Lowest Self Noise Microphones for Field Recording: A Helpful, Comparative List
Discover which field recording microphones have the lowest self-noise in this article.
When recording delicate and soft sounds, a quiet microphone can make the difference between an amazingly detailed recording and a hissing nightmare.
Nature, sound effect, and foley recording artists know this well. They all face the challenge of recording quiet sounds.
To help these artists find low noise microphones, I created this list of the lowest self-noise microphones available.
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Compare Models
- Rating
- Self-Noise
- SNR
- Included Accessories
- Purchase
-
sE Electronics sE8
- Best Value Cardioid
- 13 dB
- 81 dB
- Stereo Bar
x2 Foam Windscreens
x2 Mic Clips
Carrying Case
-
Audio Technica At4022
- Best Value Omni
- 13 dB
- 81 dB
- Carrying Case
x2 Foam Windscreens
x2 Mic Clips
-
Rode NTG5
- Best Value Shotgun
- 10 dB
- 84 dB
- Pistol Grip
Furry Windshield
Foam Windscreen
Carrying Pouch
Microphone Pickup Patterns
Cardioid
The cardioid microphone gets its name from its heart-shaped pickup pattern. They are the most popular microphones for recording speech thanks to their ability of rejecting sound from the side and rear.
A cardioid mic’s pickup pattern is unidirectional, meaning it is only sensitive to sound from 1 direction.
Single cardioid mics are used for recording spot sound effects in situations where you can get the microphone very close to your subject.
More commonly, pairs of cardioid microphones are arranged in X/Y configuration (see below) to record stereo ambiances.
Figure 8
Figure 8 or bi-directional microphones receive sound equally from the front and the back, creating an “8” pattern.
Traditionally, they are used for recording two subjects at the same time. For example, an interview, a duet or a stereo ambiance.
In field recording, they are most commonly used in “mid-side” recordings. This technique requires two microphones: a figure 8 mic and a uni-directional mic (usually cardioid).
The resulting recording offers a lot of flexibility in post-production to stereo width and depth.
Omnidirectional
An omnidirectional (non-directional) microphone picks up sound equally in all directions.
Due to this pickup pattern, they are great for capturing entire environments of sound.
Omni microphones are often used to record ambiences and soundscapes. Use two of them to create a stereo image.
There are many popular miking techniques using a pair of omni mics including, A/B stereo, jecklin disk, binaural and Olson wing.
Shotgun
Shotgun microphones are the most highly directional out of all the unidirectional types.
A shotgun microphone is basically a cardioid/hypercardioid microphone at the bottom of a tube with slotted holes up and down its length.
When off-axis sounds enter these slots, a phase cancelling effect is created and the sound is silenced.
Because of their ability to silence surrounding sounds, they are often used in field recording to capture animal sounds, especially birds.
X/Y Stereo
Technically, this isn’t a type of microphone but rather a combination of microphones.
X/Y microphones are made up of two cardioid mics perpendicular to each other (90°).
Typically, X/Y configurations are setup manually by the field recordist, with mics of their choice, but purpose-built X/Y microphones do exist (there are 2 on the list).
X/Y microphones are great for capturing stereo ambiances when you are at least 10’ away from your subject.
Manufacturer | Mic | SNR | Self-Noise | Type | Price | Cost/SNR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rode | NT5 | 78 | 16 | Cardioid | $219 | $2.81 |
Audio Technica | AT 4021 | 80 | 14 | Cardioid | $349 | $4.36 |
sE Electronics | sE8 | 81 | 13 | Cardioid | $259 | $3.20 |
Sennheiser | MKH 840 | 81 | 13 | Cardioid | $1199 | $14.62 |
Sennheiser | MKH 50 | 82 | 12 | Supercardioid | $1199 | $14.62 |
Sennheiser | MKH 30 | 80 | 13 | Figure 8 | $1249 | $15.61 |
Audio Technica | AT 4022 | 81 | 13 | Omni | $349 | $4.31 |
Sennheiser | MKH 20 | 84 | 10 | Omni | $1199 | $14.27 |
Sennheiser | MKH 8020 | 84 | 10 | Omni | $1199 | $14.27 |
Sanken | CS-3e | 79 | 15 | Shotgun | $1499 | $18.34 |
Rode | NTG3 | 80 | 13 | Shotgun | $609 | $7.61 |
Sennheiser | MKH 416 | 80 | 13 | Shotgun | $999 | $12.49 |
Rode | NTG5 | 8 | 10 | Shotgun | $499 | $5.94 |
Sennheiser | ME66/K6 | 84 | 10 | Shotgun | $405 | $4.82 |
Sennheiser | MKH 60 | 86 | 8 | Shotgun | $1499 | $17.43 |
Sennheiser | MKH 70 | 89 | 5 | Shotgun | $1749 | $19.65 |
Rode | NT4 | 78 | 16 | X/Y Stereo | $529 | $6.78 |
Audio Technica | BP4025 | 80 | 14 | X/Y Stereo | $649 | $8.11 |
Winners
Having all of this information in one place made the data really easy to analyze. I chose to sort the chart by microphone type for more accurate comparisons.
