Head to Head Mic Test: Dynamic vs. Lavalier vs. Shotgun

Not all microphones are created equal. Where a dynamic handheld mic shines, a shotgun mic might fall short. No matter what type of video you're producing, hearing how mics perform with different placements can help you choose the right mic for the job. We test several types of mics including shotgun, dynamic handheld, and lavalier to illustrate the sound difference.

[jamescaseymusic]

This was absolutely spot on. So well thought-out and presented.

[FS]

The dynamic mic on the boom was just what I was looking for. Looks like I will get a shotgun mic instead. Thanks!

[erendra]

Hi...That was a great informative video on different types of microphones and their usage patterns. I got my answers to all my doubts in my mind regarding mics. Thanks a lot.

[gregzeng]

If you ever do a similar trial, could you have the background noise ON-OFF for each setup?

Had to ty to decide the best setup, for myself: lavalier on the chest seemed clearest. Behind the shirt-collar had too much bass-loss? The other mikes seemed to pickup too much background noise, and/ or intrude distractingly into the view.

The cardiodhand-held-off camera fully-maxed, but next time, could you up the volume when video-editing? I had to up the volume here on my headphones to check.

[LeeMarks]

Please don't interpret this as snarky, but your reply indicates that the takeaway from demo was to show that 1) handheld mics and lavaliers work best close up and 2) when you don't want the mic to show, use a shotgun mic. On a usefulness scale, that's about 2 out of 10.

[niteshadow]

Johnny - They did a video awhile back on Aftereffects that showed you how to make their animation in the start of the videos. .

[wildbrigante]

Very interesting comparison. In your opinion what mic is better when recording outdoor videos? Mainly to record my voice while being outdoor in the nature. Thanks.

[cpyimitatin]

How would you eliminate peaking, while maintaining a decent input level. Let's say I'm talking and laughing. The laughter peaks, and if you turn the input levels down, then the dialog is too low and you end up with noise when you raise it in post. Any way to use a limiter while recording?

[NadiaGiordana]

Thank you for this. I am currently exploring options.

[qazwsxzwharp]

I actually liked the sound of the dynamic microphone the best. The shotgun held like a dynamic was the second best.

[paulkishan]

Hi.thankyou for the video.. I take piano lessons on zoom . So which mic would be better for both my voice and piano for the student to hear.
I have a ipad. Please suggest.

[charliebell]

For my situation – professional storyteller forced to go virtual – this is the most helpful video on the entire internet! Thank you!!! Based on this, I'm inclined to choose either a small lavalier clipped in view or a shotgun just out of the frame. Three sets of questions: (1) With the boom mics, how much latitude did you have in moving forward and back or side to side? Could you move 12 inches from "center" without a distracting change in volume? 18 inches? (2) You mentioned adjusting the gain. Was this done via the wireless transmitter for the lavalier, or through a preamp? [I hope I have the correct terms.] (3) What light did you use? It was very well lit. [I wear glasses, which will be an issue.] Again, many thanks.

[davonsden]

Does an omni directional mic pick up other peoples voices good if I sitt in the car with them or stand side by side or infront?

[sergiocalvo]

This was a very useful video. Thank you!

I do a lot of interviews on location and I own a sennheiser g3 lavalier system. I have two things to solve: 1. I sometimes feel that my me2 lavalier catches up too much background noise, as it is an omnidirectional mic. 2. I get in trouble when i need to record audio from more than one person.

Would you recommend me to buy a shotgun mic, as the NTG2 or NTG3, or should i go for a second Lavalier system?

(By the way, i thought the background noise coming from the NTG3 would be less than the one recorded with the lavalier mic... but in this test I heard the opposite... are lavaliers better in that way?)

[PatrickOchoaa]

But what mic would work for when you have multiple people at a table talking at once? How good of a range do these Microphone's have in terms of multiple speakers?

[ProfBowen]

Could you detail what post production adjustments were made to the introductory audio?

[Scripture-Man]

Amazing video. SO helpful! Thank you for making this! :-)

[LeeMarks]

This was good 'raw' data to listen to, however I would have liked some commentary to help me understand what I was hearing. To my ear, the lavaliers didn't come close to the shotgun mics in clarity and were maxing out the levels. Was this because of poor placement or the levels wrong while recording? Not sure.

At the same time, the shotgun mics were picking up a good bit of the fan noise. Again, does this prove anything or is it just this particular setup and the levels? Help Pro guys

[averyzaliasylvia]

Wow.. nice video dude i am looking a type of videos like this cause i am new on content creation

[bugzynutz]

Very helpful! Thanks a lot. If i wanted to interview and record musicians singing and playing instruments, what would you recommend? I'm wondering if i should get two shotgun mics, one for the instrument and one for the vocals.