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Rode NTG-2 with Zoom H4n problems, choosing alternatives
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  • WalterHWalterH

    HillTop1: I have been very happy with my AT875R, DR-100mkii, Rycote Softie (worth the $!) and I would suggest a good lav mic within that budget. Shotgun into one channel and a lav into the other when appropriate. I have limited experience with lavs and I am currently choosing between the AT899 and the Rode Lav, the latter being pricier but more flexible. I'm sure other people here have good ideas.

    Great to have a second recording off-camera and with the DR-100mkii, you can line-out (need an attenuator cable) and into the GH2 at the same time (the audio hack seems promising).

    I have also been recording with the mic on the camera as far as 2m but, jeez, get closer whenever you can! Don't expect wonderful sound at that distance from any combination.

  • WalterHWalterH

    I like my AT875R a lot and I thoroughly agree that due to its freq response, it is not as full sounding as other mics. I often need to give a little boost to it in post. As John_F noted, opportunities and compromises. For me the opportunities out-weighed the latter for the price and use - small, good sounding, sensitive so I can ramp down the levels on my recorder, etc.

    This review - while dated - helped me a lot to learn how to listen to mics and learn what I wanted (listen thru headphones or don't bother - :) ): http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/right_mic_brockett.html

    re. preamps: I would spend a lot of time at taperssection and here in the audio categories and and evaluate other people's actual improvements when using a preamp into an H4n. If you can make the H4n essentially into a bit-bucket, ok. But you'll have to assess whether the extra cost and lugging of another piece of gear (higher-end gear) to make your H4n work is worth it. A low-end preamp and the H4n is folly. MixPre-D is highly regarded - $$$. Then again, the H4n doesn't have a line-in and you are still going thru the mic preamps regardless.

    After a lot of energy expended, I believe audio is something you do have to spend for and need to weigh the compromises very carefully.

  • HillTop1HillTop1

    Im really glad I checked out this thread before I started buying because I was gonna buy same equipments. Now that I know, can anyone please recomend me a good mic and recorder combo. A mic that can get good sound from at least 2m from the subject. I have $700 in the budget for it. I will be traveling to Africa for a documentary so hopefully something reliable.

  • tonalttonalt

    @Vitaliy_Kiselev what preamp you recommend then? I have seen many asking which preamp they should buy for H4n, but none of good answers.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    MXL pretty much sucks compared to h4n internal mics

    It is quite strange statement, as this are completely different tools for different tasks.
    I also suggest to make normal test using proper equipment, like other good preamp, or external card with XLR.

    Btw, ART preamp is not recommended, as people who tried it said that it is not worth it.

  • tonalttonalt

    Is this ( http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/615405-REG/ART_USBDUALPREPS_USB_Dual_Pre.html ) the only good preamp alternative below $100 or do you recommend something else?

    I have Zoom h4n and MXL FR-300 and I think now MXL pretty much sucks compared to h4n internal mics.

  • StraffiStraffi

    I have recently purchased a GH2. Before I had been shooting with a Sony HVR A1 and plugging my Rode NTG2 straight into it

    The sound recorded was okay, but never up to the standard I desired. I realise this was sometimes down to poor operation, but often some of the issues appeared unavoidable (noisy soundfloor, recording distance etc)

    I'm now looking to buy a field recorder to plug my mic into while filming

    I had planned on buying the Roland R26 but have had my head turned by the Roland R44.

    May I ask, if I were to invest in the R44, would the performance of the NTG2 be drastically improved?

    I might purchase the R26 for the time being and carry on using the NTG2 until I can afford a mic able to access the potential of the R44.

    I would like to upgrade the mic also, but my purchases are going to be a little sporadic for a little while, as I'm sure you can imagine

  • peaceonearthpeaceonearth

    I always ask but mostly they don't attach one. n.b. Lanparte follow focus package came wrapped in Chinese newspaper. Thanks again for this great deal!

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @peaceonearth

    Just ask for invoice, in this case :-)

  • John_FarragutJohn_Farragut

    Has anyone bought something directly from Amazon.com imported to Europe? It seems that they collect an Import Fees Deposit on purchase so one doesn't have to think about import duties and tax anymore? It's already collected by Amazon, only if you buy from Amazon Export Sales, Inc. not Marketplace. Does this work?

    In this case the MXL FR300 would cost a total of EUR 157,06 (EUR 131,98 + EUR 25,08 Import Fees Deposit). I wonder if this really works. Still eBay could be cheaper.

  • John_FarragutJohn_Farragut

    Buying on a budget is always more of a gamble.

    After NTG-2, I personally wanted something that had hotter output (because preamp on camcorder was weak) and was small (NTG-2 is quite long). When AT875R came out, I heard some audio files, and it sounded good enough.

    Keep in mind that the AT875R is rated 90-20000Hz. It is meant for use onboard camcorders, so there's a bass cut off for the handling noise. So it may not be what you want. It's also why it's so small and very light. On a budget, it's always compromises.

