Best Microphones to Record Nature 2020

Are you a nature lover or perhaps running a channel that requires you to post nature ambiance sounds? Maybe you’ve got different requirements or may have a camera device that is not suitable for the microphone. Then, you must know there are a lot of options available in the market, but not every microphone is right for you. Fret no longer, because you've come to the right place. We've got a detailed review of the best microphones for nature recordings. That said, let's discuss important features to look for in a microphone so you can capture the best sounds nature offers.

Features to Consider

First of all, you must know why you’re choosing a nature recording microphone. Whether it is for the single recording, multiple species recording, water sounds, or anything else, you must know the purpose of use. Because some technicalities are important to understand before you purchase any microphone.

The best types of microphones record sound from the sides and rear end. Shotgun microphones, also called boom microphones, are usually designed likes this to capture sound neatly. However, shotgun microphones are not the same as zoom ones. Wit zoom microphones, you can only record sounds with boom rods and getting near to the vocal source.

Now, zoom microphones are expensive. But if you wish to capture a voice smoothly, you can use the parabolic dish. This is called the parabola setup. You can create your parabolic microphone by joining shotgun microphones with an installation of parabolic dishes to record natural sounds.

Secondly, you can also use the soundscape recording microphone for ambiance recording. These microphones have a stereo feature that lets you record natural sounds easily.

Now, the noise reduction mechanism is also an important feature to have in mind. You must buy a microphone with an excellent sound reduction mechanism, which is generally featured by the Rode devices, as you'll see mentioned below.

Next, shock mounting is another feature that we have to discuss. This is necessary because nature can be wild sometimes. Heavy wind can blow and ruin the natural sounds of birds chirping. So, we've researched the best microphones with shock mounting to avoid any further stress.

Lastly, we know that you might be on a budget. And maybe an inexpensive device might meet your standards. But sometimes a costly device is an investment that will save you money in the long run. But it depends on how you see it. Also, keep in mind the cost of batteries, adapters, and shock mounting accessories, because they are vital.

And so, we have gathered the very best for you to choose from. Let's dive in!

Best Microphones For Recording Nature (Comparison)

Rhode VideoMic with Windjammer Kit

This professional Rhode VideoMic microphone can be utilized for several purposes due to its versatile and unique features. When it comes to its dimensions, this microphone is half an inch more compact than a shotgun microphone.

Because of its smaller design, this microphone is great to use with cameras, film production, and personal audio recordings. Another exceptional feature is its Rycote Lyre based mechanism that works for shock reduction. The Rycote Lyre is made from a one-piece thermoplastic material that provides a solution to noise problems and fluctuations in the voice. This can absorb specific shocks and noise from all sides to capture specified frequency sounds. Moreover, it is precisely engineered to be durable.

The standard shoe mount size is 3/8’’ and this size helps you mount the microphone on the table or any boom rod with no hassle. Also, the shock mounting system isolates this microphone from any of the electrical fluctuations and metal sounds.

This boom microphone can be used for film production and ad shooting due to its shotgun shaped design. Due to its polar patterns, this microphone features a supercardioid which makes it directional. This guarantees a high-quality voice and low noise from the surroundings because its high pass 80 Hz filter reduces traffic or air conditioner noises. And a -10 or 20 dB attenuation feature enables you to record even live. Undoubtedly, this is one of the best and reliable sources you can use for your nature recording tasks.

Capture nature sounds with this highly directional Rhode VideoMic. It's one of the greatest microphones you will ever have because it's robust and 100% reliable.

Rode Stereo VideoMic X Microphone

This is a professional-grade broadcast-style microphone that can be utilized either on- or off-camera. The Stereo VideoMic X is made with a metal structure that makes it durable and robust for long term use. Besides the sturdy construction, this metal microphone has high levels of resistance to RF interferences. This means that you’ll have no interruptions or fluctuations in the recorded voice, capturing depth in vocals. These features make the VideoMic X suitable to record not only film productions and broadcasting but also natural sounds.

Another feature worth mentioning is its 1/2 inches capsule. This is the True-Condenser Capsule, which means that it enhances the sensitivity of the microphone to record even the low-frequency sounds like chirping birds, blowing air, and much more. Moreover, the X-Y configuration of this capsule helps you to have enough soundscape.

Digital switching is available in this user-friendly designed mic. It lets you control everything you want to while recording. You can perform the level adjustments in the range of -10 to +20 dB, use a high pass filtration, or manage the frequency range. An upper filter system comes in three modifications: 0 Hz, 75 Hz, or 150 Hz.

The outer dome structure of this microphone catches everyone's attention. But this structure ensures protection and a boosted reduction in the noise. This dome contains filling that reduces high wind noise as well. Designed for outdoor tasks, this product records perfectly in any condition.

Record natural sounds with the high wind noise reduction and professional-grade output level this Rode Stereo VideoMic X offers. This is one of the finest and best microphones Rode ever produced for the outdoors. The robust construction of the microphone increases its overall life span so that you can use it for a long period of time.

Rode VideoMic Pro+

This Rode VideoMic Pro+ features a compact design along with its professional-grade construction material.  Of course, this microphone also features Rycote Lyre and this provides an insulation layer to the microphone for fluctuation reduction. To avoid any shrilling noise from windy weather, metal objects colliding, or even accidental taps on the mic, the Rycote Lyre suspension comes in handy. This feature also enables you to record even faint natural sounds that aren't likely to be caught by any other microphones.

An automatic power function helps conserve batteries and saves time as well. And the microphone turns off automatically once you disconnect it from the camera which is a nice feature. This attribute is perfect for those who are always in a hurry to record something exceptional at the moment.

