As for the adapter....It's an adapter. Was able to pick out which mic was which even on my laptop speakers. Very thorough and fair review. Well done Allen!
Wow, talk about thorough! I got this link from Amazon after having placed an order for the Synco Mic-D2. I'm not surprised to say that I picked the 416 in all your tests (using Sennheiser HD650 headphones), but I just can't justify spending that much when my channel is so small. I'm happy with my decision after having watched your excellent review.
The wind has other places to be during the summer, like a beach somewhere. HAHAHAHA! Nice, thorough review, Allen! Thanks for all the time and effort you put into this.
@@curtisjudd It never hurts to have yours though. Your reviews are amazing and a standard strived for. I've posted my reviews in forums where people have asked for thoughts about certain mics and within a few minutes, someone will post your review of the same mic.
After seeing Booth Junkie's "solicited" review it occurred to me that the company would send hand-picked, hand tuned copies of their product to the reviewers. An important comparison would be the reviewer's mic vs. one purchased through the commercial outlet. I'd also be interested to know what mics are being OEM'ed in the factories adjacent to SYNCO's Guangzhou factory.
I have been using this mic for three years now, and I LOVE it. All the sound on my own channel was recorded with the Synco D2 mic and a Zoom H6, and I could not be happier that I paired these two gear items. And while I invested in a dead cat for the D2 which I use when recording birds, Synco apparently listened to you about the included foam windscreen --because the windscreen I got with my D2 is high quality and well shaped; although, as expected, it doesn't block out all sound. I use it whenever I want some wind noise to make it through to the mic; if your visual shows tree leaves blowing but there is no wind sound at all in your audio, it is nothing short of spooky. Another note: the D2 unboxes with the low pass filter set to on. If you are recording birds or other natural sounds, you will never get the full register of their voices, and your recording will be flat. As soon as I turned off the low pass filter the bird voices came through in glorious form. Great review on a piece of gear I know like the back of my hand and will never part with. I'm waiting for them to design a waterproof model.
I bought this mic as a travel VO mic. I spent a couple months in Europe last summer, and wanted to keep my VO business going while I was on the road. While it wont be replacing my every day mic, which is a OC18, it did a great job with what I needed it to do. I did about a dozen commercials with it on the road, narrated a full course for a pretty big company, and quite a few other gigs. Clients loved the work, and It was easy to travel with. Can't really complain for under 200 bucks. I'll be doing the same thing this summer. 2 months in India this time, and I'll be bringing the D2 with me.
I just got this mic after searching for the S MK416. I was able to get it for less than $150 (it came as a combo with a "SYNCO Shotgun Cardioid Microphone, M1P Video Camera Mic..." (Amazon Black Friday) I think for that price, I'll gladly trade off some minor issues.
I'm extremely relieved! I was on the edge of buying this mic this week BUT I went with the 416. This review confirms I was not in error. Or at least it helps me spin it that way in my mind. As always THANK YOU for the always fair and honest reviews.
The mics weren't even level matched. I appreciate the effort made in the video but if the 416 sounds louder (not necessarily better) than the other 2 of course it's going to stand out more initially.
They were level matched to the same level RMS when I exploded the polyphonic WAV file in Reaper. I still had to raise the D2 another 2.9dB and on my wave forms it was higher than the 416. I do know what you're talking about though.
I don't know what's more impressive, the hyper thoroughness of the review or your ability to talk fast and consistently for that long while still actually saying something useful. It's like all the talking that you can't do when recording OTHER people gets stored up and released when you're on camera. In the pole tests I could tell that 2 had more resolution and detail, but was almost harsh or too sharp to my ears. 3 seemed close, but slightly better at rejection and just a hair less fatiguing to my ears. Anyway, thanks very much for the review its EXACTLY what I was looking for and needed to make a purchase of my first good shotgun mic. (I picked #3)
As a voice talent, who will only use this in a Studiobrick sound booth, I couldn't tell the difference between any of the three. It sounded exactly the same to me. Thus for $229 for the D2, as opposed to better than $1000 for a 416... I bought the D2. I also bought a better shock mount to help out as well. Tax and everything, under $300. I'm good with the hyper-cardioid pattern as that's what my CADe100S has and it's very good for VO.
Totally cool. All I want to do is provide info for you to make the right decision for yourself. I'll point out what I observe and give my opinion but opinions vary and my voice isn't typical. I'm glad you found this review and can have my info to consider when making your purchase. Seriously though, get a different foam windscreen if considering using this one.
Sennheiser 416 and Synco Mic-D2 were closer matched. Mic 2 has a high frequency response that can be heard. The other two were pretty flat. I was listening with headphones on.
I got the Synco a while back. Bought a 416 windscreen from the Sennheiser and I have to say, its a huge improvement! Generally use it around 6 to 3 inches (spoken word, mainly audio books/educational), aim it around my chin/neck to avoid some plosives, and do an 80 HZ high pass at the end, and boost a bit around my speaking frequencies and highs. I've noticed with my microphone using it from larger distances indoors isn't great, then again you probably don't want a long shotgun mic like this for that purpose. Keep it close, cut the lows has worked for me.
You probably wouldn't get great audio from longer distances anyway, assuming you're talking more than a few feet away. Far away shots typically use lav mics or ADR.
I do these tests as a proof of concept and because it magnifies issues. If you had no budget for lavs and wanted to try to use the sound in a wide... Can you?
@@SoundSpeeds On the bright side I'd imagine the distance on those wides would make low/no budget ADR or wild lines much easier. (Edited: forgot the name)
If only talent would speak at your level when next to the highway! Great review Allen, it's amazing to me how similar, yet how different each of these mic's perform in the varying environments.
Thanks for this video! When you were doing the out of the booth tests the whole time I was thinking, "Please don't let it be #1!" I thought 1 was the worst sounding one. I could clearly pick out the Senheiser as number 2... I'll just have to save up for the Senheiser... I can see why it's the king.
Are these level matched? The 416 sounds louder than the other two. But for those confused about this review vs. The Booth Junkie's it's important to consider Sounds Speed's voice is considerably higher than Mike(?)/Booth Junkie, so it's no surprise the Synco would not sound as good with its flatter/more rolled-off response. You don't hear the D2's 'fullness' that goes well with someone with stronger lower register. In this video the 416 doesn't necessarily sound better, just more highly boosted in the presence region which just takes a couple minutes in post to do the same with the Synco (which you'd want to use anyway if serious about sound quality). At least through my headphones (which are relatively tame on the top end no less), the Deity was the best compromise match for the voice. The 416 sounded too peaky/sibilant. The Synco's better rejection is important in that it's something that *can't* be fixed in post as easily whereas the presence boost can. I think this video is a good example of how important it is to match the mic to the voice.
The level matching I do is done in Reaper where I RMS level match the files after leveling out outlier peaks.I still ended up surprised that I had to boost the D2 another 2.9dB and it still sounded lower than the other two. I may watch Mike's review now that I've done mine. Another point I'll make is that The windscreen skewed the results of my field tests which I mention in my description. I tested what I was sent in the kit. Even with the VO test my D2 wasn't as detailed as the others as I say. If Mike's sounded better, it could be because of his voice (every mic sounds great on him) or it could be that my D2 had a flaw. I don't know.
Thanks for the very thorough comparison. Having watched BoothJunkie's video, I'm a little bit disappointed to hear such a big difference between the Schneider and the Synco. But that is a bit unfair given the price difference. However, we're just back at quality has its price.
My ears were on the synco and the 416. For the price and quality you can't beat the synco, it is a bit brighter however you can always change that on post.
Hi, right now in my area there are a Synco D2 snd a NTG4+ second hand. Are they a good idea as an all round mic at this point? One better than the other? Planning to get a zoom f3 also secondhand. Goal is interviews and documentary Thanks for your channel!
I was able to pick out the MKH-416 in every scenario. In the vocal booth the Synco sounded more like the MKH-416, but outside it and the garage it sounded more like the Deity.
Part of that is the godawful velour windscreen. It really muffles the high end, though my Synco Mic D2s (I tried 2 of them) were muffled without it. I think the ones sent for review are either hand picked from the best sounding or are intentionally made better than the ones the average consumer would get.
Dang. I came here for the Synco-Sennesier comparison and liked the sound of the Deity better! It's not on Amazon anymore. Do you know if it's DC or RF bias?
