Oh….. the Movo is supposed to be ok! If it sounds hollow, it sounds like some EQ is needed in post. Try putting cuts in around 300-500hZ or try taking 1 kHz area down. Sometimes, reducing the mid area can really clean up the audio! What camera are you going into? Maybe a mismatch?
It certainly does, although Rode just deny it. If you engage the -20dB, it helps a lot. The thing is that it easily clips on normal speech so while I had it, I often left the -20 engaged and boosted it later. Mine is gone now so I no longer use it. The mic’s max spl is quite low but to pass it, you do need to be very loud, so the clipping might be happening perhaps in the electronics. The smaller, newer Rode mic does the same thing!
It really depends on the recorder/camera as well. On the M50, as you go below say level 5, distortion occurs too easily. My tests suggest I have to go to level 10 or thereabouts on the camera. Unfortunately that is where the preamp starts hissing a bit. I still believe it is some impedance issue, I might try to put some transformer(potentiometre) in line to see how that changes matters.
There is no one correct setting unfortunately. You just have to watch the meter on the camera, but for recording concerts, I suspect that you might need to turn the pad on, on the mic because trumpets etc can be very loud. The gain on the mic needs to be low. The NTG and Go II are very easily over driven.
Hi Ian. I'm a little late in commenting on this video. I own the VideoMic NTG and have not experienced any clipping during normal use in my home (sort of office/studio). I have yet to use it on my cameras. I don't normally use the mic in noisy environments, but I probably will someday. Thanks for the heads up about the clipping issue and your possible fix.
Try what some fella said in another video. Plug it into a computer using the usb and download the Rode connect software, there is another mic setting inside to the software that you cant change on the actual mic.
Thanks Mark. I have upon this mic and it’s long gone now. The distortion problem kept kicking in on normal surrounding sounds so I stopped using it. When I set it for my voice, passing cars would be too loud. I went back to my trusty D4 mini!
A very good investigation and explanation Ian. One remark, Rode says in the questions and answers on the website for the VideoMic GO II: 'The pad function only operates when using the VideoMic GO II in USB mode. When using the 3.5mm analog output, you should use the gain control on your camera to ensure the recording level is not too high.'
Funnily enough, I’ve just been talking to Dave Harry about that. Not great really is it? A mic that seems to clip so easily having no pad for use outdoors. Well, my ntg has gone now. Had enough. Moved on.
Back off the volume on the microphone a little. Most videographers turn the mic right up and the camera right down. This mic is very powerful and doesn’t need to be set so high and then you ‘avoid’ distortion on peaks a little better.
Yes. Frans V made an interesting point about that below. Something to do with it operating in USB mode. This mic as well as the Rode Go II and Videomicro II all seem to go into distortion on peaks very easily. It may be something to do with Sony cameras and their audio inputs. They’re not ideal for anything really loud.
Well, although I gave the mic a loud noise, in fact, it wasn’t that loud in reality. The mics seem to be very prone to clipping and it catches you when you’re outside and a motorbike or something goes past. It doesn’t always cope very well.
This video was before any updates. Some time ago now. Rode thought there might be a problem with Sony camera preamps. I got rid of the NTG some time ago now.
Any ideas how to make a Movo sound better? Sounds hollow bottle like & too much gain. Camera has no audio settings.
Oh….. the Movo is supposed to be ok! If it sounds hollow, it sounds like some EQ is needed in post. Try putting cuts in around 300-500hZ or try taking 1 kHz area down. Sometimes, reducing the mid area can really clean up the audio!
What camera are you going into? Maybe a mismatch?
The knob is a volume controler, it doesn't affect the gain. The only thing that affect the gain is -20db. The mic has a clipping problem.
It certainly does, although Rode just deny it. If you engage the -20dB, it helps a lot. The thing is that it easily clips on normal speech so while I had it, I often left the -20 engaged and boosted it later. Mine is gone now so I no longer use it.
The mic’s max spl is quite low but to pass it, you do need to be very loud, so the clipping might be happening perhaps in the electronics. The smaller, newer Rode mic does the same thing!
It really depends on the recorder/camera as well. On the M50, as you go below say level 5, distortion occurs too easily. My tests suggest I have to go to level 10 or thereabouts on the camera. Unfortunately that is where the preamp starts hissing a bit. I still believe it is some impedance issue, I might try to put some transformer(potentiometre) in line to see how that changes matters.
I agree. I think it is an impedance/electrical thing. I’m really surprised that this hasn’t come up more on TH-cam concerning the ntg.
I have this awful distorsion problem, so what would be the right gain number? For instance in gyms?
And what about concerts?
There is no one correct setting unfortunately. You just have to watch the meter on the camera, but for recording concerts, I suspect that you might need to turn the pad on, on the mic because trumpets etc can be very loud. The gain on the mic needs to be low.
The NTG and Go II are very easily over driven.
Hi Ian. I'm a little late in commenting on this video. I own the VideoMic NTG and have not experienced any clipping during normal use in my home (sort of office/studio). I have yet to use it on my cameras. I don't normally use the mic in noisy environments, but I probably will someday. Thanks for the heads up about the clipping issue and your possible fix.
Mine has gone now. I didn’t use it because distortion crept in on street sounds so I often had to cut those shots out.
Try what some fella said in another video. Plug it into a computer using the usb and download the Rode connect software, there is another mic setting inside to the software that you cant change on the actual mic.
Thanks Mark. I have upon this mic and it’s long gone now. The distortion problem kept kicking in on normal surrounding sounds so I stopped using it. When I set it for my voice, passing cars would be too loud. I went back to my trusty D4 mini!
A very good investigation and explanation Ian. One remark, Rode says in the questions and answers on the website for the VideoMic GO II: 'The pad function only operates when using the VideoMic GO II in USB mode. When using the 3.5mm analog output, you should use the gain control on your camera to ensure the recording level is not too high.'
Funnily enough, I’ve just been talking to Dave Harry about that. Not great really is it? A mic that seems to clip so easily having no pad for use outdoors.
Well, my ntg has gone now. Had enough. Moved on.
@@iancraig Yes, very strange indeed.
An attenuator cable will help you
Really helpful! Thank you Ian.
Thank you. I’m glad it was useful.
Sorry my English is not great, I have this mic and I didn't get if we have to set the mic low and high in camera or the opposite :) thanks
Back off the volume on the microphone a little. Most videographers turn the mic right up and the camera right down. This mic is very powerful and doesn’t need to be set so high and then you ‘avoid’ distortion on peaks a little better.
@@iancraig Alright ! thanks
you should have to pad at -20
Yes. Frans V made an interesting point about that below. Something to do with it operating in USB mode.
This mic as well as the Rode Go II and Videomicro II all seem to go into distortion on peaks very easily.
It may be something to do with Sony cameras and their audio inputs. They’re not ideal for anything really loud.
@@iancraig I meant to say you should not have to -20.
Well, although I gave the mic a loud noise, in fact, it wasn’t that loud in reality. The mics seem to be very prone to clipping and it catches you when you’re outside and a motorbike or something goes past. It doesn’t always cope very well.
@@iancraig Have you done the firmware update? I have the high pass at -75. I can't get it to clip like you do. I'll try again.
This video was before any updates. Some time ago now. Rode thought there might be a problem with Sony camera preamps. I got rid of the NTG some time ago now.
Why even mess with rode? Those mics are toys for teenagers
Yeah. I’m totally wasting my time and yours by making you watch this awful video. 😻
I hate watching the old geezer!
It was the green writing in the thumbnail…… they can’t resist. ;)