sure! Send me an email at [e-mail]