On the second half of the test outside the D2 wasn't as crisp but it handled the ambient noise way better and although the other mics were louder they sounded more harsh at the same time. So I wonder could the sound of the D2 be fixed in post to get a better sound than fixing the other two mics to get them where you want
You can fix sound to a degree but normally you doubt fix the sound of the microphone itself, just issues hindering it's performance like background noise, buzz or birds chirping. Detail isn't something that can be fixed if that's the issue though.
Love your videos - got mine today after watching your tests and reviews. How did the noise floor test compare to the Sennheiser or Deity, really curious if it's any worse? Was looking for a fairly flat sounding mic, and the slight dip in the high frequency isn't an issue for me, I actually prefer that (very easy to EQ on the channel strip too, a +3dB 15kHz shelf does the trick). I found the cable was 'upgraded' to a more MXX Neutrik-like connector, gold pins and all - with a red XLR ring, sounds and feels good, but is a bit thin. The website now advertises "an ultra low noise floor at 12dB (A-weighted), 24dB (CCIR 268-3)" with a SNR of 80 dB - but somehow find it higher than the noise floor of my Oktava MK-220 or the Earthworks Icon Pro, which should have around 14 and 16 dBA of noise respectively.
Yeah, I'm not 100% sure about their specs but go with what you hear. Specs aren't always exact from mic to mic and there are also sometimes issues that come up in manufacturing that can cause outliers.
@@SoundSpeeds Fair enough. Any thoughts on how to measure it a bit more scientifically or any videos that cover it? So far, I've got: 1. Gain match the microphones to test tones at the same distance with Low Cut on the pre-amp. 2. Chuck them in the couch and cover them with pillows (let's call this a 'sound isolation couch'). 3. Set Audacity to record in 192/32 with a 'Meter dB range' to -96 dB and Spectrogram Frequency to 0-20K with a range of 96. 4. Run Analyze - Plot Spectrum on chunks of noise. 5. Repeat with different condensers, pre-amps and interfaces. So far I've got the Synco D2 testing ~4-6 dB 'noiser' than the Icon Pro (rated 16), MK-220 (rated 14, cleanest of the bunch) and Scarlett CM25 MkIII (EIN 16 dbA), to the point where the expander can't keep up - letting in noise creep to around -54 in a live setting, while the same expander / gain setting on the Oktava, for example, has the noise floor at -72 dB. It gets worse in terms of SNR, as normally I wouldn't speak as closely in the Synco, so it would need even higher gain. I've swapped some 8 pre-amps and 3 interfaces (and even changed the room) with a variety of cables (mogami / neutrik) in the mix, and the results seem consistent. Wish I had another shotgun or the MKH-416 to test against :-). I've got a t.bone SC 400 coming for various tests, which is supposed to be rather noisy (18 dBA - according to *revised* specs) - will see how that compares.
I've never measured self noise specs. It's not my specialty so I have no idea the proper procedure. I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to figure out though if you run a few TH-cam searches. I think REW software might even do it but I'm not sure.
@@SoundSpeeds Thanks, will give that a try. I already have REW installed, probably from room EQ stuff but didn't consider it for mic measurement. Might just work, cheers! might also need to watch some more Julian Krause videos, he seems to be the 'noise measurement' wizard :-)
Sounded great...I could not tell the difference either... DO they have newer model and would this be good as an outdoor shotgun micro for documentary type work? Thanks!! The price looks amazing... Do you know if I can use this on a mirrorless camera with an XLR to mini jack adaptor by any chance? I have an FX3 with the handle for XLR input but sometimes do not need the handle and would like to use this with an adaptor? Thanks! To me the Sennheiser sounded the worst and picked up more wind..
I don't know if there is a newer model. It should do fine for documentary work outside. You should be able to use it on a mirror less camera if the mini plug has 48V phantom power.
That pigtail is necessary as it fits the back of the mic properly and locks. I find my other xlrs don't fit properly and I get random bad connections, crackling and noise. I use good quality cables and they lock into the pigtail snugly but not the back of the mic.
Sound Speeds Otherwise I think it is a pretty good mic for the money. A decent budget voiceover choice. Not on a par with my 416. Odd choice to make on the pigtail though. Thanks for a great review.
I had the 416 and the D2 backwards in my guess on what mic was what. The 416 is very bright at long distance compared to the D2. The 3rd mic did not sound good at all outside, but in the booth did just fine. I am blown away by how good the D2 sounds when compared to the 416. Yes the 416 is better but it is also 4 times the price. For a person just starting out I think the D2 is worth the money and wouldn't disappoint. I agree that dumping the clown nose filter that comes with for something better is a must. Awesome demo thank you!
I suspect the Synco sounding so muffled outdoors was due tp the poor screen as you've pointed out. Otherwise, I think its rejection of oblique noise is very impressive.
I really appreciated the extensive outdoor boom tests. I was impressed by the Mic-D2's tight pattern; it really seemed to cut out more room reverb indoors, and rejected a bit more ambient noise outdoors, while still reasonably balanced. I wonder if that makes it fussier to boom with. I also heard "buzziness" on Mic 2 that wasn't always pleasant. Anyway I'm currently shopping in the S-Mic 2/ Mic-D2 price range for something to boom with, and this review was the best one I've seen so far for that use.
D2 often on sale for about $130. Considering *8x* price difference it's not bad. Not 8%, not 80%, but 800%... Mic #2 was noticably better ouside though
Thank you so much for doing this. I can't believe how much of a difference I heard vs the Booth Junkie's video. I couldn't tell in his video but it was night and day in this video. I've grown to love my old k7 Sennheiser me66 and me67 for their detail. The Synco reminds me more of the Rode mics in that they tend to favor the low end above the high frequencies. This was extremely helpful and goes to show you that you can't pick a mic based off a single review in a single controlled environment. To his credit, he did say he was comparing the mic for voiceover only. I'm still confused on how the difference in high frequencies wasn't noticeable in his booth environment.
I'll admit... after people kept mentioning Mike's review, I did watch it with headphones and I couldn't hear a difference either. I don't know why our mics sound so different but they clearly do.
Love the review. Using mediocre near field monitors on my PC, I was able to pick out the Sennheiser each time but unable to distinguish between the other two. Still, the Synco seems pretty usable for the price.
Very interesting.Thanks a lot. Is your 416 broken? There is a kazoo-like buzzing quality to Mic2 outdoors that I really don't like: perhaps it's a reaction with your voice, or my MacBook or Beyerdynamic DT880's ! Or ears - not what they used to be: tinnitus ... The Deity is really smooth, and the Synco seemed more analytical, but not unpleasant. I add my voice to those that would like to download raw unprocessed audio files, before video-editing and whatever TH-cam does to them. Would be good to hear the _same_ truck passing, and the _same_ words spoken for each mic, too ... I fully agree Synco specs are all over the place: I would even call that polar plot supercardioid not at all hypercardioid! Of course, the plot has no dB or kHz on it, so it could mean anything! Another review (actually Synco D1 - Nemanja Sekulic th-cam.com/video/M738iHArLxA/w-d-xo.html ) does a walk-around test, showing very little rear-lobe. Nice even attenuation at all frequencies. D1 seems like D2 with optional battery, like R⌀de NTG1 vs. NTG2, but reversed, IIRC. But the specs are rather different, especially 'Dynamic Range'. The varying specs may reflect 'tweaking' - Synco are always trying to improve their products, rather than being consistent! Amazon UK has an option of a '2020' version of the Synco Mic-M1 model! ("sound more crisp and clear" for +£2 according to Moman UK - ASIN:B0814YVN3J)
Great comment. One thing I'd like to add is that just because there is a 2020 model doesn't mean it's an improvement. It could just mean different. Source of parts or modules used in the mic for example. Maybe they got rid of the terrible foam windscreen and that's the only change but it would be well worth the money. Again, great input!
In return, have a tip-off for a new-ish British mic company: 'Aston'. They do a nice couple of studio LDCs - 'Origin' and 'Spirit' with ∞💙☉. Built-in shock-mount, consulted musicians and engineers in development. Some links with sE in China , around production of the 'Munro Sonic Egg' monitors! Open to reviewers and 'brand ambassadors'. Reasonable prices. www.astonmics.com/
Something worth noting is they advertise both a 12 dBA self noise and an SNR of 80 dBA. Since this seems to be using the same A weighted scale as many other manufacturers, I would think it would add up to 94. This leads me to believe they're misrepresenting something in the self noise. I believe it's 14 dBA at best like you say, but their website claims it has 12 dB-A. Synco also claims it's RF biased, but I haven't seen any pictures of the PCB and I doubt it's RF biased mic.
