Looking for the best mic to record reels (200-400 euros)

[Raes]

Hi there,
I need a microphone to record reels that cannot be visible while recording. I was thinking of the Rode Videomic pro plus.
Any other alternatives?

[progger]

I'd recommend a shotgun mic that can pick up voice clearly from some distance. I have and can recommend the Audio-Technica AT8035, which is a very nice-sounding mic for a very reasonable price. Just position it out of camera shot but aiming for your face and it should do the job very well.

[Tomás Mulcahy]

Hi there,
I need a microphone to record reels that cannot be visible while recording. I was thinking of the Rode Videomic pro plus.
Any other alternatives?

We'd need a bit more information on the scenario, and what device you are recording sound on. I am assuming you mean folk/ trad reels, possibly in a pub or similar? If you want discretion and a nice stereo image, a pair of boundary microphones on a wall near the performers works really well in my experience, and they are not expensive. Just make sure you buy general purpose boundary mics, not the ones that are tailored for percussion. Not more than 1m apart is a good rule of thumb. You can judge the stereo image by ear. Avoid excessive width/ hole in the middle. Compare it to real life using headphones with good isolation like Sennheiser HD25ii. Pop the headphones on and off and the aim is to get the audio images to match. One mic would be OK too, if the recording device cannot acommadate two.

If you don't already have a good pair of headphones, add them to your budget. If you go for one of the Superlux models (they seem good), two mics and the HD25 is within the budget. I often see video folk not monitoring the sound, just hoping for the best. We don't do that with the picture, why do we do it with the sound?

I'd recommend a shotgun mic

That would be fine assuming the location is outdoors or in a very large space. Otherwise, the mic will end up rejecting what you are also trying to capture because the reflected sound is the same source as the direct sound, which will cause phasing. A hypercardioid would be more appropriate. I have the AT8015 which is a step up from the 8035, and it does not sound nice indoors- which is as it should be!

[Hugh Robjohns]

I am assuming you mean folk/ trad reels, possibly in a pub or similar?

I do hope so... but I fear they mean Facebook reels....

As said, we need more information on the recording equipment, the kind of things you plan to record, and the acoustical character of the place(s) you plan to do it.

[Tomás Mulcahy]

I do hope so... but I fear they mean Facebook reels....

Oh hell, did not think of that

[progger]

Fair points, all... I actually assume "demo reels," for acting! "Reel" as in "counterpart to Jig" didn't occur to me. Even though my dear auntie is a devoted Irish trad musician...

But yes, a good hypercardioid condenser mic out of camera-shot would work perfectly well. I was assuming this was for dialogue, I wouldn't use a shotgun for music (although I have in the past in a pinch and it worked surprisingly well).

If we just want a tiny microphone that's very easy to hide and does a great job capturing accurate sound, I'd have to give the nod to the cheap-and-awesome little Line Audio CM4. Its pattern is a bit wider, but with smart placement it would do a great job of recording demo reels, social media reels, or my dear auntie's reels.

[The Red Bladder]

I need a microphone to record reels

What sort of sound does a reel make? (Perhaps it's not a bird at all! Fish?)

[Sam Spoons]

The opposite sound to an artificial?

[Drew Stephenson]

Hi there,
I need a microphone to record reels that cannot be visible while recording. I was thinking of the Rode Videomic pro plus.
Any other alternatives?

I have (well, correction, work has but it's in my possession ) one of the original Video Mic Pros and it's a good bit of kit, but as the others have said, we could do with a bit more information about the job and the location / environment.

[Raes]

I'd recommend a shotgun mic that can pick up voice clearly from some distance. I have and can recommend the Audio-Technica AT8035, which is a very nice-sounding mic for a very reasonable price. Just position it out of camera shot but aiming for your face and it should do the job very well.

That's maybe something I could be looking for.

Hi there,
I need a microphone to record reels that cannot be visible while recording. I was thinking of the Rode Videomic pro plus.
Any other alternatives?

We'd need a bit more information on the scenario, and what device you are recording sound on. I am assuming you mean folk/ trad reels, possibly in a pub or similar? If you want discretion and a nice stereo image, a pair of boundary microphones on a wall near the performers works really well in my experience, and they are not expensive. Just make sure you buy general purpose boundary mics, not the ones that are tailored for percussion. Not more than 1m apart is a good rule of thumb. You can judge the stereo image by ear. Avoid excessive width/ hole in the middle. Compare it to real life using headphones with good isolation like Sennheiser HD25ii. Pop the headphones on and off and the aim is to get the audio images to match. One mic would be OK too, if the recording device cannot acommadate two.

If you don't already have a good pair of headphones, add them to your budget. If you go for one of the Superlux models (they seem good), two mics and the HD25 is within the budget. I often see video folk not monitoring the sound, just hoping for the best. We don't do that with the picture, why do we do it with the sound?

