NTG-2 vs these 3 mics

R

RaduR998

New member
Hi

Im buying a filmmaking audio setup and I dont know what mic to get.At the moment I have 4 options:
Rode NTG-2
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/367747-REG/Rode_NTG_2_NTG_2_Battery_or_Phantom.html

AT 8015
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/97710-REG/Audio_Technica_AT8015_AT8015_Shotgun_Microphone.html

AT 8035
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/97711-REG/Audio_Technica_AT8035_AT8035_Shotgun_Microphone.html

AT 897
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/300615-REG/Audio_Technica_AT897_AT897_Short_Condenser.html

Can you please help me?My budget for the mic is around 300$ so if you have other ideas share them.Im going to use the mic as well as indoor shooting and outdoor shooting.
 
Last edited:
In general, there are no one-size-fits-all mics. Like screwdrivers, you need the right sized tool for the job at hand. Typically in exterior use on a boom, that means an interference tube (shotgun) mic. Since interference tubes typically do poorly with quick reflections off walls and ceilings, they aren't used indoors. Hypercardiod mics are often used indoors because they handle these reflections better, and because their polar pattern has no rear lobe that might pickup ceiling reflections.
 
If your budget can afford it, I would go for this mic... Sennheiser MKE 600 : $330

To my ear the MKE600 sounds better, and works better indoors than the other mics listed. ( I sold my NTG-2 after buying the MKE600 )

A hypercardioid mic is a better choice for indoor work, but even used it may be beyond your budget.
 
form another recent post:
"I had an 816 (long shotgun) and hardly ever used it, so it was sold. A year or so later , I needed a long shotgun for a scene so I picked up a 4071. I hardly ever use that either. Draw your own conclusion."
I would not purchase a long shotgun mic, until after I had other high quality mics, ie: short shotgun, hyper-cardioid (interiors), lavs, ect.
This post may be of interest as well:
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/all-things-audio/521191-shotgun-mic-recommendations.html#post1828958
 
Thank you all.So after reading your replies I came down to these:ntg-2 vs mke600 vs at897.What do you think?
 
RaduR998 said:
Thank you all.So after reading your replies I came down to these:ntg-2 vs mke600 vs at897.What do you think?
Click to expand...

What is the rest of your sound kit? In other words, what mixer, recorder, camera, or combination of any of those will you be using with this mic?

The NTG-2 is a very good budget mic, but if it is to be connected directly into a low-end recorder (H4n, DR-40, DR-100) it's lower output will mean more noise. The AT897 is hotter and is a better choice in that situation. I have no experience with the MKE-600, so I don't know how it compares.
 
RaduR998 said:
I came down to these:ntg-2 vs mke600 vs at897.What do you think?
Click to expand...
I have the NTG-2, and it sounds great to me. I never bought anything more expensive than that though. The MKE600 sounds like a deal, and it's Sennheiser too.
For the price difference at B&H (269$ vs 329$), I'd get the Sennheiser, personally.
Unfortunately, this mic isn't available for shipping to Canada (the MKE600) so I'll stick with the NTG2.
 
Now..if we except the phisycal downsides (the size and the length) how wil at8015 perform indoor?Because I'm going to shoot as well as indoor and outdoor,and te at8015 performs well outside because of its lenght (40cm aprox).
 
RaduR998 said:
Now..if we except the phisycal downsides (the size and the length) how wil at8015 perform indoor?Because I'm going to shoot as well as indoor and outdoor,and te at8015 performs well outside because of its lenght (40cm aprox).
Click to expand...

Using mics indoors the mic 'tube' is the problem... The longer the tube the greater the problem..... It's that simple.
Outdoors you are trying to stop sound from entering the mic from the side so this is where the mic 'tube' is required.

If you are arter a low cost mic that works well indoors have a look at http://www.samsontech.com/samson/products/microphones/condenser-microphones/c02/
I have several and often use them for shoots and TVC's.
 