@@SoundSpeeds Did you find the Deity sounds more like the MKH 416 than the Synco did? Going from Mic 3 to Mic 1 in the treated set piece test was so jarring, but mic 1 to mic 2 wasn't.
The MKH416 was very easy to recognize in all the sound tests, it left both budget mics in the mud. But hey, that mike plays in a whole different league and you must dig much deeper in your pocket.
I love how thorough this comparison was! It seems that for the price difference, the Deity might be a better option, but with a small channel, I wouldn't mind the Synco to be honest. Your M50x caught my eye. What pads are you using on them?
I saw this mic on boothjunkies review and checked out Synco’s webpage and...I was underwhelmed to put it mildly. Links didn’t work and information was VERY lacking. It looked like a fly by night Chinese operation. If anything I’d question the long term quality of this product just from that alone. Though, for the low price it may not be a bad option if you don't want to spend a "fortune" on more well known brands.
Hey man loved your video, can you please suggest me the cheapest option for shot gun microphone which I can use it on my sony ax100 inside the house and outside? Really appreciate your kind help
@@SoundSpeeds thanks for the comment but this is why with all your abilities you don't have many sub. If someone put time and watch your video and ask for help then you should not answer like that. You could say cheap mic are not that good the most dissent you can get is ...
You want me to thank you for watching a professional sound guy review a product professionally produced for free then get frustrated when I don't have a non-professional recommendation for you? Need I remind you that you asked for the cheapest option? Consumer audio isn't my forte. As for why I don't have a lot of subs... my videos are targeted towards pros and that is a niche of a niche of a niche audience. I'm very aware that my deep dives go over many people's heads and because I don't follow consumer audio, I'm not interesting to most people nor am I any good to them because I can't suggest a "cheapest option for shot gun microphone". I would refer you to Podcastage or Booth Junkie but they don't often reply to comments. I reply to all of mine even though I was on a set 90 minutes away for 12 hours today. It's not easy to do but I do it so I'm sorry if my directness and desire to not waste your time or money by recommending something just to hopefully get a click of an affiliate link rubs you the wrong way. I don't even know what a Sony AX100 is - I'm guessing a camera but I know nothing about it or the quality of the preamps. What I can do is link you a video for how to test your camera's noise performance. th-cam.com/video/zDrSjFZwcW4/w-d-xo.html
Interesting. I mixed up Deity and Sennheiser in the final listening test, the synco stood out as it didnt have that high presence boost (tbh it is a bit too much on the others imo). The Deity sounded more natural and sennheiser sounded impressive loud if the were level matched, get why people like it for SFX.
when listening to any mic review, I am unable to hear any difference. I’ve tried with headphones and Logitech speakers with a sub. What do I need to do?
Hmmm, I think for the price, I’d definitely pony up a little more to go with the Deity. For one thing, you’ve already proved the Deity to be pretty much the SM58 (durability wise) of shotgun mics.
@@SoundSpeeds hmm that mustve been what I was hearing. Mic1 always had a gurgled/muffled affect. Ruined the D2 for me, Is that effect there with a more standard blimp?
For me, the Senn 416 has a lot more top end, brightness to it that lends to sharper sibilance. Not something I wanna hear on a regular basis. I think the Diety S-Mic was the best, with the D2 a close second.
that's a very impressive and helpful video, and yes it's true that one can hardly find "actual sound comparison" in YT videos about this level of mics - I'm thinking about buying a 2nd hand Sennh. MKH 416T as I already have an 816T incl. 12V-->48V adapter cable (a.c. price : around 70$), it's almost the same quality for less than half price ;-) - gtx from the Lake of Constance
Sure thing and thank you for watching. You might consider having Sennheiser convert your T powered mics to Phantom. It may lower the noise performance some - removing that adapter.
i think the Deity mic sound the same with MKH416 in the high freq part，but lack of the chest sound，and unconsist low，ill boost little bass in post to match the416， the Synco have that chest sound,but abit muddy， and less high，in post ～ill raise some high，and cut some frequncy in around 100～200 to take off some mudd to match the MKH416.
Thanks. This is the only unbiased video i have seen on this mic. For just a little cheaper than the Deity.... Dont see the reason... And even on my phone could hear the difference. Would be nice to see the comparisson include the new Rode.
I think for my purposes, shooting training video and doing zoom Call and FB streams from an untreated room the synco is more than sufficient. I'll have the mic on a rt degree angle out above and in front of me over my webcam. Any suggestions as to mic choice or is this good. I've been using a dynamic to cut all background but I move around alot....
That's the thing... Dynamic mics will help more with background noises at the same distance as condensers: th-cam.com/video/emRQZM8-Nf0/w-d-xo.html If you move around a lot and you want to use a shotgun, make sure it's pointed the best way possible. That will require playing around in your environment: th-cam.com/video/Xg0X90t7qds/w-d-xo.html
This plus a movo blimp for narrative film work? Looking to get into better audio and was thinking about the deity s mic 2 but if I can save $100 is it worth it?
Depends on what sound you are going for. If you like what you hear, don't let me sway you in another direction. A blimp will certainly help in higher winds and that will come in handy!
Thanks for this video, I've been curious about this mic since Booth Junkie did his review. Too bad it arrived after you did that extensive shotgun comparison a few weeks back. For the booth comparison I completely failed to guess which mic was which. The Synco really sounds over the top with the proximity effect compared to the other two. I didn't think it sounded that similar to the Sennheiser but I don't think it's necessarily worse, buuuuuuuut I imagine it would require a pretty aggressive EQ if you were close talking it and didn't want to sound like a late night radio disc jockey. I'd be happy to use any of these mics or indeed the Rode NTG5 in that environment, but the Synco would not be my first choice. I kinda skipped the outdoors tests since that's not an environment I record in and I don't have enough training or knowledge to form an educated opinion. In the garage the 3 mics sounded remarkably different, more so than in the VO booth. Mic 2 won this round IMO but honestly by the time reverb got bad in one of them it was bad in all of them. Each mic's reverb did seem to have a different quality though; maybe audio pros would be able to work with one or find one more difficult than the others. Again, I don't know enough about this to really give an educated opinion. In the garage and living room, I thought Mic 2 was a lot brighter than the other two and guessed it would be the Deity since the other two are supposed to sound alike. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE. I think it's remarkable to what extent you were able to tease out the differences between the mics for this video. I really thought the mics sounded alike in Booth Junkie's comparison of the Synco to the Sennheiser. The power of suggestion or does it come down to a difference in your voices or the recording chain? If you want to make me second guess the other mic on my wish list do a Stellar X2 vs a Neumann U87ai comparison next lol.
Now that I've done my video I'll have to listen to Mike's comparison. In fairness... Mike has a different sounding voice than me and his Mic-D2 may sound better than mine. Dunno yet.
@@SoundSpeeds I'm thinking some of them sound different than others, or better on some voices. I certainly think it holds its own for the price, but I wouldn't call it equal to the MKH416. Maybe the S-Mic 2 depending on the voice, but the S-Mic 2 can also be EQ'd to get super close to the MKH416 with relative ease.
@@dylanj8676 Because of the detail of the capsule. I'm not sure the Synco would be the same and if different Mic-D2s sound different, that's not good. The goal for any manufacturer is to produce consistent products and if every one is different, Yikes!
@@SoundSpeeds Yeah, the Mic D2 isn't nearly as detailed as my Mic S2. I think I'll stick to that one, and his EQ it until I'm ready to grab an MKH416 or NTG3.
For the first test, the Sennheiser definitely sounded the best. The Deity was really shrill on your voice, but the Synco was incredibly close. In the second test, mic 3 sounded the best, 1 was shrill, and 2 was close to mic 3, but mic 3 was more clear. I stopped listening after that. Lol. The Deity S-Mic 2 is is really solid!
