Hi Mark, first off, you nailed my name!🙂Hearing these two mics side by side is a total game changer. I gotta say, in the end the 4400 really won me over- full-bodied rich low end, and the high-end detail is spot on without being harsh on your voice. As much as I enjoy the Lauten crisp sound, I feel the 4400 has more relaxed tone (plus more focused in hypercardioid) that should complement my voice more effectively. And with those polar patterns - it’s basically the James Bond of mics. Seriously, thank you for doing this comparison! it’s time to say goodbye to $500, but hey, I’ll sound amazing while doing it😄😄😄
Whew! Well I'm very glad I got it right! Yes, yes, yes, you can't go wrong with an sE4400. So far, it feels like one of the best all-rounders out there, especially for under a grand. And it doesn't sound boring at all. You will absolutely love it.
What I love about your videos - something that not all reviewers can do - is that you just walk through why you would or would not use specific gear in your situation. It’s not a matter of something being good or bad. The bar for “good enough” has been far more passable in recent years. It’s why would you personally reach for that mic? And in what situation? Sure, all of the tests and shootouts are helpful, but it’s about real-world uses, which fill a niche not many others can nail.
Thank you very much! I get it that some people who "review" mics don't really use them insomuch as they just talk a bit through them to print a sound on camera which always feels like a what without a why and it used to drive me nuts. I always try to be a "why" guy when looking at a solution to a problem.
You have a buttery voice, Mr. Nemcoff, and you're clearly a seasoned pro who would sound great through a rusty tin whistle. Yet, I can still detect differences in how your voice sounds through different mics, and it sounds absolutely phenomenal through this SE. So cool.
@@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff My new mic arrived, and you and @TheRecordist were clearly bang on the money. I already love it and see precisely what you are saying. It's a different animal to the NT1 and much better suited to my goals. And much more fun, too. Thanks from the Kernow in the UK!
@@MaherRo24 Woohooo! Glad you're digging it! No matter where your recording journey takes you, that is one mic that will serve you well, so enjoy and go make some cool stuff!
@@MaherRo24 No matter where your recording journey takes you, the SE is a mic that you will keep forever because it's capable of a lot and sounds really great. Congrats on the new mic. Now go make some cool stuff with it!
Holy crap this was a great video! I've never thought to compare them. This is so well done. I fully agree with everything you said, as usual. The 4400 is a fantastic all-rounder and the 208 just cuts through a bed and commands you to buy something. Precisely!
Thank you! You could absolutely build a killer toolkit with just these two mics. I guess in Canada it would translate to the 282 vs 5285 with the conversion rate.
The 208 is a great mic, but I've been surprised by how versatile it actually is. I have a deeper voice than you Mark, and I can get right up on the 208 and make it sound a lot like my 416 with that mid/lower-mid punch & crispy highs - excellent for cutting right through a garbage bed. But you flip a couple of switches on the 208 move it 18 inches away (and crank up the gain a bit) and it's ready for an audiobook - smooth & articulate. I like my 416 for ads and announcements, but lets be real - it's a pretty awful, jaggedy, fatiguing sound after a few minutes. I absolutely LOVE my MKH 40 for its punchy sound, and while it's a lot smoother than the 416, it's a little dull for narration. The more I compare this 208 to other mics the more other mics start sounding like, well, microphones. I said this in another comment, but it's true: this 208 sounds like a voice in the room. Thanks for introducing me to this mic, and thanks for leading the charge for VO mic change. You're absolutely on to something here!
i think operating close is something that most people miss on the 208. I think I actually mentioned it in one of his earlier vids like "you can get a LOT closer" and especially with that 50HZ engaged it just sounds awesome up tight. I also use it for audiobooks but even on those I keep it like 5 inches away and it sounds superb. people who speak negatively about it have no practical use with the mic. I do not know a single person that tried one that didnt love it.
I haven’t gotten to try a lot of high end mics but that’s what I like about the rode nt1. With the 75hz filter on it just sounds like a better version of my voice talking to someone in a room.
You are so right that it has that "in the room" feeling that just steps up without having to be aggressively mid-forward to do so. Mid-forward used to be the solution, back in the days of tape, when replication of the highs were limited, but now in the age of digital, it's almost like mid-forward feels like it's kind of missing something critical about the mission.
Thanks for the video! A little quality of life request - if you could have a visual of which mic you’re on that would be awesome. I know that’s more time on editing though. 😀 Also for those looking to save a buck you can buy the e4100 which is the cardioid only version of the e4400 for $150 less.
That is very kind of you to say. Thank you very much. My voice is the product of many years of practice, maintenance and use so I'm very flattered by your compliment. I will try to find an investor to see if we can put my voice in tin cans and sell them in six-packs like beer.
