most appropriate sennheisers for narrative work at DVinfo.net

Alexander Browne · May 24th, 2007, 04:09 PM

I've got the possibility of a really good deal on sennheiser equipment, and need some mikes for narrative drama. I'm using the sony v1p -> blackmagic intensity for sound and image, according to my current plan! So - what mikes should I get? I want to avoid doing ADR as much as possible, I think. I have little to no experience in live sound recording on set. My previous projects have had sound created entirely in the studio in post. Thanks!

Oh, with perhaps $2K to spend.

Jon Goodman · May 24th, 2007, 07:05 PM

I recently bought a Sennheiser MKH416 and have been pretty pleased with the results so far. It sounds great outdoors, perhaps not the best for interiors, I still find it performs well.

Ty Ford · May 24th, 2007, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander Browne

I've got the possibility of a really good deal on sennheiser equipment, and need some mikes for narrative drama. I'm using the sony v1p -> blackmagic intensity for sound and image, according to my current plan! So - what mikes should I get? I want to avoid doing ADR as much as possible, I think. I have little to no experience in live sound recording on set. My previous projects have had sound created entirely in the studio in post. Thanks!

Oh, with perhaps $2K to spend.

Hmmm,

Well the MKH418-S is a nice mic. It requires Phantom Power on BOTH channels even if you are only using one, but if you have a good mixer, that's not a problem.

The 418-S sounds a lot like a 416, but has a slightly airier top end.

It can be either a shotgun or a stereo mic. The stereo might come in handy.

I have a attached the review I wrote when it came out.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Mike Peter Reed · May 25th, 2007, 01:27 AM

I'd second the 416 from personal experience. I've never use the 418-S so can't comment on that one.

For wireless work the Sennheiser G2 series are very popular. If you keep in touch with wardrobe then wiring everyone might be a way to go to avoid ADR - however, you'll then find yourself with zero audio perspective and you might then spend time faking it in post. But your dialogue tracks signal-to-noise should be more controllable than booming, especially wide exteriors. Wireless is a different discipline to booming though, with a different set of potential problems.

Phil Kay · May 25th, 2007, 02:13 AM

Yep,the mighty 416 rules. I bought one about a year ago and use it for 90% of my shoots.

Alexander Browne · May 25th, 2007, 02:29 AM

Thanks very much for the suggestions! I'll have a look into that mike. I'm not fully against ADR, so I may decide to go with it. Cheers.

Marco Leavitt · May 25th, 2007, 07:56 AM

My vote goes to the CS3e. Most useful mic I've ever used. Does really well in interiors.

Benjamin Eckstein · May 25th, 2007, 08:54 AM

If you have 2k for a mic, I would really check out the new Schoeps. The blue metallic one, don't know the model number. In my experience the Schoeps are some of the best sounding mics I have used. I haven't used their new one but hear that it is excellent and is about 1700.

A guy I worked with swears by a shotgun from Sanken, but again don't know the model.

Marco Leavitt · May 25th, 2007, 09:19 AM

"A guy I worked with swears by a shotgun from Sanken, but again don't know the model."

That would be the cs3e.

Ty Ford · May 25th, 2007, 11:44 AM

I have reviews of both the 418 and C3e in the Online Archive on my site. The CS3e has less low wnee than the 416 and 418. In most places today, the low end is rolled off a bit or a lot anyway.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Alexander Browne · May 25th, 2007, 11:55 AM

Unless the difference is huge, i'm quite keen to go with sennheiser simply because I get such a great deal on them. Much thanks for the suggestions though.
On the same thought... do Sennheiser make a mixer that would allow me to use the 418-S without all that dematrixing jazz whilst still going through the camera for sync (audio is should be uncompressed but i dont know the figures via the intensity card) I quite want stereo but not the hassle of two mikes. The 418 looks like good solution. Or is it easy enough to use the camera's phantom power and mix/dematix in soundtrack pro?

Kalunga Lima · May 29th, 2007, 01:30 PM

Isn't the metallic blue Schoeps the CMIT 5U? There's a good review in dv.com where it got a perfect 5/5 score.