I don't do unboxings and don't focus on the accessories. I test it in many versatile ways. So many people online talk specs (boring) and shoe what's in a box (boring) so I don't repeat what everyone else does. Most people watch me for the real tests that nobody else will do.
Granted. You did a phenomenal, greatly detailed review of the 3 mics. Sorry if that came off as snarky. I got a lot out of your comparison. I was just responding to the front end of your presentation, where you were wiggling items you were showing us, like printed material and accessories, and I literally couldn't register the item because you were waving it around so much. It's just a presentational note, not to take anything away from the body of the review, which was excellent. Consider it or ignore it.
We usually get ours the weekend after Thanksgiving and after Twelfth Night, we remove all the ornaments and everything Christmasy except the white lights and we may leave that up as a Spring decoration until around Easter. Sometimes before we'll take it down if our neighborhood does a free Christmas tree disposal.
@@SoundSpeeds we used to do a whole little village with trains and houses about the size of a sheet of plywood, that tradition hasn’t happened in the last few 20 years. It was always fun to see the cat wander into the village curl up and not disturb anything. Now we trying to decorate the fireplace mantle and usually turn on the lights outside that we have left up. Any events I do in December I like to put up the good old Yule log fireplace if there’s going to be a projector or screen. Usually gets a kick plus if the room is cold the projector really warms things up.
You asked which I prefer with no context and I answered my preference assuming you do film like me. For voiceover though, go D2 because it has far less bass when micing within a foot to 18 inches.
@@SoundSpeeds no, thank you for doing all that hardwork, and making these videos... and entertaining us! You are the one who deserves a Huge thanks.. Therefore, thank you very much for your service 😊👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
DANG, I had it as the Synco D2 as #1, Sennheiser 416 as #2 and Diety S-Mic as #3. Well shut my mouth can call me Jimmy. #2 had a distinct warmer sound at 6" but at proximity and X feet away, no perceptible difference.
Oh and I went on a bought one. NICE! Helps out a lot out of the booth. I believe you had a video about shotguns that was to the tune of them being in a booth is (more or less) useless as its intended physics are nullified without echo. I believe that's what you meant.
And that's fair. I'm providing many tests for you to listen to so you can make an informed decision. Certainly don't let me stop you if you like what you hear.
I have this mic. It introduces what I can only describe as a vocal fry on steroids. Premier Pro's waveform looks like the teeth of a hair comb or a jigsaw blade on certain words. Substitute a Rode NTG1 on the same cable leading to the Panasonic HC-X2 camcorder and the fry goes away.
@@SoundSpeeds Any thoughts as to why a mic would behave like this? Oh! One more thing. The diameter is less than the Rode which keeps it from fitting on the camcorder's shotgun shock mount.
@@SoundSpeeds Sorry. The mic that records well is a Rode NTG-1. It's the Synco D-2 that produces the fry. I'll try dropping the headroom to -18db from -12 db to see if that helps. The $3200 camcorder's preamp sucks. Really noisy floor. Pretty pics though. 🙂The best setting is 50Hz using the Rode at -12db, so the Synco may end up on eBay. Thanks for your help!
@@evafilmbyantonioeva922 Around $250 (link in the description below the video). Better than the NTG4+? Probably about even in my book. The NTG4+ has more features and a better windscreen but the Synco is smaller, lighter and better balanced. As for sound quality... I'd lean more towards the the Synco.
I liked #1 the most in all outside and garage tests. #2 is too sibilant and brittle. #3 is just ok. It's quite a beast regardless the price. Good job Synco guys!
I was really shocked by the smic2 wow... You could definitely hear the Sennheiser clarity over both, but the smic2 really cut out the ambient noise rather well while sounding clearer than the synco mic. I wouldn’t invest in a synco mic, but I’m seriously thinking about the smic2 after seeing this..
As for the adapter....It's an adapter. Was able to pick out which mic was which even on my laptop speakers. Very thorough and fair review. Well done Allen!
Thanks dude.
Synco D2 vs. Rode VideoMic NTG?
For what application?
@@SoundSpeeds mostly for streaming, but sometimes also for some DSLR filmmaking.
NTG
Wow, talk about thorough! I got this link from Amazon after having placed an order for the Synco Mic-D2. I'm not surprised to say that I picked the 416 in all your tests (using Sennheiser HD650 headphones), but I just can't justify spending that much when my channel is so small. I'm happy with my decision after having watched your excellent review.
Thank you. Yeah, it's OK for the money just get a different windscreen
The wind has other places to be during the summer, like a beach somewhere. HAHAHAHA! Nice, thorough review, Allen! Thanks for all the time and effort you put into this.
WoooHooo! Curtis Judd's approval. You guys see this? You see?!?!?!
Sound Speeds hahaha! YOU don’t need my
approval!
@@curtisjudd It never hurts to have yours though. Your reviews are amazing and a standard strived for. I've posted my reviews in forums where people have asked for thoughts about certain mics and within a few minutes, someone will post your review of the same mic.
Curtis is awesome in so many ways. Thank you for you kind words as well.
@@SoundSpeeds much love and respect.
After seeing Booth Junkie's "solicited" review it occurred to me that the company would send hand-picked, hand tuned copies of their product to the reviewers. An important comparison would be the reviewer's mic vs. one purchased through the commercial outlet. I'd also be interested to know what mics are being OEM'ed in the factories adjacent to SYNCO's Guangzhou factory.
That's a great question and one that I've wondered about too.
I have been using this mic for three years now, and I LOVE it. All the sound on my own channel was recorded with the Synco D2 mic and a Zoom H6, and I could not be happier that I paired these two gear items. And while I invested in a dead cat for the D2 which I use when recording birds, Synco apparently listened to you about the included foam windscreen --because the windscreen I got with my D2 is high quality and well shaped; although, as expected, it doesn't block out all sound. I use it whenever I want some wind noise to make it through to the mic; if your visual shows tree leaves blowing but there is no wind sound at all in your audio, it is nothing short of spooky. Another note: the D2 unboxes with the low pass filter set to on. If you are recording birds or other natural sounds, you will never get the full register of their voices, and your recording will be flat. As soon as I turned off the low pass filter the bird voices came through in glorious form. Great review on a piece of gear I know like the back of my hand and will never part with. I'm waiting for them to design a waterproof model.
👍
I bought this mic as a travel VO mic. I spent a couple months in Europe last summer, and wanted to keep my VO business going while I was on the road. While it wont be replacing my every day mic, which is a OC18, it did a great job with what I needed it to do. I did about a dozen commercials with it on the road, narrated a full course for a pretty big company, and quite a few other gigs. Clients loved the work, and It was easy to travel with. Can't really complain for under 200 bucks. I'll be doing the same thing this summer. 2 months in India this time, and I'll be bringing the D2 with me.
Very good.
I just got this mic after searching for the S MK416. I was able to get it for less than $150 (it came as a combo with a "SYNCO Shotgun Cardioid Microphone, M1P Video Camera Mic..." (Amazon Black Friday)
I think for that price, I'll gladly trade off some minor issues.
That's a great deal
I'm extremely relieved! I was on the edge of buying this mic this week BUT I went with the 416. This review confirms I was not in error. Or at least it helps me spin it that way in my mind. As always THANK YOU for the always fair and honest reviews.
Always a safe bet - the 416. Wise decision.
The mics weren't even level matched. I appreciate the effort made in the video but if the 416 sounds louder (not necessarily better) than the other 2 of course it's going to stand out more initially.
They were level matched to the same level RMS when I exploded the polyphonic WAV file in Reaper. I still had to raise the D2 another 2.9dB and on my wave forms it was higher than the 416. I do know what you're talking about though.
I don't know what's more impressive, the hyper thoroughness of the review or your ability to talk fast and consistently for that long while still actually saying something useful. It's like all the talking that you can't do when recording OTHER people gets stored up and released when you're on camera. In the pole tests I could tell that 2 had more resolution and detail, but was almost harsh or too sharp to my ears. 3 seemed close, but slightly better at rejection and just a hair less fatiguing to my ears. Anyway, thanks very much for the review its EXACTLY what I was looking for and needed to make a purchase of my first good shotgun mic. (I picked #3)
Thank you. A lot of takes and you too can speak fast without error. ;-) Thanks for watching.