This Rode Pro+ is designed with a built-in battery door. This makes it easy to open and change the battery even when the microphone is attached to the camera. This Li-ion battery is rechargeable and guarantees durability.

Digital switching is what makes this microphone worthy of buying. This feature reduces the editing time and post-production efforts because it captures sounds clear.

Its perfect shock resistance with a noise reduction mechanism makes this Rode Pro+ the best option for you.

Sennheiser MKE 600 Audio Microphone

No matter where you’re recording, Sennheiser Pro Audio Microphone will do the job for you. Whether you're in the city or any place with noises, this MKE 600 microphone has your back.

This low-cut filter microphone eradicates any blowing noise, metal collision, traffic, and mechanical sounds. It filters out low frequencies and focuses on the primary vocal source. Another intelligent feature is its reproduction of voice at lower frequencies. It means that after recording the sound, you can manipulate the frequency as well.

Now, believe it or not, the flexibility of this microphone is outstanding. For instance, you can capture a wide range of sound quality for a film scene, record natural sounds, and even broadcast in the studio. There are setting adjustments available in this microphone which allows you to adjust the record as needed according to the situation or location.

This microphone uses AA batteries and doesn't require any extra phantom power from the camera device itself. The digital switching can turn on the microphone within seconds and it automatically turns off once disconnected. Also, the LED light indicates battery life, saving you from running out of power.

With its advanced attributes, MKE 600 is a perfect microphone to record in the city or out of town because it does its job like a pro.

 

Sennheiser MKH416-P48U3

Sennheiser is reliable when it comes to the production of high-quality audio equipment and high-performance microphones. This is why the MKH416 microphone is one of the most highly rated on the market.

First, it's designed with an all-metal body for ensured durability. This microphone has a compact design and lightweight construction. The build quality of this microphone is undeniably good and it is suitable for the outdoors.

The MKH416 microphone features Phantom Power XLR connectivity to establish a connection with other devices. This microphone is a unidirectional microphone with a supercardioid sound pick up pattern. This shotgun microphone has a high sensitivity to sound and its frequency response rate is between 40Hz and 20 kHz. Moreover, the sound pressure level is capable of handling is 130dB. The nominal impedance and minimum terminating impedance of this microphone are between 25ohms and 800ohms. Most importantly, the power consumption of the MKH416 microphone is 2mA.

When it comes to performance, the MKH416 microphone provides users with the experience of recording professional audio. This microphone doesn't capture self-noise or background noise, ensuring a crystal clear recording. The build quality of this microphone is good and it has no reported performance issues. No doubt this microphone is a favorite amongst the professional filmmaking community.

If you are looking for a high-performance microphone for filmmaking or professional audios, then, the MKH416 microphone by Sennheiser is a good option to consider.  

Rode NTG4+ Microphone

This next one is another high-rated microphone produced by Rode: the NTG4+. NTG4+'s designed microphone features a rugged metal construction that makes it a durable microphone. The build quality is good and it is a lightweight

When it comes to features, the NTG4+ microphone uses an internal rechargeable battery and Phantom Power to power up. The internal rechargeable battery powers up for 150 hours and it charges to full capacity under 2 hours via MicroUSB connection. This microphone also uses a supercardioid pattern to pick up sound and it has a 0.50” condenser capsule as well.

This high sensitivity microphone has a frequency response rate from 20Hz to 20KHz, the sound sensitivity is -32dB, and the output impedance of this microphone is 200ohms. Moreover, its sound pressure level is capable of handling 135dB. Another great feature is that this microphone comes with an extended 10-year warranty if you register your product on their website.

When it comes to performance, the NTG4+ microphone reportedly is capable of producing broadcast level sound quality. Its high-quality is due to its unidirectional sound setup that cancels background sound.

If you are looking for a good microphone suitable for nature recording, then the NTG4+ microphone by Rode is worth getting.

 Additional Information:

Why Choosing the Right Microphone is very Important?

For nature recording, you need microphones that can eliminate extra sounds that can produce noise when recording. The most common and suitable used microphone for nature recording is a unidirectional microphone that captures sound from the direction it is pointed at, these are also known as shotgun microphones.

Overall, finding a good microphone is a little difficult considering the current market situation. There are so many options available to choose from with prices starting from as low as $20 but of course, these microphones don’t compare to the high-end microphone that costs thousands of dollars.

If you are a beginner or you’re getting your first microphone, then it will be a lot more confusing for you going through the available options on the market. Since manufacturers don’t design microphones for single-use, the first-timers mostly end up making the wrong choice not knowing what that specific is good for. So, to avoid these situations we recommend that you learn about these microphones learn about how they work.

Pattern Pick Up

When looking for a microphone for nature recording, you should consider the sound pick-up pattern as it is an important factor to consider. Generally, there are three types of microphones available on the market but the one that we should be concerned with is the unidirectional microphone. These microphones pick up sound from only one direction thus eliminating sound capturing from other directions which in return reduces the noise.

Microphone Purpose

Then it all comes down to looking for a microphone that is suitable for use for a specific purpose. Sometimes microphones are a little tricky to find because there aren’t many options left to choose from. When you look for these microphones based on what you know about recording, you can choose the best possible option from amongst them. So we hope that all of this information guides you to the ideal product, saving you from any disappointments.

Overall Conclusion

To conclude, recording nature is absolutely an amazing experience. Just think about recording different sounds of nature. Whether it is the gentle raining sound, the harsh thunder, the birds chirping, the lion roaring, or something else, you can now record it clearly.

The microphones we have reviewed above have everything you need to record these sounds and more. So we hope you choose the best and suitable microphone that matches your needs and satisfies you.

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