May 24th, 2007, 04:09 PM	#1
Alexander Browne New Boot Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Reading, United Kingdom Posts: 7	most appropriate sennheisers for narrative work I've got the possibility of a really good deal on sennheiser equipment, and need some mikes for narrative drama. I'm using the sony v1p -> blackmagic intensity for sound and image, according to my current plan! So - what mikes should I get? I want to avoid doing ADR as much as possible, I think. I have little to no experience in live sound recording on set. My previous projects have had sound created entirely in the studio in post. Thanks! Oh, with perhaps $2K to spend.

May 25th, 2007, 02:13 AM	#5
Phil Kay Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Peel,Isle of Man(UK) Posts: 194	Yep,the mighty 416 rules. I bought one about a year ago and use it for 90% of my shoots. __________________ Canon XH-A1,SGPRO flip,Apple imac,FCExpress http://www.pbase.com/philkneen

May 25th, 2007, 11:44 AM	#10
Ty Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 2,337	I have reviews of both the 418 and C3e in the Online Archive on my site. The CS3e has less low wnee than the 416 and 418. In most places today, the low end is rolled off a bit or a lot anyway. Regards, Ty Ford __________________ Ty Ford's Audio Bootcamp Field Guide Ty Ford's Audio Video Blog

May 29th, 2007, 01:30 PM	#12
Kalunga Lima Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Luanda - ANGOLA & Lisbon - PORTUGAL Posts: 160	metallic blue Schoeps Isn't the metallic blue Schoeps the CMIT 5U? There's a good review in dv.com where it got a perfect 5/5 score. __________________ Kalunga Lima PMW-350, PDW-F350, PDW-EX1, MacBookPro, MacPro 8-Core, Final Cut Studio 2, Canon 5D MkII

May 24th, 2007, 07:05 PM	#2
Jon Goodman Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 74	I recently bought a Sennheiser MKH416 and have been pretty pleased with the results so far. It sounds great outdoors, perhaps not the best for interiors, I still find it performs well.

May 25th, 2007, 01:27 AM	#4
Mike Peter Reed Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: Hants, UK Posts: 185	I'd second the 416 from personal experience. I've never use the 418-S so can't comment on that one. For wireless work the Sennheiser G2 series are very popular. If you keep in touch with wardrobe then wiring everyone might be a way to go to avoid ADR - however, you'll then find yourself with zero audio perspective and you might then spend time faking it in post. But your dialogue tracks signal-to-noise should be more controllable than booming, especially wide exteriors. Wireless is a different discipline to booming though, with a different set of potential problems.

May 25th, 2007, 02:29 AM	#6
Alexander Browne New Boot Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Reading, United Kingdom Posts: 7	Thanks very much for the suggestions! I'll have a look into that mike. I'm not fully against ADR, so I may decide to go with it. Cheers.

May 25th, 2007, 07:56 AM	#7
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	My vote goes to the CS3e. Most useful mic I've ever used. Does really well in interiors.

May 25th, 2007, 08:54 AM	#8
Benjamin Eckstein Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 380 Images: 1	If you have 2k for a mic, I would really check out the new Schoeps. The blue metallic one, don't know the model number. In my experience the Schoeps are some of the best sounding mics I have used. I haven't used their new one but hear that it is excellent and is about 1700. A guy I worked with swears by a shotgun from Sanken, but again don't know the model.

May 25th, 2007, 09:19 AM	#9
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	"A guy I worked with swears by a shotgun from Sanken, but again don't know the model." That would be the cs3e.

May 25th, 2007, 11:55 AM	#11
Alexander Browne New Boot Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Reading, United Kingdom Posts: 7	Unless the difference is huge, i'm quite keen to go with sennheiser simply because I get such a great deal on them. Much thanks for the suggestions though. On the same thought... do Sennheiser make a mixer that would allow me to use the 418-S without all that dematrixing jazz whilst still going through the camera for sync (audio is should be uncompressed but i dont know the figures via the intensity card) I quite want stereo but not the hassle of two mikes. The 418 looks like good solution. Or is it easy enough to use the camera's phantom power and mix/dematix in soundtrack pro?