I'd recommend a shotgun mic

That would be fine assuming the location is outdoors or in a very large space. Otherwise, the mic will end up rejecting what you are also trying to capture because the reflected sound is the same source as the direct sound, which will cause phasing. A hypercardioid would be more appropriate. I have the AT8015 which is a step up from the 8035, and it does not sound nice indoors- which is as it should be!

I'm sorry, mate. I meant to say Instagram Reels. My environment is an indoor room with plenty of bass traps and it's 2x4 meters.

I am assuming you mean folk/ trad reels, possibly in a pub or similar?

I do hope so... but I fear they mean Facebook reels....

As said, we need more information on the recording equipment, the kind of things you plan to record, and the acoustical character of the place(s) you plan to do it.

Yep, well.. Instagram Reels xD.

I'd be recording those reels in an indoor environment as I said in the previous quote. I plan to record my voice just talking in a normal pitch. They are educational reels so I'm not meant to be acting like a jerk xD.

Hi there,
I need a microphone to record reels that cannot be visible while recording. I was thinking of the Rode Videomic pro plus.
Any other alternatives?

I have (well, correction, work has but it's in my possession ) one of the original Video Mic Pros and it's a good bit of kit, but as the others have said, we could do with a bit more information about the job and the location / environment.

I mentioned that info above

[MarkOne]

Are you sitting, standing moving about?

Is it like a news desk kind of thing?

Personally I'd be looking at a good lavalier lapel microphone. they are discrete, and give you a pretty clear and neutral vocal.

[Tomás Mulcahy]

I would do it boom mic style. Regular boom mic stand, any decent cardioid or hypercardioid mic. This will always sound better than a lav because it is in the best position for voice clarity and quality. Plus you can keep it out of the shot! No distracting tech on screen. Here is a pic of a pro setup with serious stands... but a regular boom mic stand will do fine for your purposes.


A lav mic will always need eq (some have it built in) to compensate for the position. The "overhead" mic will only need sweetening, not compensation.


More info here from https://www.dpamicrophones.com/mic-university/how-mic-placement-affects-the-voice.

[Raes]

I would do it boom mic style. Regular boom mic stand, any decent cardioid or hypercardioid mic. This will always sound better than a lav because it is in the best position for voice clarity and quality. Plus you can keep it out of the shot! No distracting tech on screen. Here is a pic of a pro setup with serious stands... but a regular boom mic stand will do fine for your purposes.


A lav mic will always need eq (some have it built in) to compensate for the position. The "overhead" mic will only need sweetening, not compensation.


More info here from https://www.dpamicrophones.com/mic-university/how-mic-placement-affects-the-voice.

Any recommendation?

[Tomás Mulcahy]

Any recommendation?

Sorry forgot that part

You need a hypercardioid. Students have used AKG P170 a few times in this application, and I was impressed by its sound. No eq needed- they took great care with the positioning that is critical, arguably more than the choice of mic. I like the Rode NT5/55 and Neumann KM184 as well.

We use the K&M 21021. It's long enough, nice and heavy. Learned a long time ago to never cheap out on the stand.

I once used a budget Thomann mic and it was terrible, very poor off axis response that made itself very obvious with slight movement of the boom. I've used other budget mics that were good but are discontinued so I won't muddy the water with those.

[Tudder]

What about Rode Videomic Pro Plus? Another great option to consider is the Sennheiser MKE 400, which offers excellent sound quality in a compact design. If you need something even more low-profile, the Tascam DR-10L is a lavalier mic with a portable recorder that can be easily hidden. Both alternatives are well within your price range and deliver professional audio quality for your reels.

[ConcertinaChap]

I'm missing something here. What is meant by the word reel in this context? Humble folkie that I am I normally only encounter the word in the phrase jigs and reels!

TIA

CC

[RichardT]

I'm missing something here. What is meant by the word reel in this context? Humble folkie that I am I normally only encounter the word in the phrase jigs and reels!

TIA

CC

It means a video recording that is posted on a social media site.

[ConcertinaChap]

In that case then I've made a couple without knowing thats what they were. Isn't life strange?

The mic I use most for this is the Rode NT4 though that, being a stereo mic, is not what the OP is looking for.

Thanks

CC

[Tomás Mulcahy]

It's Instagram's own term for their kind of short video.

What about Rode Videomic Pro Plus? Another great option to consider is the Sennheiser MKE 400, which offers excellent sound quality in a compact design. If you need something even more low-profile, the Tascam DR-10L is a lavalier mic with a portable recorder that can be easily hidden. Both alternatives are well within your price range and deliver professional audio quality for your reels.

The first two mics cannot be properly positioned for good dialogue recording (unless you opt for fiddly and pricy alternative mounting options with the Rode). As for the lav- see frequency response image above. They will work OK, but they are not "the best".