Things really got interesting when I calculated how much you are paying per dB of SNR. This was really helpful for finding great performing, budget options.
For each microphone type (unless there was only 1 contender), I’ve written a bit about the best overall microphone for that category, as well as the best budget option. Check them out below ↓
Best Budget Cardioid Microphone
sE Electronics sE8
The sE Electronics sE8 offers the most bang for your buck.
With only 13 dB of self noise, it is exceedingly quiet and comes with a bunch of great accessories.
Accessories include:
stereo bar
x2 foam windscreens
x2 microphone stand clips
robust carrying case
Bottom line: The value a matched pair of sE8 cardioid microphones is unmatched by all other cardioid options. The Sennheiser MKH 8040 is only 1 dB quieter and is five times more expensive than the sE8!
Best Overall Cardioid Microphone
Sennheiser MKH 8040
The Sennheiser MKH 8040 cardioid microphone is just as quiet as the sE Electronics sE8, with only 13 dB of self noise.
Additionally, the MKH 8040 is moisture resistant and will withstand exposure to high humidity and moisture.
It is also capable of recording ultrasonic frequencies up to 50kHz, which may be an important feature for sound designers and acoustic ecologists.
Bottom line: The MKH 8040 is the best cardioid microphone money can buy.
Best Budget Omnidirectional Microphone
Audio Technica AT4022
The Audio Technica AT4022 is the best value omnidirectional microphone on the market.
With only 13 dB of self noise and affordably priced, the AT4022 is a popular microphone for soundscape and nature field recording artists.
Bottom line: The AT4022 is very quiet and within the reach of most budgets. These features have made it one of the most popular omnidirectional microphones for field recording.
Best Overall Omnidirectional Microphone
Sennheiser MKH 8020
The Sennheiser MKH 8020 is the best omnidirectional microphone on the market when it comes to noise and performance.
With only 10 dB of self noise, the MKH 8020 is capable of capturing sounds with no hiss under the most critical recording conditions.
Additionally, it is RF-biased, meaning that it can withstand high humidity and moisture, making it the perfect option for recording sounds outdoors.
Bottom line: The Sennheiser MKH 8020 is the best omnidirectional microphone available. If it’s within your budget, you won’t be disappointed.
Best Budget Shotgun Microphone
Rode NTG5
The Rode NTG5 takes the spot for the best value shotgun microphone thanks to its exceptionally low noise and incredible array of included accessories.
The NTG5 has quickly become one of the most popular shotgun microphones on the market since its release in 2019 thanks to having only 10 dB of self noise, including many useful accessories, and being affordably priced.
Accessories include:
pistol grip shockmount
furry windshield
foam windscreen
microphone stand holder
XLR cable with integrated cable strain relief
zippered carrying pouch
As if that isn’t enough, the NTG5 is also RF-biased and can withstand high humidity and moisture with no issues.
Bottom line: If you’re looking for a low noise shotgun microphone, there’s no better option in my opinion than the Rode NTG5. It’s super quiet, includes a ton of extras, and can record outdoors without having to worry about humidity issues.
Final Thoughts
I hope this exhaustive comparison table has helped you to find the best microphone for your purposes.
Do you own a low noise microphone that was left off this list? Please let me know by contacting me.
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Thanks for reading,
-Jared
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