Most of the videos produced for corporate content include interviews. The words spoken deliver the message that are what sells the product. It is crucial to capture Audio as separate channels for later editing to acquire the most crystal clear sound. The performer should be speaking the lines naturally without needing to increase their volume as to deliver the correct mood intended. The best way to pick up accurate audio is with a two microphone system including a shotgun mic and a lavalier mic. The shotgun mic will pick up the audio it is targeted at while blocking the background sound. The lavalier mic is clipped on to or near the speaker to pick up a direct line of audio from up close. The combination of these two provides the most enhanced audio and gives the editor a backup solution in case one fails.

Here are the three best solutions for both the shotgun and lavalier mics for retail in the year 2017. I have also included a value option for production companies on a tight budget.

Best Shotgun Mics for 2017

The Rode NTG-3 is the Rolls Royce of professional shotgun mics. With 10 track audio this mic delivers the most warm natural sounds available. Its extremely small size will fit onto even handheld cameras or slip into a hidden section within the scene without being viewed by the camera. It also has 50% less self-noise that typical shotgun mics of similar caliber. The only drawback is the price tag but if you have $700 to spend on a shotgun mic then this is the way to go.

The Sennheiser MKE 600 is a very versatile shotgun mic that is very adequate at discarding side noise and wind. There are features on the mic like a “low cut” switch to block out additional side noises and the option to power through the camera or off it’s own battery. With a price tag of around $250 it is the best choice across the board.

The Azden SMX-10 is your best bet under $100. It has a wide frequency pickup that will grab the audio you need and require minimal filtering in post. This mic can even plug directly into your smartphone. It is still a unidirectional mic that picks up the targeted audio but with only 2 tracks.

Best Lavalier Mics for 2017

The Countryman B6 Omnidirectional is the highest quality lavalier mic on the market. It has interchangeable caps to select the appropriate field frequency you choose including one for hiding in the hair and an underwater cap. The B6 is about the size of sewing needle but it will run you about $400 plus $10 for each cap you purchase.

The Sennheiser ME 2 is an amazing all around lav mic. It attaches almost anywhere and can transmit wirelessly from the evolution battery pack. The best feature about this is the clear speech transmission especially for those mumbling actors you would otherwise have trouble understanding. It retails for just $200 but good luck finding one new as the manufacturer is out of stock and has been for months.

For those production companies on a budget or for those who just need additional lav mics for a few extra actors with only a line or two the budget lav featured here is the Audio-Technica ATR 3350iS is a perfectly valid lav mic that can pick up the right audio frequencies of some of its more expensive counterparts but the $29 sales tag comes with the price of being a clunky piece of equipment.

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