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Microphone Recommend like 416 but cheaper ?

M

Matt Uhry

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I'm looking to buy a basic shotgun mic, for use mostly on a boom pole, hopefully something that's similar in use to the sennheiser 416, but cheaper and with the option of an internal battery.

Sometime I'll use it on a boom pole, direct to red, sometimes to the red via mixer and also to be used patched into my Zoom H2 by way of the mini phono plug.

Hoping to spend under $500 - mic, boom pole, shockmount, wind thingy. Is that possible ?

Any ideas would be appreciated !

Matt Uhry
www.mattuhry.com
 
Matt, have a look at the Audio Technica 897. It has everything you are looking for and was recommended to me by BJ at Custom Supply when I needed something along the lines you requested. It's been a great mike and can be used with an internal battery or phantom, your choice. It's around $260.00.

BTW, I saw the new Rode blimp at NAB and liked it a lot. Here's a link to it at B&H: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/579335-REG/Rode_BLIMP_Blimp_Complete_Windshield.html
 
wow did not know the Rode ntg-3 was that much, maybe the ntg-2 will be a little more iin the range.
 
I might need to raise my budget - at a certain point it make sense to just get the sennheiser 416 and not have second thoughts about it.

M
 
I've been told that NTG-3 is on par with 416, but it has a slightly bigger pick up pattern. Makes it better for indie-work/working with non audio-people.

$500 isn't possible to have good audio. It will cost 2k$ upwards. I would buy a good mic with a rode blimp and rent the boom/recorder/mixer.
 
Matt,

I don't like the 416. It has a certain coke bottle feel and is too directed for most applications, IMO. Schoeps sound great, are lightweight/small, sufficiently directed without distorting sound-space the and for many sound recordist the first choice. The Russian Octavias aren't bad either, more or less a sucessful copy of the Schoeps, if I recall correctly. They are considerably cheaper.

The 416 is great for news, it's sturdy and pretty directed and good at fishing statements but heavy and needs a huge wind jammer. For anything else I wouldn't take it.

Hans
 
Asked my soundman:


The Cooke S4:

- Schoeps MK5. It's both in one Mic: You can switch from shotgun to omnidirectional,

- Schoep MK41, pretty narrow shotgun.

Both mics need a amp. and the wind jammer W20R. Schoeps are not cheap but like lenses will hold value.


The RPPs:

Oktava are cheap. Check www.oktava.com. There are many out there who find that the Russian made Oktavas are close to the best (Neumann and Schoeps). They are a bargain. The Oktava MK012A might be the best bet you can find. Prices: LESS than 300 USD!

Hans
 
Hans you are right on the money.

Schoeps is in my view definitely the gold standard. For film work, I use the hypercardiod - MK 41. It is has got such a nice natural sound. I agree with your comments concerning the 416 though I do use it for outdoor work in difficult situations. The Schoeps MK5 is a bit of specialty mic in my view.

The Schoeps are expensive and if you cant go in this direction Oktavas are terrific. You can get an Octava modified by Michael Jolly which contains the preamp, and three capsules (hypercardiod, cardiod and omni) for about one third of the cost of the Schoeps. These were never intended for outdoor work but can certainly be used in a blimp with a good suspension. Again, superior sound.

The absolute best cheapest shotgun out there is the Rode NTG-1 and its battery powered equivalent (the NTG-2?) which is unbelievable value and which certainly give you broadcast quality sound.
 
Australian mic Rode NTG3 rocks.

Also is very robust and usable in all different weather/climate shooting situation.

"It's not a puddle and it's a hunter dog..."
 
Another vote here for the NTG3. The NTG2 is also nice if you want to save a bit more money, I own both.

The NTG3 is very similar in performance to the Sennheiser 416 and the NTG3 does have a bit wider pick-up pattern, so that's something to consider if you really want to focus in on a subject, but the NTG3 seems to have a little better response on the low end. Personally, I think it's a great mic (vs. the 416) for a bit less than half the money.

The Schoeps mics are my favorites, but too expensive for me as I'm not a pro sound guy. The Oktava that Hans mentioned above are excellent for the money. However, there seems to be inconsistencies in their manufacturing and the tonal response isn't that consistent from one capsule to the next (talking about comparing same model capsules). Or at least that's the report I've heard from a few sound guys I trust. And they still recommend the Oktava MK012 because it's a total bargain and an overall good performer given the low price. It is THE indie microphone.
 
Videodisc said:
Don't think it's going to be under 500us. I am looking for the same setup but with all the accessories you mentioned...Well, take a look

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/563847-REG/Rode_NTG_3_NTG_3_Ultimate_Shotgun_Microphone.html
Click to expand...

