How to Use Pro Lav Mics: Shure TL46 vs VT500WA 

Second this! Started doing some new exercise classes and am shocked how clear they got the trainers lapel mic.

Can do!!

Doesn't he already have one up?

I do, but it’s time for an updated one I think.

The TL46 is a great mic!

Correct me if I’m wrong but there was a slight hiss with the shure when it was first recording at around 12:26-12:33. Otherwise I did prefer the shure every so slightly but both were great. The ipx 7 feature is quite compelling.

Appreciate the kind words Benson! Glad the info was helpful, thanks for watching!

Glad you appreciate it! I know whenever I watch RU-vid I don’t like the “fluff” everyone seems to add. My hope is to give you content where every part of it is useful, not just 30% info and 70% noise.

The TL46 has an interchangeable capsule head that makes it more sensitive to high frequencies, so it’ll naturally perform better when placed under cloth!

But not every lav does. I’m looking for the general process

The Shure did have more noise that I had to clean up! And this is the important point about mics: pick a starting point that you like and have to do minimal work to get sounding great to your ears. And it’s all subjective, you could do something totally different than I do and get great results!

Can do!

Thanks Ralph! Check the comparisons out on headphones - speakers can mask a lot of the details. That makes it easier to blend different sources, but also harder to hear the very subtle nuances. That’s why most dialog editing is done on headphones, so you can get all the minute issues solved and sound awesome on actual speakers!

I honestly love the VT mics because of this. I’ve used them in rain without any issues, and literally submerged them in water to record and they do great.

Thanks for watching! You might look into directional lava rather than omnis. That could help reject some of the track noise and pick up more of what you want. I did the production sound a million years ago for these: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WBpzIDioYjE.html All dialog recorded on location, no VO or ADR. I used a Sennheiser 416 angled away from the track to help reject the cars and emphasize Alejandro’s voice. Directional mics REALLY make a big difference.

@@axk I do have a 416 and I love it. I am usually 1 man banding-it on most projects so that’s why I want to LAV the subject’s.I may be approaching this the wrong way, maybe I just get a bunch of static cameras for footage and concentrate on audio and use the 416.

It’s definitely a challenge and it always changes depending on clothing/costume/etc. Never underestimate some well placed pieces of moleskin or tape!

It’s important to have a mic that gives you a great place to start processing! Each processed version has an overlay of the choices I made for cleanup. I can definitely do a deeper dive though!

For the past couple of years, I have been doing online training courses using the SM7B for voice over narration - and I’m considering doing an In Studio recording to supplement the Studio video shoot - but HOW that may match up is a mystery to me… other then having a non-facially sync’d backup that will sound super sweet… 😁

The Shure performed really well in my room on my voice! It’s always different depending on situation/application, but I would be able to do a lot with the TL46 in a film or TV environment.

Totally fair point! My intention with this video was to introduce the concepts to expect out of “pro” level mics in order to show what you should ideally want to aim for using more budget friendly tools in my upcoming videos. Sound techniques and ideas cumulative, so I’m hoping to illustrate the “ideal” situation first, and then break down how to get there from the ground up. Unfortunately…that doesn’t fit into a single video!

@@axk No worries, I'm glad you share your knowledge here, a very laudable endeavor, I'm just sharing one little frustration, because many of us get hyped by the things we can potentially do, then realize we don't have all the fancy stuff to do it hahahaha for instance, Casey from Camera Conspiracies shared one of those points, he talked about how Gerald Undone did a great microphone review but lacked the time to explain as human understandable as possible that the Oktava MK-012 was the ideal microphone that most low budget enthusiast who record indoors needed, I already got three RODE mics and two microphones from Blue that didn't worked as I expected, I wouldn't expend my money in so many microphone if I knew that the Oktava MK-012 was the best for people who can't sound proof each rooms we record in, now I'm saving for that microphone hahahahaha take a look at the video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0MoDSRUE1mw.html Again, thanks a lot.

@@axk Well, after a couple of months, a quite long list of videos and a thorough research about audio and mics, including testing some good mics, here are some conclusions I share with you to provide you with the typical enthusiast perspective. 1. You should make a video for beginners telling them that: a) The room where the recording is made accounts for 75% of the result of the recording. b) A good mic contributes to a good recording, but even a cheap mic sound good if it close to the source, GET THE MIC CLOSER. c) Your audio interface/sound card to reproduce the recording, the speakers/monitors, and the room where the audio is edited, is also quite important, get some monitors or a good quality headphones like the Audio-Technica ATH-M40x. 2. Make a video for youtubers wanting to record a vlog or podcast trying to improve the audio quality telling them that: a) Almost all stock/default plug-ins from all digital audio workstations suck, DAWs are like an operating system and plug-ins are the apps necessary to get the work done, practically mandatory. b) In post-production, getting a good audio is 80% good EQ, and any well recorded audio with a high quality mic that was close to the source will sound good, with good EQ. c) EQ is more of an art that a science, but in the realm of science, remove all unwanted resonances, and try to make EQ chart flat, always listening using a good quality monitor. 3. Most people wouldn't notice the difference because the bast majority listen the audio trough a small phone speaker inside the echo chamber of a bathroom 🤣 Extra: a) Waves has a sale in most of their plug-ins with discounts around 90%, I already got the Scheps Omni Channel and the WNS Noise Suppressor. b) Some expensive plug-ins like FabFilter can be found in places where Captain Jack Sparrow is happy. Hope it helps, again, thanks for sharing your knowledge.