Sennheiser MKH 416-P48 - microphones (Studio, 40 - 20000 Hz, XLR-3, Wired, Super-Cardioid, 19 x 250 mm)

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The 416 is fast becoming one of the most popular microphones in the voiceover industry, which has traditionally been dominated by large diaphragm condenser mics (LDC). For reference, I mostly use the Schoeps CCM 41 Lg [supercardoid] and/or MiniCMIT [shotgun] microphones along with DPA 6060 [lavalieres] microphones for cinema/video location recording work. Also in this review I tested the Rycote Softie Windshield on the Sennheiser for an outdoor video test on a windy day. So, enough of the gushing – gimme details. Yes, I heard you. OK, here is the skinny. Some say that it ISN’T the best microphone for voice while others swear by it. However, I think that everybody agrees that it’s the perfect option for film sets. Depends on the room [and mic], but 4 feet can be a very long way off. When I spoke of a plant, I didn't mean to imply 'near the performance', but rather 'at the performance' - more often, within a couple feet. . .and in the 'right' direction.

But because there was no windshield of any kind, the wind was still pretty loud. For video 3 using the foam windshield that came with the mic, the wind noise was noticeably less of a problem. For final video we used the Rycote Softie Windshield. And though there was a pretty significant breeze, it was amazingly quiet. Lastly, I really appreciate the Sennheiser MKH 416’s ruggedness. It’s another one of those “indestructible” microphones, so you can have peace of mind when using it in the field. Okay… Maybe it’s a little expensive, but I’ll tell you what I did to pay it LESS later. For now, let’s just focus on the features that make this microphone indispensable. Other awesome features of the 416 make it nearly indestructible (not that I put that to the test with the review mic:)), less sensitive to plosives (p-pops), and less sensitive to the proximity effect, which is that thing where the low bass frequencies get more hyped the closer the mic gets to the source. Voice-over folks may think, “hey I like it when my voice sounds deeper when I get close to the mic.”Our team has worked with nearly every popular microphone on the market in multiple capacities, and the one thing we can say is that a high price point does not always correlate with the microphone quality. For that reason, we'll be trying to determine not only the pros and cons of the MKH416 but also whether or not it's deserving of the high price tag. Lavalier microphones are often deployed as plants ['hidden' or 'unimposing' in the scene]. The DPA 6060 is very small and easy to hide - as is the sanken cos-11. But I will plant much larger mics as well. And, of course some scenes can tolerate - or even benefit from - visible microphones next to actors in the scene. But one often has to be careful about consistency across multiple scenes. . .While something may seemingly work well in an isolated scene, it may fail to integrate into the project as a whole. Of course, it depends on what you’re looking for. For example, some may prefer NOT using shotgun microphones when the situation doesn’t absolutely call for it. The Sennheiser MKH416 is the industry standard for film/tv work. Sound designers like to use it too (things like recording car doors closing and motorcycle engines, etc.). That would be the one to benchmark against. You mentioned interview work, so a lavalier is also usually part of the scene. I’m producing a short film in the coming months [. . .]Very cool that you're going after short films!

Personally, I think shotgun microphones like the Sennheiser MKH 416 sound great even in “controlled” environments. I mount it on my desk and use it for my YouTube videos and any other voice-over work I might need to do. You can read the technical details of this in this article, but RF ( radio frequency, btw) biasing has some benefits, such as that the mic becomes less sensitive to moisture ( a good thing in an expensive mic commonly used outdoors), has a wider frequency response, and is extremely low noise levels. Other features?On despatch, you will receive a notification from our carriers along with updates right up to the point of delivery. Ray H.Thanks man, it’s been a long time coming! At the moment I’m really only thinking of the scenario(s) involved with the short film I’ll soon be shooting. Though, I imagine a lot of the choices I make for that will translate into proceeding projects. In other words, the MKH 416 isolates sound sources like no other and rejects ambient noise better than the other popular shotgun microphones. The mics in question, 2 are hyper cardioids (the schoeps and MKH 50) and the dpa is a shotgun (I think?). If I don’t plan on building up my kit beyond one mic at this point, which one would be the most sensible choice? For some, a lot of this information may be difficult to keep up with. But a lot of these features we mentioned really highlight the level of detail Sennhieser put into the MKH416 to make sure not only that the sound you record is of high quality, but that you can focus more on your target audio source and less on your environment.

One of the reasons I wanted a Schoeps is the off axis characteristics, which they seem to be in a league of their own amongst other top contenders. Though, I’m wondering if that’s a good enough reason to go with that option instead of the MKH 50, which sounds great to my ears and several hundred dollars less. Both of those things can help when you’re reading a script while recording. But ultimately the real reason this mic is terrific as a voice mic is that it simply sounds incredible. Shotgun Shootout The audio would have been truly awesome if we had a 3rd person holding the mic on the end of a boom pole (sometimes called a fish pole) mic holder with the mic just above my head and out-of-frame, pointing down at my mouth. I’ll do that test another day.I know that last one is a curve ball. But you would be an all-in-one force with that set up. There are tons of gigs out there that want someone to use a 4K DSLR camera and a decent mic setup to record things. It’s one of the microphones with the “flattest” response which has earned it the accolade of the “NO EQ Microphone”. The only thing with the NTG3 - you have to be aware that it's quite bassy, and it doesn't have a low cut filter. I personally don't have any problem with that, but I know some people who didn't like the mic because of that. I don't know if the MKH416 has a low cut filter, but I believe it does? The frequency response intentionally has a slightly rising characteristic at high frequencies. The microphone has a low proximity effect and therefore provides a well-balanced sound