416/30 MKH Stereo Setup - Recommended?
Hi All,
I have just been reading about a field stereo setup using Sennheiser 416 and a MKH 30. I thought if this works it could be a good solution for rugged field use having the 416 as a general mono for dialogue then adding in the mkh 30 for stereo, together in a windshield? Murray |
Yes it should work... BUT with 2 mics in a rycote or similar windshields may become a bit heavy for the mic suspension.
Also working in discreet MS can cause problems when editing if the editor isn't aware of how it works. I find working in XY for broadcast causes less problems and headaches as most people find it easy to grasp stereo as an XY signal. |
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Rycote do special windshields and suspensions for both these options. |
Thanks for the replies!
So I am now down to looking at either: 1. an MKH 30/40 or 30/60 setup for MS, or 2. A 418-S, or 3. A 416 and go for the stereo image afterwards in post, or 4.416 /30 One question, the 30/40 setup seems to have a very wide pickup area. Would this be suitable for dialogue also or really just ambient sounds? Would the 30/60 be better in this regard? I will be using a Sound devices 702 recorder and 302 mixer as suggested. Murray |
Dialogue normally should be mono. Stereo is for music, ambiance, and perhaps some SFX. When recording your dialogue, though, you don't want ANY ambiance intruding into the recording if you can help it, hence none of your stereo recording options make any sense to me if you're talking about dialogue. In post you centre the mono dialogue track between the left and right channels and leave it there - don't worry about its "stereo image" in post, most of the time it shouldn't have one. It can be disorienting to the audience for the dialogue to be wandering around in the sound field as the various shot's are intercut. Then stereo ambiance is added to give the scene depth. Remember too that if this is going to broadcast TV, many viewers will be watching in mono or with such lousy stereo imaging that it might as well be mono.
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I hope all this helps. |
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Thanks Steve and John - all very useful! Steve, being a one man band but after the highest quality I can produce alone, I assumed that if I chose a 30/60 - or after John's suggestion 30/50 setup, I could leave the kit setup and plugged in for the duration of the shoot (many weeks) and just 'switch it on' for ambient AND dialogue. Then in post the sound designer could just grab the sound from one of the mics in the setup for dialogue mono? Once again this may be a naive question, but I am assuming a 30/50 setup would allow me to hear the stereo sound in the mix but record to 2 channels allowing the guys in post to take the dialogue as mono form just one channel for the final edit? Cheers Murray |
One further, but very important question...
Is there any reason to suspect that a 30/40, 30/50 or 30/60 stereo setup would be better in extreme conditions (freezing dry snow only - not rain or damp) than just going ahead with a 416? Murray |
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But the 416 is marginally better as it does not have an active front plate like the others - but any of these are vastly better than a non-RF condenser and the symmetrical capsule mics work very well in nasty conditions. I hope this helps. |
My sound guys have said they don't mind the idea of grabbing the 'mid' from a 30/50 or 30/60 setup.
The only question was about the polarity of the mid (mkh 50 or 60) as compared with say a 416 for more distant dialogue? Any opinions? Thanks Murray |
What do you mean by the polarity? Are you talking about the polar pattern or are you talking about the phase of the signal.
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Sorry - polar pattern
Mind in ten places at once right now :) Murray |
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The MKH 50 has the same pattern as the 60 does at low frequencies. But as it does not have an interference tube, it keeps the same pattern all the way up and does not get more directional as frequency rises. But it does work very well in MS without the off-axis anomalies that happen when using an interference tube mic. for the mid. I hope this helps. |
Re: 416/30 MKH Stereo Setup - Recommended?
I have a 416 with its own windshield and a mkh 40-30 with the own bigger rycote windshield, but this is going to be my scenario, I have to climb on a vulcano crater so just with recorder and one boom, i thought to bring my 416 with 30 and in post choosing the only 416 for dialogue and for any effects to use the combination 416 30 as decoded ms stereo.
how this sound for you. |
Re: 416/30 MKH Stereo Setup - Recommended?
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The 30 would be too near the edge with not enough wind protection. |
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