EQing the Rode NTG3 to sound like the Sennheiser MKH 416 in Logic Pro X

The Rode NTG3 is a great microphone in its own right. But, the 416 is a legendary mic, known for its use in Hollywood to boom actors for TV shows and movies. It’s an industry standard and commonly used for voice over (which is what I do).

Here’s a video demonstrating my efforts to match these two mics.

Let’s cut to the chase. If you’re interested in this experiment then you need to make an EQ graph that looks something like what’s below. You may have better ears than me and end up tweaking it. Here’s the pst file you can import into Logic Pro X.

I was surprised how sometimes I couldn’t even tell the difference between the two mics. Before EQing the NTG3, it does have a little more bass to it. Some people like the extra warmth. Others consider it to be a bit boomy. Regardless, EQ allows you to play with the sound of the Rode and approximate the sound of the 416.

I tried making an EQ graph like the 416 graph shown below but I found that just listening by ear got me a closer sound. Hence the graph above. I don’t know all the technical details with audio engineering so my ears were my best friend.

Other mic comparisons

I tried to EQ the Neumann TLM 103 to sound like the U87 (in cardioid mode). They already sound pretty similar and I’ve heard that what the U87 does better than the 103 can’t be modified with EQ. Because when all is said and done, the U87 is a more expensive mic with more sensitivity etc. To experiment I downloaded this video Paolo Balestri, cut it into the U87 and 103 sections and then tried to manipulate the sound of the 103 to sound like the U87.

It’s impossible to get microphones to sound EXACTLY like other microphones. But it’s a fun experiment and can give you some versatility since you can make one mic sound like 2 (or more) mics! Honestly, many people probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference…