Which microphone do you prefer?
Added 2021-08-30 02:19:07 +0000 UTCRather than guessing which microphone set up is the best I thought I'd just ask you.
These were recorded at the same time, with sound absorbing panels set up around the room. No changes have been made in editing apart from making them the same volume.
After the poll I will edit this post to let you know what the microphones are (I don't want to bias your answers by telling you now).
Yep, I now realise that 1&2 are there twice and there is no 2&3, oooops! Can't edit poll once someone has voted so it's staying that way 😀.
THE RESULTS
15% like them all / any of them are fine
The microphones are (drumroll):
1 - is actually the two microphones below, one in each ear.
Chosen by 5% as the best
This is the mistake I made on the latest debunking video. I recorded with a different microphone to L and R channel, intending to choose one. But I accidentally left it as both (lockdown homeschooling makes editing so noisy that I didn't notice). But there were lots of comments from people liking the sound. This seemed strange to me and I thought it may have simply been because the mic was visible, but wanted to do a poll to check.
Your feedback on mic 1:
1 feels a bit too "brite"
1 seemed to be more in my right ear than the left
1 was the worst
I found 1 to lisp your s sounds and make them more prominent and noticeable
1 was worst by far. It felt like my ears needed to pop
In any case, no number 1! It sounds mono (right ear mostly, from PC speakers)
1 was the worst
I listened to all 3 options on my phone, on my pc, with my headset and with air pods, and in all four ways I do not like 1. It’s like an overstimulation and it’s uncomfortable for my brain to hear, it’s too “surround sound” if that makes sense.
1 seemed to be quite sharp.
I definitely prefer 1
1 picks up too much reflection off the table
1 just sounded off
1 sounded tinny
2 - Rode NTG-1 positioned on a boom pole mic stand above out of shot
Chosen by 35% as the best
Your feedback on 2:
2 was the best with my headset
2 definitely sounds best, the sound quality I felt, sounded better
Number 2 has kind of an echo...?
2 is better, the sound is clearer and no crackling
2 sounded like a good mix
2 is best of the three and tonally sounds better, but still has a lot of reflection (sound professional)
To me 2 and 3 sounded basically the same. I preferred 2 but only slightly.
2 sounded clearest to me and easiest to understand
2 was very toppy, no bass at all
2 sounded hollow
2 was the loudest treble
3- Rode NT1 positioned slightly to my right (you can see it behind the laptop)
Chosen by 38% as the best
Your feedback:
- 3 had a muffled affect about it that was unpleasing
- 3 had a muffled tunnel sound that bothered my ears
+ Liked the sound of number 3 the most
- 3 sounds a bit muffled (no echo or background sounds at all), so sounds less natural
+ With the normal ipad speakers 3 was the best
+ I work in radio. I think mic 3 has the best sound! It sounds like it has the least amount of echo/reflection
- There was a bit of crackling in the speech with no 3, so I would never choose that one
+ 3 sounds best to me on my computer's built-in speaker, my separate (and old) speakers hooked to my computer, and my AirPods. It's richer than 2, and the S's don't hiss as much
+ Initially I preferred 2, but after a couple more listens, I felt 3 placed you more in the same room, conversational type of feel
2 & 3 are similar with a slight preference for 3
- I didn't like mic 3 because your voice ended up too dull
- My husband actually works in sound professionally! He described 3 as "too bass heavy"
- 3 was fuzzy
- I found 3 less clear
+ 2 & 3 sound very similar to me but i think 3 is the fullest or more level of the two
- 3 picked up a lot of your movement noise
+ I prefer 3 it has a more rounded sound
+ 3 gets my vote. 1 & 2 sounded like I was hearing you in an auditorium, and 3 sounded like we were having a conversation
+ I felt 3 was best
+ 3 had the most full sound to me
So overall
* 2 and 3 are both OK depending on what you're listening on and personal preference.
* I need better headphones so I can hear during lockdown so I don't make the number 1 mistake again. It's just been announced that kids will not be returning to school this term.
* I would like to experiment a bit more with microphone and sound absorption panel positioning.