Hey Mark, how much gain do you use with ls208? Not sure if something is wrong with mine, but I have to take it to at LEAST 50 gain and more depending how loud or soft I am speaking.
@@matthewwolf1793I’m focused on Clarion videos at the moment, but once bI have that wrapped, I can get back to the list of other videos and this is high on that list.
So in this particular shootout I'd give the nod to the LS208. But your positioning here is different in your other vid for the 4400: th-cam.com/video/0MiR1PLWpgw/w-d-xo.html And in this vid you sounded pretty much either better or on par with the LS208. You're speaking down to the mic and it's below you. But in the other video you're more on-axis and imo better positioned and incidentally it sounds better there.
This is totally on point. You're right. The positioning of the mic, whether it's pointed upwards from chest height or downwards from forehead height makes a noticeable difference in tone because of the differences in how sound radiates from our chest and skulls. Good ear.
I should also add that the camera angle can be deceiving as well as it is mounted above my eyeline, pointing slightly downwards so it seems like the 4400 is lower to my mouth than it really is.
It's kinda tough to hear other mics against the 208 when what I now hear is the additional booth resonance that the 208's extreme off-axis rejection ignores. Maybe the 208 isn't for everybody, but it definitely helps mitigate that issue with my booth.
@@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff i think that is the main "sleeper" about this mic is that in a perfect studio, maybe some other mics will sound slightly better. But, in any other space the clarity that it allows due to rejection, 100% makes up for any other "slight" edge another mic may have. It doesnt take much resonance to lose that edge. But again, anybody who cant cut pro VO all day every day on a 208 does not have a mic problem. Nobody is losing an audition because they are using a 208. Just not how it works. Love the reviews.
Hi Mark, first off, you nailed my name!🙂Hearing these two mics side by side is a total game changer. I gotta say, in the end the 4400 really won me over- full-bodied rich low end, and the high-end detail is spot on without being harsh on your voice. As much as I enjoy the Lauten crisp sound, I feel the 4400 has more relaxed tone (plus more focused in hypercardioid) that should complement my voice more effectively. And with those polar patterns - it’s basically the James Bond of mics. Seriously, thank you for doing this comparison! it’s time to say goodbye to $500, but hey, I’ll sound amazing while doing it😄😄😄
Whew! Well I'm very glad I got it right! Yes, yes, yes, you can't go wrong with an sE4400. So far, it feels like one of the best all-rounders out there, especially for under a grand. And it doesn't sound boring at all. You will absolutely love it.
What I love about your videos - something that not all reviewers can do - is that you just walk through why you would or would not use specific gear in your situation. It’s not a matter of something being good or bad. The bar for “good enough” has been far more passable in recent years. It’s why would you personally reach for that mic? And in what situation? Sure, all of the tests and shootouts are helpful, but it’s about real-world uses, which fill a niche not many others can nail.
Thank you very much! I get it that some people who "review" mics don't really use them insomuch as they just talk a bit through them to print a sound on camera which always feels like a what without a why and it used to drive me nuts. I always try to be a "why" guy when looking at a solution to a problem.
You have a buttery voice, Mr. Nemcoff, and you're clearly a seasoned pro who would sound great through a rusty tin whistle. Yet, I can still detect differences in how your voice sounds through different mics, and it sounds absolutely phenomenal through this SE. So cool.
Thank you so much! The SE mics are crazy good. They tell the truth, but with subtle flattery. It's a beautiful thing.
@@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff My new mic arrived, and you and @TheRecordist were clearly bang on the money. I already love it and see precisely what you are saying. It's a different animal to the NT1 and much better suited to my goals. And much more fun, too. Thanks from the Kernow in the UK!
@@MaherRo24 Woohooo! Glad you're digging it! No matter where your recording journey takes you, that is one mic that will serve you well, so enjoy and go make some cool stuff!
@@MaherRo24 No matter where your recording journey takes you, the SE is a mic that you will keep forever because it's capable of a lot and sounds really great. Congrats on the new mic. Now go make some cool stuff with it!
Holy crap this was a great video! I've never thought to compare them. This is so well done. I fully agree with everything you said, as usual. The 4400 is a fantastic all-rounder and the 208 just cuts through a bed and commands you to buy something. Precisely!
Thank you! You could absolutely build a killer toolkit with just these two mics. I guess in Canada it would translate to the 282 vs 5285 with the conversion rate.
@@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff hahahahahaha!
The 208 is a great mic, but I've been surprised by how versatile it actually is. I have a deeper voice than you Mark, and I can get right up on the 208 and make it sound a lot like my 416 with that mid/lower-mid punch & crispy highs - excellent for cutting right through a garbage bed. But you flip a couple of switches on the 208 move it 18 inches away (and crank up the gain a bit) and it's ready for an audiobook - smooth & articulate.
