Best Microphone for YouTubers (Shotgun vs Studio vs Lav Mic)

In this video we are going to explore which microphone is the best microphone for YouTubers. Comparing three types of microphones for YouTube to help you decide which one you need for your videos. We are going to be looking at a Rode shotgun microphone, NT2A Studio microphone and Rode Lavalier microphone.

Different microphones work best for different situations which is why I compare three types of microphone. The volume for these sound tests have been increased but otherwise are unedited and raw so that you can hear how much noise comes from each one.

I use all of these microphones and find them useful in various situations, all of the mics are great for making YouTube videos, recording podcasts and for films but not all of them are great for everything which is why we are going to be diving in to the specifics, some pros and cons of each one and of course the price.

LAVALIER MICROPHONE

The Rode SmartLav+ lavalier microphone is also known as (lav, lapel mic, clip mic, body mic, collar mic, neck mic or personal mic) is commonly used in TV, theatre, and public speaking. It is great for recording voice dialogue, it has a clip so that you can attach it to a shirt but the clip can also be detached if you require a discreet recording solution.

These microphones are loved as they are inexpensive, record high quality audio, can be hidden away, are a compact size, they plugin into a smartphone to record using a voice memo app and if using it with the apple eco-system, your audio recordings can be airdropped for ease of use. Negatives are that it can be difficult for a sound engineer to monitor the levels whilst you are recording. For moving subjects it can create rubbing sounds which can be troublesome to edit later.

SHOTGUN BOOM MICROPHONE

The Rode NTG4+ is a shotgun boom type microphone that is typically used in amateur and professional filmmaking. It is useful for recording dialogue, musical instruments, sound effects, ambience and foley sounds. It can be attached to a boom pole to get close to the sound source that you are recording but also these mics are directional recording what it near the end of it whilst ignoring everything else. This makes it useful for many situations where you want to avoid picking up other undesirable sounds.

It is bigger and more expensive than a lavalier mic but has a much wider array of uses. It can be attached to the top of the camera via a shoe mount. I have used this microphone a lot for making these YouTube videos and as it requires phantom power to run you will need connect it to an audio interface preamp to make it work.

STUDIO MICROPHONE

The Rode NT2A is a studio condenser microphone that is typically suited to recording vocals, percussion instruments, guitar, ambience and much more. You can record from the front of it or the front and back for singing duets. It produces a high quality recording and can be used for almost any situation where the sound source is close although for recording dialogue for films or anything where the microphone has to be positioned too far away it is not ideal as the recording will lack clarity.

It has three volume switches so that you can set it to 0db, -5db or -10db if you are recording loud sounds. Another switch that it has is a low pass filter which can be set to 0hz, 40hz or 80hz - this can help reduce bass in specific situations. This microphone is the most expensive out of the three.
It's worth considering that; as the iPhone 13 and most modern phones will produce stunning 4K video quality and crystal clear sound recordings. You might be better off testing your mobile out or upgrading your outdated phone instead of splashing money on a new microphone.

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
0:14 Smartlav+
1:51 Rode NTG4+
2:37 Rode NT2A
4:19 iPhone 13

RESOURCES

[CarvedCulture]

Which microphone do you think sounded the best? 🎤🎶

[Nathan_Lundstrom]

The Rode NT was my favorite when you brought it to the correct distance! For some creators, it may be worth having a microphone in the shot to capture good audio.