As a voice talent, who will only use this in a Studiobrick sound booth, I couldn't tell the difference between any of the three. It sounded exactly the same to me. Thus for $229 for the D2, as opposed to better than $1000 for a 416... I bought the D2. I also bought a better shock mount to help out as well. Tax and everything, under $300. I'm good with the hyper-cardioid pattern as that's what my CADe100S has and it's very good for VO.
Very good. I find it important to have information so you can make your own decision.
Otis Jiry i am also considering to purchase the d2 as a sorta stand in for 416 or until i make enough to get the 416.
Totally cool. All I want to do is provide info for you to make the right decision for yourself. I'll point out what I observe and give my opinion but opinions vary and my voice isn't typical. I'm glad you found this review and can have my info to consider when making your purchase. Seriously though, get a different foam windscreen if considering using this one.
Sennheiser 416 and Synco Mic-D2 were closer matched. Mic 2 has a high frequency response that can be heard. The other two were pretty flat. I was listening with headphones on.
Thanks for watching and commenting
I got the Synco a while back. Bought a 416 windscreen from the Sennheiser and I have to say, its a huge improvement!
Generally use it around 6 to 3 inches (spoken word, mainly audio books/educational), aim it around my chin/neck to avoid some plosives, and do an 80 HZ high pass at the end, and boost a bit around my speaking frequencies and highs. I've noticed with my microphone using it from larger distances indoors isn't great, then again you probably don't want a long shotgun mic like this for that purpose. Keep it close, cut the lows has worked for me.
It sounds like you have a solid workflow. That's the most important thing aside from liking the sound.
You probably wouldn't get great audio from longer distances anyway, assuming you're talking more than a few feet away. Far away shots typically use lav mics or ADR.
I do these tests as a proof of concept and because it magnifies issues. If you had no budget for lavs and wanted to try to use the sound in a wide... Can you?
@@SoundSpeeds On the bright side I'd imagine the distance on those wides would make low/no budget ADR or wild lines much easier. (Edited: forgot the name)
Wild lines?
If only talent would speak at your level when next to the highway! Great review Allen, it's amazing to me how similar, yet how different each of these mic's perform in the varying environments.
You know it brother! Thanks for watching.
Thanks for this video! When you were doing the out of the booth tests the whole time I was thinking, "Please don't let it be #1!" I thought 1 was the worst sounding one. I could clearly pick out the Senheiser as number 2... I'll just have to save up for the Senheiser... I can see why it's the king.
👍
Are these level matched? The 416 sounds louder than the other two.
But for those confused about this review vs. The Booth Junkie's it's important to consider Sounds Speed's voice is considerably higher than Mike(?)/Booth Junkie, so it's no surprise the Synco would not sound as good with its flatter/more rolled-off response. You don't hear the D2's 'fullness' that goes well with someone with stronger lower register. In this video the 416 doesn't necessarily sound better, just more highly boosted in the presence region which just takes a couple minutes in post to do the same with the Synco (which you'd want to use anyway if serious about sound quality).
At least through my headphones (which are relatively tame on the top end no less), the Deity was the best compromise match for the voice. The 416 sounded too peaky/sibilant. The Synco's better rejection is important in that it's something that *can't* be fixed in post as easily whereas the presence boost can. I think this video is a good example of how important it is to match the mic to the voice.
The level matching I do is done in Reaper where I RMS level match the files after leveling out outlier peaks.I still ended up surprised that I had to boost the D2 another 2.9dB and it still sounded lower than the other two.
I may watch Mike's review now that I've done mine. Another point I'll make is that The windscreen skewed the results of my field tests which I mention in my description. I tested what I was sent in the kit. Even with the VO test my D2 wasn't as detailed as the others as I say. If Mike's sounded better, it could be because of his voice (every mic sounds great on him) or it could be that my D2 had a flaw. I don't know.
Thanks for the very thorough comparison. Having watched BoothJunkie's video, I'm a little bit disappointed to hear such a big difference between the Schneider and the Synco. But that is a bit unfair given the price difference. However, we're just back at quality has its price.
Agreed.
My ears were on the synco and the 416. For the price and quality you can't beat the synco, it is a bit brighter however you can always change that on post.
OK
Love the TEST. I have an M16 and I was compelled to get a synco as well! Thanks
👍 Thanks for watching.
Hi, right now in my area there are a Synco D2 snd a NTG4+ second hand. Are they a good idea as an all round mic at this point? One better than the other? Planning to get a zoom f3 also secondhand. Goal is interviews and documentary
Thanks for your channel!
Thank you. The NTG4+ is self powered so if you need that, there you go. Otherwise, go for the Synco.
Thanks@@SoundSpeeds
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I was able to pick out the MKH-416 in every scenario. In the vocal booth the Synco sounded more like the MKH-416, but outside it and the garage it sounded more like the Deity.
It's not a bad mic for the price but can't compare to the 416
Part of that is the godawful velour windscreen. It really muffles the high end, though my Synco Mic D2s (I tried 2 of them) were muffled without it. I think the ones sent for review are either hand picked from the best sounding or are intentionally made better than the ones the average consumer would get.
Good to know. Doesn't surprise me though.
Dang. I came here for the Synco-Sennesier comparison and liked the sound of the Deity better! It's not on Amazon anymore. Do you know if it's DC or RF bias?
It's DC but the boards are epoxy sealed. Watch this: th-cam.com/video/EEADaqIiun4/w-d-xo.html
@@SoundSpeeds Thank you!
Glad to help
@@SoundSpeeds Update: I like my AT875R better. : ) It's nice to have a durable back up, though.
I impulse bought the 875 a few months ago during a Livestream. It's a really good shotgun for $150.
On the second half of the test outside the D2 wasn't as crisp but it handled the ambient noise way better and although the other mics were louder they sounded more harsh at the same time. So I wonder could the sound of the D2 be fixed in post to get a better sound than fixing the other two mics to get them where you want
You can fix sound to a degree but normally you doubt fix the sound of the microphone itself, just issues hindering it's performance like background noise, buzz or birds chirping. Detail isn't something that can be fixed if that's the issue though.
@@SoundSpeeds gotcha 👌🏽
Thanks for watching!
Love your videos - got mine today after watching your tests and reviews. How did the noise floor test compare to the Sennheiser or Deity, really curious if it's any worse? Was looking for a fairly flat sounding mic, and the slight dip in the high frequency isn't an issue for me, I actually prefer that (very easy to EQ on the channel strip too, a +3dB 15kHz shelf does the trick). I found the cable was 'upgraded' to a more MXX Neutrik-like connector, gold pins and all - with a red XLR ring, sounds and feels good, but is a bit thin. The website now advertises "an ultra low noise floor at 12dB (A-weighted), 24dB (CCIR 268-3)" with a SNR of 80 dB - but somehow find it higher than the noise floor of my Oktava MK-220 or the Earthworks Icon Pro, which should have around 14 and 16 dBA of noise respectively.
Yeah, I'm not 100% sure about their specs but go with what you hear. Specs aren't always exact from mic to mic and there are also sometimes issues that come up in manufacturing that can cause outliers.
@@SoundSpeeds Fair enough. Any thoughts on how to measure it a bit more scientifically or any videos that cover it? So far, I've got: 1. Gain match the microphones to test tones at the same distance with Low Cut on the pre-amp. 2. Chuck them in the couch and cover them with pillows (let's call this a 'sound isolation couch'). 3. Set Audacity to record in 192/32 with a 'Meter dB range' to -96 dB and Spectrogram Frequency to 0-20K with a range of 96. 4. Run Analyze - Plot Spectrum on chunks of noise. 5. Repeat with different condensers, pre-amps and interfaces. So far I've got the Synco D2 testing ~4-6 dB 'noiser' than the Icon Pro (rated 16), MK-220 (rated 14, cleanest of the bunch) and Scarlett CM25 MkIII (EIN 16 dbA), to the point where the expander can't keep up - letting in noise creep to around -54 in a live setting, while the same expander / gain setting on the Oktava, for example, has the noise floor at -72 dB. It gets worse in terms of SNR, as normally I wouldn't speak as closely in the Synco, so it would need even higher gain. I've swapped some 8 pre-amps and 3 interfaces (and even changed the room) with a variety of cables (mogami / neutrik) in the mix, and the results seem consistent. Wish I had another shotgun or the MKH-416 to test against :-). I've got a t.bone SC 400 coming for various tests, which is supposed to be rather noisy (18 dBA - according to *revised* specs) - will see how that compares.