    But it also seems the price has gone up since I bought. I bought the AT875R for only EUR 135. Now it's already EUR 189! That's less of a steal right now.

    Don't know if there are other options out there.

  • peaceonearthpeaceonearth

    my experience declaring less only works sometimes. If there is no clearly visible document "INVOICE" outside at the package customs insist to see a document of payment (paypal, amazon) Declaration of value on shipment document is mostly not accepted at the local custom's office.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Just talk with seller, may be he could declare it less http://www.ebay.com/itm/MXL-10-inch-Camcorder-Shotgun-Condenser-Microphone-Mic-/110785326785?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19cb51eec1

    As for distrobution, it looks like MXL is US company.

    what's your opinion of MXL FR-300 vs Audio Technica AT875R?

    Normally it is pointless to ask such questions as people do not have all the mikes in the world (except pro sound guys, but they also normally have only top mikes).

  • peaceonearthpeaceonearth

    @John_Farragut

    That MXL FR-300 sounds intriguing too. The specs are better than my Audio Technica.

    thanks for your appraisal. Unfortunately there is no distribution in Germany, at first look I couldn't even find a European distribution. Rates for shipping, custom's fee & import sales tax are as high as the price by itself.

  • peaceonearthpeaceonearth

    So the plan is selling H4n maybe NTG-2 too and going for a Tascam DR-100mkII and a new mic in the second round. @Vitaliy_Kiselev what's your opinion of MXL FR-300 vs Audio Technica AT875R?
    Thanks to all for sharing your experience.

  • John_FarragutJohn_Farragut

    That MXL FR-300 sounds intriguing too. The specs are better than my Audio Technica.

  • John_FarragutJohn_Farragut

    Audio Technica AT875R is a hotter mike than NTG-2. This makes some difference. I sold my NTG-2. The AT875R is a less full sounding mike, true, but still very good for the price. Besides it's tiny. Still, good preamps are nescessary to get most of every mike.

  • thougts2ukthougts2uk

    maybe change to http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Tascam-DR-40-Handheld-4-Track-Recorder-/280877613323?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41659c410b i've seen in comparison to the zoom h4n the preamps are better and can boost the low levels. alternatively the tascam dr-100mkII has much better preamps then the zoom.

    some good reviews comparing audio recorders here; http://nofilmschool.com/2012/04/audio-recorder-roundup-h4n-zoom-vs-tascam/

    hope this helps

  • peaceonearthpeaceonearth

    @kitano thanks again for your help. I will order the FetHead and see how it works it's 70 € which is affordable. I am doing a (even not much) paid job, I am not experienced in audio software and I want to be on the safe side. I'm going for "I hear what I get"

  • kitanokitano

    @peaceonearth I still think you don't need to spend any money, my mic placements are between 1-2 metre, as its a uni directional mic, despite the low audio signal it records all the details. Just passing through a software compressor boost the signal to a broadcast quality. I can send you a before and after sample file if you wish.

    Another options is a device like this, this one is expensive but I remember seeing another one for around £25-35.

    http://www.felmicamps.co.uk/products/felminimicbooste.html

  • dream_beamdream_beam

    If you prefer to stick with combo zoom h4n / ntg2 due to any reason, then below might be of help (kudos to mrhotrod460 user at YouTube :

    Otherwise, I would upgrade recorder or use a dedicated preamp as others suggest in this thread

  • peaceonearthpeaceonearth

    thats true! I bought H4n cause the guy who helped me first with sound had one in combination with wireless Sennheiser and it worked fine. Every review I read was positive. I asked some guys for a recommendation at it was NTG-2. Every review was positive too. I did not read about these complaints of the combo because it did search for a review of the combo. And unfortunatley I wasn't member of personal-view at that time cause I had no GH2. Beginner's mistake. Thank God correctable without spending a fortune.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @WalterH

    This happens because various sites are full of old recommendations.
    NTG-2 is recommended very frequently (mostly by NTG-3 owners :-) ) Also H4n is mentioned widely, Tascam solutions not so much, despite their better performance and construction quality.

  • WalterHWalterH

    I think there needs to be a world-wide campaign against the NTG-2/H4n combination. People continue to throw $$ toward that combo even tho any search of forums in the past 18 months is only full of complaints.

    NTG-2 is a good-sounding mic but it is not sensitive and it needs to be close to the subject. H4n has good-sounding on-board mics but pre-amps are miserable for external mics.

    I too could have acquired another piece of gear ala an external pre-amp but opted instead to dump the H4n cheap and grab a DR-100mkii and eventually an AT875R. I am very happy with this combo (truly worlds of difference) whether on camera or boomed. NTG-3 would also be great. Don't know about sound of the MXL FR-300 - intriguing.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    I suggest MXL FR-300, it has higher sensitivity than NTG (45mV/Pa versus 15mV/Pa)
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/MXL-10-inch-Camcorder-Shotgun-Condenser-Microphone-Mic-/120829797963?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c2204664b

    Frequently recommended NTG-3 also is better (at about 31.6mV/Pa), but much more pricier.

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