That seems incredibly expensive. I bought the exact same set-up for less than half what B&H want. I'd suggest shopping around or importing, particularly now the dollar has recovered.

I bought mine here:

http://www.proav.co.uk/Audio-Equipm...its/Shotgun-Microphone-Kits/p19197_sc969.aspx
 
Jeff Kilgroe said:
Another vote here for the NTG3. The NTG2 is also nice if you want to save a bit more money, I own both.

The NTG3 is very similar in performance to the Sennheiser 416 and the NTG3 does have a bit wider pick-up pattern, so that's something to consider if you really want to focus in on a subject, but the NTG3 seems to have a little better response on the low end. Personally, I think it's a great mic (vs. the 416) for a bit less than half the money.
Click to expand...

I own the 416, NTG-2, NTG-3 and the globalmediapro mics. To my ear the 416 and the NTG-3 are pretty similar with the qualities mentioned by Jeff. The NTG-2 is also an excellent mic but not in the league of the 416 and NTG-3.

The globalmediapro mics have given me nothing but trouble, generating intermittent broad spectrum noise at the worst possible times. When they are working they sound fine, but I have essentially replaced them with the NTG-2s which are super reliable.
 
Matt Uhry said:
I might need to raise my budget - at a certain point it make sense to just get the sennheiser 416 and not have second thoughts about it.

M
Click to expand...

I'm a sound guy and more apt to spending the money on the better gear, but if you spend the 1G on the Sennheiser 416 you won't be disappointed. I've had one for about 6 years now and use quite often. It sounds great and is built like a tank. You could almost use it to defend yourself if it came to that. (not that I a m recommending to do so) It's well worth the cost. I've read about sound guys using their 416's in some of the worst conditions where the mic got drenched. It did crap out, but it took a long time, and you had to do was let it dry out and it would work fine again. We're talking about situations where you wouldn't think about using your camera even if you had a rain cover for it.

The ME66 isn't bad either, but it's definitely not as sturdy as the 416. Haven't tried the Rode. I love their Studio mics, but can't speak for the field stuff.

J. Hemmerlin
 
Hans von Sonntag said:
Matt,

I don't like the 416. It has a certain coke bottle feel and is too directed for most applications, IMO. Schoeps sound great, are lightweight/small, sufficiently directed without distorting sound-space the and for many sound recordist the first choice. The Russian Octavias aren't bad either, more or less a sucessful copy of the Schoeps, if I recall correctly. They are considerably cheaper.

The 416 is great for news, it's sturdy and pretty directed and good at fishing statements but heavy and needs a huge wind jammer. For anything else I wouldn't take it.

Hans
Click to expand...

If he is ever going to mount a mic on his camera than anything like the schoeps isn't going to be ideal. It'll be way to wide of a pattern and is mush too sensitive to be placed on a camera. The Schoeps is so good at what it does, that any minute sound the camera or the operator might make will be picked up. The price isn't worth it for any mic that you're going to put on a camera. He's better off with a decent and slightly wider shotgun that isn't going to break the bank. It's not always about the best quality microphone, but the best microphone to do the job.

J. hemmerlin
 
Rode is the Red of the audio world, lots of bang for the buck. :) I love my NT2s and will definitely look at the NTG3. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
We deal in specialist audio in our of our departments and now proudly rent Red.

The Audio Technica 897 or Sennsheiser ME66 should be considered. We have a few ME66 here, most have been repaired in their time over 6 years or so they work well but are no 416 or MKH60. We have 30 MKH mics mosly 60's and MKH416 not one has been returned for repair in 20 years excepting when a yak stood on one and that didnt stop working it just was a peculiar shape. Neither have any of our Schoeps mics failed on us. With mics you do get what you pay for in robustness and they do hold their value like good lenses.

We dont have an Audio Technica 897 but my broadcast collegues speak very highly of them for out door work. We reliable and sound natural with out too much coloration.

Two things to consider that have not been mentioned yet. The most important characteristic to consider is the polar pattern and how well controled it is and if the mic phases on pans. The other is how well it stands up to evironmental conditions. An MKH416 will work down to -40 and up to +60, Ive done this in tests to verify and expirinced conditions in the wilds in real situations. Also in very high humidity some mics stop working.

Also think stereo, consider using an MS pair. So pair your cardiod/Hypercardioud mic with a figure 8 mic. if you do propose working stereo this don't get a hypercardioid mic that is to tight. It will ruin the stereo.
 
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