I have not used the 8015 and would it likely not be good indoors. Not counting the problematic sound issues, the long 15+ inch physical length would be an issue in even normal height ceiling rooms. It is an 'interference tube' shotgun mic, so naturally one would assume the usual characteristics apply. It could work fine in some instances, depending on the size, acoustics, ect.
For a (only) one mic set-up, the Sanken CS-3 would be a logical choice.
 
I have the NTG-2/DR100 MK II and it's a great mic but as Alex said it's not too "hot". I found if you use it on phantom power you can increase sensitivity a bit...
 
RaduR998 said:
So what do you think about ntg 2?as well as indoor and outdoor?
Click to expand...
Interference tube mics, like the NTG-2, in general are not the best choice for an environment where there are a lot of short-term reflections. That includes most normal business and residential interiors as well as some exterior locations. In the presence of reflections off of nearby walls, ceilings, etc a hypercardioid is usually much better behaved. OTOH, in most exteriors (as well as acoustically treated interiors such as on a soundstage) reflections are not a problem and the additional rear rejection of the shotgun can be an advantage.
 
RaduR998 said:
So what do you think about ntg 2?as well as indoor and outdoor?
Click to expand...
To be honest I mostly use the NTG2 outside, blimped, and in less than ideal situations (working on a doc right now out on boats/beaches). What I have recorded inside has never struck me as poor or unusable but it does seem to perform better outdoors.

FYI I live in NYC and I went into BH and asks the pro audio salesmen about the NTG2 and they really liked it, so I bought it on their recommendation. They don't work on commission so I figured they were relatively unbiased...
 
I work a lot in broadcast and have access to virtually any sort of shotgun mics I want / need and my comment about the NTG2 is the ONLY time I would use it is when I need an internal battery powered shotgun mic.
When used in isolation they sound ok, but compared to some other mics they are WAY down on the list.
 
For cost to performance ratio the NTG2 is not a bad mic. The Sennheiser ME66 as I recall is not bad and to my ear sounded a bit warmer than the NTG2 but with power capsule is almost twice as expensive. Of course ideally you would pick up a Sennheiser 416 or Rode NTG3 but building up our gear is usually an incremental process... Also, you may want to check out the MKE600 as TheDingo suggested...
 
OzGizmo said:
I work a lot in broadcast and have access to virtually any sort of shotgun mics I want / need and my comment about the NTG2 is the ONLY time I would use it is when I need an internal battery powered shotgun mic.
When used in isolation they sound ok, but compared to some other mics they are WAY down on the list.
Click to expand...

I'd like to ask your opinion, and others here who are more knowledgeable than I am on audio, on the AKG C 568 B Hypercardoid mic and if you have come across it and how does it compare to others you have used?
 
Last edited:
One of the OB trucks I often use has 4 of them in its kit..... The reason they were purchased is of their lower than (416's) cost at the time.
Quality wise they would be regarded as a mid level short shotgun mic similar to the Rode NTG 1/2 or Sennheiser ME66 or similar.
The quality of mics lift when you get to RF mics like the Sennheiser MKH 416, MKH 60, MKH 8060, Rode NTG3 etc.

Would I recommend them? yes they are fine for FX, or mid level productions... But for a few extra $$$$ you get a much better mic in the NTG3.
 
OzGizmo said:
One of the OB trucks I often use has 4 of them in its kit..... The reason they were purchased is of their lower than (416's) cost at the time.
Quality wise they would be regarded as a mid level short shotgun mic similar to the Rode NTG 1/2 or Sennheiser ME66 or similar.
The quality of mics lift when you get to RF mics like the Sennheiser MKH 416, MKH 60, MKH 8060, Rode NTG3 etc.

Would I recommend them? yes they are fine for FX, or mid level productions... But for a few extra $$$$ you get a much better mic in the NTG3.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your response. I have this mic since years back and I had no other to compare them to so I don't know how they are "ranked" in the industry.

Knowing that, I can now focus on getting a lav kit instead to compliment this in my kit.

Thanks again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top