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Craig · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 4:57 pm Post subject: Shotgun Mics

I've been thinking about a shotgun mic and I understand the Sennheiser mkh-416 is one of the most popular. From Sennheiser's site, I see they offer a battery op power supply. I'm guessing for remote recording. Won't phantom from my 528e or soon to arrive micportpro work just as well?

There is an interesting shootout here:

http://dvestore.com/theatre/mics_guide.html#

I'd like opinions from those of you who use or have used them. Sounds like quite a bit more noise than I expected from some of the mics...or is that amplifier hum?

My interest is due to a less than silent room so I'm looking for something to eliminate as much background as possible.

Thanks in advance!

Craig

Frank F · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:14 pm Post subject:

Check the archives... there has been quite a discussion on the pro's and con's of a shotgun mic a while back.

A good little cheap shotgun for VO is the ATR-55... for about $55.00 USD. If you want a shotgun...

Toodles

F2
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Jowillie · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:54 pm Post subject:

The MKH 416 is a very special old "shotgun." In spite the nay-sayers, it probably is the only shotgun that sounds like it does in the voice over studio.
I have worked with several other Sennheiser shotguns as well as other brands and they do a fine job when used as they were specifically designed. but I would not recommend them for voiceover studio use. There are much better choices.
I used a M66 yesterday to record a famous local artist during an on-camera tag for his TV spot. It worked great. but not in the studio as a close up voiceover mic.
The 416 sounds like it has built in compression when doing close mic work on voiceover--you really need to know what you are doing. It is a special tool that has to be worked.
In addition to my voiceover work, I use my 416 as an over-head, on-a-boom-pole on-camera mic regularly and it is fantastic. That's what it was originally designed for.
The only way you are going to decide if it works for you is to find one and try it for yourself. It is not for everyone. But if you can control your behind the mic movement and mouth-noise it could be an indispensable tool.

I'm so possesive about my 416, I told the video guys to order another M66 or an Audio Technica 4073a and leave my 416 alone.
In other words, the 416 is the only "shotgun" mic I would consider using as a voiceover tool.

Don't get me started Geek

Willie E.

(P.S. Really, I have mic envy for Kara's Lawson!) Devil

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Craig · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 6:40 pm Post subject: Mics

Thanks guys.

Frank, I found one of your posts suggesting several dynamics in lieu of a shotgun, but the thread took off in a different direction and you didn't mention specifics. Any in particular I should try?

Performance Audio (Not Guitar Center originally posted) is having a mic demo here in SLC on the 18th, though I don't know what they'll have available to try.

I'm intrigued by the Heil PR-40, but haven't found one to sample.

My current collection is an At3035, an RE27 and I recently bought a Shure Beta 57a. I gotta tell ya, I really like the sound of the Shure. It is somewhat sensitive to plosives even with the Se steel filter in front of it, but the sound is pretty amazing to my untrained, subjective ears.

From what I'm reading I guess there really is no magic mic that will ignore what you don't want and reproduce with brilliance what you do!

When I can get off my duff and set up a web site, I'll post samples. (I ask DB to do too much already.)

Thanks all for your input.

Craig

Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 6:45 pm Post subject:

Jowillie · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 7:04 pm Post subject:

"If you don't sound good on a Heil PR-40.....you won't sound good on anything."
...famous studio producer in Nashville.
Find one and try it.

Or save money and look at these:
http://www.mercenary.com/smmiwitatr.html
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Craig · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 7:23 pm Post subject: CORRECTION!!

Your are certainly welcome to take it Diane.

I'm in Sandy, but work in Murray and can get around the valley pretty much anytime during the day.

Oooops.... It's not Guitar Center it's Performance Audio...sorry.

If you are going, let me know, Ill bring it along.

Craig

Bruce · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:24 pm Post subject:

I've got a Sennheiser 416 wired through a pre-amp in a Mackie board and it's worked just fine for me. I use it more for my "announcery" stuff since there's a fair amount of "richness" even at 12". I've got an AKG C 2000B and a GrooveTube AM11 for more natural sounding material.

B
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Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2279 Location: Atlanta

I just ditched my 416 (for a profit). My original background is in boom-op and field audio production/sound mixing so I know what a 416 can do. I'd rather use:
MKH 40, 50, or 60.
Sanken CS-1 or 3.
Sennheiser ME64 (not 66) capsules - I don't understand why everybody doesn't have at least one of these, they're so cheap!
Schoeps.

The final straw was I just test-drove the 416 with some great preamps and monitors, and still had reservations about it.
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Edo · Guest

I had a 416 sitting on a shelf for ages... actually wasn't at all impressed for using it at any other job than collecting sound effects with the help of a parabolic reflector. Tried it for voice-over, just doesn't work for me. As mentioned earlier in this thread, for that kind of money there's way better alternatives. Don't ever get a mike because the people across the street do or say you just have to... use your ears and preferrably someone else's too.

I for instance will never part with my original AKG 451. It's been with me since 1977 when I got it for my first ever radiojob (at eleven years old). It's still crisp and bright and sounds like it's way up there with the absolute most expensive tubes I have... can't find anything better when it comes to recording guitars or piano for instance. Works miracles on VO too...

Bill Campbell · DC Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 621

Among many others, I have and use a Rode NTG-1. I like it very much. It has a full and robust sound and works particulay good on female talent.
Full and not sibilant.
I would not use it on everything, but it cuts through nicely on radio and TV spots that use music beds and sfx. I would probably not use it on dry narration.
I'd recommend it as one of your two mics, along with a nice clean large condenser.
It does a real nice job on remote recording with a laptop. It focuses in on the voice and doesn't pick up to much ambient noise.
For the price, about $240, it would be great to have around.
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Yoda117 · Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 6:45 am Post subject:

The 416 and MKH60 are the two shotguns I've had the best luck with, but I'm with Jowillie in stating that you've got to work with them until you know how to use them, otherwise you can end up with a poor sound (once you know how to properly space yourself from the mic, you'll be golden).

That said, I find myself using a mic with a hypercardoid setting in place of a shotgun more often than not. I get better results IMHO, but then again, the mic which I'm using is a Horch so we're talking about a $5K+ mic, which may be prohibitive to some for financial reasons.

The NTG-1 & 2... I use those for video on occasion, but on my voice they didn't do anything for me.
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SkinnyJohnny · Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 7:26 am Post subject:

I have a 416P (Phantom) that I used for about a month and went back to my TLM 103. I just didn't care for the mid range boost on my voice. I pulled it back out after it sat in the case for several months and the level was low and it was producing some static. So, I packed it up and sent it back for repair. It's still under the 2 year warranty. It's currently at Sennheiser being either repaired or replaced. I think I'll sell it once it's back.

anthonyVO · 14th Avenue Joined: 09 Aug 2005 Posts: 1470 Location: NYC

I have a nice shirt that I bought at Express for Men - believe it or not - but I saw a guy with the same shirt on the subway the other day and it looks better on me.

Jowillie · Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 11:59 am Post subject:

SkinnyJohnny,
PLEASE let your friends here on VO-BB know when you decide to sell your 416!!
Thanks, WE Shocked

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