the best shotgun mics

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Stephen Sobel

So, where do you get high quality XLR cable? What brand?

Quad cables from either Canare or Mogami are top brands, Neutric connectors

[Warren Shultz]

I recently picked one up but haven't had a chance to use it much yet. Is there any reason it wouldn't perform well indoors for dialogue vs. Outdoor use?
Thanks

[Peter Moretti]

Anyone want to chime in on the differences between the MKH-60 and the MKH-70?

From reading Sennheiser's website, it seems that the 70 has longer reach than the 60. But otherwise, do they sound essentially the same?

Also, I've read that due to its low noise, the 60 has an effectively longer reach than the 416, so is 70's reach really that much longer than the 60's?

Thanks very much guys!

[TingSern Wong]

I have MKH50 and MKH70 - but no MKH60 :-). The 70 is indeed very quiet. The 50 is extremely good for recording concerts (in quiet areas). The 70 is what I used for recording nature sounds in outdoor settings. Can pick up the sound of flowing water across a small stream from 10m away - if ambient sounds are quiet enough.

[Ty Ford]

Originally Posted by Warren Shultz

I recently picked one up but haven't had a chance to use it much yet. Is there any reason it wouldn't perform well indoors for dialogue vs. Outdoor use?
Thanks

Yes. To see and hear why, visit my website's Online Archive, look in the video folder and watch/listen the Ty Ford Mic Tutorial.mp4.

Use headphones or big monitors, not computer speakers.

Regards,

Ty Ford

[Seth Bloombaum]

Originally Posted by Warren Shultz

I recently picked one up but haven't had a chance to use it much yet. Is there any reason it wouldn't perform well indoors for dialogue vs. Outdoor use?
Thanks

The conventional wisdom says to use a hypercardoid indoors, not a shotgun. The reason is that a shotgun is not very directional in the low-mid and low frequencies, so you typically hear a lot of room sound (unnatural sounding reflections) in the lows.

However, your mileage will vary, as, neither all shotguns nor all rooms are created equal. It all depends...

[Ty Ford]

Originally Posted by Teodor Miljevic

I have a question for you guys I've been looking around and I can't find a thread on the more professional shotgunmics. There are a lot about rode and the cheaper AT and sennheiser mics, but what mic would you use if you could pick any mic under 3000$ that has the same pattern as the sennheisser mkh-416?(which is the about the only more expensive mic that I see being mentioned here(and is one of the better ones i would like to hear more about))

Unless the dollar has dropped worse than I thought, there aren't any mono shotguns that cost $3000.

Regards,

Ty Ford

[Oleg Kaizerman]

Originally Posted by Teodor Miljevic

I have a question for you guys I've been looking around and I can't find a thread on the more professional shotgunmics. There are a lot about rode and the cheaper AT and sennheiser mics, but what mic would you use if you could pick any mic under 3000$ that has the same pattern as the sennheisser mkh-416?(which is the about the only more expensive mic that I see being mentioned here(and is one of the better ones i would like to hear more about))

I my self have a AT 4073 which is a very good mic even though I know the sennheiser mkh-416 is better. Is there a mic in the price range I mention above that is even better? Or could you recomend a kit that would be better allround (maybe two mics or three that together used wisely deliver better quality than the one mic I'm asking for:)They don't have to cost below 3000 together it's ok if the kit is more expensive). Also good to know is that my production company almost always works on location and not on a soundstage so I would appreciate it if your recomendations could take that into account. Also note that I said mics plural (I guess there are some candidates so please feel free to talk about your favourite (I don't want to start a long discussion based on two groups having there own favourite).

I'm going to be using them on proffesional productions so I'm only interested in the best mics even (under 3000, I know sky is the limit if you really want to spend money, if there is something close to that please mention them as well but if they are more expensive I would appreciate if you could mention the price also) though many of you are content with your lower end models and think they are really good I would really like to hear about the good stuff. There are endless posts about the other ones so I would appreciate if we could focus on the higher end models.

if you need 1 mic to run around i personally didn't find something better then sanken cs-3e ( 1300-1350 USD)- it has very pleasant sound , best side rejection between the short shotguns , its not so sharp as 416 and not so wide as kmr 81
working excellent interiors
probably the best overall shotgun - i have 2 :-)( and in rentals we have all the rest as well ,60, 70 416, 816 ,schoeps , 81s,82 and taking the DPA in a week or 2 as my partner is a bit obsessive check it 2)

[Oleg Kaizerman]

Originally Posted by Peter Moretti

Anyone want to chime in on the differences between the MKH-60 and the MKH-70?

From reading Sennheiser's website, it seems that the 70 has longer reach than the 60. But otherwise, do they sound essentially the same?

Also, I've read that due to its low noise, the 60 has an effectively longer reach than the 416, so is 70's reach really that much longer than the 60's?

Thanks very much guys!

The 416 is the most narrow pattern mic in short shotguns , very bad for off axis as it completely twist the sound so with inexperience boom operator is a hell , have grate proximity effect so some like it for it ,the sound vary depends how fur you from the subject .
i personally dont like the mkh-60 but it more depends on my ear and not really how it sounds - completely deffernt from the 416 , very quet mic , maybe the quetes between all the shorts , but that good only in the desert from 10 feet height and not really in situations where you working on location and start to hear your preamp much earlier , the 70 has much narrow pick up , sound completely different then the 60 - excellent mic for reality if you on desert island or need to pick up something from 6 feet over the actor on the street

[Ty Ford]

cs-3e but keep a watchful ear. It has a tight pattern.

CMIT tight pattern but with softer edges.

Regards,

Ty Ford