Rode VideoMicro: Cheap Boom vs. Lav Mics
In this video I tested an affordable boom mic option (a Rode VideoMicro) mounted on a Manfrotto 420B boom stand compared with two lav mics, a classic affordable lav mic (Audio-Technica ATR3350) and a Zoom F1-LP, a two-channel audio recorder kit that comes with a lav mic.
The Rode VideoMicro was boomed just 6-8 inches from my mouth above my head and the lav mics were placed side by side over my sternum.
The VideoMicro and Audio-Technica were recorded to the Panasonic GH5 through the Saramonic SR-PAX1 on-camera preamp. The gain was at 50% for the Rode and all the way up for the Audio-Technica. The Zoom lav was recorded straight into the Zoom F1.
To my ears the boomed VideoMicro had the best sound, giving some good clarity in the higher/mid frequencies and a good low-end response as well. The Audio-Technica was lacking in the high frequencies and as a result sounded a bit muddy, while the Zoom lav was almost as clear as the Rode, but was a little bass-heavy as well.
Note on noise: I didn’t mention in the video, but the Audio-Technica was the noisiest, followed by the Rode, and then the Zoom. The Rode could have been cleaner if it wasn’t held back by the Audio-Technica. The Audio-Technica required the camera to be turned to -6 instead of -12, so with the Audio-Technica out of the picture, the camera would have been on -12 and the Rode would have been quieter. Even as it was, I didn’t think the Rode was too noisy to use at all.
To hear this comparison for yourself, check out the video above and if you like it, please feel free to subscribe for future content and let me know what else you’d like to see!