https://www.learnlightandsound.com/blog/2017/1/5/aputure-deity-shotgun-microphone-review

In the comparison against like-cost mics by Curtis, including cheaper ones, the Deity sounds inferior IMHO.

From @IronFilm post

The Deity will retail at $369 USD or $429 in a kit with a Rycote Lyre shock handle.

Their launch video from yesterday:

Review

http://tubeshooter.co.uk/2017/01/01/aputure-unleash-chinese-deity-on-the-world/

Other coverage:

http://www.redsharknews.com/audio/item/4251-aputure-takes-aim-at-prestigious-rivals-with-new-shotgun-mic

http://thehouseofvideo.com/2017/01/11/Is-the-new-Aputure-Deity-shotgun-mic-a-Rode-killer/

But has anyone been claiming it is as good as a 416??

Except Aputure themselves for this mike also no one is claiming it. I do not see any reason not to get NTG3 instead (if you smart and look for deal can get one for around $400-430, add to this that Aputure is almost impossible to sell).

Why on earth would they do that?! :-/

I have no idea. Shotguns are very small niche for MXL. I think their main idea was to hold recommended prices.

Oh! That is kinda tempting. Hopefully they'll bring out the same discount for a Zoom F4 package as well.

Though I'm planning to wait for Tascam's response before leaping on buying a Zoom F4.

good comparison to Sennheiser MKH 416 and Rode NTG-2 https://wavreport.com/2017/02/25/review-aputure-deity-shotgun/

Our review

@caveport

Well, you are wrong here. Speakers used are good, under good I mean +-3db at the 1-1.5 meter impulse response measurement in 150hz to 20Khz. Due to simple physics up from around 400Hz reflections add only small part with close mike and such room.

It will be really cool to measure mike response for each of angles and do it in sound treated place, but we are not ready yet.

No, I'm not wrong. I have extensive experience in this area. I worked for our national broadcaster as an audio engineer and have done years of broadcast audio using all kinds of mics and have been involved in studio acoustic design.

Let's use this knowledge. I am for you to help design better tests.

Did you made professional speakers and mikes measurement?

Vitaliy, you need to stop this kind of misinformation. That speaker test is fundamentaly flawed and is seriously misleading. Even the walking around the mic to demonstrate the polar pattern pickup was not distance controlled.

Let's move from attack mode to simple explanation to people who read this.

The correct process is to do speaker tests in anechoic room. Not always available to most people.

Now most frequently used method is impulse response, and not frequency sweep. It requires some math after measurement, and is much faster.

Considering anechoic room. You can make pretty accurate measurements above certain frequency for speakers without it (again considering few other things).

To do this kind of test one needs a control test with a calibrated measurement microphone (or other 'control' microphone to compare to) using a frequency sweep generator from 20 - 20KHz. Then use the microphone one is testing and compare the two recordings. This will reveal any frequency bumps or dips. Both recordings will sound different to the original source as speaker colouration and bass driver/midrange/tweeter axis offset in the cabinet will change the frequency response as the measurement microphone distance is varied.

Yes, you use calibrated microphone for speaker measurement. Actual microphone is not expensive, it is calibration and persistence that add to price a lot. Like Brüel & Kjær stuff. I can tell you a lot about measurement mikes, as owned and tested multiple.

Due to math if you keep all else during both measurements intact it does not matter that small inconsistencies speakers have (I can add some assumptions here, but it'll be not useful for readers, it is not hard to find).

Both recordings will sound different to the original source as speaker colouration and bass driver/midrange/tweeter axis offset in the cabinet will change the frequency response as the measurement microphone distance is varied.

Absolutely.

It is not uncommon for speaker systems to have up to 10% overall distortion, and that is ignoring the frequency response, phase response and transient response issues.

10% distortion happens usually at the low frequencies, just due to physics of drivers (high distortion, like 5-7% can happen in cross range also usually with first order filter and certain tweeters). Can happen in overload mode, but it is nor relevant here.

I think you mean that normal combined microphone and preamp noise an distortion are lower compared to speaker. Hence it is not good idea to use such approach to measure them. But no one plans to do it.

Though I'm planning to wait for Tascam's response before leaping on buying a Zoom F4.

Funny reading this a year later. As I didn't wait! Shortly after posting this I saw a deal on a secondhand F4 (unusual to see for such a newly released item!) & I pounced on it. As an F4 is too good to let pass.

One of my best buying decisions ever. The Zoom F4 has been fantastic for me this past year.

@IronFilm

And? Any reason to promote most horrible way to gain subscribers on 3rd party channel?

@IronFilm

One thing I hate is lotteries. I understand contest where people do something useful and where chances are really good, like PV ones :-)