I like my 416 for ads and announcements, but lets be real - it's a pretty awful, jaggedy, fatiguing sound after a few minutes. I absolutely LOVE my MKH 40 for its punchy sound, and while it's a lot smoother than the 416, it's a little dull for narration.
The more I compare this 208 to other mics the more other mics start sounding like, well, microphones. I said this in another comment, but it's true: this 208 sounds like a voice in the room.
Thanks for introducing me to this mic, and thanks for leading the charge for VO mic change. You're absolutely on to something here!
i think operating close is something that most people miss on the 208. I think I actually mentioned it in one of his earlier vids like "you can get a LOT closer" and especially with that 50HZ engaged it just sounds awesome up tight.
I also use it for audiobooks but even on those I keep it like 5 inches away and it sounds superb.
people who speak negatively about it have no practical use with the mic. I do not know a single person that tried one that didnt love it.
I haven’t gotten to try a lot of high end mics but that’s what I like about the rode nt1. With the 75hz filter on it just sounds like a better version of my voice talking to someone in a room.
You are so right that it has that "in the room" feeling that just steps up without having to be aggressively mid-forward to do so. Mid-forward used to be the solution, back in the days of tape, when replication of the highs were limited, but now in the age of digital, it's almost like mid-forward feels like it's kind of missing something critical about the mission.
"its a GREAT mic that also solves problems."
Fixed ;)
Nice.
Thanks for the video! A little quality of life request - if you could have a visual of which mic you’re on that would be awesome. I know that’s more time on editing though. 😀
Also for those looking to save a buck you can buy the e4100 which is the cardioid only version of the e4400 for $150 less.
That's a good point and a good note.
awww...good to see you've accepted that you can snuggle that 208 just a bit more :)
Me and the 208 are total sunggle buddies.
Where can I buy your voice, save and update so mine sounds like it hahaha. What a voice man!
That is very kind of you to say. Thank you very much. My voice is the product of many years of practice, maintenance and use so I'm very flattered by your compliment. I will try to find an investor to see if we can put my voice in tin cans and sell them in six-packs like beer.
@@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff fantastic idea hahahaha
Hey Mark, how much gain do you use with ls208? Not sure if something is wrong with mine, but I have to take it to at LEAST 50 gain and more depending how loud or soft I am speaking.
Ditto. I'm using 49db of gain on the 208.
@@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff Thanks. I was worried there was something wrong with mine. Someone else claimed they use less than 40 and I don't see how lol.
We need a three way comp between the 4400, the U89, and the 017Fet!
That's a great idea!
@@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff Make it so, Master Nemcoff.
@@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff How about it, Mic Master Mark?
@@matthewwolf1793I’m focused on Clarion videos at the moment, but once bI have that wrapped, I can get back to the list of other videos and this is high on that list.
@@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff Sounds good man. No pressure. These are Champagne needs. The Clarion does truly sound modeled after the U87 sound!
Coofee-holic?
I've had to cut down to one cup.
So in this particular shootout I'd give the nod to the LS208. But your positioning here is different in your other vid for the 4400: th-cam.com/video/0MiR1PLWpgw/w-d-xo.html And in this vid you sounded pretty much either better or on par with the LS208. You're speaking down to the mic and it's below you. But in the other video you're more on-axis and imo better positioned and incidentally it sounds better there.
This is totally on point. You're right. The positioning of the mic, whether it's pointed upwards from chest height or downwards from forehead height makes a noticeable difference in tone because of the differences in how sound radiates from our chest and skulls. Good ear.
I should also add that the camera angle can be deceiving as well as it is mounted above my eyeline, pointing slightly downwards so it seems like the 4400 is lower to my mouth than it really is.
I actually dont love that 4400 in your space. It sounds pretty woofy.
No hate, I love the 4400. Just maybe not a great fit for your space.
It's kinda tough to hear other mics against the 208 when what I now hear is the additional booth resonance that the 208's extreme off-axis rejection ignores. Maybe the 208 isn't for everybody, but it definitely helps mitigate that issue with my booth.
@@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff i think that is the main "sleeper" about this mic is that in a perfect studio, maybe some other mics will sound slightly better. But, in any other space the clarity that it allows due to rejection, 100% makes up for any other "slight" edge another mic may have. It doesnt take much resonance to lose that edge.
But again, anybody who cant cut pro VO all day every day on a 208 does not have a mic problem. Nobody is losing an audition because they are using a 208.
Just not how it works.
Love the reviews.