Dialogue Audio Too Harsh in Interviews – EQ or New Mic?

Hey! I’ve been in this exact spot. The NTG3 is a great mic, but it has a slight presence boost around 4-6 kHz, which can accentuate sibilance in a reflective room. Since you’re close-miking, you’re also picking up more plosives and mouth noise. Here’s what I’d suggest:

1. **Fix the room first** – Hang moving blankets or use a portable gobo behind and to the sides of the subject. Even a thick duvet over a chair can tame reflections. This will reduce the harshness at the source.

2. **Change mic position** – Instead of pointing directly at the mouth, angle the mic slightly off-axis (like 45 degrees) and aim at the chest. This can soften sibilants.

3. **In post, don’t just cut 5 kHz** – Use a dynamic EQ or multiband compressor to tame only the harsh frequencies when they spike. In Audition, try the 'DeEsser' but adjust the frequency to around 6-7 kHz and use a higher ratio. Also, try a high-shelf cut starting at 8 kHz (not a bell) to reduce airiness.

4. **Consider a different mic** – If you can, a dynamic like the Shure SM7B (with a Cloudlifter) or an EV RE20 is much smoother and less prone to harshness in untreated rooms. They have a warmer voicing and better off-axis rejection.

I recently switched to an SM7B for interviews and it made a huge difference. Let me know if you want specific settings!

Thanks for the detailed advice! I tried repositioning the mic off-axis and hung a couple of moving blankets around the subject, and that already reduced the harshness noticeably. I also dialed in a dynamic EQ in Audition to cut around 6.5 kHz only when sibilance occurs, and it sounds much smoother now. I’ll still consider an SM7B for future shoots, but I think I can make the NTG3 work with these tweaks. Appreciate the help!