I've never measured self noise specs. It's not my specialty so I have no idea the proper procedure. I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to figure out though if you run a few TH-cam searches. I think REW software might even do it but I'm not sure.
@@SoundSpeeds Thanks, will give that a try. I already have REW installed, probably from room EQ stuff but didn't consider it for mic measurement. Might just work, cheers! might also need to watch some more Julian Krause videos, he seems to be the 'noise measurement' wizard :-)
That he is.
Sounded great...I could not tell the difference either... DO they have newer model and would this be good as an outdoor shotgun micro for documentary type work? Thanks!! The price looks amazing... Do you know if I can use this on a mirrorless camera with an XLR to mini jack adaptor by any chance? I have an FX3 with the handle for XLR input but sometimes do not need the handle and would like to use this with an adaptor? Thanks! To me the Sennheiser sounded the worst and picked up more wind..
I don't know if there is a newer model. It should do fine for documentary work outside. You should be able to use it on a mirror less camera if the mini plug has 48V phantom power.
That pigtail is necessary as it fits the back of the mic properly and locks. I find my other xlrs don't fit properly and I get random bad connections, crackling and noise. I use good quality cables and they lock into the pigtail snugly but not the back of the mic.
It's sad that it's made that way. Like you I prefer to use excellent cables.
Sound Speeds Otherwise I think it is a pretty good mic for the money. A decent budget voiceover choice. Not on a par with my 416. Odd choice to make on the pigtail though. Thanks for a great review.
Thank you and thanks for watching.
I had the 416 and the D2 backwards in my guess on what mic was what. The 416 is very bright at long distance compared to the D2. The 3rd mic did not sound good at all outside, but in the booth did just fine. I am blown away by how good the D2 sounds when compared to the 416. Yes the 416 is better but it is also 4 times the price. For a person just starting out I think the D2 is worth the money and wouldn't disappoint. I agree that dumping the clown nose filter that comes with for something better is a must.
Awesome demo thank you!
Sure thing. Thank you for watching.
And what do you have now after 416 and d2?
For what use?
@@SoundSpeeds I asked EthosAtheos("commentstarter") about his expirience.
But if to answer for "for what use?", then : for voiceover.
In that case just by the front lobe sound. Which do you like batter? The MKH sound or the D2 which is flatter
Which field recorder did you use for outside?
Sound Devices MixPre-6
I suspect the Synco sounding so muffled outdoors was due tp the poor screen as you've pointed out. Otherwise, I think its rejection of oblique noise is very impressive.
Yes, the wind screen is horrible.
I really appreciated the extensive outdoor boom tests. I was impressed by the Mic-D2's tight pattern; it really seemed to cut out more room reverb indoors, and rejected a bit more ambient noise outdoors, while still reasonably balanced. I wonder if that makes it fussier to boom with. I also heard "buzziness" on Mic 2 that wasn't always pleasant.
Anyway I'm currently shopping in the S-Mic 2/ Mic-D2 price range for something to boom with, and this review was the best one I've seen so far for that use.
Thank you. I'm glad you found it informative. Thanks for watching.
D2 often on sale for about $130. Considering *8x* price difference it's not bad. Not 8%, not 80%, but 800%... Mic #2 was noticably better ouside though
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Second round of testing: Mic 2 - Senheiser MKH416, Mic 1 & 3: Not familiar enough with either yet to pick, but I like Mic 3 better than Mic 1.
Very good
Thank you so much for doing this. I can't believe how much of a difference I heard vs the Booth Junkie's video. I couldn't tell in his video but it was night and day in this video. I've grown to love my old k7 Sennheiser me66 and me67 for their detail. The Synco reminds me more of the Rode mics in that they tend to favor the low end above the high frequencies. This was extremely helpful and goes to show you that you can't pick a mic based off a single review in a single controlled environment. To his credit, he did say he was comparing the mic for voiceover only. I'm still confused on how the difference in high frequencies wasn't noticeable in his booth environment.
I'll get your samples of the me67 when I can...
I'll admit... after people kept mentioning Mike's review, I did watch it with headphones and I couldn't hear a difference either. I don't know why our mics sound so different but they clearly do.
maybe it was mikes voice...it is more bass
Mike's voice sounds great no matter what!
Love the review. Using mediocre near field monitors on my PC, I was able to pick out the Sennheiser each time but unable to distinguish between the other two. Still, the Synco seems pretty usable for the price.
It is. Just get another windscreen.
Sounds ok just wondering about the quality and life of the mic.
If I used it more I might have an answer but I've not heard any company's about them dying.
Very interesting.Thanks a lot.
Is your 416 broken?
There is a kazoo-like buzzing quality to Mic2 outdoors that I really don't like: perhaps it's a reaction with your voice, or my MacBook or Beyerdynamic DT880's ! Or ears - not what they used to be: tinnitus ...
The Deity is really smooth, and the Synco seemed more analytical, but not unpleasant.
I add my voice to those that would like to download raw unprocessed audio files, before video-editing and whatever TH-cam does to them. Would be good to hear the _same_ truck passing, and the _same_ words spoken for each mic, too ...
I fully agree Synco specs are all over the place: I would even call that polar plot supercardioid not at all hypercardioid! Of course, the plot has no dB or kHz on it, so it could mean anything!
Another review (actually Synco D1 - Nemanja Sekulic th-cam.com/video/M738iHArLxA/w-d-xo.html ) does a walk-around test, showing very little rear-lobe. Nice even attenuation at all frequencies.
D1 seems like D2 with optional battery, like R⌀de NTG1 vs. NTG2, but reversed, IIRC.
But the specs are rather different, especially 'Dynamic Range'.
The varying specs may reflect 'tweaking' - Synco are always trying to improve their products, rather than being consistent!
Amazon UK has an option of a '2020' version of the Synco Mic-M1 model! ("sound more crisp and clear" for +£2 according to Moman UK - ASIN:B0814YVN3J)
Great comment. One thing I'd like to add is that just because there is a 2020 model doesn't mean it's an improvement. It could just mean different. Source of parts or modules used in the mic for example. Maybe they got rid of the terrible foam windscreen and that's the only change but it would be well worth the money. Again, great input!
In return, have a tip-off for a new-ish British mic company: 'Aston'.
They do a nice couple of studio LDCs - 'Origin' and 'Spirit' with ∞💙☉. Built-in shock-mount, consulted musicians and engineers in development. Some links with sE in China , around production of the 'Munro Sonic Egg' monitors!
Open to reviewers and 'brand ambassadors'.
Reasonable prices.
www.astonmics.com/
I'm familiar with Aston. LDCs wouldn't be used like a shotgun mic.
Something worth noting is they advertise both a 12 dBA self noise and an SNR of 80 dBA. Since this seems to be using the same A weighted scale as many other manufacturers, I would think it would add up to 94. This leads me to believe they're misrepresenting something in the self noise. I believe it's 14 dBA at best like you say, but their website claims it has 12 dB-A. Synco also claims it's RF biased, but I haven't seen any pictures of the PCB and I doubt it's RF biased mic.
Yeah, I always look for spec mismatches like that because they tell a story. Even if that story is overlooking something or a misprinting.
@@SoundSpeeds Did you find the Deity sounds more like the MKH 416 than the Synco did? Going from Mic 3 to Mic 1 in the treated set piece test was so jarring, but mic 1 to mic 2 wasn't.
In a controlled and treated environment, yes. They still aren't a match in real world tests.
what kiils the D2 is the Windscreen, without it , it sounds SO MUCH better. if you used the 416 windscreen on the D2, it would be so much closer!!!
Why didn't Synco just copy the 416 as well? a no-brainer
meaning copy the 416 windscreen
No idea. To me it looks like they were going for appearance more than sound.
The MKH416 was very easy to recognize in all the sound tests, it left both budget mics in the mud. But hey, that mike plays in a whole different league and you must dig much
deeper in your pocket.
Very correct
I love how thorough this comparison was! It seems that for the price difference, the Deity might be a better option, but with a small channel, I wouldn't mind the Synco to be honest. Your M50x caught my eye. What pads are you using on them?
These: th-cam.com/video/ljCPz6YxIvY/w-d-xo.html
I saw this mic on boothjunkies review and checked out Synco’s webpage and...I was underwhelmed to put it mildly. Links didn’t work and information was VERY lacking. It looked like a fly by night Chinese operation. If anything I’d question the long term quality of this product just from that alone. Though, for the low price it may not be a bad option if you don't want to spend a "fortune" on more well known brands.
Imdeed.
Loved the 23 ft of the ground test !
Thank you. It's a common test for me.
Hey man loved your video, can you please suggest me the cheapest option for shot gun microphone which I can use it on my sony ax100 inside the house and outside? Really appreciate your kind help
Cheapest shotgun? No idea.
@@SoundSpeeds thanks for the comment but this is why with all your abilities you don't have many sub. If someone put time and watch your video and ask for help then you should not answer like that. You could say cheap mic are not that good the most dissent you can get is ...
You want me to thank you for watching a professional sound guy review a product professionally produced for free then get frustrated when I don't have a non-professional recommendation for you? Need I remind you that you asked for the cheapest option? Consumer audio isn't my forte. As for why I don't have a lot of subs... my videos are targeted towards pros and that is a niche of a niche of a niche audience. I'm very aware that my deep dives go over many people's heads and because I don't follow consumer audio, I'm not interesting to most people nor am I any good to them because I can't suggest a "cheapest option for shot gun microphone". I would refer you to Podcastage or Booth Junkie but they don't often reply to comments. I reply to all of mine even though I was on a set 90 minutes away for 12 hours today. It's not easy to do but I do it so I'm sorry if my directness and desire to not waste your time or money by recommending something just to hopefully get a click of an affiliate link rubs you the wrong way. I don't even know what a Sony AX100 is - I'm guessing a camera but I know nothing about it or the quality of the preamps. What I can do is link you a video for how to test your camera's noise performance.
th-cam.com/video/zDrSjFZwcW4/w-d-xo.html
@@SoundSpeeds impressed by the time u spent responding!👏🏻
Thank you. :-)
Interesting. I mixed up Deity and Sennheiser in the final listening test, the synco stood out as it didnt have that high presence boost (tbh it is a bit too much on the others imo). The Deity sounded more natural and sennheiser sounded impressive loud if the were level matched, get why people like it for SFX.
Yep. Another popular SFX mic is the MKH-50. It's often used for foley.
when listening to any mic review, I am unable to hear any difference. I’ve tried with headphones and Logitech speakers with a sub. What do I need to do?
Listen for detail.
Hmmm, I think for the price, I’d definitely pony up a little more to go with the Deity. For one thing, you’ve already proved the Deity to be pretty much the SM58 (durability wise) of shotgun mics.
The D2's windscreen really hurt it in the performance test but I hear you.
@@SoundSpeeds hmm that mustve been what I was hearing. Mic1 always had a gurgled/muffled affect. Ruined the D2 for me, Is that effect there with a more standard blimp?
It's not there on the mic itself so I wouldn't think so. That windscreen is horrible and muffled the mic like crazy.
For me, the Senn 416 has a lot more top end, brightness to it that lends to sharper sibilance. Not something I wanna hear on a regular basis. I think the Diety S-Mic was the best, with the D2 a close second.
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Killer review bro. Thanks for the great work.
Sure thing. Thanks for watching.
just one question? in your opinion sinco d2 or azden 3500L?
I don't know the Azden 3500L. Sorry.
@@SoundSpeeds ok thanks
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Synco says it has 12dB (A) / 24dB (CCIR 268-3) self noise for D2. Can you confirm it? Or your 14dB (A) is still valid info?
I can't confirm. Specs sometimes change with newer parts used in manufacturing or with updated testing methods.
@@SoundSpeeds I've made mistake that corrected info on site in Poland distributor says 12dB (A), 24dB (CCIR 268-3)
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that's a very impressive and helpful video, and yes it's true that one can hardly find "actual sound comparison" in YT videos about this level of mics - I'm thinking about buying a 2nd hand Sennh. MKH 416T as I already have an 816T incl. 12V-->48V adapter cable (a.c. price : around 70$), it's almost the same quality for less than half price ;-) - gtx from the Lake of Constance
Sure thing and thank you for watching. You might consider having Sennheiser convert your T powered mics to Phantom. It may lower the noise performance some - removing that adapter.
i think the Deity mic sound the same with MKH416 in the high freq part，but lack of the chest sound，and unconsist low，ill boost little bass in post to match the416，
the Synco have that chest sound,but abit muddy， and less high，in post ～ill raise some high，and cut some frequncy in around 100～200 to take off some mudd to match the MKH416.
Yeah, the detail is similar but the low end response isn't the same.
Thanks. This is the only unbiased video i have seen on this mic. For just a little cheaper than the Deity.... Dont see the reason... And even on my phone could hear the difference. Would be nice to see the comparisson include the new Rode.
Really? Did you see my comparison of the NTG5 and 416? That video should tell you everything you need to know.
@@SoundSpeeds Yes... the best video on this mic... Will have to go back to the NTG5 video... watched it but don't remember.
@@SlavGuns After you watch it, feel free to ask if you don't know the answer.
Slav Guns what was the conclusion?
@@hautehussey Why not watch the end of the video and hear first hand?
I think for my purposes, shooting training video and doing zoom Call and FB streams from an untreated room the synco is more than sufficient. I'll have the mic on a rt degree angle out above and in front of me over my webcam. Any suggestions as to mic choice or is this good. I've been using a dynamic to cut all background but I move around alot....
That's the thing... Dynamic mics will help more with background noises at the same distance as condensers: th-cam.com/video/emRQZM8-Nf0/w-d-xo.html
If you move around a lot and you want to use a shotgun, make sure it's pointed the best way possible. That will require playing around in your environment: th-cam.com/video/Xg0X90t7qds/w-d-xo.html
@@SoundSpeeds thanks alot. Merry Christmas to you!
Merry Christmas!
This plus a movo blimp for narrative film work? Looking to get into better audio and was thinking about the deity s mic 2 but if I can save $100 is it worth it?
Depends on what sound you are going for. If you like what you hear, don't let me sway you in another direction. A blimp will certainly help in higher winds and that will come in handy!
Thanks for this video, I've been curious about this mic since Booth Junkie did his review.
Too bad it arrived after you did that extensive shotgun comparison a few weeks back.
For the booth comparison I completely failed to guess which mic was which. The Synco really sounds over the top with the proximity effect compared to the other two. I didn't think it sounded that similar to the Sennheiser but I don't think it's necessarily worse, buuuuuuuut I imagine it would require a pretty aggressive EQ if you were close talking it and didn't want to sound like a late night radio disc jockey. I'd be happy to use any of these mics or indeed the Rode NTG5 in that environment, but the Synco would not be my first choice.
I kinda skipped the outdoors tests since that's not an environment I record in and I don't have enough training or knowledge to form an educated opinion.
In the garage the 3 mics sounded remarkably different, more so than in the VO booth. Mic 2 won this round IMO but honestly by the time reverb got bad in one of them it was bad in all of them. Each mic's reverb did seem to have a different quality though; maybe audio pros would be able to work with one or find one more difficult than the others. Again, I don't know enough about this to really give an educated opinion. In the garage and living room, I thought Mic 2 was a lot brighter than the other two and guessed it would be the Deity since the other two are supposed to sound alike. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE.
I think it's remarkable to what extent you were able to tease out the differences between the mics for this video. I really thought the mics sounded alike in Booth Junkie's comparison of the Synco to the Sennheiser. The power of suggestion or does it come down to a difference in your voices or the recording chain?
If you want to make me second guess the other mic on my wish list do a Stellar X2 vs a Neumann U87ai comparison next lol.
Now that I've done my video I'll have to listen to Mike's comparison. In fairness... Mike has a different sounding voice than me and his Mic-D2 may sound better than mine. Dunno yet.
@@SoundSpeeds I'm thinking some of them sound different than others, or better on some voices. I certainly think it holds its own for the price, but I wouldn't call it equal to the MKH416. Maybe the S-Mic 2 depending on the voice, but the S-Mic 2 can also be EQ'd to get super close to the MKH416 with relative ease.
@@dylanj8676 Because of the detail of the capsule. I'm not sure the Synco would be the same and if different Mic-D2s sound different, that's not good. The goal for any manufacturer is to produce consistent products and if every one is different, Yikes!
@@SoundSpeeds Yeah, the Mic D2 isn't nearly as detailed as my Mic S2. I think I'll stick to that one, and his EQ it until I'm ready to grab an MKH416 or NTG3.
I'm glad to help you get info to help you make a decision.
For the first test, the Sennheiser definitely sounded the best. The Deity was really shrill on your voice, but the Synco was incredibly close. In the second test, mic 3 sounded the best, 1 was shrill, and 2 was close to mic 3, but mic 3 was more clear. I stopped listening after that. Lol.
The Deity S-Mic 2 is is really solid!
Very good. Thanks for listening!
Do you have a video showing the ins and outs of your booth?
This is the closest I have:
th-cam.com/video/WGI2pdQ92Qg/w-d-xo.html
HOLY THOROUGH! Great job.
Thank you Stefan. :-)
Probably better not to shake & wave stuff at us in the unboxing, maybe hold it still. So we can actually see the object, without getting a headache?
I don't do unboxings and don't focus on the accessories. I test it in many versatile ways. So many people online talk specs (boring) and shoe what's in a box (boring) so I don't repeat what everyone else does. Most people watch me for the real tests that nobody else will do.
Granted. You did a phenomenal, greatly detailed review of the 3 mics. Sorry if that came off as snarky. I got a lot out of your comparison.
I was just responding to the front end of your presentation, where you were wiggling items you were showing us, like printed material and accessories, and I literally couldn't register the item because you were waving it around so much. It's just a presentational note, not to take anything away from the body of the review, which was excellent.
Consider it or ignore it.
25:15 what time of the year....... January 25?
LOL. Not quite.
@@SoundSpeeds maybe that's just my family tradition then? Put them up December 22 take them down….
We usually get ours the weekend after Thanksgiving and after Twelfth Night, we remove all the ornaments and everything Christmasy except the white lights and we may leave that up as a Spring decoration until around Easter. Sometimes before we'll take it down if our neighborhood does a free Christmas tree disposal.
@@SoundSpeeds we used to do a whole little village with trains and houses about the size of a sheet of plywood, that tradition hasn’t happened in the last few 20 years. It was always fun to see the cat wander into the village curl up and not disturb anything. Now we trying to decorate the fireplace mantle and usually turn on the lights outside that we have left up.
Any events I do in December I like to put up the good old Yule log fireplace if there’s going to be a projector or screen. Usually gets a kick plus if the room is cold the projector really warms things up.
If you burn a microphone, record it and it could be my Yule Log.
Synco D1 mic on sale for $89 at BH
👍
Would you recommend Synco Mic-D2 for gaming and recording TH-cam videos?
I don't recommend it often but you could use it for gaming and TH-cam videos and get good results in some circumstances.
@@SoundSpeeds okay thank you!
I just subscribed
Thank you. Welcome aboard!
Extremely thorough and precise! Thanks
Thank you for watching!
Which mic you prefer the ntg3 vs d2
NTG3
@@SoundSpeeds and why ? Also from the view of voiceover
You asked which I prefer with no context and I answered my preference assuming you do film like me. For voiceover though, go D2 because it has far less bass when micing within a foot to 18 inches.
@@SoundSpeeds Thanks for your answere :) for voiceover the d2 interesting thx :)
Sure thing
it was so funny how you went 17' higher than your head... 😂😂😂I couldn't believe it.. Amazing boom pole.. Which one is it?
Ambient QS inside a QP-120 extension with QAEST flow thru.
@@SoundSpeeds you're a genius. I AM A FAILED FILMMAKER. I am so glad to watch your video. Keep up the good work
God bless you 😊👍🏼
Thank you. :-) Thanks for watching too.
@@SoundSpeeds no, thank you for doing all that hardwork, and making these videos... and entertaining us!
You are the one who deserves a Huge thanks..
Therefore, thank you very much for your service 😊👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Awww shucks....
great test thanks
Sure thing. Thanks for watching.
The foam from D2 eats a lot of the mids and highs if you take it out it sounds better.
Correct
Hank u very much! Do you have anu se x-1 review?
Not at this time.
@@SoundSpeeds thank u.
Your literally the polar opposite of CORPSE husband, I love it!
Thanks
DANG, I had it as the Synco D2 as #1, Sennheiser 416 as #2 and Diety S-Mic as #3. Well shut my mouth can call me Jimmy. #2 had a distinct warmer sound at 6" but at proximity and X feet away, no perceptible difference.
😂
Oh and I went on a bought one. NICE! Helps out a lot out of the booth. I believe you had a video about shotguns that was to the tune of them being in a booth is (more or less) useless as its intended physics are nullified without echo. I believe that's what you meant.
That was a fun video to make and it's gone over well.
You should consider having a thorough thyroid function check...... I see signs of possible dysfunction, maybe even sub-clinical
Thyroid is fine, I just don't eat right.
Agree to disagree. TH-cam makes the differences disappear. I want two Syncos.
And that's fair. I'm providing many tests for you to listen to so you can make an informed decision. Certainly don't let me stop you if you like what you hear.
I have this mic. It introduces what I can only describe as a vocal fry on steroids. Premier Pro's waveform looks like the teeth of a hair comb or a jigsaw blade on certain words. Substitute a Rode NTG1 on the same cable leading to the Panasonic HC-X2 camcorder and the fry goes away.
👍
@@SoundSpeeds Any thoughts as to why a mic would behave like this? Oh! One more thing. The diameter is less than the Rode which keeps it from fitting on the camcorder's shotgun shock mount.
I don't know what the first mic is so I'd double check gain staging and if it's right, only use the non vocal fry mic.
@@SoundSpeeds Sorry. The mic that records well is a Rode NTG-1. It's the Synco D-2 that produces the fry. I'll try dropping the headroom to -18db from -12 db to see if that helps. The $3200 camcorder's preamp sucks. Really noisy floor. Pretty pics though. 🙂The best setting is 50Hz using the Rode at -12db, so the Synco may end up on eBay. Thanks for your help!
👍
Something seems wrong about this. Why are these results so different than some others’ tests?
Other reviews online?
Quale boom mic low budget best quality accettable? For film thanks
Yeah but get a different windscreen
@@SoundSpeeds how much this? Better of rode ntg4+? Thx
@@evafilmbyantonioeva922 Around $250 (link in the description below the video). Better than the NTG4+? Probably about even in my book. The NTG4+ has more features and a better windscreen but the Synco is smaller, lighter and better balanced. As for sound quality... I'd lean more towards the the Synco.
@@SoundSpeeds thanks
Sure thing
I liked #1 the most in all outside and garage tests. #2 is too sibilant and brittle. #3 is just ok. It's quite a beast regardless the price. Good job Synco guys!
It's not bad considering the price. Just get a different windscreen.
I was really shocked by the smic2 wow... You could definitely hear the Sennheiser clarity over both, but the smic2 really cut out the ambient noise rather well while sounding clearer than the synco mic. I wouldn’t invest in a synco mic, but I’m seriously thinking about the smic2 after seeing this..
I'm a fan of the S-Mic 2. Sure, it has it's flaws but it's very good especially for the money.
Sound Speeds couldn’t agree more, keep em coming man, really dig your vids :)
?
@@SoundSpeeds ?
You just wrote the letter Q... or so it looked on my screen. It has changed now. Never mind. ;-)
I thought the deity sounded better than the synco in booth
I agree
Sennheiser had a richer sound and it was noticeable on the outdoor shots.
Very much so
Every time I voted for mic 2.
Makes it easy to know what you like.:-)
thx
Sure thing! Thanks for watching.
God, you're in a closet aren't you? hahah. The infamous reverb of an insulated closet makes me cry.
So. A set piece. Not to worry. I'm redoing it.
Mineral wool instead, right Booth Junkie?
I really like the mic
Awesome! Consider using the affiliate link in the description if you purchase one.
Sound Speeds I’m uk, but thanks anyway
3:39 its raining
?
I feel the mic 2 and 3 look alike.
That's why I added the S-Mic 2 to the comparisons. It and the Synco Mic-D2 look like cousins.
Mic 1 and 4 sound really good. MIc 2 suck
1 and 4? Ok. :-)
You have a voice that make cats cry in the neighborhood. Yikes!
It's my best quality. Says a lot, doesn't it?
Lets just say he has a very specialized voice.